Monday 5th April 2004

British GTs

Saturday's Race

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The first race of the new 'Stephane Ratel Organisation' era got underway on Saturday at Donington. Plenty of teams have been attracted to the series this year confident that SRO will take the series to a new level of excitement and popularity.

A full grid of thirty two cars lined up late on Saturday afternoon. Porsche and Ferrari were particularly well represented but the grid was completed with plenty more interesting machinery in the shape of Moslers, Elises, Tuscan R's, Corvettes, a VX220 Turbo, a Marcos, a Morgan and others.

Saturday's race was to be dominated by Porsche however. A damp track had the bellowing grid pussy footing around the first corner at Redgate and varied tyre choices had a number of cars slip sliding away.

Mike Jordan sped off into the lead in his 911 followed by the Embassy Racing Corvette. It was Jordan's race though and within only a handful of laps he was passing back markers. Later the race was to see the front dominated by Porsches as the Jones twins and Kox and Khan also did battle with Jordan and his fellow driver Sumpter.

If finished with Jordan/Sumpter taking first followed twenty seconds later by the Khan/Kox car and then Sugden/Cocker in their 911. Moslers came in 4th and 6th with the Jones Porsche in fifth place.

Cup Class

The Cup class was one that interested many of the spectators. There we were treated to the first outings of the Noble M12 and Vauxhall VX220. Simon Pullan and Fanny Duchateau did well on their first outing nailing fourth place despite Pullan wishing for more power! The VX220 took 9th place - a credible slot on its debut.

The Rowland Hindley 911 took the honours in the Cup class with Wilcox/Amorim taking second in their bright yellow DRM Ferrari.

Frustratingly Barrie Whight and Gavan Kershaw were about to take a momentous win in the class when a spin dropped them to third on the final lap. It's a sign of what the little Lotus is capable of though!

Track shots courtesy of Traxtion-Control.

[RB Will]

VX220 looks good

[murcielago]

Don't they all

[alfa dave]

Finally got my face on Pistonheads. That's me stood at the back of the Noble watching the guys remove lots of gravel after Simon got helped off into the gravel.

10/10 to Rollcentre for effort. Here's hoping they can improve during the season.