2008 Australian Carrera Cup Championship
# 2008 Australian Carrera Cup Championship

The 2008 Australian Carrera Cup Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Cars. The championship, which was contested over nine rounds across five different states, began on 21 February 2008 at the Clipsal 500 and finished on 26 October at the Gold Coast Indy 300. It was the sixth and last Australian Carrera Cup Championship until the 2011 season.

Craig Baird dominated the series, winning 14 of the series 25 races and the New Zealander driving for Fitzgerald Racing became the first driver to win the series twice, adding to his 2006 championship win. West Australian Dean Fiore was the runner up for Sonic Motor Racing, taking four wins and dominating the Mount Panorama round. Third was David Russell in the Sherrin Motor Sport car.

The most dramatic moment of the season was when category managers Sherrin Motor Sport collapsed, leaving the series briefly in limbo. With the assistance of CAMS and Porsche Australia, Glenn Ridge owned company Q Media Events took over the running of the series.

## Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers have competed in the Championship.

| Team | No | Driver |
| - | - | - |
| Fitzgerald Racing | 3 | Craig Baird |
| Fitzgerald Racing | 4 | Andrew Moffat David Russell |
| Fitzgerald Racing | 27 | Barton Mawer |
| Sonic Motor Racing Services | 5 | Dean Fiore |
| Sonic Motor Racing Services | 6 | Bryce Washington |
| Sonic Motor Racing Services | 7 | Rodney Jane |
| Sonic Motor Racing Services | 9 | James Moffat |
| Jaimie Vedda Racing | 8 | Rodney Forbes |
| Juniper Racing | 11 | Shaun Juniper |
| Hallmarc Racing | 12 | Marc Cini |
| Supabarn Motorsport | 14 | James Koundouris |
| Supabarn Motorsport | 15 | Theo Koundouris |
| Twigg Motorsport | 18 | Max Twigg |
| Sherrin Motor Sport | 19 | Grant Sherrin |
| Sherrin Motor Sport | 22 | David Russell |
| Sherrin Motor Sport | 72 | Iain Sherrin Daniel Gaunt* Paul Stokell |
| Paul Cruikshank Racing | 23 | Aaron Caratti |
| Jim Richards Racing | 38 | David Wall |
| Greg Murphy Racing | 47 | Darryn Henderson Christian Jones |
| Greg Murphy Racing | 51 | Jono Lester |
| Greg Murphy Racing | 66 | Peter Hill |
| Greg Murphy Racing | 72 | Daniel Pappas |
| Tekno Racing | 94 | Jonathon Webb* |

$^*$ Guest drivers ineligible for points.

## Race calendar

| Round | Date | Circuit | Location | Winning driver |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 21–24 February | Adelaide Street Circuit | Adelaide, South Australia | Craig Baird |
| 2 | 13–16 March | Albert Park Street Circuit | Melbourne, Victoria | Craig Baird |
| 3 | 4–6 April | Wakefield Park | Goulburn, New South Wales | Aaron Caratti |
| 4 | 9–11 May | Barbagallo Raceway | Perth, Western Australia | Craig Baird |
| 5 | 7–9 June | Sandown Raceway | Melbourne, Victoria | Craig Baird |
| 6 | 4–6 July | Queensland Raceway | Ipswich, Queensland | Craig Baird |
| 7 | 12–14 September | Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit | Phillip Island, Victoria | Craig Baird |
| 8 | 9–12 October | Mount Panorama Circuit | Bathurst, New South Wales | Dean Fiore |
| 9 | 23–26 October | Surfers Paradise Street Circuit | Surfers Paradise, Queensland | James Moffat |

Each of the nine rounds was contested over three races.

## Points system

Championship points were awarded on 60–54–48–42–36–30–27–24–21–18–15–12–9–6–6–3–3–3–3–3 basis to the first twenty finishers in each race with 1 point awarded to each driver finishing in positions from 21st through to last.

## Results and standings

### Drivers' championship

| Pos | Driver | ADE | ADE | ADE | ALB | ALB | ALB | ALB | WAK | WAK | WAK | BAR | BAR | BAR | SAN | SAN | SAN | QLD | QLD | QLD | PHI | PHI | PHI | BAT | BAT | BAT | SUR | SUR | SUR | Pen. | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Craig Baird | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 | | 1458 |
| 2 | Dean Fiore | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 17 | Ret | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 13 | 6 | | 1122 |
| 3 | David Russell | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 18 | Ret | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 | Ret | 5 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | | 1017 |
| 4 | James Moffat | 6 | 5 | 7 | Ret | Ret | 11 | 18 | 6 | 5 | Ret | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | | 939 |
| 5 | Bryce Washington | 13 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | Ret | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | Ret | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 | DNS | 9 | Ret | | 906 |
| 6 | Aaron Caratti | 4 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Ret | 9 | Ret | Ret | 10 | 4 | 11 | Ret | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | Ret | 5 | 5 | 2 | 57 | 876 |
| 7 | David Wall | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 10 | Ret | 9 | Ret | 10 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | 870 |
| 8 | Rodney Jane | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 9 | Ret | Ret | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 12 | Ret | 7 | | 615 |
| 9 | Rodney Forbes | 9 | Ret | 9 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 15 | Ret | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 12 | Ret | 7 | 5 | | 606 |
| 10 | Barton Mawer | 8 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 18 | Ret | 11 | 20 | 15 | 16 | 10 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 | Ret | Ret | | 510 |
| 11 | James Koundouris | 7 | Ret | 16 | 12 | 14 | 13 | Ret | 10 | 9 | 7 | Ret | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 | Ret | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 7 | DNS | 8 | 8 | | 396 |
| 12 | Jono Lester | 11 | Ret | 15 | Ret | 11 | Ret | 13 | 11 | 10 | 6 | Ret | 6 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | 300 |
| 13 | Theo Koundouris | Ret | DNS | 13 | 13 | 13 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 10 | Ret | 14 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 13 | 11 | 10 | | 285 |
| 14 | Max Twigg | Ret | 11 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 14 | Ret | 9 | Ret | 19 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 13 | 20 | 15 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 8 | 14 | DNS | | 261 |
| 15 | Peter Hill | 12 | 10 | 17 | 10 | 8 | Ret | 11 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | | | | | | | | 222 |
| 16 | Shaun Juniper | 14 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 14 | Ret | Ret | 15 | 14 | 13 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 9 | DNS | 12 | Ret | | 186 |
| 17 | Marc Cini | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 12 | Ret | 16 | 13 | Ret | 19 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 11 | | 165 |
| 18 | Andrew Moffat | 17 | 12 | Ret | 11 | Ret | 16 | 12 | 18 | 13 | 8 | Ret | 12 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 16 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 144 |
| 19 | Paul Stokell | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | 141 |
| 20 | Grant Sherrin | 16 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 19 | Ret | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | 126 |
| 21 | Christian Jones | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 6 | 4 | | 102 |
| 22 | Daniel Pappas | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | 10 | 9 | | 57 |
| 23 | Sam Walter | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 12 | 10 | | | | | | | | 42 |
| 24 | Iain Sherrin | 18 | 16 | 19 | Ret | 18 | 18 | 17 | | | | 15 | 14 | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 33 |
| 25 | Darryn Henderson | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | 15 | Ret | | | | | 12 |
| | Jonathon Webb | | | | Ret | 10 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Daniel Gaunt | | | | | | | | Ret | 12 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | Second place |
| Bronze | Third place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Retired (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Red | Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Withdrew (WD) |
| White | Race cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Did not practice (DNP) |
| Blank | Did not arrive (DNA) |
| Blank | Excluded (EX) |
