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The race report from the PCGB Motorsport website: Maserati and Lambert Score First Wins at Thruxton Mon, 13/06/2011 - 12:29 | by Steve Kevlin [link=http://www.porscheclubmotorsport.co.uk/image/bx8r6783jpg]
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Miles Maserati and Richard Lambert took the wins as the Porsche Club Championship visited Thruxton, both claiming their first outright wins in the series in races held in very different conditions. On Saturday Maserati held off championship leader Mark Sumpter to win a close battle, while in Sunday’s race Lambert also battled with Sumpter on an extremely wet track, taking the lead on the final lap to record the win. Class Two wins went to Chris Dyer on Saturday and Malcolm Scott on Sunday – Scott finishing third overall in the rain. Qualifying Sumpter and then Morris headed the times in the 20-minute qualifying session early on Saturday afternoon, but with a few minutes left it was Maserati quickest, seemingly on his way to his first pole position in the series. In the final laps of the session, however, Ben Demetriou was quicker by just four hundredths of a second, to take his first pole 2011. “I like it here, but I didn’t test this morning and the car wasn’t how I wanted it,†said Demetriou. “I came in and we adjusted pressures and softened the car, then I just had to go for it – I wasn’t expecting that time. I had a big moment at Church, maybe I should take up drifting! I turned in and the car went sideways and I really thought it was going to go. I’m pleased with pole, but it is going to be a hard race as that was pretty much a one-off lap for me.†“I’m happy with second and pleased to be near the front and keep ahead of the 964s and 911s,†said Maserati. â€I thought the car didn’t feel as good as free practice this morning.†Pete Morris claimed third, just over half a second clear of Sumpter with Mark McAleer and Lambert rounding out the top six. In Class Two, Scott claimed his first class pole, qualifying eighth overall. Race One Demetriou made a good start to lead the field away from pole in Saturday afternoon’s race, the track dry after a short shower an hour before the start. Sumpter was into second by the Complex, and looked inside Demetriou at the first corner going into lap two. Already it was close at the front, Demetriou heading Sumpter, Maserati and Morris, with Lambert a little further back in fifth, holding off McAleer. Into lap three and Sumpter made his move at the first corner stick to take the lead, Maserati also going past Demetriou further round that lap. The front four continued to lap in close formation, all setting the race’s fastest lap at different points. First to leave the battle was Demetriou, who had brake failure going into the Complex and skilfully brought his car to a halt without hitting any other runners on lap 13. Morris fell down the order a lap later after going off at the high-speed Church corner and sailed way off the circuit on the still wet grass. Maserati had already taken advantage of Sumpter being briefly baulked by a back-marker to take the lead, but in the closing laps had the championship leader right on his rear bumper. Despite the pressure Maserati kept cool and at the flag was delighted to take not only his first Porsche Club Championship race win – but also his first outright race win. “It’s my first win ever,†said Maserati. “It was such a good race, Mark got held up by a backmarker at Church and I saw what was happening and dived up the inside. I had learnt so much from following Mark in that race, I’ve never got near him before. I was almost settling for second, then he got held up and I got away and tried to hold my nerve!†“That was another great race,†said Sumpter, “It was good the beginning of the year when we were winning, but this is great fun. My start wasn’t as good as I’d hoped, the clutch was slipping as I went into second gear, but I was able to get in the lead pretty quickly, then it was 968s in every mirror behind me. They were good out the back, but my car was better out the chicane. I got blocked – not intentionally – by a backmarker and then Miles went past.†The demise of two of the front runners saw Lambert take third, McAleer having fallen away after losing momentum passing a stray backmarker. Morris rejoined after his long grassy moment and recovered to fifth, heading home Paul Winter. “I wasn’t expecting to be on the podium,†said Lambert. “I was having the battle with Mark, and I think was over-driving out the back and getting sideways. I dropped off the back of the lead group, but suddenly I was fourth, and then third.†Scott had qualified highest of the Class Two runners, but in the early laps it was reigning champion Chris Dyer who was on a charge, taking the class lead by lap two and coming home seventh overall, Scott retiring to the pits on lap 14. “I didn’t test this morning so wasn’t good in qualifying,†said Dyer. “This afternoon I got a cracking start and I was determined to get to the front, I really enjoyed that.†Race Two Sunday’s race was in very different conditions, teeming rain soaking the circuit and making visibility a challenge for all the runners. At the start Sumpter used his rear-engined traction to take the lead, Lambert also making a strong start to be second ahead of Demetriou and Harrison at the end of lap one. The lead two started to pull away from the rest, Demetriou and Harrison joined by Scott, flying in his Class Two car, and Tim Speed in a four car battle for third. The gap at the front fluctuated, Lambert often taking slightly different lines through the quicker corners just to get some visibility in the spray. Scott and Speed worked their way past Demetriou and Harrison, making it a Dorset Sportscar third and fourth, Speed surviving a lurid spin at the chicane to just miss Scott and Harrison and rejoin. The lead pair opened a large gap over the rest by the final laps, lapping three seconds quicker than the other runners as Lambert pushed the pace to find a way past Sumpter and the leader responded. Lambert looked to get alongside through Church on lap ten, but Sumpter had the line into the chicane. Into the final lap and Lambert was pressing through the complex, and got outside Sumpter through Noble. The two cars touched, Sumpter spinning, Lambert staying on the track to take his first Porsche Club Championship outright victory. Such was their lead that Sumpter was able to rejoin after easing his car off the soaked grass to take second. “I’ve had class wins but it was nice to see the chequer flag for once,†said Lambert. “I think we were feeding off each other and going quicker and quicker. I was having to take different lines to him just to see but in some places there is only one line and you just couldn’t see anything. I got a good run out the complex on the last lap and tried to go round the outside of him at Noble. I gave him room but he understeered into the side of me and I thought he was still there, but saw in my mirrors he had spun.†“My car had good traction and that really worked out the slow bits,†said Sumpter, “I’ve got the least powerful car in the class, and that helps in wet conditions, I can use full throttle and get away with it. I could really have done with the race being one lap shorter though, Richard was trying hard on the last lap and there just wasn’t room through Noble. It was just one of those things and it took me a while to get out the field I was in, luckily I had built up enough of a lead to hold onto second.†Scott held off Speed to take a superb third overall and his first Class Two victory, a fine drive by the novice in the appalling conditions. Harrison and Demetriou took fifth and six, with Karim Moudi scoring his best finish with seventh. “I didn’t realise I was third,“ said Scott, “there was so much spray and standing water you couldn’t see and I didn’t know where I was and was just trying to stay on the track. I really enjoyed the race and had a good battle with Tim, I was dreading the rain and just looking for a finish, so I’m chuffed to bits!†“It was so difficult to see following Malcolm the whole race, I was moving out wide just to see,†said Speed. “I got a good start, but at the first corner you really couldn’t see anything. We must have a good wet setup, I had one big spin and was aquaplaning everywhere. Porsche Club Championship Race One: 1 Miles Maserati (968 CS) 17 laps; 2 Mark Sumpter (911 3.2 Carrera); 3 Richard Lambert (964 C2); 4 Mark McAleer (968 CS); 5 Peter Morris (968 CS); 6 Paul Winter (968 CS); 7 Chris Dyer (944 S2); 8 Kevin Harrison (964 C2); 9 Richard Bennett (968 CS); 10 Paul Follett (968 CS). Class Winners: Maserati; Dyer. Fastest Lap: Morris 1m26.881s (97.62mph). Race Two:1 Lambert 15 laps; 2 Sumpter +28.275s; 3 Malcolm Scott; 4 Tim Speed; 5 Kevin Harrison; 6 Ben Demetriou; 7 Karim Moudi; 8 John McCullagh; 9 Peter Morris; 10 Paul Follett. Class Winners: Lambert; Scott. Fastest Lap: Lambert 1m43.442s (81.99mph). Next Races: Rockingham, Northants. July 16th.
Miles Maserati and Richard Lambert took the wins as the Porsche Club Championship visited Thruxton, both claiming their first outright wins in the series in races held in very different conditions. On Saturday Maserati held off championship leader Mark Sumpter to win a close battle, while in Sunday’s race Lambert also battled with Sumpter on an extremely wet track, taking the lead on the final lap to record the win. Class Two wins went to Chris Dyer on Saturday and Malcolm Scott on Sunday – Scott finishing third overall in the rain. Qualifying Sumpter and then Morris headed the times in the 20-minute qualifying session early on Saturday afternoon, but with a few minutes left it was Maserati quickest, seemingly on his way to his first pole position in the series. In the final laps of the session, however, Ben Demetriou was quicker by just four hundredths of a second, to take his first pole 2011. “I like it here, but I didn’t test this morning and the car wasn’t how I wanted it,†said Demetriou. “I came in and we adjusted pressures and softened the car, then I just had to go for it – I wasn’t expecting that time. I had a big moment at Church, maybe I should take up drifting! I turned in and the car went sideways and I really thought it was going to go. I’m pleased with pole, but it is going to be a hard race as that was pretty much a one-off lap for me.†“I’m happy with second and pleased to be near the front and keep ahead of the 964s and 911s,†said Maserati. â€I thought the car didn’t feel as good as free practice this morning.†Pete Morris claimed third, just over half a second clear of Sumpter with Mark McAleer and Lambert rounding out the top six. In Class Two, Scott claimed his first class pole, qualifying eighth overall. Race One Demetriou made a good start to lead the field away from pole in Saturday afternoon’s race, the track dry after a short shower an hour before the start. Sumpter was into second by the Complex, and looked inside Demetriou at the first corner going into lap two. Already it was close at the front, Demetriou heading Sumpter, Maserati and Morris, with Lambert a little further back in fifth, holding off McAleer. Into lap three and Sumpter made his move at the first corner stick to take the lead, Maserati also going past Demetriou further round that lap. The front four continued to lap in close formation, all setting the race’s fastest lap at different points. First to leave the battle was Demetriou, who had brake failure going into the Complex and skilfully brought his car to a halt without hitting any other runners on lap 13. Morris fell down the order a lap later after going off at the high-speed Church corner and sailed way off the circuit on the still wet grass. Maserati had already taken advantage of Sumpter being briefly baulked by a back-marker to take the lead, but in the closing laps had the championship leader right on his rear bumper. Despite the pressure Maserati kept cool and at the flag was delighted to take not only his first Porsche Club Championship race win – but also his first outright race win. “It’s my first win ever,†said Maserati. “It was such a good race, Mark got held up by a backmarker at Church and I saw what was happening and dived up the inside. I had learnt so much from following Mark in that race, I’ve never got near him before. I was almost settling for second, then he got held up and I got away and tried to hold my nerve!†“That was another great race,†said Sumpter, “It was good the beginning of the year when we were winning, but this is great fun. My start wasn’t as good as I’d hoped, the clutch was slipping as I went into second gear, but I was able to get in the lead pretty quickly, then it was 968s in every mirror behind me. They were good out the back, but my car was better out the chicane. I got blocked – not intentionally – by a backmarker and then Miles went past.†The demise of two of the front runners saw Lambert take third, McAleer having fallen away after losing momentum passing a stray backmarker. Morris rejoined after his long grassy moment and recovered to fifth, heading home Paul Winter. “I wasn’t expecting to be on the podium,†said Lambert. “I was having the battle with Mark, and I think was over-driving out the back and getting sideways. I dropped off the back of the lead group, but suddenly I was fourth, and then third.†Scott had qualified highest of the Class Two runners, but in the early laps it was reigning champion Chris Dyer who was on a charge, taking the class lead by lap two and coming home seventh overall, Scott retiring to the pits on lap 14. “I didn’t test this morning so wasn’t good in qualifying,†said Dyer. “This afternoon I got a cracking start and I was determined to get to the front, I really enjoyed that.†Race Two Sunday’s race was in very different conditions, teeming rain soaking the circuit and making visibility a challenge for all the runners. At the start Sumpter used his rear-engined traction to take the lead, Lambert also making a strong start to be second ahead of Demetriou and Harrison at the end of lap one. The lead two started to pull away from the rest, Demetriou and Harrison joined by Scott, flying in his Class Two car, and Tim Speed in a four car battle for third. The gap at the front fluctuated, Lambert often taking slightly different lines through the quicker corners just to get some visibility in the spray. Scott and Speed worked their way past Demetriou and Harrison, making it a Dorset Sportscar third and fourth, Speed surviving a lurid spin at the chicane to just miss Scott and Harrison and rejoin. The lead pair opened a large gap over the rest by the final laps, lapping three seconds quicker than the other runners as Lambert pushed the pace to find a way past Sumpter and the leader responded. Lambert looked to get alongside through Church on lap ten, but Sumpter had the line into the chicane. Into the final lap and Lambert was pressing through the complex, and got outside Sumpter through Noble. The two cars touched, Sumpter spinning, Lambert staying on the track to take his first Porsche Club Championship outright victory. Such was their lead that Sumpter was able to rejoin after easing his car off the soaked grass to take second. “I’ve had class wins but it was nice to see the chequer flag for once,†said Lambert. “I think we were feeding off each other and going quicker and quicker. I was having to take different lines to him just to see but in some places there is only one line and you just couldn’t see anything. I got a good run out the complex on the last lap and tried to go round the outside of him at Noble. I gave him room but he understeered into the side of me and I thought he was still there, but saw in my mirrors he had spun.†“My car had good traction and that really worked out the slow bits,†said Sumpter, “I’ve got the least powerful car in the class, and that helps in wet conditions, I can use full throttle and get away with it. I could really have done with the race being one lap shorter though, Richard was trying hard on the last lap and there just wasn’t room through Noble. It was just one of those things and it took me a while to get out the field I was in, luckily I had built up enough of a lead to hold onto second.†Scott held off Speed to take a superb third overall and his first Class Two victory, a fine drive by the novice in the appalling conditions. Harrison and Demetriou took fifth and six, with Karim Moudi scoring his best finish with seventh. “I didn’t realise I was third,“ said Scott, “there was so much spray and standing water you couldn’t see and I didn’t know where I was and was just trying to stay on the track. I really enjoyed the race and had a good battle with Tim, I was dreading the rain and just looking for a finish, so I’m chuffed to bits!†“It was so difficult to see following Malcolm the whole race, I was moving out wide just to see,†said Speed. “I got a good start, but at the first corner you really couldn’t see anything. We must have a good wet setup, I had one big spin and was aquaplaning everywhere. Porsche Club Championship Race One: 1 Miles Maserati (968 CS) 17 laps; 2 Mark Sumpter (911 3.2 Carrera); 3 Richard Lambert (964 C2); 4 Mark McAleer (968 CS); 5 Peter Morris (968 CS); 6 Paul Winter (968 CS); 7 Chris Dyer (944 S2); 8 Kevin Harrison (964 C2); 9 Richard Bennett (968 CS); 10 Paul Follett (968 CS). Class Winners: Maserati; Dyer. Fastest Lap: Morris 1m26.881s (97.62mph). Race Two:1 Lambert 15 laps; 2 Sumpter +28.275s; 3 Malcolm Scott; 4 Tim Speed; 5 Kevin Harrison; 6 Ben Demetriou; 7 Karim Moudi; 8 John McCullagh; 9 Peter Morris; 10 Paul Follett. Class Winners: Lambert; Scott. Fastest Lap: Lambert 1m43.442s (81.99mph). Next Races: Rockingham, Northants. July 16th.
] - for info, the well used ones I bought last year worked out between £35 and £50 per tyre, depending on size and condition.
