Jez Clark claimed the 2009 Porsche Club Championship title with another two class wins in the final rounds at Silverstone – Clark ending the season undefeated in Class Two with a perfect score of 16 wins from 16 races. With dropped scores taken into account, Clark was 40-points clear of Class One champion Ben Demetriou in the overall championship table.
Scott Kavanagh won Friday afternoon’s race, his first overall win and also the first for the 993 C2 model in the series, while Kevin Harrison took his first win of 2009 in Saturday’s round.
Qualifying
Demetriou took pole for race one in Friday morning’s 30-minute qualifying session, with Kavanagh alongside on the front row. Harrison was third quickest, while Peter Erceg had his best qualifying of the season with fourth overall. The session was interrupted early on when Pete Morris went off heavily at Copse, Pete unhurt, but his car out of action for the rest of the meeting.
“We’ve always gone well here, but qualifying was terrible until the last lap,” said Demetriou. “We had a stoppage, then I got stuck behind other cars, and I was going to stop, but the team told me I had two minutes to get back out – and I got round just before the flag dropped, so I gritted my teeth and grabbed pole.”
Saturday’s grid was decided by the drivers’ second best lap times, which saw Kavanagh and Harrison lock out the front row, with Demetriou and Erceg filling out row two. Clark headed Class Two on both grids, eighth overall on each.
Race One
Harrison made his usual blistering start and from the second row led the field into the first corner, leading Kavanagh and Demetriou at the end of the first lap. Kavanagh was determined to get ahead as soon as he could, and was in front of Harrison on lap two, with Demetriou third ahead of Mark McAleer and Erceg.
As Harrison, Demetriou and McAleer became embroiled in a battle for second, Kavanagh seized his opportunity to start easing away at the front, and over the next few laps opened a gap over the rest. Behind, Demetriou and McAleer both found a way past Harrison on lap seven and continued to battle for second, McAleer taking the position at one point before Demetriou claimed the position for good with two laps to go.
Kavanagh took a deserved win, well clear of Demetriou and McAleer, with Harrison fourth. Gary Duckman was fifth ahead of Marcus Carniel, with Clark tenth overall and first in Class Two, the result edging him closer to the title.
“You can’t wish for better than that,” said Kavanagh. “Kevin got his usual flying start, and I knew that I had to get past him quickly. I wanted to get out in front and have a lead before the tyres went off, and Kevin held them up brilliantly. It’s great to take the first win for a 993.”
“I had a brilliant battle with Mark, but that was one of my worst drives,” said Demetriou. “I made a lot of mistakes, but we are at the last meeting and I have got the points in the bag.”
“Ben and I had a proper battle,” said McAleer, “it was good entertainment. I think Ben had a bit more go on the straights, and I was quicker in the final part of the lap. It was great fun, and nip-and-tuck all the way – but we let Scott get away at the front.”
“I led into the first corner,” said Harrison, “but Scott got past me at Abbey down the inside. I was conscious of Ben and Mark behind, but when one went past, the other was able to go through. I was side-by-side with Mark through Bridge at one point, and we were close at the end.”
“I let some of the Class One cars go as I broke a mirror on the opening lap,” said championship leader Clark, “and couldn’t see if I had anyone on the right-hand side. I was just trying to finish with space around me, all I need to do tomorrow is start and finish, that should be enough points to clinch it.”
Race Two
Once again Harrison launched his 964 C2 off the line at the start and headed the pack into Copse in Saturday’s race two with Kavanagh and Demetriou right behind. Two front runners were out early, McAleer and Duckman clashing at Abbey and both cars going off.
The front three pulled clear of the field, Harrison under pressure from race one winner Kavanagh with Demetriou always in close attendance. A two lap safety car period to retrieve Duckman’s car closed the field right up again, but Harrison judged the restart just right and held his advantage as racing resumed.
Never offering his rivals an opportunity to take the lead, Harrison stayed clear of Kavanagh and Demetriou to win, the top three crossing the line less than a second part as they had been for much of the race. Erceg deposed Carniel from fourth for his best finish of the season, the pair side-by-side down the pit straight going into lap seven.
“I just aim for the first corner, and always seem to get away well,” said Harrison. “It was hard work, I had to change strategy and be a bit more aggressive, but it is great to finish the season with a win.”
“Kevin made another of his lightening starts,” said Kavanagh, “Ben also went past me at the start but I got past him on the opening lap. Just as the Safety Car came back in, Kevin got wide coming onto the pit straight and I had to back off. Ben and I changed places – I finally got past him on the Hanger Straight, but Kevin never gave me a chance. It was a good race.”
“It’s good to be Class One champion – I have one all three classes now,” said Demetriou. “We have had a good end to the season, I tried to play it calm today and battled with Scot. I couldn’t have asked for a better season.”
The championship focus was on Clark, and a careful start saw him slip behind class rival Chris Dyer on the opening lap. The championship leader was soon up to pace and back at the front of Class Two, and finished sixth overall to clinch his second consecutive title.
“Everyone was saying we were going to wrap it up,” said Clark, “but the pressure coming here was huge and we had to keep focussed on what we had to do. It has been a tough weekend and I wanted to finish the season with two wins, we are here to race and I have to thank all the guys at County Classics for their help – a top pit crew and they gave me a brilliant car.
“I didn’t think I made a bad start, but Chris got ahead we were side-by-side at Stowe and we both ended up really wide at the exit. I finally got past him and it’s great to stay unbeaten all year.”
PMC Midlands Trophy Porsche Club Championship, Round 15: 1 Scott Kavanagh (993 C2) 14 laps in 36m20.320s (73.84mph); 2 Ben Demetriou (968 CS) +13.809s; 3 Mark McAleer (968 CS); 4 Kevin Harrison (964 C2); 5 Gary Duckman (993 C2); 6 Marcus Carniel (964 C2); 7 Peter Erceg (968 CS); 8 Richard Higgins (968 CS); 9 Jeremy Clark (944 S2); 10 Paul Follett (968 CS). Pole Position: Demetriou 2m11.724s (87.30mph). Class Winners: Kavanagh; Clark. Fastest Lap: Demetriou 2m12.721s (86.64mph).
Round 16: Harrison 13 laps in 37m02.287s (67.25mph); 2 Kavanagh +0.326s; 3 Demetriou; 4 Erceg; 5 Carniel; 6 Clark; 7 Higgins; 8 Chris Dyer (944 S2); 9 Richard Ellis (993 C2); 10 Tim Bates (911 SC). Pole Position: Kavanagh 2m12.170s. Class Winners: Harrison; Clark. Fastest Lap: Kavanagh 2m14.815s (85.30mph).
