Bathurst winner ruled out by injury

2023 Bathurst 12 Hour winner Kenny Habul has withdrawn from the remainder of this weekend’s Porsche Carrera Cup competition.

“Unfortunately an old back injury has flared up at a very inconvenient time and I have to withdraw from the weekend,” said Habul.

“I have to thank TekworkX Motorsport for putting everything together for me for the AGP. I look forward to getting better and focusing on the Spa 24.”

Making his debut in the category, Habul was on track for yesterday’s Practice 1, but was unable to make it out for Practice 2 and the day’s subsequent quali and race.

He arrived at Albert Park for Round 1 of the 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia with his last effort on home soil being victory at the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour in the SunEnergy1 Mercedes-AMG GT.

That came off the back of a strong 2022 where Habul won a third Pro-Am title in the Intercontinental GT Challenge, including outright victory in a Triple Eight Race Engineering-run effort at Bathurst 12 Hour.

He went on to claim second-place class finished in the 24 Hours of Spa and Indianapolis 8 Hour, before another class victory in the Gulf 12 Hours when Akkodis ASP and SPS also ran his car.

Habul currently leads the points in IGTC in both Pro and Pro-Am classes.

The Carrera Cup field race for only three laps of yesterday’s season opener, won by Jackson Walls after the race was red flagged due to a Turn 9 incident involving Padayachee and Stutterd.

Race 2 of the Championship starts at 1825 AEDT this afternoon.