Porsche Cup Silverstone - 29/09/2001

Chambers clinches title at Silverstone

Peter Chambers clinched the overall title in first of two rounds of the Michelin Porsche Cup at Silverstone today (Saturday 29 September). While Adrian Slater out-paced Nigel Rice on a damp and slippery circuit to win the race, Chambers clinched the championship title in his Paragon Porsche-backed car with a cautious run to sixth.  

With Chambers needing only to finish the race to secure the overall title for the third year in a row, he took a measured approach to the race and stayed well away from any first lap dramas. At Copse, however, a fast-starting Craig Rapp was tipped into a spin and ended his race in the gravel.  

Up front, Slater and Rice went clear and Slater was soon able to build a lead that he took out to nearly nine seconds at the flag. Although the track dried as the race progressed, all of the field ran on treaded tyres.  Behind Rice, Paul Mace raced hard to hold off Chris Eggington in the first half of the race. However, Eggington was finally able to battle ahead at Abbey and take a secure third as Barbara Armstrong closed right onto the tail of Mace at the flag.  

Behind them came Chambers after a very cautious race to make sure of the title. “I’m glad that one’s out of the way,” said a relieved Chambers. “The track was very greasy,” he added.  In the night race that ran on Saturday night to bring the season to a dramatic finish, Chambers had a race-long battle for second place with Nigel Rice. 

The cars were seldom more than a few feet apart as Chambers tried all ways to unsettle his rival. Finally, on the very last lap and almost within sight of the flag, Rice succumbed to the pressure and spun at Brooklands, allowing Chambers through to second place.