Muscling to the lead early in today’s final 16-lap top-six reverse grid Porsche GT3 Cup race at Manfeild allowed Auckland based V8 Supercar driver Daniel Gaunt his first victory with the Triple X Motorsport team.
The penultimate round in the 2009/10 Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Gaunt stole the lead position bestowed upon team principal for the afternoon race, leading the field through the first turns and on to the chequered flag.
“I’m happy I held on there in the end – it was great to get back in the winner’s circle, but we’ve got a bit of work to do with our pace here at Manfeild,” cautioned Gaunt after the win.
“Jonny Reid has been driving well, so we had to get the better start and keep everyone behind us.”
Starting from pole position following a sixth place finish in this morning’s 12-lap scratch race, McKillen in the VnC Cocktails Juice bar Porsche 997 was swamped by the 15-car field at the start. Gaunt in the Placemakers Hampsta Porsche 997 was directly behind his boss, ducking to the side and taking the clean line.
Instead it was defending series champion Craig Baird in the ZM Mad Butcher Porsche 997 who got blockaded in the melee and had to sit behind the top-six pack.
Fighting for the round victory, Melbourne based David Reynolds was able to get the Indians bar Hampsta Porsche 997 to a second successive win of the weekend in the morning race, but couldn’t keep Jonny Reid from stealing his mantle in the third.
Bringing up the chasing pack, continued consistency by 21-year-old Courtney Letica driving the Altherm Porsche 997 saw him finish sixth in the final – one place ahead of team principal McKillen.
Christchurch car dealer Paul Kelly had an improved performance following the wet of Saturday’s race – finishing ninth.
Today’s round action has elevated Triple X Motorsport’s Daniel Gaunt to second overall in the points standings – 186 points behind his leading team-mate Craig Baird with three races to contest.
The final round action takes place in five weeks at the mid-North Island location of Taupo (19-21 March).
