Race 13, Oulton Park, Cheshire - 16th September 2006

White Continues Run of Success at Oulton Park

Porsche Club Championship leader took another step towards claming the 2006 title with his third win in a row and eighth of the season at Oulton Park. Title rival Richard Lambert won Class Two to keep the pressure on White heading for the final races at Croft next weekend, while Mark McAleer kept his hopes alive with third place overall.

Lambert is now 19-points behind White on 266-points, with Croft offering two races and bonus points for running in the final rounds of the season. A win in Class Three at Oulton Park has seen Chris Berry move into third overall in the points, 258 points and nine clear of McAleer in fourth.

QualifyingIan Oliver claimed pole position for the 15-minute race, his first ever in three years of racing.

"It was a bit of a surprise," said Oliver. "I have never started from pole before, but we knew from the times we were there or thereabouts. It was case of hanging back and finding some space."

White was second quickest, and not dismayed at missing pole: "The front row is perfect - you can keep out of trouble from there."

Marcus Carniel headed Class Two and was third overall, ahead of Tom Segrue and Lambert, who was hampered by a vibration from a rear hub. McAleer was another with problems, a down on power engine seeing him only eighth on the grid. Chris Berry headed Ian McLeod in Class Three.

RaceAt the start White swooped in front of Oliver to take the lead - but the race was stopped after just a lap due to an incident at Lodge corner. Segrue was nudged into a spin, and collected by Chris Milne, eliminating both cars from the restart.

White repeated his start for the second time of asking, Carniel looking to go outside Oliver into the first corner, only to go wide and spin back across the front of the entire pack - somehow without touching another car.

"I thought I was going to be hit by everyone!" said Carniel, "I went to eh outside and just ran out of space."

Carniel's spin split the field, White, Oliver and Mike Clapham clear of the rest, headed by McAleer, his car now fully back on song.  As Oliver harried the leader, McAleer reeled in Clapham, taking third on lap on lap four.

With the race reduced in time due to the incident at the first start, the front two were out of reach of McAleer, White holding on for the win despite the pressure from Oliver. Lambert came through to take fourth and win Class Two, keeping his championship hopes alive, while Marcus Carniel was closing on Clapham in fifth at the end - having climbed back though the field after his spin.

"My first start was fantastic," said White, "then I had to do it again. "Ian was with me all the way and trying hard - if I do well in the first race at Croft then I'm there."

"I really wanted to beat him off the line the second time," said Oliver, " but he was too quick. I had to choose the moment to go by, but he never gave me a clear opportunity. I really enjoyed that - now we seem to have found some reliability then we can be really on the pace."

"I didn't know if we had really sorted the problem from this morning till the race started," said McAleer, "but the car was good - if it had been right in qualifying then we could have won."

"We still had the noise and vibration in the race," said Lambert, "but when I saw Marcus spin then I knew I had a chance of winning the class."

Chris Berry headed home Class Three: "I had a quite a lonely race - the hairiest moment was just missing Marcus!"

Race - 12 Minutes (6 Laps):

1 Ian White (911 Carrera) 12m11.797s (80.94mph) 2 Ian Oliver (911 Carrera) +0.361; 3 Mark McAleer (968 CS); 4 Richard Lambert (3.0 Carrera); 5 Mike Clapham (968 CS); 6 Marcus Carniel (911 SC); 7 James Hilliard (944 S2); 8 Gordon Matthew (968 CS); 9 James Neal (964 C2); 10 Chris Berry (9111E).  Class Winners: White; Lambert; Berry. Fastest Lap: McAleer 1m59.731s (80.94mph).

Next rounds: Croft, North Yorkshire, September 23rd and 24th