Butcher leads Celtic Speed chargeposted in POR06 | 06 | 2011
SCOTS SPORTSCAR TEAM Celtic Speed returned from Oulton Park and the latest round of the Porsche Carrera Cup with a win and two further podium finishes; and once again it was Fifer Rory Butcher who stole the show.
The 24-year-old from Kirkcaldy, who started both races from ninth on the grid overall and third-fastest Pro-Am1 driver, delivered his best finish of the season in race two. After scoring another Pro-Am1 podium finish in the opener, when he finished third in class and 10th overall, Butcher produced a storming drive in the weekend's second race.
"Over the final five laps I was the fastest guy on the track and caught the leading four drivers who are all far more experienced than I am. I reckon if I'd had another two or three laps I'd have had the chance for a podium overall; I definitely had the confidence" — Rory Butcher
Again starting from ninth on the grid as the rain began falling heavier, Porsche rookie Butcher had made up a couple of places by the end of the first lap. As the 18-lap race on the 2.3-mile Cheshire circuit progressed, the talented Fifer continued to master the tricky conditions and simply get faster and faster.
"That was just awesome," he beamed after not only scoring his second Pro-Am1 win of the year, but finishing fifth overall, just 0.201secs behind the fourth-placed driver.
"I was kind of hoping for a bit of rain, so when it came an our or so before the race I was quite calm. I went round a few people at the Hairpin on lap one, and from there it all just seemed to happen.
'Fastest guy on the track'
"I kept it steady for the first few laps, then from lap five everybody just seemed to come to me. We were all on wet tyres because there was so much water on the track. But our car was just set up nicely to last the whole race and I can't thank the guys in the Celtic Speed team enough.
"Over the final five laps I was the fastest guy on the track and caught the leading four drivers who are all far more experienced than I am. I reckon if I'd had another two or three laps I'd have had the chance for a podium overall; I definitely had the confidence.
"To be honest, I didn't realise it was the last lap, I was so focused on pushing. Actually, when I saw the chequered flag I was disappointed. If I had known it was the last lap I probably would have taken more of a risk to try and get that podium slot.
"But the important thing from a championship perspective is I won my second Pro-Am1 race — the other was at Brands Hatch — and I got my best overall result of the year."
'Tremendous performance from team'
Edinburgh team-mate George Brewster bagged another podium when he finished third in the Pro-Am2 class and boss of the St Cyrus-based team Tommy Dreelan was delighted with the weekend's work.
"It was another very strong weekend for the team," Dreelan, who finished fifth in both Pro-Am2 races, explained. "Rory's performance in the second race was exceptional. The conditions were treacherous and how he kept the car on the track at times beggared belief.
"George recovered from an incident in the second race to finish third, and he also posted the fastest lap of the race. It was just frustrating for him that he suffered a blow-out in the opening race and had to retire.
"But overall it was a tremendous performance from everyone in the Celtic Speed team and now we turn our attentions on preparing for the next race at the famous Nurburgring circuit in Germany in three weeks."
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Jim McGill
CAPTION: Fifer Rory Butcher in action at Oulton Park behind the wheel of his Celtic Speed Porsche 911
Photo: Malcolm Griffiths