Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Australia experienced variable weather conditions at Winton Motor Raceway as its field made final preparations ahead of Saturday’s final race of the Jim Richards Endurance Trophy.

The Porsche series held opening practice on a soggy Winton circuit before the sun emerged for practice two, a session where all drivers were able to complete their best times of the day.

Series points leader Cooper Murray was the best of both sessions, finishing the day just 0.1115secs ahead of his closest title rival Simon Fallon, with Luis Leeds behind in third.

Murray now has his sights on the Jim Richards Endurance Trophy, where he leads Max Vidau by 12 points after victories in the season’s two endurance races, held at The Bend Motorsport Park and Queensland Raceway.

“It’s good to start the event being quickest in both practice sessions. It’s my home track, which gave me an advantage, so we’ll see what qualifying brings tomorrow,” said Murray.

“The Endurance Trophy is what I’m focussing on right now. It would be good to win that in race one and tick off that box for 2018. Hopefully we get that done and then focus on the main championship.”

Jimmy Vernon was the next best from Friday practice from Chelsea Angelo and Vidau in sixth.

Queensland Raceway Pro-Am winner Brett Boulton was the best of the Pro-Am class with the seventh best time, while Christian Pancione continued his Class B pace-setting form with the best time of his class in eighth outright.

Reigning Class B champion David Grieg was the next best of the Class B runners in ninth outright from Tom Taplin; the South Australian rookie quickly adapting to his 991-series 911 GT3 Cup car to sneak into the top 10 across the two Friday practice sessions.

Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Australia will hold qualifying and the final Jim Richards Endurance Trophy race of the season on Saturday before its two Sunday sprint races, both of which can be viewed on the event live stream, available from www.thenationals.com.au.

Race Schedule
Saturday September 01
10:10am Qualifying (20 minutes)
1:15pm Race 1 (35 laps)
Sunday September 02
9:00am Race 2 (12 laps)
11:55am Race 3 (12 laps)

Results: Practice 1 & 2 (combined times)
1. #36 Cooper Murray (Pro) 1:23.9646*
2. #96 Simon Fallon (Pro) 1:24.0761 (-0:00.1115)
3. #230 Luis Leeds (Pro) 1:25.2900 (-0:01.3254)
4. #7 Jimmy Vernon (Pro) 1:26.3570 (-0:02.3924)
5. #38 Chelsea Angelo (Pro) 1:26.6640 (-0:02.6994)
6. #77 Max Vidau (Pro) 1:26.6975 (-0:02.7329)
7. #84 Brett Boulton (Pro-Am) 1:27.3543 (-0:03.3897)
8. #76 Christian Pancione (Class B) 1:27.4440 (-0:03.4794)
9. #87 David Greig (Class B) 1:28.0371 (-0:04.0725)
10. #26 Tom Taplin (Pro) 1:28.1734 (-0:04.2088)
11. #73 Michael Hovey (Pro-Am) 1:28.4422 (-0:04.4776)
12. #2 Dan Day (Pro) 1:28.6021 (-0:04.6375)
13. #10 Michael Loccisano (Pro-Am) 1:28.9099 (-0:04.9453)
14. #22 Andrew Goldie (Class B) 1:30.0525 (-0:06.0879)
15. #88 Phil Morriss (Class B) 1:31.0617 (-0:07.0971)
16. #57 Richard Bloomfield (Class B) 1:31.1353 (-0:07.1707)
17. #23 Daniel Stutterd (Pro-Am) 1:31.5036 (-0:07.5390)
18. #27 Sam Fillmore (Pro-Am) 1:32.7293 (-0:08.7647)
19. #99 Ross McGregor (Pro-Am) 1:32.7769 (-0:08.8123)
20. #17 Marcel Zalloua (Pro-Am) 1:34.3737 (-0:10.4091)
21. #13 Jonathan Gliksten (Pro-Am) 1:35.0952 (-0:11.1306)
22. #117 Sergio Pires (Class B) 1:35.3748 (-0:11.4102)
23. #9 Tony Martin (Class B) 1:39.8221 (-0:15.8575)