The picturesque Anglesey coastal circuit hosted the latest rounds of Porsche Club Motorsport’s track racing series, four races taking each championship into the second part of its season. Bill Caley and Jake McAleer took a win each in the Porsche Club Motorsport Championship with Pirelli, while honours in the Porsche Club Motorsport AM Championship with Pirelli were shared by Angus Archer and Oliver Chatham. The Woods Foodservice Porsche Club Motorsport Boxster Cup field delivered two exciting races, Wayne Gregory winning race one, while Mike Thompson stormed through from the sixth row of the grid to win race two.
Porsche Club Motorsport Championship & AM Championship with Pirelli
Race One
From the outside of the front row Bill Caley got away well in his Cayman S and sat it out with poleman Simon Cark to emerge ahead of the 997, Jake McAleer slotting into third. The lead pair had a gap over Jake McAleer’s 997, but a fastest race lap to date saw the third-place car start to close in.
From lap four the lead three were together, as behind Mark McAleer closed on James Caley in the battle for fourth, and in turn Ed Hayes and Chris Dyer reeled in that pair. At the front the gap fluctuated, Clark never finding a clear opportunity to challenge leader Bill Caley.
Mark McAleer dropped to seventh with a brief off at the quick Church corner and had to work his way back up to James Caley. After 20 laps it was the win for Bill Caley from Clark and Jake McAleer, James Caley fourth from Mark McAleer.
“I really had to work for that,” said Bill Caley. “I got a good start, and I knew Simon Clark would be quick, but I was so pleased to go past him and get ahead. It was really hard work, they were always there, and I was happy when the flag came out.”
“I was having to be careful with the tyres,” said Clark. “Bill got a good start and got the line into turn two, and that really cost me the race. I’m pleased I stayed with him, I was under pressure from behind until the last few laps and I thought then I might be able to get back in front, but the grip had gone.”
Oliver Chatham had the AM Championship pole and led the category in the early laps, Carl Hazelton second and Angus Archer passing Jason Brown to run third on lap three. Chatham cannily kept Championship cars between himself and his pursuers as long as he could, but by lap seven it was the top four AM class cars in order on the track.
Everything changed just a lap later as Chatham slowed and retired with an exhaust problem, Hazelton leading the class only for Archer to move ahead on lap ten at Rocket In. Andrew Porter was now into third and with Hazelton and had Brown and Daren Labbett right behind, and as they fought Hazelton ended up rotating at the Corkscrew and falling out of the podium battle.
Archer pulled clear to take his third win of the season, Brown second and Porter third on the road only to be given a penalty that saw Darren Labbett take the final podium position.
“That wasn’t easy,” said Archer. “I didn’t get away well and lost places so had to fight to get back in front. I love racing here, it’s a great circuit and really suits the Boxster.”
“We were all struggling for grip by the end of the race,” said Brown, “but that was good fun, I was on the podium last time out so happy to take a second again here.”
Race Two
Simon Clark was initially slow away from pole in race two and Bill Caley briefly nosed ahead, but Clark recovered and led into the first corner, Mark McAleer third from son Jake and James Caley. Clark pushed hard in the early laps to set up a two second lead, as both McAleer’s were right with Bill Caley by lap five.
Bill Caley reduced Clark’s lead by a second on lap seven, and again closed on the next lap, only to lose out as Jake McAleer went past at Rocket In to take second. This became the lead as Clark pitted at the end of lap ten with a brake issue and was out the race.
The top three circulated together, the gap varying slightly lap by lap as at times it would be Jake McAleer under pressure, and other times Bill Caley defending from Mark McAleer. Into the final lap Jake McAleer had enough in hand to take his second win of 2024, a small mistake from Bill Caley enough to see Mark McAleer take second at the very last corner, James Caley fourth.
“I wasn’t expecting to take a win after I made a mistake on the opening lap,” said Jake McAleer. “I was quicker in some places and could get past people and worked out where I had the advantage, pleased with the win.”
“I was pushing Bill hard hoping he would make a mistake, and it paid off right at the end,” said Mark McAleer. “These young boys are getting fast, he had driven well but I’ll take points when I can.”
Chatham again set the early AM Championship pace, Brown leading the chase from Archer and Porter. A clash with a Championship class car on lap four saw Chatham drop to fourth in class, and the lead group then had to avoid a spinning Championship class car on lap seven as they ended the lap.
That all left Brown ahead of Archer, Chatham past Labbett for third by lap eight and closing in on Archer. By lap ten Chatham was back ahead, Brown now heading a train of five cars battling over the final two podium positions.
Chatham held on to take his first win of the season, Brown just clear of Archer to come home second. Andrew Porter took fourth from Darren Labbett, Jamie Callender overcoming mechanical issues from earlier in the day to take sixth in class.
“I was leading but got held up by a Championship car and lost ground when I went off,” said Chatham. “I thought I had blown it but got back to the front, it was an eventful race but very pleased to win.”
“I had a great battle with Angus,” said Brown. “The tyres were going off but that was the same for all of us, but we were all so close but not a mark on the car, racing with respect.”
Woods Foodservice Porsche Club Motorsport Boxster Cup
Race One
Perry Darling was on pole for the first Woods Foodservice Porsche Club Motorsport Boxster Cup race of the day but lost out to Ben Grewcock at the start, only for Grewcock to lose places during the opening lap, Darling leading from Wayne Gregory and Darren King. Gregory was right with Darling and soon found a way past, as Grewcock, now fourth, came under pressure from Sarah Thomson.
As Gregory opened a slight gap, Darling was under pressure from King, and as they fought Grewcock and Thomson were able to close in. It was a three-car battle for third by lap 12, Thomson going past Grewcock down the inside at Rocket In on lap 14 and passing King through the Corkscrew two laps later to take third.
Gregory stayed clear to take his second win of the season from Darling and Thomson, who took her first Boxster Cup podium. King and Grewcock were next up, Ryan Charters finishing sixth having started at the back of the grid.
“Every time I looked back, I could see Perry and I was wondering if he was getting closer,” said Gregory, “then I’m checking my lap times and saw I was going to slower, but I think now everyone was. I was overthinking everything but so glad to take the win, it’s not easy here!”
“That was a hard race,” said Darling. “I enjoyed it but it’s hard work round here, glad I brought the car home safely.”
“That was a real battle,” said Thomson. “The car seemed really good with its brakes compared to some of the others and I know where I can really use them. I was really able to focus on gaining places, a fun race.”
Race Two
Darling led the field away again in race two, this time able to hold Gregory at bay in the early laps, Grewcock initially third but losing out to King on lap two. Behind, a driver on a charge was Mike Thompson, 13th on the grid after problems in qualifying and up to eight by the end of the opening lap.
Graham Heard passed King for third near the end of lap three, Thompson by now up to fifth and getting by King himself a lap later. Past Heard on lap five, Thompson closed on Gregory who put up the stiffest opposition to date, the pair dicing for several laps before Thompson was into second on lap eight.
Darling was over two seconds clear, but Thompson was closing fast and ahead on lap 11, moving clear to take his third win in four races. Darling held on for second, Gregory in turn taking third in the results after race that saw great action all down the field.
“That was a real challenge,” said Thompson. “We had to almost guess the set up after the first race, but it has somehow turned out brilliant, but that’s three wins in four races.”
“So disappointed not to win, made a mistake again and out braked myself letting Mike past,” said Darling. “I had a great battle with Wayne early on and we were running so close.”
Porsche Club Motorsport Championship with Pirelli
Race One:
1 Bill Caley (Cayman S) 20 Laps
2 Simon Clark (997C2S) +0.283S
3 Jake McAleer (997 C2S) +0.263s
4 James Caley (997 C2s)
Fastest Lap: Jake McAleer 1m13.970s (75.43mph).
Race Two:
1 Jake McAleer 20 Laps
2 Mark McAleer (997 C2S) +1.637s
3 Bill Caley (Cayman S)
4 James Caley (997 C2s)
Fastest Lap: Jake McAleer 1m13.974s (75.43mph).
Porsche Club Motorsport AM Championship with Pirelli
Race One:
1 Angus Archer (Boxster S) 20 Laps
2 Jason Brown (Boxster S) +4.145s
3 Warren Labbett (Boxster S)
4 Jessica Wilkinson (Boxster S)
Fastest Lap: Jason Brown 1m16.222s (73.200mph).
Race Two:
1 Oliver Chatham (Boxster S) 20 Laps
2 Jason Brown +5.069s (Boxster S)
3 Angus Archer (Boxster S)
4 Andrew Porter (Boxster S)
Fastest Lap: Oliver Chatham 1m16.88s (73.24mph)
Woods Foodservice Porsche Club Motorsport Boxster Cup
Race One:
1 Wayne Gregory (Boxster S) 19 Laps
2 Perry Darling +2.111s (Boxster S)
3 Sarah Thomson (Boxster S)
4 Darren King (Boxster S)
Fastest Lap: Wayne Gregory 1m19.251s (70.40mph).
Race Two:
1 Mike Thompson (Boxster S) 19 Laps
2 Perry Darling +2.11 (Boxster S)
3 Wayne Gregory (Boxster S)
4 Darren King (Boxster S)
Fastest Lap: Mike Thompson 1m18.634s (70.96mph).
Next Races: Croft, North Yorkshire, 24th August 2024.