Toyo BRSCC Porsche Championship Race Report
18th October 2016
Toyo BRSCC Porsche Championship Race Report
Round 8 Silverstone International – 15-16 October 2016
The Silverstone International circuit played host to the final three races in the Toyo BRSCC Porsche Championship’s 2016 calendar and the winners of two out of three of our individual class championships were to be decided this weekend. Rick Stryin only needed the points from a single race to land him his third Class A Race Boxsters title, where Linda Warren needed two completed races as a relatively high dropped score meant a “free” 16 points would be available from a non-finish or, as it turned out, a missed race.
Qualifying
Richard Avery’s engine failed during Friday’s test session so he jumped into Taylor’s Foundary rental 986 for Saturday’s qualifying session. On just the second lap – in a car he’d not driven before – he’d posted a best time of 1:16.706 which table-topping Rick Styrin was unable to match. Philip Waters was set to front the 924s.
Race 1
Avery is first off the line but its Andy Hack making a charging down the left to take third, although the car is proving a handful. Broadley’s 924 starts from the back but is up to 2nd by The Loop.
Last year’s champion Hayes is back down in 5th. Broadley is now leading the 924s with Warren at the back keeping Darren House company.
Avery is pulling into a lead but Styrin is now up to 2nd. Broadley leads the three way battle for the 924s lead with Waters and Hammond.
Styrin is now breaking away from Goodwin and Lawrence as he chases Avery; the two white 924s of Callender and Johnson are almost inseparable.
Hull is in a Boxsters cluster with Archer, Stocker and guest driver Morris, but then Alex Stocker has a big spin at Club, safely missed by the rest of the field.
Waters is now leading Broadley in the 924s with Hammond third. Andy Baker isn’t doing such a good job this time in the sole Class B car, now passed by both Warren and House.
As Waters pulls into a lead, Hammond has now taken 2nd from Broadley. Ed Hayes pulls into the pit lane which turns into a retirement with a failing engine.
Hull defends a challenge from the recovering Stocker but Hack, pushing too hard at turn 1, spins into the gravel at Abbey. Traffic means Styrin drops back in his persuit of Avery; Lawrence and Molyneaux swap places twice as both chase Boxsters’ 3rd place.
Goodwin’s tyres are starting to lose traction as the final lap approaches, the car struggling for grip as Garry exits Vale into Club, with both Lawrence and Molyneaux starting to close from behind. Avery is now lapping nearly a second quicker than Styrin.
At the flag, it’s Richard Avery with an impressive Class A win from Rick Styrin and, with a first podium in his four seasons of BRSCC Porsches, Garry Goodwin in third. Andy Baker brings his Production Boxster home in class B and in the 924s it’s a win by a fair margin for Philip Waters ahead of Pip Hammond, and John Broadley, grabbing vital final-weekend points.
Despite Avery’s win, Styrin is now a comfortable third-time Race Boxster Championship winner. With a dropped score of 16 points available to her, Warren needs just one more finish to seal her Class C title.
Race 2
Heavy rain in the morning gives way to blue skies, sunshine and a drying track by the time the cars head out for the penultimate race. Warren opts to start from the pit lane; Hayes retirement yesterday with engine failure means he’s a non-starter.
Off the line, Styrin grabs the lead from Avery and Lawrence third as the cars head into a damp turn 1. Hull making a massive improvement over yesterday’s race up to 4th but Molyneaux is off at Stowe, hitting the tyre wall.
Hull is after Lawrence for third; Hack from 7th takes both Goodwin and Morris but again his car is proving anything but stable. Baker is doing far better in the wet in the softly-suspensioned Class B car.
Broadley leads Waters and Hammond in the 924s. In 8th, Warren is on more of a charge this round, although she freely admits doesn’t really like racing in the wet – unlike Callender who had been praying that the rain had continued.
New best lap times are being set lap after lap as Styrin shows his skill in these challenging conditions; Avery is in second, pulling away from Lawrence and Hull. Johnson and Callender are having another white 924 battle; Waters and Hammond are both challenging Broadley but now Broadley goes wide letting them both through, robbing Broadley of vital points.
The safety car is deployed as Hack crashes out at Stowe with damage both ends, plus a tow eye coming adrift during recovery. Meanwhile #24 Jamie Callender is flagged into the pitlane with a departing exhaust on his 924.
As the safety car withdraws, the 924s hadn’t quite caught up with the train and Waters and Hammond put pedal to metal, as do Styrin and Avery, as the track continues to dry. Lawrence becomes yet another victim of Stowe Corner, leaving Hull and Stocker to pursue Avery in the Boxsters. Baker is just keeping ahead of all of the 924s but Hammond is all over the back of Waters as all three cars circulate together.
Styrin takes the win with Avery on the podium again in second and Nick Hull holding off Alex Stocker to grab third. Pip Hammond grabs the 924 lead on the final lap to beat Waters and Broadley.
Race 3
Linda Warren elects not to race having already accrued sufficient points to seal her class win. Although he’s almost certainly secured overall 2nd, the retiring John Broadley when asked “will you race?” responds “I’ll be out there to win!”. Hack is out with damage and Hayes with suspected engine damage; Lawrence is determined to beat his local rival Avery.
At the start of our traditional and controversial reverse grid for the third and final race of the season, its Archer and guest driver Morris on the front row. Archer holds onto his lead from the lights where Avery is boxed in, but Styrin charges up to 4th.
Hammond from last on the grid is already surging through the pack and just leading Waters in the 924s – the two would continue to swap positions throughout the race. Avery now posts a new fastest lap in persuit of Styrin but Lawrence is hard on his tail.
Calender again pits his 924. Avery and Lawrence trade paint on the run down to Abbey; Waters leads Hammond and Broadly in the 924s. Hull again finds his 987’s dry performance somewhat lacking.
Gavin Johnson and Darren House are having their own battle at the back of the Class C field; Avery seems to be having a problem as Lawrence goes through for third.
Hugh Peart spins and drops back from his chase of Broadley; Avery now pits the #6 “Blue Billy” Boxster for assistance.
Hammond and Waters are scrapping for the 924s lead, Hammond desperately trying to keep Waters behind; Baker gives Styrin a fright as he comes up to lap him. Archer is still running a fantastic race in third behind Lawrence, but the Molyneaux/Goodwin pair are close behind.
Waters runs wide at Abbey and he and Hammond swap places again.
Avery’s car has received attention and returns to the circuit, but Water’s 924 is starting to smoke – Hammond having to drive through the cloud.
Archer is battling with Goodwin for third as Waters continues to smoke his way round the circuit. There’s contact now between Hammond and Waters on the run up to Village, Water’s 924 now devoid of a front bumper; Hammond spins leaving Waters to pull ahead, but recovers and returns to the persuit.
The drama continues as Archer pits, having held on to third so well, retiring with engine failure; Alex Stocker spins at Village dropping him to 6th.
Styrin takes the Class A win ahead of a relieved Lawrence in second; Goodwin was on track for his second podium of the weekend but was taken on the last lap by Kevin Molyneaux for third.
Waters finishes the final race with a win, his oil leak apparent on the ground in parc ferme, ahead of the recovered Hammond and Broadley third.
Track Days / Test Days / Motorsport Days
