This year VnC Cocktails will engage in  its yearly ritual at the Triple X Motorsport Porsche GT3 Cup at Christchurch’s Powerbuilt Tools Ruapuna Raceway

The events start from Thursday 27th of November until Sunday 29th of November.

Triple X Motorsport driver line-up:

Car number 1: Craig Baird (Mad Butcher/ ZM Porsche 997) – first overall 2008/2009 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge
Car number 2: Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails/Juice Bar Porsche 997)
Car number 3: Daniel Gaunt (Placemakers/Hampsta Porsche 997) – third overall 2008/2009 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge
Car number 5: Courtney Letica (Altherm Porsche 997)
Car number 8: Mike Morton (Indians Bar/Hampsta Porsche 997)

Plus:
Car number 90: Paul Kelly (Paul Kelly Motor Company Porsche 997)

2009/10 Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge – points (after round one of six) – top-ten.

Pos Name Hometown Total

1 Craig Baird, Queensland (Triple X) – 285
2 Daniel Gaunt, Auckland (Triple X) – 255
3 Courtney Letica, Auckland (Triple X) – 229
4 Jonny Reid, Auckland – 224
5 Anthony Pedersen, Rotorua – 197
6 Matt Halliday, USA – 195
7 Mitch Cunningham, Auckland – 159
8 Andrew Bagnall, Auckland – 159
9 Hugh Gardiner, Auckland – 133
10 Paul Kelly, Christchurch (Triple X) – 116

Weekend race programme for Porsche GT3 Cup cars – Powerbuilt Tools Raceway at Ruapuna Park, Hasketts Rd.

Details of the Ruapuna Circuit

Friday 27 November

12:00 Porsche GT3 Cup – test session 1
15:45 Porsche GT3 Cup – test session 2

Saturday 28 November

12:05 20mins Porsche GT3 Cup – qualifying
17:30 Porsche GT3 Cup – Race 1 – 29laps

Sunday 29 November

11:40 Porsche GT3 Cup – Race 2 – 10laps
15:55 Porsche GT3 Cup- Race 3 – 14laps – Top 6 reverse

Source:

Triple X Motorsport (http://www.xxxmotorsport.co.nz ),

Online.odt.co.nz (http://online.odt.co.nz/news/16439/porsche-titan-team-mates-to-clash-at-ruapuna?slide=1)

It’s always nice to get a good result – you get the congratulations to know you’ve done it right.

In stark contrast to the morning race, the team lined-up for the 16-lap top-six reverse grid afternoon race with rain beginning to fall. Led in the early stages by David Reynolds after a masterful start, Baird took the lead just before the race was declared early due to the wet conditions.

“To win all three here makes a big difference to me,” said 38-year old Baird. “The pressure was on – but David (Reynolds) did a good job – he arrived here late and on a green set of tyres to run that hard was a good effort,” he described of Reynolds second placing in each of the weekend’s races.

Baird extends his series lead to 92 points over team-mate Reynolds, with Gaunt third to maintain the Triple X championship strong-hold.

“It’s quite good – if I have a DN F (Did Not Finish) I don’t have to win every race to still be in with a chance for the championship final at Pukekohe.” Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta – MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) battled with his team-mates in the finale to finish in fourth, ahead of Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997) in fifth. Series rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm – Porsche 997) finished sixth after a nil result in the morning race.

“It was a bit treacherous,” described Letica. “I learned the most I ever could in that session. Just learning how to control the car on the edge – just drive it a bit slower , look for the grip and finding the grip so it really taught me a lot.”

“It’s always nice to get a good result – you get the congratulations to know you’ve done it right.”

Team principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails Porsche 997) rounded out the top-ten of the 13 finishers.

Resources: Manfield, kaptured.com, Triple X Motorsport

For more stories and results, visit: http://bit.ly/4H7AH1