Sutton completes Carrera Cup double

.. at DoningtonJames Sutton completed a superb weekend double win in an action packed round twelve of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Donington Park today (Sunday 15 July).While Sutton fended off a fierce race-long challenge from Steven Kane, there were battles and drama throughout the field and it was Michael Caine who drove a storming race to take third, while Nigel Rice bagged another pro-am victory to extend his championship lead in the category.Following earlier rain, the track was sufficiently dry for everyone to start on slicks, although there were still damp patches away from the racing line. Sutton (Red Line Racing) just beat Kane (Motorbase Performance) into Redgate, as Jon Barnes (Team Parker Racing) shot into third with a brilliant start. Sam Hancock (Motorbase Performance) dived ahead of Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing) to grab fourth at the end of the lap. Already out was Charles Bateman (Team Parker Racing), after sliding off at high speed at Starkey’s Bridge.After several laps behind the safety car while Bateman’s damaged car was moved, racing resumed with Sutton again taking control from Kane. Under pressure from Hancock, Barnes spun at the chicane on lap six and now Hancock and Harvey joined in a fierce contest that would rage until the final lap. As Harvey attacked into the Old Hairpin, the cars touched and Harvey ended his race in the gravel while Hancock limped to the finish in seventh place with a puncture.At the head of the race, Kane challenged Sutton hard over the second half of the race and the gap was seldom more than a few car’s lengths. But Sutton drove a fine race to fend off his rival by less than half a second at the flag. “That was a perfect race,” said Sutton. “But there was no time when I could rest.” Kane, meanwhile, had never stopped chasing. “The car was brilliant and I tried to make a couple of moves.”With Harvey out and Hancock limping to the flag, Michael Caine (Team Parker Racing) swept through to an amazing third place after starting at the back of the grid. “It’s been an emotional weekend, but that’s where the car should be,” said Caine. “Hancock and Harvey were both driving incredibly hard and I was just glad to see them both exit,” said Caine, having caught the battle for third in the closing stages. Caine’s performance earned him the ‘RAC driver of the weekend’ award, while Team Parker Racing were announced as ‘RAC team of the weekend’ after fielding four cars for the first time this season.Through to fourth overall came Rice (Red Line Racing) to win the pro-am category. Andy Britnell (Motorbase Performance) and Colin Willmott (Willmott Racing) had chased Rice hard over the first half of the race. But out of the chicane on lap 18, Britnell and Willmott touched and while Britnell slithered into the barriers, Willmott spun like a top down the pits straight. “I lost count at four times,” said Willmott, who missed the barriers and continued to take third in pro-am behind Pete Osborne (Team O). Ahead of them in fifth overall was Oliver Jarvis (Porsche Motorsport), while Barnes recovered to take ninth and Maxi Jazz (Red Line Racing) finished tenth.Porsche Carrera Cup GB results - Date: Sunday 15 July 2007 - Venue: Donington Park - Event: Round 12 – 24 laps

1 James Sutton Pro Red Line Racing 30m25.610s2 Steven Kane Pro Motorbase Performance 30m26.078s3 Michael Caine Pro Team Parker Racing 30m36.441s4 Nigel Rice Pro-am Red Line Racing 30m41.907s5 Oliver Jarvis - Porsche Motorsport 30m42.751s6 Pete Osborne Pro-am Team O 30m53.710s7 Sam Hancock Pro Motorbase Performance 31m09.369s8 Colin Willmott Pro-am Willmott Racing 31m18.104s9 Jon Barnes Pro Team Parker Racing 31m18.566s10 Maxi Jazz Pro-am Red Line Racing 23 lapsDNF Tim Harvey Pro Red Line Racing 23 lapsDNF Andy Britnell Pro-am Motorbase Performance 18 lapsDNF David Epton Pro Team Parker Racing 11 lapsDNF Charles Bateman Pro-am Team Parker Racing 0 laps


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