Porsche Staff Solutions International GT3 Cup Challenge Australia front-runner Jeff Bobik will step up to the main game at Phillip Island this weekend when he makes his debut in the Porsche City Index Carrera Cup Australia championship.

Bobik will campaign the Guest Car at his home round of the championship and is excited to line up on the Carrera Cup grid after vast experience in the Porsche sister series.

“It has been my long-time dream to race in Carrera Cup. I’ve been watching the category since it started in Australia and it’s a massive thrill to now join the series after competing in GT3 Cup Challenge for several seasons,” said Bobik.

“Racing in GT3 Cup Challenge has prepared me well for this transition, with competition quite close to that of the mid-pack racing in Carrera Cup.

“At the end of the day in GT3 Cup Challenge you’re still racing a Porsche – it’s left-hand drive, has a sequential gearbox and has the same unique characteristics as the newer Carrera Cup race car.”

In an expanded 19-car Porsche field, Bobik will be joined by several newcomers and returnees to the category including Nathan Tinkler, Marcus Zukanovic, who joins the championship for a one-off appearance in the break between rounds from his regular Development Series duties, along with young gun Matt Kingsley.

Kingsley made an impressive debuted in the 2012 Porsche City Index Carrera Cup Australia championship at the season-opening Clipsal 500, placing third in the final race of the South Australian round.

The Queensland based driver will this weekend make his second appearance of 2012, this time aboard a pineapple-liveried Porsche for the Phillip Island event.

Kingsley has secured backing from the Big Pineapple Music Festival, a new event that will take place for the first time in May, 2013, at the iconic Sunshine Coast landmark, the Big Pineapple.

Reigning Porsche City Index Carrera Cup Australia Champion Craig Baird enters the Phillip Island round in the lead of the 2012 point standings ahead of 2004 Carrera Cup title winner Alex Davison.

Jonny Reid, who is quickly rising up the points ladder following his absence from Round 1 in Adelaide, is third, with last year’s Phillip Island round winner Daniel Gaunt in fourth.

In the Elite Class, Max Twigg returns to his own Porsche race car having raced the Guest Car at the past round at Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway.

Twigg enters the coming round with a narrow nine-point lead in the Elite Class standings over James Koundouris; with Tony Bates, Paul Kelly, Perth class round winner Shane Smollen and Melbourne based racers Marc Cini and Michael Loccisano close behind in the championship hunt.

Race schedule
Friday May 18, 2012
10:35am – 10:55am Practice 1
1:50pm – 2:10pm Practice 2
Saturday May 19, 2012
11:30am – 11:50am Qualifying
3:00pm – 3:25pm Race 1
Sunday May 20, 2012
11:05pm – 11:30pm Race 2
2:40pm – 3:05pm Race 3

Broadcast Schedule
Porsche City Index Carrera Cup Australia – Race 3 (as live)
Time: 3:00pm (AEST), 2:30pm (ACST), 1:00pm (AWST)
Date: Sunday May 20, 2012
Channel: Seven (Sydney, Brisbane), 7mate (Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth)