Britcar - Silverstone - Britcar 500 - Race Report First 2 Hours 42 starters formed the grid for the Britcar 500 ranging from the 2008 Britcar 24 Hours winning Paragon Porsche, the M-Tech Ferrari and a trio of spotless Moslers through a trio of Ginetta G50s and the immaculate CBT Mustang, a trio of Aston martin Vanntage N24s and the usual Britcar mix of Loti of various levels of preparation, a pair of Prosport 3000s, BMWs aplenty and, no doubt an early fan favourite, a Jaguar E-Type no less! Amongst the driver line-ups the addition to the #40 Aston squad of none other than Aston Martin Racing’s Stuart Hall was a pleasant surprise with Rob Barff adding steel to the belly of the #66 JDR Lotus line-up, the team’s planned entry for their new Honda NSX postponed due to a “let down on engine supply.” The near complete car though is on display in the paddock amongst an eclectic mix of race cars ranging from Stuart Scott’s pair of Jaguar XKR GT3s to the ex JJ Lehto Fina sponsored Mclaren F1GTR and a Peugeot 905! The Xero Corvette meanwhile was withdrawn from the meeting after qualifying saw the venerable C5 suffer a cracked gearbox casing. The 6 hours of track action started in blustery conditions with high cloud cover but plenty of daylight still in evidence at 4pm with the sun poking its very welcome face out between the clouds. Another very welcome face at he start was honorary starter Andy Neate – a final moment to consign last year’s Britcar 24 start shunt to personal history we hope. It was a neat (as well as Neate) and tidy start with the #4 Mosler grabbing the early advantage, Ben Clucas ahead of Calum Lockie in the #6 MT900R. One car which seemed to have had a whoopsie on the formation lap was the MJC Ferrari 360, arriving at the start right at the back of the field but recovering fast, up to 23rd by the end of Lap 1. The Mosler Trio were powering away in the early laps with Mark Sumpter hanging on gamely in the Paragon Porsche, tracked by the #33 Steve Brady pedalled Prosport. The Moslers though were getting away at the rate of 3 seconds a lap, Keen pressuring Lockie for second overall on Lap 3, the pair swapping places. Early troubles for a couple of the production saloons, the #69 BMW and #76 Honda both pitting and being wheeled into the garages. Brady made his way by Sumpter for fourth overall on Lap 4, the Prosport hammering away and opening up an immediate gap, not quite down though to Mosler pace. The Mtech Ferrari pitted after just 9 minutes after receiving a black and orange flag, the car had been running inside the top ten. Also in trouble was the #35 Topcats Marcos, the car pitting with smoke drifting from the rear left and the car simply covered in dust, a sure sign of a trip into and possibly through the kitty litter. In the Production 1 category the #51 Intersport Racing and #60 KG Motorsport (ex RPM Viper man Steve Clark) BMWs were fending off the CBT/ Jordan Sport Mustang, Steve Wood at the wheel of the Ford. That battle though was for second in class with the JDR Lotus Exige of Rob Barff leading the way in an excellent 9th overall. Phil Keen in the Eclipse Mosler meanwhile had grabbed second place from Lockie with a gritty move around the outside at Stowe and was closing in fast on Ben Clucas courtesy of the fastest lap of the race so far on lap 10, 1:54.902, followed up on the very next lap with a 1:54.516, enough to see him grab the lead on Lap 11 E-Type update – After running as high ups 23rd in the very early stages the Jag is still in the top 30 – Top Hole effort. Trouble for the leader, the Eclipse Mosler trailing smoke as it passes the pits at the end of lap 14, it comes back through a lap later, still leading but with the smoke signals spelling “Pit” The Eclipse crew spring into action preparing for the #2 car’s imminent arrival just rain starts to fall on the pit straight, just a minor sprinkling to keep everyone on their toes it seems. Keen pits, the engine cover removed and the Mosler is wheeled back into the garage, an oil leak the initial diagnosis. Ben Clucas meanwhile takes the lead in the Topcats Mosler. Another early pit stopper is the #17 Topcats Marcos of Mick Mercer, tyre pressures only it seems! But it will be back – a pitlane speeding penalty meting out a stop-go Update from the delayed Ferraris – The MJC 360 is up into 14th place at the 3 minute mark after its opening lap drama with the Mtech 430 in 23rd, albeit 2 laps down on the leaders. The Paragon Porsche meanwhile had made its way back past the #33 Prosport at around the half hour mark, Brady though was back right behind the Porsche three laps later. The Spanish-entered Azteca #41 Porsche GT3 Cup was shown the black and orange flag, bad news for the car running in a strong 7th overall at 40 minutes. That could be good news though for Rob Barff, 40 seconds back from the Porsche and trying to keep distance between the Lotus and the chasing BMWs, the Mustang now having fallen back a little in the battle for the Production 1 lead. Dave Cox’s Escort Turbo was in trouble at around the half hour mark with an apparent fuel leak. The car though rejoins after some tlc. 45 minutes gone and the leader has lapped all except the 5th placed car. The #4 car though pits after lap 23, a scheduled stop it seems? Lockie inherits the lead in the #6 Strata 21/ Rollcentre car. The Topcats Mosler meanwhile emerges in 5th slot. Sumpter powers through in second place, still with Brady just behind. Yet another Production car in trouble early on is the #87 MG ZS, the car pits with a plume of smoke coming from the rear of the car. The problem for the Eclipse Mosler looks serious, the Mosler apparently pushing oil up through the crank – glum faces all round it seems. The #76 Honda threw a timing chain early on, the Synchro team are undaunted however and are in the process of fitting anew VTEC engine! (they did and the car rejoined the race!) Stuart Hall pits in the #40 Aston from third in class 13th overall, the Aston trailing the Jemco Ginetta (12th overall) and the always quick #45 Red Bull Lotus (an excellent 6th) Keith Robinson is suited and booted, ready to board the MJC Ferrari as the hour mark approaches, the team confirm that Witt Gamski did have a quick spin on the formation lap, he’s recovered now though to 13th overall. The hour mark is passed with the third placed #33 Prosport rumbling down the pitlane together with the MJC and M-Tech Ferraris The MJC car was remarkably reluctant to fire up, the team pushing the car for quite a way up the pitlane before it finally fired up. Hour 1 positions
#6 Rollcentre Mosler 30 laps
#10 Paragon Porsche +1 lap
#33 Prosport +1 lap
#4 Topcats Mosler + 1 Lap
#18 Team Kinfaun Porsche +1 lap
#45 Red Bull Lotus Exige +1 Lap
#66 JDR Lotus Exige +2 laps
#51 Intersport BMW M3 +2 laps
#60 KG Racing BMW M3 +2 laps
#48 GT3 Racing Ginetta + 2 laps Class 3 leaders at 1 Hour #45 Red Bull Lotus
#38 Jemco Ginetta
#49 Tiger Coffee Aston
The #69 Xtreme BMW 130i is in trouble, the car keeping well of line and crawling pitwards.
Lockie pits from the lead after lap 34, he emerges having ceded the lead to Sumpter’s Paragon Porsche but is chasing down the Porker, just 11 seconds down on the road and with a pit stop soon to be taken.
Alistair McKinnon has had a storming opening hour in the #45 Lotus Exige, up to fourth overall but still to pit, the car is looking very strong indeed. As is it’s less developed Hethel sister, the #66 JDR Exige, Rob Barff up into 6th (but again still to pit. Bright Sunshine now , but we’ll be seeing dusk all too soon. Steve Wood pits the Mustang from 11th overall, 4th in class, Stuart Scott will climb aboard next. The #46 Porsche has been in pit lane for some time now – Problems for Marcus Fothergill and co? It seems so and the Porsche is wheeled into the garage. Alternator trouble it seems. Sumpter is still powering on, being reeled in by the Lockie pedalled Mosler, 6.7 seconds the gap at 80 minutes – the Porsche not as quick, but remarkably economical it seems! The previously smoking MG has rejoined the race. The leading Porsche finally pits after an hour and 23 minutes, 41 laps completed, Adrian Slater climbs aboard and 4 new Dunlops are bolted on. Calum Lockie of course has now taken the lead and laps the Porsche around 20 seconds before Slater emerges from the pitlane, the #4 Mosler has retaken second spot with the Red Bull Lotus up to third (but still to pit). The second placed Topcats Mosler though, Pat Gormley at the wheel, pits soon afterwards, bang on the 33 minutes we expected from a 50 litre stint. The Red Bull Lotus inherits second place but is soon overhauled by the charging Porsche. Another car having a quietly impressive run is the Invitation class KT&G Ginetta G50, Craig Wilkins pitting from 9th overall. Barff pits in the #66 Lotus, the car re-emerging in a fine 8th position overall, Rob Fenn at the wheel. Keith Robinson though is about to demote the Exige in the MJC Ferrari. Ben Clucas is charging too, the Topcats Mosler posting the fastest lap of the race thus far, a 1:54.264 on his Lap 45, the #4 car fighting back from 6th but on a different pit strategy from the leaders. Clucas betters that mark a couple of laps later, down into the 1:53s (1:53.630) as the Mosler grabs 5th overall. The 4th placed #33 Prosport pits sporting a corner marker in the front air intake. That promotes the #4 Mosler up a further slot and closing in to unlap itself from the 2nd placed Paragon Porsche. Lockie pits from the lead at 1 hour and 46 minutes, Paul White is to climb aboard but the second fuel churn is giving trouble. MacKinnon meanwhile finally pits in the third placed Red Bull Lotus a minute or so later, Adrian Newey climbs aboard to rejoin the fray with the Exige getting new rubber all round. The Topcats Mosler moves up to third. The #33 Prosport meanwhile looks to be in real trouble, it pits again from fifth but is wheeled back into the garage starting an inevitable plunge down the order. Steve Clark finally pits from fifth place overall in the class leading #60 BMW after an hour and 50 minutes. Just one car running inside the top 20 is still yet to pit, this the #52 Stark Racing Ginetta, the British GT regulars running in 13th place overall at present, the team running the car with a rear wing for the very first time in the race (it practiced and qualified in GT4 spec). E-Type Update – the #36 car is back into the top 30 (29th) and motoring along nicely Clucas is closing in to unlap himself from the leader, #4 some 3 seconds a lap faster than #6 at present. Up into the top 20 as the second hour draws to a close and the sun starts to set is the Aston green #62 Stratton Lotus Exige which features Steve and Jonny Hyde amongst the driver squad. GT4 machinery aplenty in the pitlane as the #40 and #49 Astons and the #77 Mustang all pit together, Mike Jordan climbs aboard the Ford. Clucas unlaps himself as the second hour is completed. The #33 Prosport struck some stray bodywork from another car, it seems to have either damaged the radiator or caused an electronis problem as the car’s temperature warning is tripping. Either way it has dropped the car right out of contention. Vicky Butler Henderson pits the class leading Renault Clio bang on the 2 hour mark.
Hour Two Positions #6 Rollcentre Mosler Lap 59
#10 Paragon Porsche +15.3 seconds
#4 Topcats Mosler +1:50
#45 Red Bull Lotus +1 lap
#18 Kinfaun Porsche +2 laps
#24 MJC Ferrari +2 laps
#21 M-Tech Ferrari +3 laps
#66 JDR Lotus+3 laps
#48 KT+G Ginetta +3 laps
#60 Torquespeed BMW +3 laps
#52 Stark Racing Ginetta +3 laps
#51 Intersport BMW +4 laps
#33 Prosport +4 laps
#38 Jemco Ginetta +4 laps
#1 Hawthorns Porsche +5 laps
#17 Topcats Marcos +5 laps
#77 CBT/ Jordansport Mustang +5 laps
#53 Simmons BMW +6 laps
#62 Stratton Lotus +7 laps
#71 Regal Transport SEAT+7 laps | 
