Car dealership boss' race victory
A car dealership boss led a team to all-out victory in Britain's equivalent to the Le Mans 24-hour race.
The team from Paragon Porsche at Mark Cross were outright winners of the demanding Silverstone 24 hour race held on September 20 and 21.
Paragon Porsche managing director Mark Sumpter, 24, from Halland was joined by team mates Andy Purdie, 22, a property developer from Crowborough, and Adrian Slater, 34, a company director from Solihull.
They drove a 480bhp Porsche 911 GT3-RSR to win the race by three complete laps.
The race began with a monster accident ahead of Mark who had qualified fifth on the grid but skilfully threaded his way through the scattering pack to avoid major damage.
He said: 'With 24 hours to go I wasn't expecting to be on the grass avoiding spinning cars.'
The Porsche glanced off the barriers but escaped with little damage and was fourth at the end of the opening hour.
Driveshaft problems delayed it on Saturday evening and a faulty wheel-bearing meant Mark had to nurse the car home over the final 90 minutes.
Determined Mark said: 'We had come so close we weren't going to lose the win so near to the end.'
The Porsche came home victorious notching up a record 603 laps and beating 51 other entrants outright.
Last year Mark entered a less powerful Porsche and won his class but finished third overall by the end of the race.
Altogether he had taken part in nine 24 hour races.
He explained how the Silverstone 24 hour race was Britain's answer to Le Mans - but in some ways tougher.
'Although it's not as professional, the track is much shorter at three-and-a-half miles so there are a lot more laps and you are overtaking eight to ten cars on every lap,' he said.
The team swapped drivers about every one-and-a-half hours although they doubled their driving stints between fuel stops overnight.
They won a trophy and a 5,000 voucher giving them free entry into next year's race.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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