SCORTON racing driver Max Coates made his Porsche Carrera Cup GB debut at Donington Park over the Easter weekend and came away with two impressive results.

The David Mason London Watches ambassador had his first taste of the 911 GT3 Cup car in testing on Thursday morning when he quickly got to grips with the Parr Motorsport guest drive Porsche.

In the qualifying session on Saturday, Coates decreased the gap to the leaders, qualifying in fourth just half a second off pole position despite making a mistake at Coppice which cost him time. Despite this Max was happy with his time and his improvement from testing.

A poor getaway in the first race of the weekend meant the Leeds Metropolitan University student left the first corner in twelfth place. He then launched his attack on the pack making moves up the inside and round the outside of several cars. Once clear he showed race winning pace and was the fastest on track so after finishing sixth he was confident of a podium in race two.

A rolling start was in order for the second race and Coates made a much better getaway.

He held station for the opening laps then showed his pace to attempt a pass for an overall podium spot.

A small moment at the Old Hairpin cost the teenager a position but he fought back to regain fourth place just a few laps later. With 15 laps remaining the heavens opened and Coates got his first experience of the Porsche in the wet.

With two off track excursions he dropped back into fifth place where he remained to the finish.

After the events of the weekend, Coates said: “I had a fantastic experience and learnt so much.

“I wanted a podium from the races which I had the pace for in the dry, I’m hoping to have another chance to prove my worth in future rounds.

“I want to say a massive thank you to both Parr Motorsport and Porsche Cars GB for the opportunity this weekend.”

The next round of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB takes place next weekend at Thruxton near Andover whereby Coates is aiming to make the grid and is also eyeing up more one off appearances later this year.

NORTHALLERTON enduro rider Robbie Wallace, 16, was competing in round three of the Perkins Slade Ride Off Road Enduro Championship last weekend aboard his Motoconnection and Putoline Oils backed Yamaha YZ125.

The two-hour race was held at Claxby, in Lincolnshire, and the track comprised of fast open countryside and woodland. With the recent dry weather the track was looking good but heavy overnight rain turned the top surface very greasy on the Sunday. With 40 riders in Wallace’s class the competition was strong but he made a good start and came around the first corner in fourth place pressing hard for an early advantage. The 125cc engine being an advantage in the muddy conditions, which he made good use of by forcing his way into the lead by the end of the first lap.

The track was lapping at about ten minutes per lap initially but speeded up as it dried out over the two hours and after two laps Wallace had broken away and has a 90 second lead. After an hour Wallace was still in the lead but the gap was closing, then on a long slippery hill climb he got impeded by a fallen rider forcing him to lose speed and get stuck. By the time he got going again, he had lost over two minutes and it dropped him to fifth place, On the last lap he lost another place dropping him down to end up with a sixth place finish.

Despite this, Wallace is still leading the championship by five points going into his next outing next weekend at Llanbister, Mid Wales. Recently Robbie has been offered a donation towards his season from the Bobbie Dennis Memorial Fund.

Bobbie who was a school friend of Robbie’s tragically died in 2012, and a dinner was held in his memory which raised money for the fund. The fund’s aim is to help local youngsters with aspirations achieve their ambitions.

THE challenging County Durham stages of the SG Petch-supported Tour of Hamsterley will be the setting for round three of the West Wales Rally Spares RAC Rally Championship tomorrow as another superb line-up of cars will gather for the Stockton and District Motor Club event including both modern and historic cars.

Local Hamsterley driver Stephen Petch, who won the 2013 event, leads the 100-car entry in his Ford Focus WRC where he will be up against the similar car of Teesside businessman Peter Stephenson and Scorton’s Steve Petch in the Mitsubishi. Leading historic driver Matt Robinson from Ripon will be up against the similar Ford Escort Mk2 of Tim Pearcey and Thirlby driver Terry Cree in his BMW The rally will be based at the National Railway Museum, at Shildon. The first historic car will start at 08.45 and return to the finish shortly before 15.00.

Spectators can catch the action by accessing the stages from the official car park in Hamsterley Forest with three stages from 09.18 and then the second loop from 12.52.

For more details about the event, visit tourofhamsterley.

co.uk