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Strength in depth as GT Cup heads to Donington Park

Strength in depth as GT Cup heads to Donington ParkThe GT Cup returns to Donington Park for the penultimate weekend of what has been a spectacular year for the championship. Competition in the multi-marque series has stepped up for 2014 as the series has enjoyed some of the largest grids in UK motorsport. Fans will not be disappointed when the capacity grid blasts off for its three races over the course of the weekend.

The championship’s unique four group structure ensures there is healthy racing throughout the field, from the fire breathing GT3 cars, to GTA spec BMWs and Ginettas. 2013 overall champion Jeff Wyatt currently sits fourth in the standings but he leads the GTA group ahead of Mark Litherland & Ben Short in their similar BMW. John Saunders lies third having shown strongly in previous races as has the Lotus of Adrian Lester & Andrew Bentley. The Optimum Motorsport entry of Euan Hankey and Turkish driver Salih Yuloc won on their GT Cup debut at Silverstone and will be expecting more of the same this time out.

The GTO group will be fiercely fought as always with over a dozen runners in cars from eight manufacturers competing. Battle will resume between Jim Geddie in his McLaren MP4-12C and Shaun Balfe, who again drives his Ferrari 458 GT3 solo after sharing with Darren Nelson at Silverstone. Darren returns however with Nigel Greensall in the JMH run Ferrari 458 as team-mate to Arwyn Williams and Aaron Scott. Richard Chamberlain’s Porsche 935 proved to be very competitive at Silverstone challenging for the lead during the sprint races and the group’s Mr. Consistency, Iain Dockerill, can never be discounted.

GTB has seen some great racing during 2014 with David Walley heading the pack as well as the overall championship. Team-mate William Plant has been his closest rival but had bad luck during the year.  The inclusion of six other near identical Porsche 997 Cup cars makes the group very competitive. Add into the mix the returning Rosen Daskalov in his SIN and we have the prospect of some very close racing.

After last year’s premiere of the SIN R1, the GT Cup will follow it up with yet another world first, the debut race of the new McLaren 650S Sprint GT. Journalist Dale Lomas will be on driving duty joined by factory driver Rob Bell and is sure to draw attention. It will run in the GTC group besides the Ferrari 458 challenge cars of John Seale & Jamie Stanley, Peter Jennings and father Shamus, who will be teaming up with rapid racer Adam Carroll. With a thirty-eight car entry the GT Cup is showing its strength in depth as well as breadth in 2014.

To stay up to date with all the news follow GT Cup on Twitter (@GTCUP), visit www.gtcup.co.uk or tsl-timing.co.uk for all the times direct from the racetrack.