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Porsche Carrera Cup GB 2010 Race 17 & 18 Donnington
Donington Park next for Porsche Carrera Cup GB
The penultimate race weekend of the 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup GB season at Donington Park (18/19 September) takes teams and drivers back to one of the most popular venues on the schedule as the title contests head into the closing stages.
With all four titles still to be decided, there will be great action throughout the grid as drivers and teams battle for vital points and every driver on the grid relishes the prospect of a return to racing at Donington Park.
In what is proving to be the best season yet for the Carrera Cup GB, Harvey stormed the first half of the season to win nine out of 10 races and take a 40-point championship lead. But the balance of power has changed since the mid-season break and Caine has now won four of the last six races to trim the margin back to 27 points.
For a driver of Harvey's class, that is still a pretty comfortable situation and he showed in the opening race at Knockhill that's he not prepared to sit back and cruise to the title. He battled ahead of Caine in that race but then had the escape of the season in the second Knockhill race. Coolant on the track at the start of the second lap sent Harvey slithering off the road. "It's not often you go through the gravel, hit the wall, loose the splitter and flat spot the tyres and still finish fourth," he said later.
Caine's team boss at Motorbase Performance, David Bartrum, could scarcely believe it. "Even when he has a bad day, Tim still gets good points," said an incredulous Bartrum. In reality, it will now need a non-finish for Harvey if Caine is to get close enough to really fight for the title.
But this is not just a two-way contest. Adding to the mix in the pro category will be Stephen Jelley, Euan Hankey, Glynn Geddie, Michael Meadows and Charlie Bateman and all of them are chasing a first Carrera Cup win. Jelley is on home ground this weekend and has shown fine pace, while Hankey was right back on the pace at Knockhill.
Beyond the overall title race, three more titles are still to be decided. In pro-am1, Ollie Jackson has a firm grip on the title, but cannot relax just yet as Jonas Gelzinis and Tony Gilham are still challenging. Jackson is both quick and consistent and stretched his remarkable Carrera Cup point-scoring sequence to 36 races in Scotland last time out. But a great double win north of the border went to Tony Gilham, one of the hardest working drivers on the grid. Gilham battles to raise the money to keep racing and was rewarded with a double at Knockhill, which has taken him closer to Lithuanian racer Gelzinis in the points. As usual, Jonas and his team mate Tautvydas Barstys will have to learn the Donington track during Friday's test sessions.
Finally, in the battle for the coveted team title, Red Line Racing leads Motorbase Performance by only eight points as Harvey and Meadows score points for Red Line and Caine and Bateman fly the Motorbase flag.
After qualifying at 14.40 on Saturday, round 17 will start at 10.45am on Sunday, while round 18 will be at 3.45pm and will be broadcast live on ITV4 during the extensive BTCC programme.
Donington Park next for Porsche Carrera Cup GB
The penultimate race weekend of the 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup GB season at Donington Park (18/19 September) takes teams and drivers back to one of the most popular venues on the schedule as the title contests head into the closing stages.
With all four titles still to be decided, there will be great action throughout the grid as drivers and teams battle for vital points and every driver on the grid relishes the prospect of a return to racing at Donington Park.
In what is proving to be the best season yet for the Carrera Cup GB, Harvey stormed the first half of the season to win nine out of 10 races and take a 40-point championship lead. But the balance of power has changed since the mid-season break and Caine has now won four of the last six races to trim the margin back to 27 points.
For a driver of Harvey's class, that is still a pretty comfortable situation and he showed in the opening race at Knockhill that's he not prepared to sit back and cruise to the title. He battled ahead of Caine in that race but then had the escape of the season in the second Knockhill race. Coolant on the track at the start of the second lap sent Harvey slithering off the road. "It's not often you go through the gravel, hit the wall, loose the splitter and flat spot the tyres and still finish fourth," he said later.
Caine's team boss at Motorbase Performance, David Bartrum, could scarcely believe it. "Even when he has a bad day, Tim still gets good points," said an incredulous Bartrum. In reality, it will now need a non-finish for Harvey if Caine is to get close enough to really fight for the title.
But this is not just a two-way contest. Adding to the mix in the pro category will be Stephen Jelley, Euan Hankey, Glynn Geddie, Michael Meadows and Charlie Bateman and all of them are chasing a first Carrera Cup win. Jelley is on home ground this weekend and has shown fine pace, while Hankey was right back on the pace at Knockhill.
Beyond the overall title race, three more titles are still to be decided. In pro-am1, Ollie Jackson has a firm grip on the title, but cannot relax just yet as Jonas Gelzinis and Tony Gilham are still challenging. Jackson is both quick and consistent and stretched his remarkable Carrera Cup point-scoring sequence to 36 races in Scotland last time out. But a great double win north of the border went to Tony Gilham, one of the hardest working drivers on the grid. Gilham battles to raise the money to keep racing and was rewarded with a double at Knockhill, which has taken him closer to Lithuanian racer Gelzinis in the points. As usual, Jonas and his team mate Tautvydas Barstys will have to learn the Donington track during Friday's test sessions.
Finally, in the battle for the coveted team title, Red Line Racing leads Motorbase Performance by only eight points as Harvey and Meadows score points for Red Line and Caine and Bateman fly the Motorbase flag.
After qualifying at 14.40 on Saturday, round 17 will start at 10.45am on Sunday, while round 18 will be at 3.45pm and will be broadcast live on ITV4 during the extensive BTCC programme.