Sutton takes Porsche Carrera Cup double at Donington

James Sutton claimed a fine double win in rounds 11 and 12 of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Donington Park over the weekend (14/15 July). In both races, Steven Kane chased Sutton to the flag to maintain his overall championship lead, while Charles Bateman and Nigel Rice each took a pro-am victory during some tremendous racing.

Round eleven
Sutton (Barnet) coped extremely well with pressure from Tim Harvey (Oxford) and Kane (Northampton) to take his third win of the season. Meanwhile, a great battle in the pro-am category heralded the first category win for Bateman (Boston).

Sutton got away best to fend off team mate Harvey into Redgate and with Kane and his Motorbase Performance team mate Sam Hancock going after them, the four-car lead pack soon broke clear of the rest.

“It was just a matter of getting into a rhythm,” said Sutton, who had to soak up pressure from Harvey. But with Kane running a close third, Harvey had to watch his mirrors as well. Out on the opening lap with a gearbox problem went Michael Caine (Newmarket) and so it was Jon Barnes (Southampton) who led the chase of the leading quartet.

Gradually, as Kane mounted the pressure on Harvey, Sutton was able to edge away a little and into the later stages Harvey knew he was in tyre trouble. Finally, into Redgate on lap 20, Harvey slid wide and Kane nipped through. Hancock was then able to grab third from Harvey at the Old Hairpin. “I was driving defensively and just ran out of grip,” explained Harvey.

Kane set off in pursuit of Sutton, but with only three laps to run, Sutton was comfortably clear and reeled off the remaining laps for a superb victory. “The car just felt mega for the whole race,” said Sutton. “It’s a pity I didn’t get past Tim earlier,” said Sutton, feeling that he could have challenged Sutton given more laps. Meanwhile, Hancock, despite tyre concerns of his own, clinched third. Hancock then dedicated his podium to seven-year old leukaemia patient Billy Frampton, the winner of a competition run by the Starlight Foundation to design a livery for Hancock’s Porsche.

As Harvey struggled home, Barnes almost caught him on the line, while sixth overall and pro-am victory went to Bateman after a great drive. He had to fight ahead of guest racer Oliver Jarvis (Cambridge) and then cope with constant pressure from Rice (Beverley) before scoring his first win. “It’s been a while coming,” said Bateman. “I never let up for a second the whole way through,” said Rice. Andy Britnell (Hildenborough, Kent) completed the pro-am podium ahead of Pete Osborne (Worksop).

Jarvis finished eighth in the guest car, while out after a clash with Colin Willmott (Redditch) went David Epton (Preston), who spun into the gravel at McLeans. Willmott continued to take eleventh behind Maxi Jazz (London), having made a pit stop to change a punctured tyre.

Round twelve
While Sutton fended off a fierce race-long challenge from Kane in round 12, there were battles and drama throughout the field and it was Caine who drove a storming race to take third, while Rice bagged another pro-am victory to extend his championship lead in the category.

Following earlier rain, the track was sufficiently dry for everyone to start on slicks, although there were still damp patches away from the racing line. Sutton just beat Kane into Redgate, as Barnes shot into third with a brilliant start. Hancock dived ahead of Harvey to grab fourth at the end of the lap. Already out was Bateman, after sliding off at high speed at Starkey’s Bridge.

After several laps behind the safety car while Bateman’s damaged car was moved, racing resumed with Sutton again taking control from Kane. Under pressure from Hancock, Barnes spun at the chicane on lap six and now Hancock and Harvey joined in a fierce contest that would rage until the final lap. As Harvey attacked into the Old Hairpin, the cars touched and Harvey ended his race in the gravel while Hancock limped to the finish in seventh place with a puncture.

At the head of the race, Kane challenged Sutton hard over the second half of the race and the gap was seldom more than a few car’s lengths. But Sutton drove a fine race to fend off his rival by less than half a second at the flag. “That was a perfect race,” said Sutton. “But there was no time when I could rest.” Kane, meanwhile, had never stopped chasing. “The car was brilliant and I tried to make a couple of moves.”

With Harvey out and Hancock limping to the flag, Caine swept through to an amazing third place after starting at the back of the grid. “It’s been an emotional weekend, but that’s where the car should be,” said Caine. “Hancock and Harvey were both driving incredibly hard and I was just glad to see them both exit,” said Caine, having caught the battle for third in the closing stages. Caine’s performance earned him the ‘RAC driver of the weekend’ award, while Team Parker Racing were announced as ‘RAC team of the weekend’ after fielding four cars for the first time this season.

Through to fourth overall came Rice to win the pro-am category. Britnell and Willmott had chased Rice hard over the first half of the race. But out of the chicane on lap 18, Britnell and Willmott touched and while Britnell slithered into the barriers, Willmott spun like a top down the pits straight. “I lost count at four times,” said Willmott, who missed the barriers and continued to take third in pro-am behind Osborne. Ahead of them in fifth overall was Jarvis, while Barnes recovered to take ninth and Jazz finished tenth.