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Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain 09 Race 5 Donington
Caine takes Carrera Cup round five at Donington [Sunday 17 May 2009]
Michael Caine scored a tremendous victory after a grandstand finish to round five of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Donington Park today (Sunday 17 May 2009). Caine beat Tim Harvey and James Sutton in a dramatic scramble to the line, with 14-hundredths of a second covering the three cars. In pro-am1, Robert Lawson raced to a fine win while Paul Hogarth claimed pro-am2 after a long battle with Bob Lyons.
There was disaster at the start for Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) who lost his pole position when a driveshaft failed on the green flag lap.
That left Caine (Motorbase Performance) to head the pack into Redgate, with Sutton and Harvey, both from Red Line Racing, chasing hard. Initially, Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing) went with the leading trio, but a moment under braking at Redgate dropped him a few seconds.
Up front, Caine led lap after lap with Sutton his ever-present shadow and Harvey just a few lengths back. "I got a little gap on James, but as soon as I pushed I started losing grip," said Caine.
Under braking for Redgate, Sutton would close right up, but Caine could rebuild his slender lead on the exit of the Old Hairpin. "It was stalemate for a long time as we were all looking after our tyres," said Harvey.
Meanwhile, Lawson (JHR) had battled clear of the rest of the pro-am1 pack to go clear in fifth overall, as Michael Leonard (Team Parker Racing), Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) and Derek Pierce (JHR) battled with VIP racer Aaron Steele (Porsche Motorsport). In pro-am2, Hogarth (IN2Racing) and Lyons (Celtic Speed) were nose-to-tail for lap after lap.
The contest at the head of the race came down the final corner of the last lap and Sutton saw a chance as they braked for the chicane. He got partly alongside Caine and they touched, which sent Caine over the grass and slowed them both.
Out of the corner, Caine had to defend from Sutton, but Harvey had got a run on both of them and the cars were virtually three abreast as they crossed the line, with Harvey grabbing second from Sutton in a blanket finish. "I thought there was room and I was later on the brakes; I had to go for it," said Sutton. "It was a great finish and I managed to pick up a place," said Harvey after a thrilling climax to a superb race.
Bradshaw was a clear fourth from Lawson, who became the first driver to take a second pro-am1 victory this season. "I made things a bit difficult for myself in qualifying, so I'm very pleased with the result," said Lawson.
When Leonard spun at the chicane, Gilham moved through to second in pro-am1, but losing three places on the opening lap when Steele dived through cost Gilham any chance of taking the battle to Lawson. Never far behind Gilham to make it a good race for JHR was Pierce, who duly completed the pro-am1 podium.
In pro-am2, the fine battle between Hogarth and Lyons ran for lap after lap, with Hogarth fending off Lyons and only in the final stages did the gap start to grow. "Excellent," said Hogarth. "Bob pushed me hard but I managed to keep him at bay." "I just asked too much of my tyres, but he wasn't giving anything up easily," countered Lyons.
Caine takes Carrera Cup round five at Donington [Sunday 17 May 2009]
Michael Caine scored a tremendous victory after a grandstand finish to round five of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Donington Park today (Sunday 17 May 2009). Caine beat Tim Harvey and James Sutton in a dramatic scramble to the line, with 14-hundredths of a second covering the three cars. In pro-am1, Robert Lawson raced to a fine win while Paul Hogarth claimed pro-am2 after a long battle with Bob Lyons.
There was disaster at the start for Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) who lost his pole position when a driveshaft failed on the green flag lap.
That left Caine (Motorbase Performance) to head the pack into Redgate, with Sutton and Harvey, both from Red Line Racing, chasing hard. Initially, Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing) went with the leading trio, but a moment under braking at Redgate dropped him a few seconds.
Up front, Caine led lap after lap with Sutton his ever-present shadow and Harvey just a few lengths back. "I got a little gap on James, but as soon as I pushed I started losing grip," said Caine.
Under braking for Redgate, Sutton would close right up, but Caine could rebuild his slender lead on the exit of the Old Hairpin. "It was stalemate for a long time as we were all looking after our tyres," said Harvey.
Meanwhile, Lawson (JHR) had battled clear of the rest of the pro-am1 pack to go clear in fifth overall, as Michael Leonard (Team Parker Racing), Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing) and Derek Pierce (JHR) battled with VIP racer Aaron Steele (Porsche Motorsport). In pro-am2, Hogarth (IN2Racing) and Lyons (Celtic Speed) were nose-to-tail for lap after lap.
The contest at the head of the race came down the final corner of the last lap and Sutton saw a chance as they braked for the chicane. He got partly alongside Caine and they touched, which sent Caine over the grass and slowed them both.
Out of the corner, Caine had to defend from Sutton, but Harvey had got a run on both of them and the cars were virtually three abreast as they crossed the line, with Harvey grabbing second from Sutton in a blanket finish. "I thought there was room and I was later on the brakes; I had to go for it," said Sutton. "It was a great finish and I managed to pick up a place," said Harvey after a thrilling climax to a superb race.
Bradshaw was a clear fourth from Lawson, who became the first driver to take a second pro-am1 victory this season. "I made things a bit difficult for myself in qualifying, so I'm very pleased with the result," said Lawson.
When Leonard spun at the chicane, Gilham moved through to second in pro-am1, but losing three places on the opening lap when Steele dived through cost Gilham any chance of taking the battle to Lawson. Never far behind Gilham to make it a good race for JHR was Pierce, who duly completed the pro-am1 podium.
In pro-am2, the fine battle between Hogarth and Lyons ran for lap after lap, with Hogarth fending off Lyons and only in the final stages did the gap start to grow. "Excellent," said Hogarth. "Bob pushed me hard but I managed to keep him at bay." "I just asked too much of my tyres, but he wasn't giving anything up easily," countered Lyons.