Full race report here below by Paul Jurd on behalf of PCGB, taken from racecar.com Top Marks as Porsche Club Championship Visits Combe 30th August 2011 Mark Sumpter kept his 2011 Porsche Club Championship title challenge on track with two wins as the series made its annual visit to Castle Combe in Wiltshire, Mark McAleer runner up on each occasion. Pete Morris was third in race one with Mark Koeberle taking his first podium position with third in the second race of the Bank Holiday Monday afternoon. Having arrived at Castle Combe tied on points with Sumpter for the overall title, Class Two pace setter Chris Dyer also bagged a brace of wins, but with only three other rivals in class slipped behind Sumpter in the championship chase with just three races now remaining in the season finale at Silverstone. Qualifying Sumpter set the pace in qualifying, taking pole for both races with McAleer lining up alongside. Morris was third on the grid for race one, just ahead of Richard Bennett, out for the first time in a 993 C2 after his 968 was destroyed at Thruxton, and Koeberle, right on the pace at a circuit he admitted was a favourite. “The session was great,“ said Sumpter, “I still think there is more to come from the car but we are loads quicker than we were here last year so we know we are still improving the car. It is still a bit stiff for here, but it seems quick though I am being told I have wheels off the ground over some of the bumps!†The grid for race two was set by the driver’s second quickest times and Morris was third, out in another 968, his regular car now scrap after its Oulton roll, with Follett fourth. Bringing some variety to the grid were two Boxters making their Porsche Club Championship debut, Syd Coombes out in a Class One 3.2 litre car, with Stuart Ings, also making his race debut, in a Class Two 2.5 litre version. Race One Sumpter took the lead at the start, the drama a row behind as Bennett stalled and was somehow missed by the rest of the pack as he tried to restart his car. McAleer took second ahead of the quick starting Paul Follett, with Morris in fourth. McAleer set a new fastest lap on lap three to reduce the gap to Sumpter, but the leader responded the next lap with a new quickest time of his own to ease a few tenths back away. That set the tone of their high-sped duel, both lapping within tenths of a second of each other, the gap fluctuating but McAleer never close enough to sniff an opportunity to go by. McAleer lost ground as they met backmarkers in the latter part of the race, but pushed hard in the final laps to be just a second behind at the finish. The win was Sumpter’s sixth of the season, keeping his title challenge on track. “I got a good start,†said Sumpter, “but the first lap was tough as I had to be careful at Quarry as he was right there. From then on it was a case of not making a mistake, I knew we had pretty much the same pace and I had to keep making the apexes and getting on the power at the right time. We both had problems with the backmarkers at times, I was in my mirrors up until about halfway, then in the final laps I was taking it easier in the backmarkers – I had a car spin in front of me at the last chicane.†“That was a frustrating race, for the first half I was on his bumper and we were close,†said McAleer. “I then got caught at the wrong place at the wrong time behind a backmarker and I couldn’t get it back. The pace was so hot and we were so similar on times I couldn’t get back to him. I was hoping his car would go off in the last ten minutes, but his brakes and tyres lasted.†Morris went past Follett for third at Quarry corner on lap six, and initially opened a gap although the front two were well clear. Richard Ellis was closing on Follett, and the pair in turn reeled in Morris, who reacted in the final lap to take third, a podium fitting reward for his determination to remain in the series after his car-destroying incident at Oulton Park earlier this month. “The car is there or thereabouts – we just need to work on the suspension,†said Morris. “Paul Follett gave me a god run, he is knocking on the door and so deserves one, but I wanted it today. I’m not used to getting this car off the line so it wasn’t the best of starts, but happy to be here after Oulton Park, EMC Motorsport did a fantastic job to get us out there and I have to say thank you to everyone who called me to ask if I was ok!†“I had a great start,†said Follett, “and a couple of the guys in front didn’t get the best of starts and I found myself in third. I held it for a few laps then Pete Morris, who had been breathing down my neck, got past up to Quarry, I was closing on him at the end, but I then had Richard Ellis right behind me all race and I determined not to let him past right at the end – like happened at Oulton Park two weeks ago.†The battle for sixth was a highlight of the race, Richard Higgins holding off Dyer and Koeberle for lap after lap. On the final lap Koeberle got past Dyer, and then dived inside Higgins at Camp to take the position. Dyer saw his intention and also followed through to take seventh and Class Two, Higgins losing two places in the final corner. “I got hit early on,†said Dyer, “and I lost it at the first corner and almost caused a pileup – but after that it was a good race and it was good to get Richard Higgins at the final corner, I could see where Mark Koeberle was going and I decided to follow him.†Race Two The race two start was to the same script as the one earlier in the afternoon, though this time it was Morris who failed to get away from the second row, having to put on a charging drive from way behind the field. Sumpter was once more clear at the front, Follett initially second, Sumpter putting a brace of quickest laps to open a gap before McAleer took second on lap three. McAleer was able to close in to just a second behind Sumpter, but that was where the gap stayed for much of the race, the leader tantalisingly out of touch. Follett came under pressure from Koeberle for third, having to defend at Quarry on lap ten, and Ellis joined the battle as he closed in on Koeberle. Follett and Koeberle went through the Esses side by side on lap 11, and it was the latter who had the advantage on the exit. Follett fought back, the trio lapping within a second but Koeberle held the advantage. At the front, McAleer set the pace in the final laps, but Sumpter stayed clear to record his second win of the day. Koeberle took the flag in third to record his first podium finish in the series, with Follett racking up his fourth finish of the season just one place away from his inaugural podium place. “That was almost a replay of the first race,†said Sumpter, “I was hoping Paul Follett was going to hold Mark McAleer off for longer. I was going as quick as I could but Mark was still closing, I was right out of brakes at the end. It’s a long time since I had a double win, right back to the second meeting of the year, so a fantastic day.†“I gave it everything chasing Mark, said McAleer, “but it wasn’t enough. I got past Paul Follett and I was able to close within a second but I couldn’t get close enough to make a move. Two second places is good for the points.†“I can’t believe it,†said Koeberle, “I so wanted something positive out of this season. It’s been difficult at times, there are some very good drivers in this series, but I have really enjoyed today. Paul Follett and I were very evenly matched but I managed to sneak ahead at the first chicane and I was just hoping my car would stay straight! My car is running so well, County Classics have really sorted it.†Morris recovered from dead last on lap one to take sixth just behind Ellis, with Class Two leader Dyer seventh. “I made a good start but got reeled in by Pete Morris,†said Dyer. “It was a good race, the car works well here but my brakes were gone by the end. I’ve dropped a few points to Mark Sumpter but I have to just keep plugging away and do what I can at Silverstone.†Porsche Club Championship Race One: 1 Mark Sumpter (911 SC) 20 laps; 2 Mark McAleer (968 CS) +1.073s; 3 Peter Morris (968 CS); 4 Paul Follett (968 CS); 5 Richard Ellis (993 C2); 6 Mark Koeberle (968 CS); 7 Chris Dyer (944 S2); 8 Richard Higgins (968 CS); 9 David Botterill (964 C2); 10 Karim Moudie (993 C2). Class Winners: Sumpter; Dyer. Fastest Lap: Sumpter 1m16.544s (87.00mph). Race Two: 1 Sumpter 20 laps; 2 McAleer +0.533s; 3 Koeberle; 4 Follett; 5 Ellis; 6 Morris; 7 Dyer; 8 Botterill; 9 Higgins; 10 Moudie. Class Winners: Sumpter; Dyer. Fastest Lap: Sumpter 1m16.411s (87.16mph). Next Rounds: Silverstone Northants. September 30th / October 1st 2011.
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],but overtaking a freind in that scenario felt a bit of a tricky one.But after a pretty problematic season (that won't get any easier at Silverstone) it(the result) has given me a bit of a much needed lift!
