Porsche Cup Croft 03/06/2007

Caine and Paragon challenge for podium at Croft

Michael Caine maintained his challenge for the 2007 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at the Croft circuit in North Yorkshire over the weekend (2/3 June), with two top six finishes in the seventh and eighth rounds of the championship.

Caine is racing for Sussex-based Paragon Porsche this season and went to the challenging Croft track hoping to return to the podium. However, it proved to be a mixed weekend for Michael, although his pace in the second race proved that a podium finish was within reach.  

Caine, from Newmarket, is competing for Team Parker Racing this season and raced in front of a packed crowd at the British Touring Car Championship meeting at Croft.  He qualified fifth fastest, but was disappointed not to have been higher up the grid. With an excellent start into the first race, Michael got up to fourth, but was edged back to fifth as the race developed.  

That meant another fifth-place start for the second race, but an incredible getaway shot him briefly into second place and Caine then settled in third place, with championship leader Tim Harvey right on his tail. For 10 laps, Caine defended his position and was looking good for a place on the podium.  However, on lap eleven, he was a bit slower out of the chicane and that allowed Harvey to challenge under braking for the next corner. 

With the cars side-by-side, they touched and Caine spun onto the grass. By the time he rejoined, Michael was down in sixth place. However, he was pleased to have been able to run with the pacesetters.  "We found a problem with the car after the first race and it was much better. It was a bit loose at the chicane, which allowed Tim to attack, but I thought we could run side-by-side through the corner."  

Buoyed by his speed in the second race at Croft, Caine will now prepare for the next two Carrera Cup races at Oulton Park in Cheshire over the weekend of 23/24 June.