The big story for the Porsche Club Championship at Donington Park this Saturday, is can Pete Morris take his first win of 2012? Three times in the first four races Morris has hit problems while running in the thick of the lead battle, and having taken a win at Donington Park last season, Morris will be even more eager to be the first driver to give the 996 C2 its first win in the series this weekend.
The 996 C2 is a new addition to the championship this season and Morris, 2007 champion Mark McAleer and Paul Winter have all decided the 996 – the most powerful car in the field but also the heaviest – is the route to go for 2012. Morris was sidelined by a throttle problem in race one at Oulton while battling with Mark Sumpter, and spun on the final lap while leading in the second race to again lose out, McAleer taking second
Reigning champion Sumpter has won three of the first four races, but will be absent this weekend, though Paragon team-mate Andy Purdie is expected on the grid after going off in the final race at Oulton. Ben Demetriou gave the Boxster S its first ever outright win in the second race at Brands Hatch in May, and is joined in the Hartech line-up by Marcus Carniel, who will be keen to match his team-mate’s victory tally.
Ex-BTCC racer Mark Proctor made his series debut at Brands and has proven to be a front runner, taking two podiums at Oulton, while 2010 champion Chris Dyer has been the best of the Class One 968 CS runners.
Also new for this season is the option to run the 968 CS in Class Two, at a higher weight, and that paid off for Alex Eacock at Brands as he took two class wins. His performance was then matched at Oulton as Paul Follett took his first and second ever class wins, Eacock heading the class on points after four races. Class opposition is strong, with former Class One runner Richard Higgins also out in a 968, as well as several quick 944 S2 runners.
Qualifying is at 09.40, with races at 13.00 and 16.25, the Porsche races out on the first day of Donington’s British Truck Grand Prix meeting. Next outing for the packed Club Championship field is at Croft in July, before returning to Oulton in August. Castle Combe hosts the penultimate rounds on August Bank Holiday Monday before the season climaxes with three races on the Silverstone GP circuit in September.
