Bathurst 12H: Event newsletter

PORSCHE CHAMPIONS GET BATHURST V8 WINNER FOR ARMOR ALL 12 HOUR ATTACK

A DUO OF CHAMPION PORSCHE DRIVERS will team up with an established Bathurst V8 Supercar race winner to chase success at Mount Panorama in the 2011 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour Enduro.

Queensland-based Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia competitor Roger Lago has entered his 997 GT3 Cup Car in Class B (GT Challenge) and has assembled an all-star line up to partner him in the race.

Lago, the recently-crowned 2010 champion of the all-Porsche series, has enlisted the services of his main rival and the 2009 series winner Matt Kingsley to co-drive but also has an ace card up his sleeve in the form of V8 Supercar driver David Russell.

The experienced Brisbane-based driver has this year raced in the V8 Supercar endurance events for Dick Johnson Racing (alongside Jonathan Webb) and dominated the recent Bathurst round of the Fujitsu V8 series with an impressive series of wins in his Jayco Ford Falcon.

Recent Mount Panorama experience aside, Russell is also a veteran of the Porsche Carrera Cup and has starts in the Bathurst 12 Hour, Bathurst 24 hour and Dubai 24 Hour endurance Events.

"Being in a Porsche at Bathurst is always exciting and I know the 997 GT3 Cup Car well," David Russell said.

"I have known Roger Lago for a few years and have seen that he runs a tight ship. I've also seen what Matt has done in V8 Utes and in the Porsche the last few years, so I think it's a really good team.

"I've raced against 997 GT3 Cup Cars in the Dubai 24 hour race and I know that when you put three good drivers in them they can be very competitive. They have good fuel economy and are generally very reliable.

"There is a lot to deal with during a race like this so you never know what can happen. I think we should be up for a strong result if all goes well."

"We are going there to win our class and get into the top ten overall," owner / driver Roger Lago said.

"We're not going there to make up the numbers. We are approaching this properly and giving the car a complete rebuild now, before we go and do some testing later in December and January. With the team we have assembled and the preparation going into it I think we are in a good position for the race."

In other entrant news, former Bathurst 1000 winner and defending Armor All 12 Hour champion John Bowe was last week confirmed as the spearhead of a strong Ferrari attack on the 2011 race.

Bowe will team with Peter Edwards and Orange, NSW-based car dealer Tim Leahey behind the wheel of a Maranello Motorsport Ferrari F430 GT3, the first outright (Class A - GT) entrant in the race.

Whilst Edwards is a relative rookie to the Mountain and 12-hour Endurance racing, Bowe teamed with Paul Morris and Garry Holt to win this years race driving a BMW 335i Turbo.

Leahey is also vastly experienced in both GT and production car racing, having teamed with Eric Bana and Peter Hill in a Mitsubishi for the last two Armor All 12 hour races.

Meanwhile the production car ranks are also beginning to grow with two New Zealand-based cars having entered recently.

Tony Burrowes will team with Lewis Scott and Stuart Owers in a Subaru Impreza STi in whilst Hampton Downs-based Motorsport Services has entered their existing BMW 130i in Class F (Production - Performance).

Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour Entries remain open for several weeks.

The 2011 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour is set to be the best yet and will include a broader vehicle eligibility list.

GT vehicles will join with production vehicles in 2011, with a total of 31 manufacturers eligible to compete in the around-the-clock Enduro at Mount Panorama from 4 to 6 February 2011.

Historic Group N Touring Cars, Group C&A Historic Touring Cars, Improved Production, HQ Holden's and Formula Vee will feature throughout Friday and Saturday's action, ensuring a racing program that caters to nearly every type of Australian Motorsport fan.

-source: bathurst12hour.com.au