On a day of doubles, James Neal took both overall wins as the Apex Tubulars Porsche Club Championship started its 2007 season at Oulton Park, while Marcus Carniel and Neil Harvey doubled up in Classes Two and Three respectively. Tom Segrue took the chequered flag in race two, only to be dropped to third in the results after a ten second penalty for an adjudged jump start.

QualifyingA confused qualifying session, due to timing problems, finally saw Marcus Holden's Class Two Boxster on pole for the opening race - a first for the model. Segrue lined his new 968CS up second on the grid, ahead of Mike Clapham, Neal and McAleer. Carniel was second in Class Two and Neil Harvey headed up Class Three.

Race OneA superb start from Neal saw him sweep round the outside of the front row pair and lead into Old Hall in the first of Saturday's races. From then on he was under almost constant pressure in the 20-minute race, with Segrue sliding into second as poleman Holden slipped down the order.

Segrue forced Neal to defend lap after lap, but the leader never offered a clear opportunity to pass. Their battle enabled McAleer and Carniel to close, and they were joined by Paul Livesey to make it a five-car lead group. Carniel elected to settle for Class Two honours and having let McAleer by in the early laps allowed Class One racer Livesey past as well.

Into Old Hall on lap eight McAleer took advantage of a backmarker to slip inside Segrue, with Livesey following past into third. Like Segrue before him, McAleer could find no way past Neal's 964 C2, and Segrue moved into third with two laps to go, the lead three virtually together as they took the chequered flag. With Livesey fourth, Carniel took fifth and Class Two victory.

"I made a good start, and that seemed to make the difference," said Neal. "I'd given a lot of thought to the stat, but it was hard work after that and I was under pressure all the time - Tom was very quick. It's a good start to the season, I didn't qualify well as we had an oil leak."

"The race was great apart from my start," said McAleer. "I got caught behind the Boxster and had to get past, and it was hard to make places as we all had pretty much the same pace. I got past Tom when he was caught behind a backmarker, but James was very difficult to get past - I'm pleased with second though."

"I was unsighted and never saw the chequered flag!" said Segrue. "The car was quick though, which was good in my first race with it."

"Once we were into the race I had no-one in class to worry about," said Carniel. "I ended up racing diplomatically and let Mark McAleer and Paul Livesey through. It's good to start with a class win, I hope I do the same later."

Trevor Lewis just held off Brian Robinson to take sixth and second in Class Two, while Class Three honours went to Harvey.

Race TwoAt the start of race two Segrue burst between front row starters Neal and McAleer to lead into the opening corner, and open up a four second gap over the opening two laps. Unfortunately, his getaway was adjudged a little too rapid by the officials and earned him a 10-second penalty to be applied to his race time.

McAleer briefly headed Neal on the opening lap before the race one winner regained second, and their battle allowed Segrue to extend the gap at the front, and Livesey to close in from behind. Carniel was fifth with Ben Demetriou in close attendance for the Class Two lead battle.

Neal was forced to defend as hard as he did in the first race, McAleer looking to get inside the 964 on several occasions only to have the gap disappear. Even a group of backmarkers as the pair went through Old Hall with two laps to go failed to provide McAleer with an opportunity, and they crossed the line in that order, Neal taking the win due to Segrue's penalty which dropped him to third in the results.

"I made a poor start and saw Tom go straight past," said Neal. "Then I just had to defend from Mark, the 968 seems to be the quicker car round here. I'm pleased with the two wins, I wasn't expecting them."

"James defended hard," said McAleer. "I had a couple of chances to go past but didn't make it and that's racing."

"I thought my start was legitimate," said a disappointed Segrue. "I feel really aggrieved and just feel sorry for the team."

Carniel claimed his second Class Two win of the day, but only having to defend in the final laps from Brian Robinson who climbed up through the order as the race progressed. On the final laps they were together, Carniel surviving a determined last lap challenge to take the win and fifth overall.

"That was a hard race," said Carniel. "We touched and I think we both went sideways on the final lap, and now my car doesn't like turning left, but I'm happy with two wins."

Harvey won Class Three to make it a third double win of the day, Charles Winterhalder running close in the opening laps before engine failure sidelined his 944.

"I've had a great time today," said Harvey. "This is my first time at Oulton in 14 years so it is a great start to the season."

Race One - 20 Minutes (10 Laps):

1 James Neal (964 C2) 20m11.934s; 2 Mark McAleer (968CS) 20m12.284s; 3 Tom Segrue (968CS); 4 Paul Livesey (968CS); 5 Marcus Carniel (911SC); 6 Trevor Lewis (944 S2); 7 Brian Robinson (944 S2); 8 Ian Oliver (911); 9 David Botterill (964 C2); 10 Ben Demetriou (944 S2). Class Winners: Neal; Carniel; Neil Harvey (911).  Fastest Lap: Livesey, 1m58.289s (81.997mph).

Race Two - 20 Minutes (10 Laps):

1 Neal 20m15.813s; McAleer 20m16.242s; 3 Segrue; 4 Livesey; 5 Carniel; 6 Robinson; 7 Demetriou; 8 Alex Eacock (968); 9 Botterill; 10 Oliver. Class Winners: Neal; Carniel; Harvey.  Fastest Lap: Segrue 1m59.081s (81.383mph).

Next round: Snetterton, Norfolk, April 21 / 22