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    rennsport

    May 03 2016

    Porsche Rennsport Festival 2016

    Porsche Rennsport

    After a three year break, the single brand Porsche Rennsport Festival returned to Sydney Motorsport Park in spectacular style. It must be said that the atmosphere of the event in 2016 was more lively, with a wide range of fan activities ranging from the usual Show n’ Shine, exhibits of non-racing Porsche historics (including an original Porsche tractor), memorabilia outlets and classy sit-down food and bar facilities. A most clever and really practical participation activity was the Kids Driving School. Booking the kids in for early driver and road rules training in a fun and interactive fashion parents were able to partake of the many festival stalls and race viewing while the kids had a great time “driving” mini Porsches. The obligatory face painting was also provided. I must say I have never reported on an event that was this family-friendly.

    Sam Curtis, CEO of Porsche Australia was delighted with the active participation by the consumer public. Gazing across the top of the pit building to an almost capacity filled car park up on the hill, Sam said “….its a much better event than we put on last time. SMSP is a great fit for us, and we are thrilled with the level of support we have been given to make this a huge success”. Sam was obviously having a great time too, as during the few minutes we chatted Shane van Gisbergen stole 15 places in the first Carrera Cup GT3 race and we were both excitedly grinning from ear to ear watching an incredible demonstration of race-craft.

    In conditions closely emulating those of three years ago, the festival started under early wet and grey conditions however both days turned on bright blue skies with fluffy white clouds for the majority of racing. Over 5000 people enjoyed all that was on offer. As well as the festival having many quality off-track attractions, the calibre of racing on-track was also outstanding and electrifying. With many of the best drivers in the country piloting multi millions of dollars of the highest race tech machinery. With a list of elite names like Percat, Caruso, van Gisbergen, Tander, Wall, Slade, Reynolds and Richards participating, it was a no-brainer that the crowd was going to be entertained. Obviously these guys got leave passes from V8SC or just couldn’t resist the allure of driving entirely different race cars than they usually drive, certainly added to the grand spectacle of the two Pro-Am Carrera Cup enduro races.

    The weekend racing was spread across six categories. Firstly two Regularity divisions, novice and experienced. Regularity One fostered a wide spread of winners in this category with Doug Barbour (1976 911) pleased with his first and second places around his nominated time of 1:53. Terry Dickens (2010 GT3) enjoyed two first places in Regularity Two driving closest to his nominated time of 2:10.

    I have decided to coin a word to describe a Group S and N Historic race. BROUHAHA!! Meaning “a noisy and over-excited reaction to something”. I mean this in the nicest possible way, Watching some of these guys on the grid, they’ve got the twitchiest throttle feet. In both race three and four, Seabrook and Adler broke before the lights. Adler broke so early in race three, he was 100 mtrs down the track before the others cleared the start line. And that was from the second row of the grid. For that he earned himself a 30 second penalty. Wayne Seabrook (1976 911) dominated with all three race wins with Richard Watts (1976 911) two seconds and a third while Stan Adler (1975 911) took home to Victoria two thirds and a second.

    Scott Taylor (2013 997 GT3) holds the kingship of this category, taking home all the lollies in Porsche Sports Cars over the weekend. With his pals Indiran Padayachee (2011 GT3) and Anthony Skinner (2009 GT3 Cup) they owned the podium in the exact same positions for all three races.

    Porsche GT3 Cup lived up to its expected hype with young guns Jaxon Evans and Hamish Hardeman duelling up the pointy end of the pack. It was a coming of age as young Jaxon took out his first GT3 Cup Challenge victory as he held Hardeman out of the top spot in all three races, albeit in a nail biting finish in race three. Hardeman clearly had the best of Evans for the majority of that race but a little run wide on turn two allowed a quick thinking Evans to go shallow and steal the lead holding onto the last three laps to claim three wins and his inaugural Challenge win. Evans stated” …he ( Hardeman) made me work for it. Its great that we can race hard and fair against each other.” Hardeman is showing great promise in this his first full season in the GT3 Cup car. Third place for the weekend went to Porsche junior Jake Klarich.

    Carrera Cup race one on Saturday was no less exciting. David Wall grabbed the early lead from the second row off the grid. At the same time Percat shot from fourth to second. Van Gisbergen started from 20th after a penalty from qualifying saw him moved 4 positions backwards. Notwithstanding, as we have seen from him in V8Sc racing, undaunted he proceeded to carve through the field including pushing Percat and Davison wide at turn 15 in a daring display of his awesome driving ability. After twelve laps and only 20 minutes elapsed of the one-hour race SVG was nipping at the heels of second place. After a solid drive by Challenge driver Geoff Emery, he handed the wheel over to pro driver Matt Campbell, who placed well within the top ten. Campbell brought the car home for race one win.

    Race two and Emery wins the start but soon moves backwards through the field as the quicker Pros move on by. Campbell commented after the race: “Geoff (Emery) was smart enough to know who was quicker in the field and to let them on by. He positioned the car in a really good place for me.” As soon as the window for driver exchange opened, Emery hauled the car in for Campbell to jump in. Richards had the fastest lap with a 1:31.7 jumping Slade to take third spot. SVG once again had a heap of work to do, jumping into the car in 16th. He spent the next 18 laps working his way up to a credible finish in fourth place. Abela and Camillieri touched coming out of turn three and a coordinated spinning ballet unfolded as each plowed down through the grassy verges on opposite sides towards turn four in unison. Unfortunately only Camillieri continued on. As soon as McBride jumped in after Dylan Thomas’ solid drive, he worked up six places to ultimately finish in second. Following the two races the leader board in Carrera Cup has Campbell ( 1st) followed by McBride (2nd) and Davison ( 3rd).

    The “Urban Cowboy “ Magnus Walker came from the USA for the Rennsport event. Renowned international Porsche enthusiast, reputably owner of over 50 Porsche 911’s , replete in jeans, leather jacket and long dreadlocks, Magnus enthralled the crowd and kindly gave of his time, knowledge and enthusiasm for the marque, chatting and signing autographs until the long lines had dwindled.

    A spectacular and fun event, Rennsport featured over 450 cars, 200 of which graced the track in racing, and countless priceless racing and road going examples where on display in the PorscheStrasse. These included two original LeMans winning examples as well as rare specimens such as a 1989 911 Speedster. This second running of Porsche Rennsport Festival bettered the first one in all ways said CEO Sam Curtis. “ There were more Porsches on track, more Porsches on display, more activities for the public and as a result more Porsche fans attended. Porsche is a special brand in so far as its appeal extends through the age range. Whether its modern or historic race cars, road cars like the GT3 RS or open top cars like the original 356 Cabriolet, there is always a Porsche to admire.”

    Words and pics by Rob Annesley
    look@shotbyrob.com.au

     

    Written by Samantha Stevens · Categorized: Major Events, Race Meetings, SMSP News · Tagged: festival, porsche, race, rennsport

    Jun 03 2013

    Porsche Rennsport Australia Festival a huge success

    Porsche Rennsport Australia Festival a huge success
    Porsche Cars Australia – Great Racing, Great Cars, Great Porsche Spirit
    Porsche fans in Australia have given the country’s inaugural Rennsport Festival a resounding vote of approval.
    Porsches old and new, from road and track, local and abroad together with famous faces and enthusiasts of the German marque filled Sydney Motorsport Park on the May 25-26 weekend in a celebration of all things Porsche.
    The superb on-track action from twin one-hour Porsche Carrera Cup Australia enduros and triple header Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Pirelli races was complemented with a showcase of stunning and priceless Porsches both on display and on track.
    In all, more than 240 Porsches took to the circuit in the weekend’s 37 track events with another 120 immaculately presented in the Porschestrasse display, Concours d’Elegance and Show’n’Shine. Together with privately owned vehicles driven to Rennsport the total number of Porsches at Sydney Motorsport Park was estimated at more than 500, with a crowd of approximately 4,000 over the two days.
    In Carrera Cup action it was Elite Class driver Max Twigg and V8 enduro specialist Luke Youlden that took round three honours while up-and-comer Richard Muscat took a clean sweep of victories in the GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Pirelli.

     

    Historic race cars drawing special attention on and off the circuit were the 1981 Le Mans-winning Porsche 936, 2005/6 American Le Mans Series LMP2 Porsche RS Spyder, the ex-Vern Schuppan Porsche 956C from the Japanese Sportscar Championship of the mid ‘80s, the Le Mans class-winning 996 RSR from 2002 and the ex-Alan Hamilton 1968 911 TR – the car that, as Alan Hamilton relayed on the weekend, “came within 10 yards” of winning the 1969 Australian Touring Car Championship.
    A Porsche new car showroom display, Porsche Kids Driving School, Porsche Panamera NSW Police Car and skidpan and 4WD off-road activities with the Porsche Sports Driving School ensured there was never a dull moment for Porsche aficionados.
    “The feedback from Porsche competitors, Porsche car club members and the general public to the inaugural Rennsport Ferstival in Australia has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Porsche Cars Australian Managing Director, Michael Winkler.
    “You measure the success of special events such as this not only by what happens on track but by the number of smiles and feeling of camaraderie in the garages.”
    The milestone event was celebrated on the Saturday evening with a gala dinner for 220 special guests, acknowledging past and present Porsche legends in Australia including: Porsche distributor Alan Hamilton, tarmac racing Porsche king Jim Richards, the most successful Carrera Cup racer in the world Craig Baird, and director of Porsche’s Historic Racing Department Klaus Bischof.
    “People are already asking me when the next Rennsport will be,” says Winkler. “The honest answer is ‘I don’t know right now’ but we are certain to have another, even bigger and better judging by the success of our first attempt.”
    Porsche Rennsport Australia Motor Racing Festival results:
    Porsche Carrera Cup, round three:
    1st Max Twigg / Luke Youlden (2011 GT3 Cup Type 997)
    Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Pirelli, round two:
    1st Richard Muscat (2006 GT3 Cup Type 997)
    Porsche Sports Cars
    1st Russell Kempnich (Porsche 956)
    Group S & Group N under 2500cc
    1st Wayne Seabrook (911 T)
    Group S & Group N over 2500cc
    1st Bryan Taylor (1974 Carrera)
    Regularity 1
    1st Greame Evans (911 T)
    Regularity 2
    1st Nathan Johnston (911 SC)
    Regularity 3
    1st Phil Treloar (996)
    Rennsport Show ‘n’ Shine Trophy
    1st John Pisani (356A 1959)
    Rennsport Australian Porsche Clubs Trophy
    1st Stephen Richardson (911 Carrera RS 1973)
    Rennsport Peoples’ Choice Award
    1st Antony Martin (911 SC 3.0 1980
    Rennsport Concours D’Elegance Trophy
    1st Ron Goodman (356 Cabriolet 1953)
    Rennsport Concourse D’Elegance Masterclass Trophy
    1st Paul Muras (928 S4 1989)

     

    Written by Samantha Stevens · Categorized: Major Events, News Archive, SMSP News · Tagged: festival, porsche, rennsport

    May 07 2013

    Porsche Rennsport Australia Motor Racing Festival

    Porsche Rennsport Australia Motor Racing Festival
    Porsche Cars Australia is pleased to announce the inaugural Porsche Rennsport Australia Motor Racing Festival, held on the weekend of May 25 and 26, 2013 at Sydney Motor Sport Park.
    The format of the exclusive all-Porsche event will be centred on the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia, which will both headline the weekend’s racing schedule. Other events will include several all-Porsche races, Regularities and historic demonstrations on both Saturday and Sunday.
    Recent improvements to the circuit facilities will allow the entire circuit, figure 8, skid pan and four wheel drive track to facilitate various events and activities throughout the weekend.
    Off-track attractions will include the Porsche Concours d’Elegance and Porsche Show ‘n’ Shine, while the Porsche Sport Driving School and Porsche Kids Driving School will provide the full spectrum of the Porsche driving experience to those big and small.
    The action will start at 8:30am both days, with tickets available at the gate (online sales have now closed). Weekend Passes just $55 for adults and $5 for children 17 and under (with a paying adult). Daily passes are $30 for adults, and again, $5 per day for a child. Parking is free!
    Porsche Rennsport Australia Motor Racing Festival is set to be a true ‘Festival’ of all things Porsche. We look forward to seeing you there.
    Visit www.rennsportaustralia.com.au for more information.

     

    Written by Samantha Stevens · Categorized: ARDC News, News Archive · Tagged: festival, porsche, rennsport

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