OSCAR TARGETT and Brock Gilchrist will commence a Trans-Tasman battle for the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series title this weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park. 

The pair, split by 91 points with 181 up for grabs across three races, are the only two drivers that can win the championship this weekend.

Targett has won eight races to Gilchrist’s pair this year however the latter’s consistency aboard his Team Porsche New Zealand entry has kept him well in the hunt.

However, Gilchrist does lead the Jim Richards Enduro Trophy by twelve points, with the Sprint Challenge ‘race within a race’ to be decided on Saturday morning at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Both of those titles will be decided this weekend, while the Pro-Am and Class B battles will also draw to their conclusion in Sydney as a strong 27-car field prepares to tackle the three races – to be held on Friday and Saturday of the Shannons SpeedSeries event.

Targett’s rise to the top of the table has been well documented following his early-season debut last year.

After missing the opening round of the series, the teenager had a strong run home to finish third in the championship behind eventual champion Marco Giltrap, and Aaron Shields.

As part of the Grove Racing junior program, Targett will aim to deliver the Grove’s their first Porsche title since Stephen’s Pro-Am successes in Carrera Cup Australia.

Gilchrist came from New Zealand this year after winning the Porsche New Zealand Scholarship that has recently supported the likes of Ryan Wood, Callum Hedge and Marco Giltrap to success in Australian Porsche competition under the ‘Team Porsche New Zealand’ banner.

Now established in Queensland – and working at Queensland Raceway – Gilchrist’s strong season included a clutch Enduro Cup race win at The Bend in round two and another strong win in Tasmania amidst a weekend where he and Targett spent much of the event locked together.

After delivering five different race winners from the first five races, this year’s Sprint Challenge title battle has been dominated since by the Earl Bamber Motorsport pair who have claimed 9 of the subsequent ten races between them.

Kiwi Clay Osborne sits third in the championship, 99 points clear of teammate Caleb Sumich in fourth, while a late-season surge from Ayrton Hodson has him fifth in the standings and just 12 points behind his teammate.

In Pro-Am, Lachy Harburg holds a commanding lead in the title race with Sydneysider Andrew Georgiadis his closest contender in his rookie season.

The Queenslander will aim to secure his second Sprint Challenge title this weekend, having claimed the Class B championship in 2022 and finished runner-up last year prior to stepping up to the Pro-Am ranks in 2024.

With second-placed Danny Stutterd electing not to compete in Sydney, both Georgiadis (third) and Eric Constantinidis (fourth) will aim to overhaul the TekworkX driver in the standings in a bid to score a top three championship result this weekend.

With the Class B title already claimed, New South Wales driver Jacque Jarjo will step up into the Pro-Am ranks this weekend for the first time, adding another strong contender to the mix.

The 27-car field includes the Sprint Challenge debut of Class B entrant Daniel Quimby aboard his FCL Transport / Cup Car Engineering entry.

Action commences on Friday with a 45-minute practice session at 12:55pm local time, followed by Qualifying at 3:55pm and Race 1 at 6:55pm.

Saturday will see the Enduro Cup decider battled over 45-minutes at 9:25am with the title decider to be sorted at 2:10pm on Saturday afternoon.

The final race of the year will be broadcast live and free on the Seven Network on 7mate and 7plus Sport on Saturday.

ENTRY LIST – Round 6, Sydney Motorsport Park