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Motorsport

01 Sep 2021

Photos by Gary Hawkins

TracTive Suspension 911 Challenge Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch Indy - Sunday 5th September

The Tractive Suspension and Porsche Club 911 Challenge series is new for 2021 and provides a home for owners of a wide variety of air-cooled Porsche to go racing. A series of races rather than a championship, races this season have either been two-driver one-hour events or, as today, two 25-minute races, and both formats have offered up the opportunity to see some classic cars in actions.

The 911 RSR was a staple of sportscar racing in the 1970s with numerous race wins, and one of the star cars today is Rainer Becker’s 1975 RSR. A car with a full racing history, it has twice finished in the top ten at the Daytona 24-Hours and also had a strong Sebring 12-Hours finish in period, and still features the light pods it ran in those races for the night running.

A second RSR will be run in one race by owner David Burke and in the other by experienced racer Brian Saunders. This car has been built up to RSR specification from a 911 SC that was damaged in a race accident and made its first outing at Silverstone last month.

Tim Bates has been a front-runner in the races to date and was dominant in both 25-minute races on the Silverstone Grand Prix layout last time out. He has raced his 911 SC for many seasons and the car has been constantly developed and gained pace, now with a 3.8 litre engine running on carburetors, and the tight Brands Hatch Indy circuit could suit the SC. 

James Neal and Neil Harvey have been regulars in the former’s 964 C2, the car having gained an impressive rear wing since the season start and are regular podium finishers. The 964 RS N/GT of Nathan Luckey and David Harrison is a car with history, having been a road car in Switzerland before heading to Japan. It has since contested rallies in New Zealand before making its race debut in the opening 911 Challenge race of the season.

A feature of all of Porsche Club Motorsport’s activities is that they provide a welcoming environment for any new racer and when the series raced on the Snetterton 300 circuit in June we saw Christian Ayres have his first ever race. He was out in the 964 used by Mark Sumpter to win the Porsche Club Championship crown in 2011.

Tech Spec:
The Tractive 911 Challenge features air-cooled Porsches, either pure race cars or road cars converted for racing, running on treaded Pirelli tyres. Class one is open to any car up to the 993 model, while class two hosts cars built between 1978 and 1989, and class three is also open but for cars from 1965 to 1977.

Tractive 911 Challenge 2021 Calendar:
Donington Park, East Midlands – April 11th
Snetterton 300, Norfolk – June 5th
Silverstone GP, Northants. – August 14th (2 x 25-Minute Races)
Brands Hatch Indy, Kent – September 5th (2 x 25-Minute Races)
Snetterton 300, Norfolk – October 3rd