Jim Geddie continued his run of Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge race victories with another dominant performance in races three and four at Silverstone on Sunday June 27th, the experienced Scot heading home Bertie Carruthers in race one and Josh Sadler in the afternoon’s second race.
Qualifying
Geddie headed the GT3 runners, the experienced Scot taking his 997 round the Silverstone national circuit quicker than ever before. Relative newcomer Stephen Ritchie was second quickest, with Laurie Smyth third in the car he was sharing with Sadler, the pair contesting a race each.
“That was good, the circuit is a little different, which helps bring the times down,” explained Geddie. “The car felt good, that was the quickest I have gone round here.”
Topping Class Two was Peter Smallwood, delighted to have qualified quicker than he had gone in testing, and really getting to grips with is 996. Mike Johnson headed the Class Three runners, which featured several Porsche Club Championship racers taking the opportunity for extra track time.
Race One
When the red lights went out Geddie took the lead, the drama was behind as Ritchie was very slow off the line, cars darting round the barely moving GT3. At the end of lap one it was Geddie from Carruthers and Smyth, Ritchie already using the pace of his 997 to be up to fourth, with Johnson leading the Class Three runners ahead of Marcus Carniel.
An unfortunate early retirement was Smallwood, having lost the clutch on his car, while Geddie continued to ease away from Carruthers at the front. Ritchie was up to third by lap three, Smyth falling down the order to eighth before starting to make places once more.
Smyth recovered to take fourth from Johnson, who was staying clear of his Class Three rivals, the top three now out of his grasp as the consistent Geddie continued to lap quickly on his way to his third GT3 Cup Challenge victory. Such was the pace of the leader that he lapped second placed Carruthers just as they reached the flag, Ritchie taking third after an eventful race.
“It’s hot work out there,” said Geddie, “Once I was in front I was just trying to hold the pace.”
“I was disappointed to have Jim lap me,” said Carruthers, “but he was so much quicker I was just pleased to be second, He was very consistent, but I got a good start and tried to stay with him at the start but there was no way.”
“I never make life easy,” said Ritchie, “it all went wrong at the start, I had wheelspin then stalled. I thought it was going to be the same as Brands, and then I was able to fight my way back which was fun. I was catching Laurie Smyth, but then he had a spin right in front of me – it was almost happening in slow motion. I started catching Bertie – then I spun.”
Johnson claimed Class Three for another victory for his 911 SC, Carniel next up ahead of Peter Erceg.
“There was a car stopped on the grid I had to get round,” said Johnson, “and then I had a play with one of the GT3s for a while, but there was no point wearing my tyres out staying with him. I wanted to look after the tyres and stay clear of Marcus Carniel. The car is still doing the job – despite the fact we haven’t touched it since last season.”
Race Two
Sadler made the best start in race two, heading Geddie into Copse and holding the advantage until Brooklands, where the race one victor lanced past under braking to move ahead once more. Behind, Carruthers was third, with Ritchie in fourth at the end of the first lap despite starting from the rear of the grid after stopping on the green flag lap to have his bonnet closed.
Geddie once more started to rattle off his metronomic lap times, barely varying his pace even as he started lapping slower cars. Ritchie went past Carruthers on lap four and looked to start closing on Sadler, but the experienced second place man held the gap before a spin for Ritchie left him too far back to challenge.
At the end of the 25-minute race it was the second win of the day for Geddie, Sadler and Ritchie filling out the podium positions.
“Josh Sadler was quick in a straight line,” said Geddie, “but I was able to out-brake him into Brooklands, It has been an enjoyable race, good to get back in the car again and great to be able to support the series again.”
“That was a good race, it was great of Laurie to let me share his car,” said Sadler. “Jim was quick and I wasn’t going to get in his way.”
“I had to start from the back of the grid,” said Ritchie, “as my bonnet popped up on the green flag lap – some marshalls closed it for me after I stopped at a post at the side of the circuit. I managed to spin twice again, but it is all about learning these cars. I’m right on the car through Copse, I just need to be more consistent – but that was an enjoyable race.”
Johnson made it a Class Three double, again leading home Carniel and Erceg, despite having a dramatic start of his own.
“I went to let out the clutch,” said Johnson, “and my heel got stuck and I was slow to get the clutch up. Marcus was right with me and I had to use the grunt of the engine to get me to the first corner ahead.”
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge and Porsche Club Championship Class Two: 1 Jim Geddie (997 GT3 Cup) 25 laps in 25m18.085s (97.16mph); 2 Bertie Carruthers (997 GT3 Cup) +1 lap; 3 Stephen Ritchie (997 GT3 Cup); 4 Laurie Smyth (997 GT3 Cup); 5 Mike Johnson (911 SC); 6 Marcus Carniel (964 C2); 7 Peter Erceg (968 CS); 8 Richard Ellis (993 C2); 9 Chris Dyer (994 S2); 10 Cieran Brewer (994 S2). Fastest Lap: Geddie 59.769s (98.71mph).
Race Two: 1 Geddie 25 laps in 25m14.396s (97.40mph); 2 Josh Sadler (997 GT3 Cup) +36.619s; 3 Ritchie; 4 Carruthers; 5 Johnson; 6 Carniel; 7 Erceg; 8 Brewer; 9 Dyer; 10 Richard Bennett (944). Fastest Lap: Geddie 59.619s (98.96mph).
Next Races: Snetterton, Norfolk, July 25th.
