Paragon Porsche Group C GTP Brands Hatch 26/05/2006

Sumpter set for Group C debut 

Mark Sumpter will realise the ambition of a lifetime at Brands Hatch on 3/4 June when he races a Porsche 962 in the opening races of the Group C/GTP season. The former British GT champion will race a 1991 chassis that was built by Team Schuppan for use at Le Mans.

Supported by Paragon Porsche, Sumpter plans to race the car in most of the Group C/GTP races this season and will draft in his old friend Chris Goodwin to share the car in the longer races. Mark Jones, a Paragon Porsche technician, will run the car with support from Group C Racing.  

"I'm really looking forward to racing the 962," says Sumpter. "I've raced Porsches for the last 13 years but this car is a completely new challenge for me as I've never driven a car with this amount of downforce."  

Sumpter acquired the car from Henry Pearman in 2005 and has since had it fully restored. It is 962 chassis TS/03C and was built by Vern Schuppan to compete at Le Mans in 1991. It was entered as number 53 to be driven by Hurley Haywood, Wayne Taylor and James Weaver, but was only used in qualifying and didn't race. Sumpter will race it in the original 'Art Sports' livery.  

In 1992 the sister car, number 52, was raced to third place in the Daytona 24 Hours by Haywood, Roland Ratzenberger, Eje Elgh and Scott Brayton.