Porsche Carrera Cup GB 2009 Race 19 & 20 Brands Hatch

Porsche Carrera Cup GB 2009 Race 19 & 20 Brands Hatch

Porsche Carrera Cup GB decider at Brands Hatch

All three drivers' titles in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB are to be resolved at Brands Hatch (3/4 October) in what is set to be a sensational finish to a superb season for the fastest one-make race category in Britain.

First up is the race for the overall title and things could scarcely be closer after 18 hard fought races. It all started at Brands six months ago, and will now finally be settled back at the Kent track. Tim Harvey has a slender four-point lead over his Red Line Racing team mate James Sutton, with Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) only four points behind Sutton.

While this trio is likely to fight out the title contest, Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) has an outside shot at the crown, but will need the top three to hit problems as a record grid of 27 911GT3 Cup cars tackle the daunting Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch.

The permutations are many and varied, with 44 points on offer across two races. Bridgman knows that if he takes two poles, two wins and two fastest laps, he will be champion, but the same applies to Harvey (the defending champion) and Sutton (2007 champion). In truth, all three have to go all out for race wins; this is no time for holding back.

Tim Harvey: "I've been in this situation many times before so I'm prepared for whatever happens and I haven't got the sense of desperation from having never won it, which I had leading up to the end of last year. Whoever wins will be a deserving champion and that's what matters. I hope I can do it; I'll be determined to do it and I'll give it my best shot. That's all I can do. I don't know how Marion Barnaby manages to orchestrate a grandstand final every year. It will be a great finale."

James Sutton: "The points are exceptionally tight. I've got to attack Tim H for the title and defend from Tim B to stop from losing second place. The plan for Brands is exactly the same as we did at Silverstone and Rockingham; just go for two more wins. Our plan was always to go out and win every session. Be fastest in testing, got out in qualifying and get two poles, win the races and get fastest laps. That's the only way and nothing has changed from my perspective. I've just got to go out and be the fastest I can and see where that leaves me."

Tim Bridgman: My aim is two poles, two wins and two fastest laps. If I do that at Brands, it doesn't matter where anyone else finishes. If I do that, I win the championship. If Tim Harvey finished second in both races, we'd be level and I'd get the title on the number of race wins. So it is very clear. We have to go to Brands and take a clean sweep.

If I take 44 points like I did at Brands at the start of the season, then it doesn't matter what anyone else has done. I love Brands Hatch GP. It is my favourite circuit. I'm really looking forward to it and I believe we'll be really strong."

The situation is even closer in the pro-am1 category, where Robert Lawson (JHR) has a single point in hand over Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing). Then, should Lawson or Geddie falter, Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) and Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) are still in contention.

Should Lawson or Geddie win the class in both races, they will probably be champion, but with additional points for pole and fastest lap in the category in each race, it really is too close to call.

Then comes the pro-am2 contest, where Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport) and Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) are in the driving seat. More dropped scores come into play here, and Robin Clark (Parr Motorsport) will be overhauled once scores are dropped. McMenamin has the slight advantage going into the weekend, but still needs two good finishes to be sure of the title, while Bob Lyons (Celtic Speed) retains an outside chance.

Whatever the outcome, the facts are clear. It has been a superb season for the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and the indications are that 2010 is going to be even better.

Harvey heads Carrera Cup GB testing at Brands

Tim Harvey set the testing pace ahead of the final two rounds of the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch today (Friday 2 October 2009). In a record 27-car field, Tony Gilham headed pro-am1, while Karl Leonard topped the pro-am2 times.

With all three drivers' titles to be settled on Sunday, the stage is set for two dramatic races and the testing times showed how closely matched the leading contenders are. Harvey's best lap on new tyres in the afternoon session set the mark at 1m29.461s, but he then uncharacteristically ended the session in the gravel trap at Stirlings. Harvey (Red Line Racing) reported that a problem on the downshift pitched him off and the subsequent red flag brought the session to an early halt. "I love the circuit and the car felt good all day," said Harvey. "That's stage one of the weekend done and I think there is more time to come."

A tenth of a second behind Harvey was Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) who said that traffic cost him his best lap. "I had good first two sectors on new rubber, then hit traffic," he said. "It was going to be a low 1m29s lap." Just behind Bridgman came James Sutton (Red Line Racing), the third of the key title contenders. "It's taken a while to adjust to the circuit," said Sutton of his first experience of the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit in a Carrera Cup car.

Fourth fastest overall was Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance), who also felt that he could have gone quicker. "I was on my first flying lap on a new tyre run when the red flag came out," said Caine.

A superb fifth fastest overall and top of pro-am1 was Tony Gilham, to make it three cars from Red Line Racing in the top five. However, only a very late sponsorship deal allowed him new tyres for the afternoon test session. "We secured a tyre sponsor 20 minutes before I went out," said Gilham. "The car felt really good and there is more time to come."

Sixth overall was Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing) after a strong run in the afternoon, while pro-am1 championship leader Robert Lawson (JHR) was seventh from Jake Rosenzweig (Team Parker Racing). Rounding out the top 10 times were pro-am1 drivers Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) and Derek Pierce (JHR). Pierce was tackling the Grand Prix circuit for the first time and ran well as he came back from a major accident at Rockingham two weeks earlier.

Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing) set the pro-am2 pace, but Paul Mace (GT Marques) was well in contention. "It was busy out there, but there is another half-second to come," said Leonard, after his first run on the Grand Prix circuit. Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) was third in pro-am2, heading a close quartet of pro-am2 cars that also included Steve Parish (Motorbase Performance), George Brewster (Celtic Speed) and Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport).

Porsche Carrera Cup GB sets new record at Brands Hatch

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB is setting a new record at Brands Hatch this weekend (3/4 October) with the biggest grid in the seven-year history of the championship.

With interest in the 2010 championship already running at an unprecedented level, a superb field of 27 cars will contest the final two races of the 2009 season on Sunday (4 October). The 20th and final race of the season is scheduled for broadcast live on ITV4 when all three drivers' titles are due to be settled.

The 27-car field surpasses the previous record by four cars and comes at the conclusion of a fabulous season for the championship. Grids have been consistently strong all season and a total of 43 drivers have now raced in this year's championship.

"This has been a fantastic season for the Carrera Cup GB," said championship manager Marion Barnaby. "The teams and drivers have worked really hard to deliver such strong grids and exciting racing and we want to thank them all for supporting the championship. Next season already looks like it is going to set more new records!"

Bridgman takes double Carrera Cup pole at Brands

Tim Bridgman bagged a double pole position for the final two rounds of the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch today (Saturday 3 October 2009). Glynn Geddie took a tremendous third overall for both grids to head pro-am1, while Karl Leonard topped the pro-am2 times.

Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) got the final weekend of his title bid off to a perfect start by taking two poles and, importantly, two more championship points. Next to Bridgman on both grids will be fellow title contender James Sutton (Red Line Racing) while championship leader Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing) faces a tough race day starting with fourth and fifth places on the two grids.

"That's perfect," said Bridgman. "Job done and I'm really, really happy. Pole here is very important," he added, after being around three-tenths of a second clear on both grids. Sutton, meanwhile, was relieved to jump up to second for both races after struggling somewhat on his first set of tyres. "We made a small change before the second run and it just clicked," he reported.

Two third places overall was a great result for Glynn Geddie (Team Parker Racing), who topped pro-am1 to add two more points to his championship bid. "We sorted out a brake imbalance and it was just a different car today," said Geddie. The fourth and fifth grid slots were shared between Harvey and Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing), as Bradshaw marked his 20th birthday with a very strong run.

"That's not the result I wanted," said Harvey, who lost his best runs to a mix of traffic and red flags. Bradshaw also felt that there was more time to come. "The second red flag came out just as my second set of tyres were coming in," said Tom. Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) was also hurt by the busy track as he bagged a pair of sixth places.

The next three places on the grids were shared between Robert Lawson (JHR), Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) and Lewis Hopkins (Red Line Racing), who were just over a second away from Bridgman's pole time. "I'm relatively pleased with that, but I really needed to be ahead of Glynn Geddie," said Lawson as his one-point pro-am1 lead turned into a one-point deficit when Geddie took both pole position points.

Jackson was disappointed not to get a really good clear lap, while Hopkins ran an excellent session to break the 1m30s barrier, over a second faster than the existing lap record for the Grand Prix circuit.

Despite causing the first red flag after spinning into the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend, Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing) took both pro-am2 poles from Paul Mace (GT Marques) as Paul Hogarth (IN2Racing) and Glenn McMenamin (Parr Motorsport) shared the third places. "I went off early on my second run; I should have been half a second faster," said Leonard.

Bridgman wins Carrera Cup round 19 at Brands

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.

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."

Bridgman wins Carrera Cup title at Brands

Tim Bridgman claimed the overall championship title in the final round of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch today (Sunday 4 October 2009). With victory in the 20th race of the season, Bridgman won the title by just four points from James Sutton.

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).