While Stephen Jelley scored his first Porsche Carrera Cup GB victory, Tim Harvey clinched the overall title and Ollie Jackson secured the pro-am1 title in the penultimate round of the season at Brands Hatch (Saturday 9 October).
Jelley (Team Parker Racing) led from the start but had to cope with constant pressure from Harvey (Red Line Racing) before taking his debut win in the championship. With title rival Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) finishing sixth after a spin, Harvey claimed the overall title for the second time in three years. "This has been my best ever year of racing, but it doesn't get any easier," said Harvey. Meanwhile, race winner Jelley was elated with his victory. "That's an absolutely mega result," he said.
In pro-am1, Jackson (Addison Lee Motorbase) coped with race-long pressure from Jonas Gelzinis (Juta Racing) to win the category in both the race and the championship. "We've worked all year for that," said Jackson.
Jelley got the jump from pole to lead the early laps as Harvey slotted into second with Caine, Euan Hankey and Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing) making it a five-car leading pack. Caine set fastest lap on lap five to keep his title hopes alive, but the complexion of the race changed as the leading pack dived down into Graham Hill Bend. Jelley slid wide on dropped coolant, but Caine's car snapped sideways and he spun to a halt. "I saw Stephen hit the fluid; Tim missed it but I touched the brakes and it just went," explained Caine. He then had to spin the car back onto the grass to avoid the next pack and dropped back to 13th place before he could rejoin.
Hankey and Geddie were delayed avoiding Caine and so Jelley and Harvey went clear at the head of the race. Then, Hankey picked up a puncture and had to stop in the pits, which left Geddie in a secure but lonely third. Harvey chased Jelley all the way to the flag and when they came up to more traffic on the final lap it got even closer. "I just planted it on the inside at Clearways and dragged it to the line," said Jelley as Harvey finished a tenth of a second behind in the dash to the flag.
"It was a little bit tense on the last lap," admitted Jelley. Harvey, meanwhile, did not realise that he had won the title with Caine dropping down the field. "I assumed Michael was in third. I had no idea he'd slipped back. I'm so glad it's resolved and I can now enjoy tomorrow's race," said Harvey.
Geddie ran a solid third while Michael Meadows (Red Line Racing) and Charlie Bateman (Motorbase Performance) took fourth and fifth ahead of Caine who fought back strongly to finish sixth, while Tom Bradshaw (JHR) took seventh after fending off Bateman for many laps.
In the battle with Bateman and Bradshaw were the top four pro-am1 racers and it was Jackson who capped a fine season by winning the title as he held off Gelzinis, Ahmad Al Harthy (Red Line Racing) and Tony Gilham (Collins ReDesign Racing). "I had plenty of pace, but it wasn't easy," said Jackson. Gelzinis, meanwhile, raced to make certain of the pro-am1 runner-up slot, rather than attack Jackson, in the knowledge that the category title was out of reach.
George Richardson (Motorbase Performance) headed pro-am2 from the start and raced to a commanding victory at his favourite track. "It's a special moment for me to win at Brands Hatch," he said. Second in the category was Glenn McMenamin (Red Line Racing) with a measured drive to keep his title bid on track. "It was a championship drive," said McMenamin, who did enough to keep ahead of Mark Hazell (JHR) as title contender George Brewster (Celtic Speed) raced from the back of the grid and a 10-second penalty to take fourth.
