White makes it three from four
Ian White made it three wins from four races in the Michelin Porsche Club Championship at Oulton Park on Saturday (14 May). However, the revelation of the race was the speed of novice Lewis Tootell as he chased White home. Meanwhile, Marcus Carniel just won class two after a great battle with Tom Segrue and Paul Goldman claimed class three.QualifyingTootell was the star of qualifying when he planted the ABG Motorsport run 968CS on pole, four-tenths ahead of White. For a 20-year old student about to have his first race, it was a remarkable performance. "That's not bad for the first time! It's all very new, but the times are good so I'm happy," said Lewis.
White was a lone Carrera amid a pack of four 968s at the head of the times, although that was reduced by one when Kevin Harrison's car suffered head gasket failure. "The power just started dropping," said a disappointed Harrison as the car was loaded onto the trailer instead of taking third on the grid.
Marcus Clutton made it a good session for ABG by taking class two pole in his 911SC, but only by a whisker from Tom Segrue (944S2) and Marcus Carniel (911SC). In class three, Paul Goldman (911SC) headed Ben Demetriou (911SC), but when Demetriou was forced to miss the race after qualifying problems, Goldman had the class to himself.Race "The start was appalling; they both got past me," admitted Tootell after White and Mark Lillington (968CS) jumped him off the line. White immediately set about putting some space between himself and the battling 968s, but he never got too far clear as Lillington hung on tenaciously with Tootell sitting in his wheeltracks.
That was how it stayed until mid-race, with Tootell showing impressive patience as he probed Lillington's defences. However, Lillington was now in trouble with an exhaust that was dragging on the track after the brackets melted. "I could hear something making a noise," admitted Mark, who finally lost the place to Tootell just before being black flagged.Now with a clear track, Tootell set off in pursuit of White. "I could see him coming, but I knew catching was one thing and passing was another," said White who was able to retain his lead to the flag for his third win in four races. "He was driving very well," White added of his new rival. "I'm very pleased with the result," added Tootell after an incredibly impressive race debut.
Behind the leading pair, Mike Clapham (968CS) had a trouble free run to a rather lonely third, while the contest for fourth – and class two spoils – was a cracker. Initially, Carniel had a useful lead, but as his brakes wilted, Segrue wriggled free from a multi-car battle to close in dramatically in the final laps. For the last two laps, Segrue tried all ways to unseat Carniel, but that was how they finished with barely a car's length between them, as Frazer Robertson (944S2) and David Botterill (924 Carrera GT) took the next places. Out early on went Clutton after a brush with Robertson at Cascades pitched the youngster through the gravel and into the tyre wall.In class three, Goldman won unopposed and battled with several class two cars along the way.Results – 10 laps:1 Ian White (3.2 Carrera) 20m04.905s (80.43mph); 2 Lewis Tootell (968CS) +1.861s; 3 Mike Clapham (968CS); 4 Marcus Carniel (911SC); 5 Tom Segrue (944S2); 6 Frazer Robertson (944S2); 7 David Botterill (924 Carrera GT); 8 Chris Milne (911SC); 9 Colin Ingram (911SC); 10 Richard Harrison (3.2 Carrera). Class winners: White; Carniel; Paul Goldman (911SC). Fastest lap: Tootell 1m58.730s (81.62mph).The next rounds of the championship are at Spa-Francorchamps on 4/5 June.
