Butcher targets Porsche Pro-Am1 titleposted in POR23 | 03 | 2012
FIFER RORY BUTCHER heads into his second season in the Porsche Carrera Cup determined to go one step better than 2011 and win the Pro-Am1 title.
The 25-year-old from Kirkcaldy will again lead Celtic Speed's assault in the 20-race Porsche Carrera Cup, alongside George Brewster. The Edinburgh racer is looking to repeat his win on the Pro-Am2 Championship.
Butcher is one of only five racers who has taken delivery of a 2012-spec Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, and the young Scot has already impressed during testing.
"It took about 10-20 laps to really blow the cobwebs away and get back in to the swing of things," Butcher explained after the opening test at Slverstone.
"I was a case of just building my confidence up in the car throughout the day. It's amazing how your brain starts to adjust to the speed in which things happen.
"It was damp and then drying in the morning session, and we decided to only do a dozen or so laps to save tyres and the car.
See more official photos of Rory testing his Porsche at Silverstone
"In the afternoon we went out straight away on new rubber and in to a race run. Throughout the three-hour open session we completed over 60 laps and made a number of small changes to the set up of the car and I feel the car was in a good balance by the end.
"We set our quickest time late on in the day on the same set of tyres, so we're delighted with the consistency of the car.
"We ended up sixth overall and fastest in Pro-Am 1 which is a great start to the year."
And Butcher, who will go head-to-head with two other Scots in Pro-Am1 — Edinburgh's Oly Mortimer, and Derek Pierce from Glasgow — admits the title is his sole objective.
“I finished second last year, so the aim has to be to win Pro-Am1,” he continued. “But I also want to be as competitive as we can in overall terms.
"I got very close to an overall podium at the Nurburgring last year, where I finished fourth, and I want to see if I can do it this year.”
Backing for Butcher’s programme comes from St Cyrus-based Celtic Speed, William Waugh Ltd and William Johnston and Company Ltd, as well as a number of valuable partners.
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Jim McGill