John Bowe will be racing the CCC Lamborghini Gallardo GT3
John Bowe is to make a welcome return to the burgeoning Australian GT Championship grid for the Phillip Island event to be held on August 9-10.
The multi-championship winning Tasmanian will compete in the Consolidated Chemical Lamborghini Gallardo, while car owner Ted Huglin will also be running in his 'other' car, a Ferrari 360GT.
Bowe's Lamborghini will be one of four Gallardo models running in the Championship category, with Ian Palmer returning in his Palmer Steel Industries sponsored car, plus the Laminex car of Ross Lilley, and the Quarterback entry from current Australian GT Championship points leader Mark Eddy.
Lilley is positioned in second place in the points chase after four rounds. The exotic field will also include the ABCOR Aston Martin DBRS9 of John Kaias who is lying third in the Championship after winning the last round at Eastern Creek, plus the identical Team Aston Martin DBRS9 to be driven by Peter Hackett.
In additon to the Huglin Ferrari 360GT, two 430 models have been entered by Nick Halloran running for Maranello Motorsport and John Teulan in the Shell Racing, Stahlwille entry.
The Lotus marque is also well represented in the Championship field with the awesome Urban Arrangement Elise Motorsport 200 of Peter Lucas who took his maiden GT race win at the last round plus the Bolton IT Exige GT3 model entered by Angelo Lazaris.
David Mackie will take back the reigns of his Elise Motorsport 200 for his first ever run in the Championship. The car was driven Scott Bargwanna at Eastern Creek. With only two rounds remaining in the 2008 Championship the top three drivers (Mark Eddy, Ross Lilley and John Kaias) are separated by less than 20 points.
The GT Challenge battle at the last round at Eastern Creek was hotly contested and the Phillip Island field is set to again provide more thrilling action.
It will feature Keith Wong's Bicycle Express entered Ferrari 360 Challenge pitted against a plethora of Porsche models including four GT3 Cup cars for Michael Loccisano (Hallmarc Developments), Greg Ward (Echo Ridge Wines), Fraser Kirchner (Kirchner Constructions) and a returnee to the category Garth Rainsbury (Jocaro Motors).
Loccisano put in a very impressive debut performance in Round 3 of the Championship at the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix and will be looking to continue this form in the GT Challenge category.
Richard Kimber will be hoping for another podium position in the Drivebarthurst.com GT3 996 Clubsport, and Kim Burke in the PR Technology Racing GT3 997 Clubsport is looking forward to a more successful outing after contact with Graeme Cook put him out of races 2 and 3 at the last round. Greg Ward took the last GT Challenge round win at Eastern Creek.