What started as a full grid with a reserve list for the Norfolk circuit was whittled down even before the weekend began as Wayne Gregory and Darren Lebatt’s cars had suffered engine expiry at the prior Porsche Club event, while Andy Peck’s engine went pop in testing.
Testing
Dan Crego’s clutch went but rather than be defeated, the Charles Ivy team stuck the car on the trailer, took the car back, fixed it and came back – later landing the team with the “Ryan’s Best Mates” award for outstanding support.
Andy Baker shared his Boxster with newcomer but old friend of the series, Lee Ketteridge. Also ex-BRSCC old boy racer Steve Potts returned with the final PDA championship-winning 924 of Pete Smith, which had not run for 4 years.
Calm All Porsche Trophy, Race One, Snetterton, Saturday the 12th of August 2023
James and Bill’s stunning 986 Boxster
The Caleys (dad James and son Bill) were to race together in a Boxster while Dan and his dad Alvaro Crego would be sharing their 968 Clubsport in SP3. In SP4, Karl Rossin and Philip Waters were to share a 924 for the first time having both raced against each other for many, many years.
Jamie McHugh attended this time with a Boxster, the latest addition to his ever expanding Porsche racing garage. Stuart Ings returned with a rebuilt engine while first time racer Andy Whiting was bringing his newly-acquired gloss black 924S – still rated as SP4 as the car is heavier than a non-S. Roger Coy would share the drive of Callum Lockie’s 968 and enter the 750MC Roadsports race too.
Qualifying
SP1 was headed by Warren Allen, fastest in SP2 was Christian Walker but both Sam Callahan and dad Mark were disappointed with their performances, although Sam later discovered his wheel bolts were loose! Steve Potts showed he certainly hadn’t “lost it” by putting his matt black 924 on SP4 class pole. Number one on the grid for SP3 was the pairing of Roger Coy / Callum Lockie.
Race 1
Calm All Porsche Trophy, Race Two, Snetterton, Saturday the 12th of August 2023
Stuart Ings’ 924 sadly missed the first race with a starter motor issue
A non-starter for the first of our three races was #23 Stuart Ings whose starter motor refused to move.
Warren Allen, a regular from 750 Roadsports, made a good start but after an exciting race long battle lost the lead at Murray’s to James Coleman.
10 minutes in and contact between #80 the Caleys and #44 Sam Callahan led to bumper damage to both and ruined their chances of a class podium. Dan Silvester outdid all of our other drivers by racing in Hot Hatch, Roadsports and Club Enduro, on top of this CALM race.
Young Christian Walker, just 19, started from pole and went on to win the SP2 class and 3rd overall. Hugh Peart beat Philip Waters by a hundredth of a second to take the SP4 win. John Walker was a SP2 retirement with only a couple of laps remaining while Roger Coy took the SP3 win, 13th overall.
Race 2
Calm All Porsche Trophy, Race One, Snetterton, Saturday the 12th of August 2023
Callum Lockie’s 968
Christian Walker gave the cars behind him a fright when he stalled on the grid for the start of the green flag lap.
Jamie McHugh retired when the bolts holding his steering wheel hub fell out! By coincidence Mark Callahan had the same issue, but had discovered the missing bolts on his way to assembly but just had time to nip back to the pits fix it.
John Walker was on a charge, taking his 986 from 28th to 14th by the third lap. Walker junior impressed again, staying on the tail of the very experienced Colin Tester.
Sam Callahan retired his Boxster when his temperature gauge skyrocketed, which later turned out to be a leaking front left radiator. Callum Lockie took the wheel of his 968 for the second race and showed his skill to take the SP3 win and 6th overall.
James Coleman was relentless in his chase of Warren Allen, who took the overall and SP1 win with a margin of less than half a second at the flag, despite Coleman posting a fractionally faster best lap.
Steve Potts was the first home in the 924s ahead of Hugh Peart, with Karl Rossin completing the SP4 podium.
Race 3
Sam Callahan was a non starter due to engine problems whilst Hugh Peart retired his 924 after mechanic Fudge spotted metal fragments in the engine oil.
Stuart Ings’ Gulf-liveried 944, shown incorrectly as a non-starter, span at the Wilton hairpin with the car left precariously placed for the back of the pack to avoid. Unable to restart the car, he had to retire.
The #40 Boxster of Dan Sylvester suffered a puncture after a short autocross excursion and pitted, likely expecting to retire but was rescued by Callahan the younger sprinting back to the pits to return with a spare wheel.
Calm All Porsche Trophy, Race One, Snetterton, Saturday the 12th of August 2023
The Goodwin brothers’ Boxster
Garry Goodwin suffered front end damage and bent bonnet to their Boxster when the car in front suddenly braked to avoid colliding with a wayward car returning to the track. On the third lap, there was contact between the lead Caymans of Allen and Coleman, with Allen spinning at the Wilson hairpin, but retaining the lead after the gentlemanly Coleman allowed Allen to pull away. Full marks to James.
When the pit window opened, Coleman tactically allowed Allen to take his stop first and he was able to re-join ahead of his rival. But Allen wasn’t one to be giving away a potential second win, posting a new fastest lap to close right with up with the #47 car. Lockie grabbed the SP3 lead from Dan Crego while Allen finally got the better of Coleman braking for Murray’s.
There was some confusion as the race was ended early – with Darren Constant’s 924 stranded at Bomb Hole – as the flag wasn’t show quite quickly enough for the leader to see it, so the clock was wound back to the previous lap.
So Warren Allen took his second overall and SP1 win of the weekend. Rookie Andy Whiting polished off his first racing weekend with a third in SP4 behind Steve Potts and the Waters/Rossin pairing, with Darren Constant’s stranded 924 a DNF.
Class of 2023
Awards for all three races were presented by the daughters of Kenn van Hauen, Charlotte and Isa, with the aforementioned Ryan’s Best Mate award going to the Charles Ivy team. Best turned-out award went to first timer, Andy Whiting for his beautiful 924S (which didn’t look quite so pristine) and Jamie McHugh took Best Driver of the Weekend for his stunning run from the back in Sunday’s race, finishing third in class and 5th overall.
Gallery of photos from the weekend – this is only a selection of the photos Sean took – for the complete gallery, visit his page on Flickr.