Images: Roger Lago (top) and Jeff Bobik (middle) will battle for the outright and 997 Cup Class titles at Phillip Island, while Terry Knight (bottom) is favourite to win the 996 Cup Class title.

GT3 CUP CHALLENGE SET FOR THRILLING PHILLIP ISLAND FINALE

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia will this weekend hold its final round of the 2011 season at Phillip Island, with Roger Lago and Jeff Bobik set to battle for the outright title win.

With 15 races behind them this season, both Lago and Bobik have claimed three race wins, along with 10 and 11 top three race finishes, respectively; an impressive performance in the competitive one-make series.

Reigning champion Lago enters the event as the outright title favourite, holding a lengthy 36 point lead over Bobik in the outright standings and a 38 point lead in the 997 Cup Class.

Behind the leading duo, a hard fought battle for third in the outright standings will see Terry Knight (Type 996), John Goodacre (Type 997), Phil Morriss (Type 997) and Jon Trende (Type 997) enter the series finale just 39 points apart, while Morriss and Trende will compete for third place in the 997 Cup Class standings.

Meanwhile, series stalwart Knight will enter this weekend as the firm favourite to win the 996 Cup Class title.

Knight looks to have all but secured the 996 Cup Class crown, holding a 64 point lead in the class with a total of 94 points on offer this weekend.

If Knight is successful in his 996 Cup Class pursuit, it will be his first outright or class title in the category to date, while his attendance at the Phillip Island round will see him contest every round of the all-Porsche category since its 2008 inception.

Knight’s only challenger for the 996 Cup Class title is consistent performer Indiran Padayachee. Having attended every round of the 2011 season, Padayachee has quietly accumulated a significant amount of points each round to secure himself a top two finish in the 996 Cup Class standings.

Joining the duo in the 996 Cup Class are two series returnees – Matt Kingsley and Bill Pye.

Kingsley has endured a tough season in GT3 Cup Challenge, which included an accident at Mallala that saw him miss the next round at Eastern Creek. The Queensland based driver further missed the last round at Sandown to focus on the Phillip Island finale.

Kingsley will not only aim for class honours, but the outright round win. Kingsley has secured four outright race wins in the season so far; more than any other driver in the 2011 season.

Pye is another 996 Cup Class competitor rejoining the series. Pye will be one of five drivers lining up at Phillip Island to have raced in the first ever Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia round in 2008 – also including Knight, Trende, Paul Bolinowsky and Anthony Skinner – and last competed in the all-Porsche category at the opening round of the 2009 season.

Bob Thorn will return to the series for the Phillip Island round after competing in the season’s opening two events at Wakefield Park and Mallala. Steve Kepper is another addition to the field, having contested select GT3 Cup Challenge events in the past before making his first 2011 appearance in the category this weekend.

Sunday’s racing from the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships, including Race 2 and Race 3 of Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia, will be streamed live on www.itvlive.com.au.

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia – Race schedule
   
Saturday November 05
10:05am    Practice 1    20 minutes
12:45pm    Qualifying 1    20 minutes
3:55pm        Race 1        10 laps

Sunday November 06
10:00am    Race 2        10 laps
1:00pm        Race 3        10 laps

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia – Entry list