Porsche Carrera Cup title race heads to Brands

The all-action Indy circuit at Brands Hatch (Kent) is the setting for rounds 17 and 18 of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this weekend and, in addition to Shane Lynch making his Porsche Carrera Cup debut, the overall title battle could also be resolved during what is the penultimate weekend of the season.

Heading to Brands, Damien Faulkner (Co Donegal) has a 41-point lead, having finished on the podium in 15 of the 16 races to date this season. If he can score three points more than his main rival Tim Harvey (Oxford) during the Brands races, the Irish ace will be unbeatable as he bids for back-to-back titles.

But Harvey hasn't given up on his quest for the title just yet, and knows that one non-finish for Faulkner could turn the championship on its head. Meanwhile, Danny Watts (Buckingham) still has an outside shot of winning the title, but he really needs both Faulkner and Harvey to fail to finish at Brands for a chance of the crown. However, with eight wins already to his credit this year, Watts will be bidding to win again after a troubled weekend at Knockhill in Scotland during rounds 15 and 16.

Richard Williams (London), Jason Templeman (Nottingham) and Michael Caine (Newmarket) are all podium contenders, while former BTCC racer James Pickford (Macclesfield) is expected to rejoin IN2RACING for the weekend after a highly impressive Carrera Cup debut for the team last time out at Knockhill.

While Faulkner is aiming to settle the overall title, Phil Quaife (Tonbridge) could win the Pro-Am category if he has another good weekend. Phil, the local hero from nearby Tonbridge, has had a cracking season and heads to his home track fresh from making his Porsche Supercup debut at the Italian Grand Prix meeting at Monza. He has a 43-point lead over Sam Edwards (Aylesbury) in the Pro-Ams, and if that points' gap is the same at the end of Sunday's race, Quaife will be Pro-Am champion.

However, he can expect tough opposition from Edwards, Nigel Rice (Beverley, East Yorkshire), David Ashburn (London) and fellow rising star from Kent, Maidstone's Andy Purdie. Meanwhile, back in action after missing the Knockhill races will be Mike Richards (Knutsford), Jason Young (Oakham, Leicestershire), Pete Osbourne (Mansfield) and Mark Hazell (Monmouthshire), so there will be tremendous competition throughout the Pro-Am pack. Equally, fresh from a podium finish in a Porsche Open race at Oulton Park last weekend will be Paul Hogarth (Knutsford) and he'll be aiming to continue his progress up the Carrera Cup pack.

Adding further strength to an excellent entry will be Shane Lynch, who will be racing the 911 GT3 Cup entered by Porsche Cars GB in association with Vertu, the world’s first and only manufacturer of luxury handcrafted mobile phones, after starring on television through the summer months.

The opening 34-lap race will be on Saturday afternoon, with a second 34-lap race at 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon, straight after the final touring car race. Sunday's race will, as usual, be broadcast live on Motors TV during its extensive BTCC race day programme.