Mark McAleer and Marcus Carniel claimed the Class One wins in rounds five and six of the 2010 Porsche Club Championship at Silverstone on Sunday June 27th, the former putting in a stunning drive to take the opening race from tenth on the grid for his fifth win in a row. Carniel won the second race, leading home a train of cars after a close exciting race.
The Class Two runners ran as a separate race in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge event, Chris Dyer winning race one, before losing out to Cieran Brewer later in the day,
Qualifying
Morris snatched pole on his very last lap, setting his quickest time as the chequer flag waved to end the 20-minute qualifying session. Kevin Harrison was second quickest, ahead of Jez Clark and Miles Maserati. Championship leader McAleer was only tenth quickest, unsure as to the reason for his lack of qualifying pace.
“It was very slippery out there – but looks like ‘podium Pete’ could be back!” joked Morris. “We didn’t test here on Friday, but I got a bit of a tow on the final lap and now I’m really looking forward to the race.”
Race One
Harrison once more made the most of his rear-engined traction to lead the field away, Morris slotting in behind on the run to the first corner, only to spin when he arrived there. At the end of lap one it was Harrison ahead of Clark and Carniel, McAleer already up to sixth.
Into fourth by lap three, McAleer closed on the lead three, easing past Carniel and Clark on lap nine as the former dropped down the order. McAleer and Clark were right with Harrison, but the leader kept them at bay until lap 19, when he ran wide exiting Becketts and the two 968s snatched their opportunity to move ahead.
McAleer opened enough of a gap on Clark to safely take his fifth win in five races this season, Harrison holding onto take third.
“We couldn’t find anything wrong with the car after qualifying, I think it just took me some time to get myself going” said McAleer. “The car was ideal in the race, I was sliding at the end but so was everyone else. It was brilliant to come through from tenth on the grid, the best of my five wins so far this season.”
“It was a difficult race,” said Clark, “I was trying to save the tyres, but still seemed to have the pace. I lost the knob off the gear lever early on, and towards the end was missing gears and Mark started to pull away, his car looked so stable as I followed him – he drove a great race.”
“I thought that was in the bag- I had a gap and was quite comfortable,” said Harrison. “Then, coming onto the back straight, I did my normal line into the corner, tried to get the power down early and just went off sideways and they were through.”
Another strong performance from Miles Maserati saw him claim fourth, ahead of Mark Sumpter and the recovering Carniel, who just pipped Richard Ellis, with Paul Follett next up.
The Class Two runners ran in their separate event, Dyer going past Brewer in the first quarter of the race after losing ground as his bonnet flow off, and then easing away to continue his run of victories.
“A pin came out the bonnet on the opening lap,” said Dyer, “then on the back straight it came up – and then flew right off. It was a good battle then with Cieran, the car was good, I just got a lot of fluid over the windscreen from another car. We need to get the bonnet back and tape it up for the next race.”
Race Two
Morris held it together on the opening lap in the afternoon’s second race, leading the field ahead of Harrison and Carniel. He was deposed on lap three, tumbling to third, Carniel now leading with Harrison in close attendance, Championship leader McAleer, once more starting from the fifth row of the grid, was already up to fifth and chasing Maserati and Clark.
Clark and Morris swapped places more than once, before Clark was held wide by Morris through Luffield and then started to lose ground, eventually retiring with a clutch problem. McAleer took third from Morris on lap 13, and the lead four closed right up, Carniel leading a train of four cars for the final laps of the race.
Despite pressure from behind, Carniel never gave his followers a hint of a passing opportunity, the four lapping rapidly and crossing the line at the end of the 25-minute race less than a second apart, Carniel leading home Harrison, McAleer and Morris.
“I couldn’t be too defensive,” said Carniel, “I could see Kevin was quicker in places, and he tried to go past me at Brooklands on more than one occasion. I was right on the limit, the ABS really working as I had to turn the car in, but I got away with it. I was quicker through Copse than Kevin, had a good exit from Luffield and was quick down the straight. I’m shattered – but pleased to take the win.”
“No-one made the big mistake we need to change places,“ said Harrison. “I was alongside Marcus into the complex, but had to let him go. I tried to go wide round Pete Morris at the start, but someone got inside me. It is a good weekend, second and third will do me.”
“I tried to get through again, but they were too quick,” said McAleer. “The 964s were quick on the straight – and they both drove well with no mistakes. Shame to lose my unbeaten record, but from tenth on the grid third will do.”
“Another fourth place!” said Morris, “I had a cracking race with Mark and Jez, it was hot work. There were no big incidents and it is great to be running with the lead group – I just need a podium finish now.”
Maserati took fifth, with Ellis, Sumpter and Follett filling the next slots.
In the class two battle, Dyer once more looked to have the better of Brewer, but a suspension problem that also took out his ABS ended what was a close battle in Brewer’s favour.
“We were close right at the start,” said Brewer, “and I got in front of him, then we was past after four or five laps. I stayed close, then he had a problem towards the end. It was a good race, a great battle with no contact, very enjoyable.”
Porsche Club Championship Class One Race One: 1 Mark McAleer (968 CS) 22 laps in 25m04.798s (86.26mph); 2 Jeremy Clark (968 CS) +1.603s; 3 Kevin Harrison (964 C2); 4 Miles Maserati (968 CS); 5 Mark Sumpter (911 SC); 6 Marcus Carniel (964 C2); 7 Richard Ellis (993 C2); 8 Paul Follett (968 CS); 9 Peter Morris (968 CS); 10 Mike Clapham (968 CS). Fastest Lap: Harrison 1m07.150s (87.86mph).
Class Two Race One: 1 Chris Dyer (944 S2) 22 laps in 25m41.061s (84.23mph); 2 Cieran Brewer (9344 S2) +5.335s; 3 Richard Bennett (944).
Race Two: 1 Carniel 22 laps in 25m02.917s (86.37mph); 2 Harrison +0.155s; 3 McAleer; 4 Morris; 5 Maserati; 6 Ellis; 7 Sumpter; 8 Follett; 9 Clapham; 10 Richard Lambert 964 C2. Fastest Lap: McAleer 1m07.021s (88.03mph).
Class Two Race Two: 1 Brewer 22 laps in 25.35.024s (84.56mph); 2 Dyer +3.258s; 3 Bennett.
Next Races: Snetterton, Norfolk, July 25th.
