No engine? It’s a Porsche show!
TURN Eight Racing is looking forward to this bank holiday weekend, August 27 and 28, and the Donington round of the BRSCC Toyo Tires Porsche Championship – even though their car doesn’t have an engine.
The team, managed by Jess Shanahan, includes Runcorn’s Gavin Johnson and Humberside-based Pip Hammond.
Johnson recently raced at Anglesey where a blown head gasket forced maintenance on the car at the circuit and uncovered several other issues.
He is due to compete at Donington, just three weeks after Anglesey, but the team has found difficulty sourcing parts for the 1979 Porsche 924.
Plan B is in place with the potential purchase of a road-going 924 engine to get the team through the round, power will be an issue but a steady road engine should only lose them around 15%.
Hammond said: “We love a challenge.
“It would be a shame for Gavin to miss Donington after his recent good form so we will work as hard as we can to get the car out.”
Johnson added: “Anglesey was really disappointing following two podiums at Oulton Park but we had 50+ supporters from Runcorn make the trip to support us.
“It’s a shame we weren’t able to put on a good show so it would be great to right that wrong at one of the best tracks in the country.”
Local school children and par- ents joined the team at the Anglesey round and everyone enjoyed some time in the team garage getting close to the car, meeting drivers and having the opportunity to write and draw on the bumper prior to race two.
Team boss Shanahan said: “We’re really keen to inspire the next generation into motorsport and offer the chance to get close to the car and the racing.
“Our recent school visits and social media have earned us a lot of support and we were delighted to be able to give a little back.”
The team are grateful for the support of many partners who are enabling a fightback at Donington such as the Wood Family at PDC, Orion Group, Autosport Apparel, The Golf Guide, Humberside Tints & Compomotive Wheels.