Rounds Twelve and Thirteen of the Speed Championship

 
2025 Championship Snetterton Sprint Weekend Rounds 12 and 13
 
It was a Bank Holiday weekend after all, so of course I made allowances for traffic jams and set off from Cheshire in plenty of time to be sure of getting to the circuit in time to setup camp and relax ready for a full weekend of action.
 
Amazingly the traffic was light, and I found myself arriving at Snetterton circuit early and able to wander around the paddock as the sprinters arrived and the 2CV drivers prepared their cars for the 24hr race that takes place on the main circuit while we sprint on the inner one.
 
The 24hr race is something to see with the little 2CV cars festooned in LED lights after dark and drafting each other in lines of cars all around the circuit!


 
Saturday Round 12
 
Practice
Fourteen Porsche Speed Championship contenders awoke to a warm and dry day with near perfect track conditions. The deceptively quick flowing inner circuit offering both fast and slow corners and rewarding those that drive quick and smooth.
 
Two P1 cars were taking part, Wayne Eason and Wayne Helme, in very different cars. Wayne Eason's modified Boxster still being fine-tuned after a winter of development and Wayne Helme's 718 GT4, a very potent road car he drives to the events.
 
Wayne Helme was quickest in practice, indeed the quickest time of any of the Porsches that morning. In P2 Nigel Watkins in the 996 was carrying on his recent strong form to head that class from Karl Lupton's Supercharged 944.
 
The largest class was P3. Six cars split evenly into road legal and modified models. Alex Lawler was out for first time this year in his 997 Tiptronic and Eoin Card and Chris Milne were both keen to show what their road going models could do. In the modified ranks were several past champions and a strong contender for this year, Jon Baldock in his modified Boxster. Jon ended practice several seconds ahead of the P3 field and looked to be the car/driver combination to beat.
 
The hair's width P4 battle between Stephen Jory and Martin Leach was for a moment on hold as Stephen took his modified 944 to a lead of just under 3 seconds in practice, however it was not to remain that way!
 
Scoring Runs
Three scoring runs were available and so drivers could afford to treat the first as 'second practice' if they wished. In P4 Stephen Jory started quickly and the first run was again quickest in the class. However, the margin had reduced and Martin and 911E was now just a second behind. Jake Cartwright is normally quick in his Boxster and was gradually reducing his times when he span on his final run to end the day third in the class.
 
Meanwhile, Martin had a strong second run to close the gap between he and Stephen Jory to just 0.09 seconds! He took another tenth off in his final run but in the now familiar cliff hanger at the end of the day Stephen took the 944 to a brilliant last run of 100.10 seconds and won the class by just 0.36 seconds!
 
In P3 Alex Lawler, on his first outing of the year managed a very credible six second improvement by the end of the day. Eoin Card had a spin on his final (and as all drivers know probably looking like his fastest!) run of the day to end in 5th place with a best of 106.19 seconds in his Cayman, another great time for a first visit to the circuit. Geraint Evans, back from a long layoff with his 911 Carrera 3.0, was as fast as ever with his best on his second scoring run of 104.78 seconds to take fourth place.
 
Chris Milne, pushing hard again on his road tyres was third with a great best of 103.18 seconds and Graham Rose, refining with every run, ended the day second in P3 with a 101.63 second effort. Winning the P3 class after a failed run due to a technical issue, was Jon Baldock who took the very quick Boxster to a fine time of 100.51 seconds.
 
Russel Lloyd had quietly been whittling away at his times in his Boxster ending the day with a best run of 103.79 seconds to take third in P2, another near six second improvement. The P2 practice positions were reversed by Karl Lupton pulling out a brilliant 99.12 second time on his final run to take the class win from Nigel Watkins who ended the day in second place with a time of 100.25 seconds.
 
Wayne Helme put it all together on his second scoring run with a super 98.43 second time, making him the P1 class winner from Wayne Eason who continues to gradually get to grips with his now much more powerful Boxster.
 
So, a great first day, sun, speed and with lots to look forward to tomorrow!
 

 
Sunday Round 13
The 24hr race was great to watch on the Saturday evening. After a nice fish and chip supper a slightly noisy night followed with the sound of the cars never far away. We all arose to another dry day, perhaps a little cooler with some cloud cover first thing, but with higher temperatures expected later.
 
Practice
The format for the Sunday sprint was as per the day before - a single practice then three scoring runs bridging the lunch break. Our P1 pair, Wayne Helme and Wayne Eason, both went well but it was Wayne Helme again in the 718 GT4 that exited practice at the head of the class with a strong first run of 100.89 seconds.
 
In P2 Russell Lloyd and Karl Lupton both recorded 105 second practice runs. Nigel Watkins was immediately fast and put in a very swift 98.26 second time in the 996 and was quickest P2 Porsche at end of practice.
 
We now had four cars in P3 and Geraint Evans in his 911 Carrera 3.0 took 106.88 seconds on his first run a couple of seconds slower than Chris Milne in the Boxster who himself was just a little slower than his best of the previous day. Jon Baldock, the other P3 Boxster pilot was quickest in the class with a very competitive 101.52 second time.
 
P4, with its three experienced drivers, promised to be one to watch with the cars all being pushed hard. The closest battle of the day expected was between Martin Leach in the 911E and Stephen Jory driving the 944.  In practice Martin Leach came out on top with a best of 100.41 seconds. But anything could happen in the later scoring runs!
 
Scoring Runs
As expected, times fell (one by nearly 12 seconds!) and several drivers achieved personal best times at the circuit. In P4 Jake Cartwright found just under 2 seconds improvement across the three runs, two almost exactly the same but the final one, a 104.92 second effort his best to take P4 Third position.
 
In the first two scoring runs there was little to choose between them. The P4 lead had sat with Stephen Jory, however on the last run Martin Leach rolled up his sleeves and found nearly a second to win P4 with a truly excellent 99.36 second time in the 911, just 0.13 seconds quicker than Stephen's best of the day.
 
Graham Rose really did rise to the occasion by improving by nearly 12 seconds with a best 100.30 in his Supercharged 924s. That delivered him a well-deserved second in P3, a little over 1.5 seconds ahead of Chris Milne in his Boxster. However, it was Jon Baldock who, with full commitment as ever in a car that was carrying a few minor issues managed a really great 99.25 second time to take yet another P3 class win.
 
In our P2 trio Russell Lloyd was rapidly getting to know his Boxster on the fast Snetterton inner circuit. Russell managed a best of 103.06 to take third place in P2. Nigel Watkins and Karl Lupton tracked each other closely throughout the three scoring runs. In a similar story to how the P4 battle had unfolded Nigel had held the lead until the final run of the day when Karl put in a fantastic last effort to take the P2 class win in 98.82 seconds.
 
And finally, to P1. Both drivers were able to find around 2 seconds improvement during the three scoring runs. Wayne Eason ended the day with a time of 102.00 seconds and second place in P1. Wayne Helme did marvellously well in his road legal 781GT4 to win the P1 class with his best of 98.13 seconds.
 
A second day of brilliant driving and great fun with a hugely sociable group of sporting and enthusiastic drivers, but that's normal in the Porsche Club Speed Championship!
 
One round remains, Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb on September 13th. A big turnout of championship cars is expected and the final Championship positions after another brilliant season will be decided! It's a great venue set in lovely countryside, see you there?
 
Simon Wilson
Championship Coordinator
Porsche Club GB
simonwilson@porscheclubgb.com

Snetterton Saturday Results Here

Snetterton Sunday Results Here

Championship Points Here