The 2018 season of Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Australia has been the series’ most competitive to date, with the Pro and Pro-Am classes featuring multiple winners at record-setting pace. And this weekend, the season draws to a close at what is set to be a spectacular Sydney Motorsport Park finale.
With an average of 23 cars featuring on the GT3 Cup Challenge grid in 2018, a season-high 26 cars will line up for the Sydney finale, concluding a season that has featured unprecedented depth of young driver talent and the introduction of the first-generation 991-series Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.
The tremendous season-long battle between Cooper Murray and Simon Fallon has seen the duo enter the Sydney finale a mere 11 points apart in the outright standings and 24 points separating the duo in the Pro class points.
With two round wins apiece, Fallon and Murray have set the pace for the majority of the season, with momentum on the side of Murray, who secured the penultimate round win at Winton Motor Raceway along with victory in the Jim Richards Endurance Trophy.
“I’m looking forward to Sydney where I’ll just try to get as many points as I can,†said Murray. “I’d like to be a little bit further ahead in the standings at this point, but unfortunately a DNF at Queensland Raceway really cost us a lot of points and we’ve had to work twice as hard after that to be in this position.â€
Max Vidau looks set to secure third in the Pro standings; though Jimmy Vernon mathematically remains in the hunt for a top-three season finish.
Danny Stutterd enters the final round with one hand on the Pro-Am class trophy, entering the New South Wales event with an 82-point lead in the class standings over Brett Boulton. The competitive class has been the best represented of the series throughout 2018, with an incredible five different drivers taking Pro-Am round wins from the season’s five rounds, including round one winner and Carrera Cup racer Sam Shahin, who returns for the final round.
Currently third, Michael Hovey has secured a top-three season finish in the Pro-Am class and is mathematically able to pip Boulton for second for the season.
Meanwhile, with the Class B crown secured by young gun Christian Pancione at the penultimate round at Winton Motor Raceway, the battle for second place continues between Phil Morriss and reigning Class B champion David Greig, the duo sit just 25 points apart entering the final round.
Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Australia will hold two practice sessions on Friday, with qualifying and its final two races of the season on Saturday.
Race Schedule
Friday September 21
12:05pm Practice 1 (30 minutes)
3:25pm Practice 2 (30 minutes)
Saturday September 22
8:30am Qualifying (20 minutes)
11:48am Race 1 (15 laps)
3:42pm Race 2 (15 laps)
Entry List
1. #2 Dan Day (Pro) Tectaloy UNLMTD Racing
2. #7 Jimmy Vernon (Pro) Platinum Night Club Broadbeach
3. #9 Tony Martin (Class B) Triffid Bar+Venue
4. #10 Michael Loccisano (Pro-Am) Hallmarc
5. #13 Sam Shahin (Pro-Am) The Bend /htfu
6. #13 Jonathan Gliksten (Pro-Am) Cure FA
7. #21 Shane Barwood (Pro-Am) Melbourne Orthopaedic Group
8. #17 Marcel Zalloua (Pro-Am) 360 Motorsport/Valmont
9. #22 Andrew Goldie (Class B) Woodford Trailers
10. #23 Danny Stutterd (Pro-Am) The Porsche Broker
11. #26 Tom Taplin (Pro) Taplin Real Estate
12. #27 Sam Fillmore (Pro-Am)
13. #36 Cooper Murray (Pro) Lodge Bros Racing
14. #38 Chelsea Angelo (Pro) PAYCE/Wilson Security
15. #57 Richard Bloomfield (Class B) Okey Dokey
16. #73 Michael Hovey (Pro-Am) Triffid Bar & Venue
17. #76 Christian Pancione (Class B) VCM Performance
18. #77 Max Vidau (Pro) Sonic / Bob Jane T Marts
19. #84 Brett Boulton (Pro-Am) Bold Living
20. #87 David Greig (Class B)
21. #88 Phil Morriss (Class B) Morriss Racing Services
22. #96 Simon Fallon (Pro) Sonic Motor Racing
23. #99 Ross McGregor (Pro-Am) Southern Star Windows
24. #117 Sergio Pires (Class B) 360 Motorsport
25. #131 Graham Williams (Pro-Am) Sonic / Williams Racing
26. #230 Luis Leeds (Pro) OPS Gateway
