Round 2 of the Porsche Endurance Trophy New Zealand took place at one of the southernmost circuits in the world—Teretonga Park. Despite wild and wet weather on Saturday and further disruptions on Sunday morning, the Porsche 992 Cup Cars demonstrated impressive consistency across the round, with Rick Armstrong narrowly retaining his championship lead.
Saturday’s opening race bore the brunt of the treacherous conditions, with heavy rain triggering multiple Safety Car periods and forcing the race to run under time‑certain conditions. Armstrong maintained composure to secure crucial early points, finishing ahead of Sam Fillmore in second and Nigel Cromie in third.
On Sunday morning, the field returned to a still‑sodden track, but this time it was Luke Manson who mastered the conditions to claim the win. Armstrong was close behind, taking second place, while Cromie secured his second third‑place finish of the weekend.
The weather finally cleared for the afternoon’s 50‑minute feature race, setting the stage for one of the closest battles of the round. With multiple lead changes throughout, it was impossible to predict the winner until the closing stages.
Ultimately, Nigel Cromie claimed the endurance race victory after the race finished under safety car, with Andy Childes ending up in the tyre wall at turn 1. Manson and Armstrong completed the podium in second and third, respectively.
“Given the conditions we had across most of the weekend, all the drivers really showed their skills and abilities. With only completing two rounds, the Porsche Endurance Trophy is still anyone’s to win. As we move to Highlands, the contrasts of tracks and conditions are going to be tough for all drivers to dry out and get up to speed with, but all of them have a strong chance of walking away after Highlands in a Trophy-contending position,” said Nathan Pilcher, Porsche Motorsport Coordinator
Armstrong continues to lead the championship standings with 456.5 points, narrowly ahead of Luke Manson (448) and Nigel Cromie (442.5).
Looking Ahead: Highlands Next Stop
The GT New Zealand Championship now heads to Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell this coming weekend for Round 3. Another two 30‑minute races and a 50‑minute feature race will offer fresh challenges—and an opportunity for the leading trio to strengthen their championship bids.
Porsche Endurance Trophy New Zealand GT3 Cup:
- Rick Armstrong 468.5
- Luke Manson 448
- Nigel Cromie 442.5
- Sam Fillmore 408
- Andy Childe 266.5
- Regan Scoullar 236.5
Header Image: Tayler Burke/Shots By TayB
