The stage is set for an epic three-way fight for the Crown Lift Trucks Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge championship after defending champion Craig Baird got the better of current season points runner-up Jonny Reid near the end of the opening 30 lap mini-enduro race at the final round of the 2010/11 title fight at the Taupo Motorsport Park this afternonn.
Though it was Baird who pipped Reid and long-time 2010/11 series points leader Daniel Gaunt in qualifying earlier in the day it was Reid who got a better start and Reid who had a quicker pit stop, the former A1GP star looking a likely winner until the Safety Car came out so that Mike Morton's car could be retrieved from one of the circuit sand traps.
Reid again got the jump on Baird once the Safety Car had returned to the pits only to outbrake himself at the end of the back straight.
"I guess it just wasn't my day out there, " he said. "I was pushing hard to hold out Craig and I just locked the back wheels going into the last chicane. Fortunately I was lucky enough to be able to bounce across the grass and back onto the track but my tyres were dirty and I was sliding around a lot, Craig was able to put a clean move on me, and that was that."
As races go it was a classic, Reid resolute in his defence of his early race lead with Baird just as determined to find a way - any way - past, and an off-colour Daniel Gaunt trying to limit the damage in third place in front of weekend teammate Ant Pedersen and Reid's International Motorsport teammate Mitch Cunningham.
That's the way the order stayed until the compulsory pit stop, though there were position changes behind the front bunch as Hugh Gardiner caught and passed Scott Harrison and 996 Cup category champion elect Simon McLennan slowing and pitting with a puncture.
Daniel Gaunt was the first of the front runners to pit for his compulsory stop, quickly followed by both Reid and Baird. That left Ant Pedersen in the lead until he too pitted, returning the focus at the front of the field to the battle between Reid and Baird with Pedersen in third after leap-frogging Daniel Gaunt in the pits.
Until the Safety Car was deployed it looked like Baird was not going to be able to find a way past Reid. But he did and he was quick to acknowledge his rival's pace after the race.
"There was nothing in it, we were just pushing each other as hard as we could."
When the chequered flag came out the order, then, was Baird from Reid with Daniel Gaunt (who had wrestled third place back from Ant Pedersen after the re-start), Pedersen. Mitch Cunningham and Hugh Gardiner line astern.
With Simon Evans also forced to pit to replace a punctured tyre, victory in the 996 Cup category went to series newcomer Mark Maddren with Evans second and McLennan third, albeit three laps down. Michael Morton was also recorded as a finisher after getting going again after his off-track excursion.
Heading into the weekend Daniel Gaunt had a 25 point lead over Jonny Reid with Craig Baird a further 13 points back. But after today's race the margins have shrunk, Gaunt still in the lead with 918 points, but Reid now just 18 points behind on 900 and Baird now just five points back in third with 895 - meaning the battle for the 2010/11 title looks set to go down to the last lap of the last - reverse top six grid 14-lap race.
Qualifying
1. Craig Baird 1.29.579
2. Jonny Reid 1.29.609
3. Daniel Gaunt 1.29.636
4. Mitch Cunningham 1.30.435
5. Ant Pedersen 1.30.653
6. Hugh Gardiner 1.31.322
7. Scott Harrison 1.31.795
8. Simon McLennan 1.32.743
9. Simon Evans 1.33.059
10. Michael Morton 1.35.774
11. Mark Maddren 1.35.951
Race 1 (30 lap mini-enduro)
1. Craig Baird 48.03.653
2. Jonny Reid +1.282
3. Daniel Gaunt +5.000
4. Ant Pedersen +5.170
5. Mitch Cunningham +5.554
6. Hugh Gardiner +12.396
7. Mark Maddren +1 lap
8. Simon Evans +1 lap
9. Simon McLennan +3 laps
10. Mike Morton + 5 laps
dnf: Scott Harrison dnf
