Cook and Daniels win at Spa-Francorchamp

Peter Cook won twice and Paul Daniels once in three races as the Michelin Porsche Open Series contenders tackled Spa-Francorchamps over the weekend (4/5 June).The annual trip to the fabulous Belgian circuit by the Porsche Club GB offered competitors outstanding track time, with no less than three races. A 45-minute race on Saturday afternoon was followed by a half-hour race on Sunday morning and then a 50-minute race on Sunday afternoon.Out of the Open pack even before the first race went Richard Chamberlain when a cam chain broke on his 935. Instead, it was Cook who was able to use his Spa experience to win the opening race in his 911GT2 as rain just before the start made tyre choice tricky. Cook pulled a master stroke by going out on wets as Dutch visitor Remko Papenburg had to pit for wets on his 996 GT2R. Having started from the back, Papenburg romped through to second place at the flag.For race two, Cook and Papenburg shared the front row and the Dutchman led for a couple of laps before Cook eased ahead. Papenburg then shunted at Radillion and put himself out for the rest of the event.Cook seemed certain to romp to a third victory, but when his gearlever became detached he was forced to park up. Instead, Rupert Lewin, who had missed the opening race after qualifying dramas, came through to lead. But Lewin's glory in the 996 GT2R was equally short-lived after a tangle with a backmarker put his car out with a split radiator. So, a surprised but delighted Daniels moved ahead for his debut Porsche Open win aboard his 911 GT2.Class two success was split between the 996 of Paul Hogan/Aaron Scott and Dutch crew Bert van Rossem/Peter Hoeben (911GT3 Cup), while Mike and Steve Burtt cleaned up class three in their shared 993RS. Finally class four netted two wins for Alex Eacock and one for Tim Bevan in the battle of the 944s.Results race one – 16 laps: 1 Peter Cook (911GT2) 45m59.560s (145.604kph); 2 Remko Papenburg (996 GT2R) +1 lap; 3 Paul Daniels (911GT2); 4 Mike Burtt/Steve Burtt (993RS); 5 Paul Hogan/Aaron Scott (996); 6 Paul Howells (911GT2); 7 Alex Eacock (944); 8 Tim Bevan (944); 9 Larry Phillips/Keith Butcher (911GT3RS); 10 Frank Cortes (944). Class winners: Cook; Hogan/Scott; Burtt/Burtt; Eacock. Fastest lap: Cook 2m47.030s (150.354kph).Results race two – 12 laps: 1 Cook 30m46.290s (163.226kph); 2 Rupert Lewin (996GT2R) +1m27.069s; 3 Daniels; 4 Bert van Rossem/Peter Hoeben (911GT3 Cup); 5 Howells; 6 Phillips/Butcher; 7 Burtt/Burtt; 8 Hogan/Scott; 9 Eacock; 10 Bevan. Class winners: Cook; Van Rossem/Hoeben; Burtt/Burtt; Eacock. Fastest lap: Cook 2m30.641s (166.712kph).Results race three – 18 laps: 1 Daniels 50m31.723s (149.105kph); 2 Howells +39.881s; 3 Van Rossem/Hoeben; 4 Hogan/Scott; 5 Butcher/Phillips; 6 Burtt/Burtt; 7 Lewin; 8 Bevan; 9 Cortes; 10 Charles Winterhalder (944). Class winners: Daniels; Van Rossem/Hoeben; Burtt/Burtt; Bevan. Fastest lap: Lewin 2m30.385s (166.995kph).The next round of the series is at Donington Park on 19 June.

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