EMA Motorsport to make Carrera Cup return with Zak Best

Porsche debut for experienced Best as EMA signals winning intentions

EMA Motorsport will make a return to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at Sandown Raceway this week, signing Supercars ace Zak Best to drive their Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car.

Best, 22, will make his Carrera Cup debut with the team at Sandown – the event to be a return to local competition for the Melbourne-based squad.

The car will feature Link Cold Storage & Transport as the major sponsor for the event.

EMA’s last race in Australia was their successful campaign at the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour in February, which delivered an outright win with their Porsche 992 GT3R co-entered with Manthey Racing, and victory in the Pro-Am class with the sister car.

The team’s last Carrera Cup start saw British driver Harry King claim all three races and the round at Mount Panorama last October, delivering EMA their first win in the one-make championship after several years of trying.

The team has remained extremely active in international competition, however, with the Manthey-EMA Porsche claiming the LMGT3 class at the Le Mans 24 Hours this year, while the team has also been a race winner in the DTM championship this year.

Best has completed several test days with the team ahead of his Sandown debut, including spending time with EMA’s international operations with a test at the famous Nürburgring in Germany, where he worked alongside now three-time Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup champion, Larry ten Voorde.

Round 5 of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia will be held at Sandown Raceway between September 13-15.

ZAK BEST

“I’m excited to be back in a race car and to be joining a great category like Carrera Cup. Joining EMA Motorsport has been great and have this opportunity to build something good moving forward.

“Sitting on the other side was the first learning curve in adapting to the Porsche. With the rear engine the setups very different and warming the car is all different, but I am enjoying the experience so far and have had a few test days to get up to speed.

“To have the chance to run around the GP track at Nürburgring and lean off some of the really good guys over there was great – I worked with Larry ten Voorde throughout the day and that was fantastic.

“I don’t think many people have an idea of just how good EMA are. Hopefully we can show that they are there to win – they are a great team and it’s a privilege to be driving for them.”

MARCUS COLE – TEAM MANAGER, EMA MOTORSPORT

“We have been working diligently behind the scenes to return EMA to Carrera Cup this season and we are happy to have come to the point where we can announce that Zak Best will be in the #90 Porsche for Sandown.

“Zak has been very impressive in testing and is hungry to show what he is capable of this season.

“It’s exciting for EMA Motorsport to work with Zak and get back on track in a bid to continue our run of success in Australia, including the Bathurst 12 Hour and the Bathurst round of Carrera Cup Australia last year.

“The field is as competitive as ever but we know we are up for the challenge and with Zak we have the driver to do the job behind the wheel.”

Caleb Sumich to make Carrera Cup debut

Michelin Sprint Challenge graduate set for step up to main game grid

PORSCHE MICHELIN Junior Caleb Sumich will make his Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship debut at the Sandown 500 next week. 

The 18-year-old from Western Australia will graduate from Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge to the main game of one-make Porsche racing with his existing team, McElrea Racing, and will contest three of the final four rounds of this years championship.

Starting at Sandown, Sumich will then also tackle the Gold Coast and Adelaide street circuits that round out the Carrera Cup year.

Sumich is a race and round winner in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia this year and currently sits fourth in the series with one round to go.

A graduate from one-make Radical Cup Australia competition, Sumich made his debut early last year before returning for a second campaign in 2024. He dramatically claimed the opening round of the championship in a three-way countback, by virtue of winning the final race.

Sumich has been testing his 992-generation GT3 Cup Car this year in and around commitments racing the previous-generation car in Michelin Sprint Challenge.

Sumich continues the ongoing journey of Michelin Juniors graduating from Sprint Challenge to Carrera Cup, the West Aussie having competed with current Carrera Cup racers Nash Morris, Marcos Flack, Marco Giltrap, Tom McLennan, Harrison Goodman and teammate Lochie Bloxsom last year.

Round five of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship commences at Sandown next week.

CALEB SUMICH

“I’m super excited to finally make my Carrera Cup debut,” Sumich said.

“I’ve been watching it for a long time, basically since I was karting, and especially following the likes of Jordan and Aaron Love who like me are from the West.

“I’m excited to see what it’s like and learn what it’s like to race with these guys at such a high level. The field is strong and competing in the top Porsche category against guys who have raced and won at high levels of the sport is great.

“I love the 992, I feel more comfortable in it than the older car – it’s got more aero and it looks the best.”

ANDY MCELRA – Team Owner, McElrea Racing

“We’ve worked with Caleb since his debut in Michelin Sprint Challenge last year and his progress has been strong, so he’s ready to make the step up to Carrera Cup next week.

“Caleb has been splitting his time between his 991.2 GT3 Cup Car in Sprint Challenge and testing his 992 GT3 Cup Car with the long term plan of making a debut in Carrera Cup at some point this year.

“It’s a smart way to hit the ground running for a full season in 2025 and he’ll get lots of laps at circuits where you can’t test like the Gold Coast and Adelaide.

“It’s always exciting to see one of our talented youngsters making the step up as they chase their dreams and we’ll get to enjoy that again this week.”

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport lands in Australia

Brand-new GT4 contender arrives Down Under

PORSCHE MOTORSPORT’S latest and greatest contender designed for global GT4 competition has landed in Australia.

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport represents Porsche’s latest iteration of its global contender for GT4 competition, with significant if evolutionary gains over previous models.

With a further allocation secured by Porsche Motorsport Australia, eight cars have now landed in Australia with a majority already sold to either returning or brand-new customers.

These include the car currently utilised by 2023 GT4 Australia winner Shane Smollen, who currently leads the Pro-Am standings in the 2024 series aboard his Method Motorsport-run entry.

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport represents Porsche evolution at its finest with several improvements to performance, adjustability, accessibility and affordability over the previous 718 GT4.

Powered by a 4.0-litre flat six, the car produces 368 kilowatts in unrestricted form with power delivered to the rear wheels via a 7-speed PDK gearbox.

The latest car features shorter gear ratios for better performance and suitability at a wider range of circuits than the existing model.

The car weighs just 1330kg with the latest model featuring front wings, bonnet, doors and front aero components made from natural fibre composites to reduce weight.

Inside, the car features a steering wheel closely related to the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car and a Cosworth dashboard and data logging system. ABS, ESC and Traction Control settings are all adjustable from the cockpit, while dampers, spring rates and roll bars are all adjustable as well.

The car comes ‘turnkey’ and ready to accept balance of performance measures utilised by SRO GT competition at any event.

As well as the Monochrome GT4 Australia Series, the Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS Clubsport is also eligible for various national, state and club level racing events or for high performance track activities at the owner’s discretion.

Interested parties can contact motorsport@porsche.com.au for more information or to lodge an EOI, while the car will also be on display at the Penrite Sandown 500 alongside the fifth round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

John Murray, Director of Marketing and Motorsport, Porsche Cars Australia

“The exciting growth of GT4 competition in Australia has come at the perfect time to correspond with the local, formal launch of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.

“We worked hard to secure an allocation of cars for Australia in anticipation that it would be a strong product that our current and future customers would be interested in.

“Demand for the car has been high and we are looking forward to seeing these cars hit the track this year, with more to arrive in Australia for the start of next year.

“Our Motorsport team are looking forward to continuing and expanding their support of Porsche competitors in GT4 competition in Australia, where we know this car will be an extremely competitive proposition.”

Porsche pathway well positioned in Superlicence restructure

Carrera Cup, Sprint Challenge recognised for their competition in updated points system

A REVISED Superlicence points structure ensures the Porsche Motorsport Australia pathway continues to provide excellent representation for drivers looking to progress to the Repco Supercars Championship. 

Motorsport Australia has announced a revised Superlicence points structure for 2025 with both the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series well represented at the pointy-end of the allocations.

The revised allocations recognise the depth of competition in both categories this year, with both Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge featuring strong grids, high level competition and a host of talented young drivers taking part in the Porsche Michelin Junior Program this year.

This means young drivers and Porsche Michelin Juniors can rapidly accrue the required 15 points needed to obtain a Superlicence and a potential Supercars drive, while still making the most of the Porsche Pyramid in Australia and keeping potential international racing aspirations alive at the same time.

Success in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship awards 12 Superlicence points to those finishing first, second or third in the championship, with 10 points awarded to the driver finishing fourth and 8 to the driver in fifth.

Carrera Cup is one of only two categories within the revised structure that award Superlicence points down to 10th position.

Michelin Sprint Challenge competitors will receive 10 points for winning the title, 8 for second and 6 for third with points allocated down to 7th in the series standings.

A host of drivers have utilised the ultra-competitive Porsche pathway in Australia to progress to Supercars competition recently.

Cameron Hill, Matthew Payne, Andre Heimgartner, Cameron Hill, Ryan Wood, Jaxon Evans, Aaron Love and enduro wildcard Cooper Murray are all former winners or champions in either Carrera Cup or Sprint Challenge Australia in recent years, while David Reynolds and Nick Percat had success in Carrera Cup competition earlier in their careers.

While not requiring the Superlicence points any longer, David Russell, Fabian Coulthard, Dylan O’Keeffe and Dale Wood all tackle the Carrera Cup Australia championship alongside their Supercars Endurance season co-driver roles.

The full points allocation for 2025 can be found at the Motorsport Australia website here. 

Jones, Flack domination continues at pair sweep Sydney

Carrera Cup field heads to winter break with title contenders making their mark

HARRI JONES and Adrian Flack have swept Sydney before them to claim dominant victories in Round 4 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park. 

The pair head into a mid-season break holding commanding leads in their respective title battles thanks to imperious weekends at Sydney Motorsport Park that saw Jones take pole and three wins in Equity-One Pro, and Flack achieve the same in SP Tools Pro-Am.

Jones led home Dylan O’Keeffe and David Russell in the Pro class, while Flack was joined on the Pro-Am podium by second-placed Rodney Jane and Matt Belford.

With a two-month break prior to the next round at Sandown, Jones’ championship lead provisionally sits at 145 points, with Jackson Walls second and Russell third, just nine points further back.

Adrian Flack leads Matt Slavin and Rodney Jane in the Pro-Am class, though drivers will need to drop their worst round of the year prior to the end of the season, with only 7 of the 8 rounds counting.

RACE 3

Jones completed his Sydney sweep with another lights-to-flag victory ahead of Dylan O’Keeffe in Race 3 at Sydney Motorsport Park, however there was plenty of action in his wake. 

The two leaders finished well ahead of the chasing pack, which included a busy three-car battle for the final spot in the top three that at the line went to Fabian Coulthard.

The Kiwi had spent much of the race first in a battle with Marco Giltrap and then with David Russell and had passed the TekworkX driver to cross the line in third – however a five-second penalty for a driving infringement, related to the battle with Giltrap, ultimately saw the BWT Porsche drop to sixth in the final standings.

That returned Russell to the top three with Jackson Walls fourth and Garth Tander a stunning fifth.

The Bathurst winner started 15th but scythed his way through the field with better condition tyres than those around him, catching the battling Russell and Walls’ in the race’s closing stages.

Angelo Mouzouris, Marco Giltrap, Bayley Hall and Ryder Quinn completed the top-10, which included plenty of hard battles through the field.

Drama on the opening lap for Marcos Flack and Nick McBride dropped them down the order – the former recovering to 14th position.

Flack again won the SP Tools Pro-Am class ahead of Jane and Matt Belford, which also replicated the overall round podium.

RACE 2 (Endurance Cup) 

HARRI JONES posted another emphatic performance to claim his second straight Enduro Cup win on Sunday morning at Sydney Motorsport Park. 

As he did in race one, Jones nailed the start and used supreme cold tyre pace to build his lead over a racy Jackson Walls early, and was never headed from there.

Walls chased hard throughout the 45-minute encounter, the pair trading quickest laps and never split by more than three seconds – in turn, finishing 10 seconds ahead of third-placed Coulthard.

The BWT driver had a racy affair, slipping past Dylan O’Keeffe mid-race following a lengthy battle to secure his first top three finish since the Gold Coast last year. With O’Keeffe settling for fourth, David Russell finished fifth and Marco Giltrap sixth – the pair having battled for much of the race.

Behind them were challenging tails for some, Bayley Hall crossing the line just behind Giltrap before a five second penalty relegated him to 11th in the final standings. Tom McLennan (18th) and Garth Tander (17th) were also recipients of a track limits penalty.

Dale Wood, David Wall, Nash Morris and Angelo Mouzouris completed the top-10 in the enduro cup affair.

Adrian Flack secured his eleventh straight SP Tools Pro-Am class win, once again mixing it with the Equity-One Pro runners en route to 19th outright.

The victory was the 37th of his career, which pulled him clear of Stephen Grove in the all-time Pro-Am winners list – Flack now only trailing three-time class champion Max Twigg (48 wins) in the all-time leaderboard.

While Flack ran away in front, a furious battle was fought for second, third and fourth: Matt Belford fighting off Matt Slavin by just one-tenth of a second – with Rodney Jane right behind them with the trio split by just 0.4 seconds as the line.

Stunning Porsche night race goes to Jones, Flack

Action aplenty in Carrera Cup's star turn at Sydney Motorsport Park

THE Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia night race has gone to Harri Jones in a commanding victory under the Sydney lights on Saturday night. 

Jones led home Dylan O’Keeffe and David Russell in a lights-to-flag performance to take Equity-One Pro, while non-finishes for Dale Wood and Jackson Walls could prove costly to their title hopes.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Adrian Flack continued his winning ways, leading home Rodney Jane and Matt Belford in an action-packed battle.

In cold conditions, Jones made the best of the starts and charged his way to an early lead over O’Keeffe.

Walls lost ground early, while Fabian Coulthard was bumped wide on the exit of turn two, causing the BWT car to tumble down the order. It was in that opening exchange that Dale Wood struck issues in his Connected Spaces entry, damage to the left front corner of his car forcing him to the lane and out of the race.

As things settled down, Jones pulled away from O’Keeffe and Russell, who was holding of Jackson Walls and Marco Giltrap in a fight for third.

Walls wouldn’t remain there for long, however, the Objective Racing car slowly slipping down the order with what was later diagnosed as a slowly deflating Michelin tyre – thought to be from contact early in the race.

The Sydneysider would drop to eighth position before the tyre finally ran out of pressure, forcing him off at Turn one at high speed with two laps remaining. That incident brought out the Safety Car, under which the race would finish.

Walls was unharmed after the car made contact with the tyre barriers at turn one, however was forced out of the race.

The Safety Car safely delivered Jones his sixth win of the season and an extended championship lead, with O’Keeffe second and Russell third.

Marco Giltrap finished fourth, his best ever result in his rookie Carrera Cup season, and David Wall fifth at his home circuit. Behind them there were stories of progress through the field, including Ryder Quinn who grabbed sixth position and Angelo Mouzouris seventh.

Bayley Hall and Glen Wood were next, followed home by Garth Tander who climbed 15 positions after starting at the back of the field following his early collision in qualifying with Marcos Flack.

Flack was another to storm though the field, rebounding from a stall at the start to finish in 15th position, from 26th.

In SP Tools Pro-Am Adrian Flack won for the ninth consecutive time, however had to fight for it after scrapping with several contenders throughout the race.

The Agas National / EBM driver had climbed as high as 13th on the opening lap and ultimately crossed the line 18th to take the Pro-Am win and extend his already considerable championship lead.

Rodney Jane chased Flack for second position prior to the race-halting Safety Car and finished in the same position, while Matt Belford celebrated his 50th Carrera Cup race start with third in class – ahead of Stephen Grove, on his first Carrera Cup start in two years.

The Carrera Cup field put on a spectacular show under the Sydney lights, with two races to complete round four of the championship and signify the half-way point of the season on Sunday.

Provisionally, Jones’ championship and Equity-One Professional class lead has built to 118 points over David Russell, with Walls slipping to third and Wood to fourth thanks to their zero-scores in race one.

Flack continues to lead in SP Tools Pro-Am with Matt Slavin second and Jane third.

Sunday’s two races from Sydney Motorsport Park will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Carrera Cup cars to light up for Saturday night fight

Porsche field to help light the Sydney night

THE Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field will inject further colour and excitement to the Supercars Panasonic Air Conditioning SuperNight event tonight at Sydney Motorsport Park.

All 26 Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Cars entered this weekend will sport coloured LED lights running behind the front air intakes this evening, adding even more colour to an already spectacular show planned for this evening.

The colour-changing LEDs can be changed to suit each team or their specific branding at their discretion.

The lights are managed and powered through the factory Porsche ECU fitted to each car, utilising a function that allows for optional endurance racing specification lighting to be fitted for long-distance races.

That system, not regularly used in Carrera Cup racing, has been activated on each car for today only by the Porsche Motorsport technical team to allow the LED lights to function, with the lighting activated as soon as the cars headlights are turned on.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia will race for the first time this weekend as the curtain-raiser to the Supercars race Tonight, starting at 6:10pm.

Russell tops the charts in unpredictable Sydney practice day

Rodney Jane leads the Pro-Am field as Carrera Cup grid eyes qualifying in Sydney

DAVID RUSSELL has topped Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia practice at Sydney Motorsport Park – in a day where getting a real form guide was borderline impossible. 

The TekworkX Motorsport driver, who won in Taupo earlier this year, was the only driver to do a qualifying simulation in the first of two, 25-minute practice sessions today, topping the outright and Equity-One Professional class times by an enormous margin.

He then topped the later second session which was cut short just as almost the entire field was about to commence a qualifying simulation – meaning the only thing people learned today is that Russell is quick and that the remainder of the form guide is hard to read.

Russell’s 1m29.0635s flyer on brand-new Michelins in the first session was very nearly the quickest ever Cup Car lap of Sydney Motorsport Park’s 3.9km of flowing corners and undulations and ensured he topped the first session by more than a second.

Dylan O’Keeffe was second and Harri Jones third, with Jackson Walls and Angelo Mouzouris rounding out the top five.

In the second session, Russell’s 1m29.8326s saw him 0.2 seconds quicker than Jones, with O’Keeffe next.

The brothers Wood, Dale and Glen, were next with Fabian Coulthard sixth in the second session – Marco Giltrap, Garth Tander, Tom McLennan and Jackson Walls rounding out the 10.

Tander was a big improver between sessions, having ended practice one struggling with understeer and in 20th position.

The second session was stopped with four minutes remaining when Harrison Goodman’s Sonic Motor Racing entry pulled to a halt at turn 10, missing a Michelin tyre which had departed the car.

That, coupled with Indiran Padayachee stranded at pit exit with a suspected pit lane speed limiter issue, drew the session to a close without being resumed. The red flag flew just as a vast majority of the grid were about to embark on a qualifying simulation at the end of the session.

SP Tools Pro-Am was paced today by Rodney Jane, who edged out championship leader Adrian Flack by 0.15 seconds in practice two to set the quickest class time of the day. Jane’s Monster wheels / Bob Jane T-Marts car also ended up 16th outright and ahead of several Pro cars.

Flack was in close company, having earlier topped practice one, with Dexion GWR driver Dean Cook – returning having missed the most recent round in Darwin – completing the top three.

Round 4 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship continues tomorrow at Sydney Motorsport Park with qualifying and Race 1 amidst a busy day of on-track action.

Both sessions will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, Kayo and Sky Sport NZ, with two further races set for Sunday.

Sydney, night racing return for Carrera Cup grid

First Sydney event in six years ready to highlight competitive Carrera Cup title fight

THE COMPETITIVE debut of Porsche’s 992 GT3 Cup Car at the fast and flowing Sydney Motorsport Park will highlight round 4 of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia this weekend.

While the 3.9km circuit served as the launching point for the latest-generation car in 2022, and is the testing circuit for several teams, it’s yet to see a competitive lap turned in anger for the latest and greatest one-make racer from Germany.

This weekend will rectify that scenario with three championship races the first in Sydney’s West since the 2018 season and plenty on the line as the championship charges towards its half-way point.

It will also mark a return to racing under lights for Carrera Cup Australia, a feat only seen twice in the 20-plus year history of the category and only once for championship points.

A 40-minute endurance race held Friday night at the Gold Coast Indy event in 2004 marked Carrera Cup’s first night race, won by Alex Davison by under half-a-second over Jim Richards.

A pair of joint Carrera Cup Australia-versus-Asia sprints were then held under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park in 2018 though weren’t for championship points.

This weekend marks the 11th Carrera Cup round to be held at Sydney Motorsport Park, the circuit having twice staged the Porsche Rennsport festival as well as a pair of Carrera Cup Asia and Australia joint rounds.

On the last visit in 2018, James Moffat won the round despite not winning a race while race wins went to Dylan O’Keeffe and Jordan Love. Eight drivers on track that weekend remain in or have returned to the championship since then.

There has, however, been a host of one-make Porsche racing at the circuit lately with the venue a staple on the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series calendar.

Sprint Challenge competed at last year’s Sydney SuperNight event, with Nash Morris claiming two race wins in Pro while a guesting Adrian Flack swept the weekend in Pro-Am. Along with Morris and Flack, six other drivers on the grid last year bring recent night racing experience at the circuit into this weekend’s round.

The field returns to Sydney all chasing Harri Jones, who was dominant on his way to victory last time out at Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin.

A sweep of the TAG Heuer pole award and all three wins rocketed him to the top of the Equity One Professional class championship, with Jackson Walls second and Dale Wood third. Taupo winner David Russell remains fourth with a consistent Dylan O’Keeffe fifth, this weekend racing at the home circuit of his locally-based GWR Australia / RAM Motorsport squad.

Wood and Walls are tied atop the Enduro Cup standings in Pro, while Walls also leads the Porsche Michelin Junior standings following three rounds.

Already incredibly competitive, the Pro field is further bolstered by the return of proven winner Nick McBride and Bathurst champion Garth Tander, who will race a Grove Racing / EBM entry in his second solo Carrera Cup round start.

In SP Tools Pro-Am runaway championship leader Adrian Flack is re-setting the class record books and recently notched up his fifth consecutive round victory, a new benchmark for the class.

The return of Stephen Grove, however, adds even more competitive intent to the Carrera Cup ‘race within a race’ with the Victorian still the most successful in class history – his 190 races delivering 36 wins and a class-leading 17 round victories, along with three titles.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field gets underway on Friday with a pair of practice sessions, ahead of TAG Heuer qualifying on Saturday.

Race one will be held as the curtain raiser to the Supercars night race on Saturday under the bright lights at Sydney Motorsport Park, before a further two races – the first of which is the Enduro Cup affair – completing the round on Sunday.

All six sessions will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports and Sky NZ this weekend.

ENTRY LIST, Round 4, Sydney Motorsport Park

Nash Morris to utilise SMSP experience for Carrera Cup charge

Recent experience at Sydney Motorsport Park set to pay dividends for STM driver

Nash Morris will be hoping his recent experience at Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP) in a Porsche will put him in good stead for next weekend’s Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship round.

With the popular one-make category having not held a round in Eastern Creek since 2018, a large portion of the field won’t have had experience at the circuit in a Porsche – something that may give Morris an advantage for the event.

The Scott Taylor Motorsport rising star was last behind the wheel of a Porsche at Sydney Motorsport Park in July last year where he enjoyed a memorable weekend in the Carrera Cup’s feeder series, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia.

Morris picked up two victories in the category’s three races and was one of the shining lights for the round as he navigated the circuit with ease.

Having since progressed to the top level of the Porsche Motorsport Australia pyramid, as well as having the backing of Scott Taylor Motorsport, Morris is in a good position to build on a promising first half of the year.

The Queenslander enters the round on a solid run of form despite a mixed bag of results at the last round at Hidden Valley Raceway, where Morris hovered around the top 10 for much of the weekend – his best result of ninth coming in the third and final race of the round.

More recently, Morris joined team owner and Aussie Racing Cars competitor Scott Taylor in Townsville to take part in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series.

Morris had a strong start to the round before early mechanical issues caused drama, limiting him to a best result of fourth place in Race 3.

The 21-year-old will now focus on his return to the Carrera Cup as part of Supercars’ Panasonic Air Conditioning Sydney SuperNight, where he will contest three races over the course of the weekend.

One of the major highlights of the upcoming round will be the opening race of the weekend, which will take place under lights on the Saturday night in spectacular fashion.

The Panasonic Air Conditioning Sydney SuperNight takes place at Sydney Motorsport Park on July 19-21.

Nash Morris

#222 Scott Taylor Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 992

“I am very excited for Sydney and getting back into the Carrera Cup car,” Morris said.

“Coming off a challenging round in Townsville in the Michelin Sprint Challenge where we didn’t have the best weekend with lots of drama, I feel like we now have something to prove.

“Even though I have had previous experience at Sydney Motorsport Park in a Porsche, I don’t think it’s going to give me much of an advantage because I have been seeing a lot of people testing there over the past few weeks.

“I don’t like to have too many expectations. The Carrera Cup field is very strong and everyone is there for a reason.

“It’s going to be a fun weekend and I have faith that Ashley Seward and the STM crew will roll out a competitive car so I can take it to them.

“I am just excited to go there, because I love Sydney Motorsport Park. It’s an awesome track with high speeds. There are different types of corners and it changes a lot throughout, similar to Taupo.”

Grove, Tander to make Carrera Cup returns in Sydney

Champion drivers add to strong Sydney Carrera Cup grid

TWO Champion drivers will make a welcome return to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park next week.

Three-time SP Tools Pro-Am Champion Stephen Grove will make his first Carrera Cup race start since 2022 at the Sydney event, while Garth Tander will return for a second solo-driver cameo aboard a sister Grove Racing-entered 992 GT3 Cup Car in the Equity-One Professional class.

Both cars will run under the Grove Racing banner and be prepared by Earl Bamber Motorsport, in what will be Carrera Cup’s first round to feature night racing in two decades.

The pair add further competitive depth to an already racy field as the championship charges towards its 2024 half-way point at the Western Sydney venue – the first time Carrera Cup has competed there since 2018.

Grove is the most successful Pro-Am driver in series history, winning the 2014, ‘17 and ‘18 championships and has 36 Carrera Cup race wins to his credit.

Along with focusing on the continued rise of Penrite Racing in the Repco Supercars Championship, Grove has also been racing extensively in both domestic and international GT3 competitions of late.

Grove will race a brand-new Type 992 GT3 Cup Car for the first time and tested at Sydney Motorsport Park this week.

Tander cameoed at The Bend last year, qualifying 10^th in the Equity-One Professional class before finishing 10^th, 9^th and 4^th in the three races respectively.

The five-time Bathurst winner will drive the same chassis that won the championship in the hands of New Zealander Callum Hedge last season and, like Grove, he also tested at the Sydney circuit this week.

Round 4 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship commences on Friday, July 19 with a pair of practice sessions, prior to qualifying Saturday afternoon and Race 1 under lights on Saturday evening.

Two further races conclude the round on Sunday, with full coverage across the weekend aired on Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports and Sky Sport New Zealand.

Stephen Grove – #4 Grove Racing Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car

“It’s been a long while since I’ve raced Carrera Cup but we took the car out and did a test at Sandown a couple of weeks ago and it just felt like home, it felt grouse, so I felt like I had to come back

“For me it’s about enjoyment this year. I’m certainly outside of the championship probability by about three rounds, but just to come back again, learn the tracks again and then we’ll see next year and have a really bit tilt at it

“But more than anything else what is really, really important to me is to have some fun. We’re heavily involved in motorsport in our program overseas with GT3, we have the Supercar team and we have this whole avenue of motorsport – I just want to have some fun which is the number one trick for me.”

Garth Tander – #87 Grove Racing Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car

“It’s great to be back in Carrera Cup. I had a great run last year at Tailem Bend and the preparations I found last years (enduro) races were really beneficial. This time we’re at Sydney motorsport Park – it’s a different track but one I’ve done plenty of miles at.

“I’ve got no real expectations of where I’ll end up on the grid or where I’ll end up racing wise. I know Carrera Cup is incredibly competitive and it’s incredibly tight. I’ve got Dale Wood as my teammate at EBM so all I’m interested in is trying to beat him!

“I didn’t know the 992 hadn’t run at Sydney Motorsport Park prior to turning up for a test day so it probably does help a little bit – but given all the championship drivers have been in the car all year and I’m stepping in for one, I’m not sure it’s a completely level playing field, but it probably helps me just slightly.”

Shahin, Manthey EMA claim Le Mans victory

Historic victory for Porsche with deep Aussie connections in iconinc enduro

AUSTRALIAN driver Yasser Shahin and German-Aussie team, Manthey-EMA, have claimed a remarkable victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s premier endurance race.

Adelaide-based Shahin shared a Porsche 911 GT3R with co-drivers Morris Schuring and Richard Lietz, the trio dominating the final stanza of the race after mechanical issues forced the sister Manthey Pure Racing entry to the wayside.

It was an historic maiden win for Porsche in the debut of the LM GT3 category in the iconic 24-hour race, and the 111^th class win for the brand at the event.

Shahin, Schuring and Lietz finished a lap clear of the GT3 pack in a race marred by several lengthy Safety Car periods due to heavy rain throughout the nighttime stanza of the race.

The result backs up the remarkable win by Manthey EMA in this year’s Repco Bathurst 12 Hour endurance held at Mount Panorama, and a podium finish in the recent 24 Hours of the Nürburgring.

“To be the first manufacturer to win at Le Mans with a GT3 race car is a unique story that nobody can take away from us,” said a delighted Sebastian Golz, Project Manager Porsche 911 GT3 R.

“That’s a chapter that we wrote in collaboration with all of our colleagues in Weissach. It was a new challenge for us. Congratulations to the Manthey EMA team, as well, the teamwork ran brilliantly. Things are also looking very good for us in the world championship standings, we managed to secure a lot of points. It’s a shame the number 92 911 GT3 R had technical problems. Of course, we’ll do a deep dive into that data afterwards. Now, it’s time to go for the world championship title.”

For Shahin, the Le Mans victory caps off a remarkable rise through the ranks of GT racing – one that only saw him commence racing at a national level a decade ago.

It was his first start at Le Mans and came after only one year behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3R.

He claimed a pair of GT World Challenge Australia titles in 2021 and 2022 before linking with Porsche to finish third in the 2023 season.

International competition beckoned this year, kicking off with a Pro-Am Class win at the Bathurst 12 Hour in February prior to embarking on a full FIA World Endurance Championship Campaign with Manthey EMA, driving a The Bend Motorsport Park-backed Porsche GT3R.

After a pair of challenging events to open the season in Qatar and at Imola, respectively, Shahin claimed victory in the six hours of Spa Francorchamps round of the championship last month, prior to his Le Mans victory.

The recent pair of wins rockets the team to the top of the LMGT3 category championship standings at the series’ half-way point.

Meanwhile, there were mixed fortunes for the trio of Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 entries in the outright Le Mans Hypercar category.

Polesitter Kévin Estre from France, André Lotterer from Germany and Laurens Vanthoor from Belgium battled for a spot on the podium until the end in the No. 6 car, with the best-placed works-run Porsche 963 a mere 1.167 seconds off third place at the end.

The sister car shared by Australian Matt Campbell, Michael Christensen from Denmark and Frenchman Frédéric Makowiecki lost touch with the leading pack during the night, with the No. 5 finally crossing the finish line in sixth.

For the No. 4 entry, the dream of a Le Mans victory was shattered at 9:15 am on Sunday. Brazilian Felipe Nasr slid sideways into the barriers near the Indianapolis curves, forcing the vehicle into retirement. Previously, Nasr and his teammates Mathieu Jaminet from France and Nick Tandy from Great Britain had dropped back after several penalties and a repair stop due to a shunt with another driver.

Estre, Lotterer and Vanthoor continue to lead the FIA World Endurance Championship heading to their next round.

Jones, Flack dominant in Darwin display

Clean sweeps for title leaders in Darwin as new names feature on Carrera Cup podium

HARRI JONES has placed an early marker as the man to beat in the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, sweeping round three of the championship at Hidden Valley Raceway in one of his most dominant displays yet.

The 2022 Carrera Cup champion scored pole and all three race wins in commanding fashion in the Territory, powering his Hastings Deering CAT / Porsche Centre Melbourne Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car to his second win of the season and third of his career.

It also extends his title lead after three rounds of the championship as the series heads to Sydney for Round 4 next month.

Dale Wood continued his strong territory run, backing up victories in 2022 and 2023 with second overall in his Connected Spaces / Earl Bamber Motorsport entry.

Jackson Walls finished fourth and third, respectively, in the Sunday races to ensure he walked away with a podium finish to continue his push towards the championship lead.

Flack swept all three races in SP Tools Pro-Am to claim his third round win in succession this year, while Rodney Jane returned to the podium with a strong second overall in his Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic racer.

Meanwhile, Matt Slavin stood on the podium for the first time in his career, scoring third overall in his Ares Porsche run by Ashley Seward Motorsport.

Sunday saw two highly competitive races that commenced with the 45-minute Enduro Cup race in the morning.

There, Jones launched from pole position and after seeing off Dale Wood at turn one, pulled away to execute a near-flawless performance to claim his second win of the weekend and fourth of the year in the Equity One Professional class.

Wood improved one further from his Saturday result to grab second and continue his strong recent form in the Top End, while Dylan O’Keeffe was third – having jumped Jackson Walls on the run to turn one only to spend the remainder of the race fending off the Objective racer in a fight for third.

Bayley Hall finished fifth having passed Fabian Coulthard for the spot mid-race, while Coulthard followed him home in the BWT Porsche.

David Wall was a solid seventh in front of Marco Giltrap, while the battle of the race waged behind for a coveted spot in the top-10.

Bottled up behind Nash Norris for much of the race, a furious fight saw the STM racer holding off Ryder Quinn, the Sonic duo of Angelo Mouzouris and Marcos Flack, Glen Wood and Tom McLennan in a huge six-car fight.

Quinn finally squeezed his way past to grab the spot and ninth at the line, while in a crazy series of laps Flack was able to work his way to 10^th, with Morris slipping to 11^th at the line – followed home by Mouzouris.

David Russell was a disappointed 14^th having ran his car off the road at turn one – having run in the top five early.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Adrian Flack continued his winning streak with a comprehensive performance, while Matt Slavin continued to gain ground to finish second.

Matt Belford finally had some Darwin luck go his way en route to third position, while Rodney Jane slipped from second to fourth at the line following a spin early in the race – Marc Cini completing the class runners.

The sprint race on Sunday afternoon was a more straightforward affair, Jones again powering away from pole position to sweep the weekend.

Wood and Walls followed, while Bayley Hall and Dylan O’Keeffe completed the top five.

David Russell completed a sound recovery to sixth position following his race two dramas while Fabian Coulthard and David Wall battled to the line – as they had done for much of the weekend.

Nash Morris and Ryder Quinn completed the top-10 finishers in a fast-paced race.

Flack claimed the Pro-Am win, while Rodney Jane, Matt Slavin and Matt Belford crossed the line locked together for second, third and fourth.

Following his clean sweep in Darwin, Harri Jones provisionally takes a 60-point championship lead into the next round of Carrera Cup, to be held at Sydney Motorsport Park in July.

Jackson Walls has climbed to second in the championship and Dale Wood to third, while Taupo winner David Russell leaves the Territory in fourth.

Dylan O’Keeffe holds down fifth in the championship, while Adrian Flack holds a commanding SP Tools Pro-Am lead, Matt Slavin now second in the standings and Rodney Jane third.

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns at the Sydney SuperNight event on July 19-21.

Jones, Flack power to Enduro Cup wins in Darwin

Entertaining Enduro Cup race continues winning-streak for dominant Pro, Pro-Am drivers

HARRI JONES and Adrian Flack have each continued their impressive Top End form, charging to dominant victories in the 45-minute Endurance Cup race on Sunday morning at Hidden Valley.

Jones launched from pole position and after seeing off Dale Wood at turn one, pulled away to execute a near-flawless performance to claim his second win of the weekend and fourth of the year in the Equity One Professional class.

Wood improved one further from his Saturday result to grab second and continue his strong recent form in the Top End, while Dylan O’Keeffe was third – having jumped Jackson Walls on the run to turn one only to spend the remainder of the race fending off the Objective racer in a fight for third.

Bayley Hall finished fifth having passed Fabian Coulthard for the spot mid-race, while Coulthard followed him home in the BWT Porsche.

David Wall was a solid seventh in front of Marco Giltrap, while the battle of the race waged behind for a coveted spot in the top-10.

Bottled up behind Nash Norris for much of the race, a furious fight saw the STM racer holding off Ryder Quinn, the Sonic duo of Angelo Mouzouris and Marcos Flack, Glen Wood and Tom McLennan in a huge six-car fight.

Quinn finally squeezed his way past to grab the spot and ninth at the line, while in a crazy series of laps Flack was able to work his way to 10^th, with Morris slipping to 11^th at the line – followed home by Mouzouris.

David Russell was a disappointed 14^th having ran his car off the road at turn one – having run in the top five early.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Adrian Flack continued his winning streak with a comprehensive performance, while Matt Slavin continued to gain ground to finish second.

Matt Belford finally had some Darwin luck go his way en-route to third position, while Rodney Jane slipped from second to fourth at the line following a spin early in the race – Marc Cini completing the class runners.

Jones jets to dominant Darwin win

Adrian Flack takes Pro-Am win in top end opener

HARRI JONES converted pole position to victory in Race 1 of the third round of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia at Hidden Valley, fending off early pressure from Jackson Walls to claim his eighth career race win.

Jones led home Walls and Dale Wood in the Equity-One Professional class battle amidst an intense 17-lap affair, while Adrian Flack won his sixth straight race in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am battle, finishing just in front of Rodney Jane.

In typically hot Darwin conditions, Jones made the best launch from pole, immediately covering his line from an aggressive Walls.

David Russell passed Dale Wood on the run to turn one to secure third, while the remainder of the field was tightly packed on the run to the first corner.

Contact in the middle of the pack between Tom McLennan and Ryder Quinn saw the latter spun into the outfield and later out of the race with gearbox issues in his Game Over Porsche.

A brief one-lap Safety Car saw the race restart with Jones continuing to lead Walls, gradually pulling away as he built his lead.

Wood slipped past Russell to grab third on lap three, while an intense battle continued behind for the minors with Coulthard, Wall, O’Keeffe and Hall fighting for spots within the top-10.

The top-10 ran lock-step for the majority of the race, though a key move came on lap 11 when Bayley Hall sliced down the inside of O’Keeffe at turn one.

There was further drama at the tight opening corner a lap later when Marco Giltrap hit Nash Morris under brakes, the latter spinning out of 10th position and the former penalised 15 seconds for the incident.

Out front, Jones edged away from Walls to claim a win by nearly four seconds, Wood home in a safe third to complete the podium.

David Russell and Fabian Coulthard completed the top five, the latter fending of David Wall in a drag race to the line by less than half a car length.

Bayley Hall was next, with O’Keeffe, Angelo Mouzouris – who started 12th – and Glen Wood completed the top-10 finishers.

The win was Jones’ eighth of his career and third of the season, the victory edging what was a  10-point championship lead to 29 heading to tomorrow’s Enduro Cup race and then final sprint.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Adrian Flack led from lights to flag but his sixth win of the season came under intense pressure from Rodney Jane, the Bob Jane T-Marts racer ultimately finishing just 0.4 seconds behind the class championship.

Matt Slavin finished third in class while Matt Belford started a strong second however a spin at turn five saw him spin down the order, ultimately finishing fifth in class behind Marc Cini.

Round 3 of the championship continues on Sunday at the betr Darwin Triple Crown with the Enduro Cup race starting at 9:25am (Live, Fox Sports and Kayo) and the final race at 1:55pm (Live, Fox, Kayo and Channel 7).

O’Keeffe ends Friday on top by tiny margin in Darwin sunshine

DOK on top in DRW, leads tight field by 0.03 seconds, with Adrian Flack on top in SP Tools Pro-Am

DYLAN O’KEEFFE has topped a typically tight day of practice as the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship launched into the third round of the 2024 season in Darwin.

In fact, the margins weren’t just tight – they were tiny with just fractions of a second covering the leading runners and for that matter, the entire grid.

O’Keeffe, the 2018 Darwin winner, topped the day with a 1m06.8686s flyer late in the second practice session today to end Friday just 0.0326 seconds faster than Taupo winner David Russell.

Russell, aboard his TekworkX Motorsport entry, had topped practice one and ended the day second overall on the combined times from both sessions.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Matt Belford topped practice one before title leader Adrian Flack went quicker again in the second session to end the day on top.

Both sessions were held in typically scorching Darwin conditions with the ambient temperature 31 degrees and the track cooking at more than 45.

The day produced typically tight margins between the field with third-placed Harri Jones and David Wall all covered by just 0.05 seconds.

Despite that, the quickest time of the day was only 0.3 seconds behind Dale Wood’s existing Hidden Valley qualifying record, set at the venue last year, which bodes well for TAG Heuer qualifying tomorrow morning.

Behind O’Keeffe, Russell, Jones and the returning David Wall – making his first start of the year – Jackson Walls ended his Friday in fifth position with Bayley Hall sixth, both drivers setting their quickest times in the second of two 30-minute sessions.

Marco Giltrap, Dale Wood, Marcos Flack and Glen Wood completed the top-10 on combined times, with the top-10 covered by 0.37 seconds.

A majority of the field ran new tyres in practice in a bid to prepare for qualifying tomorrow, the new format this year – one that requires drivers to set two competitive lap times to set the grid for the first two races of the weekend – adding further intensity to proceedings.

Adrian Flack topped the SP Tools Pro-Am runners, putting his Agas National / EBM car 15^th outright and on top of his class.

Flack’s best of 1m07.6696s was 0.3 seconds quicker than nearest rival Matt Belford, but impressively only 0.80s slower than the outright quickest time set by O’Keeffe.

Rodney Jane was third in Pro-Am, ahead of Matt Slavin and Marc Cini.

Saturday’s action commences with Qualifying at 10:25am local time for the TAG Heuer Pole award, followed by Race one at 1:55pm.

Both sessions will be shown live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports, with Race 1 also shown on Channel 7.

Porsche pack returns to Darwin ready for Top End battle

Series heads to Hidden Valley amidst streak of eight winners from eight rounds

REFRESHED and race ready following a lengthy break, the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns to the Northern Territory this weekend for Round 3 of an increasingly unpredictable championship battle.

This year marks the 11^th visit to the betr Darwin Triple Crown for Australia’s top one-make championship, with the series having first visited in its inaugural season in 2003.

21 years later it returns during a record-breaking streak that has seen eight different round winners from the past eight rounds – with nine from nine a real possibility.

24 cars will tackle the three races this weekend at Hidden Valley with the returning David Wall – the 2017 Carrera Cup Champion – back on track for the first time this year.

Wall will surely be a contender amidst the Equity-One Professional class contenders, though it is hard to determine one that couldn’t potentially win this weekend such is the depth of talent this year.

Former champion Harri Jones – the last man other than Dale Wood to claim a race win at Hidden Valley – leads the championship by 10 points over New Zealand winner David Russell, who ended a 59-round streak to claim his maiden round win last time out.

Jackson Walls sits third in the championship with his season highlighted by a series of remarkable recovery drives, the Sydneysider having passed 57 cars in just over 80 laps of racing so far this year.

The trio represents three different teams (Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport, TekworkX Motorsport and McElrea Racing) however will all be keeping an eye on the Earl Bamber Motorsport, Connected Spaces-supported Porsche entry of Dale Wood.

Wood heads to Darwin fourth in the championship but does so as the most in-form driver in the Top End thanks to an imposing track record at Hidden Valley in recent history.

As well as having claimed the last two rounds (2022 and 2023) at the circuit, wood finished runner-up in 2019 and has finished on the podium in three of his four starts there.

Wood has won the last five straight and six of the last eight races in Darwin, with 40% of his total Carrera Cup win tally coming in the Territory.

He has also scored the TAG Heuer pole position there in 2022 and 2023 and currently holds both the qualifying and race lap records at Hidden Valley as well.

Working against Wood will be the fact that only three times in the 21-year history of Porsche Carrera Cup Australia has a driver ever claimed three consecutive round wins at the same circuit – Porsche hall-of-famers Jim Richards and Craig Baird (twice) the only ones to achieve the feat.

Others to watch in New Zealand include Porsche Michelin Juniors Ryder Quinn – who is a stout fifth in the stansings -and Nash Morris, fresh from his first race and round podium finishes at the most recent round in New Zealand.

Morris will sport a stunning indigenous livery on his Scott Taylor Motorsport Porsche, fully embracing the Supercars Championship indigenous round theme this weekend.

Dylan O’Keeffe heads to Darwin as one of two former Hidden Valley round winners on the entry list, his success coming in 2018.

The RAM Motorsport / Dexion driver is one of only two this year – along with Harri Jones – to have finished every one of the six races held to date in the top 10, showing the volatility of the field this year.

In SP Tools Pro Am, the field will be trying to stop the dominant Adrian Flack who has claimed the last five straight races this season.

Flack won the season opener in Melbourne and then dominated in proceedings last time out to build a strong early lead in his title defense.

Sam Shahin is set to make his second start of the year, following his entry into two rounds of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship, at Imola and Monaco, respectively while Matt Belford, Marc Cini and Rodney Jane make welcome returns after missing the New Zealand round.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship hits the Hidden Valley circuit this Friday for a pair of practice sessions, prior to qualifying on Saturday morning and Race 1 later that afternoon.

Two further races complete the weekend on Sunday, with every session from Practice 2 broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports in Australia, and Sky Sports in NZ.

Races 1 and 3 will also be shown live on free-to-air on the Seven Network around Australia.

ENTRY LIST – Round 3, Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship

Wall set for Darwin Carrera Cup return

Carrera Cup Champion adds more depth to Darwin grid

2017 PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia champion David Wall is back. 

After missing the first two rounds of the 2024 championship, Wall will make a triumphant return to the series at Hidden Valley this week with new support aboard his Wall Racing Type 992 GT3 Cup Car.

A veteran of 80 rounds and 236 Carrera Cup races, Wall is one of the series’ most successful racers ever however was forced to watch from the sidelines this year as he searched for sponsorship.

However, returning support from long-time backers including Brennan IT and Paynter Dixon, as well as new backers Innovation Race Cars, Muscle Car Warehouse, Upload Strength, SP Tools, Encore Corporate Cars and Gilbert & Roach Huntingwood will see the well-known #38 car return this week.

Wall’s Carrera Cup track record is formidable: his 2017 championship joined by third in 2016 and 2019, a runner-up finish in 2018, fourth in the 2021 season and fifth in 2022.

He finished third in the first race on the Gold Coast last year however damage in the finale’ saw him out of the round and also for last year’s Adelaide finale – the first round he had missed since returning to the championship in 2016.

Wall Racing has continued to field cars in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge and TCR Australia this year, while Wall has also remained busy with a strong performance in the Bathurst 12 Hour enduro in February.

Action commences at the Betr Darwin Triple Crown this week with a Transporter Parade through town Wednesday night, followed by Track to Town on Thursday – which will feature three cars from the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship for the first time.

Cars are on track Friday morning for practice. Coverage this weekend will be available on Fox Sports 506, Kayo, Channel 7 and Sky Sport NZ.

STM shows off stunning Indigenous Livery

Scott Taylor Motorsport driver Nash Morris will compete in Round 3 of the Porsche Partner Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship in a stunning indigenous livery, designed by Daniel Evans.

The livery will be one of many amazing artworks on display at the popular Darwin Supercars event, with all of the Supercars teams and other entrants, including STM, embracing the indigenous celebrations.

The art adorning Morris’ #222 entry has been created by Evans, a proud Gamilaroi man hailing from the small country town of Coonabarabran in the northwest of NSW.

Currently residing on Bunjalung/ Kombumrri country (Gold Coast) for over 25 years, Evans runs an aboriginal business – Walkabout Warrior – that promotes indigenous arts in order to inspire others and to reach out to other communities.

He took up painting 13 years ago, using his contemporary style to deliver his unique and original pieces.

Evan’s art – titled ‘Dreamtime Connection’ – will be seen all around Morris’ Porsche, as well as the team’s transporter and team apparel.

Morris has enjoyed a terrific start to the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup season. After two rounds, he sits seventh in the standings and just 14 points outside of the top five.

The Scott Taylor Motorsport team will be very visible in Darwin, with the team conducting its second road trip to the Top End.

The team will make its way to the Hidden Valley Raceway track in its formidable road train and, like last year, will film a documentary of its journey.

Team owner Scott Taylor will also be jumping behind the wheel in Darwin, racing in the Combined Sedans class in an A9X Torana, carrying a tribute livery to the Bob Jane and Ian ‘Pete’ Geoghegan from 1978.

The betr Darwin Triple Crown will be held from June 14-16. Carrera Cup will be on track on Friday for practice, followed by qualifying and racing on Saturday and Sunday.

QUOTES

Scott Taylor – Owner/ Driver Scott Taylor Motorsport

“Darwin is definitely one of my all-time favourites every year, we look forward to the whole event, this year in particular given the involvement from Porsche representing the indigenous art and stories” Scott said.

“STM is proud to participate in events that bring communities together through sport and culture.

“We are excited to unveil Daniels artwork, its perfect, so we’ve extended his colourful, heartfelt picture and story to our transporter, team gear and various other vehicles – in fact, I think we’ll be keen to keep it even after this round!

“We are also pumped to be filming our second documentary ‘Hauling Down Under’, capturing the effort and the adventure of the road trip from the Gold Coast to Darwin.

“2024 is a new era for the STM team, Nash (Morris) is performing well in his first season of Porsche Carrera Cup, and we are looking forward to his continued development in the category.

“I am thoroughly enjoying my own driving experience, between the trucks and other race categories, like Aussie Cars and the upcoming Combined Sedans.

“It’s a few years since the  A9X Torana has been on a racetrack, it would be an understatement to say I am keen to get behind the wheel in Darwin”

Nash Morris – Driver, #222 Scott Taylor Motorsport Porsche

“The car looks awesome. It’s cool to have the amazing art and represent the culture and indigenous heritage,” said Morris.

“It’s a special thing to me. I have been involved in Team Racing Together and the Hyundai Excel racing program. Myself, Brodie (Kostecki), Broc (Feeney) and Anton (de Pasquale) have been involved in the team here in Norwell so to be able to all be on track together will be pretty cool.

“In Carrera Cup, it’s been an OK start to the season. I’d always like to be better. I had some great people believe in me, even when I made a mistake at the GP, they’ve keep backing me.

“We’ve shown what we can do in Taupo so it’s all about momentum and keep it rolling.

“I love the Darwin circuit and the event. It’s one of my favourites. The whole town rallies around it, so e I can’t wait to get to the track.

“I’ve only raced a Stadium Truck and a Hyundai Excel, so I’m not sure what I can transfer to a Porsche, but it’s going to be fun.”

 Daniel Evans – Indigenous artist

“When we embrace the Dreamtime, we open ourselves to a deeper understanding of our purpose and place in the world. We recognise that we are part of a greater tapestry, woven with the threads of past, present, and future,” he said.

“Together through the Dreamtime, where our spirits dance with the stars and our hearts beat in harmony with the rhythms of the cosmos. Let us honour the wisdom of our ancestors and embrace the connection that flows through this mystical realm.

“May the connection through the Dreamtime awaken the magic within us all.”

ABOUT DANIEL EVANS

Daniel Evans, a proud Gamilaroi man hailing from the small country town of Coonabarabran in the northwest of NSW, introduces himself. Currently residing on Bunjalung/ Kombumrri country (Gold Coast) for over 25 years, Daniel shares his journey through his business, Walkabout Warriors, which began more than 6 years ago. Daniel’s unique talent lies in storytelling through contemporary Indigenous art. Not only does this form of expression allow him to communicate, but it also serves as a source of healing, reconnecting him to his culture and fostering a deeper understanding of his people. Thirteen years ago, Daniel turned to painting as a means of coping with the challenges of life. Unable to articulate his emotions verbally, he found solace in using his hands to create art. His artwork goes beyond mere expression; it serves as an escape and a profound connection to his ancestors, spirit guides, and cultural heritage. Through his artistic journey, Daniel has discovered his purpose: to guide others along their own paths. With his heart as his compass and the support of his ancestors, he endeavours to assist others on their journey back home.

“We are all walking each other home.”

Sam Shahin to contest Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in 2024

Former Carrera Cup Pro-Am champion to tackle international one-make competition

Sam Shahin will contest the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in 2024.

A multiple Pro-Am Champion in Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia, the South Australian will contest the eight-round international championship with Dutch team, GP Elite.

Shahin won the SP Tools Pro-Am class in the 2022 Carrera Cup Australia Championship, while also claiming the 2019 and 2023 Sprint Challenge Pro-Am titles in style.

His 41 Carrera Cup Australia rounds have delivered 7 Pro-Am round wins and 22 race victories.

He will contest the Porsche Supercup Pro-Am championship amidst an the incredibly competitive field this year.

The championship commences at the famous Imola circuit next week, before subsequent rounds at some of the most iconic venues in global motorsport.

Following the Imola round, the championship heads to Monaco, the Red Bull Ring, Silverstone, Hungary, Spa Francorchamps, Zandvoort and Monza – all supporting the Formula 1 World Championship.

Shahin is one of several Porsche Motorsport Australia competitors to make the leap to international one-make competition, including Matt Campbell, Jaxon Evans, Jordan Love, Aaron Love, Marc Cini, Stephen Grove and Harri Jones.

Sam Shahin

“Supercup is an epic challenge, it’s the Everest of one-make car racing, but I’ve never minded a challenge!

“Just the thought of competing at places like Imola, Spa, Silverstone and Monza is enough to put the hair on the back of my neck on end. It is a special privilege to be able to do this and to represent The Bend at these incredible circuits.

“Porsche Supercup is incredibly competitive. The Pro-Am field is very small and the competition intense so even just making the grid is a challenge. At the front of the field the stakes are high with incredible and talented drivers – the best of the best from all over the world – competing for rarer opportunities up the motorsport pyramid, so I am very much aware of the challenge in front of me.

“GP Elite are a team with a lot of success and experience and are best placed to support my debut in Supercup and I am looking forward to working with them this year.

“This is going to be an experience to remember. Porsche Cup racing in Australia is a terrific platform and I am grateful for the wonderful experiences I have gained here.

“To commence the campaign at Imola, a circuit with so much significance to so many people for all of the reasons, is the stuff dreams are made of.

“I can’t wait to get started and put my best foot forward and really relish the experience. I intend walking onto the Imola track first up with my NACIONAL cap – one that I’ve cherished since Ayrton Senna’s sad passing many years ago at that circuit.”

Trans-Tasman Porsche relationship to grow following Taupo success

New Zealanders to travel to Australia following second-ever PCCA international event

THE success of the first Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia round in New Zealand will lead to a furthering of the trans-Tasman relationship between Porsche Motorsport entities on both sides of the ditch. 

That’s the word from both Aussie and Kiwi Porsche Motorsport Management following a hugely successful weekend at the ITM Taupo Super400 event.

19, Type 992 Porsche GT3 Cup Cars were freighted to New Zealand to compete at Taupo last weekend alongside the Repco Supercars Championship, joined by two local entries to create the largest one-make grid of Porsche GT3 Cup Cars in New Zealand for decades.

The effort required a significant collaboration between Porsche Motorsport Australia and Porsche Motorsport New Zealand and resulted in a hugely successful weekend.

Flow-on effects will include the two New Zealand entries – Sam Fillmore and Rick Armstrong – joining the Australian championship later this year.

Having both been rewarded with podium finishes in the SP Tools Pro-Am class at the weekend, the pair are already planning to contest several rounds in Australia later this year as a direct result of having competed last weekend.

Other Kiwi competitors have also shown interest in potential Carrera Cup cameos later this year.

Meanwhile, the opportunity to showcase the Australasian region’s top one-make championship along with its teams and drivers to the New Zealand Motorsport scene, resulted in significant interest from all areas of the sport across the Tasman.

Both parties will also work closely to open potential opportunities for Aussie competitors to compete in key Porsche-supported events in New Zealand, including the GT New Zealand Championship.

Plans are in place to continue to build the collaborative efforts between the Porsche Motorsport teams on both sides of the Tasman in a bid to continue growing the brand both in Australia and in New Zealand.

David Russell (Equity-One Pro) and Adrian Flack (SP Tools Pro-Am) claimed the respective class victories in the Taupo round at the weekend.

Porsche Motorsport Australia thanks the support of Porsche New Zealand, the Giltrap Group, Gibson Freight and other key partners who made the international effort a success, as well as the support of the teams and drivers for their efforts.

BARRY HAY

“We’re really pleased with the results of our New Zealand adventure,” Porsche Cars Australia Motorsport Manager Barry Hay said.

“Once we were there, everyone approached it in the right way and had a fantastic weekend. The racing was high quality and we put on a great show for the New Zealand fans which was a key objective.

“We will complete a full review of the event and see what the future entails. I think it is something we can do again, whether it’s next year or after a year or two is a question for later once the reviews are complete and we have all the feedback from our stakeholders. But there’s no doubting it was very a worthwhile exercise.

“The fact that the two Kiwi boys are keen to come and play in Australia later this year is testament to how well the weekend worked. They had a fantastic time, really raised their own personal level and competed wheel to wheel with the best Pro-Am operators we have.

“The beauty of Porsche Motorsport is they can come and do that on our side of the ditch driving the same cars the same way. It’s been a great outcome, and we can’t wait to see them in Australia later this year.

“We are working closer than ever with Nathan (Pilcher, Porsche Motorsport NZ Coordinator), Porsche Motorsport New Zealand and their team to build the relationship. It’s good for us, it’s good for New Zealand and it’s good for the sport, so we all want to grow it much bigger than it already is.”

NATHAN PILCHER

“The Taupo weekend was a huge success and great for the brand on both sides of the Tasman,” said Nathan Pilcher, Porsche Motorsport New Zealand Coordinator.

“First and foremost, Rick and Sam had a fantastic weekend and showed that our top guys in Porsche competition in New Zealand can absolutely compete head-to-head with the best in Carrera Cup.

“They’re well advanced in planning to come and compete in several Aussie rounds later this year.

“Porsche Motorsport has a huge and important history in New Zealand and having Carrera Cup on our shores was a key element in our plans to build it to a level where we know it can be.

“There’s already huge involvement by Kiwi’s in Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge and we want to build that, while having a really strong base at home for them to use as a launching pad to Australia and beyond, or just as a great place to race a Cup Car or GT3 car.

“We’ve all got some great ideas about how we can grow the brand here in collaboration with what our Aussie cousins are doing, and this weekend was a huge and vital part of that.”

Longest streak ends as Russell breaks through for Taupo victory

60 rounds in the making, David Russell has joined the Carrera Cup round winners list

DAVID RUSSELL has ended the longest drought in Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia history, claiming his first ever round win in his 60^th attempt.

Russell, who moved to TekworkX Motorsport this season, had finished second on six occasions and had 14 prior podium appearances without a round win in his otherwise successful Carrera Cup career; but ended that streak in style today in Taupo.

Russell claimed the Endurance Cup opener on Sunday morning then finished a safe second in Race 2 to claim the round over Jackson Walls and Nash Morris.

Walls won the final race of the weekend after erupting from the second row of the grid, while Morris claimed his first Porsche Carrera Cup podium with a strong and consistent weekend in his STM Porsche.

Russell was thrilled to claim the round victory, just the second ever contested outside of Australia. He also becomes the 8^th different round winner from the last 8 events, equaling a category record.

“It’s a great feeling to come away with the round win,” Russell said.

“The AGP was down in the points so we’re looking at the long game but to get a round win is a bonus.

“To finally have it is good – we’ve had plenty of wins and podiums but to get the monkey off the back is good and hopefully we can continue to keep rolling with it now. Big thanks to the guys at TekworkX, they’ve given me a great car this weekend and I just had to execute as best I could.

“I just face-timed (Rob Woods, team owner) and he’s in great spirits.”

Walls’ runner-up finish was his strongest result since late last year and his race win was the third in his career – and first since the Grand Prix last year.

Morris’ podium finish continued his strong one-make Porsche form, scoring several round victories in Michelin Sprint Challenge last year.

The third and final race of the weekend was an intense sprint with Walls’ jumping polesitter Russell off the line and leading into the first corner.

He was able to pull away from the field, while Morris and O’Keeffe battled for third position for much of the duration.

Behind them was an intense fight for the back half of the top-10 as Bayley Hall charged his way to fifth position with a series of key passes, with Dale Wood, Angelo Mouzouris, Fabian Coulthard, Ryder Quinn and Marco Giltrap completing the top-10.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Adrian Flack extended his considerable championship lead by sweeping the weekend and claiming the overall victory.

Kiwi debutants Rick Armstrong and Sam Fillmore finished second and third and were, appropriately, tied on points at the end of the weekend.

Russell’s stunning New Zealand weekend has seen him rocket to second in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship standings, Harri Jones clinging on to a now nine-point championship lead.

Jackson Walls has climbed to third in the championship, on equal points with Dale Wood with Ryder Quinn fifth.

Flack continues to lead SP Tools Pro-Am over Matt Slavin and Dean Cook.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship field will return to Australia for the next round of the championship, to be held at the Betr Darwin Triple Crown in June.

Russell scores Enduro Cup opener as Taupo domination continues

Two from two for TekworkX ace in chaotic Enduro Cup season opener

DAVID RUSSELL has claimed the first Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship Enduro Cup race of the season, sweeping from fourth on the grid to claim the 45-minute encounter on Sunday morning in Taupo. 

In a chaotic start, Russell dodged a stalled Harri Jones to make early ground in the race, which commenced on a drying track that remained wet off line.

He then passed early leader and polesitter Dylan O’Keeffe to grab a lead he’d never lose, powering to his second win from as many starts in Carrera Cup’s first New Zealand round to take not only the Enduro Cup opener, but the Equity One Pro-Class too.

He now leads the standings heading into the final race and will start from pole position for the sprint race finale’ later on Sunday.

Jackson Walls charged from 12th on the grid to second to score a haul of championship points following a frustrating start to his 2024 campaign.

Nash Morris raced cleanly all race to score his first top three finish of his Carrera Cup campaign, running just two seconds behind the leaders for much of the race.

Dale Wood rebounded from a tough Saturday to finish fourth while O’Keeffe slipped to fifth position having led early.

He had to fend off Fabian Coulthard for much of the second half of the race with Bayley Hall, Marcos Flack, Glen Wood and Ange Mouzouris completing the top-10.

The drama commenced early as Harri Jones stalled at the start, forcing the field to take evasive action around the car starting from the outside of the front row.

Behind there was further chaos as Marco Giltrap also stalled, being clipped by Lachlan Bloxsom on his way through and removing both from the race.

Further behind, Dean Cook’s flying start resulted in a non-finish after he and Harrison Goodman bumped, forcing Cook across the circuit and into the fence.

The Safety Car was called early while the circuit was cleared prior to racing resuming.

Jones’ comeback trail resulted in 10th position at the line, however a 15-second penalty following contact with Ryder Quinn dropped him back to 13th at the finish – though he still scored the fastest lap of the race.

in SP Tools Pro-Am, Adrian Flack had things his own way on his pathway to a second win from two races, while Sam Fillmore raced his way though to second despite an early stop.

The IMS Racing driver had started on wets however switched to slicks during the early Safety Car to score second in class, ahead of Rick Armstrong.

The final race will see Russell start from pole position ahead of Morris, Walls and Mouzouris, while Flack will lead Fillmore away in SP Tools Pro-Am.

Russell delivers results in the Taupo Rain, claims Kiwi opener

Flack on top in Pro-Am in entertaining New Zealand opener

DAVID RUSSELL has returned to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia winners list, leading lights to flag to claim a rain-sodden New Zealand opener in Taupo.

In just his fourth ever race for TekworkX, Russell led home Angelo Mouzouris – in his best race yet – and Harri Jones to take the sixth win of his Carrera Cup career and the Equity One Professional class honours.

Adrian Flack survived an early scrape to claim the win in SP Tools Pro-Am with Rick Armstrong in second and Sam Fillmore in third.

The race started behind the Safety Car as solid rain fell over the circuit for much of the morning.

Racing at speed commenced after four laps under yellow, Russell pulling away from the pack while a charging Mouzouris pounced on Harri Jones to steal second from the former champion.

The Sonic racer pulled away from Jones and followed Russell closely for the remainder of the race, the pair finishing line astern just one second apart.

The result was Russell’s first win since Winton in 2022 and Mouzouris’ best ever in Carrera Cup competition.

“I tell you, that’s some of the toughest conditions I’ve driven in,” Russell said post-race.

“It’s just so wet and there’s a lot of standing pockets of water with all the changing track surfaces.

“The biggest thing was managing the braking inputs and keeping an eye on the gap because one wrong step and you’d be off.

“We didn’t go well at the Grand Prix but it’s how you bounce back. It’s a great team, great squad and I’m happy for the team and our group of sponsors too.”

Jones drifted from the leaders early in the race before coming on strong late, setting the quickest lap as he closed on Mouzouris late – ultimately setting the quickest lap of the race.

Behind the leaders, Nash Morris passed Dylan O’Keeffe to secure fourth position in his best ever Carrera Cup race.

Ryder Quinn finished sixth ensuing six different teams finished in the top six in the opening Taupo encounter.

A furious battle for the back half of the top-10 unfolded for much of the race as Dale Wood spent the early running fending off Fabian Coulthard’s Porsche Centre Melbourne entry.

It was a Coulthard – Wood sandwich for a while; Dale’s brother Glenn attacking from behind.

Both Wood brothers struck issues and speared off the circuit, allowing Coulthard to remain clear in seventh position. Glen ended 11^th and Dale 14^th after a challenging race.

Jackson Walls charged from outside the top-10 to 8^th position with Marco Giltrap a stout ninth and Harrison Goodman a big mover into the top-10.

In SP Tools Pro-Am Adrian Flack battled with Matt Slavin on the opening lap of the race before pulling away to claim another class win.

Slavin later struck issues with a right rear puncture, while Rick Armstrong and Sam Fillmore flew the flag for New Zealand to finish second and third.

In Qualifying, David Russell secured his first Carrera Cup TAG Heuer Pole Award since October 2015 as he powered his TekworkX Porsche to the top spot in a wet qualifying session.

Russell edged out championship leader Harri Jones by just 0.012 seconds while Angelo Mouzouris scored his best ever starting position, qualifying third.

Dylan O’Keeffe was fourth with Nash Morriss a personal best fifth.

Adrian Flack scored the TAG Heuer Pole Award in SP Tools Pro-Am, edging out Matt Slavin by just 0.07s.

In Qualifying for Race 2, Dylan O’Keeffe secured the top spot via the second quickest lap of qualifying, with Jones again on the front row of the grid.

Morris was third for Race 2 and David Russell fourth, with Flack again on pole in Pro-Am.

Racing continues tomorrow with the Enduro Cup race in the morning followed by the final sprint race of the weekend to conclude the round later in the afternoon.

Both races will be live on Fox Sports 506, Kayo and Sky Sports NZ.

Jones sets early benchmark as Porsche grid lands in Taupo

Championship leader on top as Flack leads the way in Pro-Am after Practice

PORSCHE PAYNTER Dixon Carrera Cup Australia championship leader Harri Jones has picked up where he left off at Round 1, topping the charts in practice as the championship made its debut in New Zealand today.

Jones’ 1m26.6403s saw his Hastings Deering CAT / Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport #12 car top the Equity One Professional class order ahead of Round 1 runner-up Dale Wood’s Connected Spaces / EMB Porsche and Dexion / GWR Australia’s Dylan O’Keeffe.

The same three drivers topped each of today’s 25-minute sessions as the field got up to speed at the 3.2km Taupo circuit.

Jones’ benchmark lap was only 0.2 seconds slower than the quickest time recorded in the Supercars Championship practice session, with the Taupo twists and turns well suited to the Type-992 GT3 Cup Cars.

“It was a really good day. This is a pretty awesome circuit and it’s great to be in New Zealand for the first visit by Carrera Cup Australia. The car felt awesome and the team and the preparation coming in have been great,” Jones said.

“It feels like we have rolled in our momentum from the Grand Prix which is awesome.

“I think the weather tomorrow looks challenging which means everything we learned today we throw out the window – I’m OK with the wet, I got a lot of laps last year in Europe in the rain and have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve.

“Regardless, it’s Carrera Cup – it’s always close in qualifying so we’ll see how it lands.”

Adrian Flack was quickest in the SP Tools Pro-Am class while the pair of New Zealand entrants – Rick Armstrong and Sam Fillmore – were competitive against their Aussie rivals in what is brewing as a competitive trans-Tasman battle this weekend.

Both sessions ran without stoppage with most drivers recording up to 25 laps today.

Friday practice was run in overcast and cool conditions however track conditions changed dramatically between the first and second sessions, the latter 25-minutes run following a 90-minute Supercars practice session.

On combined times, Jones’ was 0.2 seconds quicker than Wood with O’Keeffe third.

Tom McLennan was a strong fourth outright in his McLennan Motorsport entry, just 0.3 seconds behind the leader.

Glen Wood was fifth in the Ranbuild EBM car with Fabian Coulthard sixth in the second BWT PCMM entry. Scott Taylor Motorsport’s Nash Morris was strong in seventh with David Russell’s TekworkX entry next.

Marco Giltrap and Jackson Walls completed the top-10, with the group covered by exactly one second.

Adrian Flack topped the SP Tools Pro-Am class and was 16^th outright, 0.4 seconds quicker than Sam Fillmore’s International Motorsport entry.

Dean Cook, Rick Armstrong and Matt Slavin completed the Pro-Am runners across the pair of practice sessions.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field rolls into qualifying tomorrow at 9:05am local time, with the 30-minute session to set the grid for both race one and race two this weekend.

The first race will then be held at 1:55pm on Saturday afternoon prior to the first Repco Supercars Championship race of the weekend.

Sir Colin Giltrap 1940 – 2024

PORSCHE Motorsport Australia extends its sympathies to the Giltrap family and the extended New Zealand Motoring and Motorsport community, following the sad passing of Sir Colin Giltrap this morning.

Dubbed the ‘Godfather of New Zealand Motorsport’, Sir Colin is the grandfather of current Porsche Carrera Cup Australia racer and Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Champion, Marco.

Beyond that, the support of the Giltrap Group has been felt by a vast majority of the New Zealand drivers competing in Porsche’s one-make series in Australia for several decades.

New Zealand drivers have won 166 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia races and 10 of the 19 championship titles won in the series’ history.

Current champion Callum Hedge was supported by the Giltrap Group on his way to the title last year, with Giltrap-supported drivers claiming both of Australia’s top one-make championships last year.

Porsche Motorsport Australia extends its sympathy and support to Sir Colin’s wife Lady Jennifer, their children and grandchildren, the extended Giltrap family and the broader New Zealand motorsport and motoring community in this sad time.

Porsche field arrives in New Zealand ahead of international racing return

Field set for Taupo battle as local drivers join Aussie stars of one-make Porsche competition

THE Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field has landed in New Zealand as the championship prepares to race internationally for just the second time in its history.

19 Type-992 Porsche GT3 Cup Cars and an array of team equipment, spare parts and infrastructure arrived in New Zealand last week, cleared customs, and were delivered to Taupo Motorsport Park circuit, three hours South of Auckland, on Monday this week.

Cars have been unloaded at the circuit today, with teams and drivers arriving from tomorrow to prepare for the ITM Taupo Super400 event this weekend.

The event, the Repco Supercars Championship’s return to New Zealand, is sold out with huge crowds expected this weekend.

The 19 cars shipped overseas this weekend represents two more than the 17 that competed at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia in 2017, when Carrera Cup Australia went head-to-head with the field from Porsche Carrera Cup Asia.

David Wall won both championship races that round while only two drivers – Dean Cook and Dylan O’Keeffe – will race this weekend that were also on the grid in Malaysia seven years ago.

The Aussie-based contingent – which already includes two New Zealanders, in the form of former champion Fabian Coulthard and rising star, Marco Giltrap – will be joined by a pair of locally-based 992 GT3 Cup Cars this weekend.

They will be driven by experienced drivers Sam Fillmore and Rick Armstrong and prepared by the famous Kiwi-based International Motor Sport team.

The pair are staples of the domestic GT scene and have extensive local knowledge, while IMS have a remarkable track record of success both at home and abroad.

Fillmore and Armstrong will run in the SP Tools Pro-Am class this weekend with their cars running in the identical specification as the remainder of the field.

The New Zealand contingent in Porsche Motorsport runs deeper than only drivers, with two teams owned by Kiwi Motorsport luminaries.

Reinging champions Earl Bamber Motorsport are owned by the two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner, one of the best Sports Car racers in the world, while former champions McElrea Racing have strong Kiwi roots via owner Andy McElrea – who is the middle of three generations of New Zealand motorsport success.

Five-time Carrera Cup Australia Champion and multiple NZ Porsche champion Craig Baird serves as the series’ Driving Standards officer, a role he also shares with the Repco Supercars Championship.

The Aussie field is fresh from a fiery opening hit-out at Albert Park alongside the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the Equity One Pro class claimed by former champion Harri Jones aboard his Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport / Hastings Deering CAT entry.

He beat Dale Wood to the round win while teenage star Marcos Flack was a standout – scoring a podium finish overall and winning the third and final race, his first of his short career.

The Taupo field includes Ryder Quinn, the grandson of circuit owner Tony.

11 shipping containers and more than 35 Tons of freight have made up a massive logistical exercise to ship the entire Porsche field to New Zealand this week.

The logistics program, managed by Gibson Freight in conjunction and with support from Porsche Motorsport New Zealand and the Giltrap Group, ran smoothly with all cars and equipment delivered to the circuit on time.

Action commences on Friday with practice, with qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday and two races on Sunday.

All the action will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports in Australia, and Sky Sports New Zealand.

ENTRY LIST – Round 2, ITM Taupo Super400, Taupo, New Zealand

Huge logistics effort underway to ship Carrera Cup field to New Zealand

Containers of cars, freight on their way to New Zealand ahead of historic Kiwi adventure

AN ENORMOUS logistical exercise rarely seen outside of the Repco Supercars Championship will be responsible for safely delivering the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia grid to New Zealand, before bringing them home again afterwards. 

Round 2 of Australia’s top one-make championship will see the category compete outside of Australian soil for just the second time in series history when they compete at the ITM Taupo Super400 on April 19-21.

Freight logistics have been provided by Gibson Freight, who have decades of experience shipping entire racing categories around the world.

The challenge to ship the entire Porsche grid to Taupo commenced with the scheduling of the 2024 calendar, including the date of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.

That date saw a tight turnaround between cars finishing on track in Melbourne and dates required to have containers loaded and sealed for shipping across the Tasman.

With round 1 of the championship completed on Saturday evening, a majority of teams remained within the Porsche precinct in Albert Park on Sunday to prepare cars before returning to workshops or loading directly on Monday and Tuesday following the event.

Eleven, 40-foot shipping containers have been used to freight the entire field to New Zealand, two having departed from Queensland and the remainder from Gibson’s Melbourne base in Tullamarine, where they were loaded following the Grand Prix event while teams were in town.

Six containers will carry the vehicles themselves, while the remainder have been allocated to take spare parts, team pit equipment and other necessities required for racing away from home.

11 containers will be used to return the field home with cars and equipment delivered back to their respective home ports in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne as required.

The total freight weighs more than 35,000 kilograms, with 19 Australian cars set to make the journey – to be joined by multiple Kiwi additions at Taupo in two weeks time.

This includes the usual array of spare parts provided by Porsche Motorsport for teams to access at the circuit if required.

As well as the enormous support from Gibson Freight, logistical support at the New Zealand end has been provided by the Giltrap Group and Porsche Motorsport New Zealand.

In total, more than 100 people will travel from Australia purely to support the second round of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, in addition to the large number working on Supercars teams and series management.

BARRY HAY – Porsche Cars Australia Motorsport Manager

“This has been one of the largest logistical efforts we’ve ever had to manage and it’s taken an enormous amount of effort from the entire team, and the teams coming to New Zealand, to make it happen.

“There are so many little details to consider, from making sure all the cars are completely clean and debris free when they are loaded so Customs in New Zealand are happy when they land.

“There were racking systems to be welded to carry spare parts for Porsche Motorsport and the teams, and that’s before you even loaded the cars.

“Fortunately Gibson Freight are the best in the world at this and their effort has been outstanding.

“All our teams have pitched in with the same effort they apply to making their cars go fast and as a result we’ve got the field on the Sea and they’ll land in New Zealand next week, get inspected, and then travel down to Taupo.

“Everyone is fired up to get on track and race internationally and there are going to be plenty of bragging rights to see who can become the first winners of a Carrera Cup Australia race on New Zealand soil.”

Flack elevated to maiden Carrera Cup win following Wood penalty

Sonic teenager promoted to victory following penalty

18-year-old Porsche Michelin Junior Marcos Flack has been elevated to the winner of Race 3 in Round 1 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

The Sonic Motor Racing Services teenager had finished second on the road to eventual winner Dale Wood in Saturday evening’s race, however a five-second penalty to the Connected Spaces / EBM driver promoted Flack to the win in just his sixth ever Carrera Cup race.

At 18 years and 15 days of age, Flack becomes the second youngest winner of a Carrera Cup Australia race in series’ history.

Wood was penalised for contact with Harri Jones in a combative battle in race three.

It drops the experienced Victorian to sixth on the road, promoting Jackson Walls to second and Jones to third.

The change of position does not change the round results with Jones still claiming the victory over Wood and Flack in third.

Jones’ round win was the first for Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport since Nick McBride’s triumph at the Adelaide 500 in early 2019.

It was Jones’ second career Carrera Cup round win and projected him to an early championship lead ahead of Round 2 in Taupo, New Zealand, in April.

Dale Wood wins Wild Albert Park Finale as Jones Claims Opening Round

Adrian Flack claims SP Tools Pro-Am race and round victory

Earl Bamber Motorsport’s Dale Wood has claimed the final race of the season opening Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup round at Albert Park, whilst fourth place was enough to give Harri Jones round honours in Equity One Pro.

Wood prevailed in a fierce battle for the win with Jones in the Melbourne twilight.

Victory in the final race wasn’t quite enough to give Wood the round win in Equity One Pro, the Victorian missing out by just a single point, whilst third for the round was decided on a tiebreak between Michelin Juniors Marcos Flack and Ryder Quinn, the former getting the nod by virtue of a second place in the finale.

SP Tools Pro-Am round honours went to Wood’s Earl Bamber Motorsport teammate Adrian Flack, the reigning Pro-Am champion sealing his second race win of the weekend to claim a comfortable round win.

Sam Shahin and Rodney Jane were also tied for points behind Flack, with The Bend Motorsport Park driver Shahin claiming second for the round through a race three DNF for Jane.

At the start of race three, Dale Wood made another brilliant start from second on the grid, once again getting the better of Harri Jones into turn one as there was carnage behind.

Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport driver Fabian Coulthard locked up trying to pass Carrera Cup rookie Glen Wood in the Ranbuild entry, spearing into the side of Wood, who in turn pushed Dylan O’Keeffe into the turn one runoff.

Coulthard and Wood both spun back onto the track, with the vast majority of the 27-car field all caught up in the aftermath of the initial incident, which left Coulthard with a 30-point penalty in the championship.

Nine cars took to the run off behind O’Keeffe, as Scott Pye, Nick McBride, Angelo Mouzouris, Lockie Bloxsom, Nash Morris, Matt Belford, Daniel Stutterd, Sam Shahin, and Marc Cini all took evasive action.

Several SP Tools Pro-Am competitors suffered race-ending damage, as Matt Slavin tagged Rodney Jane into a spin, with the Sonic entry spearing into the stationary Coulthard, whilst Slavin retired to the pits as the race went back to green.

Matt Belford also clipped the rear of Coulthard’s BWT entry, inflicting enough damage for the I.D Land entry to be forced into retirement after making it back to the pits, ending what had been a strong weekend for the Victorian in Pro-Am.

RAM Motorsport’s Dean Cook was the fourth and final Pro-Am driver who was out at turn one, having a separate incident after taking to the inside of the apex tyre bundle and collecting the side of Harrison Goodman.

With several cars strewn through turn one and two the safety car was called, with Wood leading from Jones, Bayley Hall, Ryder Quinn, and Marcos Flack, with Adrian Flack leading the reduced Pro-Am field in tenth outright.

There was drama at turn one once again off the restart, as Michelin Juniors Bayley Hall and Marco Giltrap both locked up and ran into the turn one gravel from third and sixth respectively, with Hall nearly spinning back onto the racing surface.

Ryder Quinn then ran wide at turn four, promoting another Michelin Junior in Marcos Flack up onto the podium, whilst Quinn continued to gradually fall back through the pack to finish sixth.

Flack would soon find himself with the best seat in Albert Park to witness the battle for the lead as Jones ranged up to the back of Wood as he charged towards a potential clean sweep of the opening round in Equity One Pro.

The 2022 champion would get the move done at turn eleven on lap nine, though in his vigorous defence of the top spot, he found himself pushed wide courtesy of a slight tap from the Connected Spaces entry of Wood.

Flack would be the big beneficiary as the Sonic driver was gifted second place, whilst Jackson Walls found himself right in the thick of the podium battle after his qualifying mishap, having stormed through from twelfth on the grid.

The Objective Racing entry swooped around the outside of the Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport car of Jones at turn three on the following lap, the Queenslander having hurt his tyres following the touch from Wood.

Wood crossed the line just over two seconds ahead of Flack, with Walls holding on to the final spot of the podium ahead of a recovering Jones as second through to fourth were covered by half a second.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Adrian Flack was once again running firmly in the midfield of the outright field, finishing thirteenth outright in the Agas National entry, some six outright positions and twenty-two seconds ahead of Sam Shahin.

Having survived the first corner pileup, Daniel Stutterd claimed the final podium spot of the weekend in the SP Tools Pro-Am class, finishing a further eight seconds behind Shahin for TekworkX Motorsport.

The next round of the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia season will represent the category’s first ever visit to New Zealand at the ITM Taupo Super400 from April 19-21.

Jones the Class of the Field Once Again at Albert Park

Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport star goes back-to-back to open 2024 account

Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport’s Harri Jones once again proved the dominant force in a shortened second race for Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia at Albert Park.

Though the race went green from start to finish, a disrupted Formula Two qualifying session meant that twelve of a scheduled fifteen laps were completed before the time certain cut-off.

The 2022 champion didn’t have it all his own way, but still managed to win by more than six seconds to solidify his championship credentials, with Dale Wood and Ryder Quinn rounding out the podium, the latter finishing as the top Michelin Junior.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Agas National’s Adrian Flack took an even more comprehensive win, putting seventeen seconds on his class rivals, and finishing ahead of several Equity One Pro runners.

For the first time all weekend Jones found himself on the back foot off the start, as Dale Wood’s brilliant reaction time, combined with a great launch off the line, promoted the Connected Spaces entry to the lead on the run to turn one from second on the grid.

Ryder Quinn also got a great start off the inside line of the grid, getting by the Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport entry of Scott Pye on the run to the first corner to move into third.

David Russell’s race came undone at the first corner, clipping the tyre bundle on the inside of the corner apex and rupturing the right front radiator of his TekworkX Motorsport entry, consigning last year’s Bathurst 1000 runner-up to the pits.

At the front of the field, Jones made sure his time in second was short, making a commanding move on the inside of turn nine on Wood, and promptly drove off into the setting Melbourne sun.

The 2022 champion once again put his head down, building a two second margin by lap six over Wood, who found himself under pressure from the Game Over entry of Quinn.

By the end of the race however, Jones was the only driver lapping in the 1m 48s range, leaving Wood and Quinn to greet the chequered flag line astern some five and a half seconds ahead of Pye, who had a smooth run to fourth with Nick McBride completing the top five.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Adrian Flack led from lights to flag in the Agas National entry, with the Pro entries of Tom McLennan, Lockie Bloxsom, Harrison Goodman, and Nash Morris all between Flack and the rest of the Pro-Am field.

Whilst Flack was untroubled in front, there was another entertaining battle for the minor placings, as Matt Belford, Rodney Jane, and Sam Shahin all found themselves in the podium placings during the race.

Belford lost a heap of ground and was lucky not to crash after a wild slide on the exit of turn one on lap eight, with Shahin, Jane, and Dean Cook all getting by the I.D Land entry.

The Bend Motorsport Park car of Shahin would claim second in the SP Tools Pro-Am battle, with the Sonic entry of Jane claiming the final podium position two seconds behind the South Australian.

Both Jones and Flack find themselves on their respective class pole positions for tomorrow’s third and final race, decided by the current round points as per the new weekend format for Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia.

In Equity One Pro, Wood and Quinn once again round out the top three for tomorrow’s grid, whilst in SP Tools Pro-Am Jane and Dean Cook (RAM Motorsport) will start second and third in class.

The third and final race for Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia at Albert Park is scheduled to begin at 6:25pm AEDT tomorrow afternoon.

New partners to support Porsche Motorsport Australia in 2024

BWT, Coffex, Moutai, Versalux join Porsche Partners roster in new season

PORSCHE Motorsport Australia is proud to announce the addition of several new corporate partnerships to the ranks of those supporting the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

BWT, Coffex and Moutai will partner with Porsche Motorsport Australia in 2024.

The new partners join existing and longstanding supporters of Carrera Cup, including Carrera Cup title partner Paynter Dixon, Sprint Challenge and Junior Program title partner Michelin, Official Pro partner Equity-One, Official Pro-Am partner SP Tools, TAG Heuer, Mobil 1 and Amadio Wines.

The opening round of the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will be held at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend, March 21-24.

BARRY HAY – Motorsport Manager

“We’re thrilled to welcome these key brands, both new and returning to our group of Corporate Partners supporting Porsche Motorsport in Australia in 2024.

“We have worked hard to build our commercial base this year which only benefits our competitors and customers who go racing with us at 14 different one-make events throughout the Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge championships.

“Porsche is about offering a premium product to our customers and brands.. We are confident that we can deliver them value both on and off track, and at the same time our partners can work with us to build their brands and showcase their product at some of Australia’s largest events.

“It’s going to be a fantastic year and we look forward to working with our partner group to showcase their brands and the incredible product that is Porsche Motorsport in 2024.”

COFFEX
Official Coffee Supplier

PORSCHE Motorsport Australia is pleased to announce a renewed partnership with Bean Alliance Group, via their award-winning Coffex brand, for the 2024 Porsche Motorsport season.

The renewed alliance will see Porsche competitors, teams and supporters fueled by Coffex Coffee beans this year in what has become a vital part of the off-track experience at each Porsche event – be it Carrera Cup or Sprint Challenge.

Coffex was originally established in Brunswick, in Melbourne, in 1959 and has been supplying beans and equipment to Melbourne’s café’s, restaurants, hotels, offices and homes for over half a century.

Today, Coffex has locations around Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia making them a truly international brand – just like Porsche.

Their award-winning range includes classic blends to specialty offerings to suit every Coffee connoisseur.

2024 marks the renewal of the relationship between Porsche Motorsport Australia and Coffex, with their coffee to be on offer at every Porsche round this year.

Coffex will also support a series of content pieces delivered on Porsche Motorsport’s social media channels dubbed the ‘Coffex Backstage Pass’, which will offer a deep dive into key people, teams, moments or highlights in and around the Porsche paddock.

BWT
Official Water Technology Partner
Presenting partner of the Porsche Michelin Junior Program powered by BWT

GLOBALLY RECOGNISED for their support of motorsport in Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and the FIA Formula One World Championship, BWT (Best Water Technologies) Australia joins Porsche Motorsport Australia as the Official Water Technology Partner in 2024.

Expanding on their existing support for Fabian Coulthard and the Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport team, BWT products ensure the highest level of safety, hygiene and health in our daily contact with water.

With world-beating expertise, innovative technology, and high-quality products, BWTs mission is to improve the quality of people’s lives wherever water is concerned.

As the Official Water Technology Partner, a BWT station will be located in the Porsche Teams Lounge at every round of the 2024 championship, offering BWT Diamond Mineralized still and sparkling water to drivers, teams, guests, friends and families visiting at each round.

Additionally, BWT Australia have added their support to Porsche’s Michelin Junior Program, which is now ‘powered by BWT’. Their involvement with the group of 23 talented young rising stars of the sport commenced at the 2024 Porsche Michelin Junior Camp powered by BWT, held on the Gold Coast in late February.

The BWT brand has become synonymous with Porsche Motorsport around the world and Porsche Motorsport Australia is thrilled to welcome BWT Australia as an official partner in 2024.

MOUTAI
Official Celebrations Partner

PORSCHE Motorsport welcomes Moutai as the official Celebrations Partner of the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

It means that when the racing stops and the party begins, Moutai will be there to help celebrate a successful race, event or season in 2024.

Moutai is the pinnacle of Chinese baijiu – distilled white spirits – and is the world’s most valuable liquor brand.

Moutai is named after its place of origin and produced exclusively in the town of Moutai, Guizhou Province in China.

The brand is already well known in Australia via their ambassador, racer Luke King, who competed with Moutai backing in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia and prior to that, TCR Australia.

King and Moutai continue their relationship into 2024 with the driver to form part of their at event presence this year.

The brand will in 2024 support the entire series ensuring that their world-renowned product is enjoyed responsibly by the entire Carrera Cup field when it’s time to celebrate or relax following an event.

Moutai is available in Australia by major beverage retailers including Dan Murphy’s, BWS, Vintage Cellars and Costco, among others.

VERSALUX
Official lighting partner

Versalux has been bringing state-of-the-art products to the Australasian lighting market for 40 years and has been integral to the evolution and revolution that is part of the lighting journey.

In 2024 they join the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia as the official lighting partner with their expertise and product to be pressed into action at every round throughout the Porsche Motorsport paddock and teams lounge area.

Versalux enjoys a heritage that spans 4 decades has forged a solid profile in many facets of commercial and industrial lighting and established strong relationships with key international suppliers. We are proud of our great depth of lighting experience and repertoire of major projects within Australia and New Zealand across a diverse range of markets and products.

That rich history extends to our relationships with market leading luminaire manufacturers such as Architech, Quality Art, the Glamox Luxo group, Mooslicht, Faeber, LYA, Ares and Abel.

Jones Crushes Field in Carrera Cup Season Opener

Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport claim first win since Adelaide 2019

A season in Europe has done Harri Jones the world of good as he took a commanding lights-to-flag victory in the season opening Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia race at Albert Park.

Jones was in a league of his own at the front of the field, winning by almost seven seconds, whilst top Michelin Junior Bayley Hall and Dale Wood fought their way to the final steps on the podium.

The win for Jones breaks a long victory drought for Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport, whose last win came in March 2019 on the streets of Adelaide.

The race for the SP Tools Pro-Am win was just as spectacular, with Rodney Jane claiming the spoils over Adrian Flack and Matt Belford.

There was a slight adjustment to the starting grid prior to the start of the race, as Marcos Flack was handed a three-place grid penalty for pit lane speeding in qualifying, dropping from the front row to fifth.

Fellow Michelin Junior Ryder Quinn was promoted to the front row, the Game Over entry starting alongside 2022 champion Jones.

Jones made the most of his pole position as Quinn lit up the rear tyres off the start, as the 27-car field made it away cleanly from the first start of the season.

Towards the rear of the field, Carrera Cup debutant Harrison Goodman was tagged into a spin at turn one after contact from SP Tools Pro-Am competitor Matt Slavin.

There would be further drama on the opening lap, as Scott Pye’s first round cameo hit a snag after he damaged the right front radiator of his Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport entry, forcing his immediate retirement.

Pye’s teammate Fabian Coulthard also had a hairy moment on lap one, running through the gravel at the exit of turn twelve and ripping the front splitter off his BWT entry.

Whilst two of the Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport entries were in trouble, the third entry of Jones had blazed to a two and a half second lead at the end of lap one, as Ryder Quinn was on the defensive from Bayley Hall and Nick McBride.

Dale Wood joined the battle as he threw his Connected Spaces entry down the inside of McBride’s Hallmarc entry for fourth at turn one on lap two.

McBride’s race wouldn’t continue much further, coming to a halt on the outside of turn nine with an apparent mechanical issue, as his bad luck from 2023 carried over into the new year.

The McBride situation was initially handled under a local yellow, before the first safety car of the season was called on lap three.

After a single lap, the green flags came back out and Jones once again put his head down, though this time Quinn was far more aggressive, riding the rear bumper of the 2022 champion before the field was released.

Meanwhile Bayley Hall found himself under siege after running wide at turn one on lap six, with Dale Wood, Marcos Flack, and Marco Giltrap all looking to capitalise on Hall’s poor corner exit.

The battle was once again halted by the second appearance of the safety car after SP Tools Pro-Am runner Daniel Stutterd spun at turn one and was unable to get restarted.

The race went green for the final time with four laps to go, and Jones once again put the hammer down, whilst the battle for the minor placings reached a new level of intensity.

Ryder Quinn’s resistance was eventually undone when Hall got by at turn one on the penultimate lap, with Wood muscling his way by a few corners later at turn five.

In the battle for SP Tools Pro-Am, Dean Cook led the early running from pole position before Rodney Jane made the decisive move in the brief window between the two safety car periods.

The race for the minor positions in Pro-Am also heated up in the closing stages, as Adrian Flack made his way by the pole-sitter with a bold move at turn six off the final restart on lap ten.

Cook then fell off the podium on the following lap, as Matt Belford found his way onto the podium in the I.D Land entry, a position he would hold to the finish as Cook found himself overtaken by a couple of Equity One Pro entries.

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia returns to Albert Park for Race Two tomorrow afternoon at 6:25pm AEST.

Jones Claims Albert Park Poles in Dominant Fashion

New qualifying format sets grid for first two races of 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia season.

Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport’s Harri Jones has sent a statement to the rest of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field, claiming both pole positions for the season’s opening two races at Albert Park.

Battle hardened after a season in the Porsche Supercup, Jones set a 1m 48.0678s to claim pole position in Equity One Pro for Race One, putting half a second on the field.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, the RAM Motorsport entry of Dean Cook drew first blood, qualifying in fourteenth outright on a 1m 49.9453s, the only Pro-Am competitor to dip below a 1m 50s.

The Race Two SP Tools Pro-Am pole went to the Agas National entry of Adrian Flack whose second quickest time was a 1m 50.6795s.

Reigning Albert Park Equity One Pro round winner and 2023 championship combatant Jackson Walls had a disastrous start to his 2024 campaign after crashing out early in the session.

The Objective Racing driver drifted wide at the high-speed turn eight sweeper, tagging the wall with the left rear corner and spinning back across the circuit, gently nosing into the wall on driver’s right.

Walls will start from the rear of the grid for the first two races of the season, having only set one lap before his accident.

The green flag came back out with fifteen minutes to go, though the red flags would fly once again around Albert Park before anyone had the chance to set another lap.

Reigning Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge champion Marco Giltrap spun his Team Porsche New Zealand entry into gravel trap at turn six as the cars were on their out lap heading around to the control line.

Giltrap, one of nine Michelin Juniors in the field this weekend, was recovered from the gravel and was able to rejoin the session, eventually qualifying in ninth position for Race One.

Amongst all the disruption, 2022 champion Harri Jones had risen to the top of the timesheets in the early running, setting a 1m 48.1284s to put almost three quarters of a second on the field.

The green flag waved once again with seven and a half minutes remaining in the session, giving the field three laps at most to set their best time.

Drivers struggled to match the times they set before the first red flag, as the Michelin tyres wouldn’t come up to temperature until the final flying laps.

Dean Cook almost brought out the red flags for a third time when he backed into the turn one runoff, though he was able to get out of the gravel before claiming the SP Tools Pro-Am Race One pole.

A pair of Michelin Juniors starred in the dying moments, as first Ryder Quinn jumped to the front row of the grid for Game Over, before being usurped by Marcos Flack who will start his first full season alongside Jones after setting a 1m 48.5695s.

Quinn will be joined by three-time Albert Park race winner Nick McBride on row two, with Bayley Hall rounding out the top five for Hall Finance & Insurance Solutions.

The opening race of the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia season begins at 4:45pm AEDT.

New Carrera Cup on-track format to debut at Albert Park

Qualifying, grid determination changes in place for 2024

CHANGES to the Motorsport Australia-approved Sporting regulations for the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship are expected to change up the on-track product for the better in 2024.

A modified qualifying format and revised grid determination for the three races at each round will change the way events unfold at each of the eight rounds this year, while giving drivers better opportunities to continue to compete at the front should they have a bad result in an early weekend race.

This year TAG Heuer qualifying will be contested in one, 30-minute session at each round.

This will allow for all cars to maximize track time and use their full allocation of two sets of Michelin Tyres should they wish.

It will also aid track density and allow SP Tools Pro-Am competitors, should they time their qualifying runs well, more track time and laps to set their respective starting positions.

Qualifying will also now directly influence the grid for two races this year, rather than just the first race of any given round, adding to its importance and prominence in the weekend schedule.

The driver with the quickest overall time in qualifying in each class will score the TAG Heuer Pole Position award, one bonus championship point and start from pole position – outright or in their class – for Race 1 at each round.

Meanwhile, the second quickest lap from each driver in qualifying will then set the grid for Race 2.

The grid for Race 3 will then be decided based on the combined points from races one and two across the round.

The change to the grid determination is designed to not only mirror international formats used in one-make Porsche racing around the world, but also offer competitors a chance to rebound should they endure a poor first or second race at any round – something that would not have had in the previous ‘progressive grid’ format.

A further change comes in the points allocation following the opening three rounds of the 2024 championship.

Drivers who have not contested any of the first three rounds – at the Australian Grand Prix, Taupo and Darwin, respectively – will not score points should they contest any of the final five events of the season.

While one-off or part time drivers can still compete for race and round victories, they will not score points towards the overall championship.

The new format will be put to the test this weekend at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, which hosts the opening round of the 2024 championship.

Hall to race as first Australian ‘Carbon Neutral’ driver in 2024

Carbon Neutral program in place for winning Carrera Cup driver

PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia contender Bayley Hall will go green in 2024 – and not just in the new livery of his McElrea Racing Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car. 

The Queenslander has worked to become the first Australian driver to be verified 100% Carbon Neutral in 2024.

It means he, under the ‘CleanSpeed Racing’ banner, will compete completely carbon neutral this year as he tackles his third full season in Australia’s top one-make championship with McElrea Racing.

Hall, 20, has partnered with Brisbane-based Environmental business, CarbonHalo, to assess his racing careers’ carbon footprint, both on and off track.

He has subsequently invested in local Queensland and broader Australian-wide Carbon Offset credits as a way to offset the carbon produced by his racing and the elements surrounding it.

Offsets include vegetation regeneration projects in Queensland and investment into Solar and Wind farms.

The results have seen Hall verified as being Carbon Neutral and is believed to be the first in Australian Motorsport to do so.

“I have always raced a green racing car, so why not be a ‘green’ driver as well,” Hall explained.

“The new generation are always looking for new and exciting ways to be different and to innovate, and I feel like I have taken a step towards making a change.

“Across all my studies as a student, I took a massive interest into the world and how we interact with it and it’s obvious there are many things we could be doing better – and it can only ever starts from one voice speaking up.

“I’m not here to reinvent the wheel but I want to use my careers platform to speak up and show that change isn’t that hard to start.

“I wanted to start up CleanSpeed Racing to show my initiative and take one small step towards a sustainable future.

“I won’t lie, there is nothing that compares to the sound of a flat-six revving at eight-and-a-half grand, but if I begin encouraging my competitors, teams and overall categories to continue this movement we might find we are certainly making a difference.”

Hall began the process last year by reaching out to Brisbane-based CarbonHalo and through a learning process about their efforts to reduce the impact of carbon on the world.

“I wanted to understand the process and identify my carbon footprint from racing,” he said.

“I took an interest into how a carbon footprint is calculated and how the Carbon Offset Credits Programs work. It is cool to know that I am helping out sustainable energy programs such as solar and wind farms within Australia, as well as even more local programs like the Queensland Vegetation Regeneration project.

“The way it works is that I invest in these projects that subsequently absorb an equivalent amount of carbon as to what I emit into the atmosphere. It’s quite genius.

“I hope that by starting this program I can invite followers, fans, fellow competitors and the corporate world to join in.

“Corporate businesses have a major focus on ESG commitments, and by meeting them in the middle it will be an exciting new era to potentially gain more investment into the sport.”

To learn more about CarbonHalo go to the website here: https://www.carbonhalo.com/

If you want to read more about what Bayley is doing see his Impact page on the website here: https://www.carbonhalo.com/impact/bhr/

The opening round of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia commences this weekend at Albert Park alongside the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.

Team Porsche NZ locks in 2024 plans

Carrera Cup Australia, Asia and Sprint Challenge confirmed for Porsche NZ-backed squad

At the start of the 2024 motorsport season, Team Porsche New Zealand (TPNZ) is gearing up to compete with Earl Bamber Motorsport (EBM) in three Porsche single-make series this year.

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia kicks off the calendar, with Marco Giltrap debuting in the series in the opening round at the Melbourne Grand Prix this weekend.

Giltrap is graduating from the Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia series where he took out the championship title in 2023. In the off-season, he has been competing in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe Championship where he finished 8th in the Pro Class.

The 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia season will also see Giltrap compete on home turf, with the Australian series crossing the ditch for the first time, competing at the Taupo SuperSprint in April.

“I’m super excited to be continuing my racing journey with Porsche New Zealand and EBM, we have already achieved a lot and I am looking forward to keeping our momentum going. Both the team and myself have been working hard in preparation for the season so I’m keen to get stuck in” said Giltrap.

TPNZ will be returning to Porsche Carrera Cup Asia with scholarship driver Zac Stichbury pivoting his 2024 plans to kick off his Carrera Cup career at a variety of iconic Asian tracks. The team started its scholarship program in the Asian Carrera Cup series in 2019, however shifted the focus to Australia in 2021.

Stichbury will be sharing the season with teammate Marco Giltrap in a TPNZ team car that will allow both drivers to grow their experience outside the Australian market. The championship kicks off at the Shanghai Grand Prix from 18th – 21st April, with Stichbury confirmed to race the first two weekends of the calendar. The remaining schedule will be announced in due course.

“It’s exciting to still have the full support from Porsche NZ and Earl Bamber Motorsport for this season. It’s a new opportunity that I can’t wait to jump into and learn with a new group of people and develop my skills in the new car. Together with the team, I’m confident we can achieve great success and have an enjoyable year” said Stichbury.

The team’s newest scholarship recipient, Brock Gilchrest will debut his Porsche racing career in the 2024 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series.

The series is the feeder for the Porsche Carrera Cup and has proven as a popular pathway for drivers to master the 911 GT3 Cup Car before taking on the Carrera Cup series. The 20-year-old won the 2023 Toyota 86 championship and recently took out the GT4 title at the 2024 GT New Zealand Championship.

“I am really looking forward to starting the season in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge with Team Porsche New Zealand. Testing has been positive and I have built a decent pace as I get more comfortable with the car. We will be looking to bring that same momentum into round 1. I can’t wait to have a good crack at the season ahead” said Gilchrist.

Greg Clarke, General Manager, Porsche New Zealand
“The team had a very successful 2023 season taking out the championship titles in both Australian Porsche series, with Marco Giltrap in Sprint Challenge and Callum Hedge in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia. By expanding into Carrera Cup Asia, we have opened the opportunity for our team to take out three championships this year, whilst also developing our drivers on new tracks.“

Earl Bamber, Owner, Earl Bamber Motorsport
“This year we see a three-series effort from Team Porsche New Zealand as we continue to develop drivers and see them progress in their careers. It’s exciting to kick off the season, first in Carrera Cup Australia with Marco Giltrap, followed by Brock in Sprint Challenge Australia. Now we also have the chance to see Zac develop his Carrera as he makes the change to move into Carrera Cup Asia.“

“We are also proud to see graduates of the scholarship program Matthew Payne and Ryan Wood return recently for some races with Earl Bamber Motorsport.”

Carrera Cup battle to commence in Melbourne

New season begins with strong 27-car field at Albert Park

THE FIGHT for Australia’s top one-make championship commences anew this weekend as Round 1 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship descends on Melbourne and the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.

Albert Park will see 27 cars contest the opening round of what is set to be another captivating title chase among the field of identical Type-992 Porsche GT3 Cup Cars.

As always the field will be split into two classes, with the Equity One Professional Class to be contested by 18 drivers, both established stars of the sport and a fleet of young, rising stars.

The always competitive SP Tools Pro-Am class returns with 9 entries, including defending class champion Adrian Flack.

The field includes seven drivers on debut, nine Michelin Junior drivers and both the current Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Pro and Pro-Am champions.

While Adrian Flack returns to defend his Pro-Am crown, young Kiwi rising star Marco Giltrap steps up to the ‘main game’ of Carrera Cup this weekend having clinched the Sprint Challenge title in 2023.

Giltrap will continue to race for Earl Bamber Motorsport in a Team Porsche New Zealand-supported car, flying the flag for the traditionally strong Kiwi contingent in Aussie Porsche racing.

He’ll be joined on debut by fellow Sprint Challenge graduates Lachlan Bloxsom (McElrea Racing), Tom McLennan (EBM), Nash Morris (Scott Taylor Motorsport), Harrison Goodman (Sonic Motor Racing) and Marcos Flack (Sonic Motor Racing), while Matt Slavin steps up from the Sprint Challenge Pro-Am class to the Carrera Cup fight this year.

Rounding out the first-timers this weekend is Supercars race winner Scott Pye, who will race a BWT-backed car for Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport this weekend.

2022 champion Harri Jones and 2005 winner Fabian Coulthard complete the PCM squad, Jones’ commencing his full-time return to Aussie competition this weekend.

2023 runner-up Jackson Walls returns for a second shot at the title having claimed the Albert Park round win – his first in Carrera Cup – last year.

Michelin Junior Ryder Quinn, 2023 Gold Coast winner Bayley Hall, Sonic’s Angelo Mouzouris, David Russell – who joins TekworkX Motorsport – and brothers Dale and Glen Wood all return for more this year.

Balancing out the strong rookie group this year, 10 Carrera Cup race winners feature on the grid set for this weekend with nine drivers having started more than 100 Carrera Cup races in their respective careers.

The SP Tools Pro-Am battle will see Flack chased again by drivers that filled the five positions behind the Earl Bamber Motorsport driver last year.

Dean Cook and Sam Shahin return, as done Melbourne-based Matt Belford, Marc Cini and Rodney Jane.

While Matt Slavin joins the fun from Sprint Challenge, a welcome returnee will be Sydneysider Indiran Padayachee while Daniel Stutterd returns with TekworkX after a strong conclusion to the 2023 season in Adelaide.

Meanwhile, a major achievement for one of Carrera Cup’s best will also be a highlight this weekend.

Milestone man Nick McBride, a staple at the front of the Carrera Cup field, will start his 200th Carrera Cup race on Saturday evening should he contest all three races this weekend.

McBride, who races a Hallmarc-backed car at the Melbourne Performance Centre, made his Carrera Cup debut in 2014 and has 4 round and 11 race wins to his credit across his successful career.

The Victorian, a qualified lawyer day-to-day, will become just the fourth driver in series history to have competed in 200 or more Carrera Cup races, joining teammate Marc Cini, David Wall and Rodney Jane in the elite group.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field will tackle three races this weekend at Albert Park.

Following practice and the battle for the TAG Heuer Pole Award on Thursday, Race 1 will be held on Thursday afternoon to kick off the season.

Races on Friday afternoon and then Saturday evening following Formula 1 Qualifying complete the opening round.

Races will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports across the Albert Park weekend.

ENTRY LIST

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia – Round 1

Record Porsche Michelin Junior class of 2024 announced

Feature film 'Seas the Day' launched to showcase Junior talents

THE Porsche Michelin Junior Program will be elevated to a new level this year, with a record group of talented young drivers from Australia and New Zealand today announced as those to have been awarded a contract for the 2024 season.

They will be supported with a record level of investment from Porsche Cars Australia, Michelin and new Porsche Michelin Junior camp partner BWT to support the journeys of the talented young pilots competing in one-make Porsche racing in Australia.

23 drivers, aged between 17 and 23, will be supported by Porsche and Michelin this year competing across the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship and the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series.

The announcement comes with the launch of a new documentary, titled ‘Seas the Day’, which showcases the process the class of 2024 went through to obtain their Junior Contracts for the year ahead via an intensive three-day training course held on the Gold Coast in late February.

The 2024 Porsche Michelin Junior Training Camp powered by BWT was held in and around Coolangatta.

The rigorous program, developed by renowned motorsport coaching and training specialists at Reaction Performance, featured a diverse range of development opportunities incorporating various physical and mindset challenges throughout the camp.

Classroom sessions included physical and mindset preparation, engineering insights, and for the first time a serious media training element with a focus on interview skills and social media.

Titled ‘Seas the Day’, a 14-minute film has been produced showcasing the entire camp, highlighting the array of challenges, including a Surf Life Saving course hosted by the Tweed Heads and Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club, fun, camaraderie as well as the incredible locations in the southern end of the Gold Coast.

All participating drivers earned their Junior contracts, which were presented at the conclusion of the camp.

Michelin Junior winners in each category at each round receive a free set of Michelin Pilot Sport race tyres and a free entry to a subsequent round of their championship or series.

The drivers who finish second and third at each round also win a set of Michelin Tyres for their efforts.

The top Michelin Junior point scorer in Carrera Cup also receives Australia’s nomination to contest the Porsche Junior Shootout in Europe at the conclusion of the 2024 season, with travel funded by Porsche Motorsport Australia.

In total more than $250,000 worth of prizes and support are on offer this year, a record investment by both Porsche Cars Australia and major partner, Michelin.

BARRY HAY – Porsche Motorsport Australia

“We are very proud of the group of young drivers who will be representing Porsche and Michelin in Sprint Challenge and Carrera Cup this year.

“It is not only the largest group of Junior drivers we have ever had in our pathway, but it’s a group filled with incredible ability, motivation, talent and drive to become the best at their craft.

“The Michelin Junior program isn’t just about arriving and driving – all of these drivers have earned their ticket at our Porsche Michelin Junior Camp powered by BWT, held in February this year.

“They all worked hard for it and proved to us that they had the right stuff which is incredibly exciting.

“We looked around this group of drivers and we knew straight away that there are going to be some world-class champions among them. It’s an elite group and it bodes incredibly well for the 2024 season and beyond.

“We’re very proud of the film that documents the Junior Camp – it’s fun, engaging and showcases the personalities and abilities of the drivers while hopefully inspiring the next group of Michelin Juniors looking to enter the program in the future.”

LEIGH STAMATION – Reaction Performance

“We developed the 2024 Porsche Michelin Junior Camp powered by BWT to offer a comprehensive experience, equipping young drivers with the essential tools for their journey towards becoming successful professional racing car drivers.

Our approach blends physical activities with classroom immersions that integrate mindset coaching and engineering of both car and driver. Leveraging Coolangatta’s exceptional backdrop of sun and surf, hills and trails, gym facilities and recovery resources, allowed our team to assemble a complete performance camp package aimed at nurturing both body and mind.

It’s been a thrill collaborating with Porsche and these talented young drivers, as we’ve designed a program that not only challenges them in the moment but also fosters long-term growth and development through our ongoing support within our driver coaching, mindset, and training programs.”

2024 PORSCHE MICHELIN JUNIOR DRIVERS

Lachlan Bloxsom – Carrera Cup
Hamish Fitzsimmons – Sprint Challenge
Marcos Flack – Carrera Cup
Brock Gilchrist – Sprint Challenge
Marco Giltrap – Carrera Cup
Ryan Hadden – Sprint Challenge
Bayley Hall – Carrera Cup
Matt Hillyer – Sprint Challenge
Ayrton Hodson – Sprint Challenge
Tom McLennan – Carrera Cup
Nash Morris – Carrera Cup
Angelo Mouzouris – Carrera Cup
Slade Orsmond – Sprint Challenge
Clay Osborne – Sprint Challenge
Ryder Quinn – Carrera Cup
Jake Santalucia – Sprint Challenge
Aron Shields – Sprint Challenge
Conor Somers – Sprint Challenge
Zac Stichbury – Sprint Challenge
Caleb Sumich – Sprint Challenge
Oscar Targett – Sprint Challenge
Ben Taylor – Sprint Challenge
Jackson Walls – Carrera Cup

Two rookies step up to Carrera Cup with Team Sonic for 2024

Sonic Motor Racing Services is pleased to confirm its driver line-up for the 2024 Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup Championship.

The three-time Carrera Cup winning team has promoted young guns Marcos Flack and Harrison Goodman to its four-car squad for the opening round of Carrera Cup at the Albert Park street circuit supporting the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix next weekend.

Flack and Goodman will be joined by fellow ‘Pro’ class entrant Angelo Mouzouris, while Rodney Jane returns to the team at the Grand Prix in the Pro-Am class.

Flack, Mouzouris and Jane will compete in the famous Bob Jane T-Marts colours, while Goodman will feature support from TRUEGRID and ordinalgold.io.

Flack and Goodman step up to Carrera Cup from the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge class after a season of success in the junior category.

Flack scored a pole position and podium results in his rookie Porsche year and will be looking to build on that experience as he makes the leap to Australia’s leading one-make racing class.

He also made a one-off start in Carrera Cup last year, racing at the Gold Coast street track in what was an early prelude to the 2024 season.

Goodman finished the competitive 2023 Sprint Challenge series in ninth place overall, enjoying podium finishes during his second season in the class.

Goodman will relish the opportunity to race against some of the fastest Pro drivers in the country as he continues his climb up the Porsche pyramid.

Mouzouris will enter his third season in Carrera Cup and his second behind the wheel of a Bob Jane T-Marts-supported entry. The 2019 Formula Ford champion has progressed towards the front of the field since his debut in the one-make class and is aiming to be a consistent threat at the front of the field.

Last year, Mouzouris finished 11th in the championship, scoring a best result of fifth in the final race of the season on the Adelaide streets.

The opening round of the 2024 Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup Championship will be held at Albert Park.

It is the first of eight rounds that will take Carrera Cup all across Australia, plus for the first time to New Zealand.

The Albert Park event attracts over 300,000 fans through the gates over the four days, making it the perfect start to another competitive season of Carrera Cup racing.

The Melbourne event will be held on March 21-24.

Marcos Flack
#777 Porsche, Sonic Motor Racing Services

“This is a big step up for me from Sprint Challenge to Carrera Cup, but one that I’m looking forward to” said Flack.

“For me, it’s all about learning the new tracks and maximising on the ones that I’ve already done. I’ve never raced at Albert Park, Taupo and Darwin, so that will be a new challenge.

“It’s great to be a part of the legacy of the Bob Jane T-Marts Porsche team. These cars have seen champions like David Reynolds, Nick Foster and Jordan Love, so I’m hoping to be up there and add my name to this list of great drivers.

“Getting that early taste of Carrera Cup at the Gold Coast was enjoyable. It was also a real eye opener. It gave me a very early feel for how much more competitive Carrera Cup is.

“I’m really happy to be with Sonic again. I loved every moment of Sprint Challenge last year and was glad to have Mick and Maria (Ritter) with me to not only put me forward for the Bob Jane T-Marts drive, but push me as far as I can go in the next step of my career.”

Angelo Mouzouris
#999 Porsche, Sonic Motor Racing Services

“We’ve put in a lot of effort over the summer break, both in training and testing,” said Mouzouris.

“We’ve had a couple of test days, so I’m feeling the most prepared I’ve ever been for a season.

“The test days went really well, so coming into Round 1, it should be really good.

“Albert Park is probably the best place to start the championship. I’m going back there now for my third year, and we’ve been fast in the past. Hopefully we can put our best foot forward for the start of the season.

“With the experience I’ve had now, the aim is to fight for podiums. It’s a long season, so you need to keep consistent and hopefully you come out on top.

“It’s good to have Marcos come in as my team mate. He is young and fast and I have no doubt he is going to keep me on my toes. We’ve seen how quick he was in Sprint Challenge and, even for a young guy, has a lot of experience from what he has done overseas. If we push each other along, I think it will be a really good thing to have for our team.”

Harrison Goodman
#880 Porsche, Sonic Motor Racing Services

“I’m looking forward to stepping up to Carrera Cup,” said Goodman.

“A lot of the guys that I raced against in Sprint Challenge last year are also stepping up, so I know what their competitiveness levels are. It will be good to see where we sit against them all.

“I’m also looking forward to racing on some amazing tracks this year, starting off at the Grand Prix. It’s a real bucket list track to tick off my list.

“I’ve never raced in New Zealand or anywhere overseas, so that’s going to be really interesting as well.

“For the first part of the year, I want to do the best we can, aim for points and consistency, and towards the end of the year, try and be in the front pack. It’s a very competitive championship, so I’ll be looking to keep it clean and represent the team and the sponsors the best we can.

“It’s great to stay with Sonic too. We started together in Formula Ford so it’s my fifth year with them, so I’m very happy to work with them again and get some good results. I appreciate everything they do and how much effort they put in.”

Michael Ritter
Team owner, Sonic Motor Racing Services

“This is a very exciting driver line-up for the 2024 Carrera Cup season,” said Ritter.

“Having two rookies step up from our Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge program shows the progression that both our team and the Porsche pyramid promotes. Both Marcos and Harrison have shown that they can mix it at the front of the pack, and with many of their rivals from last year stepping up, we feel they are more than ready for Carrera Cup.

“Angelo showed real progress in the second half of 2023. We know he can do the job. He proved that in Formula Ford and he has shown that in Carrera Cup too. This will be a strong year for him.

“Rodney was a race winner last year in Pro Am but had a pretty torid run of luck in the second half of the championship being caught up in several major accidents none of which were his fault. He was on the podium at Albert Park in 2023 and we look forward to seeing him start 2024 on the same note.

“The team has been working bloody hard over the off season in preparation for the year ahead. There’s lots for us to be excited about and I know our entire team is putting in every effort to make it a success.”

Lachlan Bloxsom to take Carrera Cup challenge in 2024

Graduation for Sprint Challenge driver as Carrera Cup awaits

PORSCHE Michelin Junior Lachlan Bloxsom will continue his rise through the one-make Porsche ranks this year, confirming he will step into the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship with McElrea Racing in 2024. 

Bloxsom, 19, makes the step to Carrera Cup following two strong learning seasons with McElrea in Sprint Challenge competition, that included several podium finishes.

The Queenslander, who alongside his racing is currently studying a double degree at the Queensland University of Technology, has also gained significant experience in one-make Excel and Toyota 86 competition ahead of his Porsche debut debut.

Bloxsom joins McElrea’s strong four-car squad – comprised entirely of Michelin Juniors – which includes 2023 runner-up Jackson Walls, Ryder Quinn and Bayley Hall.

He is one of a host of drivers to progress with the team through Sprint Challenge and into Carrera Cup competition.

Bloxsom’s stunning 992 GT3 Cup Car unveiled today includes a continuation of his longstanding relationship with the Royal Australian Navy, under their ‘Team Navy’ brand, and support from Harvey Norman, Polyfloor and Bradnam’s Windows and Doors.

“Now in my third year as a McElrea driver I am excited to stay with the team and continue to work with the McElrea family,” Bloxsom said. 

“Without Andy, Leigh, Luffy, Timmy, and all the boys back at the workshop I wouldn’t be in the position I am and am looking forward to the future as we work towards moving up the next rung in the Porsche Pyramid together.

“Stepping into a new environment in Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup from Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge will no doubt be a new challenge getting to grips with the new car on new tracks but it’s a challenge that I’m ready for. We have stuck to a plan and a process and have gotten me to a position where I’m ready for the next step in my racing career and ready to tackle the championship head on with some strong results ahead.

“I wouldn’t be racing in Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup this year if it wasn’t for my family, my sponsors and McElrea Racing who I’m excited to continue with in the 2024 season.”

Bloxsom said his plans included consistent improvement throughout his rookie season, which will see strong competition both in the Professional class ranks, and among the Michelin Juniors.

“Coming freshly out of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Championship and into my rookie season of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup there is obviously a large element of adapting to the new car and the new environment which I feel I will continue to improve throughout the year,” he explained. 

“As far as aspirations for my rookie year ahead, without too much pressure on myself for results, driving to the best of my ability and making as little mistakes as possible is the goal for this year. Improving as a driver both on and off the track and working with the team to improve myself and the car throughout the year to put us in a good position coming the latter half of the season.”

The opening round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will be contested as part of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix this March 21-24.

David Russell Joins TekworkX Motorsport for Carrera Cup

Russell joins Queensland squad to continue Carrera Cup success

Experienced Porsche Carrera Cup racer and multiple Bathurst 1000 podium-getter David Russell has signed with TekworkX Motorsport, bringing a two-car team for 2024.

Russell will contest the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship with the Gold-Coast based squad who last year raced to three victories and several podiums in the series.

The 2023 Bathurst 1000 runner-up has accumulated over a decade of experience in one-make Porsche racing, dating back to his series debut in 2006. Over the years Russell has raced to 36 podium finishes, including runner-up series finishes in 2015 and 2022.

Russell boasts a strong career as a Supercars co-driver, starring as a leading co-driver in the Endurance Cup season in all but one year since 2010. Russell’s driving career also includes successful stints in GT3 and Australian Production Car machinery.

TekworkX Motorsport enter their fourth full season of Porsche Carrera Cup, with the team quickly rising to prominence since making their debut in 2021. The opening round of the season takes place as part of the Australian Grand Prix, where TekworkX have emerged as equal or outright round winners two years in a row.

Hire A Hubby return to the TekworkX Motorsport squad as primary sponsors of Russell’s #2 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 992. The nationwide Property Maintenance company first partnered with TekworkX in 2022 – a year which included a race victory for the team in Townsville.

The 2024 season kicks off in just over a week’s time at the Albert Park Street Circuit, from March 21-24.

Rob Woods – Team Owner

“We are thrilled to have D Russ join TekworkX in Carrera Cup,” said Woods.

“We shared engineers back in 2021, our first season in Carrera Cup, so it’s not a new relationship. We have also gained engineering services of that same engineer from 2021, Paul Ceprinich, as team engineer alongside his son Luke who now heads up TekworkX engineering full time.

“They all come with an immense amount of motorsport experience that the team will benefit from throughout the season, of which I expect the results will come,” concluded Woods.

David Russell – #2 Hire A Hubby Porsche

“I did selected rounds last year and I wanted an opportunity to do the whole championship again, especially after coming third in 2022,” said Russell.

“We put our heads together with Rob and worked out a deal, and I’ve already gelled with the whole team. To be working again with Paul Ceprinich is great, having previously worked with him at the Spa 24 Hour as well.

“Being the third year in the car, there were originally some unknowns in the setup department but now it’s just tuning for what each track and driver needs. The TekworkX team will be able to put us in a position to be strong at every round.

“You don’t need to win every race across the year, but we will work hard to put our best foot forward for each track. I’m really looking forward to getting to the Grand Prix and representing a good group of sponsors,” concluded Russell.

Wood Brothers launch two-car Carrera Cup campaign for 2024

Glen to join brother Dale on 2024 grid as pair unveil new liveries, sponsors for 2024 campaign

RIVALS will be seeing double when it comes to the Wood family in this year’s Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

Dale Wood – who finished third in the 2023 championship – has confirmed his return in 2024 and has also locked in a second car to be driven by his brother, vastly experienced GT racer Glen.

Glen will sport the familiar colours of Ranbuild in 2024, continuing the family’s relationship with the Aussie-owned shed manufacturer that commenced last year.

Ranbuild sheds are custom made to your specific requirements, something they have been doing for over 70 years.  Local Ranbuild dealers will manage customers projects giving them peace of mind from beginning to end because ‘it’s not just a shed, it’s a Ranbuild!’.

Meanwhile, Dale will sport the colours of new primary sponsor, Connected Spaces, a business providing tailored joinery solutions for a range of building projects across Australia and New Zealand.

From bespoke cabinetry for small developments, right through to full-scale multilevel high rises, Connected Spaces’ multi-national manufacturing, warehousing and logistics services allow them to deliver high quality and exceptional value to meet the needs of every project.

The Wood brothers’ cars will again be run by Earl Bamber Motorsport, who last year claimed both the outright and Pro-Am class titles in Carrera Cup, and the Michelin Sprint Challenge series title as well.

The pair of cars feature the same base livery design while still representing the individual branding of the major partners, with the cars formally unveiled during a pre-season test day at The Bend recently.

While 2024 marks Glen Wood’s first full-season campaign in Carrera Cup he has raced in the championship previously, contesting five rounds of the 2018 season with the Porsche Centre Brighton squad and recording a best finish of fifth position, achieved at Mount Panorama.

Dale Wood finished third in the 2023 championship with victory in the final round of the year in Adelaide.

The only multiple round winner last season, Wood has five round and 18 race wins to his credit in his 41-round Carrera Cup Career.

The pair will be on the grid for the opening round of the 2024 championship at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 21-24.

DALE WOOD – #992 CONNECTED SPACES PORSCHE 992 GT3 Cup Car

“The discussions and the idea to run two cars with my brother began to take shape mid-way through last season.

“I am proud to have brought Ranbuild into the sport and into the spotlight, we have a great relationship with them and they were very excited about what we achieved last year.

“I have been speaking to the team behind Connected Spaces for a couple of years and they said that now was the right time to get involved.

“It was actually a difficult conversation to have with Ranbuild and say, ‘here’s what I want to do, I’m going to put a Wood in your car but it won’t be me – however it will be a guy who will do equally as good a job, both on and off track.’

“I spent a few nights worrying about it but when they rang back it was done and dusted in a couple of minutes. It’s going to be an incredible thing to continue to work with them, but then also work with a new company to the sport and show them how valuable Motorsport can be.

“It’s quite surreal seeing both cars together and being on track together, racing one another other. It will be all friendly between us, but we will race hard – it’s something I’m particularly excited about for this season.”

GLEN WOOD – #911 RANBUILD PORSCHE 992 GT3 Cup Car

“It’s quite surreal to understand and believe that we’re both here doing this. To join my brother as a teammate and to work out of the same garage makes my hair stand up, it’s unreal.

“It’s great to be representing Ranbuild and I’m grateful that they’ve seen the vision we had for this year and have backed it. They will continue to work with Dale and I throughout the year.

“The cars look fantastic. Though obviously, I tell my brother that mine is the best-looking car of the two!

“I’m being realistic about my own expectations and what we can achieve this year. It’s a tough, very competitive championship but I’d like to think that I’ll be fighting for podiums by the back half of the year, if not sooner.

“I’ve raced a lot of GT cars lately and I’m very thankful for those experiences, but having a car to yourself is the holy grail. You can just pin down your technique and work on that over a race weekend and throughout the year.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to put 110% focus on my car, our team, our sponsors and for what is to come in the year ahead.”

O’Keeffe Reveals Striking New Livery for Carrera Cup Return

Striking schemes launched for GWR-prepared Pro and Pro-Am contenders

Dylan O’Keeffe has revealed a striking new Dexion Racing livery for his return to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup with the RAM Motorsport/GWR Australia outfit for the 2024 season.

Dexion has returned as the title sponsor for O’Keeffe, along with Dean Cook who will again compete in the Pro-Am class, while OFE Refrigerated Transport, United Property Fund, Local Roadways, DTR Heavy Vehicle Repairer, Tempur and Ringwood Mazda will also support O’Keeffe’s 2024 campaign.

This year will mark O’Keeffe’s sixth season in the one-make Porsche category, and he is hoping a subtle change to his driving technique will be enough to propel him towards championship success.

“Over the last couple of seasons, we’ve always had decent qualifying speed but during the off-season we identified a couple of weaknesses, and one of those was my speed on cold tyres,” O’Keeffe said.

“I’ve always right-foot braked in the Porsche, but this season I’m going to change to left-foot braking, which will allow me to balance the car more precisely during those early race laps where car finesse is so critical.”

By electing to remain with the GWR Australia squad, O’Keeffe will again be engineered by Rob Palermo, with whom he formed a fruitful relationship last season.

“Rob and I understand one another really well, and last year we unlocked some great speed from the car, especially in the second half of the season,” O’Keeffe said.

“Heading into 2024 with the same driver-engineer combination will allow us to carry some momentum into the new season and build upon everything we learned last year.”

The season will once again consist of eight rounds, with O’Keeffe nominating the second round at New Zealand’s Taupo circuit as a highlight.

“Overseas Carrera Cup racing has fond memories for me, because I scored my first Carrera Cup podium in Malaysia in 2017,” he said.

“It will be the first time I’ve raced overseas since the TCR World Tour round in Belgium in 2020, and it’s always a good challenge to learn a new track.”

The season commences at the Australian Grand Prix, 21-24 March.

Jones shows 2024 colours as key partners extend

New livery revealed for returning Carrera Cup champion

Harri Jones today announced that long term major partner, Hastings Deering, has extended their support as they unveil their striking new livery and launch into the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia season.

In what will be the third year of a stand-out partnership between Hastings Deering and Jones, season 2024 is shaping up to be bigger than ever before.

2022 saw Jones win the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship and subsequently secure an invite to compete on the world stage in Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland in 2023.

Returning full-time on home soil for season 2024, Jones’ sites are set on claiming another Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship; and Hastings Deering plan to be by his side again every step of the way.

“I’m so excited to be extending my partnership with Hastings Deering,” said Jones.

“Over the last couple of years, we have achieved so much together, and I truly feel a part of the Hastings Deering family. They love all things performance, machinery and talent, and they have a passionate team of over 3500 that have supported me and backed me every step of the way,” said Jones.

“It’s fantastic to work so closely with great partners and I feel really fortunate to be able to continue building on my career with the support of such a strong team behind me.”

As one of the top Cat® dealers globally, the partnership with Hastings Deering offers new opportunities and pathways for Jones. With a history dating back over 90 years, Hastings Deering is a values-driven organisation committed to providing pathway opportunities for the next generation.

Returning home after a year living and racing in Europe, Jones is determined to capitalise on his experience and make his mark on home soil.

“Last year opened my eyes to what is possible in these cars,” said Jones.

“It was such an incredible and intense racing program, competing in two separate Championships. I’ve evolved a lot as a driver both technically and mentally. I learnt from the best in the business, and I delved into the heart of the motorsport world and extracted every bit of knowledge I could. This year, I have one goal and that is to claim back the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship.”

The 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia kicks off with Round 1 at the Australian F1 Grand Prix.

Harri Jones joins Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport for 2024 season

Two former champions to join forces at PCM squad in 2024

PORSCHE CENTRE MELBOURNE Motorsport will enter the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia season with a pair of title winners in its stable, confirming that former champion Harri Jones will join the team this year.

Jones, the 2022 Champion, will join 2005 champion Fabian Coulthard this season in a talented two-car attack from the Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport (PCMM)team.

Battle hardened from a season contesting both the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and Porsche Carrera Cup Germany last year, Jones committed to a return to Australian competition this season as he seeks to build both his driving career, and that of his own race team, Jones Motorsport.

He returned to the Championship for two rounds last year, scoring pole position and finishing second at Mount Panorama last October.

The addition of Jones to the PCMM squad, which operates from a newly enhanced workshop facility located in Collingwood, means the team enters the 2024 season with one of the most experienced driver rosters among the paddock.

The team was bolstered by the signing of experienced Team Principal Matt Cook late last year, while Coulthard joined the team in Round 2 of the Championship last season.

The opening round of the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will be held at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2024 on March 21-24.

Harri Jones, 2022 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Champion

“I’m very excited to be back full-time in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia and to be racing with PCMM. The team have the right attitude and all out approach towards the Championship this year and I’m sure our combined knowledge and experience will achieve great results on track. A year abroad racing at the pinnacle of the Porsche one-make series has sure opened my eyes to what is possible with these cars and I’m hungry to fight for another championship this year.”

Matt Cook, Team Principal, Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport

“We are very excited to announce Harri Jones will be joining PCMM for the 2024 Carrera Cup Championship. Harri’s expertise and wealth of knowledge behind the wheel speaks volumes. His experience driving these cars is on a global scale and I have no doubt he will be ultra-competitive from the very first race meeting at the AGP. Harri is the perfect example of the modern young professional driver and he will fit well into our team.”

David Simpson, General Manager, Porsche Centre Melbourne

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of Harri Jones to the Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport team this season. His remarkable talent and unwavering commitment perfectly align with our pursuit of excellence. With a track record of past motorsport success that defines our history, we eagerly anticipate raising the bar even higher. Harri Jones has a formidable skill set and he’s proven himself time and time again. Stay tuned as we watch the evolution of this exciting partnership, marking a new chapter in our pursuit of victory.”

Porsche to lead Repco Supercars Championship field in 2024

Supercars is thrilled to announce an electrifying partnership with bp and Porsche, where the all-electric Porsche Taycan GTS will serve as the bp pulse Safety Car starting at this month’s Thrifty Bathurst 500.

The Porsche Taycan GTS will make history as Supercars’ first ever electric Safety Car, and will be able to recharge at a pit lane-based bp pulse rapid EV charging station when not in service on the track.

The collaboration between bp, Porsche, and Supercars is the latest step the championship has taken in the sustainability sector, following the adoption of bp’s lower carbon* Ultimate E75 Racing Fuel in 2023, and a tyre recycling partnership with Gold Coast-based Entyre, forming a pilot program at the 2023 Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500.

This year marks the fifth season bp has served as the official fuel of the Repco Supercars Championship, filling the tanks of every vehicle on the Supercars grid.

Two Porsche Taycan GTS Safety Cars will be present at every Supercars event, working in rotation to ensure the highest safety standards for all categories.

With up to 440kW of power, the Taycan GTS is capable of speeds up to 250 km/h, and can accelerate from 0-100 in 3.7 seconds, within two tenths of a Gen3 Supercar.

Launched in Australia in late 2022, bp pulse serves as the electrification arm of bp, and aims to build the country’s most convenient rapid EV charging network and customer experience.

Over 100 bp pulse rapid EV charge points have been installed across the country, while the company aims to have more than 100,000 charge points installed worldwide by 2030.

This state-of-the-art electric Porsche Taycan GTS will serve as the Safety Car for all event categories, showcasing the performance, innovation, and sustainability that the Porsche marque is renowned for.

Supercars COO Tim Watsford welcomed the new joint partnership, and has lauded the new bp pulse Safety Car as a considerable step forward for the series.

“This collaboration between the Repco Supercars Championship, Porsche, and bp pulse represents a significant milestone for the Championship,” Watsford said.

“Introducing the Porsche Taycan GTS as our official Safety Car, and the first electric Safety Car in Supercars history, showcases our shared dedication to innovation, sustainability, and delivering a world-class racing experience.”

bp Vice President Marketing Asia Pacific, Amanda Woollard, said using an electric safety car is momentous for the Supercars competition.  

“bp is keeping the Supercars grid moving as official fuel supplier and now adding our EV charging expertise into the mix, after starting with the bp Ultimate Safety Car four years ago.  

“This year, we’re revved up and ready to show motorsport fans how bp can keep them powered up, whether through our quality bp Ultimate fuel or recharging at a bp pulse EV charge point.” 

Porsche Motorsport Manager Barry Hay is excited to see the German marque’s latest technical innovation join forces with Supercars and bp to showcase a special first in the category’s history.

“The Porsche Taycan GTS stands as an extraordinary engineering achievement in its own right, representing a recent stride in Porsche’s rich history of groundbreaking innovation,” Hay said.

“To put this car on display at the pinnacle of Australian motorsport in front of the millions who attend and watch Supercars races is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate what the Porsche Taycan GTS is capable of.”

“As race fans, we rarely like to see the bp pulse Safety Car on-track, but we are looking forward to having the Porsche Taycan GTS play such an integral a role in Supercars events from 2024 onward.”

The Porsche Taycan GTS bp pulse Safety Car will be present at the upcoming Bathurst SuperFest, sitting on display at the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour in bp Pusle EV Park from February 16-18, before leading the 24-car Supercar field at the Thrifty Bathurst 500 the following weekend.

Live coverage of both race weekends can be followed on the Foxtel and Seven family of networks.

Tickets to the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour and Thrifty Bathurst 500 can be purchased via Ticketek. Campsite information can be found at supercars.com and bathurst12hour.com.au.

* bp E75 Racing Fuel has a lower Well-to-Wheel carbon intensity compared to the fuel produced and supplied by bp for the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship. 

Tom McLennan confirms move to Carrera Cup for 2024

Tom McLennan will make the step up to Carrera Cup in 2024 with championship-winning team Earl Bamber Motorsport.

After a season and a half of racing in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge – the feeder class to Carrera Cup – the 19-year-old Queenslander is excited to make the leap into the latest-generation 992 Porsche.

McLennan will race the #81 EBM entry, carrying the familiar blue and purple Macpro Properties colours that have adorned his recent Porsches.

McLennan made great progress during his time in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge last year, finishing 10th overall in the standings and claiming a best result of third at Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania.

McLennan will begin a testing program with EBM shortly ahead of the first of eight championship rounds, kicking off as a support class to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix on the streets of Albert Park. 

The championship will then make its first trip to New Zealand for Round 2 at Taupo, a circuit that McLennan knows thanks to his season in the Formula Regional Oceania in 2023.

Rounds at the popular Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin, Sydney Motorsport Park, Sandown, Bathurst, Gold Coast and the Adelaide street track makes for one of the best racing calendars in Australian motorsport.

All races can be seen live on Foxtel and Kayo, plus selected Free-to-Air races on the Seven Network.

Tom McLennan
Driver, #81 Earl Bamber Motorsport

“I’m definitely excited. It will be a big, challenging year,” said McLennan.

“Compared to Sprint Challenge, it will certainly be a different playing field. The competition will be harder, but I’m really looking forward to stepping up my game and racing on cool street tracks, including the Grand Prix at Albert Park and the Gold Coast.

“It’s also great to re-sign with EBM. I really enjoyed my Time with them in Sprint Challenge so to make the step up with them to Carrera Cup was a logical choice. They are a great team.

“EBM won both the Pro and Pro-Am class in Carrera Cup, plus Sprint Challenge with Marco Giltrap last year. I know I’ll have a good set of team-mates that I can learn from as I build up confidence in the new cars. 

“The 992 Porsche race car is a whole new car compared to what I’ve been racing. It will take some time to get to grips with it, but I have a few test days in the lead up. I haven’t driven one of them yet, so can’t wait to strap myself in and see how different the 992 is compared to the 991.2 that I’ve raced in Sprint Challenge.”

Ben Jenkins
Team manager, Earl Bamber Motorsport

“It’s great to have Tom step up to Carrera Cup this year,” said Jenkins.

“When he first joined our team last year, the goal was that he wanted to be ready for Carrera Cup and we feel he is more than ready for it. 

“As the year went on, we saw some great progress. At Bathurst, he ran close to the top five all weekend, and that’s no mean feat in what was the most competitive Sprint Challenge seasons on record.

“No doubt, it’s a big step up, but he’ll have a strong set of team-mates to work with and learn from. 

“The 992s are a different concept to what he has been racing before. It has a completely different front end and runs on a different tyre, but he’ll be able to adapt to that pretty quickly with some of his open wheel racing experience. And he should get plenty of testing miles to get him up to speed.”

Blockbuster Porsche entry for Bathurst 12 Hour

Porsche represented by four entries in one of the brand’s strongest-ever Bathurst campaigns.

PORSCHE will return to the iconic Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst this February with their best chances of victory in the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour in years.

Four Porsche 911 GT3 R entries feature among the 31-strong field for Australia’s International Enduro, giving Porsche teams a shot at victory in both the outright and Pro-Am ranks this year.

Porsche has claimed success on the Mountain once before, Matt Campbell helping push an Earl Bamber Motorsport-prepared 991 GT3R to victory in 2019 with co drivers Dennis Olsen and Dirk Werner.

Campbell also scored Porsche’s first ever Bathurst pole position a year later.

The 12-hour will represent the Australian debut of the Type-992 GT3R model, while the existing 991.2 GT3R will also feature.

The four-car entry is headlined by a two-car squad to be fielded by famous German squad Manthey Racing, in conjunction with Aussie outfit EMA Motorsport.

The Manthey EMA team finished second in the 12-Hour last year and also claimed the prestigious DTM title in Germany for Porsche.

Manthey EMA’s team is headlined by the return of Aussie Sports Car hero Matt Campbell, a former Carrera Cup Australia Champion, 12-Hour polesitter and winner and fresh from his maiden victory in the Daytona 24 Hours last weekend.

While Campbell will race with the factory Porsche Penske Motorsport team aboard a Porsche 963 this year, he will return to what he describes as his favourite circuit in a bid to deliver Porsche their second Bathurst win.

“I’m really excited to be re-joining EMA Motorsport and Manthey for the 2024 Bathurst 12 Hours,” Campbell said.

“It’s one of my favourite events and tracks in the world. I might be a bit biased, but I really enjoyed last year and I hope we can improve one more position on our second place finish in 2023. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Campbell will be joined by fellow factory Porsche ace Laurens Vanthoor and three-time one-make Porsche champion Ayhancan Güven aboard the ‘Grello’ Porsche GT3R.

The sister car is entered under ‘The Bend Manthey EMA’ banner with Pro-Am driver Yasser Shahin to be joined by Carrera Cup and Supercup star Harry King and experienced Belgian driver, Alessio Picariello.

Shahin was a multiple race winner in last year’s Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS championship driving for EMA Motorsport, including winning at the Adelaide 500 with Campbell as a co-driver.

King won the Bathurst round of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia last year, while Picariello’s long-distance racing experience means the distinctively-liveried Shell V-Power 991 GT3 R will likely be a contender for a strong outright result, as well as class victory.

While the high-profile Manthey EMA squad naturally draws plenty of attention, two other teams represent strong potential victors on the Mountain this year.

Brand-new team, Phantom Global Racing, will make their international racing debut this year.

Based in China but with operational support from Porsche legend Timo Bernhard’s Team 75, Phantom Global have enlisted former Carrera Cup Australia champion Jaxon Evans to lead their driving charge.

He’ll be joined by current Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Champion and Porsche Junior, Bastian Buus, and fast Sweedish driver, Joel Eriksson.

Evans, who claimed the Carrera Cup title in Australia in 2018, will join the Supercars Championship full time this year while balancing his commitments overseas as a go-to ace for Porsche teams in the World Endurance Championship and key GT events.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese team HubAuto Racing make their Bathurst debut as a Porsche team with the vastly experienced driving trio of Austrian Klaus Bachler, Patric Pilet from France and fellow Frenchman, Kevin Estre.

The latter is a member of Porsche’s factory World Endurance Championship squad and finished sixth in the World Championship last year – having won the LMGTE Pro class for the brand in 2018/19.

The Repco Bathurst 12 Hour is held at Mount Panorama, Bathurst, on the February 16-18 weekend.

The race will be broadcast live in Australia on Fox Sports and the Seven Network, while international audiences can follow the action via a live stream on the event website, and key streaming partners around the world.

New Super License structure good news for Porsche racers

Carrera Cup, Sprint Challenge well positioned in new structure

PORSCHE Motorsport Australia has welcomed the revised Motorsport Australia Super License points structure, announced today.

Drivers are required to accrue a minimum of 15 Super License points prior to being granted a license that allows them to compete in the Repco Supercars Championship and at major events like the Repco Bathurst 1000.

The new structure ensures that competitors competing on the Porsche Pyramid, including Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia, will have significant opportunity to quickly accrue the required points in each category.

Carrera Cup is awarded 12 points for the drivers finishing first, second and third in the championship, with points awarded to 10^th position overall.

Sprint Challenge will see 10 points awarded to the series winner, with 8 for second down to 1 point for 7^th position in the final series standings.

It ensures both categories, especially when the progression from one to another is utilised effectively, remain incredibly strong, competitive, and viable options for drivers looking to forge a career in Supercars as well as for those looking further afield.

“We welcome the efforts of Motorsport Australia to refine and adapt the Super License points system that provides the pathway to the Repco Supercars Championship,” said Porsche Motorsport Australia Manager, Barry Hay.

“The allocations provided to Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge reflect the high level of competition and professionalism within both categories and the talent they both produce.

“While a lot of our drivers want to chase the overseas career path in the Porsche Pyramid, it’s obvious that our categories are also a fantastic place for drivers to prepare for Supercars.

“That is evidenced by the fact there will be three recent Carrera Cup Champions on the grid this year, and a host of others on the grid who progressed through one-make Porsche Motorsport in Australia prior to jumping into Supercars.”

Quinn back for second year in Game Over Porsche

Second year campaign to build on strong finish to debut Carrera Cup Australia campaign

RYDER QUINN will return for a second Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship Season with fresh motivation and preparation ahead of a big year. 

The Queensland-based driver has unveiled a bold new Game Over livery on his McElrea Racing-run Type 992 GT3 Cup Car during pre-season testing at Queensland Raceway.

Porsche Michelin Junior Program applications now open

APPLICATIONS are now open for the 2024 Porsche Motorsport Australia Michelin Junior Program. 

The leading young driver development program in Australia returns bigger and better than ever this year, supporting young talent emerging through the ranks of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid for those competing in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia and Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia.

The program includes significant prizes, opportunities and skills growth for young talent and has helped prepare a host of young drivers for top-level competition, both in Australia and around the world, since its inception.

A record 20 drivers were involved in the Michelin Junior Program in 2023.

Participation in the program offers a range of benefits to young drivers – born between 30 November 2000 and 1 March 2007 – including significant support from major partner, Michelin.

Each driver who tops the Michelin Junior standings at each round of Carrera Cup or Sprint Challenge will receive as a prize free entry to a subsequent round, plus a set of brand new Michelin Pilot Sport Carrera Cup tyres.

Second and third-placed juniors in each category at each round will also receive a set of Michelin tyres for use that season.

Additionally, the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Junior Champion will receive Porsche Cars Australia’s only nomination to contest the Porsche Junior Shootout in Europe at the conclusion of the 2024 season, the winner of which receives a significant funding scholarship towards a season in Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

Young New Zealander Callum Hedge was Australia’s nomination in 2023, while former Carrera Cup Australia nominees Matt Campbell and Jaxon Evans each won the scholarship to kickstart their European racing careers.

Finally, a pre-season Junior training camp to be held on the Gold Coast to commence the season.

To be held over three days between February 27-29, the training camp is provided for free by Porsche Cars Australia to all nominated Juniors and encompasses all aspects required to be a successful professional driver, including physical and mental training, engineering input and media training – and more.

The training program has been designed by leading industry High Performance coach Leigh Stamation and his Reaction Performance business.

Nominations are open to those drivers planning to compete in Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia, in the 2024 season.

Applications must be received by close of business on Friday, 02 February to be considered for the program.

New Zealand entries to get Carrera Cup shot at Taupo

Four New Zealand entries to join Aussie grid when Carrera Cup crosses the Tasman this April

IN a Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship first, four wild-card entries from New Zealand will join the grid when the series competes at Taupo this April.

Carrera Cup will join the Repco Supercars Championship at the ITM Taupo 400 on April 19-21, a full field of Type-992 Porsche GT3 Cup Cars to cross the Tasman in what will be the second round of the 2024 championship.

They will be joined by four New Zealand-based Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Cars run by top outfit International Motorsport, driven by Sam Fillmore, Rick Armstrong, Luke Manson and Matt Whittaker.

While ‘wildcard’ entrants have competed before, this will be the largest group of one-off entrants in any Carrera Cup Australia round.

The Championships’ first trip to New Zealand marks the second time Carrera Cup Australia will have raced internationally.

New Zealand enjoys a large and growing group of Porsche competitors competing in the NZ GT Championship and key sprint and endurance championships on the North and South Islands, including several fielding Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Cars.

The four cars will run as invited entrants at Taupo and will compete in the same specification as all current Carrera Cup entries.

Porsche Motorsport Australia Management visited the Taupo Circuit this weekend for the second round of the SuperSprint Motorsport New Zealand Championship as a recce for the April Supercars event – with the announcement made on the Sky Sports NZ and Fox Sports Australia broadcast.

New Zealand representation in Porsche Motorsport in Australia has a long and significant track record dating back to inaugural Carrera Cup Champion Jim Richards.

Team Porsche NZ and Earl Bamber Motorsport claimed both key titles in 2023 with Marco Giltrap (Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge) and Callum Hedge (Carrera Cup).

BARRY HAY – Motorsport Manager, Porsche Cars Australia

“Everyone in the Porsche family is excited about our trip across the Tasman this April.

“The beauty of one-make Porsche competition is that you can drive the same car in Australia as anywhere in the world, so with the number of Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Cars in New Zealand it made sense to throw the grid open to a select group of locals.

“Some of us Aussies hate to admit it, but Carrera Cup Australia has an incredible record of New Zealand success with people like Jim Richards, Fabian Coulthard, Craig Baird and lately, Callum Hedge, coming over and beating the locals!

“It will add to the trans-Tasman flavour of the event and add to the local interest in our NZ debut.”

NATHAN PILCHER – Motorsport Coordinator, Porsche New Zealand

“Interest among Porsche competitors in New Zealand has been high since our Aussie cousins announced they were coming over to race with the ITM Taupo 400, with many asking ‘how can we get on the grid’.

“We have a fantastic and very close working relationship with the team at Porsche Motorsport Australia and they were proactive in working on ways to get some local cars on the grid, to go with the large group of Kiwi drivers already set to be there.

“International Motorsport are one of our most well-respected and known teams, we think they will add to the Carrera Cup grid and give the four guys driving an incredible experience of being part of the top one-make championship in the region.”

Image: Courtesy Tayler Burke, Summerset New Zealand GT

Jaxon Evans, Supercup star to lead new Porsche 12-Hour team

Phantom Global Motorsport confirmed in 911GT3R for 12-Hour debut

Phantom Global Racing, a new team formed in partnership with Timo Bernhard’s Team 75 Motorsport, is set to make its racing debut at the 2024 Bathurst 12 Hour.

The Chinese squad will enter a trio of talented young drivers into the famous Australian event, with 2020 Bathurst 12 Hour Pro-Am runner-up Jaxon Evans, 2023 Porsche Supercup champion Bastian Buus and Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) race winner Joel Eriksson aboard the #13 Porsche 911 GT3 R (Type 992).

Backed by Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific, Phantom Global Racing will also count on Porsche Motorsport’s comprehensive technical support, along with Bernhard’s Team 75 Motorsport outfit.

The German driver-turned-team manager took overall victory with Porsche at the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans, while his squad secured the marque’s first DTM win in 2022.

Phantom Global Racing will take on the event sporting a bold deep blue livery, with nods to its Chinese heritage in the form of a gold dragon totem on both sides of the car, along with a postmodern impression of a panda by Chinese artist Zhang Changjiang on the roof.

The Bathurst 12 Hour, which marks the start of the 2024 Intercontinental GT Challenge campaign, takes place on the stunning Mount Panorama Circuit.

The 6.213-kilometre track is a tough test for any driver and car combination, with the narrow, winding first sector climbing the mountain, ahead of the tricky and twisty descent, where one mistake can cost plenty of lap time.

The layout ends with a long straight leading into The Chase, a quick flick to the right where drivers must fully commit ahead of the final few corners.

Bastian Buus: “Bathurst 12 Hour has been on my bucket list for a long time. It’s a truly unique race on a legendary track with some incredible scenery. I’m eager to start working with Phantom Global Racing, together with Jaxon and Joel.”

Joel Eriksson: “I’m proud to be taking part in the iconic Bathurst 12 Hour on the amazing Mount Panorama Circuit. It’s been a dream of mine for a long time to compete in this event and to finally get this great opportunity with Phantom Global Racing is an incredible feeling. It will be a new track and team for me, but I can’t wait to get started.”

Jaxon Evans: “I’m extremely excited to team up with Phantom Global Racing for the Bathurst 12 Hour, one of the most prestigious endurance races in the world. With the technical support of Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific, I’m confident that we can challenge for the highest honours.”

Martin Young, Team Director Phantom Global Racing: “I’m happy to announce that we’ll be taking part in one of the biggest GT3 races, the Bathurst 12 Hour, as our first official race as Phantom Global with the support of Team 75. As a new team, it’s amazing to have the opportunity to take part in the Pro class and I would like to express my appreciation to Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific and Porsche for their trust and support. It´s going to be a new track for the team, but with the young talent we have I’m hoping we can be a surprise package and achieve strong results.”

Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.: “I’m delighted that Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific is supporting Phantom Global Racing as they make their first venture into GT3 competition at the Bathurst 12 Hour. It’s always an amazing event, Mount Panorama Circuit is a superb venue and I’m confident the team will enjoy their time at the track. We’re proud that Phantom Global Racing will have Porsche Motorsport’s technical support, along with the experience and expertise of Timo Bernhard’s Team 75 Motorsport with them in Australia. Bathurst is a race which always signals the start of an exciting new season, so I’m looking forward to it!”

Nash Morris to contest Carrera Cup with STM in 2024

Scott Taylor Motorsport confirms full-time entry with second-generation Morris racer

NASH MORRIS will join Scott Taylor Motorsport to contest the 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

Morris will drive the #222 STM machine for the full championship, following a successful debut in one-make Porsche racing in 2023 with a partial Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge campaign.

Despite missing the first two rounds of the series, Morris finished sixth overall in the Sprint Challenge Series this year, claiming eight race victories and round wins at Queensland Raceway and at Mount Panorama, Bathurst.

Morris’ rapid acclimation to one-make Porsche racing ensured he was ready to make the leap into Australia’s top one-make category in 2024.

Morris will join STM, a team with proven success in the championship.

With Alex Davison behind the wheel, the #222 Porsche claimed victory in the Townsville event this year, the team’s first outright race and round wins in Carrera Cup competition.

Ashley Seward Motorsport will continue to prepare the #222 STM Porsche at each round next year.

The 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship commences at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in March next year.

NASH MORRIS

“I really enjoyed my time driving the Porsche this year, the cars are great to drive and the competition is very high.

“Carrera Cup was at the top of my list this year and to have the opportunity to race with Scott Taylor Motorsport is incredible.

“Scott and Rebecca are fantastic people and passionate motorsport people like me and we get on superbly. It’s a privilege to be asked to drive their car next year and I’ll do the best job I possibly can to deliver some results.

“It’s exciting to have this opportunity to work with them next year and join the STM family to take on the best one-make competition in Australia.

“The team are already proven winners so I know I have the tools to do the job – I’m looking forward to getting on track.”

SCOTT TAYLOR

“When I was unable to drive this year we put Alex in the car, he went from driver coach to driver and did a fantastic job.

“I have always said that if I ever moved away from driving, I would want to support someone on the journey through to potentially being a star of the sport, and I have been looking around the space for a young, respectful guy with a good head on his shoulders.

“The STM ‘DNA’ needs that type of person and Nash ticks all the buttons.

“He comes from a great motor racing family, but he’s forged his own path. He’s a technician himself and he understands the sport and has a lot of respect.

“This is a great way to start so five or ten years down the road I’ll be able to say I was part of the journey.

“Driving or not, I always want to go to the races, and this is going to be great for STM and Nash next year.”

Matt Cook to lead Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport

Vastly experienced motorsport Team Principal Matt Cook will lead Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport forward into the 2024 season. 

Cook joins the team at a time of expansion for the Collingwood-based outfit, now housed from a bespoke motorsport facility based next door to the Porsche Centre Melbourne dealership itself.

This year, the team fielded two cars – for Fabian Coulthard and Courtney Prince – in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship and supported multiple customers in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia.

Sporting the iconic BWT Pink livery, Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport’s Carrera Cup campaign built momentum throughout the 2023 season; Coulthard finishing 7th in the championship despite missing the opening round.

In her rookie season, Prince finished 17th with a best finish of 8th coming in the final race of the season.

Cook’s addition to the team brings with him 27 years of experience in the sport, including a decade working at Dick Johnson Racing plus time in A1GP and at the Virgin Racing Formula One team.

He returned to Australia to spend a decade enjoying success at Triple Eight Race Engineering, while more recently he oversaw the growth of the Premi Air Racing team in the Supercars Championship.

Cook joined the PCM Motorsport team at the recent VAILO Adelaide 500 and will lead the team forward into the 2024 racing season.

“I’m very excited to be joining Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport, they take their racing very seriously and have done a fantastic job to date,” Cook said.

“2023 has seen the team transform from offering a motorsport service to becoming a professional race team, being a part of this transition in its infancy to see what the future holds is something I’m very proud to be a part of.

“The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia is an ultra-competitive championship, as is Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge. It’s never easy in a one make category to win so when you do its very satisfying and rewarding.

“The driver talent in the field is second to none, the competition is fierce lending itself to some close door handle to door handle racing.”

Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport will confirm their full plans for the 2024 racing season early in the new year.

Walls to tackle Carrera Cup Middle East adventure

Carrera Cup title contender to contest Middle East series

PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia vice-champion Jackson Walls will continue his big year of Porsche racing, contesting the remainder of the 2023-24 Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East Championship with Lechner Racing.

Walls will contest the remaining five rounds of the series driving an Objective Racing-supported Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car for the famous European squad, one that was home to Walls’ former Australian teammate Harri Jones this year.

It was through Jones’ that the link to Lechner – who also promote the Middle East Series – came about.

Walls’ finished a close runner-up in the Carrera Cup championship, his best result yet in one-make Porsche racing.

The championship started in Bahrain in early November and continues this weekend at the same circuit.

From there, it shifts to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in January prior to joining the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship back in Bahrain – before finishing at the Jeddah Street Circuit alongside the Saudi Grand Prix.

“It’s a cool opportunity that has come along,” Walls said.

“I’m excited and can’t wait to get started with everyone and meet people I’ve been talking on the phone to for the last month or two now.

“This all came about at Bathurst after speaking with Harri (Jones) and he mentioned how it really benefited him as preparation for Porsche Supercup and Carrera Cup Germany. I got an introduction and from there we decided we were going to do it.”

Walls said the opportunity to work with a squad like Lechner Racing – who have 15 one-make Porsche drivers’ titles to their credit – was one he couldn’t pass up.

“I’ve got so much to learn still and racing with a team like Lechner, who have won so many drivers, teams and rookie championships as they have done – it’s just going to be so good to take in and the take out anything I can into whatever else I do in the future, particularly in the next year or so. I’m just going to soak it all in.

“For me, It’s the mileage, the laps and all these things to keep me as sharp as possible when people wouldn’t usually be racing.

“Thanks to my Dad (former Carrera Cup racer, Tony) for letting me do this and giving me the opportunity, I’m super fortunate for that and forever grateful. We’re still working on a few things for 2024 but this is a good start.”

Walls’ Lechner-run Porsche will sport the same Objective branding it does in Australia, though with a twist.

For the first time in the history of the brand, it will be represented on a car in a colour other than black.

“The livery is different and it’s the first time ever it hasn’t been a mainly black car or go-kart!” Walls explained.

“It came about in a funny way; I sent them the render of our current car and they sent us back a few different ones as suggestions – We went the grey option. It’s something different, hopefully will look cool and perhaps not as hot as the black car!”

Walls’ Middle East campaign kicks off this weekend with practice, qualifying and two races.

Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East evolved from the Sprint Challenge series in the same region and is promoted by Robert Lechner. It is the 12^th Porsche Carrera Cup Championship globally and came after fifteen years of Sprint Challenge competition in the region.

Porsche paddock legend to be inducted into hall of fame

Karl Batson recognised for his remarkable contribution to Porsche Motorsport in Australia

A LEGEND of the Porsche paddock will be the next inductee into Porsche Motorsport Australia’s hall of fame.

Championship winning engineer, team manager, mechanic and noted Porsche legend Karl Batson was recognised for his 20-year contribution to Porsche Carrera Cup Australia at the annual Gala in Adelaide earlier this month.

Batson, who battles the rare degenerative disease Friedrich’s Ataxia, will retire from full-time racing this year after 20 years in the Carrera Cup paddock and longer in Porsche Motorsport in general.

In recent years, Batson has been the driving force behind Porsche Centre Melbourne’s Motorsport program, however his time with the brand stretches nearly four decades.

In motorsport, he engineered Jim Richards to his Nations Cup titles before moving to Carrera Cup and winning there too.

Perhaps his peak of success came with Craig Baird, the pair forming a near-inseparable bond and dominating the sport to claim three titles in a row between 2011 and 2013 – each year of the Generation 2 997 GT3 Cup Car.

More recently he has worked with an array of drivers including Nick McBride and more recently, Courtney Prince and Fabian Coulthard at the Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport outfit.

His unparalleled record in one-make Porsche Motorsport includes attending 149 from a possible 150 Championship and non-championship Carrera Cup Australia rounds, and 442 races stretching across the 996, 997, 997.2, 991, 991.2 and 992 models of Porsche’s GT3 Cup Car.

He also has extensive experience in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge paddock with the Porsche Centre Melbourne team, where he will continue to have a presence next year.

His recent battle with Friedrich’s Ataxia has inspired the ‘Racing to beat FA’ cause which appears on many cars competing across Porsche Motorsport Australia categories, helping to raise awareness and funds in a bid to find a cure for the disease.

Batson’s induction into the Porsche Motorsport Australia hall of fame will see him join his former drivers Jim Richards, Craig Baird and the late Jaimie Blaikie, the long-time Category Manager of Carrera Cup Australia, who were inducted in 2021.

Karl Batson – Porsche Motorsport Australia Hall of Fame inductee

“I was very addicted to each driver. They were always number one. I always found it hard to find them at fault, especially in an accident. I was always very pro them – it was never my drivers fault.

“I was so fortunate to have so many good people alongside me.

“With Jim, we’d already won three championships in Nations Cup and in the last year of that I was preparing for Carrera Cup 100 percent.

“We dominated 2003 and that was a big deal, and we came second the next two years.

“With Bairdo, to have three in a row and to clean sweep that model of car was very special, but the relationships were the most important thing.

“A highlight was when we looked after Jeroen Bleekemolen at Bathurst. It was like this year where there were two cars on the main straight and everyone else coming out of the Chase.

“To look after both cars, swapping lap records both laps – and fortunately Bairdo got it – that was incredible.

“Porsche means everything to me. I’ve been at Porsche Centre Melbourne for 39 years; I was very pro Porsche and PCM my whole time. It’s been everything, it’s been my life.

“I physically can do the events but it’s the up and down, of looking after my body. I need to trim that out. I’ll do (Porsche Michelin Sprint) Challenge with Jonathan Glicksten, who is a massive supporter of my issue, and a young guy Ben Taylor. He’s a great young guy, we share a bit of a disability, and it will be great to see getting results out of him.

“A lot of people have been very kind to me over the journey.”

Craig Baird – 5x Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Champion

“He’s one of my best mates and a definite legend of our sport.

“When I joined Porsche, the person you had to knock off was Karl Batson.

“His friendship, his personality, his humor, his understanding – I would trust my children’s life with him.

“We’ve had some good times together and I’ll certainly miss seeing him in the pit lane.”

Jim Richards – Porsche Motorsport Hall of Fame member, 2003 Carrera Cup Champion

“Karl was responsible for all my racing, organizing and more of a team manager and chief mechanic rolled into one. He’s a great guy, great personality and we all got along fantastically well.

“2003 was a huge year for Carrera Cup. We didn’t really know what was involved and for my little team, with Karl, it was a matter of getting his experience and without that I’m sure we wouldn’t have won all those races.

“Karl was the main reason I won so many races and he just made it very, very easy for us.

“He worked as a mechanic and a manager but most importantly he was a great friend.”

Alex Davison – 2004 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Champion

“Karl is one of those guys who you struggle to find a bad word to say about. I’ve known him for over 20 years, and I don’t remember him saying a bad word about someone else as well.

“When I first went to Germany, Karl was going over at the same time as an exchange program PCA (Porsche Cars Australia) was doing with Porsche Motorsport.

“That was 24 years ago and we’ve been very close friends ever since.

“We got to work together once while driving for Jim Richards, which is a season we still look back on with really fond memories. We’ve always wanted to work together again and would have loved to win a championship together. No one in the paddock would have a bad thing to say about the guy.

“Seeing the enthusiasm that he presses on with and his passion for the sport even with the difficulties he has had is with the health battles, he’s still here.”

Marc Cini – Porsche Carrera Cup Australia legend, former PCM driver

“I think his most defining feature can also be his worst – which is that he’s extremely headstrong!

“When he takes something on it’s absolutely 100 percent commitment. For me it’s 23 years of fond memories and we’re extremely good friends. Over a 23 year journey you find out a lot about people and I assure you he’s one of god’s best people.

“He trained a lot of people, mentored a lot of people. I can’t tell you how important he’s been to the brand.”

Nick McBride – former PCM driver

“The opportunity to drive for King Karl for several years was an absolute privilege. We immediately bonded over coke zero and classic cars and have developed a close friendship. He is a real racer and his on-track achievements are second to none and well documented.

“Above all, he is a friend, husband and father and leading a motorsport department is an all-encompassing and time-consuming job. As a motorsport community we not only owe our thanks to Karl for his contribution to Carrera Cup but also must thank Michelle, Brodie and Cory for sharing Karl with us knowing that he currently has a debilitating illness.

“Karl will be missed in Carrera Cup but will no doubt be a strong presence in Sprint Challenge. Karl has recently welcomed a miniature dachshund called “Billie” to his family – he has no idea what he is in for. Thanks Karl.”

Matt Belford – former PCM driver.

“I turned up having never done any racing about five years ago, rocked up to a legend of Porsche Motorsport. His experience is undeniable. In terms of Porsches, he knows them inside out and for me he’s been incredible – and he’s been an incredible friend along the way and we’ve built a fantastic friendship.

“He really is Porsche Motorsport when you break It down.”

Hedge: ‘Someone was looking after me’

Champion limped car home in title-deciding race

NEWLY-crowned Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Champion Callum Hedge has revealed just how close he came to losing the championship in Sunday’s final race at the VAILO Adelaide 500. 

A dramatic start to the deciding race of the year saw Hedge and the championship leader at the time, Jackson Walls, leap across the famous Senna chicane as they battled, nearly side-by-side.

On landing, Walls’ car tore a tyre from the left-rear wheel rim on his Objective Racing Porsche, causing him to spin across the circuit and out of the race, ending his title hopes.

Hedge’s car landed heavily however was able to continue, the young New Zealander ceding several spots before finishing seventh and ultimately taking the championship in the final race of the year.

However, Hedge has since confirmed that his cautious Sunday drive was not just down to being conservative – his Earl Bamber Motorsport / Team Porsche New Zealand entry having suffered quite serious damage during the opening corner aerobatics.

“I took one look at the wishbone after Alex (Wilkinson, #1 Mechanic on Hedge’s car) took the left rear off and I’m surprised it didn’t snap,” Hedge explained.

“There was a lot of damage and the car wasn’t feeling good so I made sure I got it home safely.

“Someone was looking down on me today and I was just grateful to make it to the end.”

Hedge was formally crowned champion at the annual Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia awards night held Sunday evening in Adelaide.

Hedge’s remarkable season saw him crowned champion and Equity-One Professional Class winner, TAG Heuer Pro Pole Award winner, Enduro Cup winner and the Michelin Junior champion for 2023.

“I want to thank Porsche for an amazing championship, I’ve really enjoyed my last two years here. They’ve been two of the best years of my life,” he said.

“Thank you to my team for all the hard work and a thanks to Jackson. We’ve come a long way since the Grand Prix last year where we smacked into each other at every opportunity we could! It’s pretty cool to be racing you and it’s been awesome to be racing you all year.

“I do need to make special mention to Bruce (Jenkins), his help since Townsville last year has been a turning point where I stopped crashing the car, stopped wrecking gear and gained a bit of maturity. I can’t thank all the people that made this possible enough.”

Jackson Walls was celebrated as runner-up, while Dale Wood claimed third overall having jumped Dylan O’Keeffe for a spot on the podium in the final race of the year.

Earl Bamber Motorsport’s remarkable year was added by teammate Adrian Flack claiming the SP Tools Pro-Am class and the Enduro Cup as well.

Flack’s title also came down to the final race of the year, though circumstances were only slightly less dramatic than his younger teammate.

His remarkable season included five round wins – the third most of all time in the Pro-Am class – and five pole positions.

“What a year! I guess when we finished the race I would have taken it in a bit more but I was in shock to be honest,” Flack said.

“It’s been a long hard year. I remember talking to Sam (Shahin) last year talking about my plans for this year and how badly I wanted it and was preparing for it already. I think he went away and did the same because he didn’t make it easy for me!

“The competition this year, especially from Sam and Dean, has just been brutal – you couldn’t let your guard down for 10 seconds.

“Lana (Flack’s eldest go-kart racing daughter) got second in her championship and basically told me ‘Show me how to win one, Dad!’, and that was my motivation this weekend! She’s going to have to listen to me now!”

Dean Cook was awarded second in SP Tools Pro-Am, while Sam Shahin claimed third.

Earl Bamber Motorsport won the team’s award – and the use of a brand-new Porsche Cayenne for the 2023 season – while Hedge’s mechanic Alex Wilkinson was awarded SP Tools Mechanic of the year.

The annual Carrera Cup awards were held in front of nearly 200 guests in Adelaide and included Porsche Cars Australia CEO and Managing Director, Daniel Schmollinger, two-time Le Mans 24 Hour winner Earl Bamber and current Porsche Penske Motorsport factory pilot Matt Campbell among the guest list.

Wood sweeps Adelaide as Callum Hedge claims last-gasp title

Dramatic conclusion to Carrera Cup season delivers four times the success to Earl Bamber Motorsport

DALE WOOD swept the weekend at the VAILO Adelaide 500 as Callum Hedge became Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia champion in dramatic fashion in the final race of the year. 

It was a day of double delight for the Earl Bamber Motorsport team as Adrian Flack also sealed the SP Tools Pro-Am title in the final race of the year, adding to Hedge’s win in Equity-One Pro.

The team also recently claimed the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series with Kiwi driver Marco Giltrap.

The Carrera Cup title was decided in the first 500 meters of the race as both Hedge and his main rival, title leader Jackson Walls, took to the kerbs at the Senna Chicane as they negotiated the first-turn chaos.

After a huge moment Hedge was able to drive out the other side, while Walls’ car landed roughly, spun and tore the left-rear Michelin from the rim.

From there he made contact with the fence and retired on the spot, enduring Hedge only needed to finish to wrestle the title lead away in the final race of the season.

Caught up in the turn one-two drama, Ryder Quinn’s strong weekend was ended as he and Alex Davison took evasive action from the spinning Porsche.

Wood had led the opening corner rush and also led the field behind the Safety Car, making the best restart and leading the field back to green.

Hedge, meanwhile, took the conservative option and backed out of a furious battle for second position, electing to drop behind the leading queue and race in clean air to ensure minimum risk in the remaining laps.

While Wood gradually pulled away in front, the battle for second was intense as Max Vidau fended off Dylan O’Keeffe’s Dexion Porsche.

O’Keeffe needed to beat Wood in the race to claim third in the championship, however was unable to chase down the runaway leader.

Ultimately, Wood won the race to claim the weekend overall – the fifth of his Carrera Cup career.

The Ranbuild-backed driver became the only repeat winner of the 2023 season having won the second round of the season – in Darwin – in June this year.

He also sealed third in the championship in the final race of the season.

O’Keeffe and Vidau completed the top three in the race, while Wood’s round win saw him stand on the top step of the podium with Hedge – second – and Vidau joining him.

Needing only to finish the race to claim the SP Tools Pro-Am championship, Adrian Flack was another to take a conservative pathway to victory today, ultimately finishing fourth in the race to claim the title.

The race win went to a fired-up Sam Shahin, who after a challenging weekend was able to celebrate in front of his Adelaide faithful on Sunday.

He led home Dean Cook and Danny Stutterd in the Sunday race, while Flack claimed the round overall over Shahin and Cook.

Flack’s title was his first after five years of his Carrera Cup career, while Dean Cook finished second in the title race and Sam Shahin third.

Meanwhile, Callum Hedge became Carrera Cup champion on the twentieth anniversary of perhaps the greatest ever claiming the first Carrera Cup Australia championship – Jim Richards’ 2003 title win.

The 20 year old from Auckland has recently returned from contesting the Porsche junior Shootout in Europe – with the potential of a Porsche Supercup drive if successful – and will race in the Indy NXT Championship next year.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship field will celebrate the remarkable season at the annual awards Gala tonight in Adelaide.

SP TOOLS PRO-AM STANDINGS:

EQUITY-ONE PROFESSIONAL CLASS CHAMPIONS

Two points split title contenders ahead of season finale

Winner-take-all Sunday finale' in store on the streets of Adelaide

TWO points separate Jackson Walls and Callum Hedge heading into the final race of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia in Adelaide. 

The championship and Equity-One Pro class will now be decided based on who finishes higher in Sunday’s 11-lap season finale setting up a literal winner-take-all showdown between the pair of talented Michelin Juniors.

The SP Tools Pro-Am class will also be decided on Sunday however a win for Adrian Flack today makes his final day a much simpler equation, provisionally sitting 42 points clear of Dean Cook in the title race with one to go.

Dale Wood continued his imperious Adelaide form, claiming today’s shortened race following a brilliant start and a healthy lap one lead.

Though the chasing back came back to the Ranbuild Porsche driver, he managed his position and then survived a late race restart and a one-lap dash to the line to claim his fifth win of the season.

Hedge finished second however it was a key pass by Max Vidau that has delivered this weekend’s title showdown between he and Walls.

Vidau sliced his way past Walls on the opening lap of the race, relegating the title leader to fourth place in a decisive move.

Walls was fourth and Alex Davison fifth, with Ryder Quinn continuing his career-best weekend in sixth position.

Fabian Coulthard, Dylan O’Keeffe, Angelo Mouzouris and Bayley Hall completed the top-10.

The race finished two laps early following an accident from Matt Belford at the notorious Turn eight on the fifth lap.

Belford’s ID Group car appeared to touch the inside kerb, which caused him to oversteer into the outside barrier with the resulting impact causing his left rear to depart.

He then spun across the circuit before making relatively light contact with the inside fence, the Victorian emerging unscathed.

That set up the one-lap dash to the line that saw Wood claim the victory and the title battle take another dramatic turn.

Behind that the pulsating Pro-Am battle saw Shahin jump to an early lead, topping Flack and Cook for the opening two laps.

He then dropped behind the pair to finish third, while Flack led home what has now become his main title rival to claim the race win.

Tim Miles recovered to fourth in the Pro-Am class despite contact at turn one that saw him spinning down to the back of the field.

All results remain provisional following several post-race investigations currently underway by Motorsport Australia officials.

The final race of the 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will be held on Sunday at the VAILO Adelaide 500 and will be shown live on Fox Sports 506, Kayo and the Seven Network around Australia.

Wood wins Enduro Cup thriller in Adelaide as title battle builds

23-lap thriller decides Endurance titles, closes up championship fight

DALE WOOD has withstood 23-laps of searing pressure to win the opening race in Round 8 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship today at the VAILO Adelaide 500. 

The Victorian started his Ranbuild / EBM Porsche from the outside of the front row of the grid and beat teammate and title contender Callum Hedge into the Senna Chicane – only to then spend the first half of the race defending from the quick young Kiwi.

Wood withered multiple attacks from Hedge before Vidau was the next to have a crack within the final stanza of the race – yet Wood was able to withstand that too. It was his fourth win of the year, sixteenth of his career and first since he took a clean sweep of the Darwin round in June.

Wood led home Callum Hedge, who took points out of championship leader Jackson Walls in both qualifying and today’s 23-lap race.

Trailing by 21 points entering the round, Hedge now needs to find 14 points across the final two races should he wish to win the title.

Walls’ day was a story of recovery after only qualifying his Objective Racing entry in 8th position.

His race, however, was much more fruitful as he took advantage of several incidents in front before making several key overtakes to climb his way to third place at the finish, minimising his points loss.

It was a fighting drive from the Sydneysider who will now start directly behind his closest rival in tomorrow’s sprint.

Alex Davison came through to finish fourth in his Scott Taylor Motorsport entry while Ryder Quinn was fifth aboard the Game Over entry in his best ever Carrera Cup race.

Max Vidau finished sixth, however ran as high as second in another storming drive from the South Australian.

The Tyrepower TekworkX Motorsport driver raced his way to second position in the early stages and was challenging for the lead at turn nine when he spun after riding the inside kerb – spinning through a full 360 degrees before recovering into the fight.

Others with promising if challenging races included Bayley Hall, who ran at the front, copped a 15-second penalty for turning Fabian Coulthard around.

Coulthard was spun while challenging inside the top five, while Hall’s race unravelled further when he was hit from behind by Dylan O’Keeffe – his endurance cup hopes disappearing when he copped a 15-second time penalty before ultimately finishing 9th.

A fired-up Hall recovered to 11th, re-setting the Carrera Cup lap record in the process.

The SP Tools Pro-Am battle was similarly combative, with the result coming down to the final lap when Dean Cook and Sam Shahin clashed while battling for the lead – the result currently under investigation.

Adrian Flack came through that drama to finish second to consolidate his championship lead.

With two races remining, Jackson Walls now provisionally leads the championship and Equity-One Pro class by 14 points, with 120 up for grabs across the final two races.

In SP Tools Pro-Am Flack provisionally leads Dean Cook by just 18 points.

The Endurance Cup titles went the way of Callum Hedge (Equity One Pro) and Adrian Flack (SP Tools Pro-Am) in a double title success for Earl Bamber Motorsport.

Shortened practice offers few clues for weekend

Rain adds to Adelaide challenge in sole Thursday practice session

A RED FLAGGED and wet-weather opening practice session has offered little in the way of a form guide as the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia returned to the VAILO Adelaide 500. 

South Aussie hope Max Vidau topped the abbreviated session which was held in pouring wet conditions.

His 1m35.2686s lap was some 15 seconds behind the Carrera Cup lap record on the Adelaide Parklands circuit, showing how challenging the conditions were.

Drivers completed no more than four laps in the session prior to a red flag flying for Simon Fallon, who found the wall at Turn 8 aboard his Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic Motor Racing entry.

Fallon was uninjured, with the team currently assessing the damage to his car post accident.

Callum Hedge ended the session second outright – 0.09 behind Vidau – with Ryder Quinn and Bayley Hall next.

Dean Cook led the way in the SP Tools Pro-Am, with fellow title rivals Sam Shahin and Adrian Flack next in the order.

The lone practice session was the only on-track activity for the championship in Adelaide on Thursday, though Friday will be a bumper day on track.

Action starts early with a second practice session at 8:05am, followed by Qualifying at 10:35 – with separate sessions for Equity One Pro and SP Tools Pro-Am to set the grid.

The Endurance Cup finale will then be decided with the race commencing at 3:25pm local time.

All three sessions will be shown live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sport.

The two races on Saturday and Sunday will also be shown live on the Seven Network around Australia.

All titles on the line as massive Carrera Cup finale set for Adelaide

Pro, Pro-Am and Endurance Cup titles all to be decided in huge Porsche showdown

CHAMPIONSHIP and Endurance Cup titles in both classes will be on the line when the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia heads to the VAILO Adelaide 500 this weekend for an epic season finale. 

The championship in Equity-One Pro Outright and Endurance, plus the SP Tools Pro-Am overall and endurance titles will be decided across three races this weekend with all results still on the table.

It’s set to be a thrilling conclusion to one of the most broadly competitive Carrera Cup championships yet held in Australia, with seven winners from seven rounds to date.

In the outright battle, Jackson Walls leads Callum Hedge by just 21 points, with a possible 181 up for grabs this weekend.

Dylan O’Keeffe remains in mathematical chance for the championship in third, 167 points from the lead – however is a better shot at claiming the Enduro Cup prize for the year with a strong result in Friday afternoon’s longer race.

There, he leads Hedge by 17 points with Walls a further five points further back in third position.

In the SP Tools Pro-Am class a dramatic Surfers Paradise round has given Adrian Flack a handy, but by no means insurmountable lead, in the championship heading to Adelaide.

He leads Dean Cook by just 23 points, with Sam Shahin a further 28 in arrears in third position heading to his home race.

The three drivers are separated by the equivalent of less than a second-placed race finish this weekend, adding to the pressure.

The SP Tools Pro-Am Endurance Cup is no less settled, with just 13 points separating Adrian Flack from second-placed Dean Cook, with Shahin also in contention.

All results will be on the table this weekend at the traditionally unpredictable Adelaide Parklands circuit, with the Carrera Cup Championship returning for the first time since 2020.

The championship will look to set an all-time record to conclude it’s 20th year following seven different winners from seven rounds so far – the championship never having seen eight from eight in a single season.

Drivers with strong Adelaide experience yet to claim a round win this year include Fabian Coulthard (BTW Porsche Centre Melbourne), Nick McBride (Hallmarc Team MPC) and local hope Max Vidau (Tyrepower TekworkX), while Christian Pancione (Supercheap Auto) and Angelo Mouzouris and teammate Simon Fallon (Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic Motor Racing) are others looking for a breakthrough round win this year.

This weekend marks the first time that the Type-992 Generation Porsche GT3 Cup Car will have competed on the Adelaide streets.

As such, the existing qualifying (1m21.9019s – Dale Wood) and race (1m21.2003s – Cooper Murray) lap records are expected to be toppled this weekend.

The Carrera Cup field hits the track for a single practice session on Thursday prior to a busy Friday at the VAILO Adelaide 500.

There, they will practice, qualify and stage the Enduro Cup race that will decide that element of the championship battle. Sprint races on Saturday and Sunday then decide the Championship.

All sessions from Friday will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo, while Saturday and Sunday’s races will also be broadcast on the Seven Network around Australia.

ENTRY LIST – Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, Round 8. 

Vidau Signals End of Carrera Cup Journey

South Aussie's journey to end where it started this weekend in Adelaide

Max Vidau and Danny Stutterd are set for the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship finale this weekend at the Adelaide Street Circuit with TekworkX Motorsport.

South Australian Vidau will line up for the fourth street circuit of the season, where he and TekworkX have been particularly strong in 2023. The Tyrepower backed driver has won three races so far this year, with victory at the Australian Grand Prix followed by a pair of wins at the Reid Park Street Circuit in Townsville.

Vidau’s first ever Carrera Cup race was at the Adelaide 500 in 2020, where the hometown hero was an impressive fifth on debut.

“I was lucky enough to start my Carrera Cup journey on the streets of Adelaide, I’m excited to end my journey there. Ready for more exciting things next year,” said Vidau.

“A home race to end the year is cool, with friends and family around it should be a good time. Adelaide’s my favourite street circuit, it has a perfect balance between a traditional race track while maintaining the street circuit characteristics.

“The car has had a rebuild since the Gold Coast, so we’ll ensure the car is in the window in practice one and then press on in to the weekend. It requires a similar setup to Townsville, both tracks have a fast section while retaining the need to stop and rotate quickly across the bumps.

“The Adelaide 500 always has a great atmosphere, I’m keen to get stuck in and enjoy the weekend,” concluded Vidau.

Stutterd returns to the category after missing the previous round on the Gold Coast. The 2018 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge champion enjoyed a strong outing in that category’s final round recently, taking out the round victory around Mount Panorama.

The Pro-Am front runner will be able to draw on prior experience around the Adelaide Street Circuit, highlighted by starts in the Australian GT Championship.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship wraps up the season at the VAILO Adelaide 500 from November 23-26.

Hall gets the TAG Heuer boost for Adelaide

TAG Heuer livery for Bayley Hall in Adelaide

THE PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia’s newest round winner has got himself a brand-new livery. 

McElrea Racing’s Bayley Hall will sport the colours of long-time Porsche Motorsport Australia partner TAG Heuer this weekend at the VAILO Adelaide 500, which doubles as the final round of Australia’s top one-make championship.

Hall powered to a pair of race wins and the overall victory in the most recent round of the championship on the streets of Surfers Paradise, his first in Porsche competition and the seventh different winner from as many rounds to date this year.

His stunning recent form has been recognised with the addition of the iconic brand to his program this weekend, with his 992 GT3 Cup Car resplendent in a stunning black and red livery that showcases the well known TAG Heuer brand.

Hall has climbed to fifth in the championship and sits well within striking distance of a top three finish in what is just his second full year of Porsche competition. The young Queenslander has also climbed to third in the Michelin Junior points standings with a round to go.

TAG Heuer are a major partner of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship with their support including backing the prestigious TAG Heuer Pole Award at each round.

Hall will be on track for practice this Thursday at the VAILO Adelaide 500, ahead of qualifying and racing commencing on Friday.

BAYLEY HALL – TAG Heuer Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car

“I am honoured to show off a brand-new look this weekend with long-time Porsche Motorsport Australia partner, TAG Heuer, on my car at the Adelaide 500.

“It’s the final weekend of the year and time to give it everything I’ve got. To have this brand on my car is incredible and I am hungry to represent them successfully.

“The win on the streets of the Gold Coast was one I will never forget. For me, it was a great benchmark to know I am on the right track in my career, and now it’s a case of keeping my eyes forward and working hard to make those weekends a normality.

“Like many juniors this weekend, it will be my first taste of the Adelaide street circuit and I can’t wait to hit the track. I have many reasons to be thrilled about this upcoming weekend, but I am very keen to see the new Tag Heuer livery out on track and around the paddock.’

“Tag Heuer is a major prestige international brand that has been working closely with Porsche motorsport since 1963. It is an exciting time in my career, and I’m honoured to represent this iconic brand and respect the work they do in our Carrera Cup Championship as category sponsors.

“Tag Heuer’s presence in the motorsport industry around the world is immense, and to see the work they have put into the new Porsche x Tag Heuer Carrera ChronoSprint is amazing.”

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Matt Campbell confirmed for GT World Challenge finale in Adelaide

Carrera Cup champion returns Down Under in bid for Porsche title

EMA Motorsport will travel to the final round of Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS with a revised line-up at the wheel of the #1 Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Reigning champion Yasser Shahin will be joined for the VAILO Adelaide 500 weekend by Porsche works driver, Matt Campbell.

Queensland-born Matt joins the team for the sixth and final round of the season, as Yasser and EMA Motorsport hold an outside chance to clinch the title.

Just 22 points off the lead, Yasser currently sits third in the championship. The announcement means that Matt will sign off the season with the team, and the car, that he started out with this year.

The 28-year-old helped fight to a podium finish with the #911 of Manthey EMA at the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hours, having debuted with the team during 2022 at the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa.

Yasser holds third in the title race, having claimed three wins and three further victories so far this season, alongside Garnet Patterson. Matt joins for the final push for the series, holding significant local knowledge of the Adelaide circuit, having raced there extensively in his early career.

He has gone on to score significant results across the world at the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 R, including outright victory at Bathurst in 2019 and the IMSA GTD Pro championship title last year.

This year has seen Matt play a key part of the Porsche 963 in the GTP programme with Penske Motorsport, standing on the podium four times, including a race win, in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.

Matt Campbell, Porsche 911 GT3 R #1:

“It’s been a busy season, and great to racing in Australia to sign off the year, back with EMA Motorsport.

“The team has had a great year, and I’m looking forward to helping with the final fight for the GT World challenge Australia title push. We started things off back in February with the podium at Bathurst, and looking forward to being back with the team, in the GT3 R, around Adelaide. It’s one of my favourite tracks from growing up, and is a special place to be heading back to.”

Yasser Shahin, Porsche 911 GT3 R #1:

“I’m really looking forward to driving with Matt. His rise within Porsche is the stuff of legend in Australia, and we expect to be right up there for the 500.”

International trip, night racing headline 2024 Carrera Cup calendar

Incredible season ahead for Australia's top one-make category

THE BIGGEST ever Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship season awaits following confirmation of the 2024 racing calendar for Australia’s top one-make category.

An international trip, night racing and positions at five of the largest motorsport events in the country are set to set to position Carrera Cup once again as one of Australia’s premier racing categories.

Following the traditional start at the Formula 1 ® Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the championship will cross the Tasman and head to New Zealand for the first time in series history.

Carrera Cup Australia’s second ever international round will be held at the ITM Taupo Super400 event and will represent a significant milestone for the championship as it competes internationally again.

The visit to New Zealand is especially pertinent given the strong Kiwi interest in the championship, both from teams and drivers.

It will be just the second time the championship has raced internationally, following the first overseas trip to Malaysia in 2017.

From New Zealand, it’s back to the sunshine of Darwin for Round 3 at the ever-popular Betr Triple Crown.

Carrera Cup will then return to Sydney Motorsport Park to race under lights at the Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight event in late July – the first night race in series’ history.

The addition of Sydney to the program comes following a successful debut of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge at the SuperNight event this year.

The run to the title decider will then include four of the highest profile events on the calendar: The Penrite Oil Sandown 500, Repco Bathurst 1000, Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 and VAILO Adelaide 500 ending off a massive year.

As the premier support category to the Repco Supercars Championship, 2024 will again feature a comprehensive broadcast package, with every qualifying and race live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Meanwhile, free-to-air coverage on the Seven Network of Darwin, Sandown, Bathurst, Gold Coast and Adelaide will add to the audiences watching from home or on the go.

The 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia concludes at the VAILO Adelaide 500 next week, with both the Equity One Professional class and SP Tools Pro-Am classes to be decided in a thrilling title showdown on the streets of South Australia’s capital.

Barry Hay – Motorsport Manager, Porsche Cars Australia

“The 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship calendar has been a mixture of challenge and opportunity to piece together, but we are very proud of the outcome.

“It is well balanced, offers incredible events for our competitors and perhaps the most diverse calendar in the history of one-make Porsche racing in Australia.

“From International events, night racing, outstanding and classic permanent circuits, street racing and arguably four of the largest motorsport events in Australia, it offers incredible value for everyone involved.

“Next year is looking like another bumper year, with new names stepping up and familiar ones returning to the championship, plus several new cars that are due to arrive in Australia soon.

“We are looking forward to working with our partners at the Supercars Championship, Supercars Media and the key promoters like the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, NT Major Events and the South Australian Motorsport Board to deliver another incredible season in 2024.”

2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship

1. Formula 1 ® Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne, VIC – 21-24 March
2. ITM Taupo Super400, New Zealand – 19-21 April
3. betr Darwin Triple Crown, Darwin, NT – 14-16 June
4. Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight, Sydney, NSW – 19-21 July
5. Penrite Oil Sandown 500, Melbourne, VIC – 13-15 September
6. Repco Bathurst 1000, Bathurst, NSW – 10-13 October
7. Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, Surfers Paradise, QLD – 25-27 October
8. VAILO Adelaide 500, Adelaide, SA – 14-17 November 10, 2023

New Zealand to feature on 2024 Carrera Cup Calendar

Taupo to become second international venue to host Carrera Cup

THE PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will race in New Zealand for the first time in 2024.

Embracing a huge groundswell of Kiwi interest in the series, Australia’s top one-make category will follow the Repco Supercars Championship across the Tasman in 2024 and join the ITM Taupo Super400 program on 19-21 April next year.

It will be just the second time that the championship will have competed outside of Australia.

Porsche Carrera Cup Australia has remarkable New Zealand heritage dating back to the inaugural champion, Porsche Motorsport Australia hall of famer, Jim Richards.

Eight Carrera Cup Australia titles have been won by New Zealand drivers; Richards’ 2003 success followed by Fabian Coulthard’s in 2005.

Five-time champion Craig Baird is the most successful driver in Carrera Cup history, claiming titles in 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Jaxon Evans won the crown in 2018 and is the most recent Kiwi title winner, however young star Callum Hedge is in contention to claim the 2024 title at the upcoming season’ finale at the VAILO Adelaide 500.

10 different New Zealanders have won 152 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia races since the series’ formation in 2003.

Multiple championship-winning team McElrea Racing is owned by noted New Zealand racer and team owner, Andy McElrea, while Earl Bamber Motorsport competes under the Team Porsche New Zealand banner.

The EBM squad just claimed the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge championship, with young stars Marco Giltrap and Zac Stichbury already announced to step into Carrera Cup next year.

The Taupo Circuit will be the 18^th to host a round of the championship and only the second outside of Australia, following the visit to the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia in 2017.

New Zealand will be the second stop on the full 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship calendar, with the full schedule to be released in due course.

Barry Hay – Motorsport Manager, Porsche Cars Australia

“Returning to an overseas venue has been on the agenda for the championship for some time, but it needed to be the right venue, the right time and the right place. This ticks all of those boxes and so much more and we’re proud to be taking one-make Porsche racing back to New Zealand in 2024.

“Following the Supercars to Taupo for the first ITM Taupo Super400 event made all the sense in the world, and we have worked closely with the Repco Supercars Championship, Porsche Motorsport New Zealand and our teams and competitors to make the trip achievable.

“Carrera Cup has such incredible Kiwi heritage and DNA and while we are Carrera Cup Australia, we are fiercely proud to represent New Zealand as well – as witnessed with the teams and drivers who come from across the Tasman to race with us.

“It’s going to be an incredible trip for our teams and drivers and a great experience to take the show on the road to another country.

“The Kiwi fans will have plenty of local to cheer for in our field next year and I am sure they are all relishing the chance to watch another Kiwi sporting star beat up on the Aussies in New Zealand!”

Hall makes it seven from seven with Gold Coast win

Flack rockets to Pro-Am Championship lead as all roads lead to Adelaide

HOME TOWN hero Bayley Hall has become the seventh different winner from seven Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia rounds in 2023, adding his name to the ever-expanding winners list with an emphatic performance on the streets of Surfers Paradise. 

The 20-year-old from the Gold Coast swept to both race wins in a dramatic day of racing to claim both his maiden race and round victories in Carrera Cup.

Seven winners in seven consecutive rounds equalled an all-time Carrera Cup record, while Hall also became the eighth different race winner of the season so far.

Hall led Dylan O’Keeffe and teammate Jackson Walls home in the overall and Equity-One Pro class honours, as the latter also climbed back into the championship lead heading into the Adelaide finale.

Walls now leads Hedge by 21 points with Dylan O’Keeffe remaining in mathematical calculation for the title in third, 167 from the lead.

Meanwhile, a clutch victory for Adrian Flack saw him claim the final race, the Gold Coast round and also the championship lead in the combative SP Tools Pro-Am Class.

Flack won the round ahead of Dean Cook and Sam Shahin, with the title a firm three-way fight going into the finale.

Flack leads Shahin by just 15 points with Cook a further eight further back in third.

The final round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will be held on the streets of Adelaide at the VAILO Adelaide 500 on November 23-26.

RACE 2

BAYLEY HALL claimed his maiden Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia race victory in a wildly dramatic enduro cup race on the streets of Surfers Paradise. 

Hall took advantage of a battle for the lead between Callum Hedge and Dylan O’Keeffe to claim the victory after the former was penalised five seconds for running through the turn one-two-three chicane, and after passing the latter.

O’Keeffe had got down the inside of Hedge at Turn one, the Kiwi short-cutting the chicane in the process.

He resumed in front, while Hall passed O’Keeffe for second. Hedge crossed the line first, however was relegated down the order with the penalty at the end of the race, handing the lead and the victory to Hall.

Hedge’s penalty dropped him to 11th position while Jackson Walls was classified second and O’Keeffe third.

In Pro-Am, Sam Shahin failed to finish following a spin at turn eleven.

As he recovered, he was hit by Rodney Jane while Matt Belford spun in avoidance and was subsequently hit in the door by Tim Miles.

Shahin went to pit lane and was waiting to resume before the race was red flagged by an even more significant impact a few laps later.

The enduro race was cut short due to a massive crash at turn eleven that started when Alex Davison and David Wall made contact.

That spun Wall into the tyres, his car collected by Davison and Simon Fallon. Simon Fallon was also claimed, as was Harri Jones – who in turn was hit from behind by Liam Talbot.

There was a heated exchange between Wall and Davison, the pair having to be separated by Jones.

RACE 3

BAYLEY Hall converted pole to a second race win with a comprehensive and professional performance in a Sunday afternoon sprint race on the Gold Coast. 

Starting from pole, the McElrea Racing driver led all the way under pressure from teammate Jackson Walls to claim the win, with Fabian Coulthard third and on the race podium for the first time since his title-winning 2005 season.

Race three was a clean affair with a freight train of cars in the leading battle.

Dale Wood was making solid ground through the field however was a victim of the turn one-two-three chicane, spinning his Ranbuild Porsche and narrowly avoiding heavy contact with the wall.

That left O’Keeffe fourth and Christian Pancione fifth.

Callum Hedge finished sixth to recover championship points following his earlier kerb-cutting penalty in race two.

Alex Davison, Ryder Quinn, Luke Youlden and Ange Mouzouris completed the top-10.

In SP Tools Pro-Am Adrian Flack resisted pressure from Cook and Shahin for much of the race, the three locked together for all 16 laps with flack ultimately getting the victory.

Hall claims maiden win in dramatic Carrera Cup enduro

Maiden win for McElrea driver in dramatic Sunday session

BAYLEY HALL has claimed his maiden Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia race victory in a wildly dramatic enduro cup race on the streets of Surfers Paradise. 

Hall took advantage of a battle for the lead between Callum Hedge and Dylan O’Keeffe to claim the victory after the former was penalised five seconds for running through the turn one-two-three chicane, and after passing the latter.

O’Keeffe had got down the inside of Hedge at Turn one, the Kiwi short-cutting the chicane in the process.

He resumed in front, while Hall passed O’Keeffe for second. Hedge crossed the line first, however was relegated down the order with the penalty at the end of the race, handing the lead and the victory to Hall.

The Queensland teenager becomes the eighth different winner of the dramatic season in a race that has thrown the title battle wide open.

Hedge’s penalty dropped him to 11th position while Jackson Walls was classified second and O’Keeffe third.

Provisionally, Walls now assumes the championship lead for the first time since June with a single point his advantage over Hedge.

Pro-Am is similarly dramatic with Sam Shahin failing to finish and now holding just a three-point lead over Adrian Flack heading into race three.

Shahin had a spin at turn eleven and as he recovered was hit by Rodney Jane. Matt Belford spun in avoidance and he was hit in the door by Tim Miles.

Shahin went to pit lane and was waiting to resume before the race was red flagged by an even more significant impact a few laps later.

The enduro race was cut short due to a massive crash at turn eleven that started when Alex Davison and David Wall made contact.

That spun Wall into the tyres, his car collected by Davison and Simon Fallon. Simon Fallon was also claimed, as was Harri Jones – who in turn was hit from behind by Liam Talbot.

There was a heated exchange between Wall and Davison, the pair having to be separated by Jones.

All drivers were checked by medical and released, while Talbot was taken for precautionary scans for a sore neck.

Results remain provisional pending further enquiries from race officials.

Hedge builds margin in interrupted Surfers opener

Liam Talbot continues Pro-Am form to claim race one victory

CALLUM HEDGE has extended his Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia title lead following an interrupted opening sprint race on the Streets of Surfers Paradise. 

The young Kiwi started from pole and led the field into turn one before surviving two Safety Cars and ultimately claiming his fifth race win of the season in the Equity One Pro class.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Liam Talbot jumped polesitter Adrian Flack at the start to claim his third successive race win in the race within a race.

Race one was punctuated by several Safety Cars as the busy Surfers streets were their usual brutal best.

Hedge made the best start from pole, however second-placed Luke Youlden was slower away, gobbled up by a fast-starting Dylan O’Keeffe who rocketed from fourth to second by the time the field slowed for turn one.

The first pause in racing came after Pro-Am runner Matt Belford spun and made light contact with the barriers at the exit of the Beach Chicane on the second lap of the race.

That followed an unfortunate incident at turn two that saw Harri Jones, Angelo Mouzouris and Thomas Maxwell three wide, the contact ultimately ending the race for all three.

Following the restart, Hedge led the field back to green with O’Keeffe and Wall following the Team Porsche NZ entry.

Fabian Coulthard and Dale Wood then made contact at turn four, the resulting contact dragging in an unfortunate Max Vidau’s TekworkX entry.

The South Aussie ace was tipped across the circuit and into the barriers, while Alex Davison also copped damage while taking evasive action.

That forced all three out of proceedings and deployed the Safety Car once again.

Ultimately the field finished under yellow, Hedge leading O’Keeffe and Wall to the line.

Provisionally, it builds his six-point series lead to 35 heading into tomorrow’s pair of races.

The result was also significant for Wall: the third-placed result the best finish for the former champion since Townsville earlier this year.

Youlden finished fourth with Bayley Hall fifth and Jackson Walls sixth.

The latter moved up one spot from his qualifying position following a full-send move at turn eleven on the opening lap, slicing down the inside of the left hander to gain the position prior to the Safety Car deployment.

Alex Davison limped his car home in seventh, ahead of Christian Pancione, Nick McBride and Courtney Prince.

The BWT / Porsche Centre Melbourne driver scored her first top-10 finish of the season in today’s race.

SP Tools Pro-Am saw Talbot win from Flack, with Shahin third – moving up one spot from his qualifying position.

As opposed to the outright fight, it further closed the margin in the Pro-Am title race heading into tomorrow’s two races.

Sunday will see a pair of races complete round 7 of the championship with the Enduro Cup race starting at 8:30am local time.

The final sprint will then commence at 12:55pm, with both races live on Fox Sports and Kayo, and the latter race also live on the Seven Network around Australia.

Unpredictable day sets up unpredictable weekend on the Coast

Dry in practice one, rain in practice two in Surfers Paradise

THE PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia form guide is as clear as the Gold Coast sky following two unpredictable and weather-affected practice sessions today at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500.

Two 25-minute sessions were held today with the first dry and the second wet – leaving the real competitive order less than certain heading into qualifying on Saturday morning.

Practice 1 was run in overcast and blustery conditions though the threat of rain diminished as the session unfolded.

Dale Wood ended quickest in his Ranbuild / EBM entry, just 0.04 seconds quicker than championship leader Callum Hedge and 0.05 seconds quicker than Alex Davison, who was third.

Dylan O’Keeffe and Luke Youlden completed the top five, with Harri Jones, Christian Pancione, Bayley Hall and Simon Fallon completing the top-10.

Jones was the big story of the session however as his #12 car caught the kerb and then the tyres on the exit of the beach chicane on his seventh lap.

The impact saw his car stranded and red-flagged the session while the recovery was completed.

Jones was OK and the car will be repaired and returned to the circuit for Qualifying on Saturday.

In SP Tools Pro-Am Adrian Flack was quickest and an outstanding 13^th outright, with Liam Talbot, Dean Cook, Matt Belford and Sam Shahin the top five.

A large front swept across the circuit moments before the second practice session, turning the circuit from dry to soaked in seconds.

The field fitted Michelin wets for the session which was remarkably completed without any stoppages.

A drying circuit saw times begin to tumble as the session unfolded with Callum Hedge’s late flyer putting the championship leader on top.

Simon Fallon was a strong second in his Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic entry with Fabian Coulthard putting all his experience to good use in third aboard his BWT / Porsche Centre Melbourne entry.

Angelo Mouzouris was a strong fourth in the sister Sonic entry with Max Vidau fifth.

Ryder Quinn was a stout sixth ahead of Thomas Maxwell, Pancione, Nick McBride and title contender Jackson Walls in tenth.

Sam Shahin led the Pro-Am runners in 12^th overall in front of Rodney Jane and Adrian Flack.

Only a few minor spins punctuated an otherwise clean session, with no stoppages.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will qualify on Saturday morning (9:45am local time) at the Gold Coast 500 before the first race at 2:25pm local time.

Both sessions will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo, with the race also live on Channel 7.

Jones confirms full-time 2024 return, launches own team

Jones Motorsport to contest full 2024 Carrera Cup Championship, with Harri leading the charge

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup driver and reigning Carrera Cup Australia Champion, Harri Jones, will return to Australia fulltime in 2024 with ambitions to forge his new team, Jones Motorsport, into one of the greats of Porsche Motorsport Australia.

The 24-year-old Queenslander will be back in familiar territory next year to compete in his fourth season of Australia’s top one-make category. However, this time his pursuits on track will coexist alongside his commitments as a Team Manager and Coach.

Jones Motorsport will enter the full 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship and will also look to expand into Michelin Sprint Challenge as well.

Jones said that options were in front of him to remain in Europe for 2024, but the opportunity to return to Australia and expand Jones Motorsport alongside competing was too strong.

“I have a massive passion for motorsport and that goes beyond just driving the car,” said Jones. “I see some exciting opportunities to innovate and develop a team that can help drivers in all aspects of their career.”

“Personally, I feel I can bring something quite unique to the team. I of course have a background as a driver, having won multiple championship on the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid, but I also have years of experience as a driver coach and engineer, and have learned a lot from my time over in Europe this year.”

Jones has had a successful season competing at the top level of Porsche one-make racing worldwide. Driving under the banners of BWT Lechner Racing – the most successful Porsche Supercup Team in history – and Scherer Sport PHX, Jones raced alongside Formula 1, WEC and DTM at some of the largest Motorsport events of 2023.

“I have had a great year, it’s honestly been better than I could’ve ever imagined,” said Jones.

“Racing at Monaco and Spa was for sure a highlight, but it was in the final round of Supercup at Monza where I felt like things just clicked. I finished P4 outright and P1 Rookie and came just one point short from taking out the Rookie Championship.”

Jones has had a huge amount of track time this year. Between the two full-time championships, and a couple of one-off appearances, he has competed across 20 race weekends.

“The intensity of a European racing program is just something else. No where else in the world are you in the car every week. Needless to say, I feel pretty battle-hardened.”

Whilst overseas, Jones says his love for the Porsche platform has grown and he is excited to be back on the Carrera Cup Australia grid in 2024.

“Carrera Cup Australia is my favorite category in the world. I have raced across the globe, but to be in Australia, in Porsches, on some of the best tracks in the world is absolutely a dream come true.”

The Jones Motorsport team recently had a successful debut at the Bathurst 1000. With Harri behind the wheel, the team claimed Pole Position and a trio of second place finishes in what was one of the most competitive Porsche Carrera Cup Australia fields of all time.

“I’d heard about all of the hard work the team had been putting in whilst I was overseas,” said Jones.

“But when we arrived at Bathurst and I witnessed it all paying off for our debut on track, it was just amazing. There’s a lot more to come and I know we are just getting started on what will be an incredible journey.”

Watch Harri and the Jones Motorsport team in action at the Gold Coast 500 this coming weekend, October 27 to 29.

Faces new and returning join Carrera Cup title battle in Queensland

Pro, Pro-Am championship battles on the line with two rounds to go

NEW and returning faces will join a Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia grid heading towards a title showdown, this weekend on the Gold Coast City streets. 

As leader Callum Hedge and closest rival Jackson Walls resume their battle for the 2023 championship, the Surfers grid gets an injection of new and existing talent for the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 this weekend.

The Gold Coast has traditionally hosted the series’ finale, the title being decided on the tough street track every year except for the Covid-affected 2021 season however with two rounds remaining, this weekend offers the prospect of being critical for both the Equity One Pro and SP Tools Pro-Am class title fights.

The 28-strong field includes Porsche expert Luke Youlden, who will deputise for Danny Stutterd aboard the #23 TekworkX Motorsport entry this weekend.

With the SP Tools Pro-Am regular away with family commitments, Youlden – a three time Carrera Cup race winner – will drive this weekend with support from long-time team backer, MDE Communications and Electrical.

Youlden finished eighth in last year’s championship in a season that included a race win in Townsville.

“I’m excited to get back behind the wheel, my last race was the Gold Coast in 2022 and I thought I drove pretty well at that one, even if the results didn’t particularly reflect it,” said Youlden.

“It’s hopefully a positive for Max and Thomas as well, having a third pro driver, to help them out a bit. Three heads are better than one, looking at data and trying different things to find the speed. I’ve got a fair amount of experience with lots of co-drives around there, so I don’t expect the year out of the seat will affect me to much.”

While the experienced Youlden returns, a Carrera Cup rookie will make his Gold Coast debut in a step up from regular competition in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia.

17-year-old Marcos Flack will make his Carrera Cup debut this weekend driving for regular team, Sonic Motor Racing.

The son of former Pro-Am class contender Damien, and nephew of current contender Adrian Flack, Marcos currently sits sixth in the Sprint Challenge standings with a round to go.

After qualifying on pole in the opening round, Flack has finished third in five of the last six races against one of the strongest Sprint Challenge field the series has seen.

“It will be a good experience. I’m really looking forward to it,” said Flack.

“It’s all in preparation for next year. My aim is to do Carrera Cup in 2024. There are a few details to lock away, but this will give me a good head start for next year.

“The circuit will be difficult. It’s my first time at a street track, so my main aim will be to learn the track, enjoy the experience and keep the car straight.”

Meanwhile, defending champion Harri Jones returns to the scene of his title win last year in the second of two planned outings aboard his Jones Motorsport entry, having finished second to European rival Harry King at Mount Panorama two weeks ago.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field heads to the Gold Coast with the Pro and Pro-Am title battles on a knife’s edge with two rounds and just six races remaining.

Having missed Bathurst, Callum Hedge leads Jackson Walls by just six points with 360 still up for grabs across the final two rounds.

The fight for third is equally intense with third-placed Dale Wood just nine points in front of Max Vidau, and only 37 in front of Sandown winner, Dylan O’Keeffe.

Six different drivers have won the six rounds contested this year, one short of equalling an all-time Carrera Cup record.

In the SP Tools Pro-Am fight, Sam Shahin holds a narrow 28 point lead over Adrian Flack with two rounds remaining.

Dean Cook sits third and is only 44 points from the series lead – less than one full race.

Flack (Grand Prix), Cook (Darwin, Sandown) Shahin (Townsville, The Bend) and Liam Talbot (Bathurst) have shared the wins in the Pro-Am class this year.

Talbot will return to the championship aboard the Moutai car for Wall Racing once again this weekend.

Last year, Callum Hedge claimed the Gold Coast round in what served as a climactic final round of the championship.

Harri Jones sealed his title with a consistent performance, however the star was arguably his nearest title rival Aaron Love, who proved you can overtake on the tight street circuit.

Starting 15th after getting caught out in qualifying, Love scythed his way through the field in race one and then took just a few laps to race his way to the lead in the second on Sunday morning, before winning convincingly.

Meanwhile, Dean Cook claimed Pro-Am honours last year in a title finale that saw three different drivers lead the title after each of the three races, Geoff Emery ultimately claiming the crown.

Practice 2, TAG Heuer Qualifying and all three races will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506, Kayo and Sky Sports NZ this weekend.

Races 1 and 3 will also be broadcast on free-to-air via the Seven Network around Australia.

ENTRY LIST – ROUND 7
Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, Queensland

Luke Youlden returns to Carrera Cup for Gold Coast cameo

Multiple winner to deputise for Danny Stutterd this weekend

Luke Youlden will return to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship this weekend at the Gold Coast 500, alongside TekworkX Motorsport teammates Max Vidau and Thomas Maxwell.

It marks 12 months since Youlden last raced, when he contested the final round of the 2022 Carrera Cup season on the Surfers Paradise street circuit. The return comes as a one-off appearance with Youlden taking over the #23 campaigned so far this year by Pro-Am Danny Stutterd, who misses the Gold Coast round due to family commitments.

Youlden, a co-owner in TekworkX, has worked closely with the Carrera Cup squad throughout the year in his role as Team Manager.

“I’m excited to get back behind the wheel, my last race was the Gold Coast in 2022 and I thought I drove pretty well at that one, even if the results didn’t particularly reflect it,” said Youlden.

“It’s hopefully a positive for Max and Thomas as well, having a third pro driver, to help them out a bit. Three heads are better than one, looking at data and trying different things to find the speed. I’ve got a fair amount of experience with lots of co-drives around there, so I don’t expect the year out of the seat will affect me to much.

“I expect Danny will still have an integral role within the team on the weekend, and I know full well that I’m going out to do the best I can for myself and for Danny in his car. If we can help out Thomas and Max in their efforts as well, then that’d be perfect for the team,” concluded Youlden.

Maxwell has tackled the streets of the Gold Coast on one prior occasion, in his 2019 Carrera Cup season. The Spitwater backed driver currently sits ninth in the points, with two rounds to go.

“What an awesome setting for a track, it’s got all the atmosphere, vibes, the entertainment and the track is one of the sketchiest places on the calendar to put a lap together,” said Maxwell.

“No tyre bundles are good, hopefully we go through a few less splitters and radiators. I’m interested to see how these cars handle the big kerbs down the back, being a bit stiffer than what I drove in 2019, I think they’ll be a bit of a handful.

“The experience from Luke and just having a third Pro car there to try things and provide more data is invaluable. He’s got a year in these cars under his belt, so it’ll be great, I can’t wait to see him in action. Keen to get stuck in, and turn our results around,” concluded Maxwell.

Vidau is fourth in the championship leading into the Gold Coast, 145 points off the series lead. The Tyrepower driver has been in top form on the street circuits in 2023, taking a victory at the Australian Grand Prix and two more in Townsville – one of just two drivers to win on multiple circuits so far in 2023.

“I’m pretty stoked to be running with Luke again, and to get back to a street circuit,” said Vidau.

“Luke and I were as fast as each other pretty much all season in 2022, massively keen to have his support again for this one and have his input. I couldn’t be happier to be without the tyre bundles though, the Porsches do way too much damage if you hit them and they could ruin your weekend pretty quickly.

“We were fast in practice here last year, but we didn’t get a chance to see how we faired across the rest of the weekend thanks to a blown tyre in qualifying. We’ve been quick on the street circuits all year, it’s always fun to get it up against the walls and throw it over the kerbs.

“Championship wise, we’d need a bit to go our way, but we’ll go out and do our thing. See where we land at the end of the weekend,” concluded Vidau.

Round seven of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship takes place at the Gold Coast 500 from October 27-29.

Marcos Flack set to make Carrera Cup debut at Surfers with Sonic

Teenager to graduate from Sprint Challenge this weekend

Porsche junior stand-out Marcos Flack will make his debut in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at the Gold Coast street circuit this weekend.

Flack, 17, has been a leading competitor in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series in 2023, impressing some of his more experienced rivals in what is his debut racing season in tin top competition.

With one round of the Porsche Sprint Challenge remaining, Flack sits sixth in the standings including a pole position and five podium finishes.

Flack will compete in the Pro Class on the Gold Coast and will drive a fourth Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 992 for Team Sonic, joining regular team drivers Simon Fallon, Angelo Mouzouris and Pro-Am ace Rodney Jane.

“It will be a good experience. I’m really looking forward to it,” said Flack.

“It’s all in preparation for next year. My aim is to do Carrera Cup in 2024. There are a few details to lock away, but this will give me a good head start for next year.

“The circuit will be difficult. It’s my first time at a street track, so my main aim will be to learn the track, enjoy the experience and keep the car straight.

“I have done a test in the Carrera Cup car, and they aren’t a lot different to my regular Sprint Challenge car. Fundamentally, they are the same. The brakes are better on the Carrera Cup car, but I think I will be able to adjust to it pretty quickly.

“For me, there’s been a lot of positives to take out of Sprint Challenge this year. We’ve shown good pace, we’ve had some incidents, but the last two rounds we’ve shown that we have podium pace when everything goes in our favour.”

Flack will race the Porsche that Mouzouris drove in his debut Carrera Cup season last year.

Carrera Cup will be part of a huge Gold Coast street race weekend that includes the Repco Supercars Championship, Sports Sedans and the V8 Superutes.

Record numbers tune in to building Carrera Cup title battle

Large audiences consuming epic Carrera Cup season as title battle builds

BIG GRIDS, compelling racing an increasingly competitive championship battle are drawing more eyeballs than ever to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia in 2023. 

The championship has seen a significant increase in viewing audiences this year, both on the series’ extensive TV package on Fox Sports, Kayo Sports and the Seven Network, but also on series-owned digital channels as well.

The news comes off the back of a record-breaking Repco Bathurst 1000 weekend which was the most-viewed Carrera Cup round of at least the last five seasons.

The Bathurst round reached more than 4 million people in total across practice, qualifying and three races.

This includes an average national audience of 516,000 people watching Sunday morning’s Repco Bathurst 1000 curtain raiser, peaking at 1.026 million nationally.

An even larger national audience of 544,000 people watched Race two on Fox and the Seven Network around Australia on Saturday, making it the most viewed Carrera Cup race in the last five years.

Six rounds into the championship, broadcast audiences are up 64% on the same point of last season, with two blockbuster rounds at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 and VAILO Adelaide 500 to come – both events featuring coverage on free-to-air and Subscription TV.

Consumption of Porsche Motorsport Australia content has also increased online with a 25% increase in followers and a more than 87% increase in audience reach this year compared to 2022.

On track, the competition has been as competitive as ever with the championship recording six different winners from the six rounds contested this year.

It’s just the fourth time in series’ history there have been six different winners in six consecutive rounds, while the last time there were seven winners from seven rounds was in 2014.

The Bathurst event could also turn out to be pivotal in the championship battle with McElrea Racing’s Jackson Walls scything championship leader Callum Hedge, who races for Team Porsche NZ / Earl Bamber Motorsport.

Hedge’s Equity-One Professional class points lead down to just six heading into the final six races while the top five drivers remain in title calculations heading to the Gold Coast at the end of October.

Meanwhile, the SP Tools Pro-Am championship is even more competitive with the top three drivers – Sam Shahin, Adrian Flack and Dean Cook – now covered by just 44 points heading to the Gold Coast.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship resumes at the Gold Coast 500 on October 27-29, while the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia returns to the circuit this weekend at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

BARRY HAY – Motorsport Manager, Porsche Cars Australia

“We’re surfing a wave at the moment and to get the validation that people are watching and engaging with our championship is such a good thing for our partners, but especially for our teams and drivers,” Hay said.

“Bathurst was an incredible weekend for the championship and we had thousands of people coming through the paddock every day.

“We have a great relationship with the team at Supercars TV who are working really hard on making the on-air product as good as it can be for us, and not just the main game.

“It’s a world class product that is the envy of other one make championships around the world, so we’re thrilled lots of people are watching.

“We’ve also worked hard on our own channels, and with our partners at AirTime Media, to ramp up our video content this year which has been very successful in drawing more people into our product.

“We’re not stopping here – We still have four rounds to go between the two series and it looks like both are going to finish with a bang. We can’t wait.”

Sources: Futures audience reporting / OzTam / Regional Tam

Harry the new Bathurst King with Mount Panorama sweep

Clean sweeps for King, Liam Talbot in Bathurst round

HARRY KING had never seen Mount Panorama’s 6.213km of undulations before Wednesday, but that didn’t stop the 22-year-old British ace from sweeping his debut weekend in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia.

King delivered three wins, the round victory and a new Bathurst lap record this weekend in an emphatic championship debut for the three-time Supercup race winner.

It was EMA’s first Carrera Cup round win, while King became the sixth different winner from six Carrera Cup rounds this year.

He won the round and the Equity One Professional Class  ahead of Harri Jones – who finished second in all three races – and Kiwi Chris van der Drift in third.

Liam Talbot swept all three races in the SP Tools Pro-Am class to deliver a Bathurst round win aboard the Moutai Porsche, with Adrian Flack second and Matt Belford on the Bathurst podium in third.

Race 3 saw a repeat of the King-versus-Jones battle into Turn one, with the EMA driver once again claiming the ascendancy as they raced towards turn two.

Van der Drift challenged Jones before the 2022 champ was able to wrestle the spot away into Griffins.

The leading trio pulled away from the field with the two leaders in particular trading punch-for-punch lap times all race.

King managed a one-second margin early before Jones was able to close, both drivers lapping beneath the lap record in their intense battle for the lead.

Ultimately Jones had little to challenge the leader who managed a six-tenths margin on the final lap to complete his sweep, with Jones second and van der Drift third.

Jackson Walls continued his march forward to finish the race fourth and remove almost all of the deficit to championship leader Callum Hedge, the Kiwi now less than 10 points in front heading into the final two rounds.

Max Vidau was one of several drivers to survive a brush with the fence to finish fifth while Dylan O’Keeffe was sixth.

Simon Fallon raced his way to seventh position in front of Garnet Patterson, Angelo Mouzouris and Ryder Quinn in 10th.

Quinn headed a massive freight-train of cars behind him with Bayley Hall, Fabian Coulthard, Christian Pancione, Alex Davison and a recovering David Russell all dicing.

Talbot edged away to a comfortable victory in the SP Tools Pro-Am class to also complete the weekend sweep, with Adrian Flack second and Matt Belford third.

The trio also finished the round in that order with the Pro-Am championship, like the Equity One Pro battle, also closing up this weekend.

A short break in hostilities will see the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship pause for three weeks before resuming at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 later in October.

In the meantime, the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia will be in action next weekend at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

HARRY KING

“It’s an immense feeling. Doing one win alone on the Friday was good enough but to follow it up with another two and score three wins on the Mountain at Bathurst was a really incredible feeling and I’m super grateful to EMA Motorsport for giving me the tools to do the job.

“We proved our dominance in that race by setting a new lap record so I think we ticked nearly every box that could be ticked this weekend.

“This circuit is incredible. I didn’t expect it to be the way it was. It’s definitely a big challenge to learn with just a short free practice session and this is one of the highlights of my career so far.”

LIAM TALBOT

“It’s so special and to have the Sunday crowd already here for the 1000 just makes it even more unbelievable, I’ve got Goosebumps.

“I had a lot of cobwebs coming into my first round when everyone else was in round five, so I felt a bit rusty, but this place is special. I had the win at the 12-Hour, a win in GT and now wins in Carrera Cup – it’s been an unbelievable year here.”

King, Jones dogfight continues into Saturday at Mount Panorama

International rivals trade paint in intense battle for the Race 2 win

THE ongoing dogfight between international rivals Harry King and Harri Jones has continued into Saturday at Mount Panorama, the pair staging another intense dual for the win in race two of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia in Bathurst. 

An intense race saw the pair trading paint during the race and then words afterwards as they battled hard for the race win today, with a gripping finale now set up for tomorrow.

King won the race and the Equity-One Professional class over Jones and Kiwi Chris van der Drift, while Liam Talbot once again claimed victory in the SP Tools Pro-Am class ahead of Adrian Flack and Dean Cook.

Saturday’s race was held in bright, sunny conditions and featured a flat-out battle for the win from the moment the lights went out.

King and Jones started side-by-side for the nine-lap dash and traded paint through turn one, race one winner King narrowly hanging on through the exit of Hell Corner and the run up Mountain Straight.

Chaos unfolded behind as a concertina on the exit of the corner saw O’Keeffe and Coulthard make contact with the latter spinning across the bows of the pack and fortunately avoided by the majority of the field.

Also caught up in that incident was Rodney Jane, who had no luck in his milestone 200th Carrera Cup Australia race as he ended up with a heavy impact on the right hand side of Mountain Straight – though he was able to emerge unscathed.

The Safety Car was on track for three laps, with the intensity resuming on lap four as King led Jones to the green flag.

The pair again ran side-by-side into turn two in an incredible piece of racing as they remarkably both came out the other side.

They then ran nose to tail for the remainder with Jones throwing everything at his European teammate-come-rival, King strong enough to hold on and grab his second successive victory of the weekend.

The pair exchanged words post-race following their series of run-ins during the race.

Behind them, Chris van der Drift set the quickest lap of the race and ran with the leaders en route to third position, looming as a threat for Sunday’s finale’.

David Russell was a strong fourth in the next EBM car, passing Jackson Walls mid-race to secure his spot just outside the podium.

Walls’ was fifth, climbing two spots off the start to run fourth before Russell was able to slip past but continuing to nibble away at Callum Hedge’s championship lead.

Max Vidau charged from 10th to sixth, with Garnett Patterson impressing on his way to seventh position in the second EMA Motorsport Porsche.

Dylan O’Keeffe lost ground in the opening-lap dramas and dropped to eighth position with Ryder Quinn – a Personal Best 9th in his Game Over Porsche – and Simon Fallon completing the top-10.

Of those recovering through the field, Bayley Hall raced to 15th, David Wall to 16th and Fabian Coulthard to 24th after his opening lap spin.

In the SP Tools Pro-Am class, Liam Talbot made it two from two in the Moutai / Wall Racing car but had to work for the win today on the Mountain.

He and Adrian Flack battled early in the race with Flack leading until the restart on lap four, when Talbot assumed the lead.

Flack then fell into the clutches of Dean Cook with the pair running in close company to the line in the battle for second and third.

Matt Belford was a strong fourth while Sam Shahin was fifth, watching his Pro-Am class lead diminish in the process.

One more race completes Round 6 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship with the odds now heavily stacked towards the series delivering a sixth different winner from six rounds this year.

The final race, a 9-lap sprint, will commence at 9:30am tomorrow morning and will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sport, Channel 7 and 7+.

HARRY KING

“So far my first trip to Australia has been quite pleasant! Two from two wins, I’m delighted with that and a great job by EMA Motorsport.

“I’m here as a guest and they’ve given me the tools to do the job, so it’s been a great so far.”

LIAM TALBOT 

“It was eventful! There’s stuff going on everywhere as there seems to be in Carrera Cup Racing. I got a really poor start and tried to survive through turn one. I dropped back to third, got second at turn two and then after the Safety Car I pressed on and got Flacky.

“It was maximum attack from there and I had fun in a Carrera Cup car around Bathurst.”

Harry the King of Friday at Bathurst with debut Aussie win

Liam Talbot takes Pro-Am win in entertaining Bathurst opener

INTERNATIONAL import Harry King has delivered EMA Motorsport exactly what they wanted when they drafted him into their second seat for this weekend’s Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia round at Mount Panorama. 

The 22-year-old English ace, a three-time winner in Porsche Supercup this year, got the jump from second on the grid and led all the way under pressure from reigning Aussie champion Harri Jones to claim a Bathurst win on debut in a 15-lap affair today at Mount Panorama.

It was the first win for EMA Motorsport in Carrera Cup and makes King the seventh different winner in the Equity-One Professional class from 15 races this season.

Meanwhile, another driver racing without the pressure of title expectations succeeded in the SP Tools Pro-Am class, Liam Talbot leading home Adrian Flack and Sam Shahin in Carrera Cup’s race within a race.

The race had action from start to finish, with King getting the jump from second on the grid and Harri Jones slow away from pole.

There was drama behind as a slow-starting David Wall was clipped by Bayley Hall on the start line, both cars immediately out of the race.

A frenetic start saw King disappear out in front but furious racing behind as Jones battled to stay in touch with the leaders as he was attacked from all sides.

Jackson Walls made up four spots on the opening lap while Max Vidau found himself dropping down the order.

Jones’ quickly got back to second position and set out in pursuit of King, who built a two second margin on the opening lap.

He set a new lap record (2m05.8363s) on the sixth lap of the race and closed to within half a second of the leader, though was unable to work his way past.

The pair pulled a large margin over the field as they battled for the lead with King ultimately sneaking home to win by half a second, with Jones’ second.

Chris van der Drift finished third on his first Aussie Carrera Cup start having spent the entire race battling for the final spot in the top three with Dylan O’Keeffe.

O’Keeffe had led the battle – that included Fabian Coulthard and Jackson Walls – for most of the race, with the pair swapping spots briefly at the Chase prior to van der Drift finally asserting himself two laps from home.

Coulthard finished fifth and Jackson Walls sixth in an important drive for his championship hopes with leader Callum Hedge away.

David Russell was next, with Dale Wood, Garnet Patterson and an ailing Max Vidau finishing 10th.

The TekworkX driver had dropped back through the field from third on the grid and salvaged a top-10 finish at the end with apparent damage on his car.

Liam Talbot claimed a lights-to-flag victory in the SP Tools Pro-Am class as he continues to deputise for Luke King in the Moutai Racing car from Wall Racing.

Talbot led home a large battle pack that included several Pro-Am contenders mixing it with Equity-One Pro class runners throughout the race.

Adrian Flack ultimately finished second with class leader Sam Shahin third on the road.

Matt Belford was next and Danny Stuttered fifth despite a five second penalty for a start line infringement – the Victorian having earlier run towards the front of the Pro-Am pack in the early laps.

Dramas for Sandown winner Dean Cook saw him off at The Chase, damaging his front splitter and dropping him to seventh at the finish.

The field returns tomorrow afternoon for race two, a 9-lap sprint set for 3:15pm local time and broadcast live on Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sport and Channel 7 around Australia.

HARRY KING

“It feels pretty good. A win anywhere is special but to win on the Mountain of Bathurst is an incredible feeling. It’s definitely up there with one of my proudest wins. I got a great start off the line and controlled the pace from then on in. Harry was catching but I was managing the gap because there’s a high risk of a Safety Car.

“I’m certainly proud of what I achieved and for EMA Motorsport, I’m so grateful to come out here.

“The shorter races are a bit less physical on the drivers, but I think the drivers will be pushing to try and make up those positions.”

LIAM TALBOT

“I wasn’t sure what happened, but it was full chaos! I chose this lane, that lane and it all sort of worked out.

“Got a good start, but the start was chaos. I had no real strategy, I looked behind and it was Danny Stutterd behind me, I knew I could trust him and I just managed my race from there. I didn’t push too hard and had a little bit in reserve which is always good.

“When it comes to tomorrow’s shorter races.. I’m a safe person, I’m not going to go maximum attack and not lock up all four wheels in the first corner. I’m not fighting for a championship but the other guys are so they’re going to need to remember that.”

Jones smashes Bathurst record to grab Carrera Cup pole

Quickest ever Bathurst lap delivers returning champion TAG Heuer pole on the Mountain

BATTLE-HARDENED from a year in Europe, Harri Jones has returned to the championship he won last year and delivered an emphatic ‘I’m back’ to the rest of the field, scoring the TAG Heuer pole award at Mount Panorama in style today. 

Jones’ punched out a 2m04.6672s flyer on his sixth of nine laps in a pulsating qualifying session to score his third career pole and set the quickest ever lap of Mount Panorama in a Porsche GT3 Cup Car in the process.

RESULTS: Qualifying, Mount Panorama

Jones’ edged out his Porsche supercup teammate Harry King by 0.2 seconds to snare the top spot in the first of two rounds he’ll contest this year for his own Jones Motorsport stable.

It was his first pole since the Bathurst round in 2021, Jones’ going through his 2022 title-winning season without having scored a TAG Heuer Pole Award.

King was impressive on his Mount Panorama debut, qualifying on the front row in his EMA Motorsport entry.

It’s the best Carrera Cup qualifying performance for the team and puts the three-time Supercup race winner alongside his European teammate for tomorrow’s first race.

Max Vidau was best of the series’ regulars in third for TekworkX Motorsport, surviving a brush with the wall at Reid Park to jump into the top three at the very end of the session.

Vidau had earlier topped the sole, 50-mintue practice session earlier in the weekend.

The top three cars all lapped beneath Aaron Love’s 2022 Carrera Cup qualifying record, while Jones and King were the only two to dip into the 2m04-second window.

Sandown winner Dylan O’Keeffe qualified fourth to continue his strong run of recent form aboard his Dexion / GWR Australia entry.

Another Bathurst ring-in, Kiwi Chris van der Drift, qualified fifth as he deputises for championship leader Callum Hedge while he chases racing success in the United States.

The three-time Asian champion was strong from the outset and jumped into the top five on his fifth qualifying flyer.

Nick McBride was a strong sixth for Hallmarc / Team MPC, mirroring Vidau’s effort to jump up the order on his final flyer.

Fabian Coulthard’s BWT entry from Porsche Centre Melbourne made it seven different teams in the top seven, while Dale Wood, David Russell and Thomas Maxwell completed the top-10 and the first group of Equity-One Pro class runners.

In the SP Tools Pro-Am Class, another part-timer topped the charts as Liam Talbot grabbed the top spot as he continues to deputise for Luke King in the Moutai entry from Wall Racing.

Talbot’s 2m07.5001 flyer was a stunning lap and saw him a considerable margin ahead of the next Pro-Am runner in Adrian Flack.

Championship leader Sam Shahin was third in his repaired The Bend Motorsport Park car while Dean Cook and Rodney Jane – both title contenders in Carrera Cup’s ‘race within a race’ were next.

Thursday’s 20-minute qualifying session ran without incident with most electing to run a single set of Michelin tyres ahead of tomorrow’s 15-lap Endurance Cup race.

That race starts at 2:20pm, and will be shown live on Fox Sports, Kayo, Sky Sport NZ and Channel 7 on free-to-air in Australia.

HARRI JONES

“It’s really good to be back here at Bathurst, it’s my favourite track in the world. Pole position, the first time for the team in Carrera Cup – it felt incredible.

“What a day, what an event, what a lap – bring on tomorrow.

“It’s certainly special. I’ve been in Europe all year and heard about all the hard work the guys back home have been putting in, but to come back and see it pay off first time out is really special. This one is for them and hopefully there’s a few more to come as well.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow – I’ve got my teammate from Europe Harry King on the front row with me. We’ve had some great battles this year and looking forward to some more this weekend.”

LIAM TALBOT

“Any lap you get here is special, a couple of laps before I had to find a little bit of time, some tenths, and then the dash was up a second and I thought ‘we’re on here’.

“The car just kept getting better and better and I was building confidence, while still keeping some margin. There’s more time to be found.

“The car just feels so good and I can’t wait to go racing. I don’t want anyone to pinch me in case I’m dreaming!”

Double-ton milestone approaches for Carrera Cup stalwart Jane

Just third driver in series history to approach 200th race milestone

TWO-TIME SP Tools Pro-Am Class champion Rodney Jane will reach a major Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia milestone should he start at least two races at Mount Panorama this weekend. 

The Victorian-based Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic Motor Racing driver is set to contest his 200th Carrera Cup race this weekend, becoming just the third driver in series’ history to achieve the milestone.

Only David Wall (230) and Marc Cini (368) have started more races in Australia’s top one-make category than Jane.

Jane made his Carrera Cup debut in the categories debut season, 2003, and raced in the category through to its temporary hiatus at the end of the 2008 season.

As well as winning the Pro-Am title in 2006 and 2007, Jane finished 8th outright in the 2008 championship, 9th in 2004 and 10th in 2006.

He stepped into what is now the Supercars Super2 series following Carrera Cup’s pause, before making his Porsche return in 2013 in the two-driver Pro-Am event at the Porsche Rennsport festival at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Driving with Nick Percat, the pair won the first of two one-hour enduro races giving Jane his first outright race victory in the championship, the pair also finishing third overall for the round.

He returned for the Pro-Am event the following year, this time driving with Nick McBride at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit, before making a full-time Pro-Am class return in 2022, again driving with Sonic.

Jane is one of the most successful Pro-Am driver in series history with two titles, 32 Pro-Am race wins and victories in 10 Pro-Am rounds.

He holds series’ records for most Pro-Am wins in a row (12, in 2006), pole positions (16), pole positions in a row and pole positions in a single season (both 7).

Jane currently sits fourth in the 2023 SP Tools Pro-Am championship, well within striking distance of the top three drivers.

Throughout his time both competing and enjoying the category from afar, Jane’s presence has been notable thanks to the long-term sponsorship of the Sonic team by Bob Jane T-Marts.

Bob Jane-backed cars have won three Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia championships – in 2007 with David Reynolds, followed by Nick Foster in 2015 and Jordan Love in 2019.

As well as Jane’s own car, the iconic branding also appears on the Sonic cars driven by Simon Fallon and Angelo Mouzouris this year.

Six Carrera Cup Champions to headline Bathurst grid

180 Carrera Cup race wins on Bathurst entry list

A RECORD SIX Porsche Carrera Cup Champions with nine titles in four different series will headline a 30-strong field entered for Round 6 of the 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at Mount Panorama. 

The Bathurst grid is the most broadly accomplished Carrera Cup Australia grid in the series history, and one of the most deeply stacked with talent of any Porsche series globally this year.

For the first time in the series 20 year history, four former Carrera Cup Australia Champions will be represented on the grid.

They will be joined by drivers to have won Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain and Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux (Belgium / Netherlands / Luxemburg).

Between them, the Bathurst grid have claimed 180 Carrera Cup race wins globally.

The return of 2022 champion Harri Joins to the grid will see the Queenslander join 2004 Australian champion Alex Davison, 2005 champion Fabian Coulthard and 2017 champion David Wall on what will be one of the most stacked Carrera Cup grids in series history.

Meanwhile the addition of three-time Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Champion Chris van der Drift, who will deputise for Callum Hedge in the Team Porsche NZ / EBM entry, adds further one-make Porsche success to the field.

Van der Drift won the Asian title in 2015, 2017 and 2018 to become one of the region’s most successful Porsche racers and currently sits third in the 2023 title battle with a round to go.

EMA Motorsport has secured the services of 22-year-old young star Harry King for a Bathurst cameo, the British ace having claimed the 2020 Carrera Cup GB title and the 2022 Benelux title before claiming three wins and third position in this year’s Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

King has won 29 Carrera Cup races in his career to date, including Supercup race wins at Monaco, Monza and Hungary this year.

The record-setting Aussie attack includes four former champions and an enormous strike rate of success in the local championship.

Harri Jones’ returns to the series battle-hardened following duel campaigns in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and Porsche Carrera Cup Germany Championships in Europe this year and will race for his own team, Jones Motorsport, at Bathurst.

Davison will return for Scott Taylor Motorsport, while Coulthard will drive his familiar BWT Porsche Centre Melbourne entry and Wall his own Monochrome-backed entry for Wall Racing.

The four drivers alone account for 85 race victories and 28 round wins between them across two decades of one-make Porsche racing in Australia.

In total, the Bathurst field accounts for wins in more than 30 percent of all Carrera Cup Australia races ever held, with 12 former race winners currently entered.

The championship heads to Bathurst having featured five winners from the past five rounds, just the fourth time in series history that has occurred.

Following Jackson Walls’ win by countback at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, Dale Wood, Alex Davison, Callum Hedge and Dylan O’Keeffe have claimed victories overall this year.

The SP Tools Pro-Am fight is equally compelling though current leader Sam Shahin faces a race against time to get to Bathurst.

His The Bend Motorsport Park-backed 992 GT3 Cup Car remains under repair following the race-ending crash at Sandown, when he was collected by a flying Nick McBride, who in turn had been hit by another car.

Shahin leads Sandown winner Dean Cook by 33 points with Adrian Flack a further 37 points back. Rodney Jane is only 17 points behind the top three heading to Bathurst.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field hits the track on Thursday for practice 1 at 8:55am, the 50-minute session the sole hit out before qualifying later that afternoon at 3:45pm.

Race 1 will commence at 2:20pm on Friday afternoon over 15 laps, doubling as the Enduro Cup race for the weekend.

Race 2 starts at 3:15pm on Saturday with the final 9-lap sprint the curtain raiser to this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000 at 9:30am on Sunday.

All sessions will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo Sport, while all three races will also be broadcast live and free on the Seven Network around Australia.

ENTRY LIST, Round 6, Mount Panorama, Bathurst

Supercup star Harry King joins Bathurst grid

EMA Motorsport sign two-time Carrera Cup Champion for Bathurst campaign

EMA Motorsport will return to a full complement at the next round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia at Bathurst, as young British racer, Harry King, takes his place in the team’s second Porsche Cup Car.

Heading to Mount Panorama for round 6 of the championship, Harry joins the team for his Australian racing debut, having delivered impressive performances throughout 2023, including wins in the Mobil1 Supercup.

Harry will join EMA Motorsport’s Carrera Cup season regular, Garnet Patterson, running in the sister #19 car. With this exciting addition to the driver line-up, EMA Motorsport is looking to improve on results moving forward to 2024, following a less than ideal year in Carrera Cup, compared to 2022.

“I am delighted to be welcomed to EMA Motorsport ahead of Bathurst. The prospect of racing in Australia really excites me, and to measure myself against the Carrera Cup Australia competition is something I am eager to experience,” Harry King said.

“It is great to confirm the drive with EMA Motorsport after my successful weekend in Austria – but all quite surreal! I hadn’t anticipated to be racing on the other side of the world in my career yet, so to do it at Bathurst, in a Cup car, is a great way to do it.

“Aside from my own goals and motivations for the weekend in-car, I don’t know what to expect outside of the car, so I’m really going to embrace the experience.”

Harry arrives on the Australian scene having been extremely successful in the GT3 Cup car, since making his debut in 2020.

In his first year, the 22-year-old from Windsor, England, claimed top honours in the prestigious Carrera Cup Great Britain. This was followed, in 2022, with a dominant run across the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux with seven wins from eight races on his way to claiming the title.

Alongside this, he also took four podiums in the highly competitive Mobil1 Supercup, and progressed to score three race wins in the 2023 campaign, including around the streets of Monaco.

Round 6 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, the Repco Bathurst 1000 race weekend, takes place, 5-8 October 2023.

New backer for David Russell’s Carrera Cup campaign

Premium quality automotive tool brand PK TOOL will be joining highly experienced Porsche Carrera Cup and leading Supercar endurance race co-driver David Russell at Mount Panorama this year.

The PK TOOL logo will appear prominently on the sides of Car #99 which is prepared by Earl Bamber Motorsport, a team that has enjoyed success this season across its highly competitive three car stable.

PK Tool is one of several renowned professional automotive specialty tool brands supplied to the auto repair industry and DIY enthusiasts across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region by Pro-Kit.

Established in 1984, Pro-Kit is a proud Australian, almost four-decade strong family owned and operated company.

Russell is one of the fastest Porsche Carrera Cup drivers in Australia and has a particularly strong record at Bathurst in this ultra-competitive category along with Supercars, Australian and International GT and Production Car racing. He has gained outright wins, podiums, fastest laps and class victories at Mount Panorama across all of these categories across his successful career. Russell raced to third in the Porsche Carrera Cup championship last season and has taken the Porsche Carrera Cup runner-up honours twice before in both 2014 and 2008.

The PK Tool sponsored driver will be performing double racing duties at Mount Panorama alongside his three Porsche Carrera Cup sprint races at Bathurst. Russell will be joining Supercars Championship leader Brodie Kostecki in the Coca-Cola Erebus Motorsport Camaro, seeking to go one better than their superb second place at last weekend’s Sandown 500 in Melbourne. (Russell and Kostecki finished fourth in the 2023 Bathurst 1000 and third in 2022). PK Tool will be joining him for the ride with helmet signage across his Porsche Carrera Cup and Supercar racing efforts at Bathurst from October 5 to 8.

“We are very excited to be promoting our premium quality, trade-proven tool brand, PK TOOL with such an accomplished driver at Bathurst for the first time in our family company’s 38 year history,” stated Pro-Kit General Manager William Zaarour.

“The entire Pro-Kit team are looking forward to watching our car competing in each of the three Porsche Carrera Cup races at such an iconic circuit and to be joining David Russell in his Bathurst 1000 co-drive as well. We wish him and his teams every success heading into the biggest motorsport weekend of the year,” Mr Zaarour added.

David Russell welcomes PK TOOL aboard his Cup Car at Australia’s great race.  “It is great to welcome Australia’s PK TOOL range to the world’s fastest one-make motor racing category at the most famous race weekend of them all.

“I have had some fantastic Porsche Carrera Cup races at Mount Panorama, including race wins, podiums and fastest laps and I am hoping to add more to my tally in October as a PK TOOL Ambassador,” He said.

(Team release)

Chris van der Drift to super-sub for Hedge at Bathurst

Three-time Asian champion to join Aussie field for Aussie Carrera Cup debut

Team Porsche New Zealand / Earl Bamber Motorsport has announced that three-time Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Champion Chris van der Drift will be replacing Callum Hedge at Bathurst for Round 6 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia.

Callum Hedge is the current Carrera Cup Championship leader and will miss the famous mountain circuit due to a clash with a Formula Regional Americas round at Virginia International Raceway (VIR).

Van der Drift is the most successful Carrera Cup Asia driver ever and will be instantly competitive when he drives Hedge’s #17 Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car at Bathurst.

Hedge leads both the Formula Regional Americas championship and Porsche Carrera Cup Australia following an exceptional 2023 racing season that has seen him claim 16 wins and 31 poles from 41 race starts.

This speed and consistency has placed Hedge in a difficult position when deciding which event to compete at, with the potential prizes on offer for claiming the US-based championship an impossible lure to resist.

“It is a huge shame to have to miss a round in Australia. Especially when it’s such a competitive championship,” said Hedge.

“Over the last two rounds, I’ve had some good consistency and have built a reasonable margin where I could still be in with a chance despite missing Bathurst. The aim is to wrap up the championship in America over the Bathurst weekend, then come back, shift my focus for Gold Coast and Adelaide and try to get the job done here.”

The 19-year-old Kiwi currently has a healthy lead in both championships, and is ultimately looking to win both should the cards fall his way.

Coming off the back of a challenging round at Sandown in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia, Hedge currently leads rival Jackson Walls by 116 points, with 180 on offer at the Bathurst round.

It means that even if Walls’ wins all three races at Bathurst, Hedge will only trail by 64 points heading into the final two rounds.

Bathurst marks Round 6 of the eight-round championship, with the final two rounds being held at the Gold Coast and Adelaide street circuits. Hedge’s prior form at street circuits gives him confidence in being able to continue to fight for the title despite sitting out the Bathurst round.

Although anything can happen in the remaining three rounds, Hedge’s international racing aspirations helped him to solidify his championship lead in Formula Regional Americas, with a part-funded drive in Super Formula Japan on offer to the winner.

Hedge, competing in the #17 Ligier JS F3 car supported by the Giltrap Group, Tony Quinn Foundation, and Tasman Motorsport Group, has had an exceptional season in the United States, scoring nine wins from 12 races. Callum currently holds a 55-point advantage, with 75 points on offer across three races.

“It was an incredibly tough decision to decide whether to miss a round in Australia or the USA. Once I got the Porsche Shootout ticket, we decided that the Formula Regional Americas prize, a $600,000 Honda Super Formula scholarship, was what we wanted to secure next, and if all went to plan, we could still get the Carrera Cup Australia championship as well” Hedge continued.

EBM Team owner, Earl Bamber is very happy that a Team Porsche New Zealand scholarship graduate has had such success on the international stage.

“First of all, it’s really exciting for Callum as a young driver to have pathways – one with Porsche, and one in single-seaters. It’s amazing that at such a young age, he is so adaptable to be able to swap between two different race cars, and be quick in both” said Earl Bamber, team owner of Earl Bamber Motorsport.

“As a team, after securing Australia’s Porsche Global Shootout nomination, our goal remains to try and secure our first championship in Australia, with the support of Team Porsche New Zealand. It is and has always been the goal since we started this team. Although it’s a bigger challenge with Callum missing Bathurst, we still believe in Callum and his ability to consistently be at the front. We equally support Callum with his international endeavors. It’s what the Team Porsche New Zealand scholarship is all about, and we’d never get in the way of one of our drivers chasing their dreams.”

Hedge will be replaced by 3x Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Champion, Chris van der Drift aboard the Team Porsche New Zealand GT3 Cup Car. Van der Drift is the most successful driver in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia history and will make his Carrera Cup Australia debut at Mount Panorama.

“For our fill-in driver, we’re really excited to announce that Chris van der Drift will be joining us for Bathurst. He is a long-time competitor in Carrera Cup racing, and it’s fantastic to be able to have him in one of our cars. He’ll be a really welcome addition to Team Porsche New Zealand Earl Bamber Motorsport, and his knowledge and experience in these cars will help him adapt to Bathurst quickly. He is part of the Giltrap Motorsport and Porsche family so it’s going to be a pleasure to have him drive for us,” said Bamber.

Van der Drift is, however, no stranger to a Porsche racing at Bathurst, having raced a Cup Car at the circuit four times in the Bathurst 12 hour – finishing 2nd in Class B in 2019.

“When I heard of this opportunity, I jumped at it straight away. I’ve known Earl for many years, so it’s awesome to be finally driving for his team. I have been driving the same 992 Cup Car in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia this season, so I know the car well, and I’m very excited to be able to drive one at one of my favorite tracks in the world. A huge thanks to Team Porsche New Zealand and everyone who made this happen. To Callum, I promise to look after Larry. Hopefully, we’ll keep it at the front, like Callum has been able to do all year.”

Hedge gets ticket to Europe to take on Porsche Shootout

Team Porsche NZ young gun to take on world's best later this year

Team Porsche New Zealand (TPNZ) scholarship recipient Callum Hedge has been announced as Australia’s nominee for the annual global Porsche Junior Shootout in Europe later this year.

Hedge earned the nomination after going head-to-head with nearest rival contestant Jackson Walls at the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia in Melbourne at Sandown Raceway. This round marked the cut-off for the championship nomination and the title was up for contention as just 32 points separated the pair in the Junior standings following four intense rounds previously.

There was a close battle between Hedge and Walls since Albert Park’s opening round, with the championship lead only changing hands in the most recent race, held at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

Hedge provisionally secured the position at Sandown after race two as he stole the victory from Dylan O’Keeffe in the final corner of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia enduro cup race.

The Porsche Junior Shootout puts the top junior drivers from global Porsche one-make championships head-to-head, with the winner claiming a scholarship prize to contest the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship in 2024. The winner of the Porsche junior shootout is usually announced at the annual Porsche ‘Night of Champions’ event at the end of the year.

The sports car manufacturer’s exemplary junior programme has been one of the most successful of its kind in motorsport. This initiative has paved the way for many talented youngsters to pursue professional careers as works drivers, producing numerous world champions and Le Mans winners in the process. Earl Bamber won the Porsche Junior Shootout in 2014 as a nominee of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and went on to race Supercup and win the 24 hours of Le Mans as a Porsche Factory driver.

Hedge is the third Kiwi from Porsche Carrera Cup Australia to earn the ticket, following the footsteps of Andre Heimgartner in 2012 as well as Jaxon Evans in 2018 who managed to win the shootout.

Hedge is competing in his third season with TPNZ and Earl Bamber Motorsport after debuting with the team in the Porsche Sprint Challenge feeder series in 2021. In 2022 he took the top Rookie honours and second place in the Michelin Junior Drivers’ standings in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia – finishing in 6th place overall in the championship.

Callum Hedge:
“To win the Michelin Junior Championship, and secure the ticket to the Porsche Junior Shootout for me is huge. This has been my goal since I first drove a Porsche. To realise that goal is a testament to the hard work put in by Earl Bamber Motorsport and Team Porsche New Zealand, I really have to thank them for believing in me and knowing that I was capable of doing what we set out to do.”

“I look forward to being the first Team Porsche New Zealand driver to contest in the Porsche Junior Shootout and I will be working as hard as I can to represent them and Porsche Carrera Cup Australia to the best of my ability.”

Earl Bamber Motorsport Owner, Earl Bamber:
“Congratulations to Callum and everyone at Team Porsche New Zealand. Personally, I went through the route with Porsche and that’s where I got my chance to become a factory driver, so I think it’s a dream come true for any young driver to have that shot and chance in their career.”

“As a team, we are really proud of Callum. I would like to say a huge thank you to Porsche New Zealand for making these chances possible for young drivers, as this passion isn’t seen by any other sponsor and manufacturer. It’s special for a New Zealander to have this opportunity, and hopefully, it’s the first of many who will get the chance in future years to come.”

Porsche New Zealand General Manager, Greg Clarke:
“We are proud to see Callum secure the seat in the international shootout as has proven himself over the last 3 years in the TPNZ scholarship program. He showed his potential in Carrera Cup last year, and has continued to grow to take out the top spot this season.”

“Competing in the global shootout is the ultimate achievement for our scholarship program as it opens the opportunity to climb the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid. We are really looking forward to seeing Callum represent New Zealand in Europe later this year. ”

Porsche Motorsport Australia, Motorsport Manager, Barry Hay:
“The Michelin Junior battle has been fierce all year since the season started at the Australian Grand Prix and we knew from the outset of the year that whoever we sent from Australia, would be a great candidate. Callum has put it all together across the last two rounds at Tailem Bend and Sandown and that has earned him the right to go to the Shootout. He’s shown he has what it takes.”

“We can’t wait to see how he goes against the best young Porsche drivers in the world. We back the level of our championship alongside any in the world, so we know he will do us proud and be a real contender to win the Junior Shootout this year.”

Elated Team Owner Opens Up on Double Sandown Carrera Cup Victory

Sydney team hailing double Sandown success in record-breaking weekend

An ecstatic Garth Walden has opened up on his GWR Australia team’s double victory in Round 5 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia at Sandown on the weekend, a result he says has been a decade in the making.

Dylan O’Keeffe won the Pro Class round with victories in two of the three races, while a trio of top three finishes for Dean Cook enabled him to clinch Pro-Am honours.

The GWR Australia team has been a mainstay of Carrera Cup since 2014, initially running a single car for Ash Samadi. The team continued as a single-car operation until 2019, when it grew to two cars, before expanding to become a three-car outfit in 2022.

Walden said the Sandown result is one of his finest moments as a team owner.

“We’ve won championships in other categories like Radical Cup and achieved class wins in GT and the Bathurst 6 Hour, but I’ve always rated Carrera Cup as one of the most prestigious categories in Australian motorsport,” Walden said.

“The driving talent in Carrera Cup is genuinely world class, and the teams are some of the most professional and well-resourced in the country, so to succeed against such elite opposition at Sandown was one of the most special moments I’ve experienced as a team owner and the culmination of what I’ve been working towards when I started GWR a decade ago.

“We have a dedicated crew at GWR and they had to work tirelessly to repair Dylan’s car after he was involved in a crash at Tailem Bend, but now they get to enjoy the fruits of their labour.”

Walden paid tribute to the efforts of O’Keeffe and Cook in delivering the team’s stunning result.

“Dylan is by far the best driver I’ve ever had in one of my Carrera Cup cars, he is just an exceptional talent behind the wheel,” Walden said.

“Since he joined GWR at the beginning of last year, he has lifted our team to a new level and we now go into every weekend expecting to be fighting for poles, podiums and wins. He’s threatened to deliver a big result on a few occasions and at Sandown it all came together – he dominated the weekend on raw speed.

“Dean’s driving ability is not to be underestimated either. The Pro-Am class in Carrera Cup features some of the best non-professional drivers in the world, and while Dean is relaxed out of the car, he’s very competitive on the track and has excellent awareness when he’s involved in battle packs.

“In the final Sandown race, he positioned his car perfectly to avoid an accident that claimed a couple of his rivals, and that was key in enabling him to secure the Pro-Am round win.”

With the round win boxes ticked, Walden said the next goal for GWR in Carrera Cup is a championship, something he hasn’t ruled out for 2023.

“Dylan has had a tough first half of the season with various incidents in all of the first four rounds, but he made up a lot of ground this weekend while the championship leaders had dramas of their own, which shows you’re never out of it,” Walden said.

“Meanwhile, Dean is only a handful of points off the Pro-Am lead, so that championship is well within reach.

“To win the Carrera Cup championship would well and truly be GWR’s greatest achievement as a race team, and our Sandown result shows it’s a goal well within our grasp.”

Sonic Motor Racing Services enjoy success at Sandown

Sandown provided a successful ending for Sonic Motor Racing Services in the latest round of the Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

Situated a half an hour drive from Sonic’s workshop in Bayswater, Sandown is the home circuit for the squad and pre-event test at the venue provided confidence for the trio of Bob Jane T-Marts-supported drivers.

Simon Fallon led the way for most of the weekend as he continues to build on an improved season.

Achieving ninth in qualifying, Fallon progressed throughout the weekend by scoring a pair of eighths and a fourth to cap off the weekend, just falling short of the podium as he aims to cement a top 10 finish in the championship standings.

Luck deserted Angelo Mouzouris at Sandown after qualifying 12th, but a couple of spins in the opening race led to a 16th place finish in the Pro class. A superb comeback driver in Race 2 ensured a finish inside the top 10 for Mouzouris as he drove to ninth.

An opening lap incident in front was avoided by Mouzouris as he emerged sixth. He was well placed to advance further when a radiator was punctured forcing him into retirement thought to be caused by the Turn 1 incident.

Pro-Am contender Rodney Jane enjoyed a successful weekend as he qualified fourth to be just 0.186s behind the pole time, but a spin in Race 1 dropped him to ninth.

Jane elevated to fifth in the 30-lap mini-enduro, before leaving the best until last when he avoided opening lap chaos to hold off a stern challenge to achieve his first Pro-Am Class win of the year.

The next round for the Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship is at the fabled Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit at Bathurst on October 5-8.

QUOTES

Simon Fallon
#777 Bob Jane T-Marts/Sonic

“It wasn’t the best weekend, but not the worst,” Fallon described.

“We recovered well on Sunday to go from eighth to fourth, but on Saturday we struggled. We lost splitters early in both events and unfortunately our pace wasn’t really there.

“It was a good result to end up fourth in the end, but looking to move forward to Bathurst.”

Angelo Mouzouris
#999 Bob Jane T-Marts/Sonic

“I guess you could say this weekend was one of those character building ones,” Mouzouris summarised.

“We were quick in practice, but didn’t really put it together in qualifying and Race 1. The next race was good, we made up six or seven spots to finish ninth, while in the final I got caught up in an opening corner incident through no fault of my own. I had the smallest little graze on the front bumper and popped the radiator, so we decided to not risk any further damage and park it.

“It was a really unfortunate way to end the weekend, however there are many positives. We’re quite quick now and figured out the car, so I’m in the right headspace to move forward.

“I can’t wait for Bathurst, we’ve been quick there in the past as I scored a Super2 pole there, so it’ll be good to get back there to do laps in the Cup Car.”

Rodney Jane
#77 Bob Jane T-Marts/Sonic

“Michael and the Sonic boys have put a great car together, which makes it a lot easier for me as a driver,” credited Jane.

“We’ve got to string it together and make use of the tools they give us. I think I had that at the start of the first race and I had that incident to put us a fair way back.

“I managed to luckily miss the opening corner incident to emerge first and in a slightly shortened race we managed to lead the next eight or 10 laps to win. Persistence paid off as I finished third for the round.

“I really appreciate what the team at Sonic did and now we’re heading to Bathurst, which I’m really looking forward to going there.

“It’s the second time I’ve been there in the last 10 years, so I’m really looking forward to racing there and I’ve got a bit of work to get my pace up to see how we go.”

O’Keeffe, Cook claim Sandown round wins in dramatic decider

Drama-filled final race at Sandown makes it five from five in 2023

DYLAN O’KEEFFE and Dean Cook have delivered a Sandown double to GWR Australia and RAM Motorsport, claiming the Equity-One Pro and SP Tools Pro-Am class round wins following a dramatic decider at Sandown Raceway today. 

O’Keeffe claimed a second win from three starts this weekend in a lights-to-flag performance in Race 3, taking his second ever Carrera Cup round win and his first since the 2018 event in Darwin.

He’s also the fifth different round winner from five rounds so far this season.

The SP Tools Pro-Am race win went to Rodney Jane, who avoided drama at the start to lead Dean Cook home for the win, the latter claiming the round overall in a double-punch for the GWR squad.

The final sprint race was a dramatic affair that saw a multi-car incident at the start that was triggered by a slow-starting Callum Hedge spinning following contact from behind from Fabian Coulthard.

That then sent the field scrambling as they checked up with multiple cars involved in a turn one crash that saw Nick McBride’s Porsche Centre Melbourne / Hallmarc entry tipped onto its side and into the path of a Sam Shahin, who was an innocent player trying to take evasive action.

The incident removed four cars from the equation with Christian Pancione, Nick McBride, Adrian Flack and Sam Shahin all non-finishers.

A lengthy Safety Car set up a dash to the flag for the remainder of the field with O’Keeffe leading the outright pack and Jane in front in Pro-Am.

Both were able to hold on despite close challenges from behind, O’Keeffe claiming the win in the race and round over Bayley Hall and Dale Wood.

Those three also completed the round podium, Hall on the rostrum for the first time in his still young Michelin Junior career and Wood back in the Champagne for the first time since Darwin back in June.

In Pro-Am, Jane’s race win ensured he would finish third overall for the round, while former class champion Liam Talbot was Mr. Consistency and claimed second overall as he super-subbed for Luke King in the Moutai Racing entry from Wall Racing.

Cook’s win was the fourth of his career and the second of his season, backing up his Darwin success.

Sandown marked the first time the Sydney-based GWR squad had claimed both round wins in a single Carrera Cup weekend.

With five rounds in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship now complete, Kiwi Callum Hedge takes a commanding 116-point Equity-One Pro class lead over Jackson Walls heading to Mount Panorama in three weeks time.

Dale Wood now sits third in the championship with Max Vidau fourth and O’Keeffe now fifth thanks to his strong weekend.

Provisionally, Sam Shahin remains the leader in the SP Tools Pro-Am race with a 33 point advantage over Dean Cook, with Adrian Flack in third.

The next round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship resumes in three weeks at the Repco Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama.

Hedge steals Enduro cup thriller in final corner

Flack rebounds from race one dramas to take Pro-Am win in Enduro Cup race

CALLUM HEDGE has stolen the victory from Dylan O’Keeffe in the final corner of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia enduro cup race at Sandown Raceway. 

Starting third, Hedge played for time in the 28-lap race before picking off Bayley Hall for second within the final 10 laps.

He then set about early leader Dylan O’Keeffe, who had controlled the pace from the outset and had established a handy lead before Hedge moved himself into second position.

Hedge flew in the final laps, cutting O’Keeffe’s 1.9 second lead to nothing by the time the pair started the final lap.

The Race 1 winner defended into the Turn 9 passing opportunity, but had to watch as the Team Porsche New Zealand driver sliced up the inside into the final corner in a last-ditch effort to grab the win.

He crossed the line just 0.1 seconds in front of O’Keeffe to spectacularly win – making amends for his race one start-line penalty that dropped him from first to third in the final standings of the Sandown opener.

The win – coupled with a non-finish from Jackson Walls – also provisionally sealed a ticket to Europe as Carrera Cup Australia’s representative in the Porsche shootout.

O’Keeffe finished second and leads the round points heading to Sunday’s race three decider, while Bayley Hall finished on the podium for the second time today.

The battle for the minors was just as intense for the leading fight with Dale Wood edging out David Russell for fourth – solidifying third place in the championship in the process.

Fabian Coulthard was sixth, while Max Vidau charged 10 spots from his starting position to finish seventh following his race one non-finish.

Simon Fallon – missing a front splitter – Angelou Mouzouris and Thomas Maxwell completed the top-10.

Jackson Walls’ Michelin junior hopes ended when he and David Wall made contact at Turn nine on the opening lap.

Walls’ was penalised for the contact, however never made it back to pit lane as radiator damage forced him to shut his car off on the back straight, ultimately classified a non finisher. Wall made it back to the pits however was unable to resume.

The fight for SP Tools Pro-Am honours was just as tough as Adrian Flack was another to complete a Saturday comeback to claim the win.

He stormed from the back of the grid to win the race over Dean Cook, who lead a good chunk of today’s race before Flack slipped past.

The Pro-Am fight evolved into essentially a four-car fight by race’s end with Sam Shahin and Liam Talbot all in the mix in a competitive battle.

Shahin leads the Pro-Am battle by a single point heading into tomorrow’s decider, with Cook and Talbot in close company.

O’Keeffe leads Hedge and Hall in the Equity One Pro round standings prior to tomorrow’s race, while Callum Hedge has extended his lead in the championship to more than 100 points going into the final race.

That final race will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506, Kayo and Sky Sports NZ on Sunday.

O’Keeffe claims race one following Hedge penalty

Sam Shahin extends Pro-Am title lead with strong class win

DYLAN O’KEEFFE has won his first Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia race in a year after a jumped-start penalty for Callum Hedge denied the young Kiwi race one success at Sandown.

Hedge won the start and the subsequent drag race into turn one over polesitter O’Keeffe, however officials deemed the start to be too good and penalised the Team Porsche NZ driver five seconds for the infringement.

That allowed O’Keeffe and McElrea young gun Bayley Hall to settle in behind the New Zealander with the trio running line astern to the line in that order.

The penalty dropped Hedge to third, while O’Keeffe claimed his first win since Sandown last year and the third of his Carrera Cup Career.

Hall’s second position represented his best ever Carrera Cup race, eclipsing his previous best of sixth position comfortably.

Hedge’s third – coupled with Jackson Walls’ run to tenth position – saw him extend both his championship lead and his margin in the critical Michelin Junior Championship ranks heading into race two this afternoon.

David Russell and Dale Wood completed the top five, with the latter also moving to third in the championship by virtue of a non-finish from TekworkX star Max Vidau, who hit the wall on the exit of turn three on the second lap.

A puncture in a rear tyre was determined to be the cause of the accident that saw the Tyrepower driver limp back to the lane but retire the car.

Fabian Coulthard, David Wall, Simon Fallon, Christian Pancione and Jackson Walls completed the top-10.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Sam Shahin led confidently to another race win to build his championship lead.

He led home Dean Cook and Liam Talbot in a wild Pro-Am affair that saw intense battling for the minor steps on the class podium throughout the 16-lap affair.

Matt Belford and Tim Miles survived a late moment at turn one to finish fourth and fifth, respectively, while Rodney Jane ran strongly early in the race before he was caught up in an incident and dropped down the order.

Adrian Flack had a slow start but recovered well before he too was involved in a spin, dropping him back down through the field by race’s end.

Race 2 will be the next instalment of the Enduro Cup series on Saturday afternoon, with live coverage on Fox Sports 506, Kayo and Sky Sport NZ.

O’Keeffe charges to record Sandown pole

Sam Shahin scores Pro-Am pole for second time this year

DYLAN O’KEEFFE and Sam Shahin have split the TAG Heuer Pole Awards in qualifying for Round 5 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at Sandown Raceway. 

O’Keeffe grabbed his first Equity-One Pro class pole since Winton 2022 with a stunning performance in the 12-minute Pro session, his 1m08.6980s flyer the quickest ever Cup Car lap of Sandown.

The Victorian driver set his benchmark on his sixth flyer in the session with a lap time good enough to withstand others attempting to beat it. He ultimately grabbed the top spot by just 0.10s with Callum Hedge second for Team Porsche NZ and Earl Bamber Motorsport.

O’Keeffe’s stunning lap came after topping practice earlier in the day, and broke Earl Bamber Motorsport’s stranglehold on pole positions this year.

Second represented Hedge’s fourth front row effort from five sessions this year, -a position made even more important given his tenuous lead in the Michelin Junior standings that will be decided this weekend.

Max Vidau will line up third for race one, with a returning David Russell fourth and Bayley Hall fifth. The margin between Hedge and Hall in fifth was just 0.09 seconds.

Fabian Coulthard was sixth, making it five teams on the first three rows of the grid for race one, while David Wall, Dale Wood, Simon Fallon and Nick McBride rounded out the top-10.

Michelin Junior contender Jackson Walls could only manage 13th aboard his Objective Racing / McElrea entry, though the Sydneysider was only 0.5s away from pole.

In the SP Tools Pro-Am battle, an unpredictable session saw Shahin bank his 1m10.1162s best on his seventh of 10 completed laps.

Dean Cook, however, narrowly missed grabbing pole with his 10th flyer falling 0.02 seconds away from beating Shahin in the closest session of the year.

It was Shahin’s second pole of the year, the seventh of his career and closes the South Australian driver with Adrian Flack, who has scored three, in the battle for the overall TAG Heuer Pole Award this year.

Adrian Flack was third, having missed running earlier today with steering rack issues aboard his Agas National-supported EBM entry, and just 0.10s from pole position.

Rodney Jane was fourth in his Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic entry, his strong middle sector performances putting him 0.18s of pole.

On his return to the championship – deputising for Luke King – Liam Talbot qualified fifth but only 0.20 seconds from pole. Matt Belford was sixth and just 0.3 from Shahin’s benchmark, with Tim Miles, Daniel Stutterd, Drew Hall and Marc Cini completing the leaderboard.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field will race twice on Saturday at the Sandown 500, with the first race at 10:0am and the second at 3:25pm. Both races will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Aussie Michelin Junior Bayley Hall to get USA Porsche shot

Carrera Cup North America adventure at Laguna Seca and COTA

PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Michelin Junior Bayley Hall will get his first shot at international racing later this month when he heads to compete in the United States. 

The McElrea Racing driver will link with his team’s Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America squad for two key rounds of the American championship, adding two high-profile US events to the final four rounds of this year’s Carrera Cup Australia title race.

Hall will compete at the iconic Porsche Rennsport Reunion event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on September 29-October 1, before journeying to the Circuit of the Americas in Texas for the support event at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix on October 20-22.

Hall will slide into McElrea’s #24 North American entry alongside another local graduate – Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge winner Tom Sargent.

Sargent has already scored several pole positions and podium finishes this year and sits second in the North American Championship.

Hall has impressed in domestic Porsche competition this year, scoring three top-10 round finishes in what is effectively his second full year of one-make Porsche competition.

He qualified a career-best third in Townsville and finished fifth overall last time out at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia and sits less than 60 points outside the top four in the championship.

Hall has already completed a pair of tests in the United States, including one at Road America in Wisconsin in July.

He then recently travelled to Texas for a two-day test with McElrea at the Circuit of the Americas ahead of the round there later this month.

Carrera Cup North America uses identical cars to the Australian championship, save for the addition of ABS braking.

Hall will be in action this weekend at the fifth round of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia at Sandown Raceway in Melbourne, Victoria.

BAYLEY HALL

“This opportunity to race with my home team on an international scale will be I’m sure, very eye opening but an experience I am very grateful to take head on and make the most of every minute.

“The United States are so passionate about sports and I cannot wait to experience that for myself from the drivers side’ and immerse myself in it”

“When I was 7 years old, I made my Dad take a detour on a USA family holiday to visit Laguna Seca but I have never been to Texas, so yes I’m very excited. I’m very much looking forward to this incredible experience, and ticking off another 2 iconic tracks from my bucket list that I had set goals to race on,’

“There are a few differences in Carrera cup North America. Most notable ones are that the cars use ABS and have rolling starts, which is different from Carrera Cup Australia. Also they have two 45 minutes races over the weekend which will provide plenty of laps to learn and grow from.”

“I’ve taken inspiration from both Scott McLaughlin and Shane Van Gisbergen who have both raced in the US and rustled some feathers. I’m excited for when it’s my chance to do the same.”

“The American championship is still extremely competitive, and it will be a great challenge for me to adapt to the tracks as quickly as possible and also endeavour to make a name for myself in another country.”

‘The Porsche driver selection program is another incentive in the Michelin Junior Program and it allows a pathway to the IMSA GTD program. My ambitions are to work towards a seat in the GTD program and Andy and my team believe that this is one step in the right direction”

ANDY McELREA

“Last year we threw Bayley into the deep end in Carrera Cup due to Covid not allowing a Sprint Championship for him to learn from, he pretty much had to learn how to drink from a fire hose and he certainly did.

“This year he’s been able to gain another level of confidence by building on his experience from last year, he’s done everything we’ve asked of him, he’s a brilliant student & he’s exceeding our expectations. He’s fast, he’s dedicated & he’s hungry.

“The opportunity to test in America arose & like Bayley always does, he grabbed it with two hands & impressed at the test, opening up this opportunity to race in the North American Carrera Cup.

“It will be a challenge for him but he’s proven his adaptability skills over the last 18 months & we can’t wait to see what he can do.”

Major Junior prizes on the line at Sandown

Hedge and Walls to battle for European Shootout ticket this weekend

THE FIRST major prize of the 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will be up for grabs when the one-make Porsche pack descends on Melbourne’s Sandown Raceway in Victoria this week.

Australia’s nominee for the annual Porsche Junior Shootout will be decided at Sandown, with the top driver in the Michelin Junior Championship following this weekend’s round to head to Europe later this year.

The Porsche Junior Shootout puts the top junior drivers from global Porsche one-make championships head to head, with the winner claiming a scholarship prize to contest the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship in 2024.

Just 32 points separate Team Porsche New Zealand / Earl Bamber Motorsport young-gun Callum Hedge from Objective Racing / McElrea ace Jackson Walls in the Junior standings following four intense rounds to date.

The pair have claimed junior honours in nine of the 11 races contested so far with Sandown to decide who gets the ticket to Europe.

TekworkX driver Max Vidau sits third in the outright championship and junior standings thanks to two race wins and retains a mathematical chance at the Junior prize, 171 points from the lead with 180 up for grabs this weekend.

The remarkable battle between Kiwi hedge and New South Wales ace Walls has waged since Albert Park’s opening round, with the championship lead only changing hands in the most recent race, held at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

There, Hedge claimed his first round win of the season after Walls spun out of second position in the penultimate corner of the weekend while battling for the lead.

11 drivers from the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia have tackled the shootout since 2012, with two – Matt Campbell and Jaxon Evans – winning it and the subsequent ticket to Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

Harri Jones was the most recent nominee, tackling the shootout in 2022 and progressing to Supercup last year.

While attention is on the Michelin Junior battle this weekend, the ongoing fight for Equity One Pro class and the SP Tools Pro-Am battles will continue as the season moves into the second half.

Hedge leads Walls in the overall championship, with the young pair enjoying a healthy margin back to third-placed Vidau.

Darwin winner Dale Wood is within striking distance of the top three, however.

There has yet to be a repeat round winner this season while five different drivers have won races.

In Pro-Am, Sam Shahin is just 47 points clear of Adrian Flack following a strong win at his home track last time out at The Bend.

Flack, in turn, has Dean Cook and Rodney Jane in close company in third and fourth, respectively.

The Sandown entry list loses Alex Davison – damage to the Scott Taylor Motorsport Porsche from The Bend enough to force them to the side-lines until Bathurst – and Chris Pither, but gains the EMA Motorsport entry of Garnet Patterson, who returns to the grid for the first time since round two in Darwin.

On-track action commences on Friday with two practice sessions and the two-part qualifying session, prior to the first two races on Saturday.

Sunday will conclude the fifth round with the third race, just prior to the start of the Sandown 500.

All three races, plus qualifying and practice two on Friday, will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo in Australia, and Sky Sports NZ.

AUSTRALIAN PORSCHE JUNIOR SHOOTOUT NOMINATIONS:

2012 – Andre Heimgartner
2014 – Sam Power
2015 – Nick Foster & Richard Muscat
2016 – Matt Campbell (Won Shootout)
2017 – Dylan O’Keeffe
2018 – Jaxon Evans (Won Shootout), Dylan O’Keeffe
2019 – Jordan Love
2021 – Cooper Murray
2022 – Harri Jones

ENTRY LIST – Round 5 (Sandown Raceway)

Giltrap, Stichbury step up to Carrera Cup in 2024

Team Porsche NZ continue young driver program into new season

Team Porsche New Zealand (TPNZ) is pleased to announce that the Carrera Cup Australia scholarship driver for the 2024 season is Zac Stichbury.

Zac has graduated from competing in the 2023 Porsche Sprint Challenge through the scholarship programme, to the main scholarship seat in the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia series.

In his first year competing with TPNZ, Zac is currently ranked third in the 2023 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia. The 991.2 GT3 Cup Car has been a stand-out on the grid after Zac unveiled the iconic Whittaker’s Chocolate ‘Peanut Slab’ themed livery earlier this year.

In addition, it has been announced that Marco Giltrap is also going to compete for Team Porsche New Zealand in 2024 in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia season. After 4 of 6 rounds in the 2023 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Championship, Marco Giltrap is currently leading the series. Earl Bamber Motorsport will be managing both drivers in the 2024 season, increasing the driver count for the Carrera Cup Australia grid to two for TPNZ in 2024.

Zac Stichbury:

“I’m so excited and grateful to step up into the scholarship’s main seat next year. It’s such an amazing opportunity and I can’t thank the team at Porsche New Zealand and EBM enough for their ongoing support and guidance. I’m looking forward to continuing learning and developing in these last few rounds of Sprint Challenge this year to end on a good result leading into competing alongside Marco in Carrera Cup next year”

Marco Giltrap:

“I am extremely excited to be joining Team Porsche New Zealand for another season, joining Porsche Carrera Cup Australia next year. We have already achieved so much this year and I am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve for the rest of the 2023 and 2024 season.”

Applications for the 2024 TPNZ Sprint Challenge Scholarship Driver are now open

Team Porsche New Zealand (TPNZ) is opening the application process for its scholarship programme to support a young Kiwi motorsport talent to drive in the 2024 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series.

This will be the fourth year that Porsche New Zealand is running the scholarship program, after the success of Matthew Payne in 2021 and Callum Hedge and Ryan Wood in 2022. In 2023, Zac Stichbury has been driving in the Sprint Challenge scholarship seat, however it has been announced in 2024 he will be graduating into the Carrera Cup seat which has been held by Callum Hedge for his second year in 2023.

Applications are open until 30th September 2023. To apply for this scholarship, candidates will need to attach a CV as well as a 300-word summary of why they should be the next Team Porsche New Zealand Driver. A short list of applicants will then be chosen for interviews and assessments before a final selection will be made.

Please Note: This is a junior Scholarship program and applicants must be between the age of 16 – 21 as of January 1st, 2024, and must be a resident or citizen of New Zealand.

Further information, as information on how to apply is available at porsche.co.nz/teamporschenz

Earl Bamber Motorsport Owner, Earl Bamber:

“We’re proud of what both TPNZ Sprint Challenge drivers have been doing in 2023, and now looking into 2024 it’s amazing to be able to confirm Zac Stichbury and Marco Giltrap the TPNZ program moving up to Carrera Cup Australia. The program has been incredibly successful so far with all our previous drivers now stepping up as professional racing drivers. It’s something that we as a team and Porsche New Zealand have been proud to be part of and ultimately the reason why the program was started.”

“And now we’re excited that we are opening 2024 allocations for the Porsche Sprint Challenge seat. This category has been really great to nurture our drivers in year one of the program, so we are excited to see what young talented drivers from New Zealand will apply for 2024.”

Porsche New Zealand General Manager, Greg Clarke:
“Both Zac and Marco have proven themselves as strong competitors in the 2023 Sprint Challenge series. With just two races to go, we’re proud to see both drivers currently ranked in the top 3 for the series and hope to see both on the podium at the end of the season. We’re pleased to announce that they will both be competing for TPNZ next year in Carrera Cup, the leading Porsche single-make series in Australia.”

“With Zac graduating to the scholarship seat for Carrera Cup 2024, it leaves us with an opportunity to take on a new young Kiwi driver for next year. The Sprint Challenge scholarship seat is the perfect opportunity for promising drivers to kick-start their motorsport career like we have seen many of our previous TPNZ drivers do in the past 3 years.”

About Team Porsche New Zealand
Team Porsche New Zealand was formed by Porsche New Zealand in conjunction with Earl Bamber Motorsport (EBM) in late 2019 to provide young New Zealand talent the opportunity and pathway to advance their motorsport career in Australia. The scholarship programme sees drivers competing in the Carrera Cup Australia which is a key component in the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid, and the feeder series, the Porsche Sprint Challenge.

The team is based in Brisbane and run by EBM, whose principal is two-time Le Mans 24-hour winner Earl Bamber. Earl himself progressed his motorsport career via the Porsche Pyramid through Carrera Cup Asia, Porsche Super Cup, and ultimately as a factory driver for Porsche in both the World Endurance Championship and the North American International Motor Sports Association.

Each year a scholarship will be offered to support an exciting young New Zealand talent achieving a seat in the 992 GT3 Sup Car in Carrera Cup Australia, and a second driver in the 991.2 GT3 Cup Car in Sprint Challenge Australia. The combination of Bamber’s international motor racing and Porsche Motorsport experience provides a unique opportunity to develop their skills and succeed.

Jones takes Monza rookie win in Supercup finale’

Carrera Cup Australia champion secures second in Rookie title

VICTORY in the rookie class has seen reigning Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Champion Harri Jones fall narrowly short of claiming the title in a dramatic conclusion to the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup finale at Monza. 

Jones finished fourth in a wild Supercup showdown at the Cathedral of Speed, taking the rookie class win for the first time and just falling short of a podium finish following a frenetic last-lap battle with home-town hero, Simone Iaquinta.

With Rookie Championship leader Allesandro Ghiretti out of the race, Jones needed to finish third outright in the race to overhaul the 15-point deficit to the class lead.

He qualified fifth but started third following a host of grid penalties for key rivals.

After running fourth in the early laps, Jones found himself back in third position following a late-race restart, with Iaquinta just behind.

The Italian, with nothing to lose, and Jones engaged in a dramatic battle that included banging doors on the start-finish straight and at the turn one chicane.

Jones’ led his rival as the final lap commenced however lost the spot following the second of the two Lesmo right-handers, narrowly missing third place and the rookie title.

Still, the result was the strongest of Jones’ debut Supercup season.

“I’m really proud of myself and really proud of the team with our best result of the year in P4 and to take the Rookie win as well,” Jones said.

“(Lechner Racing) took the teams championship and another drivers’ championship as well and it was great to be part of that.

“It’s been an amazing year, and I’m really looking forward to coming back to Bathurst and Gold Coast to take everything I’ve learned over here and really apply it.”

BWT Lechner Racing teammate Harry King won the race, denying runner-up Larry ten Voorde the championship after points leader – and Lechner teammate – Bastian Buus struck issues and finished down the order.

Fourth still represented Jones’ best result of a solid Supercup rookie season that saw him claim six top-10 finishes from the eight races, ending the year ninth overall in the standings.

With the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Season complete, Jones’ will turn his attention to a pair of quickfire Porsche Carrera Cup Germany events in the coming weeks – the first at the Sachsenring and the second a return to the Red Bull Ring in Austria – where he raced in Supercup earlier this year.

Jones will then return to Australia and the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship in October as Jones Motorsport makes it’s debut in the championship.

The defending champion will race at Bathurst and the Gold Coast this year for his own team.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns at the Sandown 500 in two weeks time.

Hedge claims The Bend, title lead in dramatic Sunday

Sam Shahin claims Pro-Am round in style at home circuit

CALLUM HEDGE needed a big weekend at The Bend in Round 4 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship – and boy did he deliver. 

The young Kiwi completed a clean-sweep of the round at the South Australian venue to not only become the fourth Equity-One Pro class winner from four different rounds this season, but rocket himself into the championship and Michelin Junior series standings in the process.

Hedge claimed the round over Simon Fallon and Christian Pancione – who took his first round podium – as erstwhile series leader Jackson Walls spun out of podium contention on the final lap of the final race.

Meanwhile, home-town hero Sam Shahin won two of the three races to take the SP Tools Pro-Am round at The Bend to extend his points lead.

Shahin took the Pro-Am fight over Dean Cook and Adrian Flack to extend his championship lead at the half-way point.

Sunday was a tale of two races as the 20-lap Enduro Cup race was a relatively straightforward affair before the crazy broke loose in the third race.

The enduro cup race was decided in the first six corners as Hedge out-dragged Walls into turn one and then managed the race lead from there.

Simon Fallon made up two spots off the start to leap to third position, while Christian Pancione backed up his race 1 result with another fourth.

Max Vidau charged to fifth place in a bid to keep the championship leaders in viewing distance, while Dylan O’Keeffe was relegated back to sixth. Bayley Hall, Dale Wood, Garth Tander and Nick McBride completed the 10.

Cook got the jump in Pro-Am in the enduro race and then spent the remaining 35-minutes defending from attacks from Sam Shahin.

The pair finished in that order with Rodney Jane claiming third – Adrian Flack striking issues and finishing behind Matt Belford, in fifth.

Race three was a less straightforward affair as drama at turn one eliminated six cars from the race and delivered the first Safety Car of the weekend.

The incident claimed Alex Davison, Ryder Quinn, David Wall, Dylan O’Keeffe and Chris Pither, while Luke King was forced to pit for damage.

Wall in particular was knocked skyward as he tried to take evasive action as cars spun into the outfield between turns one and two.

Following a lengthy Safety Car the race resumed with Hedge holding off Walls and Fallon, who had started quickly and briefly challenged for the lead on the race start prior to the turn one incident.

The leaders held the status quo for the remaining laps until the final two corners, when Walls had a lunge at Hedge in Turn 17 as the pair raced to the flag.

The pair were side by side however the Objective Racing Porsche apparently clipped the inside kerb, turning him around and out of contention for the round podium.

That elevated Fallon to second – and the same result for the round – while Max Vidau raced his way to third on home turf.

With Christian Pancione and Garth Tander completing the top five, Walls recovered to finish 12th however missed out on the round podium.

The Pro-Am affair was just as unpredictable as Rodney Jane found himself leading following the Safety Car restart.

However an off on lap five saw him tumble down the order with Shahin in the perfect position to capitalise and grab the lead – and ultimately the win. Matt Belford finished second for the race and Flack third.

At the half-way point of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, Callum Hedge now provisionally leads Jackson Walls by 37 points in the Equity-One Pro class following a significant swing in the standings this weekend.

Max Vidau remains third while Sam Shahin continues to lead the SP Tools Pro-Am class.

The next round of the championship will see the field return to the iconic Sandown Motor Raceway in Suburban Melbourne on September 15-17, at the return of the iconic Sandown 500.

Hedge flies from fourth, Shahin wins in 100th race

The Bend opener delivers milestone win to milestone man on home circuit

CALLUM HEDGE scored pole, lost three spots with a penalty but rebounded perfectly to claim the opening race in a busy day for the young Kiwi, as the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship launched into Round 4 at The Bend. 

Meanwhile, a fairy tale story unfolded behind as The Bend’s own Sam Shahin jumped from second on the SP Tools Pro-Am grid to lead Adrian Flack the whole way to claim the race victory in his 100th Porsche Carrera Cup race.

RESULTS: The Bend Motorsport Park

The 11-lap opener at The Bend was a straightforward affair that was highlighted by a blinding opening lap from Hedge, who was disappointed after a post-qualifying penalty relegated him from pole to fourth on the grid.

The Team Porsche New Zealand driver wasted little time racing to the front, however, thanks to a flying start and a series of decisive moves that saw him leap from fourth to first in the first four corners.

Hedge, who sits second in the championship, then edged away from closest rival Jackson Walls to claim his first Equity-One Professional class race win of the season, the third of his career and first since the Gold Coast last year.

He was also the fifth different driver to claim a race win this season. Crucially, it also pulled more championship points out of leader Jackson Walls, who shaded the young Kiwi home in second.

Walls’ set the quickest lap on his way to second position having jumped pole man Dylan O’Keeffe on the opening lap.

O’Keeffe finished third for his best result of the season so far and his first top five finish of the year.

Christian Pancione matched his career-best result with fourth in the Supercheap Auto car from McElrea Racing, while Simon Fallon was a solid fifth in his Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic entry.

The top-10 was completed by Bayley Hall – in his best result of the year – Dale Wood, Max Vidau, Nick McBride and Garth Tander in his first solo Carrera Cup start.

Luke King continued his forward march to 11th position while Fabian Coulthard raced his way to 12th position, having earlier qualified only 17th.

Tough days for key contenders included a rough race for Townsville round winner Alex Davison, who survived a wild ride off the road at Turn 8 to limp home in 22nd.

The SP Tools Pro-Am fight was also decided on the first lap as Shahin jumped class polesitter Flack.

He pulled away in the early laps before a return of serve from the latter saw he – and the chasing Dean Cook – close as the race unfolded.

The pair battled for the race lead in the closing laps though Shahin was able to hold on to win and extend his championship lead in his milestone 100th Carrera Cup race.

Flack was second and Cook third – mirroring the effort from his Equity-One Professional class teammate Dylan O’Keeffe.

Rodney Jane and Matt Belford completed the top five in class in race one.

Round 4 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship continues tomorrow with two races, including the next instalment in the Enduro Cup series on Sunday morning,

Race 2 commences at 10:40am local time with the second following at 2:35pm.

Home-town heroes on top in The Bend practice

Times tight in Friday shootout as field prepares for half-way point of series

A FRIDAY afternoon happy hour with all the intensity of qualifying highlighted the opening day of running in round four of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at The Bend Motorsport Park. 

Taking advantage of a fully dry circuit and new slick Michelin tyres, the South Aussie form guide was established in a flat-out practice session that ended with local hero Max Vidau quickest with a 1m49.9507s flyer aboard his Tyrepower / TekworkX Motorsport entry.

RESULTS: Practice 1 & 2

That lap was two-tenths quicker than Aaron Love’s 1m50.12s pole time from 2022.

The first of two practice sessions was staged on a wet and drying circuit meaning practice two was the only time for teams to understand their cars on new rubber ahead of a key qualifying session on Saturday morning.

Vidau timed his run to perfection at the end of practice to go quickest, while Angelo Mouzouris was a rapid second aboard his Bob Jane T-Marts / Sonic Motor Racing machine.

Mouzouris hovered in the top half of the top-10 for most of practice before his final flyer elevated him to second.

Just 0.0415s split the pair as a sign of things to come tomorrow.

Fabian Coulthard continued his charge to the front of the field in third, with championship leader Jackson Walls fourth. Four teams held the top four places.

Christian Pancione ended his day in fifth position – just 0.16s from the quickest time – with Dylan O’Keeffe, David Wall, Bayley Hall, Simon Fallon and Callum Hedge completing the top-10.

Making his solo Porsche Carrera Cup debut, Garth Tander was 14th outright today, exactly one second from the quickest time.

While Vidau was narrowly quickest in the Equity-One Pro class, it was another South Australian on top in SP Tools Pro-Am.

Sam Shahin topped the Porsche ‘race within a race’, his 1m51.1139s best just 1.1 seconds away from the quickest time outright.

Shahin will start his 100th Porsche Carrera Cup Australia race tomorrow in race one as he seeks to build on his Pro-Am class lead.

His nearest rival for title honours, Adrian Flack, was second in Pro-Am with Dean Cook third and Rodney Jane fourth, just in front of Matt Belford.

The pair of practice sessions were largely uneventful today as the 28-strong field prepares for qualifying and race one on Saturday.

Qualifying commences at 10:35am local time with Race 1 to follow at 3:20pm.

Both sessions will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Title race reaches half way with critical round at The Bend

Home-town hero to reach milestone mark at home circuit

A CRITICAL fourth round of the 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will play out this weekend at The Bend Motorsport Park’s OTR SuperSprint. 

The championship reaches the half-way point with both the Equity-One Pro and SP Tools Pro-Am classes finely poised with new contenders presenting themselves at every round.

Three different drivers have claimed the three rounds held so far, while four drivers have claimed the eight full races contested.

The 30-strong field for The Bend’s annual round includes the Carrera Cup return of Garth Tander, who will drive an SP Tools-backed car for Grove Racing and Earl Bamber Motorsport.

Tander has a single Carrera Cup round start to his credit – in a two-driver Pro-Am event at Sydney Motorsport Park back in 2016 – however is expected to take little time to get up to speed this weekend.

Also returning to the championship is Ryder Quinn, who missed the most recent round in Townsville following accident damage sustained in Darwin earlier this year.

The Queensland-based driver returns with a new livery and sponsor, Game Over now backing his McElrea Racing-prepared 992 GT3 Cup Car.

The remainder of the 30-strong field remains vastly as per the most recent round as Jackson Walls holds a narrow 20-point lead in the outright championship.

The Objective Racing / McElrea driver holds the narrow lead over fellow Michelin Junior, Team Porsche New Zealand’s Callum Hedge.

A strong weekend in Townsville has TekworkX Motorsport’s Max Vidau third in the championship as he heads into the first of two home events this year.

Speaking of home events, The Bend Motorsport Park will see a milestone for one of the circuit’s founders, Sam Shahin.

The South Australian driver will record his 100th Porsche Carrera Cup Australia race start in the first of three races this weekend, becoming just the 27th driver to reach the century milestone.

Shahin has won 18 SP Tools Pro-Am class races in his career, including a pair at The Bend last year that allowed him to claim the round victory at his own circuit.

Another addition to The Bend’s grid will be Indiran Padayachee, who will make a welcome return to the championship following a hefty crash at Albert Park during the season opener.

Padayachee recently contested a round of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia in Sydney prior to his Carrera Cup return this weekend.

This year marks the fifth time that Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia will have raced at The Bend Motorsport Park, the series having made its debut there in 2018.

The circuit has been the happy hunting ground of Sonic Motor Racing, who have dominated proceedings on the fast and flowing 4.9km layout.

Sonic have won three of the four rounds contested at the venue, including last year that saw Aaron Love score pole, win all three races and claim the weekend overall.

Michael Almond (2018) and Jordan Love (2019) are other Sonic winners at the venue, while the team has claimed nine of the 12 races held there.

Jordan and Aaron Love also hold the circuit lap records, too: Aaron the qualifying benchmark (1m50.1212s, 2022) and Jordan in racing conditions (1m50.7966s, set in 2019).

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will contest three races this weekend, with all three and Saturday’s all-important qualifying session to be broadcast live, ad-break free on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports, and Sky Sports NZ.

ENTRY LIST – Round 4, Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship
The Bend Motorsport Park

Garth Tander joins The Bend grid in SP Tools-backed Porsche

Bathurst champion to drive Grove Racing entry in next Carrera Cup round

Grove Racing are excited to confirm that Garth Tander, will participate in Round 4 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship at Tailem Bend.

Proudly backed by SP Tools, Tander will sport the number 87, also run by his son Sebastian who currently competes in the SP Tools Australian Karting Championship with the Grove Junior Team and TanderSport.

The highly experienced and respected Supercars Champion has five Bathurst 1000 wins to his name, he will race in the Carrera Cup series for a one-off round in an Earl Bamber Motorsport prepared Grove Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car.

Tander is no stranger to the Tailem Bend circuit having last year scored a P4 finish in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia. In addition to his impressive racing resume, Tander is an expert analyst as part of the broadcast team for Supercars Media.

The opportunity to race in the ultra-competitive Carrera Cup Championship is valuable for Tander as he steps up his preparation for his co-driving duties in the endurance rounds at Sandown and Bathurst with Grove Racing.

Grove Racing have had a long association with Porsche Racing currently competing in the Porsche GT3 challenge with Oscar Targett, Intercontinental GT3 challenge in a Porsche GT3R992, and over 10 years of Carrera Cup Australia competition.

Stephen Grove said:

“It’s important for Garth to have the opportunity to get some miles prior to the enduro rounds and Carrera Cup is the perfect platform. To have a driver of Garth Tander’s experience pilot a Grove Racing 992 Porsche Cup car at Talem Bend is exciting for the whole team”.

Garth Tander said:

“I’m really excited to do a sprint round of Carrera Cup at Tailem Bend. I have raced Carrera Cup in the Pro-Am event that they used to run back in 2016. Obviously doing a championship sprint round is a whole other deal, and I am under no illusion that its going to be incredibly tough. I know how tough the championship is and how strong the drivers are within the championship, so I know it’s going to be a steep learning curve, but I am really excited about that opportunity.

Having SP Tools on the car is a great honor; I have a long-standing relationship with SP Tools and it is great to have them on the Porsche. They are great supporters of motorsport and I certainly hope to do them proud.”

Many thanks also to Stephen and Brenton Grove. Getting racing miles prior to Sandown and Bathurst is important and I can’t think of anything better to prepare me for those two Supercar endurance racing events than to jump into the middle of a very tough Carrera Cup championship right in the deep end and having a go, so thanks very much to them for giving me this chance.”

Tom Tucker, CEO Austech Industries said: 

“SP Tools and Garth have a long racing history with many podiums as a result. When the opportunity arose to partner up again, we were more than happy to oblige.

“It will be great to see Garth show his skills in the new 992 GT3 Porsche. Let’s hope our partnership sees Garth back on the podium where he belongs.”

Garth will hit the track in his SP Tools Porsche for the fourth round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship from August 18 to 20 forming part of the OTR SuperSprint which will also host the 9th Round of the Repco Supercars Championship.

You can follow Garth’s Carrera Cup debut via the Grove Racing and SP Tools social media channels.

Jones confirms Bathurst, Gold Coast return

2022 Champion to tackle premier rounds in family team this October

Reigning Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Champion and current Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup driver, Harri Jones, is returning to the Australian one-make championship in October this year, in what will be familiar colours but a brand-new team.

Jones is currently living and racing in Europe, competing in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and Carrera Cup Germany, with top teams BWT Lechner Racing and Scherer Sport PHX respectively.

He is returning to Australia for two of the most iconic rounds of the season – the Repco Bathurst 1000 and Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 – however for the first time will be driving under his own team, Jones Motorsport.

The Queenslander will be racing in familiar colours, with existing major partners Hastings Deering and MacKellar Group backing the youngster’s new endeavour.

“The Bathurst 1000 and Gold Coast 500 are two events I always look forward to most on the Carrera Cup Australia Calendar,” says Jones.

“I’m so excited to be returning as the reigning Champion and to expand our team with the support of our amazing major partners, Hastings Deering and MacKellar Group.”

Reflecting on his time in Europe so far, Jones has grown immensely through the intense level of competition across both the Supercup and Carrera Cup Germany championships.

“My time in Europe so far has been incredible,” says Jones. “I’ve been fortunate enough to join forces with the best teams in Porsche one-make racing worldwide and race in not one, but two incredibly competitive championships.

“I’ve developed so much as a racing driver and have gained so much experience within the sport. I’m confident that we will be able to put that all to good use and showcase our team back on home soil.”

MacKellar Group and Hastings Deering were pivotal to Harri’s success in the 2022 Championship through their support and have remained by his side throughout his European debut.

“I’m so grateful for the continued support from my partners and their commitment to backing me through this next phase of my racing career,” says Jones.

“This year marks five years with the MacKellar Group and my second year partnering with Hastings Deering. Both companies have really embraced the partnership across their respective teams, which has been brilliant for me to also be a part of personally.

“I’m so excited to be racing again on home soil, in front of my partners, friends and family. It’s certainly something I’ve missed a lot whilst overseas. And to be coming back to race for my own team adds a whole new level to it, I honestly can’t wait.”

Speaking about the ongoing partnership, Jason Smith, Executive General Manager – Resource Industries of Hastings Deering, said, “We are extremely proud to continue our partnership with Harri Jones.”

“Harri embodies the qualities and values that resonate deeply with our company. His commitment to excellence, tireless work ethic, and passion for motorsport aligns perfectly with our own dedication to delivering outstanding machinery solutions to our customers.”

Having supported Harri since his debut in Porsche racing back in 2019, MacKellar Group are also excited to see him back on the Aussie racing circuit.

“As MacKellar Group extends its support to Harri Jones for another exhilarating season, we are immensely proud to stand side by side with a fearless driver whose determination and unwavering passion embody the values we hold dear,” said Chairman, Duncan MacKellar.

“Together, we drive towards excellence, pushing boundaries, and achieving remarkable victories on and off the track.”

In the first few races of his debut year overseas, Jones has already made his mark on the European racing scene. Classified as a Rookie within both Championships, he has already claimed 5 Rookie podiums and multiple top 5 outright finishes.

With a bright future ahead of him, it’s clear that Jones’ talent continues to shine through among the best, no matter the geography.

The Bathurst 1000 will be held from October 5-8 followed by the Gold Coast 500 three weeks later from October 27-29. To continue to follow Harri’s progress, follow his social media accounts and subscribe to his monthly newsletter at www.harrijones.com.au.

Davison takes Townsville win with last-race stunner

Sam Shahin wins SP Tools Pro-Am battle in North Queensland

ALEX DAVISON has claimed his first Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship round win since 2016 thanks to a stunning start in the final race of Round 3 in Townsville. 

Davison had chased Race 2 winner Max Vidau hard earlier on Sunday but launched perfectly in the finale’ to grab an early lead which, coupled with Vidau being shuffled down the order on the opening lap, helped deliver him his first win since June 2016.

Vidau finished second overall and Jackson Walls third in a critical weekend for his championship and Michelin Junior title hopes.

Meanwhile, Sam Shahin claimed an impressive win in SP Tools Pro-Am after race one and two winner Adrian Flack failed to finish the final race with damage.

He was joined on the podium by Matt Belford, in second, and the ever-consistent Rodney Jane in third.

Both winners were emotional while celebrating on the Townsville podium with today’s victories especially meaningful to both Shahin and Davison. a

Davison’s win was the 17th round win of his stunning career while his race 3 victory was his 48th in Carrera Cup Australia.

He’s the third winner from the three rounds held this year and fifth different winner from the last five rounds.

Shahin, meanwhile, broke Adrian Flack’s two-round winning streak to inject more life into the Pro-Am fight.

Sunday’s two races were hard-fought affairs with Vidau leading home Davison and Hedge in the Enduro Cup opener earlier in the morning.

Hedge gained three spots early to make up for his race one penalty, while Walls finished fourth and just off the podium to add to his points haul.

Though he couldn’t take the overall round win, Vidau’s race two victory gives the Tyrepower TekworkX driver an early advantage in the Carrera Cup Enduro Cup campaign points tally.

Adrian Flack won the SP Tools Pro-Am class over Shahin – who had a damaged front splitter – and Dean Cook to take an early lead in the Enduro Cup series.

Race three was a typical sprint with Davison’s fast start launching him to a lead he’d never lose.

Vidau found himself on the wrong side of the road on the opening lap shuffle, allowing Walls, Hedge and Fabian Coulthard to sneak through.

Fifth position ensured he finished behind Davison in the round, however saw him claw points back on his closest title rivals following a tough round in Darwin last time out.

Coulthard’s fourth was his best finish since returning to Carrera Cup while Chris Pither’s sixth was a similar milestone.

David Wall, a charging Thomas Maxwell, Luke King and Nick McBride completed the top-10.

After winning the first two races, Adrian Flack couldn’t go further than the opening lap in race three as damage from the first-lap battles saw him forced to pit lane and out of the race.

That handed the advantage to Shahin, who claimed the race win and the round overall.

Jackson Walls leaves Townsville with an extended, 20-point lead in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship as the series heads to The Bend Motorsport Park for round four.

Callum Hedge sits second while Max Vidau’s pair of wins see him climb back to third. Dale Wood drops to fourth in the standings while Alex Davison has climbed to sixth.

Meanwhile, Sam Shahin takes a narrow lead in SP Tools Pro-Am heading into Round 4, with Flack and Jane in close company.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship resumes at The Bend’s OTR SuperSprint this August 18-20.

ALEX DAVISON

“I can’t even tell you how this even feels, I’m a little bit emotional to be honest. I’m just so thankful to Scott and Rebecca Taylor for the opportunity to drive their car. I’m back with my mate Ash Seward from ASM, we raced together in 2017 so it’s awesome to be back winning races with him.

“I love racing. I’m on the wrong side of 40 but I still love it and I still feel I’m driving well but it becomes more difficult to keep life balanced and make sure you’re earning a living and to keep chasing the driving opportunities I still have a passion for. I just feel really lucky and fortunate that I’m still getting opportunities like this, I’m driving with my brother at DJR at the Enduros which this helps prepare me for as well.

“I haven’t raced full time for quite a few years now and I often think that I’m not going to get the opportunity to do it again.

“There’s been a lot going on in my private life too the last few years, so all combined, it means a lot.”

SAM SHAHIN

“There was a lot going on, as there always is at Townsville. Lots of white smoke and I’m not sure whether to go left or right and sometimes you make good decisions, and sometimes you get caught out.

“Today that went my way on a couple of accidents in front of me and I just kept my head down and focussed on doing the basics right. I didn’t get the year off to a great start, and I really needed this. The weekend had been a bit up and down but I was really focussed on doing a good job today.

“It’s a special anniversary for me, we’re doing this for lost ones today, so I’m very proud to be carrying the first place trophy home.”

UPDATE: Vidau takes Race 1 win, Hedge penalised

Post-race penalty elevates TekworkX driver to second career win

A post-race penalty to Callum Hedge has elevated Max Vidau one position to claim victory in the opening Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia race in Townsville. 

Vidau had followed Hedge to the line in race one, however was elevated to the win after Hedge was penalised five finishing positions for a breach of the driver briefing instructions – no breaking of traction from Turn 13 on the formation lap.

It elevates Vidau to his second career victory, backing up his maiden race win at the Australian Grand Prix earlier this year.

Hedge, meanwhile, was relegated to sixth position as a result of his penalty.

The change to the result elevates Alex Davison to second, David Wall to third, Fabian Coulthard to fourth and Jackson Walls to fifth.

The finishing positions of Race 1 are also the starting positions for Race 2, meaning Vidau and Davison will make up the front row.

Further penalties were applied to David Wall, as a result of his contact with David Russell at Turn 6.

Wall was penalised 15 championship points for his role in the incident.

David Russell’s car has been withdrawn from the event, however Simon Fallon and Bailey Hall will return to race tomorrow following overnight repairs on their Sonic and McElrea entries, respectively.

Full revised results will be issued on Sunday morning.

Race 2 commences at 8:35am on Sunday morning with live coverage on Fox Sports, Kayo and Sky Sports NZ.

Hedge, Vidau battle for Race 1 win in Townsville

Adrian Flack extends SP Tools Pro-Am lead with strong race 1 win

CALLUM HEDGE added his name to the ever-expanding winners list in the 2023 Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, battling with Max Vidau before claiming Race 1 at Townsville today.

In an intense battle for the lead, the pair ran side-by-side on several occasions before a late race Safety Car ensured Hedge would be able to hold on and claim victory.

Vidau finished second and Alex Davison third in a wild affair that ended under Yellow after several incidents on lap 11 that would see the race finish behind the Safety Car.

Adrian Flack made the best start to claim the SP Tools Pro-Am class over Sam Shahin with Rodney Jane in third.

The race commenced with a flying start from Hedge, who burst away from the start to build a two second lead in the opening pair of laps.

Wall slipped past Vidau for second, before the TekworkX driver re-passed the former champion and set out in pursuit of the young Kiwi in front.

The pair closed rapidly and spent several laps duelling for the lead, a result that drew Wall, Alex Davison, David Russell and Bayley Hall into the fight as well.

That exploded on lap 11 when a furious fight for third place tipped over.

Alex Davison passed David Wall at turn three, before Wall and David Russell made contact on the entry to turn five – that incident spinning Russell into the fence.

Taking evasive action, Simon Fallon and Bayley Hall both made contact with the tyres on the outside of turn six, while Dale Wood was another caught up as he took evasive action on the inside of the corner, only to launch into the air and then spin to the back of the Pro field.

The stranded cars necessitated a recovery and a lengthy Safety Car period, with the race finishing under yellow with Hedge, Vidau and Davison crossing the line to complete the podium.

Wall crossed the line fourth – with the contact with Russell under investigation – with Fabian Coulthard fifth in his best result since returning to the championship aboard the BWT Porsche Centre Melbourne entry.

Jackson Walls avoided the carnage to finish sixth with Chris Pither, Christian Pancione, Dylan O’Keeffe and Angelo Mouzouris rounding out the top-10.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Flack got the jump on Shahin at the start and was able to hold on throughout the race to claim the win.

Shahin, who had earlier grabbed his first TAG Heuer pole award in several seasons, finished second with Rodney Jane third.

Matt Belford was fourth and Daniel Stutterd was fifth.

Two further races complete the weekend tomorrow, including a 28-lap opener on Sunday morning that kicks off the Enduro Cup season.

All results from Race 1 remain provisional pending several post-race investigations underway.

CALLUM HEDGE:

“I got a good start and was kind of hoping the guys behind me would battle. They battled for the first few laps and I managed to get away, until I realised I didn’t have enough tyres.

“So I preserved my tyres until they caught me and I tried to back them up and make them race each other. They did a little bit but then the Safety car back and I was able to hold on.

“We’ve got a bit of time to find before tomorrow, see if we can make the tyre last a bit longer.

“It was a great battle! I used just within the limits of the rules with what I could do – move once, brake in a straight line and not run him out of road. Big credit to him, he was really fast and raced hard so looking forward to racing him tomorrow.”

ADRIAN FLACK

“That was a hard race. I forget how hot you get at this place and you’re always working hard over the bumps and through the corners. I was glad to get the job done and bring it home.

“I got a good start, trying to find a slot at the start with all these cars was a big challenge and it’s hard to see. I managed to find a spot and kept head down and got to the end.”

Hedge on top early in Townsville

Adrian Flack on top in tight Pro-Am fight on North Queensland streets

CALLUM HEDGE has picked up where he left off to top practice for Round 3 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship on the streets of Townsville.

The young New Zealander topped the second – and quickest – of two, 25-minute practice sessions today in his Team Porsche NZ / Earl Bamber Motorsport Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car today at the scene of his maiden Carrera Cup win twelve months ago.

Hedge won the third race and the round overall in Townsville last year, the first of his Carrera Cup Career.

Twelve months on, his 1:13.6669s topped the times on Friday by a tiny 0.05 seconds, with David Wall a narrow second aboard his Monochrome / Wall Racing entry.

Hedge was naturally also quickest in the Michelin Juniors and the Equity One Pro class runners.

Darwin winner Dale Wood was was third quickest today, having earlier topped practice one.

Wood this morning unveiled a brand-new livery and sponsor, Ranbuild, for his EBM-run entry today.

David Russell and Fabian Coulthard completed the top five on overall times, with Thomas Maxwell, Dylan O’Keeffe, Angelo Mouzouris, Alex Davison and Max Vidau completing the top-10.

Championship leader Jackson Walls was 13th, though only 0.6s away from the quickest time.

The end of the second practice session turned into something of a mini-shootout with most contenders running new Michelin tyres late in the day, ahead of the all-important qualifying session on Saturday morning.

The tight fight in SP Tools Pro-Am continued in practice today, Adrian Flack topping Dean Cook by 0.08 seconds today.

The Pro-Am pair were exactly one second away from the quickest outright time showing their high level of competition this year.

Matt Belford was an impressive third with Sam Shahin fourth and Rodney Jane fifth, Marc Cini, Tim Miles and Daniel Stutterd completing the order.

Earlier, Cook had topped Practice 1 by the same 0.08 seconds he trailed in FP2, Shahin and Belford in close company in the opening hit out.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns for qualifying tomorrow morning, ahead of the opening of three races tomorrow afternoon.

Qualifying will be shown live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports, with Channel 7 also showing Race 1 on free-to-air.

CALLUM HEDGE

“It was a pretty good start. i didn’t drive very good this morning, I kept trying to drive it like a single seater and it tu4rns out this thing isn’t a single seater car.

So I tuned that up for practice two. I didn’t start off well on the used tyres but re-set and went on some greens and felt really comfortable. I got a nice bunker lap and that helped.

“Last year this was a track I was looking forward to, purely because it looked like a good track on the TV, but to get that breakthrough result set up a strong of success for me in the back half of last year.

“The goal is to do the same and get on the round podium, and the championship lead.”

ADRIAN FLACK

“It’s always a good way to start. this track is always quite frightening to start with and as the rubber comes down you feel a little more comfortable out there, so a good way to start,

“I was thinking to myself, can these guys slow down- it was getting on the edge there at the end. It’s a good start, I love the track and looking forward to the rest of the weekend here.”

Carrera Cup heads to Townsville as title form guide builds

Series returns to the streets as Enduro Cup kicks off

THE PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship heads to Townsville in North Queensland this weekend for Round 3 of the championship. 

It comes two weeks after Dale Wood swept the weekend in Darwin, scoring pole position, three race victories, the round in Equity One Pro and setting a new lap record in the process.

In SP Tools Pro Am, Dean Cook claimed the round win without winning a single race – the ‘race within a race’ delivering three winners from three starts last time out.

It’s a trend seen before in Townsville, with six different winners from the last six races at the Reid Park street circuit venue.

Round 1 winner Jackson Walls currently leads the championship by just five points over the resurgent Wood – with Callum Hedge a further 13 points further back.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Adrian Flack enjoys a narrow lead over Dean Cook and Sam Shahin, who sit equal on points in second and third, respectively.

This weekend will also see the first race in the Carrera Cup Enduro Cup, Sunday morning’s encounter to be held over 28 laps.

Action commences on Friday with a pair of practice sessions ahead of TAG Heuer qualifying on Saturday morning.

Qualifying will again be split into separate segments for SP Tools Pro Am and Equity One Pro contenders.

Race 1 will launch on Saturday afternoon with two further races on Sunday to complete the round.

Races 1 and 3 will be shown live and free on the Seven Network, while the remaining sessions following Practice 1 will also be broadcast live and ad-break free on Fox Sports and Kayo.

FAST FACTS – Townsville

• There have been four winners from the past four rounds, dating back to Bathurst last year. They are Aaron Love (Bathurst), Callum Hedge (Gold Coast), Jackson Walls (Melbourne) and Dale Wood (Darwin). The last time there were four different winners in four rounds was the start of the 2022 series, which ultimately turned into a streak of seven winners from seven rounds, before Aaron Love dominated the end of the year.
• Townsville last year was the scene of Jackson Walls’ first race win and round podium finish. He enters this year’s round as the championship leader, having finished first and third in the two rounds held so far this year.
• Both of Walls’ podiums have come on a countback: He won in Melbourne on a countback, however lost second in Darwin to Callum Hedge for the same reason. Countbacks are decided based on which driver finishes higher in the final race.
• Dale Wood’s Darwin win was the first ‘clean sweep’ of a round in his career, the race three win coming in his 100^th Carrera Cup race – the first time any driver has won in their milestone century affair.
• While Wood was happy history repeated in Darwin, he will be hoping the same is not the case in Townsville this year: in 2022, Wood qualified sixth however was a non-finisher two laps into the opening race, salvaging finishes of 15^th and 16^th in the final two races, respectively.
• Five (completed and official) races into the championship and only three drivers have finished all of them inside the top 10! Jackson Walls has not finished lower than third so far this year, while Dale Wood (lowest of 5^th) and Callum Hedge (lowest of 4^th) have also been the kings of consistency in the top five. Every other driver has a finish outside the top 10, or a non-finish, to their credit. Fabian Coulthard finished in the Top 10 every race in Darwin, but missed the Grand Prix.
• Rodney Jane’s race win in Race 2 was his first in Pro-Am competition since Bathurst, 2008 – a gap of 5362 days. It is the longest period between race wins in Carrera Cup history.
• Fabian Coulthard’s return, meanwhile, came after more than 6,400 days since his last race in the championship in November 2005 at Phillip Island. It’s the longest period between Carrera Cup Australia race starts in series history.
• David Wall set the Townsville lap record last year, re-setting a more than decade old benchmark and what was one of the oldest records in the series history, dating back to 2011. Lap records have been set at both rounds so far this year.
• Last year was the second time in two seasons that Townsville has featured three winners from three races and was the scene of maiden Carrera Cup race wins for Jackson Walls and Callum Hedge, and the Hedge’s first round win.
• There’s guaranteed to be a first-time SP Tools Pro-Am round winner this weekend; there are no former Townsville round winners on the grid this weekend.
• Dylan O’Keeffe is completing Dry July this year on account of one of his key supporters – GT racer Mike Sheargold – recently being diagnosed with Bowel Cancer. Sheargold, who is a major supporter of Garth Walden Racing via his RAM Motorsport brand, had the cancer detected early and underwent a successful operation to remove it. O’Keeffe will complete Dry July to help raise funds and awareness for Bowel Cancer Australia.

Grove Racing, Bamber, ready for 24 Hours of Spa

Stephen & Brenton Grove to be joined by Earl Bamber and Anton de Pasquale for around-the-clock epic

It’s the most anticipated endurance race with the world’s best drivers and manufacturers taking to the iconic Spa Francorchamps Circuit for the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa.

Father and son duo Stephen and Brenton Grove, along with Anton De Pasquale and Earl Bamber will continue their international GT campaign this month taking part in the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa forming part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

The squad has been sharing the driving duties across the IGTC rounds which have so far included the Bathurst 12 Hour and the Kyalami 9 Hour. They also participated in the Dubai 24 Hour early this year where they placed an impressive P4, just shy of a podium. In addition, they took to Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit for a round of the GT World Challenge Australia bringing home a P2 result.

The team took to Spa Francorchamps circuit last month to undertake a mandatory 2-day test. Anton helped push the Porsche to second in the fourth and concluding session, finishing just 0.092s from another Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) in P1 showing impressive potential for the Bronze entry.

The Grove entry placed 64th, 47th, 44th and 2nd across the four sessions with the annual 24 Hour race set to be held from June 29-July 2.

The Grove’s are not unfamiliar with the Belgium circuit with the duo competing alongside Matt Payne and Adrian de Silva back in 2022.

The crew will be supported by the team at Earl Bamber Motorsport as they have been for the last two rounds of the series as well as Penrite Racing car #19 Race Engineer, Jack Bell who has previously worked alongside the Groves in their Porsche Carrera Cup Campaign in 2022 as well as Super2 series.

The event will be held from June 29-July 2.

STEPHEN GROVE:

“This is the ultimate GT endurance race in the world with the best GT drivers and teams on a complex and challenging track. The team will race a new generation 992 GT3 Porsche race car.

“It’s a long and challenging race with over 70 GT cars that always have weather challenges over the 24 hours. It is great to be joined by Brenton, Anton and Earl – all extremely capable drivers, and I look forward to working with Earl Bamber Motorsport.”

BRENTON GROVE:

“It is a massive event which will no doubt bring its challenges but we are confident in the package we have and the car has shown strong pace throughout testing which is really encouraging.

“Anton, Steve and Earl are all incredibly capable drivers with a lot of experience so with that in mind and a strong crew, I have no doubt that we can bring home some silverware,” said Brenton.

EVENT SCHEDULE

Tuesday 27 June
14:55 – 17:55 | Bronze Test

Thursday 29 June

11:20 – 12:50 | Free Practice 1
18:10 – 19:10 | Pre-Qualifying
21:20 – 22:41 | Qualifying
23:00 00:30 | Night Practice

Friday 30 June

15:35 – 16:05 | Super Pole
19:55 – 20:25 | Warm Up

Saturday 1 July

15:30 – 16:30 | Start Ceremony
16:30 | Race

You can watch the sessions live via the website: https://www.crowdstrike24hoursofspa.com/watch-live

Clean sweep delivers Wood Darwin win in milestone weekend

Dean Cook claims unpredictable Pro-Am round win in Darwin

DALE WOOD has swept the weekend to take a commanding round win in Round 2 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, dominating proceedings in the Top End at Hidden Valley Raceway near Darwin. 

After taking pole and race one on Saturday, Wood won both of Sunday’s races to claim his fourth career round victory – and his second straight in Darwin.

RESULTS: Race 2, 3 at Hidden Valley

He completed his emphatic performance with a lights-to-flag win in race three, his milestone 100th in Carrera Cup competition.

To make matters even better, the Victorian also departs Hidden Valley with a new category lap record just to complete the sweep.

Wood’s pathway to victory came with a convincing drive in race two, leading from pole and pulling away from early pursuer Jackson Walls.

He then survived a mid-race restart to lead Callum Hedge home, with Walls third.

In Race three, Wood again led from pole however had to fend off a challenge from Hedge, who sent it around the outside of turn one at the start and very nearly wrestled the lead away from the Shannons / EBM Porsche driven by his teammate.

Once he had seen off the the threat from his young teammate, Wood was able to ease away in front to secure what was his 15th career race win – and seal the round result.

Walls and Hedge ended tied on points for second and third, with the latter securing the higher position by virtue of finishing second in the final race. The Kiwi was also the top Michelin Junior driver for the weekend and second in the Equity One Pro Class.

Walls, meanwhile, now moves into a clear – if narrow – championship lead heading into the third round in Townsville in three weeks time.

Territorian Thomas Maxwell enjoyed his best ever weekend and finished fourth outright in Darwin, while David Wall finished fifth overall.

Both of Sunday’s races were ultra competitive affairs with plenty of wild moments and ultra-competitive racing throughout.

Big movers included Simon Fallon, who charged his way from outside the top-10 in qualifying through to fourth position by the end of race three.

David Russell was another big mover on Sunday, charging through the field to 6th position.

It was a challenging weekend for Max Vidau, who came into the weekend co-leading the championship following a strong weekend at Albert Park. Chris Pither, Alex Davison and Bayley Hall were others – among many – to endure challenging weekends in the Top End.

A totally unpredictable weekend in the SP Tools Pro-Am class went the way of Dexion / GWR driver Dean Cook – who won the round despite not claiming a race win.

It was the Victorian drivers’ third career win and came in a weekend where three different drivers claimed the three races.

Sam Shahin claimed Race 1 on Saturday, while Rodney Jane claimed the second race in his Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic Motor Racing entry.

It was Jane’s first Pro-Am win since Bathurst, 2008.

The Victorian was then leading the final race until he came off the road with two laps to go, spinning out at turn eleven and handing the lead to Tim Miles.

Miles was then pounced on by Adrian Flack at turn one on the start of the final lap, the latter ultimately grabbing the race win.

Ultimately, Cook won the round without winning a race, with Shahin second and Miles on the podium in third for the first time since 2001.

Provisionally, Jackson Walls now has a five-point championship lead over Dale Wood, with Callum Hedge in third position a further 11 points back.

After a long break since the opening round of the championship at the Australian Grand Prix in March, the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship gets busy from here on in, with the next event in just three weeks on the streets of Townsville.

DALE WOOD – Equity One Pro class winner

“I don’t know what it is about racing here, but I’ll take it! We’re in a good place at the moment. Last year, we had a totally different car to what we had this year but we’ve learnt a lot. We have a pretty good package going on in the team, I was loving flying the new colours in Shannons and all my supporters.

“It’s just unbelievable. To go and do that, to get pole, three race wins and a lap record I’ll call that a good weekend. It’s bloody awesome, bring on the next one.”

DEAN COOK – SP Tools Pro-Am winner

“I think I only knew (about being the round winner) on the last lap, the boys gave me a call and I thought I’d better bring it home.

“I wasn’t there until Rodney might’ve made some errors and I jumped out, but only two or three laps to go. It’s been very nice to spray the champagne here in Darwin.”

Wood takes tense Darwin opener from pole

Sam Shahin takes Pro-Am win in Territory heat

THE Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship’s current Darwin king has continued his recent form, Dale Wood charging from Pole position to a race one win at Hidden Valley Raceway. 

Wood claimed the outright and Equity One Pro class win, while Sam Shahin won in SP Tools Pro Am.

Wood started his Shannons-backed entry from pole position and beat nearest rival Jackson Walls into turn one.

RESULTS: Race 1, Hidden Valley

He was never headed from there and despite searing race-long pressure from Walls was able to take a lights-to-flag win.

It’s the 13th of his Carrera Cup career and comes as he approaches his 100th race milestone tomorrow.

Walls’ – who was also the top Michelin Junior – moved into a clear championship lead by virtue of his solid second position, while local driver Thomas Maxwell finished third.

It was Maxwell’s first Carrera Cup top three finish, having previously finished fifth on three occasions.

Callum Hedge finished fourth but held off a freight train of key contenders to do so – including a race-long fight with David Wall that saw the pair swap positions on several occasions.

Wall was fifth, leading a freight train that included Nick McBride, Garnet Patterson and Fabian Coulthard.

Max Vidau – who charged from 14th on the grid – was ninth with Chris Pither 10th.

Several key contenders had issues, most notably the Dexion Racing entry of Dylan O’Keeffe, who started fourth however lost several positions early in the run from turn one to turn six on the opening lap.

Damage from contact then saw the Victorian head to pit lane and ultimately finish last, one lap down.

Alex Davison was another to lose positions early, the Scott Taylor Motorsport car slipping to 13th by the end of the race.

Bayley Hall was another with issues, running wide at turn six on the opening lap to drop down the order.

Running in clear air, Hall was able to set a new lap record as he tried to climb back through the field.

In the SP Tools Pro-Am Class, Polesitter Adrian Flack battled with Sam Shahin in the early stages with the pair swapping positions several times, before Shahin gained the ascendancy to score his first race win in Darwin.

Flack had led early however slipped off the road at turn one to drop to third position in the Pro-Am race.

That allowed the ever-consistent Dean Cook to climb to second position, shadowing Shahin home.

With Flack third, Matt Belford finished fourth and Danny Stutterd fifth.

With the fourth race of the season complete – the third to go the distance and be counted – Jackson Walls now moves into a clear championship lead over Wood and Hedge.

Two further races will feature on the betr Darwin Triple Crown tomorrow to decide Round 2 of the championship.

DALE WOOD – Equity One Pro Class winner

“The weekend started similarly to last year, but last year I stuffed up the start! It was pretty strong, I think on TV it might look like a bit of a procession but you’re working your butt off. Full credit to Jackson, he was dead set keeping me honest and I was working my butt off out there.

“No mistakes, that’s the ticket. You make a mistake, you’re going to pay for it. Car is bloody awesome, I love the new colours and I’m really enjoying it.”

SAM SHAHIN – SP Tools Pro-Am Class win

“It’s great to get a win. I had a pretty ordinary first round at the Grand Prix and had a lot of ground to make there. Flacky got in early, and he’s a class act, he’s a tough competitor and a very fair competitor. I had to work hard and for an old fella, I’m pretty happy with that.”

Wood, Flack score TAG Heuer Pole Awards in Darwin

Top four split by under one-tenth in thrilling TAG Heuer Pole Award shootout

DALE WOOD has charged to a repeat TAG Heuer pole award at Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin, 12 months on from his last pole position in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship. 

Wood banked a 1m06.6637s flyer in the 12-minute Equity One Pro session and then watched as key contenders tried but ultimately failed to beat his time.

It was Wood’s fifth Carrera Cup pole and comes as he brings a new sponsor into a milestone weekend, where he celebrates his 100th Carrera Cup race.

Jackson Walls came closest, the Objective Racing driver falling just 0.05 seconds short of scoring his first pole – though second remains his personal best qualifying performance in Carrera Cup.

Thomas Maxwell qualified third – just 0.06 seconds from pole – while Friday fast-man Dylan O’Keeffe was fourth.

The top four cars were split by just 0.09 seconds, the top 10 by 0.3 seconds and the top 15 by 0.55.

Co-title leader Max Vidau was the big loser from the session, the Round 1 runner-up electing on a two-run strategy that ultimately fell just short of working – the Tyrepower car ending up just 14th.

In the SP Tools Pro-Am class, Adrian Flack’s 1m07.6831 best came under fire from several contenders in their dedicated session, run before the Pro class cars.

Sam Shahin came closest, falling 0.15s from pole, while Dean Cook was next just 0.03 seconds further back.

Rodney Jane was fourth with the top three split by a tiny margin, while Tim Miles, Matt Belford, Daniel Stuttered and Marc Cini completing the Pro-Am runners.

Race 1 will be held on Saturday afternoon and will be shown live on Fox Sports 506, Kayo and the Seven Network.

O’Keeffe, Flack top fast Friday at Hidden Valley

Quick times in hot conditions highlight practice day at Hidden Valley

DYLAN O’KEEFFE has topped fast Friday for the second round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship as the series returns to Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin. 

The Dexion / RAM Motorsport / GWR driver set a 1m06.8290s flyer late in the second practice session today to top an incredibly competitive grid that saw the top 20 quickest cars covered by just over 0.9 seconds.

RESULTS: Practice sessions 1 & 2

Adrian Flack, the leader in the SP Tools Pro-Am class after one round, topped the Pro-Am runners in practice and ended the day an outstanding 14th outright – and a full 0.5 seconds quicker than his nearest class rival.

Today’s pair of 25-minute sessions set the tone for qualifying and the first of three races that will be held tomorrow.

A host of contenders put new tyres on at the end of the second session with milestone man Dale Wood, who makes his 100th race start later this weekend, jumping to second late in practice two, just 0.008s behind O’Keeffe in the battle of the Equity-One Pro’s.

Round 1 winner Jackson Walls was third and first Michelin Junior driver with David Wall fourth and Hidden Valley lap record holder Christian Pancione fifth.

Alex Davison was next and followed closely by Fabian Coulthard, who was straight on the pace on his long-anticipated series return for BWT Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport.

Coulthard was in the top five in practice one and continued that form later in the day.

Bayley Hall topped the second session for a time before ending it in eighth position with Chris Pither and Callum Hedge completing the top-10.

The competitive diversity in the grid was shown with six different teams represented in the top-10.

Earlier in the day, David Wall topped practice one ahead of Nick McBride and Max Vidau, with Coulthard and Hedge next.

While Flack topped the Pro-am runners, practice two saw Sam Shahin second and Dean Cook third in the SP Tools-backed class.

Typically hot conditions at Hidden Valley saw several drivers trip up today as the circuit conditions changed throughout the day.

Moutai-backed Wall Racing driver Luke King had an off in turn one, making light contact with the tyres at Turn 10 before returning to the circuit after quick work from his team.

Christian Pancione then had a left-rear puncture on his Supercheap Auto car in practice two, while Matt Belford’s left front was also punctured following a trip off the road at turn one.

Braking for the tricky first corner was a notable challenge for everyone throughout the day.

Saturday will see the field qualify for the TAG Heuer Pole Award in the morning, with the SP Tools Pro-Am contenders to run first, followed by the Equity One Pro contenders.

The first of three races will be held in the afternoon, with both sessions to be shown live on Fox Sports, Kayo Sports and Sky Sports NZ.

Race 1 will also be shown on the Seven Network around Australia.

PREVIEW: Round 2, Hidden Valley Raceway, Darwin.

Former champion joins the grid as Carrera Cup fight resumes at Hidden Valley

THE PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns to Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway for the 10^th time at this weekend’s Betr Darwin Triple Crown.

It’s the second round of the 2023 championship, with a long break between the season opener at the Australian Grand Prix in March and this weekend’s event in the top end.

Currently Objective Racing / McElrea Racing driver Jackson Walls and Tyrepower TekworkX star Max Vidau share the lead in the outright and Equity One Pro title races after scoring the same points at Albert Park, though Walls’ claimed his maiden round win on countback by virtue of winning the final race.

Kiwi Callum Hedge sits third in the standings aboard his Team Porsche NZ / Earl Bamber Motorsport entry with Dale Wood and Nick McBride completing the top five.

Meanwhile, Adrian Flack leads the SP Tools Pro-Am class after sweeping the two races contested in Melbourne, with Rodney Jane – fresh from a trip to race at Le Mans last week – and Dean Cook next.

The 28-strong Darwin field includes the return of 2005 champion, Fabian Coulthard, who joins BWT Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport’s Courtney Prince in a revised attack from the Melbourne-based team.

Coulthard joins fellow former champion David Wall (2017) and Alex Davison (2004) on the grid in one of the most packed fields of proven Porsche talent the series has ever seen.

The Darwin field accounts for 103 race victories – almost one quarter of every race the series has contested – and 38 round victories.

Davison is the only driver to have claimed multiple Darwin round victories, winning in 2004 and again in 2016.

While Coulthard links with Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport, the returning Melbourne Performance Centre squad will make a comeback to the championship this weekend following a more than decade-long absence.

The multiple GT World Challenge Australia title-winning outfit will field three cars, for Equity One Pro driver Nick McBride, and SP Tools Pro-Am contenders Marc Cini and Matt Belford.

Meanwhile, Dale Wood will become the 26^th driver to reach the ‘100 club’ of drivers to have started a century of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Races.

Wood will reach the milestone in the third of three races this weekend.

The Victorian made his Carrera Cup debut in 2013 and has raced full-time in the series since 2018. The runner-up in the 2019 championship, Wood has won 3 rounds and 12 races in his career – his last race and round wins coming in Darwin.

Wood also has four pole positions – his most recent in Darwin last year as well.

Territorian driver Thomas Maxwell will also make his Hidden Valley return this weekend as he embarks on his second full season in Carrera Cup – the only local driver on the Porsche grid this weekend.

2023 marks the second year the current Type-992 Porsche GT3 Cup car will have tackled Hidden Valley’s 2.87km, the latest example of Porsche’s one-make racer establishing new qualifying and race lap records on its debut there in 2022.

Dale Wood (1m06.5556s) owns the qualifying record, while Christian Pancione (1m07.5065s) the race record.

Wood claimed the 2022 round at the venue, his most recent round and race wins in Carrera Cup.

The series will contest three races this weekend at the Betr Darwin Triple Crown.

All three days of racing will be broadcast, with action commencing on Friday with a pair of two practice sessions.

Qualifying will be held in two parts – for Pro and Pro Am runners – on Saturday morning before Race 1 on Saturday afternoon.

Races 2 & 3 will be held on Sunday, with the first and third races of the weekend to be shown live on the Seven Network around Australia.

All other sessions will be broadcast on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports this weekend.

ENTRY LIST – ROUND 2

HIDDEN VALLEY ROUND WINNERS

2003     Tim Leahey
2004     Alex Davison
2006     Craig Baird
2007     David Reynolds
2016     Alex Davison
2017     Jaxon Evans
2018     Dylan O’Keeffe
2019     Michael Almond
2022     Dale Wood

HIDDEN VALLEY POLE POSITIONS

2003 Jim Richards           1m10.4116s
2004 Jim Richards           1m10.4029s
2006 Alex Davison           1m09.5227s
2007 Alex Davison           1m09.4004s
2016 Matt Campbell       1m07.5609s
2017 David Wall               1m08.0158s
2018 David Wall               1m07.2438s
2019 Cameron Hill           1m07.4406s
2022 Dale Wood              1m06.5566s

HIDDEN VALLEY TAG HEUER PRO-AM ROUND WINNERS

2004 Stephen Borness
2006 Tony Quinn
2007 Rodney Jane
2016 Shane Smollen
2017 Sam Shahin
2018 Stephen Grove
2019 Adrian Flack
2022 Liam Talbot

Fabian Coulthard to join Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport

Former champion, Supercars winner joins Porsche squad for remainder of 2023.

FABIAN COULTHARD will return to the championship that launched his full-time Australian racing career, joining Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport for the remainder of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

The Gold Coast-based New Zealander will join Courtney Prince in a revamped two-car Porsche Centre Melbourne squad for the remaining seven rounds of the championship this year, with options to continue into the 2024 championship.

Coulthard claimed the 2005 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia championship for Greg Murphy Racing prior to embarking on his full-time career in Supercars competition.

Despite just two full-time seasons in the championship, Coulthard remains one of the most successful drivers in series’ history, with six round wins coming from just 18 round starts, and his 19 race wins from 53 races.

He won on his most recent Carrera Cup Australia race start, in 2005 at Phillip Island.

Coulthard remains attached to the Porsche brand as a regular member of the Porsche Sport Driving School coaching team in Queensland.

His addition to the team comes following a re-structure of the PCM squad following the opening round of the championship at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, with the end goal being a return of the squad to the very front of the grid.

As well as being an ambassador for the team and dealership, Coulthard will also support the development of Courtney Prince’s career.

Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport is a factory-owned dealership and is supported by the Porsche retail group.

The team is one of the most successful in Carrera Cup Australia history with previous champions, Craig Baird and Jim Richards. Operations have also recently moved into a stand-alone facility In Collingwood, Melbourne and the team have signed a multi-year partnership with global giant, BWT.

The next round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship continues at the Betr Darwin Triple Crown this weekend at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway.

Action will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sport this weekend.

CAMERON McCONVILLE – Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport

“We are genuinely excited to have Fabian on-board. He is a true pro and it’s just what we need to get PCM back to the pointy end of the field. When a seat became available, he was a natural fit for our brand having a long-term involvement with Porsche Cars Australia with the drive experience and of course, a former Carrera Cup Champion.

“We also need to thank Walkinshaw Andretti United for allowing him to drive with us for the remainder of the year alongside his Supercar enduro commitments.”

FABIAN COULTHARD

“I’m excited to sign with Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport and return to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

“I’ve got fond memories of competing in one-make Porsche racing and it was a great time in my career as I established myself in Australia – I’m still very close with the brand, drive their product regularly and can’t wait to race the 992 GT3 Cup Car starting in Darwin this weekend.

“I was flattered that Cam and the team at PCM got in touch and I’m excited to be joining them to help push their program forward. They’ve always presented quick cars and I’m looking forward to working with Courtney and the whole team for the remainder of this year.

“I’m fortunate that Walkinshaw Andretti United can see the value in me racing this year and allowed me to race in this series. It’s a great way for me to keep sharp and race fit for the enduros later in the year.

“You don’t realize how much you miss racing until you don’t get the opportunity to race, it’s exciting to be back. It’s going to be a challenge to jump in at the deep end in Darwin, in a highly competitive field, but I can’t wait to get stuck in and get behind the wheel at Hidden Valley.”

DANIEL SCHMOLLINGER – Managing Director, Porsche Cars Australia

“Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport has a long history of winning in Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup and we are really excited that Fabian will drive for us and push for podiums and race wins.”

Larry Perkins reflects on 1984 Le Mans campaign as Bob Jane T-Marts returns to La Sarthe

Legend reflects on 1984 Porsche campaign at iconic enduro

Rodney Jane set to make Le Mans debut in Carrera Cup

Bob Jane T-Marts will make a return to the Le Mans event next weekend – 39 years after the brand last competed at the famous French event.

Rodney Jane will make his international racing debut when he competes in the Porsche Carrera Cup races at the Le Mans circuit at Le Sarthe, France, next week.

Jane will race in the one-make Porsche championship that is supporting the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans event – the world’s oldest active endurance racing event that is celebrating its centenary this year.

While this will be Jane’s international racing debut, the Jane family holds a special piece of Australian motorsport history at the 24 Hour of Le Mans event.

Back in 1984, Rodney’s famous father Bob Jane backed an Australian attack consisting of touring car heroes Peter Brock and Larry Perkins in a Porsche 956 in 1984.

Brock and Perkins, who won three Bathurst 1000s together, were an all-Aussie dream team for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but after qualifying the orange Bob Jane T-Marts Porsche 15th and running as high as fifth in the race itself, mechanical issues, and ultimately a crash, ruled the pair out.

Next week, Rodney Jane will get the opportunity to experience the fearsome 13.6km circuit, driving a Porsche identical to the entry that he races in the Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

It is exciting that for the first time in 39 years the Bob Jane T-Marts brand will appear at Le Mans after Bob, Peter and Larry’s ambitious attack.

In Australia, Jane competes in the SP Tools Pro-Am class of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia for the Sonic Motor Racing Services team.

Jane is in his second season of competition after a 10 year lay off. Before his time away from the driver’s seat, Jane won two AM-class Porsche championships and after one round of the 2023 season, he sits second of the AMs.

The Carrera Cup practice sessions at Le Mans start on Wednesday (June 5), with more practice and qualifying on Friday followed by the one and only race on Saturday.

Rodney Jane

“This trip for me means more than just driving a race car at Le Mans,” said Jane.

“My father was instrumental in the careers of many racing drivers, including some of the best names in the sport and he played a pivotal role in getting Peter Brock and Larry Perkins to race there 39 years ago in a Porsche in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“Two Bathurst legends racing there was massive news at the time and I’d like to think that this trip is a small way to pay homage to that.

“I’m really excited for this adventure. It is really going to mean a lot to myself and the Bob Jane T-Marts business.”

Jones in the 10 in Supercup debut at Monaco

Rookie podium for Aussie champion on debut in top one-make tier

PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Champion Harri Jones has stood on the iconic Monaco podium in his Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup debut overnight. 

Jones, driving a BWT Lechner Racing Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car, finished 9th overall in the Supercup season-opener, and third rookie home – earning him a spot on the famous Monaco rostrum.

It was Jones’ second-straight podium appearance in International competition, having finished as top rookie driver in the opening round of the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany championship at Spa Francorchamps a few weeks ago.

Jones qualified 12th in Monte Carlo, just one second from pole, and slipped back two spots in the opening lap hustle.

He then was able to work his way forward through the field and back into the top-10, before a strong move up the hill through Beau Rivage on Supercup veteran Jaap van Lagen to secure ninth with a few laps remaining.

The race was won by Jones’ BWT Lechner Racing teammate, Harry King, who beat two-time champion Larry ten Voorde into turn one from second on the grid and was never headed from there. Bastian Buus, Jones’ other Lechner teammate, was third.

It’s a positive start for Jones, who embarks on his European career following a meteoric rise through the Porsche Pyramid in Australia.

He won the 2019 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge and then the 2022 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia championship – and represented Australia in the Porsche junior shootout – prior to heading overseas full-time this year.

The next round of Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup comes alongside the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring on 7-9 July, while the next two rounds of the German championship come in quick succession – with a trip to Hockenheim (June 9-11) followed by a round at Zandvoort in the Netherlands on June 23-25.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway on June 16-18.

HARRI JONES: 

“It was an awesome race,” Jones said.

“I’m really happy with the result. We could have fought further forward if we had a few more laps but the Safety Car came out towards the end and we ended up finishing behind it.

“The Lechner Racing Team gave me a really good car this weekend. They ended up finishing P1 outright and P3 so they had a double podium so I’m really proud of the team and looking forward to Round 2 at the Red Bull Ring.”

New mini-documentary series on Type-992 GT3 Cup Car set to launch

Inner workings of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia racer unveiled in new video series launching tonight

The first episode in a behind-the-scenes series delving into the inner workings of the stunning Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car – the car used in Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia – will go live this week.

The SP Tools Tech Series is a six-part mini documentary series, produced by Air Time Media, detailing the inner workings of the stunning 992-Generation Cup Car.

It will air across six short episodes, commencing tonight (Wednesday, 17 May) at 7pm AEST.

Hosted by Supercars TV personality Chad Neylon, the series was filmed earlier this year at Porsche Centre Melbourne with a brand-new car and is designed to give fans an insight into the inner workings of the stunning race car – and detail some elements that might not be commonly known.

Episodes include insight into the aerodynamics, powertrain, handling, interior and performance potential of the 500-plus horsepower Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car.

The SP Tools Tech Series will go live on the Porsche Motorsport Australia YouTube Channel and Facebook pages at 7pm this evening, Wednesday 17 May 2023.

The 992 GT3 Cup Cars will next be in action in Round 2 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at the Betr Darwin Triple Crown this June 17-19.

Watch Episode 1 Below:

Jones leads Rookies in European debut

Strong start in Porsche Carrera Cup Germany season opener

2022 PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Champion Harri Jones has launched into his European racing career with a strong start at Spa Francorchamps. 

Jones scored finishes of fifth and seventh in the two Porsche Carrera Cup Germany races at the weekend and leads the rookie championship following the opening round in Belgium.

It was a positive start to his European campaign which builds into the opening round of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup at Imola in three weeks’ time.

Jones’ drives for new squad, Team Scherer Sport PHX, in the German Championship which includes many of his Supercup rivals.

He’ll race for BWT Lechner Racing in the Supercup Championship this year, following in the footsteps of fellow Carrera Cup Australia graduates like Matt Campbell, Jaxon Evans and Jordan Love in contesting the top one-make category in the world.

“It’s been a really good start to the season. We had a top five finish in race one and we crossed the line in P7 today in our rather wet race two,” Jones said.

“We’re leading the Rookie Championship after Round 1 so it’s been an awesome start to the year.”

Jones now turns his attention to the opening round of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, which will be held at the iconic Imola circuit alongside the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

“It’s been a whirlwind start to the year here in Europe,” Jones said.

“I moved to Salzburg (Austria, to be near the Lechner team) four or five weeks ago so far, we’ve been at five different racetracks with lots of testing and lots of new experiences. I’m learning the new teams, people and new championships.”

“Our next round is the first round of Porsche Supercup at Imola, which is back-to-back with Monaco which is going to be a pretty exciting couple of weeks for me.”

2022 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia champion Thomas Sargent will be back in action in the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America Championship next weekend as the series supports the Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix.

In local competition, Round 2 of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia will see the series’ join the Ned Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint later this month.

Sargent fights to second in Carrera Cup North America thriller

Quartet of P2 finishes has Aussie driver, team, second in standings after 4 races

A RACE win seems just around the corner as Aussie Thomas Sargent and McElrea Racing continued their impressive debut in the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America championship, leaving Long Beach with another pair of second-place finishes. 

The reigning Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia champion remains second in the championship with four races complete in the 2023 North American season, having finished second in each of them.

A fighting weekend for Sargent saw him score his first pole position and lead his first laps in the top one-make category in the United States, closing the margin to championship leader Riley Dickinson in the process.

Starting second for the opening, 40-minute race, Sargent slipped to third in the early running in what was a Safety Car-afflicted race.

The New South Wales driver was, however, able to regain second following a late-race restart, which is where he ultimately finished for the third consecutive race, while Riley Dickinson claimed his third-straight win.

Sargent started the final race from pole position – his first of the season – and led the field into turn one, logging his first laps leading the 30-plus North America field this year.

An early Safety Car packed the field up, allowing British driver Will Martin to execute a bold move at turn one to wrestle the race lead away from the McElrea driver.

Sargent then went on the offense, trading quickest laps with Martin as they battled for the lead.

A second Safety Car was called at half-race distance as Sargent’s McElrea teammate, Thomas Nepveu, hit the barriers at turn eight.

The restart saw Sargent launch an attack down the inside at turn one where, with just 12 minutes remaining, he sliced down the inside of Martin to briefly grab the lead.

Martin, however, got the undercut and regained the lead while Sargent was forced to fend off points leader Dickinson, the pair spending several corners side-by-side before the Aussie prevailed.

The pair continued to duel aggressively in the closing stages with a final-lap lunge not enough to move the resolute Martin from the lead: Sargent ultimately settling for second position for the fourth-straight race.

With nearest title rival Dickinson third, it closed the margin to the championship lead to just 18 points heading into the third round of the championship, to be held alongside the Formula One Miami Grand Prix in three weeks time.

TOM SARGENT

“Overall I’m pretty stoked – if you came into the weekend and told me I’d have a pair of P2s, having never been here, I would have been over the moon.

“But when you’re so close on both races, it hurts a little bit!

“We’ve never been here before, the team is brand new and we’re learning. -I’ve learned a lot race-craft wise and it’s been really good. I’ve learned from every race so far and that’s only going to make me better.

“We had the car speed, we had the fastest car here. I hit the wall pretty hard – very hard – on the second lap and from there the car wasn’t quite right, so I couldn’t force my way past Will.

“He defended really well and made it very hard for me. Awesome effort, a lot of work has gone into getting us here and making it happen, I’m pretty stoked and excited for the Miami GP.

“Everyone starts afresh there and it could be our best chance so we’re excited to go there.”

ANDY McELREA
Team Owner, McElrea Racing

“It feels like a win is just around the corner now, that was a great weekend and even though we couldn’t quite seal the deal, there’s only positives to take away from it.

“It’s another circuit where we have shown our cars are as competitive as everyone else, and Tommy drove really well all weekend. Getting a pole position was a big box to tick for us because, as we know, qualifying is so important in Carrera Cup racing.

“We had the quickest car in race two but couldn’t quite get it done, in the end but it was an excellent race regardless.

“Thomas Nepveu had a challenging weekend but every time he gets into the car he is getting quicker and closer to the front and we can see that internally. The boys are working really well together.

“We’re here for the hard racing, we love the battle and this shows again we are extremely competitive. It feels like a big result is just around the corner for us.”

Jones adds Carrera Cup Germany to 2023 program

German campaign adds to Mobil 1 Supercup program

Reigning Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Champion, Harri Jones, will join top European race team, Phoenix Racing – now a newly formed partnership as SCHERER SPORT PHX – for the 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland.

Adding to his already secured Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup seat with twelve-time Porsche Supercup Teams Champion, BWT Lechner Racing, 2023 promises to be a pivotal year for the 23-year-old Queenslander, who has recently moved to Europe to focus full-time on racing.

“For me, it’s a very big step to be racing in Europe now,” says Jones.

“It’s always been my dream since I started motorsport eight years ago. This is the holy grail of motorsport and for me it’s a dream come true.

“My goal is to win the rookie classification and to continue to develop so that I can consistently fight at the front. I don’t know any of the circuits yet, and I haven’t competed against any European drivers. That will certainly be a challenge. But I have confidence in my abilities and the team. We will work very hard to be at the front everywhere, as quickly as possible.”

Jones will be one of ten rookies competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland this year, including teammate Matteo Ferrer-Aza from Italy.

Team Principal, Ernst Moser, is excited about what the new season will bring with both rookies on board.

“Even though this is the first year of the newly formed SCHERER SPORT PHX team, we can build on the Carrera Cup experience of the proven team from the past two years,” says Moser.

“We have two drivers who have never competed in the series before. Therefore, it will be an exciting season. It’s a great thrill to compete with such talented rookies.”

Project Manager Jean-Luc Tille believes Jones has what it takes to win the rookie championship this year.

“It’s cool to support a young driver from Australia with Harri,” says Tille.

“He has already shown in his home country that he can handle the Cup Porsche well. With him, we want to fight for the rookie title this year.”

Having secured a top seat in both the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championships, Jones stands to compete in 16 race weekends this year, a big step up from 8 in 2022.

He has left nothing to chance and has been training and practicing intensively since January in preparation for the gruelling year ahead, both on track through the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East earlier this year, and off-track on the Simulator.

“I feel better prepared than ever before, now it’s time to go show the Europeans what we’ve got!”

The Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland season opener will commence on 27th April in Spa, Belgium, as part of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Walls claims Melbourne on countback with stunning Saturday win

Another wild race, as Adrian Flack sweeps SP Tools Pro-Am

JACKSON WALLS leaves the opening round of the 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia at Albert Park with the Championship lead, after claiming the final race win.

The result saw the youngster tie on points with race one victor Max Vidau, however, Walls claimed the overall round win on a countback.

Adrian Flack meanwhile secured the SP Tools Pro-Am with a dominant performance, repeating his opening race victory, mixing it up with the Equity-One Pro class drivers.

The race commenced with a delayed start after Tim Miles broke a driveshaft on the warm-up lap.

When the action got underway, Walls and Vidau battled hard through the opening turn, with Walls gaining the upper hand and driving away from the field, with Callum Hedge slotting into third ahead of Dale Wood and Nick McBride.

Notable early battles featured Angelo Mouzouris and Bayley Hall, plus Christian Pancione and David Wall, which unravelled at the end of the fourth lap, when Pancione spun at turn 13, with Wall losing ground taking avoiding action.

McBride meanwhile made it past Wood at turn 11 on lap six, as light rain began to fall.

The first to hit the water was Walls at turn one on lap seven, which allowed Vidau to bridge the gap, before forging into the lead three corners later.

Not to be beaten, Walls retook the top spot at turn six, with Hedge joining the lead battle.

Wood then regained fourth position, as the rain became heavier, with the safety car called on lap eight, with the race being chequered flagged at the conclusion of the next circuit.

At the finish it was Walls from Vidau, Hedge, Wood, David Russell, who also made it past McBride in the closing stages and had to settle for sixth, with the top-ten rounded out by Mouzouris, Hall, Alex Davison and Garnet Patterson.

Behind Flack in the SP Tools Pro-Am ranks was Dean Cook, Rodney Jane, Sam Shahin and Matthew Belford.

The second round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship is set for Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway from June 16-18.

Jackson Walls, Equity-One Pro class winner:

“It’s not too bad to start the year off! Obviously, there is still a long way to go with the rest of the championship, but to start it on a high like this, I’m so thankful to everyone in the McElrea team, my parents, and everyone who supports me, it’s just awesome. There were definitely some mixed conditions out there, I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know where to brake, and it was just a guessing game the whole time. Luckily I got back past Max when I made a little mistake, and I brought it home safely.”

Adrian Flack, SP Tools Pro-Am winner:

“That was certainly an exciting race, I got a good start, but then I got tangled up with all of the pros in their racing. I got a bit of a lead from the Pro-Ams and tried to maintain it. I had to put a few moves on some of the pros at the end, but that was cool. The conditions were unreal, to go from a half-wet track back to a dry track, and picking the difference between the two was pretty hairy, but gees it was fun. I never came into the pits when it started to rain in practice, so hopefully, that paid off today.

Vidau breaks through for wet-weather maiden win

First win for TekworkX driver as Adrian Flack takes SP Tools Pro-Am

MAX VIDAU has sensationally claimed his maiden Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia race win, in a dramatic race at Albert Park on Friday evening. 

Adrian Flack claimed the SP Tools Pro-Am class in a wet weather race that was filled with action – making up for the non-event that was Thursday’s planned season opener.

Starting from the outside of the front row, the TekworkX driver made the best start and led Callum Hedge into the first corner on a circuit still drying from heavier rain earlier in the day.

Vidau pushed hard to build a margin early before conserving his rubber in the middle stanza while the remainder of the field battled.

Jackson Walls slipped to second early on, leaving Hedge to spend much of his race scrapping with Thomas Maxwell in a thrilling fight for third.

The pair battled through to the penultimate lap with Hedge fending off attack after attack before Maxwell slipped off the road with a lap to go following a mechanical issue.

That elevated Nick McBride to fourth, Dale Wood to fifth and David Russell to sixth, with Angelo Mouzouris, Bayley Hall, Alex Davison and Christian Pancione completing the top-10.

Out front, Vidau had enough tyre in reserve to hold out a charging Walls in the closing stages to finally claim his maiden Carrera Cup win, and first in Equity-One Pro – as well as being the leading Michelin Junior.

The South Australian had three times finished second and won last year’s Albert Park round without claiming a race win.

Flack’s win in the SP Tools Pro-Am class was the 19th of his career and opens his account for the 2023 championship.

He led home Rodney Jane and Matt Belford in the Pro-Am fight with Dean Cook and Sam Shahin – who survived an early race spin – fourth and fifth, respectively.

Maxwell, Dylan O’Keeffe (tyre) and Ryder Quinn failed to finish the 13-lap race.

The final race of the weekend will be held on Saturday evening at Albert Park, broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Max Vidau, Equity-One Pro class winner:

“I just got a good start, finally after that first one, it was a bit average, but I just drove away. The boys told me to conserve the tyres because they were probably getting a bit warm, so I just rolled out of it halfway through. I built a good gap, and it was an easy drive home. It was mentally hard, but on track it felt easy, it looked easy. Me and Rob, my Dad, we’ve been trying to do this for a long time, everyone has worked seriously hard, and I can’t thank them enough, I’m just excited to get it done.”

Adrian Flack, SP Tools Pro-Am winner:

“I got a really good start, I managed to go down the outside, I don’t know, I made up three or four spots straight out of the gate, and then I chased a few of them down as we went as well, that was awesome! It was slippery, but a lot of fun. It was quite hard when it started to rain a little bit, there was mud on the windscreen being pushed around by the wipers, but other than that, it was really really fun. Tomorrow I’ve just got to keep the momentum, when you’ve built a bit of confidence, you’ve just got to keep building on it.”

Dramatic end to opening day of Carrera Cup season

Red flag ends thrilling start as Hedge, Flack and Walls star on Day 1

A DRAMATIC start to the 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship has seen the opening race declared early, following a lap two accident at Albert Park.

An incident involving the SP Tools Pro-Am class cars of Indiran Padayachee and Danny Stuttered at the back of the Albert Park circuit saw a lengthy recovery and also damage to the temporary walling, causing a lengthy red flag stoppage.

With time a critical factor on the Grand Prix program, the race was ultimately declared a non-event with results not counting.

To that point, a flying start had seen Jackson Walls’ launch into an early lead from the second row of the grid, flying past polesitter Callum Hedge and last year’s Melbourne round winner, Max Vidau.

Walls led the race at the time of the red flag however will have to replicate that launch again in tomorrow’s second race in a bid to claim his second Carrera Cup win.

Earlier, Hedge had scored his second consecutive TAG Heuer Pole Award, picking up from where he left off on the Gold Coast at the end of season 2022.

The Team Porsche NZ driver banked a record 1:48.0219 to score the top spot by 0.28 seconds over Vidau and Walls, with O’Keeffe fourth.

SP Tools Pro-Am pole went to Adrian Flack, who out-qualified Dean Cook and Tim Miles in the Carrera Cup ‘race within a race’.

Qualifying ended with a red flag after Simon Fallon’s Bob Jane T-Marts entry and a slower moving car made contact, tipping Fallon into a rollover at the end of the session.

Fallon emerged unscathed, however the young Victorian – a Porsche Michelin Junior – will take no further part in the weekend.

Meanwhile, double Bathurst 12 Hour winner Kenny Habul was also a withdrawal from the weekend following the flaring up of an existing back injury during practice.

“Unfortunately and old back injury has flared up at a very inconvenient time and I have to withdraw from the weekend,” said Habul.

“I have to thank TekworkX Motorsport for putting everything together for me for the AGP. I look forward to getting better and focussing on the Spa 24.”

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns on Friday for Race 2, the race set for a 6:25pm AEDT start, with coverage live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sport.

David Russell returns to Carrera Cup

Third-place finisher in 2022 joins Earl Bamber Motorsport

2022 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia race winner and top three Championship driver, David Russell, returns to the world’s fastest one make motor racing series this season with the highly competitive Earl Bamber Motorsport team.

This will be Russell’s 8^th season of Porsche Carrera Cup competition, with just one place remaining to be gained in his career title chase after achieving the championship runner-up result back in 2015 and two third place championship results in 2008 and 2022.

Last season’s result makes Russell the highest finishing driver from 2022 to return to the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia championship this season.

Racing with the same number as his Erebus Motorsport Supercar endurance race partner Brodie Kostecki, #99, the highly experienced racer is looking forward to the new season, his first in a non-single Carrera Cup car team of his long and successful career.

“It is very exciting to be joining forces with Earl Bamber Motorsport who are no doubt one of the best teams in Carrera Cup. This will be a first for me, being able to share data with other Pro category team mates, as I have competed as a single car entrant in the past. This has made it more challenging compared to being a part of the bigger multi-car teams,” Russell said.

“Finishing third in last year’s championship gives me great confidence to push for better results with my new team and car this season,” He added.

Earl Bamber Motorsport Team Manager Ben Jenkins is also excited about the latest addition to this major four car Carrera Cup team.

“David is an awesome addition to our team, he raced strongly to third in the championship last season placing him at the forefront of the field. He brings a wealth of experience and we now have three of the top seven drivers from the 2022 championship within our team.

“This places us in a great position and we are fired up for the season ahead,” Jenkins stated.

Russell is joined by long term partners Dayco Australia, Lago Corporation, SPM Investments and welcomes new partners JAX Tyres & Auto and Macpro Properties to his 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia challenge.

The Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship begins at the 2023 Rolex Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend (March 30 to April 2) and extends across eight high profile Supercar rounds throughout the year.

Pancione welcomes Supercheap Auto as major partner for his Carrera Cup campaign

Victorian driver ready for home-town race

The mysterious person photographed in the passenger seat of Formula One star Oscar Piastri’s McLaren sports car on the streets of Melbourne in January has been unmasked.

While many observers of the viral image thought the mystery man was Daniel Ricciardo, he has now been revealed as Piastri’s lifelong friend Christian Pancione, who will line up for his third Carrera Cup season with sponsorship from leading Australian and New Zealand automotive retailer Supercheap Auto.

The Piastri and Pancione families have been inextricably linked through their shared business and motorsport interests, with Oscar and Christian developing a close friendship that continues today.

With the Carrera Cup season kicking off at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, Pancione is excited to be racing at the same event as his best mate.

“It’s a massive weekend for Oscar, being the first time that he’s raced at his home Grand Prix, so it’s very cool that I get to compete at the same event as him,” Pancione said.

“He’s obviously going to be very busy, but hopefully, he’ll have some time to watch our Carrera Cup races, and then naturally, I’ll be cheering for him in the F1 race on Sunday afternoon.”

The 21-year-old is thrilled with the support from Supercheap Auto, which joins existing partners VCM Performance and HP Tuners on Pancione’s McElrea Racing Porsche 992 GT3 Cup car.

“Supercheap Auto has a long involvement in motorsport sponsorship, backing some of the highest-profile drivers, teams and events in Australia, so their support is a big boost for our 2023 program,” Pancione said.

During his time in Carrera Cup, Pancione has demonstrated his talents, achieving seven top-five finishes on his way to ninth in last year’s standings.

Supercheap Auto sponsorship manager Justin Murray has recognised his abilities.

“We are SUPER excited to partner with Christian Pancione in this year’s Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia season,” Murray said.

“Christian has been super impressive coming through the junior ranks and is a future star.

“The Porsche Carrera Cup Series is a highly respected and successful category, and we’re pumped to make it super with Christian for the 2023 season.”

This weekend’s Carrera Cup season-opener at the Australian Grand Prix will consist of races on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, which can be seen live on Fox Sports 506.

FAST FACTS: Round 1, Albert Park

Everything you need to know about the opening round of the 2023 season

It’s race week! The opening round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship launches into action at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. 

Here’s all the fast facts, stats and info you need to know ahead of Round 1.

SERIES HISTORY

The first round of the 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will be the 137^th round held in the history of the series since it began in 2003.

This year is the 17^th time overall that the championship has competed at Albert Park., though the events from 2003 to 2007 were not a round of the championship.

The circuit has featured on the Carrera Cup Australia calendar every year except one since the category began in 2003, regardless of whether it has hosted a championship or non-championship event. The only year it missed was 2021, when the event was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

There have been nine different round winners at Albert Park in the last nine years – Craig Baird (2013), Warren Luff (2014), Steve Richards (2015), Alex Davison (2016), Cameron McConville (2017), Jaxon Evans (2018), Dale Wood (2019), Cameron Hill (2020 – one race only) and Max Vidau (2022).

2020 winner Cameron Hill is unique in being the only driver in series history to win a round contested over only one race – the 40-minute Enduro Cup race on Thursday that year the only one staged prior to the event’s cancellation.

Outside of Cameron’s 2020 victory, only two drivers have clean-swept a weekend at Albert Park with pole position and victory in every race – Alex Davison in 2003 and Jim Richards in 2005. No driver has managed the feat since the round became a part of the championship in 2008.

Max Vidau’s win in 2022 was not only his first in Carrera Cup competition and the first for TekworkX Motorsport, but it also came without winning a race; the first time that has happened in Aus GP history.

Davison is the king of Albert Park pole positions. He has four poles there – 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007 – however none of these have been in the era of Albert Park hosting rounds of the actual championship.

Max Twigg has proven to be the king of the SP Tools Pro-Am category at Albert Park, winning the round five times at the Grand Prix venue (2008, 2011-2013, 2015).

GAPS AND MARGINS

The closest finish in a championship race at Albert Park came in 2018 when Dale Wood beat Jaxon Evans to the line by just 0.2735-seconds.

The biggest winning margin for a championship race at Albert Park remains 9.6411-seconds in Race 2 in 2011 when Craig Baird beat home Daniel Gaunt.

The smallest pole position-winning margin for a round at Albert Park came in 2015 with Nick McBride just 0.0028s faster than Matt Campbell. It is the second closest in series history, only 0.0001s off the record of 0.0027s (Alex Davison to Jonny Reid at Townsville in 2012).

The biggest pole margin at Albert Park in a championship round came in 2016 when Matt Campbell outqualified second-fastest Nick McBride by 0.5322s.

DRIVER MILESTONES

David Russell will start his 150^th PCCA race in Race 3 at Albert Park.
Dylan O’Keeffe will start his 100^th PCCA race in Race 1 at Albert Park.

NOTABLE

• The 30-strong Grand Prix field includes between them: 2 outright championships, 31 round wins, 111 round podium finishes, 94 race wins and 44 pole positions, plus 3 SP Tools Pro-Am titles. There’s a combined 756 rounds and 2126 races of experience on the grid.
• Alex Davison returns to the championship, bringing a second former champion to the 2023 field. He’s also the 2017 Pro Class Enduro Cup Champion. Alex’s first round win came at Eastern Creek in 2003. He holds PCCA records for most consecutive round wins (6), Most round wins in a season (6), most fastest laps (57/171 races) and most pole positions (15) – one of them (Townsville, 2012) by the smallest margin in PCCA history – 0.0027s.
• Kenny Habul, the reigning, two-time Bathurst 12 Hour winner and Intercontinental GT Challenge champion, makes his PCCA debut this weekend. It is believed to be the first time he will have raced a Porsche.
• Ryder Quinn is the first, third-generation driver to compete in PCCA, following in the footsteps of grandfather, Tony, and father, Klark.
• Courtney Prince will be the second female driver to race full-time in the championship and just the third overall.
• Chris Pither makes his debut in the championship. As well as being a long-time member of the Luke Youlden / Thomas Mezera-led Porsche Sport Driving School instructor squad, he’s also recently filled-in for series Driver Standards chief Karl Reindler at the opening round of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge.
• Neither the Pro, Pro-Am or Michelin Junior winners are returning to defend their 2022 titles this year.
• 9 drivers on the grid graduated from Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge prior to racing Carrera Cup.

ALBERT PARK LAP RECORDS

Qualifying: Aaron Love (Sonic Motor Racing) 1m49.3236s – 2022
Race: Max Vidau (TekworkX Motorsport) 1m48.6349s – 2022

EMA Motorsport confirms GTWC Australia entry as part of further 2023 plans

Champion’s return headlines epic 2023 Carrera Cup Round 1 field

30-car field to line up at Albert Park for the start of a blockbuster season

FORMER Champion Alex Davison will return to face a new era of rivals when the 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia championship commences at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. 

Davison, one of the most successful one-make Porsche racers in Australian history, will drive Scott Taylor Motorsport’s entry in Melbourne amidst a 30-car field confirmed today for the opening round of what shapes as a blockbuster 2023 season.

Davison, who will race in Carrera Cup for the first time since 2016, beat Jim Richards to the 2004 championship and in a more than decade-long Carrera Cup career amassed 16 round wins, 47 race wins and a record 15 pole positions.

He will join David Wall as one of two former outright champions on the Round 1 grid, taking on a fiercely competitive field of experienced racers, young rising stars and Pro-Am contenders fighting for their own class championship.

The Melbourne field includes 19 drivers in the Equity-One Pro class – 9 Porsche Michelin Juniors among them – and 11 in the SP Tools Pro-Am battle.

Six drivers – Luke King, Courtney Prince, Chris Pither, Kenny Habul, Garnet Patterson and Ryder Quinn – will each make their respective debuts in the championship at Albert Park.

Prince will be just the second full-time female competitor in Carrera Cup while Quinn will be the first third-generation driver to compete in the category, following in the footsteps of grandfather Tony and Dad, Klark.

Other notable changes include David Russell shifting teams to join an expanded line up at Earl Bamber Motorsport outfit this year.

Russell finished third in the championship last year and is the highest-finishing driver from 2022 to return in 2023.

Young Northern Territory driver Thomas Maxwell, who last raced Carrera Cup in 2019, returns with TekworkX Motorsport – one of several teams to expand their operations this year.

The Gold Coast squad will field four cars at the Grand Prix, with Bathurst winner Luke Youlden to take the reigns as team manager.

McElrea Racing (5), Earl Bamber Motorsport (4), Porsche Centre Melbourne (4), GWR / RAM Motorsport (3), Sonic Motor Racing (3), Wall Racing (3) and EMA Motorsport (2) all field multi-car squads, while Rennen Autosport and Scott Taylor Motorsport will each field a single car entry.

In the SP Tools Pro-Am fight, defending champion Geoff Emery currently sits on the side lines which opens up the always-competitive Carrera Cup ‘race within a race’ to a host of new contenders.

The Pro-Am battle is highlighted by an highly experienced group of contenders, though newcomer Danny Stutterd has just the single round start to his credit to date back in 2016.

The TekworkX driver has, however, raced in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge before making the step up this year.

Of last year’s Pro-Am contenders, runner-up Dean Cook and fourth-placed Sam Shahin both return this year, as does Matthew Belford, Adrian Flack, Rodney Jane, Tim Miles, Drew Hall and Marc Cini.

Indiran Padayachee returns to the championship while Bathurst 12 Hour winner Kenny Habul will make his debut in Melbourne.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field will tackle three races across the Australian Grand Prix weekend, with all three broadcast live on Fox Sports 506.

Practice, qualifying and race one will be held on Thursday with race two on Friday and the finale’ on Saturday evening.

ROUND 1 – ENTRY LIST

Sonic Motor Racing Services reveals strong three-car line-up for 2023 Carrera Cup title

25th anniversary Porsche line up confirmed for Sonic

Sonic Motor Racing Services and Bob Jane T-Marts have confirmed a strong three-driver line-up for the 2023 Paytner Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

Simon Fallon, now in his third year in the Bob Jane T-Marts Porsche, will be joined by rising star Angelo Mouzouris in a twin Pro-class attack on the title, while Rodney Jane continues in the Pro-Am division – his second year back in the category after an almost decade-long sabbatical from competition.

Fallon has enjoyed strong improvement in Carrera Cup during his two years at the top-level of Porsche racing in Australia.

After winning the 2018 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge, Fallon stepped up to Carrera Cup in 2021 and has since recorded a number of outstanding results, including podium finishes at Sandown.

Angelo Mouzouris gets his chance in the famous Bob Jane T-Marts colours after making his debut in the all-Porsche category last year.

Coupled with a season in the Super2 Series, Mouzouris proved fast in Carrera Cup, gaining a year of valuable experience.

In 2023, the former Australian Formula Ford champion is aiming to take the next step forward in his motorsport career, using the Bob Jane T-Marts Porsche as his platform to show his true potential.

While Fallon and Mouzouris will be looking to take their racing to the next level, Rodney Jane is also seeking further improvements in the Pro-Am class.

After focusing on business during the majority of the 2010s, Jane returned to the driver’s seat last year, chalking up a number of strong results in his class, including podium finishes in the Pro-Am class at Winton and Townsville.

In 2023, the Sonic team celebrates 25 years in the sport. The team has won 12 national Formula Ford titles, plus three Carrera Cup crowns and countless race wins.

All three of the team’s Carrera Cup titles have been with Bob Jane T-Marts entries, with David Reynolds (2007), Nick Foster (2016) and Jordan Love (2019) all tasting success with the team and brand.

Last year, Aaron Love went within a whisker of winning the title for Bob Jane T-Marts and Sonic, despite missing two rounds of the season.

The opening round of the 2023 Paytner Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will be held at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix from March 30 to April 2.

QUOTES

Angelo Mouzouris

“It’s cool to race the Bob Jane T-Marts car and I really can’t wait too get started and show the speed that we have,” said Mouzouris.

“We had a tough season in Carrera Cup last year, but I feel much better and more prepared this time around. I have the motivation to do it and I have regained that fire in my belly to have a decent crack.

“We’ve had a few test days to build on some elements. The tests were very productive and I’m confident that any weaknesses that we had has been turned into a strength.

“The Grand Prix is a great way to kick off the season. We had a pretty good first half of the weekend last year. I was running fourth on debut, but the results fell away after some incidents. We have a good base to work from and I’m excited to get out on track.”

Simon Fallon

“I’m certainly the most prepared I’ve ever been for a Carrera Cup championship,” said Fallon.

“Going into the Grand Prix, I feel like I’m in a good place and looking forward to it.

“We had a good few days testing and with some of the rule changes, we found something in the car and us drivers. It gave us some really good insights into the car, which are still pretty new to us – we’ve only had them for one full year – so there’s still lots of learning. It will be interesting to see how those changes roll out and where we land in the pack.

“For this year, we want to be pushing for podiums and wins, but the approach just needs to be that we focus on our own thing and see where we end up.”

Rodney Jane

“We are always looking for good humans to work with, and I feel we have that with Simon, Angelo and the Sonic team this year,” said Jane.

“If the two of our drivers work well together and drag me along with them, I reckon we are in for a good season.

“Simon showed some good speed last year and he has walked away from the year believing in himself. After seeing him in testing, I think he can do really well. He has the right attitude and we really want him to step up and have a crack at the championship.

“Ange had a great start to his career and is an impressive talent. We all know that he has the skills to do the job, so I’m looking forward to working closely with him. 

“For me, the testing that we did recently was really important. I’m still learning how to drive these cars because it’s not a natural thing to step back into after not doing it for a long time.”

Alex Davison to make Carrera Cup return at Australian Grand Prix