Class One racer Richard Bennett is a bringing a famous car back to Porsche racing this season, entering the 993 C2 taken by Johnny Mowlem to the 1996 and 1997 Porsche Cup titles in the 2012 Porsche Club Championship. Bennett acquired the car, in which Mowlem won all 17 Porsche Cup races in 1997, last year and has now rebuilt the 993 ready to contest a full season in 2012.

“In 2011 I stepped up to Class one with County Classics in a 968 CS,” said Berkshire-racer Bennett, “but if I am honest I ever got on with the car, and then after I had gone off at Thruxton in June, I had to stand and watch as someone else went off, hit my car, and wrote it off. I had always been tempted by a 993, and found one in Ireland that turned out to be the ex-Johnny Mowlem car.

“The plan was to rebuild it for 2012 as it was in a bit of state, but in fact we got the car out for the end of 2011, which really just showed what needed doing to it. Over the winter I have taken it down to a shell myself and put it back together, I even designed the new livery.

“The car was part of the Porsche Club display at the Autosport International Show in January, and I met Johnny Mowlem there and told him I had his old car. He came over to our stand, and jumped in it, saying ‘this was the car that really started my international career’. He then signed the car in two places, so I’m hoping I can do the car and myself justice this season!”

Opening rounds of the 2012 Porsche Club Championship are at Brands Hatch on May 5th, with the season featuring seven race meetings in 2012, six of which feature double-header races, while as has become the norm in recent seasons, the final rounds will be on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit with three races to close the season in style.