Eclipse Motorsport pitstop (Photo Credit: Chris Gurton Photography)
Following the problems for the Aquila the previous hour the Eclipse Motorsport Ferrari continues to lead at the end of the eighth hour, with a three lap advantage over the Topcats Racing Mosler.
With Phil Keen at the wheel for an extended stint – a drinks bottle refill the only necessary alteration to the driver, performed as Keen stood aside while the fuel fill was completed.
In a greatly depleted Class Two the no.27 Marcos – again of Topcats Racing – lies nearly twenty laps clear of the ARC Bratislava Porsche – back out on track after losing an hour to noise abatement issues.
Nicholas Mee Racing's Aston Martin continues to lead Class Three in an as yet untroubled run. The Marcos Racing Lotus Evora – the team led by Cor Euser now lies second with the BMW of Britcar regulars Intersport in third and seventh overall. The Lotus Elise of Motionsport – another Britcar regular represented on the 24 Hours grid lies fourth in class ahead of the Dorset Sports Cars Porsche in fifth.
The top five in Class Three are separated by four laps – from nine to 13 laps away from the overall lead – and the MJC Ferrari, still battling back after issues with the seat runners in the car allowing the seat to slide backwards – and only backwards.
The class four lead is still being held by the CTR Developments Lotus. Behind them second and third in class remain the same but the no.94 Rollcentre Racing Ginetta G40 that had been running fourth in class was hampered by a small fire caused by rubbish picked up around one of the wheels. Their misfortune has allowed the Synchro Motorsport Honda Civic up into fourth with the APO Sport SEAT – an early class pacesetter before driver Guy Parr was involved in an incident – fifth in class.
The hour also saw news about the cause of the previous safety car period. The 50 minute neutral period, starting at roughly 9:45pm, was caused by a multi-car incident at Maggotts, with several cars spinning off on oil. The no.85 Daniels Motorsport Honda Civic was the first to spin off – with marshals rushing to move the car.
Unfortunately the Jemco Racing Ginetta also spun on oil, striking – it would appear – one of the attending marshals. The report is that the marshal has suffered a broken leg, and has been taken to hospital in Northampton.
2011 Britcar 24 Hours Class Leaders after Hour Eight:
Class One:
1 – No.2 Ferrari – McInerney/McInerney/Keen
2 – No.3 Mosler – Beaumont/Fletcher/Draper/Hetherington
3 – No.1 Ferrari – Gamski/Robinson/Gaw/Dryburgh
Class Two:
1 – No.27 Marcos – Upton/Huggins/Fletcher/Orton
2 – No.5 Porsche – Konopka/O’Donnell/Myszkowski/Lewandowski/Edwards
Class Three:
1 – No.49 Aston Martin – Le Blanc/Van Lanschot/De Zille/Nimkoff
2 – No.57 Lotus – Euser/Prewitt/Brody/Freebird/McKinnon
3 – No.68 BMW – Clarke/Gibson/Radcliffe/Hayes
Class Four:
1 – No.83 Lotus – Chamberlain/Randeria/Fillingham/Webb
2 – No.88 Honda – Smail/Meins/Lillingston-Price/Harding
3 – No.89 BMW – Griffiths/Green/Forsbrey/Kirkpatrick
Follow live coverage from The Checkered Flag here: http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2011/10/2011-britcar-24-hours-live-coverage/
