After seven thrilling rounds, Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia enters its season finale this weekend for the series’ 14th visit to the beachside Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, where the 2018 champions will be crowned.
Following Friday practice and qualifying, competition will commence with the 32-lap opening race on Saturday, the final encounter of the six-race 2018 Endurance Cup, which is currently led by Dale Wood (Pro) and Stephen Grove (TAG Heuer Pro-Am). The endurance mini-series started with a Phillip Island double-header followed by an endurance race at Darwin, The Bend Motorsport Park, Bathurst and this weekend’s Gold Coast decider.
Grove secured an unassailable Endurance Cup points lead in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am at Bathurst while Wood holds a narrow lead in the Pro ranks, with Dylan O’Keeffe, David Wall and Jaxon Evans all sitting within 15 points of Wood with one race – and 60 points – on offer.
The 2018 season points chase isn’t as tight as the Endurance Cup, with Jaxon Evans and Stephen Grove looking favourite to take the 2018 titles.
In his second Carrera Cup season, Evans enters the Gold Coast finale, his home event which he won last season, 108 points ahead of his closest Outright points rival O’Keeffe with 180 points still on offer.
While both Evans and O’Keeffe will look for Gold Coast success, this season has been far from predictable at the front of the field; the series has had six different Outright winners from the past six events: Jaxon Evans (Albert Park), Dale Wood (Phillip Island), Dylan O’Keeffe (Hidden Valley), James Moffat (Sydney Motorsport Park), Michael Almond (The Bend Motorsport Park) and Jordan Love (Bathurst). Evans won the season-opening round in Adelaide, making him the only repeat round winner so far in 2018.
Two drivers will be looking to continue this streak, including reigning Carrera Cup champion David Wall and Porsche Works ace Earl Bamber, who will compete in the #911 Grove Group entry in a one-off appearance for the season finale.
In the battle for the TAG Heuer Pro-Am title, Stephen Grove is on track for his third class title in five years. Following his title successes in 2014 and 2017, the Melbourne-based racer enters Gold Coast with a substantial 153-point lead over Adrian Flack with just three races remaining.
Flack moved to second in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am standings at Bathurst following Roger Lago’s unfortunate Mount Panorama campaign, while Lago’s absence from the Gold Coast finale will see teammates Tim Miles and Anthony Gilbertson fight for the final position in the top three of the Pro-Am season standings.
The final round of the 2018 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia season will commence with practice and qualifying on Friday, race one and race two on Saturday and the final race of the season on Sunday. All sessions from Gold Coast as of practice two will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506. The free-to-air broadcast on Channel Ten will be confirmed via the series’ Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Race Schedule
Friday October 19
10:05am Practice 1 (20 minutes)
12:35pm Practice 2 (20 minutes)
3:45pm Qualifying (20 minutes)
Saturday October 20
8:35am Race 1 (32 laps)
1:15pm Race 2 (12 laps)
Sunday October 21
1:05pm Race 3 (12 laps)
Broadcast Schedule
Channel: Fox Sports 506
Practice 2 – 12:35pm, Friday October 19
Qualifying – 3:45pm, Friday October 19
Race 1 – 8:35am, Saturday October 20
Race 2 – 1:15pm, Saturday October 20
Race 3 – 1:05pm, Sunday October 21
Channel: Ten
To be confirmed.
Entry List
1. #1 David Wall (Pro) PAYCE/Wilson Security
2. #4 Stephen Grove (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Grove Group
3. #6 Tim Miles (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Miles Advisory Partners/Garage 1
4. #7 Jaxon Evans (Pro) Morris Finance
5. #8 Nick McBride (Pro) Porsche Centre Melbourne
6. #9 Marc Cini (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Hallmarc
7. #12 Adam Garwood (Pro) Garwood Motorsport
8. #13 Sam Shahin (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) The Bend/htfu
9. #14 Peter Major (Pro) Sonic/Totally 4×4
10. #15 Josh Hunt (Pro) LORY Construction
11. #18 James Moffat (Pro) PAYCE/Wilson Security/JBL
12. #19 Anthony Gilbertson (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Hallmark Homes
13. #20 Adrian Flack (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Agas National
14. #22 Dean Cook (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) BMF/Pitman Racing
15. #35 Indiran Padayachee (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Hyundai Forklifts Australia
16. #77 Michael Almond (Pro) Bob Jane T-Marts/PSA
17. #88 Dylan O’Keeffe (Pro) APB Group
18. #100 Dale Wood (Pro) Sonic/Polyflor
19. #111 Cameron Hill (Pro) Seears Workwear
20. #131 Graham Williams (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Harcourts Williams
21. #777 Jordan Love (Pro) Bob Jane T-Marts
22. #888 Glen Wood (Pro) Porsche Centre Brighton/Porsche Centre Doncaster
23. #911 Earl Bamber (Pro) Grove Group
