Bute Motorsport GT Cup - Race 2 Report
The Old Girl Comes Through For Johnston

The GT Cup grid formed for the second time late on Sunday afternoon, with the positions being determined by each car’s second-fastest time from the single qualifying session the previous afternoon.

With Jordan Witt’s enforced absence, Tom Andrew (50kg ballast) would begin from pole position in the Group 2 Morgan Aero 8, with Danny Winstanley (0kg) starting alongside in the #78 TVR Sagaris. Mitch Millett (0 kg) and David Tomlin (0 kg) filled the second row, while the Porsches of Andy Ruhan (0 kg) and Harry Whale (60 kg) occupied the third. You had to look back to 11th place to find the second Group 2 car – Kevin Clarke (30 kg) taking the wheel of the #51 BMW E92 for this race.

In Group 3, Barclay Dougall (20 kg) was starting from row six, with the two BMWs of Adam Hayes (40 kg) and Mark Radcliffe (0 kg) lining up side-by-side on row eight; the former CSL Cup teammates’ qualifying times differing by just 0.014s.

In the gap between races, Mitch Millet described how his Corvette – now sporting a smaller engine, as well as smaller wheels and wings – differed since its last outing in the championship in 2009; “The car feels different to last time out – it’s more stable with its lower power, and it’s more consistent, but there are two major issues. The gearing’s still set up for the seven litre motor (the Corvette now has a 5.7) and it’s a bit tall. The rolling start was a case in point – the speed of the pace car left us in the red-zone for second but at the bottom of third, so it bogged down a bit; hopefully, the next start will be either slower or faster! The other difference is that it feels a bit slippery on the narrower tyres.”

For the second race in succession it was a slow start from the pole-sitting car, but this time Tom Andrew managed to stay ahead into the first corner. Behind him, though, chaos ruled, with the field being comprehensively shaken up after contact between several leading cars saw Redgate filled with spinning and wide-running GTs.

When the dust literally cleared, Andy Ruhan was in second, Keith Webster third and Derek Johnston fourth. Gone from the front were Danny Winstanley (tenth), David Tomlin (22nd) and Harry Whale (17th). Tomlin’s race lasted just one lap before the #66 Ferrari was forced into retirement, while Sean Winder (#17 Ferrari) and the luckless Mark Radcliffe (#19 BMW) also suffered significant delays as a result. Barclay Dougall was one who benefited from the melee, ending the opening lap in 19th despite having had to start from the pitlane.

But that was by no means the end of the dramas. Tom Andrew continued to lead, while behind him the positions continued to change.

Ruhan was passed by Webster on Lap 2, before regaining the place on the next circuit, while Webster then lost position to Johnston’s Ferrari and Mitch Millett’s Corvette; but regained the place when the C5 turned around on Lap 5 and dropped to 15th. The big car’s pace later in the race suggested that this was a very costly spin indeed for Millett.

On that same lap the Morgan slipped to third, just two seconds ahead of the second-placed Group 2 runner, the #51 BMW of Kevin Clarke. Adam Hayes, meanwhile, was in ninth overall and enjoying a comfortable lead in Group 3.

With the top six covered by just 5.230s after six laps, two of the cars that had suffered at the start saw their fortunes improving. Danny Winstanley – already back up to sixth and now firmly on the tail of Keith Webster – was setting fastest laps in the #78 TVR Sagaris on his way back up through the field, while Harry Whale was making progress as he recovered his confidence in his first race – from 13th on Lap 6 to an excellent seventh by the end of the race.

The race now settled into a relatively quiet mode for a few laps. Andy Ruhan led Derek Johnston by two seconds, while the #41 Ferrari 430 was a similar distance ahead of the Morgan. Clarke, Webster and Winstanley, meanwhile, were locked in a three-way fight for fourth that wouldn’t be resolved until Lap 14.

The TVR Sagaris was clearly losing out in this battle as Webster maintained a stubborn defence of fifth – which also no doubt enabled the BMW to keep his place, although Clarke was driving very well indeed – and the trio fell away from the top three.

On Lap 13 Tom Andrew’s Morgan began to drop down the order with yet more fuel-pressure problems, which promoted Clarke to third overall and also gave him the Group 2 lead; while the momentary distraction of having to pass the Morgan allowed Winstanley the opportunity to finally put a move on the Porsche ahead. The green car was up to fourth on Lap 14 and seemingly certain to progress further, but before any further potential scenarios could be imagined, the Sagaris was heading for the pits with terminal gearbox issues.

Tom Andrew followed Winstanley into the pitlane in the Morgan, but he would at least manage to return to the race; albeit three laps down. This promoted Colin Broster to second in Group 2, the #15 Porsche 996 GT3 enjoying a much less-lonely race and running as high as seventh in the latter stages of the race after starting 14th. Chris Bentley was third in Group 2 in the #35 Porsche 996 GT3, but David Witt was on a charge in the #84 Chevron GR8 after losing time in the early stages and was closing in on a podium finish.

Adam Hayes’ Group 3 lead had dwindled to just a couple of seconds after slowing around the half-way point. This left the fight for Group honours a much closer one, with Barclay Dougall and Robert Koenig (#25 Porsche) locked in a very entertaining fight for second, with the place changing hands regularly.

As Ruhan faced ever more amounts of traffic, his lead began to dwindle until, on Lap 18 the battle for the Group 1 lead came across the battle for Group 3. Ruhan tried to get by at Goddards, but went wide and took the unfortunate Adam Hayes with him. This left Derek Johnston leading overall, and Barclay Dougall leading Group 3.

The hastily-prepared Ferrari 430 hung on to its lead and Johnston had more than eight seconds in hand over Ruhan at the flag; an excellent result for the newcomer and a most unexpected one; “The car’s still not right, but the old girl drove well,” he smiled. “My car wasn’t as quick as Andy’s, but I kept him in sight and the race came to me among the backmarkers.”

Third in Group 1 was Keith Webster, just ahead of the recovering Corvette.

Mitch Millett had made up huge amounts of ground after his spin and the evidence suggested strongly that the spin had cost him a win that afternoon.

Kevin Clarke took the Group 2 win – third overall in the #51 BMW – while Colin Broster took second and eighth overall after being passed by Harry Whale near the end. Chris Bentley took third in the #35 Porsche as David Witt’s charge ended just 1.305s short.

“I had a right good battle with everything,” said Clarke, “and a really good dice with the Porsche, although I’m sure he won’t thank me for it.”

Barclay Dougall took group 3, with Robert Koenig second and Adam Hayes third. “It was a good race,” said Dougall, “although it would have been better if I hadn’t had to start from the pitlane.”

Donington Park had served up two action-packed races, which had thoroughly entertained the spectators. The series now moves on to the Anglesey circuit on September 10th & 11th.

MH