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This website is now dedicated to covering the Black Bullets. Current Black Bullets news is now provided on iSportz » with past news archived here for your continued reference.
Fast-rising Porsche race driver Jono Lester made a strong start to his 2008/09 Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge campaign over the weekend, finishing second overall at Pukekohe and taking a hard-fought victory in the 16-lap feature race over defending series champion Craig Baird.
Lester, 18, was quick off the mark in practice and topped the Friday time sheets before qualifying third for the first race on Saturday afternoon.
Third place in the opening race was backed up with fourth in the second after losing out to International Motorsport team mate Jody Vincent off the start line; however a front row start for the feature race (determined by reversing the top six laptimes from race two) put Lester in strong contention for a race victory.
Lester slotted in behind pole-sitter and former team mate Daniel Gaunt for the first half of the race before pulling off a late braking manoeuvre around the outside at the hairpin to take the lead. The final handful of laps were spent with defending champion Craig Baird filling the mirrors of the Blackwoods Paykels GT3, however Lester took the chequered flag to record his third victory in the class.
"It's my third win in the GT3 Cup Challenge, but it feels like my first," said Lester.
 "This is the first time I've been able to take a victory fair and square with Craig Baird, David Reynolds and all the other top forces out there competing with me, so it's a pretty awesome feeling!"
Third generation racer Lester credits the success of the weekend to his time in Australia competing in selected rounds of the 2008 Porsche Carrera Cup. His time with world-renowned neuroscientist Dr. Kerry Spackman is also seen as an important factor in what Lester believes will be his defining season in the sport.
"I felt good coming into this. The Aussie racing toughened me up and taught me to run my own race and focus ahead, while Dr. Spackman's knowledge and skills were with me every second out there. And without the support of the Giltrap Group in providing me with a top car, I wouldn't be here at all.
I hope this victory will be the first of many this season."
Lester finished second overall for round one of the 2008/09 Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge on 189 points, behind Baird (217), with Daniel Gaunt in third on 154. Round two takes place at Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway at Ruapuna Park, Christchurch on November 28-30.
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