The opening rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch this weekend (8/9 April) will be one of the most eagerly awaited events of the 2006 British racing season.The biggest field in the history of the Carrera Cup GB will make a fantastic spectacle on the Indy circuit, with 21 of the stunning new 997-model 911GT3 Cup cars going into battle in a pair of 34-lap races. After six weeks of hard work in testing and fine-tuning the new cars, the teams and drivers will now focus on the first two races of the new season. Qualifying and the opening race will be held on Saturday, with the second race on Sunday in front of an expected bumper BTCC crowd as the British racing season gets off to a flying start.The new 997-model racer has drawn universal praise from the drivers, with more power, a sequential gearbox and enhanced aerodynamics, so Carrera Cup lap records are set to tumble.Heading the entry and proudly carrying number 1 on his car will be defending champion Damien Faulkner (Team Parker Racing). The Irish ace is determined to take back-to-back titles, but knows that he faces an incredibly strong field with a clutch of very serious title contenders.Champion in 2004 and runner-up last year, Richard Westbrook returns with Red Line Racing. His parallel programme in the Porsche Supercup may force him to miss some Carrera Cup races, but Westbrook will want to win races at the very least. Equally, Tim Harvey has high hopes for 2006 after a mixed 2005 campaign and now heads up a very strong squad at Motorbase Performance. Fastest of all during the pre-season test day at Silverstone – the only time all the leading cars have tested at the same time – was Mark Cole for Team RPM. That was a big boost to the team and Cole will be fighting hard to continue his pacesetting form at Brands. Another strong contender is series newcomer Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance), while established Carrera Cup front-runner Jason Templeman (Team Parker Racing), Sam Edwards (Team Parker Racing), Piers Masarati (Trackspeed), Andy Purdie (Paragon) and Richard Williams (IN2RACING) wrap up the runners in the professional category.New for 2006 is the pro-am category, aimed at giving the non-professional racers their own points and prize money rewards to chase. The move has proved very popular indeed, and a gaggle of quick racers will be contesting this category within the overall race results.Red Line Racing drivers Nigel Rice and Jason Young are expected to be among the pro-am pacesetters, whilst striving to also get as far up the overall results as possible. Their major rivals will include Phil Quaife (Motorbase Performance), Mark Hazell (Team Parker Racing) and David Ashburn (Trackspeed), while Carrera Cup newcomers include Maxi Jazz (Red Line Racing), Pete Osbourne (Team O) and IN2RACING's Mike Richards and Paul Hogarth.Meanwhile, in the Vertu-backed VIP car will be respected racer and journalist Mark Hales. Though not eligible for points or prize money, Hales can be expected to race hard in his Carrera Cup debut and will bring vast experience to the weekend.So, the stage is set for some epic racing to get the 2006 Carrera Cup GB off to a great start. With a cracking field, a gaggle of potential race winners and the pro-am category offering a race within a race, it's going to be a memorable start to the season!