GT Cup Round 2 - Anglesey Race Report
21st May 2008
Colin Simpson's Marcos Mantis and Nick Whale's Porsche 997 GT3 had one win apiece at a sunny Anglesey, but both suffered non finishes in the other races.
Whale had qualified his 997 GT3 on pole by 1.424secs and not surprisingly led from the lights. Pete Morris' 996 GT3 tried to stick with him as Craig Wilkins shared a couple of exchanges with Simpson for third. Once Simpson had consolidated the place, he started making inroads on Morris, and by the end of lap four there was an equal spread across the lead trio.
But Simpson continued to close and grabbed second as they went through Church for the fifth time. Colin Broster's 996 GT3 carrying 60 kilograms of success ballast from the last round had settled in fifth, but the sixth placed duel between the 997 GT3's of George Brewster and Mark Stephenson had been caught by Andy Ruhan's Ferrari 360GTGT.
Suddenly on lap nine Whale slowed and managed to tour into the pits. His race was over however with a broken input shaft.
Simpson was left in front as the new leader and Morris suddenly reacted and started to close in again on the Marcos. Wilkins and Broster continued to hold station, but Stephenson's pressure on Brewster for fifth finally paid off. Into Rocket for the 11th time they were side by side, Stephenson nosed ahead and just held on as they arrived at Peel.
With the time running out Morris was poised to challenge for the lead, running nose to tail through the Banking on the last two laps. Simpson kept his nose in front to win by 0.669 GT3secs. "Maybe another lap and he may have got me, I used the same tyres from the last round which went off fairly early," said the victorious Simpson. "The car went well and my new engine was really good, " Morris replied.
Although Wilkins who also campaigns a Viper in British GT held onto third he was caught considerably by Stephenson's class one car towards the end. "That was much harder driving the standard 996 GT3 rather than my Viper," Wilkins commented. Broster followed Morris and Wilkins home for third in class two and fifth overall. "The clutch was slipping and I just held on. Mark just drove past me on the straight," said Broster.
Ruhan had ousted Brewster for sixth on lap 13, but lost out again to the 997 GT3 on the last lap. Gary Eastwood's 996 GT3 was a comfortable eighth, with Tommy Correia's Ferrari 360GT and Tommy Dreelan's Porsche 997 GT3 completed the top ten. Lee Atkins' BMW Z4 Coupe was never headed in class three.
RACE TWO
Simpson started from pole but a first lap spin soon had him playing catch up. Wilkins took charge but had Morris chasing barely a length behind. Broster sat close too ready to pick up any pieces, while Stephenson, Ruhan and Brewster started to settle behind.
Morris made a dive for the inside as they took the left hander just after the pits on lap four. But Wilkins was in no mood to surrender and almost chopped the nose off his friend and rivals 996 GT3. But already into the top ten was Whale, having started from the back of the grid he was eighth by the end of lap four and reeling in Correia. A lap later he claimed both Correia and Brewster and with Stephenson falling a lap later, the top three started to come into range.
Broster lasted one more lap but stayed close as Whale went for Morris. They were nose to tail through Rocket, but by the end of lap 10 Whale was not only through but clear. Morris lost out in the manoeuvres and slipped behind Broster to third for a couple of laps. But into Banking for the 12th time he reclaimed the spot and set closing down on Wilksins' second place.
Whale continued to charge on regardless and at the flag he had pulled out a 16 second plus lead. "It was huge fun starting at the back. I was enjoying passing cars so much I didn't bother looking at the pit board. Then I thought it must be near the end so started to look and realised I was leading," said Whale.
There was little between Wilkins and Morris for second and the class two victory, but with Morris having success ballast in place on this occasion at least it was Wilkins who claimed the place. "It was OK leading for a bit, I just got on with it and concentrated," said Wilkins. "That was close but I really enjoyed it, I was flat out so Craig deserved it this time," Morris replied.
Broster pitted from his early fourth place, "I thought I could hang on but the diff went, it just spun with no drive when I went for throttle," he explained. Stephenson inherited fourth and David Back's Ferrari 360GT claimed fifth after a last lap sort out dropped Ruhan down to 12th.
Correia, Dreelan, Stephen Taylor's Ferrari 360GT, race debutant Jeff Leadley's Ferrari 430 Challenge and Arwyn Williams' 360GT all gained too in the final sort to complete the top ten.
Paul Mace's Porsche 996 GT3 was a late retirement from seventh and contact also dropped Duncan Cameron's 360GT down the order. Race one winner Simpson was on the retirement list too, having blown his Mantis' engine on the ninth lap having climbed back into the top ten after his early spin.
Atkins's BMW once again claimed class three over the Porsche 944 Turbo of David Botterill and debutant Russ Nathan's Ferrari 360 Challenge.
