We returned to the fast Snetterton 300 circuit in Norfolk back with the CALM All Porsche Trophy.
A grid of 35 cars started qualifying on Saturday morning for a full weekend of racing. Practice, 2x 20 min sprint races plus the usual 40m pitstop race.
We nearly missed free practice due to some poor communication between race organisers and scrutineers which left the latter hopelessly overwhelmed with cars to check and not enough time to get through them.
We got to the assembly area just before the track opened and both drivers got a few sighting laps, whilst we put a heat cycle through our new set of Nangkang tyres.
Qualifying:
It was raining heavily before qualifying and with just 15 mins before we expected to be on track we were confident our Michelin PS4s were a good choice of tyre.
However, after sitting in the assembly area for nearly 30 mins (they were running behind schedule apparently) watching blue skies roll in - we weren't so confident!
Setting a best time nearly 5s off on a virtually dry track we learned more about wet tyre performance, but at the expense of qualifying down in 18th place.
Race 1:
We lined up for race one P7 in class, confident of making places. A super start into p15 by turn 2 was great but we got held up behind a brace of front engined cars by which time the class 2 Boxsters were disappearing up the road.
With clear track we chased them down one by one closing several seconds per lap getting up to P9 overall and 4th in class. Exiting the final corner into the slipstream we pulled out to pass over the line - coming an agonising 0.185s behind P3 in class.
Our consolation was a new personal lap record 2m11.65 over 1 second faster than we have ever been!
Race 2:
Starting further up the grid, we were in a straight battle with 7 SP2 boxsters vying for 3 podium places. Overtakes had to be worked for and were just about fair all round.
We gained and lost places through the early part of the race before getting some clear track. With tyres starting to overheat at the end we couldn't reduce the gap of half a dozen seconds to the car front. We didn't see a 5s track limits penalty for the 199 Boxster until after the race so finished agonisingly just 1.4s behind for another P4 in class (P6 overall).
Our fastest lap was again in the 2m11s.
Pitstop Race 3:
Mike started the race knowing a few faster drivers would get past on the opening laps.
He latched onto the rear of the Cayman PDK and was comfortably ahead of the 2nd pack of Boxsters for the first half of the race.
The Cayman was pulling away on the straights but we caught them under the brakes and through the slow corners. Both drivers set personal fastest laps and were on the limit!
Just before the pit window we spun on the exit of turn 3 (turning in and on the gas too early) stalling the engine in the process.
We had noticed our battery was in poor health earlier in the day and the car struggled to restart. When it did it was misfiring and the throttle unresponsive.
Parking it behind the barriers was our first DNF in 2 years
