The annual Silverstone Grand Prix circuit meeting is always a highlight of the Porsche Club Motorsport season, and this year will be no exception as cars from all their circuit racing series combine to create one of the best grids of racing Porsches seen in many years on Saturday July 29th. While the Eden Race Drive Porsche Open Cup and 911 Challenge drivers are racing for wins, the Porsche Club Motorsport Club Championship with Pirelli and the Woods Foodservice Boxter Cup Championship competitors are chasing vital title points, so there should be action all the way down a grid that features in excess of fifty cars.
The Open cars will be spectacular and feature a variety of the GT3 Cup models that have been a fixture of national and international racing for many years. Archie Hamilton has been the driver to beat, but Jodie Sloss made her debut at Oulton Park last time out and showed good pace, and with several new entrants this weekend there are many drivers chasing a podium finish.
The 911 Challenge features Porsches from the air-cooled era and has seen some classic models in race action. James Neal and Neil Harvey share the former’s 964 and are always charging in the races, while Mike Johnson is another hugely experienced driver in his 911 SC.
Oliver Chatham heads the Porsche Club Championship points table in his class two Boxster having won two races, a point clear of fellow Boxster driver Paul Simpson. Andrew Porter put his title challenge back on track with two wins at Oulton Park, while Ross Morris has also been right there. Darren Labbett recorded his best finish to date with a fourth at Oulton, as did fellow Boxster Cup graduate Shiraz Khan in the second race of the day.
The racing at the front of the Porsche Club Championship field has been superb, with former double champion Pete Morris heading the points and third overall in the championship chase. Steve Wood has been a force in the races with two wins and sits second with Chris Dyer currently leading Cayman racer in third. A driver to watch could be Mark McAleer, twice an overall champion, who put his season back on track with two wins at Oulton Park.
Jonny Lovell has set the Boxster Cup pace on his debut season, yet to finish off the podium and with a handy advantage in the points. Both their races at Oulton Park were shortened after a lengthy delay to the meeting, and Lovell’s rivals such as the consistent Mike Thompson, podium visitor Perry Darling and the quick Sarah Thomson will be eager to enjoy two full length events to claw back points on the leader.
Qualifying is at 09.30 on Saturday, with the two 25-minute races at 12.45 and 17.35.