2008 Porsche Cup final results

PORSCHE CUP - AWARD FOR MOST SUCCESS PRIVATEER WORLDWIDE - EARNED BY ALEXANDER DAVISON FROM AUTRALIA; SIX OF THE TOP TEN EARNED POINTS IN U.S.

ATLANTA - December 7 - Alex Davison from Australia, who won his first big professional race in the Porsche Supercup contest at the Indianapoils Motor Speedway in 2002, has earned the 2008 Porsche Cup, awarded the world's most successful private Porsche driver.

As the first Australian to win the trophy that Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, had awarded annually to the most successful privateer since 1970, Davison, 29 years old from Melbourne, earned his Porsche Cup points at the wheel of a 911 GT3 RSR in four different series racing all distances, including a second place finish at this year's American Le Mans Series Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in the Flying Lizards Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

Besides ALMS, he drove for the Austrian Felbermayr-Proton team, partnering with Porsche works driver Marc Lieb, and secured second place of the GT2 class of the European Le Mans Series - a series made up of five 1,000 kilometer races. Speed, endurance and caution were the name of the game at the Le Mans 24 hour race, where Davison and Lieb finished fifth for the Austrian squad. His guest appearance in the FIA GT Championship concluded with the GT2 win in Nogaro, this time in a Prospeed Competition Porsche which he shared with works driver Richard Westbrook. In the International GT Open, Autorlando Sport placed their trust in "Davo" for selected sprints in a GT3 RSR.

Alexander Davison made the switch to GT racing after claiming third in the 2000 Australian Formula Ford Championship. With Manthey Racing the 1.82-metre Australian contested the Carrera Cup Deutschland series for the first time where he raced successfully until 2003. In 2002 he also added the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup to his race calendar. Returning to Australia in 2004 he contested the national Carrera Cup and joined the V8 Supercars for the first time where he spent two more years in the top championship on the fifth continent. Again in 2007, Davison alternated between a 911 GT3 Cup and an Australian V8, before taking on motorsport challenges back in Europe and in the USA in 2008.

Other top Porsche Cup finishers who earned points driving in North America included runner- up Dirk Werner (Germany), whose 2008 highlights included a GT2 victory in the American Le Mans Series (Road America) with Farnbacher Loles Racing's Porsche 911 G3 RSR. Last year's Cup winner, Johannes von Overbeen (USA), finished third in this year's point tally after a successful season with the Flying Lizard Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, while Lizard teammate and Brumos Porsche Grand-Am Darren Law was fourth in the Porsche Cup. Porsche RS Spyder Dyson Racing teammates Marino Franchitti and Butch Leitzinger were eight and ninth respectively.

Davison was awarded the Porsche Cup last night at the Porsche Motorsports Night in the R&D Center at Weissach. As well as the coveted challenge Cup, the most successful private driver of the year receives a Porsche 911 turbo worth $150,000. The Porsche Cup program carries a record total value of $316,000, with positions one to ten receiving prize money. Drivers of Prototype and Grand Touring race series and selected long distance events earn points towards the traditional competition, which Porsche evaluates and awards according to a formula.

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Porsche Cup 2008 - Top ten drivers

1. Alexander Davison (AUS)
6,430 points
Prize: A Porsche 911 turbo worth $150,000.

Le Mans Series with Felbermayr Proton 911 GT3 RSR: Vice-champion LMGT2; ALMS with Flying Lizard Motorsports 911 GT3 RSR, 12 Hours of Sebring: Second place LMGT2; 24 Hours of Le Mans with Flying Lizard Motorsports 911 GT3 RSR: Fifth place LMGT2; FIA GT Championship with Prospeed Competition 911 GT3 RSR: GT2 win in Nogaro; International GT Open with Autorlando Sport 911 GT3 RSR

2. Dirk Werner (GER)
6,030 points
Prize money: $37,500

ALMS with Farnbacher Loles 911 GT3 RSR: win in Road America, sixth place drivers' classification LMP2; Grand-Am GT with Farnbacher Loles 911 GT3 Cup: eighth place drivers' classification; BF Goodrich Long Distance Championship Nurburgring with Land Motorsport 911 GT3 RSR: wins at 33rd DMV Munsterlandpokal and BF Goodrich Trophy

3. Johannes van Overbeek (USA)
5,900 points
Prize money: $31,200

ALMS with Flying Lizard Motorsports 911 GT3 RSR: third place drivers' classification LMGT2; Grand-Am GT, 24 Hours at Daytona with TRG 911 GT3 Cup: fourth place; 24 Hours of Le Mans with Flying Lizard Motorsports 911 GT3 RSR: sixth place LMGT2

4. Darren Law (USA)
5,855 points
Prize money: $25,000

ALMS with Flying Lizard Motorsports 911 GT3 RSR, 12 Hours of Sebring: second place; seventh place drivers' classification LMGT2; Grand Am DP with Brumos Racing Porsche Riley: fourth place drivers' classification

5. Jos Verstappen (NED)
5,750 points
Prize money: $18,750

Le Mans Series with Van Merksteijn Motorsport RS Spyder: four wins, LMP2 champion; 24 Hours of Le Mans with Van Merksteijn Motorsport RS Spyder: LMP2 winner

6. Gianluca Roda (ITA)
4,950 points
Prize money: $15,000

International GT Open with Autorlando Sport 911 GT3 RSR: GTA vice-champion

7. Peter van Merksteijn (NED)
4,750 points
Prize money: $12,500 Euro

Le Mans Series with Van Merksteijn Motorsport RS Spyder: three wins, vice champion LMP2; 24 Hours of Le Mans with Van Merksteijn Motorsport RS Spyder: winner LMP2

8. Marino Franchitti (GBR)
4,450 points
Prize money: $10,000

ALMS with Dyson Racing RS Spyder: 12 Hours of Sebring, second place; third place Road America, fourth place Petit Le Mans, fifth place drivers' classification LMP2; BF Goodrich Long Distance Championship Nurburgring with HISAQ Competition 911 GT3 RSR: win at 50th ADAC ACAS H&R Cup

9. Butch Leitzinger (USA)
4,050 points
Prize money: $8,750

ALMS with Dyson Racing RS Spyder: 12 Hours of Sebring, second place; third place Road America, fourth place Petit Le Mans, fifth place drivers' classification LMP2

10. John Nielsen (DEN)
3,950 points
Prize money: $3,750

LMS with Essex Racing RS Spyder: one win, three third places, third place drivers' classification LMP2; 24 Hours of Le Mans with Essex Racing RS Spyder: second place LMP2

10. Casper Elgaard (DEN)
3,950 points
Prize money: $3,750

LMS with Essex Racing RS Spyder: one win, three third places, third place drivers' classification LMP2; 24 Hours of Le Mans with Essex Racing RS Spyder: second place LMP2

-credit: porsche