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[British GT] Championship Eyes Turn West as the series heads for Ireland |
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Wednesday, 21 June 2006 |
British GT Championship Eyes Turn West as the series heads for Ireland
After two races for the GT3 and GTC competitors on the streets of Pau (France), the 2006 Avon Tyres British GT Championship now heads to Ireland, with all three classes represented in the two 60-minute races. Series competitors also took a break from the UK series to race in the Le Mans 24 hr race where a number of them tasted success.
Team LNT travel to Ireland on a high note after winning the GT2 class with their Panoz Esperante GTLM while Scuderia Ecosse were third in the same class, with British GT championship leaders Tim Mullen and Chris Niarchos joined by 2005 British GT Champion Andrew Kirkaldy, scoring Ferrari’s first GT2 class podium at Le Mans.
The battle for British GT honours will recommence on the 2.2-mile Mondello circuit, where Team LNT will be looking to record their first British GT win of 2006 on the back of their success in the world’s most prestigious endurance event. Kimber-Smith will be reunited with his regular partner Luke Hines for the two rounds in Ireland. However, they will find that Scuderia Ecosse will not relinquish the top spot easily. In 2005 the team scored two wins at the Irish circuit and will be using that track knowledge to full advantage.
The GT3 and GTC classes will be evenly matched around the technical Mondello International track and the leading runners in both will be looking to be the ones to get onto the overall Podium. As in Pau, the Lotus Sport Exige cars run by Lotus Sport Cadena will be the top GT3 runners while the GTC class will be a fight between Team Tiger with their Marcos Mantis and the Team RPM and Trakspeed Porsches. Trakspeed have an ace up their sleeve in the form of reigning Porsche Carrera Cup champion, and local hero, Damien Faulkner. The Irishman, who knows Mondello like the back of his hand, is partnering Ryan Hooker in the number 3 Porsche and will be looking to score some useful points class points as well as a very strong overall result..
Chris Beighton (Team Tiger Marcos Mantis): “The main thing is to enjoy this weekend as it was hard for us to have to sit out Pau but that's life, Still we are back for Mondello and at 100% and as usual will bring along the Team Tiger smile. As for the competition it will come from each and ever team, they are all capable of winning. I suspect it will be fast and furious at the front.”
Damien Faulkner (Trackspeed Porsche 996): "I'm very excited about racing at Mondello in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship with Trackspeed. Mondello has always been good to me, it's where I learnt my trade in motorsport so to speak. It's a very technical circuit and one that I consider that I'm relatively good at. I'm just really looking forward to going back there."
The event at Mondello Park near Dublin on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th June features rounds 6 & 7 of the 2006 Avon Tyres British GT Championship and rounds 7 & 8 of the 2006 Lloyds TSB International British F3 International Series. The first 60-minute British GT race takes place on Saturday at 17:05, with the second race on Sunday at 14:00.
For further information on the Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit www.britishgt.com
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