PORSCHE IN BUILD FORM N CIRCUIT CHAMPIONSHIP
Fun Cup racer Ciro Carannante is building a Porsche Cayman ready to compete in the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship.
Carannante started rallying in 1979 and has been out of action since the 2000s, until he returned to the Neil Howard Stages earlier this month in his BMW Challenge car, which had been sat for eight years without use.
“I had no intention of the BMW being out, I was trying to buy a full Millington Escort but it fell through,” explained Carannante. “I started that in April. It was difficult to source. I thought ‘sod it I’m going to build a car’. And I’m not going to have an Escort, they look old.”
Instead, Carannante, brother of BTRDA rally driver Toni, set about work on a unique Porsche.
“It’s perfect for D1,” he said of the Cayman. “It has a bit more traction than the BMW. It’s in my garage and I’m spending hours on it every night. I’m hoping to be out for Knockhill [on December 3]. Cadwell this weekend will be another BMW job.”
The Porsche Cayman is a 2.9-litre model – the maximum engine capacity that can receive an MSA logbook is three-litre – and he will develop the car over the course of the 2017-18 season.
“To get the Porsche competitive I’m only going to spend on things that make a difference. Essentially when it first goes out it will be largely standard.
“They built them with a 2.9 engine for a short period and that’s what I’ve got. It’s 275bhp out of the box. Because the gearbox points the wrong way I can’t have a GT3 paddleshift or anything like that. I’m hoping I can manage with the standard ‘box and just reduce the final drive.”
Carannante will use the BMW on the next round of the MN Circuit Rally Championship at Cadwell Park.
Reigning champion Ian Woodhouse will start as the first seeded entry, while championship leader Chris West starts third. Sandwiched between is multiple Cadwell winner David Tinn.
After scoring a top six finish at the opening round in Oulton, 17th seed Joshua Davey could be the driver to watch in the order.