Bridgman takes Porsche Carrera Cup double at Brands
Tim Bridgman underlined the strength of his 2009 title bid by winning the first two rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch over the weekend (4/5 April 2009). Bridgman led both races from the start as Tim Harvey and Michael Caine chased, with plenty of exciting racing all the way down a very strong field. Round one
For Bridgman (Stansted) 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.”
An impressive grid of 18 examples of the 420bhp 911 GT3 Cup race cars were led away from the start-line by Bridgman, but had Harvey (Oxford) and Caine (Newmarket) as constant shadows. Then, with the Porsche Cars GB guest car of former British Touring Car Championship driver Anthony Reid (Oxford), and Jake Rosenzweig (London), 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,” he said 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 curve. “It’s a good way to start; you’ve got to keep getting podiums.” Caine, meanwhile, ran a strong third but was unable to attack Harvey once a brake lock-up into McLaren left him struggling with a flat-spotted tyre.
An excellent fourth overall went to Carrera Cup Scholarship racer Tom Bradshaw (Blackburn). A superb start catapulted him into fourth place and he was able to hold the place despite early pressure from team-mate Glynn Geddie (Aberdeen). “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 the Pro-Am1 contenders in fifth overall, but was under constant pressure from Dean Smith (Wolverhampton). After the Safety Car period, 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 at the flag went Tony Gilham (Dartford) after moving ahead of Michael Leonard (Co Kildare, Eire) 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. However, Gilham was later judged to have made the pass under yellow flags and so the finishing order was reversed and Leonard was confirmed as Pro-Am1 winner.
Geddie recovered to take third in Pro-Am1 from Derek Pierce (West Kilbride), while a late tangle at McLaren eliminated Robert Lawson (Richmond), Karl Leonard (Co Kildare) and Lewis Hopkins (Winchester). With Karl Leonard out, Robin Clark (Edenbridge) moved ahead to claim Pro-Am2 spoils.
Round two
In front of a big crowd and live on ITV4, Bridgman led round two 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 and Caine 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 Bradshaw out early on when contact with team-mate Geddie sent him into the gravel at Clearways bend, it was Smith 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 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 Rosenzweig.
Completing the Pro-Am1 podium in race two was Ollie Jackson (Ely) 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 the race being halted with the 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 and JHR team-mates Lawson and Pierce. However, after many laps of close racing, Gilham and Lawson touched coming onto the pit straight and Gilham spun into the barriers, causing the race to be halted prematurely.
In Pro-Am2, Karl Leonard 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 (Alderley Edge) and Clark.
The next races in the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship take place at Thruxton in Hampshire on April 25/26.
