Auckland based Triple X Motorsport have today confirmed their entry in the world’s largest one-make race car category – contesting the 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia with driver Craig Baird MNZM.

Supporting both the Shanghai and Singapore Formula One Grand Prix events, the 2010 championship covers six venues across four countries (China, Singapore, Korea and Malaysia) starting in April and concluding late October.

The first time the Asia series has allowed entry from private teams, the lure of prize money and an international television audience exceeding 76 million viewers primes the New Zealand team for success on debut.

“We want to win – we think we can,” said Triple X Motorsport team principal and prominent New Zealand businessman Shane McKillen. “Craig has won the Porsche series in Australia and New Zealand several times, Asia is very strong this year and I think maybe the strongest Carrera Cup series in the world. There are lots of European drivers; Christian Menzel, Danny Watts – guys who will be a good challenge for Craig and the Triple X Motorsport team.”

With a substantial lead in New Zealand’s Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Baird who has 23 New Zealand and two Australian championship titles, heads to Asia buoyed by his previous success in one-off races last year.

“There are plenty of good guys there at the top of their game: Christian Menzel that drives for the Alzen’s in Germany, Danny Watts, who was the British A1GP driver, Darryl O’Young who drives the GT2 class for the factory Porsche team so I’m really looking forward to it - it’ll be a competitive series. Plus it’s a refreshing change for me as well; I love racing in New Zealand and being involved in Triple X Motorsport, so to go to Asia with my own team is probably one of the most important things. It increases chances of achieving success - having that good group, I couldn’t wish for a better team,” said the 39-year-old Queensland based Kiwi, named in the 2010 New Year honours list.

While the series is based on identical specification Porsche 997-based 911 cars, the team will run the 2010 GT3 RS-based version backed by New Zealand produced VnC Cocktails.

“The VnC brand is very strong is Asia and I think it’s complimentary to motorsport and what we’re doing,” added McKillen. “Plus it also creates a development path for some of our young guys who can now get a chance to run in Asia and see what it’s like. Also there is an opportunity to bring some young Asian series drivers down to run New Zealand over the summer, give them a bit of testing and a few miles before they start their new championship.”

With Baird able to benefit from the summer championship race programme, he says driving one of the 24 new Porsche’s entered to the series will put everyone at the same level.

“It’s a new car – so no-one has any data on how to get the most from the car at each circuit – that makes it a good year to join the championship as it’s never going to be as even as it is now. I obviously have to learn some of the circuits – but we all have to learn the cars; it comes back to the cars more so than the driver I believe,” he added.

“The 2010 car has another 40 horsepower more and is about 150mm wider with larger tyres, so you’d expect to be 1-2 seconds quicker at most circuits – making it a very fast car. Although at the end of the day the car is still a rear-wheel-drive, rear-engined 911 race car like I’ve driven anywhere else.”

With each of the six venues running two races, the 12-round championship rewards a win with ten points plus one point for setting fastest time in qualifying.

Beginning mid-April at the Shanghai Formula One weekend, the team will partake in the official test weekend at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit mid-March.

Media: Triple X Motorsport  Photo: Lance Hastie