Hines Takes Chequered Flag but is Penalised for Safety Period Infringement
After a titanic battle over the final few laps in Round 11 of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship, Luke Hines (Team LNT Panoz Esperante GTLM) took the chequered flag at Rockingham, just 0.3 seconds ahead of Chris Niarchos (Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari). But Hines received a penalty for overtaking a backmarker before the green flag after a short safety car period on lap 33. Hines was given a 1 second penalty, promoting Niarchos and Mullen to the top step of the podium.
Gavan Kershaw and Barrie Whight (Lotus Sport Exige) took a dominant victory in GT3 and third overall in a change of fortunes from Race 1. Leo Machitski and Jonathan Cocker were second in GT3, enabling Machitski to move closer to the top of the championship table.
In GTC Bradley Ellis and Alex Mortimer (RPM Porsche 996) took their second win of the season after coming through the field after dropping back on the opening few laps. Phil Keen took his second podium in his debut weekend for Trackspeed alongside Ryan Hooker and the Team Aero Morgan of Keith Ahlers and Oliver Bryant stepped onto the final podium step after a superb last lap by Bryant took him from 5th to 3rd.
After over night rain and a wet warm up session in the morning the teams were relieved when the Rockingham circuit dried out enough for the use of slicks in the second race of the weekend on Sunday afternoon.
Tim Mullen on pole position led the 20 car grid towards the start finish line for the rolling start but as the lights flashed to green it was Tom Kimber-Smith on the outside in the Team LNT Panoz who got the better start and shot into the lead as the pack headed round Turn 1 and down to the left hander at Deene for the first time. Behind the lead pair Barrie Whight in the Lotus Exige moved ahead of third placed Jonathan Cocker in the Tech 9 Porsche 997, who then started to come under pressure from Adam Wilcox in the GTC class JHM Ferrari. However Cocker held the place and then started to move away from Wilcox and he tracked the little Lotus ahead of him.
At the front Mullen was glued to the rear of the very wide Panoz of Kimber-Smith, but the LNT driver was taking the racing line and not presenting the Irish driver with any opprotunity to pass.
In GT3 Whight was able to maintain a one to two second gap to the flying Jonathan Cocker and for lap after lap these two cars circulated at the head of GT3 and 3rd and 4th on the road respectively.
In GTC Adam Wilcox was being caught by Phil Keen in the Trackspeed Porsche 996 and Alex Mortimer in the similar RPM car. Race 1 winner and race 2 GTC pole sitter Matt Allison was dropping back, struggling with the 'H' pattern gearbox that was fitted overnight after a crack was discovered in the cars sequential 'box. By lap 4 he had fallen back to 4th in class and losing ground to Mortimer.
Kimber-Smith was still using every inch of his immense racing skill to keep the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari at bay but on lap 6 he left a gap at Gracelands and Mullen pounced, taking the lead in a great move. Once ahead Mullen set about opening up a gap to the Panoz and was over 10 seconds ahead when he handed over to Niarchos.
In GTC the ding-dong battle continued with Wilcox maintaining his lead as Hooker and Mortimer fought for 2nd place. As the two Porsches crossed the line for the 12th time they were side-by-side, Mortimer desperate to get past the Trackspeed car before he handed over to Ellis. Through Deane, Yentwood and Chapman the two cars were nose to tail and as they came to the hairpin Mortimer attacked again, diving to the inside. However Ryan Hooker held on to maintain his position but allowing Wilcox to open up a gap at the head of the class. A lap later Mortimer tried again and this time he got past and set off in pursuit of the Ferrari.
The pit window opened 23 minutes into the race but lead cars stayed out on track for as long as they could. On lap 25 both Mullen and Kimber-Smith pitted, handing over to Chris Niarchos and Luke Hines respectively. Mullen handed Niarchos a 10 second advantage but disaster nearly struck as the Ferrari crawled away from its pit box, seemingly in trouble. Niarchos got going but only just in front of Hines and the two front runners exited the pitlane nose to tail. It looked like a battle for the lead was going to develop but Niarchos pushed on and pulled away from Hines at a second a lap.
In the GTC Class, Phil Burton was now in charge of the JHM Ferrari and Bradley Ellis was behind the wheel of the RPM Porsche and reeling in the lead car. He caught the Ferrari and passed on the inside at Chapman on Lap 28 to take the class lead. In GT3 Gavan Kershaw was now in the cockpit of the Lotus Exige and pulling out a very comfortable 40 second gap to Leo Machitski in the Tech 9 Porsche.
Niarchos was stilling pulling away when fate throug a curve ball in the form of a safety car, which was deployed so the parked Porsche of Graeme Mundy could be recovered from the exit of the Tarzan Hairpin.
This didn't take long but this had allowed Hines to close up to the Ferrari but the little Richmond Racing Ginetta of Richard Hollebon sandwiched between the two lead cars. As the safety car pulled off and the cars approached the start line Hollebon attempted to get out of the way but Hines passed the Ginetta before he had reached the line.
Niarchos had Hines all over the back of his Ferrari as they approached Deene corner. Hines lunged for the inside, determined to take the lead. There was contact between the two cars, forcing the Ferrari wide and allowing Hines to take the lead. Niarchos was able to get back on terms with the Panoz as the Ferrari was visibly quicker on the infield. Niarchos attacked at Tarzan, getting right up behind Hines and then again he got a good run through the Bike Link back onto the Oval. Hines tried to defend his line, but further contact was made between the two cars, forcing Niarchos down towards the grass.
Hines maintained his lead but Niarchos was not going to give up and spent the next 7 laps trying to find a way around the very wide Panoz. The Rockingham crowd was loving the spectacle of the two cars battling for the lead but Niarchos was unable to find a way past safely. At the line it was Hines who took the win on the road, 0.3 seconds ahead of Chris Niarchos, who was deeply unhappy about the contact between the two cars during the race.
Scuderia Ecosse filed a protest with the stewards regarding the overtaking of the Richmond Racing Ginetta under safety car conditions by Luke Hines and after much deliberation a 1 second penalty was handed down for infringement of article 3.14.13 of the 2006 British GT regulations. The promoted the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari to first place, dropping Hines and Kimber-Smith to second.
Gavan Kershaw brought the little Lotus Exige home in 3rd overall and first in GT3, the only other car on the lead lap. Leo Machitski and Jonathan Cocker were second but happy they had finished ahead of GT3 championship leaders George MacKintosh and Sam Blogg to close the gap.
Bradley Ellis and Alex Mortimer were over the moon with a win in GTC after the incident in the first race which had robbed them of a podium finish and further championship points. They finished ahead of Ryan Hooker and Phil Keen, with third place going to Keith Ahlers and Oliver Bryant after Bryant drove brilliantly to pass both Jonny Lang and Phil Burton on the final lap to take the final podium position. One notable drive was by Phiroze Bilimoria, on his British GT debut, and Nigel Redwood, who had started in their RPM Porsche 996 in last place after engine problems in qualifying. They came though to finish 10th overall and 6th in class, just 1 lap behind the lead car.
It is all level now at the top of the GT2 championship table with Mullen, Niarchos, Kimber-Smith and Hines tied on 45 points with 5 races remaining in the 2006 GT2 Championship.
In GT3 Sam Blogg and George MacKintosh on 35 points have had their lead cut to just 4 points with Leo Machitski on 31 points with 3 races remaining.
In GTC Matt Allison and Jonny Lang continue to lead, with Ryan Hooker 6 points behind in 3rd. Another podium has pushed Keith Ahlers and Oliver Bryant up the table to 4th, 20 points behind the leaders.
The next two rounds are at Brands Hatch on the full Grand Prix circuit on 25/26 August 2006.
Tim Mullen (#1 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430 GT2): "We got quite a good start, but the Panoz has got a lot of straight line speed and was able to drive straight past me down to the first corner. Once he was in the lead he was very hard to get past. I had to push very hard and he ran wide at Gracelands, which allowed me to get up the inside. We touched doors a little bit, but it wasn't too bad and I managed to pull away. It was very close, much harder than the first race.
Tom Kimber-Smith (#57 Team LNT Panoz Esperante GTLM): "We had a good start, got around the outside in turn 1 and got to the inside into the hairpin. Tim then just pressured me for three or four laps. He hit me a couple of times going into the hairpin and then he went past in the left hander before the hairpin. After that I tried to minimise the gap before I handed over to Luke."
Barrie Whight (#19 Lotus Sport Cadena Exige GT3): "It's great, I think that is the true performance of the car. It was a different car today, I don't know what was wrong with it yesterday, but today showed the performance of the car. I had to do a bit of a brave one on the second corner otherwise you drop back and it takes 3 or 4 laps to get those back. However it worked a treat and we were able to maintain the gap to the Porsche. There's no doubt about it Jonathan (Cocker) is a great driver and I'm sure in equal cars he might beat me, but it was a great battle. We were so comfortable."
Gavan Kershaw (#19 Lotus Sport Cadena Exige GT3): "It's awesome, Barries pace at the start was fantastic, he came round the first corner from 6th upto 3rd and after that every lap was the same or bigger. I thought I'm looking forward to getting in this. This car was so different from yesterday, who knows why because we have changed anything, just cleaned it and fixed the exhaust. An incredible day really."
Bradley Ellis (#96 RPM Porsche 996 GTC): "The race sort of went as we planned and kept a constant pace. We got a chance to put some quick laps in early on and then started to catch the Ferrari. It was a fantastic race."
Alex Mortimer (#96 RPM Porsche 996 GTC): "I did have a poor first lap, but the car was spot on and we were able to claw our way back up the order to second. Then just needed Brad to get the last one and take the win. I can't wait for the next one at Brands Hatch. The GP circuit will really suit our car, I was there last year in our car, so I think it will be great."
CLICK HERE for results from Round 11
CLICK HERE for Championship Positions after Round 11
TV TIMES
Television Coverage of Rounds 10 & 11 of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship from Rockingham
CHANNEL 4
24 August at 07:30
MOTORS TV
26 August at 17.00
26 August at 23.30
28 August at 07.00
28 August at 16.00
30 August at 03.00
5 September at 17.00
