Aaron Scott and Keith Ahlers were at Snetterton on June 5 & 6 for rounds 5 & 6 of the 2004 British GT Championship. The duo are driving for Lewis Racing in a Morgan Aero 8.
Free practice on Saturday morning saw disaster strike as the cam-timing problem that put the car out of race 2 in the previous Mondello round re occurred. The team then began the process of re building the engine to try and salvage some points from the weekend. Due to the busy timetable this meant missing qualifying and starting both races from the back of the grid.
Saturday evening's race saw Keith start and he drove well to climb up to 6th position before handing the car over to Aaron. Fuel pressure problems intervened though and with a little over 15 minutes remaining the car was forced into retirement.
Sundays race saw Aaron start and he made rapid progress through the field to climb into 2nd position. In the battle for the lead the Morgan and the #62 Ferrari made contact forcing them both off the track and Aaron resumed in the lead albeit being delayed for over 10 seconds. Aaron was then passed by the #66 Porsche before handing over to Keith. Keith was then passed by the #76 Porsche before resuming the battle for 3rd position with the #62 Ferrari. The duo eventually fell to 4th position at the flag.
Aaron said, " I think we were unlucky not to have finished the race on the podium after such a competitive race. The team did a great job to repair the problems with the car in time for the race and the car was fantastic. I think the contact with the #62 Ferrari was unnecessary, as I could have made a clean pass if he had given me some room. However, I am looking forward to Castle Combe in 2 weeks. "
The race at Castle Combe takes place on June 19 & 20.More information about the team.......
Keith Ahlers started racing in 1997 and is now double 750 Motor Club Roadsports Champion, in 2001 and 2002, as well as 2002 Morgan Racing Champion. He won the Morgan Racing Class A Championship in 2000 and 2001.
Aaron Scott has followed up a series of karting championship wins in the 1990s with the 1999 BRDC Formula Ford Championship, including a win in his debut race from pole position. In 2001 Aaron progressed to the British Formula 3 Championship and was nominated by British Racing Drivers Club as a 'Rising Star'. He made his GT debut in a Porsche 996 in 2002 and competed in the Elf Clio Renault sport UK Cup. His GT experience grew in 2003 with a full drive in the British GT Championship and he achieved a third position in the Morgan Aero 8 at the Spa 1000km.
Lewis Racing
Lewis Racing has an enviable track record, operating formerly as the race shop at Morgan main dealer, Libra Motive. The company has achieved several championship wins since 1980 using highly competitive and well-prepared cars.
In 1980 Peter Morgan and Victor Gauntlett (Pace Petroleum) provided sponsorship for Lewis racing owner, Rob Wells, to design and build a modified Morgan +8 which won the STP Modsports Championship in its first season. In 1982 Morgan 'MMC 11' won the 24 Hour endurance race at Snetterton, while in 1989 and 1990 Rob Wells won the Morgan Racing Championship himself driving Morgan 'ROB 8R'. Further success followed for the team in 1994, 1996 and 1998 with Chris Phillips, Martin Kurrein and Rick Lloyd respectively winning the Morgan Racing Championship. In 1999 Rick Lloyd won Class B in the Morgan Racing Championship. Lewis Racing have been prepared Keith Ahlers car since 1998.
