The visit of the Apex Tubulars Porsche Club Championship to the famous Grand Prix circuit of Spa Francorchamps in Belgium is a highlight of the season for the drivers, and two close races saw James Neal and Paul Livesey travel back to the UK with outright wins under their belts. Marcus Carniel and Ben Demetriou shared Class Two honours, while Neil Harvey and Mark Taylor continued their Class Three battle with a win apiece.

QualifyingFriday's 45-minute qualifying session saw the Porsche Club racers on track with the Apex Tubulars Porsche Open runners, the two series running together all weekend. A fired-up Demetriou, who only arrived at the circuit shortly before qualifying after travel dramas, was a superb quickest overall round the Spa circuit in his 944 S2, heading Neal's Class One 964 C2.

"WE arrived at the circuit late," said Demetriou, "after my flight had been cancelled and it then took us an hour to get in. I just jumped in the car and went out with no timing or pit board - I was amazed to be on pole overall."

Marcus Carniel and Trevor Lewis made it a all Class Two second row, with Alex Eacock fifth and second in Class One ahead of Tom Segrue. Usual Class One front-runners Livesey and Mark McAleer missed testing at the circuit - as did Demetriou - and lined up eighth and ninth on the grid.

Harvey claimed Class Three pole ahead of Taylor by just under two tenths of a second.

Race OneThe rear-engined cars of Neal and Carniel got the best starts, Neal taking the lead despite a nudge from behind at the first corner. The others closed up when the Safety Car slowed the field for three laps, leaving just 12-minutes of racing remaining. The Club runners were sharing the track with the Porsche Open field - 37 cars in all on track.

"I got a good start," said Neal, "and led despite a little tap from behind. It was a wet track and then the Safety Car came out, but again I was good at the restart and it was a straightforward race to the end. It is terrific to win at a place like Spa."

Carniel went past Demetriou on the run down to Eau Rouge to take second, and open a gap to take the Class Two victory.

"I usually get good starts and managed one this time," said Carniel. "It was a shame we had Open cars in front of us, if there had been a clear track ahead of us I would have tried to go round his outside at the first corner. I was flowing James and he looked at the limit, I almost got past him up the hill from Eau Rouge on lap but his power told and he stayed ahead. It was quite something to be on the Spa podium at the end of the race."

"I touched James at the first corner," said Demetriou, "and lifted as he was my team-mate. It was my first time in the wet at Spa so maybe I was a bit over cautious, but I was able to hold off Alex Eacock at the end."

Eacock, took a fine fourth place, first of the 968CS's home. Mark McAleer took fifth despite missing part of qualifying and still learning the circuit.

"I made a poor start," said McAleer, "and by the time I was going the leaders had gone - at least by now I am starting to remember the corners."

Neil Harvey got the better of Mark Taylor to claim Class Three victory.

Race TwoNeal was on pole for race two and led the field away at the start of the 50-minute event, again surviving a tap in the first corner to take the lead. Battling with Carniel in the early laps, a gaggle of 968s was closing in, and soon Neal was having to defend his lead.

After much position swapping Paul Livesey was the man to break clear, taking his first win on 2007 after making the most of a missed gear by Neal. McAleer then looked for a way past Neal, finally getting by on the last lap to claim second.

"It all came together on Sunday and I was really getting to know the circuit," said Livesey on his first Spa visit. "I was confident with the car and able to push, and it is great to take a win there, it was a great weekend."

"It was a whole different ball game for us on Sunday," said McAleer. "It all fell into place and we had a good race, swapping places everywhere at one stage which was fun! I'm over the moon to take second place here, that must have been one of our closest races all year - this is a great circuit to race on."

"I had a good race with Marcus early on," said Neal, "then I saw four or five 968s coming at me! I missed a gear and Paul Livesey went past, I got back ahead but then he went by again and opened a small gap. I held off Mark but then made a mistake and he was past at the very last corner - which was annoying."

Demetriou claimed sixth overall and Class Two victory, recovering form a brief off to chase down Carniel.

"I made a good start and was third, but had Class One cars hounding me up the straight," said Demetriou. "I passed Marcus under yellows so waved him back ahead, but then Trevor Lewis spun and we both went off. That made the red mist descend a bit and it felt like I drove the race of my life and I go into the class lead. It was an eventful but successful weekend."

Race One - 30 Minutes (9 Laps): 1 James Neal (964 C2) 32m05.667s; 2 Marcus Carniel (911) 32m07.682s; 3 Ben Demetriou (944 S2); 4 Alex Eacock (968CS) 5 Mark McAleer (968CS); 6 Tom Segrue (968CS); 7 Trevor Lewis (944 S2); 8 Paul Livesey (968CS); 9 David Botterill (964 C2); 10 Richard Harrison (911) Class winners: Neal; Carniel; Neil Harvey (911 SC). Fastest lap: Carniel 2m57.418s (88.29mph).

Race Two - 50 Minutes  (17 LAPS) 1 Livesey 51m11.527s; 2 McAleer 1m19.481s; 3 Neal (964C2); 4 Segrue; 5 Eacock (968CS); 6 Demetriou (968CS); 7 Carniel; 8 Harrison; 9 Botterill; 10 Cieran Brewer (944 S2). Class winners: Livesey; Demetriou; Mark Taylor (911 SC). Fastest lap: Neal 2m54.958 (89.53mph).

Next rounds: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, June 16th  / 17th