Race Report - Rounds 16 and 17: Donington Park, 23/24 October 2004

Richard Lambert clinched the overall crown in the Michelin Porsche Club after the final two races of the season at Donington Park over the weekend (23/24 October).Meanwhile, Peter Morris scored a double race win, securing his second victory of the weekend by crossing the line in reverse at the end of a truly amazing race!Race oneA wet track and worsening conditions greeted the field for Saturday's race and it was Morris in the well-balanced 968 who mastered the conditions best to win as John Williams (3.2 Carrera) gave valiant chase. Ian White (3.2 Carrera) led the early pursuit of Morris but soon realised that he just did not have the grip and slipped down to fourth in the final results. "I just had to finish," admitted White, harbouring hopes of pipping Morris to the class one crown.Williams now chased Morris and raced hard, but the gap was just over four seconds at the flag. "That was hard work," said Williams as he fended off Lambert. "It was horrible, but I do enjoy those conditions," said Lambert who moved ever closer to the overall title in the process.Adam Egar (911SC) lost a chance of class two victory with a couple of spins and finally finished third just behind the similar car of Rob Williams. Fraser Robertson (944) scored another class three victory, but could never relax too much as Paul Goldman (911SC) chased hard.Results - race one (15 laps):1 Peter Morris (968CS) 25m11.273s (69.86mph); 2 John Williams (3.2 Carrera) 25m15.587s; 3 Richard Lambert (Carrera 3); 4 Ian White (3.2 Carrera); 5 Tony Brown (Carrera RS); 6 Mike Clapham (968CS); 7 Richard Harrison (3.2 Carrera); 8 Rob Williams (911SC); 9 Adam Egar (911SC); 10 Colin Ingram (911SC). Class winners: Morris; Lambert; Fraser Robertson (944). Fastest lap: Egar 1m38.305s (71.67mph).Race twoThis was quite possibly the most dramatic race in the history of the championship! The race had been a classic as Brown took the lead after a brief safety car period with Morris and early leader John Williams in hot pursuit. Morris had the edge on braking into the chicane, but Brown defended impeccably and consistently repelled his rival's bids on the outside line into the chicane.Meanwhile, Williams came back strongly into contention over the closing laps and it was closer than ever on the final charge to the chicane. Once again, Morris took the outside line and forced Brown to go later than ever onto the brakes. They both went in very deep and slithered across the grass as Williams ducked through on the correct line.The grass was so wet that both Brown and Morris spun wildly on the exit and Williams had to take to the grass, narrowly missing Brown. While the unfortunate Williams hit the tyre wall backwards and Brown spun on the grass, Morris found himself back on the track, a few yards from the flag, but facing towards the chicane, rather than the finish line! With remarkably quick thinking, Morris stuck it in reverse and crossed the line backwards, just two-tenths of a second before Brown found enough grip to finally get off the grass."Is he allowed to go backwards?" joked a wide-eyed Brown after a mighty drive. "I could see Tony coming towards me and I managed to find reverse straightaway," countered Morris. Poor Williams finally got his battered car off the grass to take third, two seconds later.It was an incredible climax to a great race and all three of the leading contenders deserved praise for a fantastic race.While all this was going on, White was mounting a fantastic recovery drive after an early clash with Craig Rapp dropped him to the back of the field. He fought back to fourth at the flag, while Rob Williams drove a fine race to take class two spoils, with Lambert finishing on his tail to make sure of the championship title.Ian Oliver (911E) and Robertson tussled for class three, but a very muddy spin on the exit of the chicane cost Robertson his chances.Results - race two (18 laps):1 Morris 26m01.582s (81.14mph); 2 Brown 26m01.853s; 3 Williams; 4 White; 5 Rob Williams; 6 Lambert; 7 Harrison; 8 David Botterill (924 Carrera GT); 9 Egar; 10 Marcus Holden (3.2 Carrera). Class winners: Morris; Rob Williams; Ian Oliver (911E). Fastest lap: Morris 1m21.886s (86.05mph).