Brands podiums for Porsche ace Butcherposted in POR22 | 10 | 2012

    FIFER RORY BUTCHER rounded off his 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup campaign with two podiums for Celtic Speed in the season finale at a rain-lashed Brands Hatch (see more official photos of Rory in action at Brands Hatch).

    Piloting his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, the 25-year-old from Kirkcaldy grabbed third place in both races at the Kent circuit, but admitted he had mixed feelings about the results.

    "I went into the weekend focused on a maximum effort to move from fifth in the championship, to third," Butcher explained.

    "But unfortunately, the two guys I needed to beat chose this weekend, of all weekends, to beat me. Frustrating, but we know we everyone in the team did their maximum over the weekend, and the whole season."

    Butcher ended the season fifth in the 26-car championship, but frustratingly just four points off fourth, and a tantalising 20 behind third.

    "It's certainly fired everyone up to increase our performances even more for 2013," Butcher, who won the two races at Croft earlier this year, and bagged a series of podiums, continued.

    "We have to start next year as serious championship contenders, and that's what we'll all be working hard on over the winter break."

    Fifer Gordon Shedden crowned BTCC champ

    In the first race at Brands Hatch, Butcher struggled for the majority of the 15-laps after his tyres went off after just two or three laps.

    "I don't know why, but we just started struggling for grip early on," he explained, "and after that it was a case of just holding on for third.

    "In the second race, the conditions deteriorated dramatically and it was like driving in a car wash at night time. It was treacherous. But it was great to finish third."

    And Butcher, whose Edinburgh-based Celtic Speed team-mate George Brewster finished fifth and sixth in the ProAm1 class, paid tribute to the team.

    "I'm delighted for everyone at Celtic Speed that we could finish with two podiums," he said. "The guys have worked tirelessly all season, and it was great to repay them.

    Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder gets facelift

    "We've had a bit of bad luck during the year, but we've certainly had a very good second half of the season and it's a great platform from which to build in 2013."

    And Butcher was delighted to have been able to watch his brother-in-law, fellow Fifer Gordon Shedden, become the first Scot to win the British Touring Car Championship since 1995.

    "I've got to say a big congratulations to Gordon," Butcher said. "I was able to watch the second BTCC race, in which he clinched the title, just before I jumped into the Porsche for my second race.

    "I'm really chuffed for him. He's worked so hard over the years to achieve what he's done, and it was great to be there to witness it.

    "Now though we've already turned our heads towards the 2013 Porsche Carrera Cup campaign, and I'm determined to make it a winning year."

    New Porsche Cayenne flagship

    Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/scotcars

    Jim McGill

User Comments

Login or register to post comments.