|
The Grid.co.uk the national & club motor racing website - est1998 |
 |
|
The Grid.co.uk the national & club motor racing website - est1998 |
|
|
|
mail your news to editorthegrid@yahoo.co.uk
Bridgman wins Carrera Cup title at Brands
Glynn Geddie finished third overall to take the pro-am1 title at the end of a great season while, with Glenn McMenamin already secure as pro-am2, Karl Leonard won pro-am2 in round 20 with a monster drive from a pit lane start. Bridgman went into the race knowing that he had to win to be certain of the title and he got the jump at the start to head the field into Paddock Hill Bend. Initially, Bridgman edged a few yards clear of James Sutton (Red Line Racing) as Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing) battled through to third. But it all nearly went wrong for Bridgman on lap six as he braked for Sheene Curve. "I hit the brakes as usual and it snatched the rears; there must have been something on the track," said Bridgman. He ran wide onto the grass and had to defend hard into Stirlings to keep Sutton at bay. After that moment, the top three cars ran in close formation all the way to an early finish when the cars of Derek Pierce (JHR) and Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) touched and spun off at Hawthorns, bringing out the red flag after 14 laps. The result gave Bridgman the title by four points from Sutton, with Harvey a further four points back in third. "To win the championship with two wins today; it's hard to describe. I'm ecstatic," said Bridgman. "It was a tough target, but I really wanted to win this. It's what you dream about." Behind Sutton and Harvey, Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing) drove a great race to take fourth overall, win pro-am1 in the race and clinch the pro-am1 championship title. "It's been a really up and down season, but we got there," said Geddie, who ended the season clear of Robert Lawson (JHR) in pro-am1. Lawson finished seventh, behind Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing) as Bradshaw wrapped up an excellent weekend with sixth place. Bradshaw had run ahead of Geddie in the early laps, but ran wide at Sheene and lost the place. Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) clinched the final podium place in pro-am1 to become the only driver to finish all 20 races this season. Pro-am2 victory was just reward for a great drive from Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing) after he started from the pit road with concerns about his gearbox. But all was well and he charged through to victory from Paul Mace (GT Marques) and Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport). "I just got as far up the field as I could," said Leonard, after finishing tenth overall, right behind his brother Michael (Team Parker Racing).
Bridgman wins Carrera Cup round 19 at Brands
At the head of the race, Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) was peerless and converted pole position into an immediate lead. Twice the safety car was deployed, but both times Bridgman was able to quickly re-assert his authority at the head of the race. He built his lead over James Sutton (Red Line Racing) with some stunningly quick laps and took the championship lead by a single point heading for the final race. "I'm very, very determined this weekend," said Bridgman. "We haven't done the job yet, but I'm going out to win race two. The team has done a fantastic job and I get the best out of myself under pressure." Sutton always ran second, but had to contend with a gearbox problem as well as a determined challenge from third placed Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing). "I could still get third gear but downshifting into it was difficult. I was also trying to short shift on the way up the 'box," said Sutton. With a superb drive to hold third overall throughout, Geddie dominated pro-am1 and was even able to challenge Sutton after the second safety car when Sutton's gearbox problem meant he was slow into the re-start. "That was what we needed," said Geddie. "The car was really good." Fourth, and making it three Team Parker cars in the top four, was Tom Bradshaw with one of his best drives of the season. He had to withstand constant pressure from Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing), but the youngster drove a fine race to fend off the 2008 champion, who now goes into the final race just behind Bridgman and Sutton on points. "That was mega," said a delighted Bradshaw. "But I always had to be on my guard," he added after race-long pressure from Harvey. Right behind Harvey, Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) completed the top six. The fight for seventh overall and second in pro-am1 included up to five cars and delivered some great racing as Derek Pierce (JHR) fended off his team-mate Robert Lawson, Lewis Hopkins (Red Line Racing), Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) and Michael Leonard (Team Parker Racing). That was how they finished as Pierce and Lawson completed the pro-am1 podium. "That was fantastic," said Pierce. "The best podium of the season!" Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing) made the pro-am2 pace and ran in the battle for seventh, before spinning into the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend. Instead, Paul Mace (GT Marques) moved ahead for an excellent pro-am2 win. "The first lap was pretty hectic and I was pleased to run with the pro-am1 cars," said Mace. Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) ran a secure second, but third in pro-am2 was enough to secure the category title for Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport). "It hasn't sunk in yet," said McMenamin. "The race was perfect, and I knew I could run third and take the title."
Sutton takes Carrera Cup double at Rockingham
Ollie Jackson drove a superb race to win the pro-am1 category victory, while Glenn McMenamin won pro-am2 to make himself favourite for the category crown. Jackson's performance earned him the 'driver of the weekend' award while the 'team of the weekend' award went to IN2Racing for rebuilding the car of Paul Hogarth overnight after a major accident in the opening race. Sutton (Red Line Racing) got the jump off the grid and led into the race, but it nearly all went wrong as they braked for Deene on lap three. A lap earlier Robert Lawson (JHR) hit the wall at Turn 1 and dropped coolant at Deene as he limped into retirement. When Sutton led the pack around on the next lap, he was first to find the slippery track and overshot the corner. Harvey (Red Line Racing) followed suit, and flat-spotted his tyres as he tried to slow the car down. That allowed Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) and Caine (Motorbase Performance) to get ahead of Harvey as Sutton just managed to retain the lead. While Sutton headed the quartet, Caine made the best progress and dived through to second when he got inside Bridgman into Tarzan on lap eight. Caine then moved in on Sutton and pushed the leader all the way to the flag as Bridgman and Harvey slipped away a little in third and fourth. "He was hounding me an awful lot," said Sutton of Caine. "I was just being cautious with the tyres," added Sutton after another fine victory. "I think we had the car to win, but James did a good job," said Caine after taking second, while third place was significant for Bridgman as he finished ahead of Harvey. "We just didn't have the pace over a race distance," said Bridgman, while Harvey was relieved to salvage fourth place with his flat-spotted tyres. Into a superb fifth overall went pro-am1 winner Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance), having stayed clear of class rival Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) with a faultless drive. "I just locked onto the back of Tim Harvey and kept an eye on the mirrors now and again," said Jackson after his first pro-am1 victory. Gilham had strong early pace as he tigered through to sixth, but found his car's handling falling away as the race developed. With Lawson out, third in pro-am1 was an important finish for Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing), despite handling problems. Seventh was scant reward for a tremendous drive from Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing) who ran as high as third off the start, but spun at Yentwood when giving Bridgman room. Bradshaw then stormed back through the field and took overall fastest lap in the process. Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport) always had the measure of pro-am2, although mid-race Steve Parish (Motorbase Performance) closed the gap. "It's harder than you think to stay out front, said McMenamin after a well-judged win. "It was about managing the tyres." With Parish out later with a puncture, Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) took second in pro-am2 from Paul Mace (GT Marques).
Sutton wins Carrera Cup round 17 at Rockingham
Robert Lawson swept back to the head of the pro-am1 standings with a category victory, while Steve Parish took pro-am2 victory on his debut race in the championship. Sutton got the jump on Harvey off the grid as Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) and Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) slotted into third and fourth. This quartet quickly went clear of the pack and ran nose-to-tail for much of the race. With the cars so evenly matched, the places did not change, but the result was always in doubt as Harvey shadowed Sutton and Caine challenged Bridgman. "It was very hard work," admitted Sutton. "At one stage I thought I'd got the jump on Tim, but he came back at me." Harvey, however, had championship points uppermost in his mind. "I wasn't going to do anything silly," said Harvey. "We just needed to get our heads down and stay away." Over the second half of the race Caine was constantly looking for a chance to pass Bridgman, but that was how it stayed to the flag, although they ran side by side into Brook on one lap. "It was just an average race and I didn't get a great start," said Bridgman. Fifth overall and a commanding pro-am1 victory went to Robert Lawson (JHR), who kept ahead of the class battling to score an important victory. "It was a case of watching the mirrors and monitoring the gap," said Lawson. His result became even more important when his key title rivals Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing) and Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) both failed to finish. Initially, Gilham ran second from Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) and Geddie. Then, under braking for Deene on lap seven, Geddie dived inside Jackson and unfortunately ran into the side of Gilham, who was out straightaway. Geddie tried to struggle on after a pit stop, but was later given the black and orange flag due to suspension damage. That ensured second place in pro-am1 for Jackson after a strong race to sixth overall. "That was hard work, but it couldn't have gone better," said Jackson. Third in pro-am1 finally went to championship newcomer Alex Martin (GT Marques), despite a couple of first lap moments. He then thought he had a drive through penalty when he struggled to see the numbers being shown on the start gantry, so visited the pits as a precaution. He quickly rejoined and took third when Tommy Dreelan (Celtic Speed) picked up a puncture late in the race. The pro-am2 result was heavily affected by the same drive through issue as early leader Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport) also dived into the pits in error. With Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) out after swiping the wall Turn 1, Steve Parish (Motorbase Performance) scored a famous win, first time out. "I was just trying to take it easy," said Parish. "I just wanted to stay out of trouble and it paid off." A frustrated McMenamin rejoined and charged back through to second, passing Paul Mace (GT Marques) in the closing stages as Mace struggled without a front splitter. However, Mace was later excluded from the results over a flag infringement. Red Line Racing clinches Carrera Cup GB team award
Cleveland-based Red Line, headed by Simon Leonard, has a superb record in the Carrera Cup GB and scored points through the 2009 season with lead drivers Tim Harvey and James Sutton. This marks the third team title for Red Line Racing, following previous titles in 2004 and 2007. Leonard says that winning the team title is the perfect launch pad into the 2010 season, when the team will expand into running parallel teams in the Porsche Supercup and the Carrera Cup GB. The Supercup squad will run under the Team SAS banner, while the team will also continue to field a multi-car squad in the Carrera Cup GB. As part of a major expansion programme, for both its road and race car business, the team will shortly move into extensive new premises in the Middlesborough area. "This is a great platform for us for next season," said Leonard. "It has been a first class team performance this season and winning the team award means a lot to all the guys who work so hard for our drivers. We'll be announcing our Supercup drivers during October and we're also getting a great deal of interest in the Carrera Cup GB." The team is now focused on winning the Carrera Cup drivers' title again and Harvey and Sutton will both go into the final two races firmly in contention for the title.
Sutton wins Carrera Cup round 16 at Silverstone James Sutton completed a weekend double with an impressive victory in round 16 of the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Silverstone today (Sunday 30 August 2009). Tim Bridgman took second on the road but was later excluded from the results for his part in an incident that sent his title rival Tim Harvey out of the race. Glynn Geddie took another superb pro-am1 victory while Karl Leonard clinched a weekend double in pro-am2. Light rain arrived just before the race and sent the cars back to the pits to ponder tyre choice. Eventually, most drivers opted for slicks, but front-runners Michael Caine, Ollie Jackson and Tony Gilham went for wets, which later proved the wrong call as conditions improved slightly. Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) dropped to fourth off the line behind Sutton (Red Line Racing), Harvey (Red Line Racing) and Caine (Motorbase Performance). However, into Becketts, Bridgman attacked Caine and the cars touched, with Caine spinning. Up front, Sutton went clear as Bridgman set about catching Harvey. As the track got more slippery, Sutton drove a superb race to win as Harvey spent many laps defending from Bridgman. Down to Brooklands for the final time, Bridgman launched a move on Harvey and the cars touched, with Harvey spinning into the gravel. Bridgman took second on the road, but was later excluded from the results and docked eight championship points over the incident. Ahead of the drama, Sutton completed a fine weekend and earned the 'driver of the weekend' award. "I'm just out to collect as many race wins as I can," said Sutton. "But I had to set the pace in the wet and a little bit of rain on the screen looks like a monsoon!" With a frustrated Harvey in the gravel and Bridgman out of the results, it was Geddie who moved up to a superb second overall and victory in pro-am1. "That was mega," said Geddie. "But as the race went on the conditions were getting harder," he said. Into a remarkable third overall and pro-am2 victory came Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing), having battled ahead of Robert Lawson (JHR) and John Gaw (Team Kinfaun) as the race developed. "I'm delighted," said Leonard. "I had a great start and good pace; the car was great thanks to Team Parker Racing." The Parker squad was later confirmed as 'team of the weekend'. Lawson claimed second in pro-am1 after a good race, while his team mate Derek Pierce ended a run of bad luck with third in the category. Splitting them in the overall results was Gaw after an impressive Carrera Cup debut. "I didn't take any chances," he said of a measured performance. The final pro-am2 podium place went to Paul Hogarth (IN2 Racing) but only after a sterling recovery drive after stalling on the grid. "I gave myself a big handicap and I can't believe I caught Glenn," said Hogarth after passing his title rival Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport).
Sutton wins Carrera Cup round 15 at Silverstone James Sutton scored a last gasp victory in round 15 of the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Silverstone today (Saturday 29 August 2009), passing race-long leader Tim Bridgman in traffic on the final lap of the race. Glynn Geddie took a resounding pro-am1 victory while Karl Leonard clinched pro-am2 spoils. Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) led from the start as second qualifier Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) was jumped by Red Line Racing team mates Sutton and Tim Harvey off the line. With Sutton his ever-present shadow, Bridgman drove a faultless race to lead all the way to the final lap. Then, as they raced into Copse they caught the battle between Paul Hogarth (IN2 Racing) and Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport) for second in pro-am2. Bridgman was held up just enough for Sutton to get a run on him out of the corner and dive ahead into Becketts. "James went round me on the exit of Copse; there wasn't anywhere to go," said a very frustrated Bridgman. "It's something you've got to contend with," said Sutton. "But I'll take a win any way it comes," he added, before shaking hands with Bridgman. Despite losing victory within a mile of the finish of the race, Bridgman moved into equal lead of the championship with Harvey as a result. For most of the race, Harvey had run with the leading pair, but then as Caine recovered from his slow start he was able to build pressure on Harvey for third. "I think Michael had the fastest car and I had to defend," said Harvey. "Once I was defending, I lost touch with the first two." Fifth overall and a dominant pro-am1 winner was Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing), who ran ahead of Caine in the early laps before making certain of pro-am1 victory. "I didn't fight too much with Michael; all I needed was the pro-am1 points," said Geddie after a mature performance. With Robert Lawson (JHR) out of the race after an early clash with Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing), the result put Geddie to the top of the pro-am1 standings. Second in pro-am1 was the subject of a race-long battle between Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) and Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance). The places changed twice as Jackson got ahead mid-race, only for Gilham to retake second. "I had a lock up into Becketts and that let Ollie past," said Gilham. "I was slowly catching Geddie before that." "It was very even," said Jackson after taking third in pro-am1. "He just had a bit more drive out of Copse, but it was an excellent race." There was a dramatic finish at the head of pro-am2 after Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing) clashed with pro category racer Lewis Hopkins (Red Line Racing) on the final lap after a long battle. Leonard managed to get his car over the line as he bounced along the grass. After the race, their finishing positions were reversed to put Hopkins into eighth overall and Leonard into ninth. Meanwhile, the battle for second in pro-am2 was the subject of a big struggle between McMenamin and Hogarth. They were seldom more than a few yards apart as McMenamin withstood relentless pressure from his rival to secure the place. "The pressure was unbelievable," said McMenamin. "That was the hardest race yet." "An absolutely fantastic race; I just couldn't get past him," added Hogarth.
Bridgman takes Carrera Cup round 14 at Knockhill
On a fully dry track, Harvey (Red Line Racing) converted pole into an early lead, but Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) dived cleanly through into the lead at the Hairpin on lap three and was able to edge clear. While Bridgman consolidated his lead, Harvey came under pressure from team mate James Sutton and Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance), as Caine battled through to fourth from sixth on the grid. But the race belonged to Bridgman, who had gone over five seconds clear by the end of 30 laps. "I'm very pleased with that," said Bridgman. "This morning's race was far from ideal, so it was good to come back with a strong win." Harvey fended off Sutton for second, but accepted that he did not have the pace to take the fight to Bridgman. "The set-up wasn't quite right and we had a bit too much understeer," reported Harvey. Initially, it seemed like Caine would take the fight to Sutton and Harvey, but he found his car losing power slightly from mid-race. "The car was perfect but then I lost power. We had the same problem in the first race and we thought we'd sorted it out." Behind the top four, a fine drive from Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing) took him clear of a squabbling pack to take fifth in one of his best races of the season so far. Completing the top six and taking a double pro-am1 win was Geddie, who battled ahead of Robert Lawson (JHR) in the early laps to conclude a great weekend. Geddie was also named 'driver of the weekend', while Motorbase Performance won the 'team of the weekend' award for an outstanding performance in the opening race. Behind Geddie things were far from settled as up to six cars battled furiously, with Lawson trying to fend off Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing), Charles Bateman (Team Parker Racing), Derek Pierce (JHR), Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) and Andrew Herron (Porsche Motorsport). Lawson was struggling with an ill-handling car after a knock from Geddie and so it was Gilham who tigered his way to seventh and second in pro-am1, despite a wild ride across the gravel at Duffus Dip. Lawson took third in pro-am1 from Jackson, while Herron and Pierce spun at Duffus after contact, which sent Herron into the tyre wall. Hopes of another big battle in pro-am2 were dashed early on when Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) was hit by Bob Lyons (Celtic Speed) at McIntyres. Hogarth limped to the pits with a puncture, while Lyons was out on the spot. Instead, Brewster (Celtic Speed) swept through to win from Parr Motorsport duo Glenn McMenamin and Robin Clark.
Caine takes Carrera Cup thriller at Knockhill
The race was all about tyre choice on a wet but drying track and Caine's choice of slicks paid massive dividends as the race progressed. Through to a magnificent second overall and pro-am1 victory came Glynn Geddie, while Glenn McMenamin bagged pro-am2 after a hectic race. As the race start approached the rain cleared and the track began to dry. But the field was split on tyre choice and title contenders Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) and Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing) both opted for wets as they continued their battle for the overall title. However, Caine (Motorbase Performance) was third on the grid and gambled on slicks, along with Geddie (Team Parker Racing), Robert Lawson (JHR), Charles Bateman (Team Parker Racing) and pro-am2 front-runners McMenamin (Parr Motorsport), Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) and Bob Lyons (Celtic Motorsport). Initially, with Caine making a cautious start as he waited for his slicks to come up to temperature, the leading trio of Bridgman, Harvey and James Sutton (Red Line Racing) went a long way clear. But as early as lap four it was clear that slicks had been the right choice and Caine quickly started to recover ground. By lap 14, Caine swept through into the lead and soon pulled well clear, leaving Bridgman and Harvey to face a rapid fall down the order as the track continued to dry over the second half of the race. Such was his advantage over Bridgman and Harvey that Caine was able to lap them in the later stages as they dropped to sixth and seventh at the flag. "I had to get heat into the tyres at the start," said Caine. "For a couple of laps I wasn't sure and it was a complete lottery. But there was no point being on the same tyres; you've got to be different. This time it worked for us!" While Caine went clear, Geddie and Lawson led the chase as they worked through to second and third overall and battled for pro-am1 victory. They had both driven fine races, coping well on slicks in the early laps before capitalising on their tyre choice. "It was brilliant," said Geddie after his best result to date on his home track. "All we really wanted this season was to get in the top three," he said. Lawson, meanwhile, was frustrated to have lost the pro-am1 lead to Geddie in early traffic. "It was a close call; I was just disappointed with the traffic," said Lawson. Through to fourth and fifth in a race full of overtaking came Charles Bateman (Team Parker Racing) and Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance), with Bateman challenging Lawson at the flag and Jackson completing the pro-am1 podium. The contest in pro-am2 was just as dramatic, with McMenamin having to drive the race of his life to battle ahead of Hogarth as Lyons hunted them down in third place. After a race-long battle, less than a fifth of a second decided the result after McMenamin tigered ahead of Hogarth at the hairpin. George Brewster went off like a scalded cat," said McMenamin of the Celtic Speed car on wets in the early laps. "Then I saw him in the distance," added McMenamin before moving ahead with Hogarth in pursuit. "I'm just so chuffed; I can't believe the result," said McMenamin.
Harvey does Carrera Cup double at Snetterton August 2nd, 2009
Harvey (Red Line Racing) shadowed teammate James Sutton for lap after lap with Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) and Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) again leading the chase. However, into the closing stages Harvey moved ever closer to Sutton and started to look at ways to take the lead. Into Riches on lap 19, Sutton locked a front wheel and ran wide onto the grass as Harvey and Bridgman swept through. Then, as Sutton rejoined on the run to Sear, Caine tried to dive through. The cars made contact and Caine was out on the spot as Sutton recovered to salvage third place. But it was Harvey who took a fine double win to make it a perfect weekend. "I've had a great day; I knew right from testing on Friday that my car was really strong." Red Line Racing was announced as 'team of the weekend' and Bridgman acknowledged that he did not the have the pace to match Harvey this time around. "We did a good job, but they did a better job," said Bridgman. Sutton was a frustrated third while Geddie (Team Parker Racing) made it a pro-am1 double with fourth overall and was right on Sutton's tail at the flag. "It was a good result," said Geddie. "I was trying to get an overall podium and I'm sure it will come." Geddie was confirmed as 'driver of the weekend'. Fifth overall and second in pro-am1 was a good result for Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing), who spent many laps defending his place from Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing). "It was tough keeping Tom behind," said Gilham, who significantly closed the pro-am1 points' gap to Robert Lawson (JHR) across the pair of races. Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) completed the pro-am1 podium, but Lawson was on Jackson's tail at the flag. Once again, the pro-am2 battle was one of the features of the race as Paul Hogarth (IN2 Racing) fended off Paul Mace (GT Marques) and Glenn McMenamin. It was incredibly close for most of the race and Hogarth and Mace ran side by side into Russell with two laps to go. Then, a lap later Mace dropped down to first gear at the Esses in avoiding contact with Hogarth and a quick spin dropped him behind McMenamin. "I never got a lap on my own," said Hogarth. "I couldn't afford to make a single mistake."
Harvey wins Carrera Cup GB round 11 at Snetterton
Harvey (Red Line Racing) won the dash to the first corner from teammate James Sutton and as they battled Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) was able to dive through to second place. Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) and Geddie (Team Parker Racing) made up a leading quartet and soon went clear as a first corner tangle eliminated Robert Lawson (JHR) and delayed his team mate Derek Pierce and Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing). Harvey quickly took control at the head of the race as Bridgman battled to hold off Sutton. Lap by lap, Harvey was able to edge away and built his lead to around three seconds. However, life was not so straightforward for Bridgman and his efforts to contain Sutton finally ended when Bridgman was caught behind a backmarker onto the Revett Straight and Sutton dived past. With Caine close behind, that was how they finished, with Harvey re-taking the championship lead from Bridgman. "That's a great result," said Harvey. "My season always seems to start at this point. I wanted to get through the backmarkers carefully and it was completely under control." Sutton had a late scare in traffic, but stayed clear of Bridgman to secure second place. "I'm pretty satisfied with that," said Sutton. "But it is really busy out there." Bridgman, meanwhile, accepted that he did not have the speed to match Harvey. "I didn't quite have the pace, but it was all about the backmarkers." While Caine took fourth, Geddie claimed a dominant pro-am1 win after a faultless drive. "I wanted to try and stick with the top four, but it wasn't worth taking any risks," he said after concentrating on winning pro-am1. Into second in pro-am1 came Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) from Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing). However, Gilham had run second in pursuit of Geddie until he spun at Riches and dropped behind Jackson. Jackson had been involved in the first corner incident and was initially concerned that he might have damaged a radiator, but all was well and he raced through to second in pro-am1. "I was pushing hard to catch Geddie and spun," admitted Gilham of his indiscretion. The pro-am2 battle was a tremendous feature of the race and for many laps it was Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) leading from Paul Mace (GT Marques) and McMenamin. The cars were seldom more than a few feet apart and finally, on lap 17, Mace dived past Hogarth into the Esses. However, Hogarth fought back as McMenamin dropped away with a spin at Russell. Then, on lap 23 Hogarth and Mace were side by side into the Esses as Sutton came through to lap them. The pro-am2 leaders touched and spun and with both cars damaged they were out, which allowed McMenamin though to victory from Bob Lyons (Celtic Speed), who lost time with a first lap spin, and Robin Clark (Parr Motorsport). "I had an idea that could happen," said McMenamin. "After I spun, I thought that was it."
Sutton wins Carrera Cup round ten at Croft
Although the cars initially went to the grid on slicks, the rain arrived in time for everyone to switch to wets for a shortened 12-lap race. Poleman Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) had the task of setting the pace on the opening lap and soon found the water running across the track at Tower. He slid wide as Sutton (Red Line Racing) and Caine (Motorbase Performance) dived ahead. Bridgman then had more drama at Sunny when he slid side again and was down in eighth by the end of the opening lap. Sutton now led with Caine as a major threat, while Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing) and Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing) took third and fourth. However, Geddie's frustrating weekend continued when a marker cone flicked up and damaged his car's radiator, forcing him into the pits. Caine chased Sutton until the decisive moment came on lap seven when Caine spun on the exit of the Esses. "I couldn't see through the spray and I just touched the white line," said Caine of the incident. Harvey briefly nipped into second, but Caine was quickly back ahead and chasing after Sutton once more. Though the gap came down, it was too big for Caine to catch Sutton in the laps available. Sutton, meanwhile, was battling the conditions at the head of the race. "You'd come round one lap and it was fantastic, but on the next lap you were aquaplaning," he said. Despite the conditions, Sutton claimed a fine victory; his second of the season. "I was pushed all the way by Michael, even after his moment," said the race winner. Caine clinched second from Harvey, knowing that his team had got the car set-up extremely well for the conditions. Behind Harvey, Lawson (JHR) drove a fine race to complete a pro-am1 double on his home track. "I couldn't see anything! There was standing water at Tower," said Lawson after a performance that clinched the 'driver of the weekend' award. Bridgman clawed his way back to fifth to retain a slender overall championship lead, while Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) had another strong run to take sixth overall and second in pro-am1. Motorbase was announced as 'team of the weekend'. Aaron Slight (Porsche Motorsport) and Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) took seventh and eighth from Brewster (Celtic Speed), the pro-am2 winner. "I didn't really do anything to win; the other guys lost it," he said of the category. Notably, Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) spun out of the lead at Tower, but recovered to take second from Bob Lyons (Celtic Speed).
Bridgman wins Carrera Cup round nine at Croft
Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) headed the pack into the first corner from pole position, but further back there was drama as the closely packed field stormed into the tight right-hander at Clervaux. Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing) lost out the most and limped to the pits to retire with damage to the rear of the car. Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) and Derek Pierce (JHR) made contact and spun into the infield, while Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) was also badly delayed. There was no such trouble up front as Bridgman headed Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance), Sutton (Red Line Racing), Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing) and Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing). This quintet quickly established itself at the front of the race and Bridgman started to edge clear as Sutton dived ahead of Caine, with Harvey on their tail and Bradshaw, in one of his best races to date, going after them. "I just kept pushing the whole race through," said Bridgman, who steadily extended his lead to score his third win on the run and take the championship lead from Harvey. "It's an important result for me, to carry on from Oulton Park. We're just focused on winning races." In Bridgman's wake, Sutton, Caine and Harvey spent much of the race running nose-to-tail, but the cars were so evenly matched that the places did not change. "Tim just had a little edge on us," said Sutton, who was suffering badly with hay fever. "I was struggling with the rear tyres as the race wore on, so had to concentrate on Tim behind me rather than James in front," reported Caine. Bradshaw chased them home to take fifth, while Lawson (JHR) had to race hard in the early laps to fend off Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) in the battle for pro-am1 victory. "Glynn Geddie had a moment at the first corner and handed the lead of pro-am1 to me," said Lawson. "Then I just had to look after my tyres," said the local racer after his fifth pro-am1 win. Jackson pushed hard, but over-worked his tyres by mid-distance and soon came under great pressure from Lewis Hopkins (Red Line Racing). In his best Carrera Cup race to date, Hopkins later battled ahead of Jackson to take seventh place, while Jackson still bagged second in pro-am1 with the recovering Gilham fighting back to third. The pro-am2 contest was also affected by the first corner incidents and that helped Brewster (Celtic Speed) take a decisive lead to win the category and make it six pro-am2 winners in nine races. "That's fantastic; I felt a bit under pressure, but I made a good start," said Brewster. Hogarth recovered to take second in pro-am2 with Bob Lyons (Celtic Speed) completing the podium. After the race, Bradshaw and Gilham were penalised two penalty points on their race licences and two championship points following the first corner incidents.
Bridgman wins Carrera Cup GB round eight at Oulton Park
Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) got the jump off the line to head the pack into Old Hall as Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) and the fast-starting Michael Leonard (Team Parker Racing) filled the next places. However, James Sutton (Red Line Racing) dived ahead of Leonard at Druids and Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing) soon edged Leonard back to fifth. Caine gave chase to Bridgman and the small lead margin that Bridgman had built was lost when the safety car came out on lap six. Suffering a front tyre problem, Leonard went off into the gravel at Druids and the field bunched up behind the safety car while Leonard's car was moved. "I gained the gap back with a good re-start," said Bridgman and Caine soon realised that he could not take the fight to Bridgman. Instead, Caine had to concentrate on his mirrors as Sutton closed in. Into the Island Hairpin on lap 14, Caine slid wide and Sutton nipped through to make sure of second as Harvey tracked them in fourth place. That was how it ran to the flag, with Bridgman taking his fourth win of the season to trim Harvey's championship lead to just two points. "The team has really delivered for me this weekend," said Bridgman. "That's the first time I've ever had a good weekend at Oulton Park." Sutton claimed second and earned the 'driver of the weekend' award, while Caine completed the overall podium, suffering from lack of grip at the rear as the race developed. In pro-am1 there was more great racing, with Lawson (JHR) taking control after the re-start as he battled for fifth overall with Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing). Slight contact as they ran neck-and-neck into Druids sent Bradshaw through the gravel and left Lawson with a secure fifth and pro-am1 victory. "I'm pleased with that; but I didn't quite have the pace after the safety car to go with the top four," said Lawson. Up into second in pro-am1 came Michael Leonard (Team Parker Racing) after a tigering drive, while Derek Pierce (JHR) and Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) were badly delayed at Cascades on the opening lap. Instead, it was Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) who took third in pro-am1 from Pierce and Gilham. With Karl Leonard out of the race, the pro-am2 battle was a race-long contest between Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport) and Bob Lyons (Celtic Speed). Lyons led the opening lap, but McMenamin saw a chance at Lodge at the end of the first lap and dived ahead. He then had to withstand constant pressure from Lyons with only a fifth of a second between them at the flag. "That was just intense; he made me earn it," said McMenamin of his first Carrera Cup win. However, Lyons was later excluded over a technical infringement, handing second in pro-am2 to Michael Corridan (Motorbase Performance).
Bridgman wins Carrera Cup GB round seven at Oulton Park
Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) got the jump on Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) off the line, but Caine's lead lasted only until the Island Hairpin on lap one when Bridgman dived for the inside. As the cars touched, Caine was forced wide and was instantly pushed back to fourth place by Red Line Racing team mates James Sutton and Tim Harvey. "The car wasn't right after that," said Caine, who settled into fourth as the leading quartet started to edge away. After the race, Bridgman was penalised three championship points over the first-lap incident. Sutton gave valiant chase to Bridgman over the early laps, but gradually the gap extended as Bridgman pressed home his advantage. "I had to work hard to stay up there and I paid for it later," said Sutton, who dropped away from the leader over the closing laps and concentrated on monitoring the gap to the chasing Harvey. Up front, however, Bridgman maintained a strong pace all the way to the finish. "You never know what's going to happen, so I kept pushing hard. That's an important result," said Bridgman. Behind Sutton, Harvey claimed his 80th Carrera Cup GB podium as Caine spun out later after contact with Robin Clark (Parr Motorsport) during lappery. One of the drives of the race came from Karl Leonard (RSS Performance) who raced to a clear fourth and a resounding pro-am2 victory, going clear of the rest of the field. "I just lacked a tiny bit of pace at the start against the top four," said Leonard. "Then I was well clear of the rest so there was no point pushing." In contrast, the battle for the pro-am1 category was race-long and intense, with up to five cars in the pack. For the first nine laps, Derek Pierce (JHR) fended off his team mate Lawson despite intense pressure. However, up into contention came Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance), Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) and Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing) to make a fabulous five-car battle. Eventually, Lawson dived past Pierce under braking for Knickerbrook, but in doing so he clipped the tyres and had to contend poor handling after that. "I'm amazed that it hung on to the end," said Lawson. "I thought I was out." Jackson then moved ahead of Pierce at Lodge and as Pierce was edged wide he dropped behind Gilham. Then, Pierce suffered suspension damage after hitting the Knickerbrook kerb and went out as Gilham attacked Jackson for second. With a bold move under braking at Old Hall, Gilham grabbed second. "Tony pulled a really good move on me," said Jackson. "But that was a great race," he added. "I always do it the hard way," said Gilham after an attacking drive from 12th on the grid to sixth. With a final charge, Richard Singleton (Porsche Motorsport) nipped ahead of Geddie on the final lap to take eighth overall after a fine comeback. After being squeezed wide at the first corner, Singleton tigered back from 15th place to finish eighth on his Carrera Cup debut. Meanwhile, Bob Lyons (Celtic Speed) had to push hard to fend off Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport) for second in pro-am2. "I thought I'd got rid of him, but then I made a mistake and he was in my mirrors the rest of the race," said Lyons.
Sutton takes Carrera Cup round six at Donington James Sutton made it four race winners from six races when he won round six of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Donington Park today (Sunday 17 May 2009). In pro-am1, Glynn Geddie mastered some tough conditions to take a fine win, while Paul Hogarth completed a pro-am2 double win. Sutton (Red Line Racing) tracked early leader Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) as rain made conditions really challenging. Finally, on lap 14 Sutton dived ahead with a tremendous move at the Old Hairpin as Bridgman struggled for grip. Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing) completed the top three, while title contender Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) slithered home sixth after gambling on running worn wet tyres rather than new wets. The rain arrived just before the start and all the cars switched to wet tyres. However, the Motorbase team sent Caine out on worn wets, thinking it would be the right choice on a track that was still not too wet. But more rain soon came and Caine and his team mate Ollie Jackson were in trouble. Up front, Bridgman led the field away and, with Sutton in tow, quickly went clear. But Bridgman knew he was in trouble as the team had not been able to re-set the tyre pressures on the grid. "It cost me dear, but it wasn't the team's fault," said Bridgman. "By mid-race I was struggling." Meanwhile, Sutton was getting stronger and stronger and finally went through by slicing down the inside into the Old Hairpin. "The car was fantastic; if the car hadn't been that good I wouldn't have been able to pull off the move," said Sutton. Once ahead, Sutton went clear for an emphatic victory. Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing) ran a strong third over the first half of the race, having passed Harvey on the second lap as the reigning champion struggled with a major vibration. However, as the race developed, Bradshaw found his tyres overheating and Harvey was eventually able to move back ahead and take the final podium position. Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing) ran a good race to take pro-am1 victory and fifth overall behind Bradshaw. "I like those conditions," said Geddie, who went well clear of the struggling Caine. "I've never driven with so little grip," admitted Caine. He was nearly caught later in the race by Robert Lawson (JHR) who completed a good weekend with second in pro-am1 from Michael Leonard (Team Parker Racing). However, Leonard had been running behind Caine until a trip over the grass at Starkey's Bridge removed the front splitter from his car and left him struggling. Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) wrapped up a great weekend with another pro-am2 victory, this time going well clear of Bob Lyons (Celtic Speed) as Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport) battled with Lyons in the early laps before a spin into the gravel at Coppice.
Caine takes Carrera Cup round five at Donington
There was disaster at the start for Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) who lost his pole position when a driveshaft failed on the green flag lap. That left Caine (Motorbase Performance) to head the pack into Redgate, with Sutton and Harvey, both from Red Line Racing, chasing hard. Initially, Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing) went with the leading trio, but a moment under braking at Redgate dropped him a few seconds. Up front, Caine led lap after lap with Sutton his ever-present shadow and Harvey just a few lengths back. "I got a little gap on James, but as soon as I pushed I started losing grip," said Caine. Under braking for Redgate, Sutton would close right up, but Caine could rebuild his slender lead on the exit of the Old Hairpin. "It was stalemate for a long time as we were all looking after our tyres," said Harvey. Meanwhile, Lawson (JHR) had battled clear of the rest of the pro-am1 pack to go clear in fifth overall, as Michael Leonard (Team Parker Racing), Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) and Derek Pierce (JHR) battled with VIP racer Aaron Steele (Porsche Motorsport). In pro-am2, Hogarth (IN2Racing) and Lyons (Celtic Speed) were nose-to-tail for lap after lap. The contest at the head of the race came down the final corner of the last lap and Sutton saw a chance as they braked for the chicane. He got partly alongside Caine and they touched, which sent Caine over the grass and slowed them both. Out of the corner, Caine had to defend from Sutton, but Harvey had got a run on both of them and the cars were virtually three abreast as they crossed the line, with Harvey grabbing second from Sutton in a blanket finish. "I thought there was room and I was later on the brakes; I had to go for it," said Sutton. "It was a great finish and I managed to pick up a place," said Harvey after a thrilling climax to a superb race. Bradshaw was a clear fourth from Lawson, who became the first driver to take a second pro-am1 victory this season. "I made things a bit difficult for myself in qualifying, so I'm very pleased with the result," said Lawson. When Leonard spun at the chicane, Gilham moved through to second in pro-am1, but losing three places on the opening lap when Steele dived through cost Gilham any chance of taking the battle to Lawson. Never far behind Gilham to make it a good race for JHR was Pierce, who duly completed the pro-am1 podium. In pro-am2, the fine battle between Hogarth and Lyons ran for lap after lap, although early on Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport) ran between them in an impressive debut until gearbox dramas sent him to the pits. Now it was Hogarth fending off Lyons and only in the final stages did the gap start to grow. "Excellent," said Hogarth. "Bob pushed me hard but I managed to keep him at bay." "I just asked too much of my tyres, but he wasn't giving anything up easily," countered Lyons
Caine wins Carrera Cup round four at Thruxton
While Tim Harvey and Tim Bridgman battled mightily for second, Caine made good his escape for a fine victory. Meanwhile, Tony Gilham drove an excellent race to claim pro-am1 spoils as Paul Mace completed a weekend double in pro-am2. Caine (Motorbase Performance) got a great start to beat Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) into Allard, with Harvey (Red Line Racing) third. Initially, Caine was under intense pressure from Bridgman and knew that he had to defend his lead over the opening laps. "I knew my car wasn't as good as Tim's in the early laps, so I just held on. But then my car was very good mid-race." Sure enough, by lap 10 of 21 Caine was extending his lead as Bridgman came under increasing pressure from Harvey. As the race entered the closing stages, and with Caine now well clear, the battle between Bridgman and Harvey made a fantastic spectacle as they raced wheel to wheel. It finally came to a head when Harvey got the inside line on the approach to the high-speed Church Corner. Bridgman tried to hold on around the outside but slid wide and bounced across the grass, losing the car's front splitter in the process. Caine stroked home to a clear victory, but Harvey was now under attack from his team mate James Sutton and the defending champion just held on for second place. "All credit to the guys at Motorbase," said Caine of his victory. Harvey, meanwhile, was thrilled at his battle with Bridgman. "It was great fun! We were falling over each other like a pair of junior kart racers," said Harvey. "It was great racing." Behind Sutton, Jake Rosenzweig (Team Parker Racing) completed a good weekend by moving ahead of Bridgman, who brought his ailing car home fifth after struggling with increasing oversteer as the race developed. Sixth overall and a superb pro-am1 victory went to Gilham (Red Line Racing), but he again had to work very hard for the result. "I had to be patient at the start, but then the car came in and I was getting quicker and quicker," said Gilham. He moved into the pro-am1 lead with a great opportunist move at the chicane as Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing) and Robert Lawson (JHR) battled. They slowed each other in the middle of the chicane and Gilham swept past both of them on the run past the pits. Once ahead in pro-am1, Gilham was secure in sixth overall as Bradshaw took seventh and Lawson, after a quick spin, dropped a place at the last corner to Ben McLoughlin (Porsche Motorsport). Lawson still took second in pro-am1. Tenth overall and third in pro-am1 to mark his 25th birthday was Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance), but he had to race hard to see off a determined challenge from Derek Pierce (JHR). While Lawson's pro-am1 victory in race one earned him the 'driver of the weekend' award, JHR bagged the 'team of the weekend' award for their efforts on a first visit to Thruxton with the Carrera Cup cars.
Harvey takes Carrera Cup victory at Thruxton
"The start was the key," said Harvey (Red Line Racing) after beating poleman Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) into the first corner. "I got a mega start and then pushed very hard in the few laps," said Harvey as he quickly went clear of Bridgman and Caine (Motorbase Performance). Rather than chase after Harvey as expected, Bridgman was struggling to fend off Caine and a neat move from Caine at the Complex on lap six put him through to second. While Caine set off in pursuit of Harvey, who was now more than three seconds clear, Bridgman soon came under attack from James Sutton (Red Line Racing). Over the next 10 laps, Caine mounted a dogged pursuit of Harvey and lap-by-lap was able to rein the leader in. By lap 17, the gap was down to just 0.7s, but that was as close as it got. "I could see Michael was pushing hard and I was just trying to manage the gap," said Harvey. However, with three laps to run, Caine knew he had a problem. "There was a big vibration in the car with three laps left and I wasn't sure what it was," said Caine. "I stopped pushing; it was my decision." With the first two places settled, Bridgman was working hard to fend off Sutton and hang on to third place. "I'm not sure what was wrong," said Bridgman of a troubled race. "It was really hard work with oversteer. I thought the car would come in later in the race, but it got worse," he said after narrowly fending off Sutton to the flag. Running a great fifth for much of the race was Carrera Cup Scholarship racer Lewis Hopkins (Red Line Racing), although as he lost rear grip Lawson (JHR) was able to move ahead. Then on the final lap, Hopkins lost a top six finish when a rear puncture brought a very good drive to a finish. "That's frustrating. It felt really comfortable out there," said Hopkins. Lawson claimed fifth overall and pro-am1 victory to cap an excellent race. "I lost a place at the start and it was unfortunate for me the way the backmarkers fell," said Lawson. "But I'm very pleased with where we've got to." Closing on Lawson at the flag for sixth overall and second in pro-am1 was Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) after a real charge up the order over the second half of the race. "The team set the car up for me so that it was strong over the whole race," said Gilham, who was able to capitalise well as the race developed. Close behind Gilham, after chasing Lawson for much of the race, was Jake Rosenzweig (Team Parker Racing), while Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing) took eighth and the final place on the pro-am1 podium. Wrapping up the top 10 were Ben McLoughlin (Porsche Motorsport) and Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing), while Mace (GT Marques) was thirteenth overall and a clear winner in pro-am2.
Bridgman completes Carrera Cup double at Brands
Tim Bridgman got his 2009 season off to the perfect start by completing a weekend double win in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch today (Sunday 5 April 2009). In similar style to Saturday's round one, Bridgman swept to victory from Tim Harvey and Michael Caine. Glynn Geddie claimed pro-am1 spoils, while Karl Leonard topped the pro-am2 runners. In front of a big crowd and live on ITV4, Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) led from the start and controlled the race from the front. Even an early safety car period failed to unseat him and Bridgman completed a faultless weekend to take the early championship lead. "I can't ask for any more than that," said Bridgman. "It was how I wanted it to be, so I'm very, very happy. The guys at Team Parker Racing have done a great job." His dominance also earned him the 'driver of the weekend' award, while Red Line Racing won the 'team of the weekend' award. Harvey (Red Line Racing) and Caine (Motorbase Performance) chased after Bridgman, and were never too far apart as they raced to the remaining podium positions. "The margins are very close between us; it came down to set-up over 32 laps," said Harvey. "We just didn't have the pace of Tim Bridgman this weekend," accepted Caine. With Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing) out early on when contact with team mate Glynn Geddie sent him into the gravel at Clearways, it was Dean Smith (Red Line Racing) who wrapped up a strong weekend with fourth place. He pulled clear of the chasing pack and it was Geddie who had to fight his way back through from ninth to finish fifth and win the pro-am1 category. "I really had to chase back, but that feels good after a disastrous race yesterday," said Geddie. Michael Leonard (Team Parker Racing) ran as high as fifth at one point, after starting down in 11th place. "I got a fantastic start," said Leonard but a spin at Druids later dropped him back to seventh behind team mate Jake Rosenzweig. In an amended result for race one, Leonard has earlier been confirmed as pro-am1 winner after Tony Gilham was penalised back one place for overtaking under a yellow flag. Completing the pro-am1 podium in race two was Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) after a fine drive. He worked hard to try and fend off the recovering Geddie and was just ahead of the incident that eventually led to a red flag after 32 laps. "I got a decent start, but then I worked the front tyres a bit too hard," said Jackson. Right behind Jackson was the battle between Gilham (Red Line Racing) and JHR team mates Robert Lawson and Derek Pierce. However, after many laps of close racing, Gilham and Lawson touched coming onto the pit straight and Gilham spun into the barriers, causing a red flag. In pro-am2, Karl Leonard (RSS Performance) made the running and battled with some of the pro-am1 racers before a touch with another car sent him wide onto the grass at Graham Hill Bend. He recovered well to take pro-am2 victory from George Richardson (Motorbase Performance) and Robin Clark (Parr Motorsport). Paul Lawrence
Bridgman takes Carrera Cup victory at Brands
Tim Bridgman underlined the strength of his 2009 title bid by winning the first round of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch today (Saturday 4 April 2009). Bridgman led from the start as Tim Harvey and Michael Caine chased, while Tony Gilham won an action-packed pro-am1 category and 17 year-old George Richardson took pro-am2 spoils. For Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) it was a different outcome to the corresponding race of 2008 when he failed to finish. "I can't say I haven't thought about last year once or twice," he said. "But it was a pretty straightforward race and it has started the season off well." Bridgman led from the start, but had Harvey (Red Line Racing) and Caine (Motorbase Performance) as constant shadows. Then, with the cars Anthony Reid (Porsche Motorsport) and Jake Rosenzweig (Team Parker Racing) off in the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend, a safety car period bunched the field up once more. But Bridgman was able to re-establish his lead to score a classy victory. "I'm just pleased with maximum points," said Bridgman after the perfect start to the season. Harvey chased all the way and was less than a second adrift at the flag after 27 laps. "It could have been any order between the three of us; it was very close," said Harvey. Any chance of a late-race challenge for the lead from Harvey was thwarted when the race was halted early with a car in the gravel at McLaren. Caine, meanwhile, ran a strong third but was unable to attack Harvey once a lock-up into McLaren left him struggling with a flat-spotted tyre. "It's a good way to start; you've got to keep getting podiums," said Harvey. An excellent fourth overall went to Carrera Cup Scholarship racer Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing). A superb start catapulted him into fourth place and he was able to hold the place despite early pressure from team mate Glynn Geddie. "That's a result I'm happy with," said Bradshaw after finishing the best of the championship newcomers. Geddie set a fierce pace at the head of pro-am1 in fifth overall, but was under constant pressure from Dean Smith (Red Line Racing). After the safety car, Geddie found himself struggling with understeer and he ran wide at Paddock, dropping several places as a result. That assured Smith of fifth place, while through to sixth place and pro-am1 victory went Gilham (Red Line Racing) after moving ahead of Michael Leonard (Team Parker Racing) going into Paddock. "I knew I had to get a good start, and it was a busy race from start to finish," said Gilham. Leonard had an equally busy race, having run right behind the battling Geddie and Smith for many laps. "I made a small mistake at Clearways and Tony got a good run on me," said Leonard of the move that settled pro-am1. Geddie recovered to take third in pro-am1 from Derek Pierce (JHR), while a late tangle at McLaren eliminated Robert Lawson (JHR), Karl Leonard (RSS Performance) and Lewis Hopkins (Red Line Racing). With Karl Leonard out, Richardson (Motorbase Performance) moved ahead to claim pro-am2 spoils on a good Carrera Cup debut. "Fantastic," said Richardson. "I'm not used to doing that many laps!" The race results remain provisional, subject to judicial and technical matters. Paul Lawrence
|
|
Tim
Bridgman claimed the overall championship title in the final round of
the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch on Sunday 4 October 2009.
With victory in the 20th race of the season, Bridgman won the title by
just four points from James Sutton. 
Tim
Bridgman moved a step closer to winning the overall title with a
commanding victory in the penultimate round of the Porsche Carrera Cup
GB at Brands Hatch today (Sunday 4 October 2009). Glynn Geddie took a
tremendous third overall to strengthen his lead in the pro-am1 title
race, while Paul Mace topped the pro-am2 field as Glenn McMenamin
clinched the pro-am2 title.
James
Sutton made it four wins in a row in round 18 of the 2009 Porsche
Carrera Cup GB at Rockingham today (Sunday 20 September 2009). By
leading Michael Caine, Tim Bridgman and Tim Harvey to the flag, Sutton
set up a dramatic three-way title shoot out in the deciding races at
Brands Hatch on 4 October.
James
Sutton made it three wins in a row in round 17 of the 2009 Porsche
Carrera Cup GB at Rockingham today (Saturday 19 September 2009). Sutton
held off his Red Line Racing team mate Tim Harvey to win as Harvey edged
his title lead out to 10 points with three races remaining. 
Red
Line Racing has won the team award in the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB,
having amassed an unbeatable score ahead of the final weekend of the
season. The runner-up position will be settled at Brands Hatch (3/4
October) between Team Parker Racing and Motorbase Performance.
Tim Bridgman drove a faultless race to win round 14 of the 2009 Porsche
Carrera Cup GB at Knockhill today (Sunday 16 August 2009). Bridgman
headed title rival Tim Harvey as Glynn Geddie completed a pro-am1 double
and fellow Scot George Brewster made it a good day for the home crowd by
winning pro-am2.
Michael
Caine scored an epic victory in an enthralling round 13 of the 2009
Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Knockhill today (Sunday 16 August 2009).
Tim
Harvey made it a perfect weekend by winning round 12 of the 2009 Porsche
Carrera Cup GB at Snetterton today (Sunday 2 August 2009) and completed
a double win as Tim Bridgman chased home in second. Glynn Geddie
(pictured) also made it a double victory by winning pro-am1 while
Paul Hogarth took pro-am2 after a monster battle with Paul Mace and
Glenn McMenamin.
Tim
Harvey scored an emphatic victory in round 11 of the 2009 Porsche
Carrera Cup GB at Snetterton today (Sunday 2 August 2009). Harvey led
from start to finish but behind him there was plenty of action and
battling as Glynn Geddie claimed pro-am1 and Glenn McMenamin won
pro-am2.
James Sutton mastered some very tough conditions to win round ten
of the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Croft today (Sunday 14 June 2009).
Sutton headed Michael Caine at the front of the race as rain made the
track very slippery, while Robert Lawson (pro-am1) and George Brewster
(pro-am2) completed double wins.
Tim
Bridgman swept to a fine victory in round nine of the 2009 Porsche
Carrera Cup GB at Croft today (Sunday 14 June 2009). Bridgman led from
the start to fend off the early challenge of James Sutton, while Robert
Lawson won pro-am1 and George Brewster claimed pro-am2 spoils on his
Carrera Cup debut.
Tim
Bridgman completed a weekend double with victory in round eight of the
2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Oulton Park today (Sunday 31 May 2009).
In pro-am1 Robert Lawson also took his second win of the weekend while
series newcomer Glenn McMenamin drove a fine race to take pro-am2
spoils.
Tim
Bridgman claimed his third win of the season with a commanding victory
in round seven of the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Oulton Park today
(Saturday 30 May 2009). In pro-am1 Robert Lawson battled to the head of
a tremendous contest, while Karl Leonard won pro-am2, as well as taking
a mighty fourth place overall.
Michael
Caine scored a tremendous victory after a grandstand finish to round
five of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Donington Park today (Sunday 17
May 2009). Caine beat Tim Harvey and James Sutton in a dramatic scramble
to the line, with 14-hundredths of a second covering the three cars. In
pro-am1, Robert Lawson raced to a fine win while Paul Hogarth claimed
pro-am2 after a long battle with Bob Lyons.
Michael
Caine made it three winners from four races in the Porsche Carrera Cup
GB at Thruxton on Sunday 26 April in a tremendous round four of the
championship.
Tim
Harvey claimed his first victory of the season at Thruxton today (Sunday
26 April 2009) in round three of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. Harvey
stayed clear of Michael Caine for a hard-earned victory as Tim Bridgman
took third, while Robert Lawson scored an impressive pro-am1 victory and
Paul Mace headed pro-am2.
