Ben Demetriou took his second double win of the season as the Porsche Club Championship visited Oulton Park, consolidating his Class One points lead. Despite gearbox problems Jeremy Clark took both Class Two wins – continuing his unbeaten record in the class this season and a string of class victories going back into 2008 – to hold the overall championship lead.
In a day of doubles, Anthony Oliver took the laurels in Class Three in both races.
Race One
Demetriou led the field away at the start of the first race, Kevin Harrison making a challenge over Hilltop on the opening lap. Behind, Richard Higgins and Kavanagh arrived at Knickerbrook side by side, but Higgins held third on the exit.
Demetriou and Harrison started to open a gap on the field in the early laps, with Kavanagh now up to third and running on his own. Higgins led a five car battle for fourth, holding off Carniel, Richard Lambert, McAleer and Clark. Carniel was first to find a way past Higgins, and was soon into third and chasing the lead duo.
Carniel was with Kavanagh into Knickerbrook on lap six, but as he looked for a way past the train of cars behind started to close in. A move on Harrison on lap nine let McAleer slip into third, in what was now a six-car battle for second, and in the remaining laps McAleer worked hard to find a way past Harrison’s 964 C2, but had to be content with third at the flag as Demetriou stayed well clear and took his fourth win of the season.
“I expected pressure from Marcus Carniel,” said Demetriou, “and thought he was behind me for a while, rather than Kevin Harrison. I treated every lap as a qualifier to keep my concentration.”
“That was hard work,” said Harrison I made a really good start and had a look at Ben on the first lap, but then the rest caught up,” said Harrison.
The six cars behind the leader all crossed the line less than a second apart, McAleer heading home Lambert, Kavanagh, Carniel and Higgins.
“I just tried not to make a mistake. I had the speed into the corners but lost out on power,” said McAleer.
Jeremy Clark kept up his unbeaten record in Class Two, taking ninth overall despite mechanical problems, one place ahead of class rivals Tim Bates and Chris Dyer. Anthony Oliver took Class Three victory.
“I was stuck in fourth gear for the last part of the race,” said Clark.
Race Two
Carniel made the best start, and headed Demetriou away as McAleer went past Harrison into Old Hall. Class Two pace-setter Clark was only fourth in class at the end of the opening lap as Carniel and Demetriou opened a gap over third-placed McAleer.
A spin for Carniel at Knickerbrook saw him slip down the order, McAleer going past to take second and closing on the leader. Over the next laps Demetriou began to ease away again at the front, but towards the end of the race McAleer was once more with the leader and and challenged into the first corner on lap 13, but the order stayed the same and the lead pair crossed the finish line just over a second apart for Demetriou’s second win of the day.
“I knew I would have a race on with Mark,” said Demetriou. “I went off a couple of times, but managed to hold him back.”
“I ran out of brakes at about three quarter distance,” explained McAleer, but we were right on the pace this time.”
The lead pair were over 30-seconds clear of the rest, Harrison leading the squabbling pack home, just holding off Kavanagh’s 993 C2 on the run to the line, these two having taken advantage of a clash between Higgins and Lambert on lap 12 at Shell that saw both lose time. Once recovered Lambert snatched fifth from Higgins a lap later, but Harrison and Kavanagh were out of sight by that time.
“Richard Lambert and Richard Higgins took each other out at Shell,” said Kavanagh, “I pressed Kevin as hard as I could too though.”
“Richard outbraked himself at Shell,” said Lambert, celebrating his 43rd birthday, “he hit me and spun me and his front wheel then caught my front. Earlier on I had third for a while after taking Kevin into Druids.”
“I was quicker than Richard Lambert but tried an opportunity that wasn’t there. I need to be a bit more patient,” said Higgins.
It was a trying race for Clark en route to his eighth class win, his earlier mechanical dramas becoming more of an issue.
“I had difficulty with the gears,” said Clark. “I lost second and struggled to get into third and fourth as the gearbox has gone. The team suggested I didn’t start the race, but I did and got my 23rd consecutive class win.”
Oliver made it a Class Three double for the day.
Porsche Club Championship, Round Seven, 30 Minutes: 1 Ben Demetriou (968 CS) 31m35.589s (81.80mph); 2 Kevin Harrison (964 C2) +24.904s; 3 Mark McAleer (968 CS); 4 Richard Lambert (964 C2); 5 Scott Kavanagh (993 C2); 6 Marcus Carniel (964 C2); 7 Richard Higgins (968 CS); 8 Jeremy Clark (944 S2); 9 Tim Bates (911 SC); 10 Chris Dyer (944 S2). Class Winners: Demetriou; Clark; Anthony Oliver (911 SC). Fastest Lap: Carniel, 1m56.979s (82.94mph).
Round Eight, 30 Minutes: 1 Demetriou 29m35.843s (81.85mph); 2 McAleer +1.224s; 3 Harrison; 4 Kavanagh; 5 Lambert; 6 Higgins: 7 Clark; 8 Richard Ellis (993 C2); 9 Adrian Stock (968 CS); 10 Paul Follett (968 CS). Class Winners: Demetriou, Clark; Oliver. Fastest Lap: McAleer, 1m56.630s (83.09mph).
Next Rounds: Thruxton, Hampshire, August 15th and 16th.
