ANDRE Heimgartner has kept his chances of a Carrera Cup championship alive with a strong weekend of racing at Mount Panorama.
Heimgartner, who returned to the series this year after placing seventh in 2012, arrived at Bathurst trailing championship leader David Wall by 68 points.
But with a pair of wins and a third placing in the all-Porsche series that earned him the round win, Heimgartner closed that gap.
On Friday when placing third to Wall and Alex Davison in the 15-lap endurance race, Heimgartner clocked the quickest lap – a 2:08.1812.
The young Kiwi had more joy in Saturday’s nine-lap contest as he came from third on the grid to claim the chequered flag.
He took the lead on lap six, passing Wall through The Chase, and went on to win for the first time since the season opening Clipsal round.
“I’m really happy with that result. It’s been a long time since our last race win at the start of the year,” he said.
“There’s a bit of relief; the move I did for the lead was one of those moments where I had to just go for it and it came off. I’m pretty happy.”
On Sunday more joy followed as Heimgartner made it back-to-back victories.
Starting on pole, he held off Wall into turn one and from that point onward pulled further away from the chasing pack.
The margin after one lap was 1.752 seconds and by the time Heimgartner’s 911 GT3 Cup Car finished he was 6.2840 clear.
On his way to victory the 22-year-old clocked a race lap record 2:07.1820.
“I couldn’t have really asked for any more in that last race obviously than to drive away and to get that lap record was awesome as well,” he said.
“Just really stoked, really over the moon and hopefully we can get a few more of these wins and have a go at the championship.”
Davison took second in that final race with Wall third, that pair joining Heimgartner on the outright podium for the round.
The series concludes on the Gold Coast.
