Race 10, Oulton Park, Cheshire - 16th September 2006
Morris Adds to Victory Tally at Oulton Park
Peter Morris took his fifth win of the 2006 Porsche Open season to win at Oulton Park in an exciting 15-minute 'sprint' race. Porsche veteran Colin Broster returned to take second and win Class One ahead of fellow series visitor Paul Hogarth, who claimed third in his 997.
Morris took Class Two in addition to the outright victory, with Mike Johnson claiming the Class Three win for the tenth time this season. For the first time the series ran a Class Five - comprised of the 11 competitors from the Irish Porsche Open series who were racing for their own championship points - Jim O'Reilly first of the Celtic contingent home.
QualifyingPorsche Carrera Cup competitor Hogarth took pole, half a second clear of Morris with Broster and Malcolm Spendlove forming row two.
"I only live in Knutsford so this is my local circuit," said Hogarth. "Coming here this weekend gives me some time in the car outside of the cut-and-thrust of the Carrera Cup, and it's going well so far. The 997 is really good in the quick corners."
O'Reilly was quickest of the Class Five runners, in seventh overall, with Mike Johnson heading Class Three and Dave Parnell heading Charles Winterhalder in Class Four.
RaceMorris led into the first corner from the outside of the front row, Broster tucking in behind with Spendlove up to third and poleman Hogarth only fourth at the end of the first lap. He was soon on the move though, setting fastest race lap on the way to passing Spendlove, and setting off after the lead pair.
By lap three Hogarth was past Broster, and was right with Morris and looking for a way past. The pair crossed the line nose to tail, Hogarth in the newer 997 looking to the outside of Morris' GT3 into the first corner. Into the chicane for the fourth time and Hogarth challenged for the lead, but skated off onto the grass, dropping to third - still clear of the rest of the field but out of touch with Morris and Broster.
Broster closed up to within half a second of Morris, but could find no way past the Class Two car, Morris never offering an opportunity to his pursuer. They crossed the line in that order, Hogarth a safe third ahead of Spendlove and Mark Stephenson. The latter pair crossed the line in the opposite order, but Stephenson was given a ten second penalty for an illegal start.
"I made a good start," said Morris, "I got into Old Hall first and from then on it was a close race. I knew where my car was strong and I just had to drive a wide car in places to keep them behind. Colin was really on it in the final laps and we had a cracking race - the long Oulton Park layout really suits the Porsches."
"It was very close," agreed Broster, "He knew where I was trying to come through and kept his car wide, and we had a good clean race. Pete defended well and was always in the right place.
"My main problem in that race was the other two guys at the front!" joked Hogarth. "I locked up at the second chicane and was onto the grass - I just should have been more patient."
O'Reilly headed home the Irish Class Five runners, seventh overall behind Brian Robinson. "I think we livened the race up!" exclaimed O'Reilly after the race. "It was a terrific race, I had a couple of good battles, but drove the whole race without an alternator and with temperatures of 150OC. This is an awesome circuit though - so there was no way I was going to stop."
Johnson took ninth overall and once more Class Three, battling machinery from the more powerful classes. "I enjoyed that but it all got a bit tight at the start," said Johnson. "I tried to go between Mark Stephenson and the pit wall, but it got a bit tight and then I found I had nowhere to slot in behind him. After that I just got my head down and got stuck in. It was an enjoyable race - this circuit has everything."
Parnell took Class Four ahead just of Winterhalder. "I missed the start totally," said Parnell, "and had to battle back past them, I really enjoyed that."
"It's good to get a result after destroying my racecar six weeks ago," said Winterhalder. "I was hoping to get him right on the line - but it's good to be back on the pace and the guys have done a great job building this car."
Irish championship leaders Paul Gray and Ciaran Molumby clashed after Gray had a brake problem at Knickerbrook, leaving the pair with a race against time to prepare for the final round of their championship in Ireland nest weekend.
Sprint Race - 15 Minutes (8 Laps):
1 Peter Morris (GT3 Cup) 14m31.211s (88.99mph); 2 Colin Broster (996 GT3 Cup) +0.229s; 3 Paul Hogarth (997); 4 Malcolm Spendlove (GT3 Cup); 5 Mark Stephenson (996 GT3 Cup); 6 Brian Robinson (993 RS); 7 Jim O'Reilly (930 Turbo); 8 Martin Harvey (911 Turbo); 9 Mike Johnson (911 SC); 10 Paul Livesey (944 Turbo). Class Winners: Broster; Morris; Johnson, Dave Parnell (944). Fastest Lap: Hogarth 1m46.312s (91.15mph).
Next round: Croft, North Yorkshire, September 24th
