Championship race report - Round 8: Oulton Park, 31 July 2004

Peter Morris was unstoppable at Oulton Park in round eight of the Michelin Porsche Club Championship on Saturday (31 July). With team mate Chris Egginton absent, Morris took his Team GVR 968CS to victory from pole position as Tom Segrue (944S2) and Fraser Robertson (944) clinched class victories.An excellent 21-car field assembled for a single race on the Island circuit at Oulton as the second half of the championship season kicked off. With Egginton away on business, Morris was determined to score maximum points and duly took pole by more than a second as a mighty performance from Segrue put his class two car into second slot on the grid."I like Oulton Park; it's one of my favourites," said Morris. His main class one rival was Ian White (3.2 Carrera) in third and White went into the race knowing that the start would be decisive. "My best chance is to get ahead of Peter off the grid. The race will be won on the first lap," he predicted.Mike Clapham (968CS) was a strong fourth from class two runners Richard Lambert (Carrera 3) and Rob Williams (Carrera), while Robertson topped class three but only by a tiny fraction from Ian Oliver (911E). Making a welcome return to racing was Barrie Maskell (Carrera 3), who was out for the first time in 2004. "I was determined to race as a pensioner in a wheelchair," said Barrie, who celebrated his 65th birthday over the winter!White's hopes of beating Morris away were dashed when the 968 got a decent start and led the pack into Old Hall. "I had a reasonable start, but so did Pete," admitted White. Further back there was some contact and it was Mark Rogers (911SC) who came off worst, having to pull off at Cascades with a rear puncture.Up front, Morris immediately pulled out a margin over White as Segrue slotted into a class-leading third. Lambert initially beat Clapham away, but the 968 moved ahead mid-race to take fourth. Meanwhile, having been delayed in the first corner tangle, Adam Egar (911SC) was another man on the move and would eventually finished seventh after dropping to 15th on the opening lap.At the head of the field, Morris was in control, but was finding it far from easy. "There was a lot of oil from Island onwards and I couldn't get on the racing line," he said. With White only a couple of seconds behind, Morris could never relax and after more than 25 minutes of racing the gap was less than three seconds. "I was hoping he'd get tied up in traffic," admitted White. "But I was pleased to be so close to him at the end of the race."Segrue turned in a faultless drive to take a clear class two victory and a fine third overall, well clear of Clapham as Lambert took fifth from Rob Williams. "I couldn't keep up with Tom," accepted Lambert. Egar's fighting recovery drive earned him seventh and fourth in class two while Robertson added another class three victory with a commanding drive.Series newcomer James Clare (924S) was a strong second in class three but one of the battles of the race raged over fourth in class behind Oliver. Chris Stewart and David Fissenden spent the whole race battling in their 911Es and at the flag Stewart got the place by little more than a second.Results– 15 laps:1 Peter Morris (968CS) 25m18.397s (86.26mph); 2 Ian White (3.2 Carrera); 3 Tom Segrue (944S2); 4 Mike Clapham (968CS); 5 Richard Lambert (Carrera 3); 6 Rob Williams (Carrera 3); 7 Adam Egar (911SC); 8 Richard Harrison (3.2 Carrera); 9 Lee Birkett (911SC); 10 Fraser Robertson (944). Class winners: Morris; Segrue; Robertson. Fastest lap: Morris 1m39.965s (80.16mph).The Michelin Porsche Club Championship now moves to the Porsche Festival at Brands Hatch on 29/30 August.