Michelin Porsche Cup news - Ellis steps up - 10th December 2001- top

David Ellis is the latest driver to commit to the 2002 Michelin Porsche Cup, having acquired a 2001 GT3 Cup car for his step forward from a 944 Turbo.

The Hampshire driver has competed exclusively in Porsches since starting racing in 1996, and has contested the Porsche Cup for the last five seasons. Most recently he contested the former class two in his 944 Turbo.

Having recently tested his new car, Ellis is now looking forward to a full season in the BTCC-supporting championship and is currently in discussions with various teams.

Michelin Porsche Cup news - Spa date for Michelin Porsche Cup - 30th November 2001 - top

The 2002 Michelin Porsche Cup will take racers back to the stunning Spa-Francorchamps in mid-May for the fourth event of the season. The return to the Belgian GP circuit will prove enormously popular with drivers and complements the permanent BTCC-support race slot that makes up the rest of the calendar.

"This date is a perfect fit with the BTCC calendar," says championship manager John Farren. The May 18/19/20 event drops neatly into a four-week gap in the UK calendar, and Farren is now working towards taking the Michelin Porsche Open and Michelin Porsche Classic Championships to Belgium. "I am keen to try and incorporate all three championships into the same Spa weekend, so we could be taking a lot of cars across the channel!"

Interest in the Michelin Porsche Cup is currently booming, with several major UK teams not previously involved in Porsche racing, seriously looking at entering the championship for the first time. In 2002 the Porsche Cup will run exclusively for the GT3 Cup cars.

"All the available 2002 model cars have now been sold, to both existing Porsche Cup racers and newcomers to the championship," reports Farren. "However, a number of GT3 Cup cars that raced with us in 2001 are now on the market and are likely to be snapped up over the coming weeks."

Michelin Porsche Cup news - New cars are a sell-out - 28th November 2001 - top

The prospects for the 2002 Michelin Porsche Cup look excellent following confirmation that the batch of new GT3 Cup cars being built by the Porsche factory for the championship are all now allocated.

Such has been the level of demand for new cars, that the championship organisers are urging potential competitors to conclude deals on existing cars whilst they remain available.

"All the available 2002 model cars have now been sold, to both existing Porsche Cup racers and newcomers to the championship," reports John Farren, championship manager for the Porsche Club Great Britain. "However, a number of GT3 Cup cars that raced with us in 2001 are now on the market and are likely to be snapped up over the coming weeks."

Championship regulations are being formulated to ensure parity of the new cars with the existing cars as the Porsche Cup switches to a single-class structure for the first time.

Details of the drivers and teams allocated one of the new cars will be released over the coming weeks. Aside from championship regulars like Craig Rapp, Nigel Rice and Adrian Slater, several new drivers are expected to join the championship as it moves onto the BTCC support package for the first time.

Bill Taylor Memorial Race - 5th November 2001 - top

Run in glorious autumn weather at Silverstone on Saturday November 3rd, the annual Bill Taylor Memorial Race was a fitting end to the Porsche racing season, with 26 cars starting and 22 finishing after an hour of competition.

Until the final three minutes of the race, Mark Sumpter and Mike Jordan led comfortably, having started from pole position. By mid-distance they had gone a lap ahead of the rest of the field. But it all nearly went wrong for the GT racers when their GT3 Cup faltered on its last drops of fuel in the hour-long race.

"On the last lap it died at every corner and I had to bump start it again," said Jordan of a tense final tour. However, they still had plenty in hand and Jordan put Graham Ketley's car across the line still 40 seconds to the good.

Craig Rapp drafted Adam Richardson in to share his GT3 Cup and they were a strong second, despite a couple of quick spins. "I thought their car wasn't going to last," said Rapp after watching anxiously from the pit wall as the last lap drama unfolded. Two laps adrift, Andrew Baker and Rob Hall took the final podium slot in the former's GT3 Cup.

Paul Edwards went solo in his Carrera 993 and took a good fourth to be the best of the non-GT3 Cup runners, having fought off a challenge from the Carrera 996 of Tim Bartlett/Paul Mace.

Alongside the scratch race is a handicap result to allow the less powerful cars a chance of success. Victory went to the 968CS of Rob Morley/John Halliwell from the 944S2 of Tom McHugh/Alvaro Crego.

Bill Taylor Memorial Race - 28th October 2001 - top

The final event in the Porsche Club GB motor racing season will be the Bill Taylor Memorial Race at Silverstone on Saturday 3 November.

Every year, at the close of the racing season, the club remembers Bill Taylor. The former Porsche champion continued racing until close to the time that he lost his battle against cancer a decade ago, and this annual race runs in the memory of a popular and successful racer.

Although the main purpose of the race is to raise money for the Bill Taylor Memorial Fund, it is also an opportunity for a bit of end of season fun, with each entry requiring two drivers for the hour-long race. Competing cars are drawn from all race categories promoted by the PCGB and the result is a widely diverse field of racing Porsches of all ages. A handicap result is also calculated, thus ensuring that the glory is not reserved for the quickest cars on the grid.

Pride of place in the field goes to the Carrera RS that Bill raced to success in the Wilhire 24-hour race, now handled each year by his sons Gary and Simon and they have been the proud winners on handicap in each of the last two races.

Surely set to head the field on scratch will be the GT3 Cup car of GT champions Mike Jordan and Mark Sumpter. In their first race together for more than a year, it is hard to see anyone matching their pace. Two more GT3 Cup cars will, however, give chase and the Craig Rapp/Adam Richardson pairing is strong. Andrew Baker, meanwhile, has racing veteran Rob Hall to share his GT3 Cup.

Other strong runners will be father and son team Jamie and Piers Masarati, Paul Goldstein and GT ace Calum Lockie and the Carrera 993 of Paul Edwards. Add in wild cards like the Marcus Fothergill/Dave Benett entry and Robi Bernberg/Paul Ugo, and the stage is set for an excellent contest.

Porsche Classic - Griffiths secures title - 26th September 2001 - top

Spencer Griffiths has been confirmed as champion in the 2001 Michelin Porsche Classic Championship. In only his second full season of racing with the ex-Barry Robinson Porsche 911SC, Spencer has dominated the championship in unprecedented style and has now secured the title with two races still to run.

In fact, such is his level of dominance that Spencer has elected to miss the next round at Oulton Park on Saturday 6 October to save his car for the championship final at Rockingham a week later on 13/14 October. Following the exclusion of class two racer Steve Smyth, Spencer's nearest championship rival, from the most recent round at Castle Combe, Griffiths can no longer be beaten to the crown.

Spencer has won 11 of the 12 races run to date, and the only one he failed to win was at Snetterton when he started from the back of the grid and tore through the field to finish fourth. With such an impressive record, there is no doubt that he is the rightful champion.

Now, heading for the penultimate race of the season at Oulton Park, the rest of the class one pack will be aiming to take full advantage of Spencer's temporary absence. Tony Brown, in particular, has tried constantly to unseat Griffiths and Tony's spectacular style will be evidence at the Cheshire track as he strives for victory. Patrick Pearce, Ian White, local racer Colin Broster, Graham Burke and the hard-working David Botterill are other strong runners in class one.

In class two, Steve Winter is well on target for the class title and his points margin has increased following the exclusion of Steve Smyth from the last race at Castle Combe. Richard Harrison, Chris Haynes and Gerald Alticosalian are other leading class two racers.

For North Wales based David Rothwell this has been a cracking first season of racing. Competing in the class three car formerly raced by his colleague Colin Broster, David has racked up win after win, despite beginning the season as a novice. On home ground at Oulton Park, he will be pushing hard for another win. In recent races, Scott Weston has offered a stern challenge to Rothwell, while John Haynes has been a regular front-runner in the class.

Michelin Porsche Cup - Chambers the favourite for night time glory - 20th September 2001 - top

It has been a long hard season for the Michelin Porsche Cup racers, and the title will finally be decided in the 20th and 21st races of the season at Silverstone on September 28/29. On balance, the odds are heavily with Peter Chambers who is heading towards his third consecutive championship title, but the added twist of a night race finale could upset the form book.

As teams prepare for Silverstone's double header, and the first night race in the championship's history, three drivers are still in the running for the title. From class one for the superb new GT3 Cup cars are Chambers and Nigel Rice. From class two, comes Kevin Harrison as the third contender for the overall title.

With three scores to be dropped when the final points tally is calculated, the advantage is with Chambers who has driven with customary pace and experience to be at the head of the action just about every time out. Nine wins, including important double wins at Knockhill and Thruxton in recent weeks, have set Chambers up for a third title, but it is not all over just yet. To be absolutely sure of the title over Harrison, Chambers needs a top three finish in one of the races next weekend.

For Rice to take the title, Chambers need to have a complete disaster. Only if Chambers fails to start either race can Rice still be in with a chance of the crown. But after two taking gritty victories at Brands two weeks ago, when under immense pressure from Chambers, Rice will still be going all out for more wins.

For Kevin Harrison, competing at Silverstone now seems unlikely. Last time out, he suffered a major accident at Brands and ended up in hospital after being knocked out in the shunt. His car was badly damaged, but it is still possible that a borrowed car may enable him to complete the season. Having raced superbly in class two on a very limited budget, Harrison has been one of the stars of the season, but it would take a big change round in fortune for him to beat Chambers to the title.

Other leading class one drivers include Adrian Slater, who has won four races already, Craig Rapp, Basil Demeroutis and Barbara Armstrong. In class two, Chris Heeley and Andrew Shelley are the drivers that will give Harrison a hard time, while Tom Combrink and Graham Hellier are other contenders. In class three, Ian Croft has little opposition, but never stops trying in his bid to beat some of the slower class two cars.

After night qualifying at 19.00 on Friday, and day qualifying at 10.00 on Saturday, the Michelin Porsche Cup sprint race will be held on Saturday afternoon at 14.30. The season will then conclude with the spectacular night feature race at 20.25 on Saturday.

Current championship points position

Overall: 1 Peter Chambers, 482; 2 Kevin Harrison, 465; 3 Nigel Rice, 462; 4 Chris Heeley, 410; 5 Adrian Slater, 392; 6 Andrew Shelley, 358.

Class 1: 1 Chambers; 2 Rice; 3 Slater.

Class 2: 1 Harrison; 2 Heeley; 3 Shelley.

Class 3: 1 Ian Croft, 318; 2 Ben Rapp, 80; 3 Philip Harris, 36.

Michelin Porsche Cup to TOCA for 2002 - 16th September 2001 - top

The Michelin Porsche Cup has been confirmed as one of the principal support series for the TOCA Tour package in 2002 and 2003, as high-profile backing for the British Touring Car Championship. "BMP is delighted to welcome the Michelin Porsche Cup to its premier series. The Michelin Porsche Cup is a prestigious package both on and off the track," said BMP Chairman Robert Fearnall.

"I am certain that this agreement is in the best interest of the championship and, most importantly, its competitors. This multi-year deal will keep the Porsche Cup at the forefront of British motorsport," said championship manager John Farren of the Porsche Club Great Britain Motorsport Division.

The move follows a very successful season in association with PowerTour in 2001, where the Michelin Porsche Cup has provided entertaining 30-car grids throughout the year. Considerable growth in the championship has been related to changes made to the class structure and eligibility requirements as revealed at the start of 2001. These revisions have permitted the latest generation Porsche 911GT3 Cup cars into the championship for the first time and ten such cars have added a new level of competition to the series, with a further 15 cars already anticipated for 2002.

The arrangement of a new five-year agreement between British Motorsport Promoters (BMP) and MSA has underlined BMP’s commitment to the future of the BTCC. In a meeting held at Silverstone last week, BMP Chairman Robert Fearnall revealed that plans for next year’s championship would strive for: "a competitive and well run British Touring Car Championship full of professional teams putting on superb racing for network television and large crowds." Fundamental to this will be the need for premier support categories, of which the Michelin Porsche Cup is seen as a cornerstone.

The break with PowerTour for the Porsche Cup will not be total. As already confirmed by BMP, three rounds of the TOCA Tour will combine with British F3/GT meetings in 2002, bringing together once again the British GT and Michelin Porsche Cup. It is recognised that a number of teams may wish to continue their participation in both these series, and the schedule for the remaining seven rounds has been arranged to ensure that there are no date clashes in the proposed 2002 calendar.

Michelin Porsche Classic - Griffiths aims for title - 6th September 2001 - top

On the form of 2001 to date, Spencer Griffiths will be the man to beat as the Michelin Porsche Classic Championship arrives at Castle Combe over the weekend of September 15/16.

He has now won 10 of the 11 races to date, and the only one he didn't win was when he started from the back of the grid at Snetterton after a qualifying drama. Even then he charged through the pack to finish fourth! By any standards it is a hugely impressive record and with three races to run, including this one, Spencer already has one hand on the title.

However, his rivals are still chasing hard and it is the ever-spectacular Tony Brown who will once more head the opposition to Griffiths. Castle Combe has not always been kind to the Dorset racer, but Tony will be pushing as hard as ever in his bid to bring Spencer's winning run to an end.

Other front runners in class one include reigning champion John Williams, Graham Burke, Rupert Bullock and Patrick Pearce, while David Botterill is getting ever closer to the pace of the rear-engined cars in his Carrera 924GT.

In class two, the race action has been consistently superb and it will be well worth keeping an eye on this race within a race. Steve Smyth and Steve Winter both prepare racing Porsches as well as driving them and have enjoyed some mighty battles this season. Joining in the action in recent times have been racing newcomer Richard Harrison, Simon Harrison (no relation) and Chris Haynes.

In class three, David Rothwell has a commanding lead during a highly impressive first season of racing. Scott Weston and John Haynes are his class rivals.

Michelin Porsche Cup - Chambers riding high as Brands approaches - 6th September 2001 - top

The last two weekends of action from the Michelin Porsche Cup have been very good for Peter Chambers. Knockhill in the rain and Thruxton in the dry are about as diverse racing conditions as you will find in the UK, yet the reigning champion dominated both weekends. Now, the penultimate meeting of the season at Brands Hatch over the weekend of September 15/16 will be critical to the outcome of the title race.

Those four wins on the run have given Chambers a strong shot at the championship title with four races to run, including the Brands Hatch double header. But the tight confines of the Brands Indy circuit are sure to produce drama and excitement and Chambers is not about to ease up on his bid to take a third title on the run.

His big rival in the overall championship standings is Brands local ace Kevin Harrison. Despite having one of the smallest teams running on one of the tightest budgets with far less racing experience than most, the Maidstone racer has had a brilliant season in class two.

Harrison will arrive at his home track as points leader, but the scoring system in the Porsche Cup means that drivers have to drop their three lowest scores in the final reckoning. Take that into account, and it is advantage Chambers. Having eked out his funds with the help of a little more backing for this race, Kevin knows he is up against it, but his determination and race craft could yet earn him the coveted title.

"It's gonna be really tight and I can only do my best," says Harrison. "This is my home track, but every time I've been to Brands I've had problems!"

The third major contender is class one racer Nigel Rice, but he has lost out to Chambers in recent weeks and knows that he now faces an uphill battle to recover lost ground. Expect him to be a major contender at Brands, along with Adrian Slater, who was a winner there in July on the Grand Prix circuit. Other strong class one challengers will be Craig Rapp, Basil Demeroutis, Barbara Armstrong and the emerging Chris Eggington.

Ranged against Harrison in class two are Chris Heeley and Andrew Shelley. Heeley, as experienced as most, has run his trusty 944 Turbo on a shoestring budget but is always in the heat of the class contest. Shelley, meanwhile, in his first full season of racing has proved to be a formidable contender and the battle for class two will be every bit as tough as at the head of class one.

In class three, Ian Croft has dominated and will again be aiming to bag a few class two scalps in his 968CS. However, he will also recall his last visit to the Kent circuit that left his car upside down after a major off on the Grand Prix circuit loop.

After qualifying at 12.20 on Saturday, the Michelin Porsche Cup sprint race will be held on Saturday afternoon at 17.35, followed by the feature race at 16.10 on Sunday.

All the details of the weekend will be available at: www.msdpcgb.co.uk or at www.powertour.co.uk

Current championship points position (after round 10, Thruxton: September 1/2):

Overall: 1 Kevin Harrison, 439; 2 Peter Chambers, 432; 3 Nigel Rice, 406; 4 Adrian Slater, 353; 5 Chris Heeley, 348; 6 Andrew Shelley, 335.

Class 1: 1 Chambers; 2 Rice; 3 Slater.

Class 2: 1 Harrison; 2 Heeley; 3 Shelley.

Class 3: 1 Ian Croft, 274; 2 Ben Rapp, 80; 3 Philip Harris, 36.

Michelin Porsche Classic - Welsh opportunity for Griffiths - 28th August 2001 - top

Spencer Griffiths is set to take a major step towards the Michelin Porsche Classic Championship title in Wales this weekend (September 1/2). A double-header meeting at the Pembrey circuit near Llanelli has a bumper points haul on offer, and if Spencer can maintain his winning form he will tighten his already strong grip on the title. Equally, his rivals know that if they are to stop him winning the crown, the pair of Pembrey races will be critical.

Spencer is one of several drivers yet to race at Pembrey as it is several seasons since the Porsche Classic Championship had a round at the South Wales track. But Griffiths has proved to be a fast learner and has only failed to won one of the nine races held to date this season.

With John Williams not planning to race in Wales, it is Tony Brown, Rupert Bullock, Graham Burke and Patrick Pearce who are likely to be the big rivals to Griffiths. But the advantage that Spencer has enjoyed to date should remain in Wales and it seems that only a mechanical disaster can unsettle his winning form.

In class two, a superb race last weekend at Donington left Steve Smyth with an important victory after he played his points-doubling joker. Steve Winter salvaged second despite an engine problem that will need to be resolved in time for Pembrey, while Richard Harrison demonstrated that he is right on the pace of Smyth and Winter.

In class three, David Rothwell is virtually assured the title, but had a mighty scrap with championship newcomer Scott Weston at Donington. It is likely that Scott will miss Pembrey, so David should be able to dominate the class, with John Haynes as his main rival.

The first race will be held on Saturday afternoon, with the second race just before lunch on Sunday. The Pembrey meeting is one of series of BARC Classic Meetings.

Michelin Porsche Cup - Chambers and Rice set for Thruxton head to head - 24th August 2001 - top

Two weeks ago it rained persistently at Knockhill, but that didn’t bother Peter Chambers one jot as he splashed to a brace of Michelin Porsche Cup victories at the tricky moorland track. Nigel Rice followed him home to take second in both races, but instantly Chambers had taken a 10-point championship advantage in class one as the focus switches to Thruxton for round ten over the weekend of September 1/2.

The double win for Chambers also took him closer to overall championship leader Kevin Harrison from class two, and the gap is now just nine points as Chambers bids for a third championship title on the run.

This has been a big year for the Porsche Cup. Michelin tyres are new, as are the stunning GT3 Cup cars in class one. The action has been fast and furious, but it is seasoned Porsche ace Chambers who heads to Thruxton with the class one lead.

Rice, meanwhile, is having a superb season having bounced back from injury at the end of 2000. He didn’t much enjoy driving through the spray kicked up by Chambers at Knockhill and will be going all out to turn the tables on his rival in Hampshire. In the last two meetings, this pair has pulled clear of the rest of the pack. Adrian Slater still lies third, but a massive accident at Donington followed by a couple of spins at Knockhill has left him adrift of Chambers and Rice.

Up to fourth in the class one points has come Barbara Armstrong, who is having a brilliant first season of racing. This will be her first race at Thruxton, but Barbara is determined to do even better than the run of third places she has taken this year. Basil Demeroutis, Craig Rapp and Mike Salmon are all potential contenders, with Salmon set to push hard at his home track.

In class two, Harrison is having a brilliant season in his Carrera 2RS, but the pressure is on in his bid for the overall title. Although he is now nearly 90 points clear in the class, Kevin must keep pushing hard if he is to beat Chambers and Rice to the overall crown. He reckons Thruxton will suit his car far more than Knockhill, so expect strong results from the Kent-based firefighter.

Victory at Knockhill has put Chris Heeley into second in class two at the expense of Andrew Shelley, who missed the races after engine failure in testing. The ever-emerging Graham Hellier, Julian Wiley and Ben Rapp are other leading class two runners, while Ian Croft should be back to extend his class three advantage.

After qualifying at 12.00 on Saturday, the Michelin Porsche Cup sprint race will be held on Saturday afternoon at 16.15, followed by the feature race at 16.40 on Sunday.

Current championship points position (after round 9, Knockhill: August 19):

Overall: 1 Kevin Harrison, 383; 2 Peter Chambers, 374; 3 Nigel Rice, 364; 4 Adrian Slater, 305; 5 Chris Heeley, 294; 6 Andrew Shelley, 292.

Class 1: 1 Chambers; 2 Rice; 3 Slater.

Class 2: 1 Harrison; 2 Heeley; 3 Shelley.

Class 3: 1 Ian Croft, 228; 2 Ben Rapp, 80; 3 David Ellis, 18.

Michelin Porsche Classic - Webb finally gets the all-clear - 15th August 2001 - top

Worcester-based racer Neil Webb will finally make his seasonal debut in the Michelin Porsche Classic Championship at Pembrey over the weekend of September 1/2. For the last seven months, his Porsche 924 Turbo has been struck on a farm, unable to be moved due to the foot and mouth epidemic.

Neil's car was being kept in a farm across the lane from his home when foot and mouth hit in late February. Since then, he has been unable to move the car and missed the first eight rounds of the championship. Finally, he has just been given the all clear to move the car and prepare for a delayed start to his season.

"My car will surely be the cleanest and most germ free on the grid," reckons Webb. "It has been completely disinfected three times by MAFF officials while it's been stored on the farm!"

Michelin Porsche Cup - Title battle heads to Scotland - 9th August 2001 - top

The battle for the Michelin Porsche Cup resumes at the Knockhill circuit in Scotland over the weekend of August 18/19 after a four-week summer break. At present, Kevin Harrison heads the overall title contest, but Nigel Rice and Peter Chambers are chasing hard.

Within the opening 300 yards of the sprint race at Donington last time out, Adrian Slater's title bid took a massive knock. In truth, it had not been a good weekend for Slater even before the race started. Driveshaft failure as the cars left the assembly area forced the Team Eurotech driver to start from the back of the grid and things only got worse.

When Edinburgh's Tim Bartlett and Dave Benett tangled in the pack and speared off to the right, Slater was busy trying to make up places. Contact was made and Slater's car was pitched into a series of rolls.

While Slater was left to nurse his bruises, Rice and Chambers rushed off into the distance at the head of the pack in both races and Rice duly completed a double win. That has given them a break over Slater in the points in what is effectively a three-way title contest in class one. Slater will be back at Knockhill, and knows that he has to finish ahead of Rice and Chambers to claw back some of the points deficit.

The team at PowerTour Radio has christened Barbara Armstrong as 'Brilliant Barbara' and that is a well deserved tag, for she has been one of the stars of the season in her first year away from rallying. Now regularly on the podium, she would love nothing better than to take a first win at home. How popular would that be?

Others to watch in class one include action man Craig Rapp, Mike Salmon and Basil Demeroutis.

In class two, Harrison continues to set the pace in the championship contest, but has fearsome opponents in the form of Chris Heeley and Andrew Shelley. For Maidstone-based Harrison it will be a long haul weekend, and he goes to Knockhill for the first time. In contrast, Heeley has been a winner there in previous seasons.

Shelley took a double win at Donington last time out, after a tough battle with Harrison who posted his first non-score of the season after a mid-race clash left him with damage to the front of his Carrera 2RS.

Others strong contenders in class two should include Tim Bartlett, MD of the Glenvarigill Porsche dealerships. Most venues have been new to Tim in this learning season, but he knows Knockhill well from his XR2 days, so he will be bidding to be in the thick of the class contest.

After qualifying at 09.00 on Saturday, the Michelin Porsche Cup sprint race will be held on Saturday afternoon at 16.35, followed by the feature race at 10.40 on Sunday.

Current championship points position (after round 8, Donington Park: July 22):

Overall: 1 Kevin Harrison, 337; 2 Nigel Rice and Peter Chambers, 312; 4 Andrew Shelley, 292; 5 Adrian Slater, 266; 6 Chris Heeley, 241.

Class 1: 1 Rice and Chambers; 3 Slater.

Class 2: 1 Harrison; 2 Shelley; 3 Heeley.

Class 3: 1 Ian Croft, 228; 2 Ben Rapp, 80; 3 David Ellis, 18.

Michelin Porsche Classic - Griffiths aims for win number seven - 2nd August 2001 - top

After a four-week summer break, the Michelin Porsche Classic Championship resumes over the weekend of August 11/12 for the first of two visits to Donington Park during August. The first Donington race features on the Euro F3000 programme, while the August 26 race is a support event to the FIA Sports Car Championship.

With six wins from seven races to date, there is every reason to expect current championship leader Spencer Griffiths to keep on winning. The big rival to Griffiths is the championship's action man, Tony Brown. Always quick and always spectacular, Brown has invariably led the chase of Griffiths and could turn the tables at Donington. Patrick Pearce and Rupert Bullock are both rising stars of class one, while Steve Jaques was a deserving winner at Snetterton.

However, the dark horse could be reigning champion John Williams who is intending to rejoin the championship at Donington. Having sat out the first half of the season, Williams reckons he is now ready to return to racing and, though not in the title hunt, will be as determined as ever to win.

In class two, Steve Smyth is having a fine time with five wins already to his credit. Steve Winter, who prepares racing Porsches under the Jaz Motorsport banner, is the prime rival to Smyth, but newcomer Richard Harrison and Gerald Alticosalian are both having excellent seasons.

In class three, David Rothwell won six races on the trot before crashing at Croft last time out, but still enjoys a big lead in the points table. Having won the second race at Croft, newcomer Donald Scott-Weston is the new threat to the North Wales racer, but John Haynes will also be aiming to close the gap to Rothwell.

Provisional standings after six rounds:

Class one: 1. Spencer Griffiths 225; 2 Tony Brown 178; 3 Patrick Pearce 141; 4, Rupert Bullock 131.

Class two: 1 Steve Smyth 195; 2 Steve Winter 146; 3 Richard Harrison 130; 4 Gerald Alticosalian 128.

Class three: 1 David Rothwell 167; 2 'J' Haynes 111; 3 Donald Scott-Weston; 4 Steven Curtis 19.

Porsche Cup set for 2002 boom - 18th July 2001 - top

As many as 30 GT3 Cup cars could be racing in the Michelin Porsche Cup in 2002 following confirmation that a batch of 15 new cars have been commissioned for the championship. Twelve GT3 Cup cars are now racing in the championship and that number will grow dramatically for the 2002 season.

The Motorsport Division of the Porsche Club Great Britain has received confirmation from Porsche in Germany that 15 cars from the annual production run are confirmed for the UK championship, and there is a reservation for a further five to make a total of 20 new cars over the winter.

"Demand for the GT3 Cup cars has far exceeded our expectations," says championship manager John Farren. "Judging by the level of serious interest from prospective competitors, a sizeable number of the new cars can be considered sold. We have already had more than 20 requests for cars. If anyone else is hoping to run a GT3 Cup car next season in Britain, I urge them to make contact with me as soon as possible on 01243 531094," said Farren.

At a time when a number of high profile championships are finding grid sizes reduced, the Michelin Porsche Cup is going through a period of investment and growth. Leading teams in the championship report numerous enquiries from potential customers for next season and it is expected that several new teams will join the Porsche Cup from other categories.

Michelin Porsche Cup - Porsche Cup drivers set for Grand Prix weekend - 9th July 2001 - top

For four drivers from the Michelin Porsche Cup, the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone (July 13-15) will be the biggest moment of their racing careers to date.

The quartet of drivers has been given the chance to join the grid for the Porsche Supercup, which is one of the key support races to the British Grand Prix on Sunday morning. All of them are excited about the chance to race in front of 100,000 on the biggest weekend of the British motorsport calendar.

Mike Salmon (BIM Motorsport)

"It’s unbelievable. It’s the biggest thing I’ll ever do in my racing career. I’ll be happy if I just finish!" says Salmon. However, things did not go well for Salmon at Brands Hatch this weekend, after gearbox problems kept him out of the sprint race and an accident in the feature race left his car with heavy front-end damage. "We're facing a race against time to get the car ready," says team boss Andrew Bridge.

Adrian Slater (Team Eurotech)

"It’s just such a wonderful opportunity. Just to race in front of those crowds will be amazing," says Slater, who took a win and a third at Brands Hatch over the weekend.

Nigel Rice (Red Line Racing)

"We’re looking to see how we fare against the professional drivers," says Rice. "It’s a huge event with a very big crowd, and we’ve got to try and have a go. I hope we can do it again next year."

Peter Chambers (Team Eurotech)

"There are some very quick professional racers out there," says Chambers. "With the Porsche Cup races at Brands and Donington, it is a very busy three weeks."

After qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday, the Porsche Supercup race will be held on Sunday morning at Silverstone. The Michelin Porsche Cup resumes at Donington Park over the weekend of July 21/22.

Michelin Porsche Cup - Rice aims to maintain title bid after break - 28th June 2001 - top

The racers in the Michelin Porsche Cup should be refreshed and ready for action over the weekend of July 7/8 at Brands Hatch as the championship resumes after a four-week break. The Porsche Cup didn’t go to Castle Combe for the most recent PowerTour, so they last raced at Rockingham in early June.

This will be the biggest weekend so far in the racing career of Kevin Harrison. The Maidstone-based fire-fighter is a relative newcomer to racing, but is having a brilliant season in his Porsche Carrera 2RS. Currently, he leads class two as well as the overall championship table and is working very hard to stay there. Despite limited funds, Kevin and his engineer Peter Grieves have had the car bang on the class two pace every time out and won five times in 10 races.

At the head of the race will be the stunning GT3 Cup cars that have transformed the championship this season. But the Brands Hatch weekend has added significance for the current top four drivers, as the following weekend they will be racing in front of the British Grand Prix crowd at Silverstone. The UK-based Michelin Porsche Cup now uses the same cars as in the Porsche Supercup that supports many Grands Prix each year. To mark that, the top four from the British series will join their international counterparts for a very special occasion.

The leading quartet is Nigel Rice, Peter Chambers, Adrian Slater and Mike Salmon. In the meantime, they have to think about points at Brands, but keeping the car in one piece for Silverstone could also be in their minds! With only 20 points splitting Rice from Chambers and Slater, the championship contest is finely balanced, although it is Rice who has taken the initiative in recent weeks.

Others to watch in class one include Basil Demeroutis, who is once again raising funds for the CLIC charity this weekend, friends and rivals Craig Rapp and Robi Bernberg and Barbara Armstrong. At Rockingham last time out, Barbara really showed her speed and determination, battling hard for a podium finish. With the big four having to drive with next weekend in mind, Barbara could go for her first win. If it is wet or damp, her victory chances will be even greater, for her rally experience has already shown itself in slippery conditions.

Challenging Harrison in class two will be Yorkshiremen Chris Heeley and Andrew Shelley, both winners already this season. Paul Martin and Tim Bartlett are also scoring consistently well, while Tom Combrink stormed through to win at Rockingham. At present, Ian Croft is having class three pretty much to himself, and will chase the class two pack in his 968CS.

After qualifying at 11.20am on Saturday, the Michelin Porsche Cup sprint race will be held on Saturday afternoon at 5.45pm, followed by the feature race at 12.40pm on Sunday.

Porsche Cup to miss Castle Combe - 18th June 2001 - top

The Michelin Porsche Cup will not be included in the Castle Combe PowerTour event over the weekend of June 23/24. The limited availability of testing at the Wiltshire venue meant that the Motorsport Division of the Porsche Club Great Britain, in full accord with the PowerTour organisers, came to this decision.

The Michelin Porsche Cup will resume its normal slot within PowerTour for all remaining events this season, but will now be contested over 12 rounds rather than 13. A replacement event will not be substituted.

"This is purely a logistical matter," explained Robert Fearnall of British Motorsport Promoters. "The Porsche Cup is a significant element of PowerTour and will be back as normal at all remaining events this season."

The Castle Combe event will feature the Green Flag British F3 and Privilege Insurance British GT Championships, as well as the Findus TVR Tuscan Challenge, the Slick 50 Formula Ford Zetec Championship and the Ford Credit Fiesta Zetec-S Championship. Guest races for the weekend will be the National Mobile Windscreens Castle Combe Formula Ford 1600 and Castle Combe Saloon Car Championships.

Michelin Porsche Cup - Porsche Cup racers for Grand Prix opportunity are named - 11th June 2001 - top

Porsche Cup racers for Grand Prix opportunity are named

The names of the four drivers from the Michelin Porsche Cup who will race in the Porsche Supercup race at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on 15 July have been revealed. Nigel Rice, Peter Chambers, Adrian Slater and Mike Salmon have been selected to step forward for the biggest event in the British motor racing calendar.

Following negotiations between Porsche Cup championship manager John Farren and Porsche AG in Germany, the four drivers will join the international championship on a guest basis for the race on Sunday July 15.

"I am delighted that we have been able to invite four of our leading drivers to race in front of the British Grand Prix crowds," says Farren of the Motorsport Division of the Porsche Club Great Britain. "Introducing GT3 Cup cars into the championship has been a great success and now four of our competitors have this fantastic opportunity. This is a tremendous boost for the Porsche Cup and we are very grateful to Porsche AG for its help in making this happen."

All four drivers raced in the Porsche Cup prior to this season and have stepped forward into GT3 Cup cars this year. Prior to the Rockingham races (June 9/10), they held the top four positions in the championship table.

Michelin Porsche Classic - Rothwell bids for six appeal - 7th June 2001 - top

While Spencer Griffiths and Tony Brown will surely set the pace at the head of the race, racing newcomer David Rothwell will bid for his sixth consecutive class three victory in the next round of the 2001 Michelin Porsche Classic Championship at Silverstone on Saturday, June 16th.

Rothwell only started racing in April, having taken over the Porsche 911T previously raced by his business partner Colin Broster. To date, he is unbeaten in five races and is aiming to make it six out of six in his first race at Silverstone. 'J' Haynes remains his main rival, but so far has just been unable to close the gap to Rothwell.

At the top of class one, Griffiths now has four wins from five races under his belt to take a firm early-season grip on the title. Brown has been a constant threat, but it was Steve Jaques who triumphed at Snetterton on June 3 to break Griffiths' winning streak. While Griffiths and Brown charged through from the back of the grid after qualifying dramas, Jaques took the win, even though Brown was onto his tail in the final yards of the race. With Rupert Bullock, Patrick Pearce, Peter Cates all showing front running pace in class one, the Silverstone race should be another cracker from the leading contenders.

In class two, the racing has been just as exciting with Steve Smyth turning in some epic performances to take the class lead in the championship. Having won the first three races, Smyth was finally toppled in the opening race at Snetterton by a mighty charge from Steve Winter, who just squeezed ahead. Although Smyth turned the tables again later in the day during the second race, Winter had shown that the Warrington racer can be beaten.

Other leading runners in class two include the unrelated Simon Harrison and Richard Harrison, along with Gerald Alticosalian, but just like Griffiths and Rothwell, it is Smyth who has taken the early advantage in the points contest.

The fifth round of the Michelin Porsche Classic Championship will be held on the Silverstone National Circuit during the annual Peterborough Motor Club meeting, with qualifying in the morning and the race in the afternoon.

Michelin Porsche Cup - Rice bids for repeat success - 5th June 2001 - top

By setting a searing pace in pre-race testing, Nigel Rice signalled his intentions for the sixth round of the Michelin Porsche Cup at Rockingham (Northamptonshire) on Sunday, 10 June. This will be the first time that the drivers have raced at the £50 million Rockingham Motor Speedway, and Rice aims to continue the winning form he demonstrated last time out at Croft.

After three test sessions on the 2.6-mile international road course on Monday (4 June), Rice ended the day more than a second clear of Peter Chambers and Adrian Slater, while Kevin Harrison headed the regular class two runners and Ian Croft topped class three at his new home circuit.

"It's a great circuit, and it's going very well," said Rice, who was seeing top speeds approaching 140mph on the banked section of track past the pits. The Team Eurotech pair of Chambers and Slater led the chase of Rice, but Chambers acknowledged that they will need to race hard to beat him in the pair of races this weekend. To date, Chambers and Slater have won all bar the Croft race, but Rice's consistent speed has taken him to the head of the class one points' table.

Fourth fastest, and close to the Eurotech cars, was Craig Rapp, while Barbara Armstrong was well in touch in fifth place. "This is a really good chance for me," said Barbara, finally visiting a circuit where no one had the benefit of previous experience.

Robert Babikan ran some laps in the Tim Bartlett's class two Carrera 996 and set the fastest time in the class, but it was Harrison who headed the regular class two pack in his Carrera 2RS. "It's a fantastic place," said Harrison after his first laps of the new track. Andrew Davies and Graham Hellier were close behind, while David Ellis ran in a fresh engine in his 944 Turbo.

With class two pacesetter Chris Heeley missing the test, he faces an uphill battle to learn the track in just 20 minutes of qualifying on Saturday. Meanwhile, although his Carrera 996 is still being repaired after an accident at Croft, Andrew Shelley borrowed a 968CS to learn the track on Monday.

In class three, Croft was thrilled to be driving on his new home track. "This place is incredible," said the Huntingdon resident, who lives only half an hour from the new track.

After qualifying at 9.30am on Saturday, the Michelin Porsche Cup sprint race will be held on Saturday afternoon at 5.20pm, followed by the feature race at 12.30pm on Sunday.

Michelin Porsche Cup - Rockingham testing - Monday 4th June - top

Nigel Rice made his intentions for round six of the Michelin Porsche Cup very clear during pre-race testing at Rockingham today (Monday 4 June). Fresh from victory at Croft in round five, Rice dominated the times as drivers learnt about the stunning new facility.

After three sessions on the 2.6-mile international road course, Rice ended the day more than a second clear of Peter Chambers and Adrian Slater, while Kevin Harrison headed the regular class two runners and Ian Croft topped class three at his new home circuit.

"It's a great circuit, and it's going very well," said Rice, who was seeing top speeds approaching 140mph on the banked section of track past the pits. The Team Eurotech pair of Chambers and Slater led the chase of Rice, but Chambers acknowledged that they will need to race hard to beat him in the pair of races this weekend.

Fourth fastest, and close to the Eurotech cars, was Craig Rapp, while Barbara Armstrong was well in touch in fifth place. "This is a really good chance for me," said Barbara, finally visiting a circuit where no one had the benefit of previous experience.

Robert Babikan ran some laps in the Tim Bartlett's class two Carrera 996 and set the fastest time in the class, but it was Harrison who headed the regular class two pack. "It's a fantastic place," said Harrison after his first laps of the new track. Andrew Davies and Graham Hellier were close behind, while David Ellis ran in a fresh engine in his 944 Turbo.

Michelin Porsche Classic news - Can Griffiths keep on winning? - 24th May 2001 - top

Can Spencer Griffiths build on his hat-trick of wins in the 2001 Michelin Porsche Classic Championship at Snetterton on Sunday, June 3rd? That is the question to be answered as the Porsche Classic racers tackle their first double-header meeting of the season at the high-speed Norfolk track.

Having won each of the first three rounds at Thruxton and Brands (twice), Griffiths is starting to take a firm grip on the championship race in his Porsche 911SC. In the other classes, team mates Steve Smyth (911SC) and David Rothwell (911T) have given Mirror Racing a perfect start to the season by matching Griffiths' hat-trick form, but Smyth in particular faces a tough challenge in the pair of races at Snetterton.

The only visit of the season to Snetterton for the championship will be an important weekend in the title race, with a double dose of points on offer during the two 10-lap races. It is the type of weekend that can make or break title campaigns.

At Brands in the most recent race, Tony Brown (Carrera RS) came close to toppling Griffiths and led the first half of the race. Although he eventually finished second, Brown will go to Snetterton even more determined to beat Griffiths and can be relied upon to provide a spectacular challenge.

Other front-runners include Rupert Bullock, Peter Cates, Patrick Pearce and Steve Jaques and it is Jaques who has a reputation as a Snetterton expert. He started from the back of the grid at Brands after fuel pump failure before qualifying, and stormed into contention. Pearce, meanwhile, will have cause to celebrate at Snetterton whatever his result as he will have finished college exams the day before the meeting!

In class two, Smyth has been the man to beat in his 911SC, with Gerald Alticosalian (911SC) and Simon Harrison (911SC) sure to be amongst his closest rivals once more. At Brands, a fierce four-way lead battle also included promising newcomer Richard Harrison (911E) and Steve Winter (911SC). Eventually, victory went to Smyth, but only after Alticosalian crashed out after contact at Graham Hill Bend.

Meanwhile, Smyth's team mate David Rothwell has won class three every time out this year, although Steve Curtis (924) and 'J' Haynes (911T) have offered opposition.

After qualifying on Saturday, the Porsche Classic racers will have two races on Sunday, at around 10.30am and 3pm.

Michelin Porsche Cup news - Grand Prix opportunity for Porsche Cup racers - 23rd May 2001 - top

Four leading drivers from the Michelin Porsche Cup will have the chance to race in the Porsche Supercup race at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in July. Following negotiations between Porsche Cup championship manager John Farren and Porsche AG in Germany, the four selected drivers will join the international championship on a guest basis for the race on Sunday July 15.

For the first time, the GT3 Cup cars have been allowed into the Michelin Porsche Cup and more than 10 such cars have been producing excellent racing this season. Now, four of them will move up to the international Supercup for the British GP support race.

"This is fantastic news for the Porsche Cup," says Farren of the Motorsport Division of the Porsche Club Great Britain. "Making the step to introduce GT3 Cup cars into the championship has been a great success and I am delighted that we are now able to invite four of our drivers to race in front of the British Grand Prix crowds."

It is expected that the four invited drivers will be announced during the sixth round of the Michelin Porsche Cup at Rockingham on the weekend of June 9/10.

Michelin Porsche Cup news - Redline Racing aims for home win - 17th May 2001 - top

Redline Racing and lead driver Nigel Rice will be bidding for a home win during the fifth round of the Michelin Porsche Cup at Croft (North Yorkshire) on Bank Holiday Monday, 28 May. The Redline team is based in nearby Thornaby, while Rice lives at Beverley, Yorkshire.

Already this season Rice has finished all but once of the seven races in the top four and has finished second in each of the three most recent races. More than ever, he will be determined to take the top step of the podium at Croft.

However, to take that victory, Rice knows he has to overcome the Team Eurotech cars of Adrian Slater and Peter Chambers. Currently, Chambers has four wins to Slater's three, but Slater has the edge in championship points. Both have suffered accidents in recent races but will be back on top form at Croft to continue their battle for the title.

Leading the chase of Slater, Rice and Chambers is a gaggle of driver in GT3 Cup cars, all vying to get onto the podium at least. Robert Babikan, Mike Salmon, Basil Demeroutis, Stephen Elliott, Craig Rapp and Barbara Armstrong are all chasing hard and producing action packed racing. For Newcastle-upon-Tyne's Elliott this is a home event, while Armstrong will be all out to avoid other people's dramas after a couple of trying weekends. Robi Bernberg's older 993 Supercup and Richard Burnett's GT3 Cup car complete the class one pack, with Bernberg showing that there is still life in the older car.

This is proving to be a superb season for Kevin Harrison in the Michelin Porsche Cup. The Maidstone-based fire fighter will arrive at Croft with a 32-point championship lead, having taken five wins and two seconds in class two in the seven races to date.

While the front runners in class one have been disputing overall race wins, Harrison has been driving with consistency and speed in his Carrera 2RS to take the advantage in the title race. His only defeats have come at the hands of Chris Heeley (944 Turbo), and the Bradford racer will be aiming to stop Harrison winning again. York's Andrew Shelley is also a real contender in class two and, like Heeley, is another racer determined to score a good result at his home track.

Other drivers to watch in class two include the consistent Paul Martin, Anthony Oliver (yet another driver at his local track), Edinburgh-based Tim Bartlett, Andrew Davis and Graham Hellier. But it is Harrison, Heeley and Shelley likely to be making the class two running.

In class three there has been little to chose between Ian Croft (968CS) and Ben Rapp (Carrera 3.2), but Croft's greater racing experience has helped him to take an early points lead. Their battle also rejoins at Croft.

After qualifying at 2.50pm on Sunday, the Michelin Porsche Cup race will be held on Monday afternoon at 12.30pm. Due to time limitations at Croft, the drivers will have just the 20-minute feature race during the PowerTour motorsport show.

Michelin Porsche Classic: round three preview - Griffiths aims for Porsche Classic hat-trick - 9th May 2001- top

Spencer Griffiths is going all out to secure a hat-trick of wins in the third round of the 2001 Michelin Porsche Classic Championship at Brands Hatch on Sunday, May 20th. Having won each of the opening two rounds at Thruxton and Brands, Griffiths will certainly be pre-race favourite in his Porsche 911SC. In the other classes, team mates Steve Smyth (911SC) and David Rothwell (911T) have given Mirror Racing a perfect start to the season by matching Griffiths' winning form, so round three could see a hat-trick of hat-tricks!

A superb array of entertainment, both on the track and in the air, will be on offer at Brands Hatch over the weekend as the British Automobile Racing Club organises the Brands Hatch Classic in association with the Civil Service Motoring Association. This event brings together some of Britain's best period racing classes as well as a feast of action in the air, topped by visits from the Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

The Civil Service Motoring Association is playing a major role in the promotion of the event and a bumper crowd of more than 10,000 people is expected. They will enjoy a wide array of on and off track attractions, including the Blue Eagles Army Helicopter Display Team and the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team. On the ground, a full schedule of 13 races on Sunday, including the Michelin Porsche Classic Championship, will keep the entertainment coming thick and fast.

This race represents a second visit to Brands in three weeks for the Porsches and Griffiths will be expecting another tough race. Keith Norman (Carrera) and Tony Brown (Carrera RS) have chased Spencer in both races to date and will be growing ever more impatient in their bids to stop his winning sequence stretching any further. Add in front-runners like Rupert Bullock, Patrick Pearce, Steve Jaques and Peter Cates and the stage is set for another enthralling class one battle.

In class two, Smyth has been the man to beat in his 911SC, with Gerald Alticosalian (911SC) and Simon Harrison (911SC) sure to be amongst his closest rivals once more. Meanwhile, Smyth's team mate David Rothwell has won class three both times out this year, although Steve Curtis (924) offered a challenge at Brands three weeks ago.

After qualifying on Saturday afternoon, the 14-lap race will be held on Sunday afternoon.

"I'm looking forward to Peter getting out again," said Adrian Slater after winning both races in the Michelin Porsche Cup at Donington Park last weekend. Now, with barely time to catch breath, the series resumes at the challenging Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire over the Bank Holiday weekend (Sunday/Monday 6/7 May), and Slater is looking forward to the return of his team mate and arch rival Peter Chambers.

While Slater stormed to two impressive wins at Donington, Chambers was sidelined by an accident on the first lap of the sprint race. Having challenged for the lead, he ran wide and then spun back into the path of Barbara Armstrong. Although Barbara's car was patched up for the feature race, Chambers was out for the weekend and his car is now being rapidly rebuilt ready for Oulton Park.

But class one of the championship for the superb GT3 Cup cars is not just about Slater and Chambers. Nigel Rice proved at Donington that he is now a real contender for race wins, while Robert Babikan, Basil Demeroutis, Mike Salmon and Armstrong are all closing the gap to Slater and Chambers. Due back at Oulton is Craig Rapp, who missed the Donington races after an accident in pre-race testing.

Kevin Harrison remains the driver at the head of the overall championship battle, but his four-race winning sequence came to an end at Donington when he was headed home in both races by Chris Heeley. This was a welcome return to winning for the hard-charging Yorkshireman and he will be tough to beat at Oulton Park. "It's about time I started winning again," reckoned Heeley at Donington. "I need the prize money," he added.

Currently second in class two is racing newcomer Andrew Shelley (Carrera 996), although he finished the feature race at Donington with damage to his car after being attacked from behind at the Melbourne Hairpin by Harrison. Up to third in class has come Paul Martin (944 Turbo) after some quietly impressive performances. Other leading class two runners include Graham Hellier (Carrera 993) and Dave Benett (Carrera 993).

Class three remains very closely contested as Ian Croft (968CS) and Ben Rapp (Carrera 3.2) do battle. Currently Croft has the points lead, although both hit mechanical drama in the first race at Donington. Croft's team worked late into the night to fix his car and he repaid that effort by winning the class in the feature race.

After qualifying at 2.45pm on Sunday, the Michelin Porsche Cup race will be held on Monday afternoon at 1pm. Due to time limitations at Oulton Park, the drivers will have just the 20-minute feature race during the PowerTour motorsport show.

Current championship points position (after round three, Donington Park, April 28/29):

Overall: 1 Kevin Harrison, 173; 2 Adrian Slater, 161; 3 Andrew Shelley, 144; 4 Nigel Rice, 129; 5 Peter Chambers, 126; 6 Robert Babikan, 117.

Class 1: 1 Slater; 2 Rice; 3 Chambers.

Class 2: 1 Harrison; 2 Shelley; 3 Paul Martin, 112.

Class 3: 1 Ian Croft, 90; 2 Ben Rapp, 61.

Michelin Porsche Cup - Harrison aims to keep on winning in Michelin Porsche Cup - 20th April 2001 - top

Kevin Harrison heads the championship race into the third round of the Michelin Porsche Cup at Donington Park (Derby) over the weekend of April 28/29. With four straight wins in class two, the Maidstone fire-fighter is having a brilliant season in his Porsche Carrera 2RS. At the head of the race, Peter Chambers and Adrian Slater will continue their battle in the Porsche GT3 Cup cars.

With a 15-minute sprint race on Saturday afternoon and a 20-minute feature race on Sunday during the PowerTour motorsport show, the Michelin Porsche Cup has already produced some great race action this season, with two of the four races decided by less than a second. In class two, it has been even closer!

Harrison's unbeaten form has taken him to the top of the title race by four points from Chambers, who has won three of the four races to date. But in the feature race at Snetterton, Slater showed his pace by edging ahead of his team mate to score a deserved win. The pair of Team Eurotech cars is set to head the field at Donington, but there is no shortage of other contenders in class one.

Both Craig Rapp and Mike Salmon have shown race-winning pace, while Nigel Rice, Basil Demeroutis and Robert Babikan are aiming for podium finishes at the very least. Barbara Armstrong, meanwhile, is learning fast about racing and has collected two podium finishes already in slippery conditions.

In class two, Harrison is having a fantastic run, but his wins are not getting any easier. Andrew Shelley (Carrera 996) has been hugely impressive in his debut season at this level, while Graham Hellier (Carrera 993), Paul Martin (944 Turbo) and Dave Benett (Carrera 993) are all chasing hard. However, the man who could upset Harrison's winning run at Donington is Chris Heeley (944 Turbo). Various mechanical problems have hindered Heeley to date, but his speed and ability has never been in doubt.

Class three is just as hotly contested as Ian Croft (968CS) and Ben Rapp (Carrera 3.2) do battle. Currently Croft has the advantage after Rapp hit gear selection dramas in the feature race at Snetterton, but there is little to choose between them on pace.

After qualifying at lunchtime on Saturday, the Michelin Porsche Cup sprint race will be held on Saturday afternoon and the feature race will start 1pm on Sunday.

Michelin Porsche Classic - Griffiths bid to maintain Porsche Classic advantage - 20th April 2001- top

Spencer Griffiths is aiming to maintain his early-season advantage in the second round of the 2001 Michelin Porsche Classic Championship at Brands Hatch on Saturday, April 28th. Having taken a commanding win in the first round at Thruxton on Easter Monday, Griffiths should start round two as the man to beat in his Porsche 911SC. In the other classes, team mates Steve Smyth (911SC) and David Rothwell (911T) gave Mirror Racing a great start to the season in Hampshire.

For round two on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit, the Pre '84 Porsches are one of the races in a busy two-day meeting organised by the Aston Martin Owners' Club, and a packed grid will line up. All the cars will use the new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tyres, which drew universal acclaim from drivers after the opening race at Thruxton.

However, Griffiths knows he will not have an easy time. At Thruxton he went clear as his rivals had spins, but drivers like Keith Norman and Tony Brown will be keen not to hand him an advantage again. Add in quality in depth in class one with established front-runners Rupert Bullock, Steve Jaques and Peter Cates as well as rising star Patrick Pearce, and the stage is set for a cracking race.

In class two, Smyth drove a blinder at Thruxton in an untried car to win the class in style despite the best efforts of Gerald Alticosalian and racing newcomer Richard Harrison. Smyth's Warrington-based team will also field the class three winner from Thruxton in the form of David Rothwell, who has taken over the 911T of his business partner Colin Broster.

This race forms the first part of a back-to-back Brands double header for the championship, as the cars will be back at the famous Kent venue on May 20th for round three.

Michelin Porsche Cup news -Chambers bids for Michelin Porsche Cup hat-trick - 7th April 2001 - top

Peter Chambers will be aiming for a hat-trick of early season victories during the second round of the Michelin Porsche Cup at Snetterton (Norfolk) over the weekend of April 14/15.

With a 15-minute sprint race on Saturday afternoon and a 20-minute feature race on Sunday during the PowerTour motorsport show, the Michelin Porsche Cup has entered an exciting new era. For the first time, cars from the international Porsche Supercup are racing in the British series and the field will include 10 GT3 Cup cars. The new cars produced a superb spectacle in the opening pair of races at Silverstone, and will now switch to Snetterton where the pack will be battling to stop Chambers winning again.

There is no doubt that Chambers has plenty of rivals, notably his team mate Adrian Slater who tried all ways to find a way ahead at Silverstone. Guile and experience ultimately paid off as Chambers stayed ahead, but Slater is determined to turn the tables at Snetterton. Craig Rapp, meanwhile, was the revelation of Silverstone and fully earned the 'action man' tag given to him in the PowerTour 'ones to watch' initiative. He set a scorching pace and will be producing more action at Snetterton.

Nigel Rice, too, ran right with the leaders before an engine mounting problem put him out of the race. Barbara Armstrong took a podium finish in her first race and showed that she is rapidly learning the tricks of the racing game. With Robert Babikan, Basil Demeroutis, Mike Salmon and Stephen Elliott all running well in GT3 Cup cars, the entry is incredibly strong, and Robi Bernberg showed excellent pace in his slightly order 993 Supercup car.

However, this is not just about the class one cars. In class two there was plenty of close racing as Kevin Harrison swept to a superb double to open up his title bid. He stands level on overall points with Chambers heading for Snetterton. Andrew Shelley was another revelation in his Carrera 996, finishing a strong second in the feature race to mark his arrival in the Porsche Cup in style. Steve Tranter, Dave Benett and Graham Hellier all ran very well in class two, but pre-season favourite Chris Heeley was sidelined by head-gasket failure. He could be the thorn in Harrison's side at Snetterton.

Although entries in class three are modest at the moment, the racing was no less competitive as Ian Croft and Ben Rapp spent the two Silverstone races seldom more than a few feet apart. Expect more of the same at Croft's home track next weekend!

After qualifying at lunchtime on Saturday, the Michelin Porsche Cup sprint race will be held on Saturday afternoon and the feature race will start 1pm on Sunday.

Michelin Porsche Classic - Porsche Classic season kicks off - 7th April 2001 - top

The 2001 Michelin Porsche Classic season fires into life at Thruxton (Hampshire) on Monday April 16. The 12-round season for the pre '84 Porsches includes all the major UK tracks, with double visits to Brands Hatch and Donington Park before a season final at Rockingham. Five of the meetings, including the season-opener at the high-speed Hampshire track, are events for the increasingly popular BARC Classic Package.

For the first race of the year there is a real possibility of a local victory as Bournemouth racer Tony Brown heads the entry. The 2000 season was not kind to Tony, who was sidelined mid-season when he was an innocent victim of a hefty accident. However, he is a determined character, and will be aiming for success at his local track to repeat a victory he scored at Thruxton in 1999. That was the last time the championship visited Thruxton. Brown knows he will not have things easy, however. He faces plenty of strong rivals including rising stars Rupert Bullock, Spencer Griffiths and Patrick Pearce as well as seasoned Porsche racers Mike Clapham and Keith Norman. Pearce is one of the young chargers in the championship and has acquired the ex-Paul Tilleard race winning Carrera for his graduation into class one. Clapham, meanwhile, returns to racing with the title-winning car of John Williams.

"I'm glad that the first race this year is at Thruxton. I'm looking forward to the advantage of local knowledge and history repeating itself to get this season started in the best possible way," reckons Brown.

Adding further interest to the class one field will be the championship debut of the 924 Carrera GT. No one has previously raced this model in the Classic series but for 2001 David Botterill and Colin Ingram have both taken this route. The performance of the front-engined car against the 911 Carreras and 911SCs will be watched with great interest.

In class two, the 924 Turbos could make a real impression in the hands of Mark Lillington and Harry Wallace, although Roger Farson showed useful pace last year in his debut season in a 911E. In class three, the 2000 title-winning car of Colin Broster has now passed into the hands of David Rothwell and could well keep on winning.

After qualifying on Monday morning, the opening Michelin Porsche Classic race of the season is race four in the eight-race programme and will start at around 3.30pm.

Demeroutis launches partnership with CLIC charity - 26th March 2001 - top

BS Motorsport and Basil Demeroutis have teamed up with the charity CLIC - Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood - in their Michelin Porsche Cup campaign this season. Demeroutis, the 2000 Intermarque champion, will be driving a GT3 Supercup car in Class one of the Porsche Cup, which is a PowerTour championship this season.

In the novel partnership with CLIC, the team will raise funds and enhance awareness of children's cancer by arranging fundraising events, displaying CLIC's logo, and acting as a voice for CLIC on and off the circuit. The program will also give children suffering from cancer and leukaemia the chance to be special guests of the team at the track with VIP access at several PowerTour events. Significantly, the team has also agreed to donate half of all prize money it wins to CLIC. Through these various initiatives, BS Motorsport hopes to raise as much as £40,000 for CLIC.

Cancer and leukaemia are the biggest childhood killer diseases in the UK, with more than 2,000 children and young adults diagnosed each year. CLIC, founded 25 years ago in Bristol, works to support young cancer victims and their families throughout the country.

"We are very proud to be able to help such a dynamic organisation and raise funds for this worthy cause," says Demeroutis. "I think it is important to use our sport to give something back to the community. And with the plan to give away half our prize money, when we win, the children win."

Demeroutis launches his assault on the Michelin Porsche Cup this weekend at Silverstone (March 31/April 1). He brings a wealth of experience from the US and Canada, and as the only non-Brit in the Porsche Cup, provides an international flavour to the series. "On top of all our experience with the car last year, we have put in something like 2,000 miles during the so-called 'off season'. I've also worked quite a lot on my fitness. I'm ready." says Demeroutis.

Slater ready for Michelin Porsche Cup opener - 24th March 2001 - top

Team Eurotech team mates Adrian Slater and Peter Chambers could be the men to beat when the Michelin Porsche Cup bursts into action at Silverstone over the weekend of March 31/April 1.

With a 15-minute sprint race on Saturday afternoon and a 20-minute feature race on Sunday during the opening PowerTour motorsport show, the Michelin Porsche Cup is entering an exciting new era. For the first time, cars from the international Porsche Supercup will be racing in the British series and the field will include 10 GT3 Cup cars, six of them brand new from the Porsche factory.

Setting the pace in pre-season testing recently has been Team Eurotech with Slater and Chambers at the wheel. Chambers is setting out to complete a hat-trick of Porsche Cup titles while Slater returns to the series after a brief foray into GT racing in the second half of last season. "I'm really pleased with progress. That little bit of GT experience has helped me adapt to the Supercup cars. They are a lot faster than the previous Porsche Cup cars I have driven and are left-hand drive as well, just like the 911-GT3R. I absolutely love the car. It is a proper race car," adds Slater, who has re-scheduled his customary hectic business schedule to make sure he can tackle all 13 rounds of the championship.

"We're well prepared," says Slater, looking ahead to the Silverstone weekend. "I think the big rivals will Peter Chambers and Robert Babikan. Peter is always very quick and Robert has a lot of Porsche racing experience," says Slater.

Other GT3 Cup cars will be raced by Nigel Rice, Craig Rapp, Barbara Armstrong, Basil Demeroutis, Mike Salmon, Richard Burnett and Stephen Elliott. Robi Bernberg will complete the class one line up in his 993 Supercup car.

Babikan confirms Michelin Porsche Cup programme - 20th March 2001 - top

Robert Babikan is the latest driver to commit to the Michelin Porsche Cup this season. The 1996 overall Porsche Cup champion will race the new GT3 Supercup car of Team BCR in a full campaign and is set to be a serious title contender across the 23-race season.

After a season in the British GT Championship, Babikan is returning to the Porsche Cup, where he first raced in 1988. "The Porsche Cup is my scene. I love racing Porsches and I've been calling for the introduction of Supercup cars for some time now," says Babikan, who raced a PK Sport Porsche 911GT2 last year.

"I feel more at home in a series where the equipment is equal," says Babikan, who is delighted that Supercup cars are now being admitted to the series. He has already shaken the car down at Silverstone and will test again at Donington Park on Thursday (March 22).

"I love the concept of sprint races and I hope to be in the top three of the championship," says Babikan, who faces the challenge of drivers like Peter Chambers, Adrian Slater, Nigel Rice, Mike Salmon and Basil Demeroutis in identical Supercup cars.

Team BCR is set to be a leading squad within the Porsche Cup, with class two cars for team principal Paul Mace and Tim Bartlett already confirmed.

Double header programme for Michelin Porsche Cup - 10th March 2001 - top

The Michelin Porsche Cup will feature no less than 23 races this season, with double-header rounds at all but three of the 13-event PowerTour schedule. After a 15-minute sprint race on the afternoon of qualifying day, the feature race will run over 20 minutes in the early afternoon of the PowerTour Feature Raceday.

The only exceptions will be when timetables are amended to suit local conditions at Oulton Park and Croft in May and also for the Silverstone night race finale. At these events, the Porsche Cup racers will have a single feature race, with the September race at Silverstone marking the first night race in the history the championship.

"Our competitors enjoy the double-header format which has always been an important part of the Porsche Cup schedule. I am delighted that we have been able to continue and even extend this arrangement within PowerTour," says championship manager John Farren.

More new names for the Michelin Porsche Cup

Former Classic Touring Car and Marcos Mantis racer Ian Croft is the latest driver to sign-up for the Michelin Porsche Cup. The Huntingdon-based racer will drive the ex-Andrew Delahunty 968CS in class three of the championship.

New to class two will be 2000 class champion Paul Martin, who is stepping up with a self-built 944 Turbo. He previously won his class in a normally-aspirated 944, but is now joining drivers like Chris Heeley and David Ellis in a turbo version of the front-engined car.

Bartlett confirms Porsche Cup campaign - 3rd March 2001 - top

Tim Bartlett is the latest driver to announce plans to contest the Michelin Porsche Cup this season. The Scottish-based driver will race the ex-Paul Barrett Carrera 996 for Team BCR in a full campaign, carrying the colours of the Glenvarigill Porsche dealerships.

Bartlett has raced in the Scottish XR Challenge for the last three seasons, winning the Newcomers title in 1999 and running regularly in the top four last year. Now, he is stepping forward to the Porsche Cup with the Carrera 996 originally raced by David and Godfrey Jones.

"This is the opportunity to move up. I've only raced at Knockhill, Croft and Oulton Park, so all the other circuits are new to me," he said after his first test in the car at Silverstone on Thursday, 1st March.

Bartlett, who lives in Edinburgh, is Group Managing Director for Glenvarigill, which runs 17 motor dealerships including Porsche centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Supercup cars take to the track - 2nd March 2001 - top

Five of the new Porsche GT3 Supercup cars destined for the Michelin Porsche Cup underwent shakedown tests at Silverstone yesterday (Thursday 1st March). Team Eurotech, Parr Motorsport, Team BCR and Jaz Motorsport all ran new cars in dry but cold conditions on the international circuit in preparation for the opening race of the season on March 31st/April 1st.

The cars are part of a production run of Supercup cars made available for the British-based Porsche Cup and will be amongst a dozen examples expected on the grid when the season starts.

Peter Chambers and Adrian Slater will race the Team Eurotech cars, while former ladies rally champion Barbara Armstrong will represent Porsche Cars GB in the car tended by Parr Motorsport. Former Porsche Classic champion Craig Rapp will race his new car under the Jaz Motorsport banner, while Team BCR will shortly confirm the driver for its car. "It's a different story! The power is unbelievable," said Rapp after his first run in the GT3 Supercup.

Soon to start testing are further cars for Nigel Rice and Mike Salmon (Redline Racing), while Stephen Elliott and Basil Demeroutis will also field cars they raced in other events last season. Former Porsche Classic champion Robi Bernberg will race his 993-model Supercup car and two further new model 996 Supercup cars will complete the superb class one line up in the Michelin Porsche Cup.

Porsche racers give Michelin tyres the thumbs up - 24th February 2001 - top

Competitors in both the Michelin Porsche Cup and the Michelin Porsche Classic have given the new Michelin tyres a very positive reaction following test sessions at Thruxton this week (February 21/22). Representative cars from both championships completed extensive runs on Michelin tyres as part of the on-going implementation process ahead of the coming season. Both championships will use Michelin tyres for the first time in 2001.

From the Porsche Cup came Adrian Slater (GT3 Supercup) and Kevin Harrison (Carrera 2) to sample slick racing tyres, while Classic competitors Graham Burke and Keith Norman also tried out the Pilot Sport Cup tyres. Both Cup competitors were delighted with the feel and performance of the slicks, and the Classic racers were equally pleased with the treaded tyres. "The tyres felt very consistent and performed very well over a race distance. We've done 50 laps today and the wear rate is very good," reported Norman.

"We are very pleased with this latest stage of testing," said championship manager, John Farren of the Motorsport Division of the Porsche Club Great Britain. "The feedback from the teams and drivers is very favourable."

Classic calendar announced - 14th February 2001 - top

The calendar for the 2001 Michelin Porsche Classic season has been released. The 12-round season for the pre '84 Porsches includes all the major UK tracks, with double visits to Brands Hatch and Donington Park before a season final at Rockingham. Five of the meetings are events for the increasingly popular BARC Classic Package, while race meetings run by the Aston Martin Owners' Club account for three move rounds.

"It has been a long wait, but I am very pleased with the calendar we have been able to arrange," says John Farren of the Motorsport Division of the Porsche Club Great Britain. "Having back to back meetings at Brands and Donington will help competitors contain testing costs and finishing the year at Rockingham is a further bonus."

Redline Racing bids for Porsche cup glory - 8th February 2001 - top

Redline Racing is planning a multi-car campaign in the Michelin Porsche Cup, spearheaded by new Supercup GT3s for Nigel Rice and Mike Salmon. Simon Leonard and his Middlesborough-based team will field six cars in the championship and will also continue its association with proven race-winner Chris Heeley (944 Turbo).

Rice and Salmon will soon take delivery of new Supercup cars although Rice is currently working back towards fitness after suffering a serious knee injury in an accident during the end-of-season Bill Taylor Memorial Race at Donington last October. Since then, he has worked hard to regain fitness and is absolutely determined to be winning again when the season starts. "I've never known any one so determined,' says Leonard. "He'll be in the first race of the season, even if we have to carry him to the car!"

Graham Hellier is stepping up to race the ex-Richard True Carrera 993 while Anthony Oliver will race his existing Carrera 2, now upgraded to RS specification. The team will also enter the cars of Andrew Shelley (Carrera 996) and David Ellis (944 Turbo).

"This is a big year for the team. We've got backing from Scania again and a new transporter. We're doing the job properly," says Leonard, who will be backed up by team engineer Wayne Schofield. "We're looking forward to working with the Supercup cars. That is going to be very competitive!"