Rory ready for Porsche debutposted in POR31 | 03 | 2011

    FIFER RORY BUTCHER will launch his bid to win the Porsche Carrera Cup ProAm1 Championship at Brand Hatch this weekend, and the talented young Scot is ready to rise to the challenge.

    The 24-year-old from Dunfermline, who has impressed in previous 'guest appearances' in the championship, will contest the full 20-race campaign this season with the Aberdeen-based Celtic Speed.

    "It's going to be big challenge stepping up to the full championship on a lot of circuits where I haven't raced before, let alone driven the Porsche," Butcher admitted today.

    "But though I'm quite nervous, I'm looking forward to it at the same time. I've always been someone who's keen to take on a new challenge."

    Butcher — who will be partnered in the team by Edinburgh's George Brewster and Celtic Speed owner Tommy Dreelan — will race a 450bhp Porsche 911GT3 Cup car. And Butcher paid tribute to the backing he's received from Dreelen.

    "Quite honestly, without Tommy's involvement and support over the past five years I wouldn't be where I am in sportscars today," he admitted. "He's been incredible and really put a lot into it for me this year. Hopefully I can pay him back with results."

    This season the Porsche Carrera Cup is introducing an all-new 911GT3 Cup car to the championship, and Butcher believes the fact all drivers race in identical cars will help him.

    The youngster has already shown during pre-season testing that he will start as one of the favourites to lift the ProAm1 class, sandwiched between the Pros and the ProAm2 classes.

    "At the last test at Snetterton I was ninth overall and second in class, so the pace is there," Butcher, who will test the car again tomorrow at Brands, continued. "But it's still going to be a big leap stepping up to racing in the championship full-time.

    "It's really quite tough though because it's only then you get into a test situation you see the true pace of guys like former champ Tim Harvey and James Sutton who have been in the championship for years.

    "The great thing about this year though is because the new car has been introduced everyone is starting from the same baseline. And because the cars are identical, it's all down to driver ability."

    Butcher — who won the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in 2009 — has already set himself targets not just for this weekend, but for the season.

    "I'd be delighted with a top eight position overall, and win my class," he smiled. "If I could do that — even a top 10 finish overall this weekend — would be a terrific start to the season for me and the team.

    "Overall though my aim has to be to win the ProAm Championship this year, mix it up with the Pros and then move up to the Pro category in 2012. But I know I've got a lot to learn fast, and that starts this weekend."

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    Jim McGill

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