AUS GT3: Series Eastern Creek race one report

SHAUN JUNIPER WINS SAFETY-CAR INTERRUPTED GT3 CUP CHALLENGE RACE AT THE CREEK

THE PORSCHE GT3 Cup Challenge has proved just how much action one race can provide in just three laps of green-flag running today at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway.

Championship leader Mat Kingsley stalled at the start of this afternoons 10-lap encounter, dropping to the back of the field and allowing fellow front-row starter Shaun Juniper (Juniper Property Group Type 997 GT3 Cup Car) to extend a substantial lead on the first lap.

Bob Thorne started third but was bottled up behind Kingsley as he stalled at the line, and he too slipped to the back of the pack.

As Kingsley began his charge though the field, Jon Trende had a substantial crash at turn five, impacting the wall hard with the right-front of his Berwick Insurance 996 GT3 Cup Car. The race was neutralized behind the safety car as medical teams attended to Trende, who although uninjured was taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks.

The race restarted with two laps remaining, Juniper extending a substantial lead on his first lap to eventually win by four seconds. Kingsley finished second after scything his way though from eighth position at the restart, whilst Sven Burchartz finished third in his Sonic Motor Racing 996 GT3 Cup car.

997 Trophy class frontrunner Mark Krashos continued his good run of form from his home round at Mallala recently to finish fourth, whilst Jeff Bobik finished fifth.

Bobik was one of the big movers though the field, despite the few competitive laps, leaping from an eleventh placed-qualifying effort to score his strong finish.

Brad Rankin moved from thirteenth on the grid to finish seventh, Terry Knight went from sixteenth to seventh whilst local driver Shane Smollen moved up three places to score a top-six finish on his series debut.

Earlier in qualifying, Kingsley and Juniper dominated the 20-minute session, the Action Tyres and More driver taking just four laps to take pole position. Shaun Juniper qualified second, but was just one-one hundredth of a second behind his fellow Queenslander.

On his series debut Bob Thorne qualified third in his 997 Trophy Class entry, ahead of Mark Krashos and teammates Sven Burchartz and Jon Trende.

Two races will conclude round four of the 2009 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia series tomorrow, both 10-lap sprints.

-credit: gt3cupchallenge.com.au