for Silverstone Spectacular
The Porsche Club Championship and the Porsche Open combine this coming weekend, July 26th and 27th, for two exciting races at the Silverstone Classic race meeting. The only 'modern' cars invited to race at one of the year's premier historic events, a capacity grid of 48-racing Porsches should provide a stunning spectacle, with the Club racers out to score points towards their series championship.
The Porsche Club Championship runners will share the grid with the Open cars, the latter being released first with the Club runners starting after a delay. The battle in Class One has been a highlight of the season so far, Ian White is now the championship leader, having regained his two wins at Donington Park on appeal, but traditionally the Silverstone circuit has suited the 968 CS mounted runners, so second placed Mark McAleer should be right on the pace. White's 964 C2 is usually quick off the line, but he faces a host of well-driven 968s, with alongside McAleer drivers such as Gary Duckman, Brian Robinson and Ben Demetriou all aiming to get on the podium.
Class One of the Club is the most numerous, with 16-entries, eight of them 968s, and among the other drivers to watch for will be series returnee Marcus Carniel. White damaged his 964 prior to the May's meeting at Silverstone, and borrowed Carniel's similar car for the races, recording two strong finishes - so Marcus will be keen to show what he can do with his own car. One to watch will be John Williams, taking on much newer cars in his 1973 911 Carrera RS.
In Class Two Chris Dyer leads the points with his 944 S2, having taken a win at Silverstone at the end of May, but will be under pressure from the similar cars of Charles Winterhalder and Trevor Lewis. Sarah Bennett-Baggs has been the biggest points scorer in Class 3, and joint second overall in the championship standings tied with McAleer's score. A consistent scorer in her pink 911 SC, Jeremy Clarke has put together a run of form to take the last four races and inch closer to taking class honours.
The Open runners are potentially some of the quickest cars on display at Silverstone all weekend, and certainly the entry features the most modern racing machinery on the track with a number of the very latest 997 GT3 Cup models. The mighty 993 GT3 Evo shared by Paul McLean and Peter Fairbairn has been a pace setter all season and will certainly be right on the pace, but will have to take on the challenge of the less powerful but more nimble 997s.
The 997 ranks are boosted by the welcome return of Tommy Dreelan and Bob Lyons to the Open, while more of the hugely-powerful 993 GT2s will be on the grid, with Paul Livesey and Mark Chilton still developing their potentially rapid mounts.
The Class Two runners are in equally impressive machinery, with four 996 GT3s taking on some rapid 993 RSRs. The GT3 of Paul Winter has been the pace-setter this season, with James Fillingham and Zubin Randeria also podium visitors. Tony Brown has dominated Class Three so far this year, but some strong class opposition this weekend should see him having to battle to continue his run of wins.
Qualifying is late on afternoon Friday at 17.15, with Saturday's race, for the Mark Donohue trophy, at 11.15. Sunday's 20-minute Derek Bell trophy race is scheduled for 11.10.
