Michelin Porsche Club Championship Brands Hatch 23/07/06

Sumpter and Purdie team up for Paragon Porsche 

Mark Sumpter with partner Andy Purdie in the hour-long two-driver Bill Taylor Memorial Trophy race at Brands Hatch this weekend (22/23 July) as they race the Paragon Porsche entered Porsche 911GT3 Cup in the annual event.

Purdie will take time out of his Porsche Carrera Cup GB campaign to race with his mentor in the race that is run each year in memory of former Porsche champion Bill Taylor. 

The race also raises money for cancer charities in his honour.  "I've tested the car, but this will be the first time I've raced it," says Sumpter, who has already raced two other Porsches this season. He will shortly add further to that tally when he partners Peter Chambers in the Britcar race at Donington Park on 5 August.  

Meanwhile, another Paragon supported Porsche will be in action this weekend as Nicki Purdie, the 19-year old sister of Andy, makes her racing debut at Brands Hatch in the Porsche Club Championship.  Nicki will race the Paragon Porsche-backed 3.2 Carrera that Andy raced last season and that was formerly raced by Henry Pearman and Sumpter. 

Nicki plans to finish the rest of the season before starting at university in October.  The daughter of former TVR Tuscan racer George Purdie, Nicki has been coached by John Bussell and will race alongside her elder brother at Brands to make it a very big occasion for the Purdie family.