Another "new" Porsche series

[inpitlane]

CAMS PRESS RELEASE
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) has approved the transfer of the current Porsche Drivers Challenge Category Management Agreement (CMA) from the Australian GT Sport Car Group (AGTSCG) to Challenge Cup Promoters (CCP).

The transfer of the CMA will see the creation of a new low-cost Porsche series, the ‘Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia’ for 996-series GT3 Cup Cars, GT3 road cars and previous generation 911 race cars.

The national series will provide for owners committed to quality racing without the professional price tag and will, for 2008, track share with the already established Australian GT Championship.

CAMS CEO, Graham Fountain says that “CAMS is pleased to endorse the transfer of CMA from the AGTSCG to the CCP and believe the new category is a great initiative to secure involvement from some of the older Porsche race cars in Australia, and ultimately increase participation in the sport”.

“The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge category will track share with the GT Sport Car Category for three of their four events in 2008 with the intention to secure six stand alone rounds in 2009,” said Fountain.

“This is a further and clear example of us building a sustainable pathway within the sport and proactively addressing increased participation at the grass-roots, club level of the sport,” he added.

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia will be modelled off the international endorsed Porsche series of the same name and aims to provide a stepping stone for Porsche competitors between club level racing and national elite Championships such as the Carrera Cup.

Sven Burchartz, licensee of the Challenge Cup Promoters says, “The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge is a great opportunity for drivers who are looking for a sustainable way to compete in a Porsche without the budget needed for elite level competition.”

“I am really excited about the future of Porsche racing in Australia and looking forward to sharing the track with the Australian GT Championship – while looking forward to competing in a stand- alone series in 2009,” Burchartz added.

-ENDS-

Just what we need another "new" GT series.

[davelise]

Does this mean all the Porsches will leave the GT Champ next year? That's a bit sad.

[RS500]

well if you look at the first 2 rounds of the series the main Porsche contingent from previous years have already left (hence the small grids)

will be interesting to see how this all plays out between the GT series / Intermarque and the Pirelli series

[Pro Racer]

it's great for the Porsche's as i think it will attrack a fair few entries but GT grids are small now what will happen in the future?

[SSbaby]

A "low-cost Porsche series"... sounds like an oxymoron.

[Peddler]

Originally Posted by SSbaby

A "low-cost Porsche series"... sounds like an oxymoron.

hehe its a little hard to think of it like that isnt it.

[Oldtony]

I guess you could now start calling our "governing" body COMMS or Confederation of One Make Motor Sport.
But then with the almost indecent desire the are showing in outsourcing and privatising everything the title would not be politically descriptive.
Anyone done a count recently of the one make series operating in this country?
Just what is it with BMW and Porsche in particular?

[Falcadore]

OT: They don't want their cars compared unfavourably with their rivals?

[Sheep Stations]

Originally Posted by Falcadore

OT: They don't want their cars compared unfavourably with their rivals?

A simplistic and frankly, for this long-time unapologetic Porsche nut, boring comment to read.

I'll back a 400hp Cup Car against anything else with an equivalent power/weight ratio...but when category's chase the competitor dollar, the parity goes out the window and you end up chasing monsters that aren't even prepared/built/homolgated by the manufacturer.

Why wouldn't CAMS endorse one-make categories? Look at some of the independent nut-bags past and present that have 'run' categories into the ground and robbed the competitors they pretended to represent...

At least manufacturers provide a duty of care to their customers...and this new category doesn't appear to pose as being the next big thing in the circus...just enjoyment at a low cost to competitors.

[NewsStalker]

Can anyone put a genuine figure on this 'low-cost' form of motor sport?

[Sheep Stations]

Originally Posted by NewsStalker

Can anyone put a genuine figure on this 'low-cost' form of motor sport?

Waiting for my competitors information pack, in the mail today.

Expecting $1500 per event including practice, event, access to GT hospitality, some TV coverage and a subsidy for cross-border competitors.

I've done my sums based on the 4 events with a new set of tyres each event, car preparation, travel and accomodation, car transport and crew and barring crash damage, will be around $12,000 average.

I won't be setting the world on fire results-wise, but this looks pretty good value compared to what I'm used to and in discussions with other category competitors.

[Oldtony]

OK, I can see the point as a competitor with a car that suits one of the series.
But in the interest of interest could there be a ration of one one make series per one manufacturer, and say two two make series per two manufacturers.
Now that is the sort of convoluted gobbledegook that is usually found in motorsport regs. so most people here can spend the next few hours working out how to get around the spirit of the regulation while observing the letter of the law.

[Sheep Stations]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

OK, I can see the point as a competitor with a car that suits one of the series.
But in the interest of interest could there be a ration of one one make series per one manufacturer, and say two two make series per two manufacturers.
Now that is the sort of convoluted gobbledegook that is usually found in motorsport regs. so most people here can spend the next few hours working out how to get around the spirit of the regulation while observing the letter of the law.

There are now two Porsche categories. One runs in the main game, and this new one is for punters like me, targeted and branded to totally different groups.

To be brutally honest Old Tony, I don't care if only two men and a dog turn up to the events I want to enter in. I'd be flattered if there was a crowd, but so long as I can enjoy my chosen sport, in my chosen car, with my family and (some) friends around me, at a reasonable cost...I'm happy.

[NewsStalker]

Sheep Stations - that's the ongoing cost - what about the 'entry cost' that is - the initial setup costs - car, engine etc? How 'standard' are components supposed to be to (hopefully) reign in costs). Engine rebuilds every ????km

This is what tends to build up the cost of competing as well as the entry fees, accom, travel etc etc.

[Oldtony]

SS.
Great mate, best of luck to you and enjoy yourself.
Having passed the apointed used by date I guess I tend to get a bit grumpy because I see the sport I have been involved with all my life going down a track where there is less and less variety for new entrants, both driving and technicaly, and less and less relevance to the motor trade which used to be a scource of both finance and personell.
Getting to be a Grumpy Old Man, but I'm still interested.

[Sheep Stations]

Good on you Tony, understand exactly what you mean. You've hit a nerve there about relevance in the motor trade. With Porsche, they obviously still see the connection with sales and the sport. Other manufacturers have long ago lost their mojo chasing the numbers game, yet Porsche cops more negativity than most...sorry, off on my defensive tangent again.

[Sheep Stations]

Originally Posted by NewsStalker

Sheep Stations - that's the ongoing cost - what about the 'entry cost' that is - the initial setup costs - car, engine etc? How 'standard' are components supposed to be to (hopefully) reign in costs). Engine rebuilds every ????km

This is what tends to build up the cost of competing as well as the entry fees, accom, travel etc etc.

OK see what you mean, but hey, it is a Porsche category after all so can't expect HQ budgets.

$120-140 for a good, straight well maintained Aust or NZ 996 Cup Car with 8 spare wheels and some spares if you're lucky.

Factory says 80 hours for rebuild. They go a lot longer than that if cared for and regular oil change. Problems start when you are unsympathetic to the machinery(isn't every race car like this??) Blew a $4k clutch recently being careless on down-change...more than once.

Word is free parts, no factory monopolies so long as not enhanced parts(read:cheating).

[Sheep Stations]

Originally Posted by NewsStalker

Sheep Stations - that's the ongoing cost - what about the 'entry cost' that is - the initial setup costs - car, engine etc? How 'standard' are components supposed to be to (hopefully) reign in costs). Engine rebuilds every ????km

This is what tends to build up the cost of competing as well as the entry fees, accom, travel etc etc.

OK see what you mean, but hey, it is a Porsche category after all so can't expect HQ budgets.

$120-140 for a good, straight well maintained Aust or NZ 996 Cup Car with 8 spare wheels and some spares if you're lucky.

Factory says 80 hours for rebuild. They go a lot longer than that if cared for and regular oil change. Problems start when you are unsympathetic to the machinery(isn't every race car like this??) Blew a $4k clutch recently being careless on down-change...more than once.

Word is free parts, no factory monopolies so long as not enhanced parts(read:cheating).

Crash damage is where the CC costs escalate. I don't plan any suicide mid corner dives for 12th position last lap and hopefully my fellow competitors will be the of same mind. I'd rather enjoy the beer and steak sandwich Sunday arvo with no aggro, a straight car on the trailer and plenty of laughs

[Denosaur]

Sounds like a compensation plan for possibly not allowing 997 GT3's into the GT championship??

[Sheep Stations]

Originally Posted by Denosaur

Sounds like a compensation plan for possibly not allowing 997 GT3's into the GT championship??

I've read the reg's and no 997's in this category, and that won't change until 2010 at least(when new Cup Car due), so don't see any relevance.

Can never understand the beef about 997 Cup Cars and the whinge about not being allowed to run in GT. Porsche are only protecting their investment.

Look at Cochrane and the V8's. Can you imagine him allowing a current Supercar to run in someone elses series...yeah right. He doesn't even like speed comparisons at Indy and the Grand Prix because it doesn't reflect positively on the V8's.

[Oldtony]

And try getting an answer of the V8SC people why the SuperKarts were 2sec a lap quicker than them at Eastern Creek.
Something to do with the track surface they say!!!!!

[GT's screwed the pooch]

From the info I just read, this isnt a one make series, but a series for 996GT3 Cup cars plus all previous models, no turbo's, no pro drivers...............sounds like a bloody good thing to me........something the GT's should have done ages ago

[GT's screwed the pooch]

I am filling out my expressions of interest form now..............I hope Jodi does as good a job running this as she did Carrera Cup....This series is going to be great, I can't wait.
All i need now is a car, anyone know where ther is any good 996 GT3 Cup Cars for sale??????

[GT's screwed the pooch]

For those interested I just found this....www.gt3cupchallenge.com.au
looks like a the press release that was in the info pack handed out today at the track

[Sheep Stations]

Originally Posted by GT's screwed the pooch

I am filling out my expressions of interest form now..............I hope Jodi does as good a job running this as she did Carrera Cup....This series is going to be great, I can't wait.
All i need now is a car, anyone know where ther is any good 996 GT3 Cup Cars for sale??????

Ouch...harsh name Pooch. GT probably failed in past couple of seasons to take care of the competitors who were the meat and potatoes of the category in pursuit of the more exotics, but lets be positive about this new development.

Ex-Samadi 03 Cup Car just changed hands for a rumoured $140+...had a few whacks (other than JR, Coulthard and Baird cars, which ones haven't taken a punch?) but very well maintained by Mick Mitchell at Corse Automotive.

Some good ones available in NZ, same spec as OZ and well maintained by Motorsport NZ or XXX Motorsport. These things might just get hard to find now that GT3 Cup is up and running.