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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">PRIVILEGE INSURANCE BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">17/07/2001</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Privilege Testing</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">At Donington</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><img border="1" src="Storage/wldsptk02a.jpg"></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">Paul Lawrence was at Donington Park today for the Test Day prior to Round 9 of the Privilege GT Championship.<BR> <BR> <BR> The three title contenders in the GT category headed the times, with Tim Harvey posting the best time in a rain-affected day. Harvey took the Hayles Racing Chrysler Viper around in a best of 1:33.129s, to head the Michael Caine / Bobby Verdon-Roe TVR Cerbera Speed 12 by two tenths of a second (1:33.375) and the Lister Storm of Mike Jordan / David Warnock by 1.4 seconds (1:34.553).<BR> <BR> In the GTO category, Martin Short and Rob Barff again set a stunning pace in the TVR Tuscan R (1:36.247) to head the Porsche 911GT3RS of Kelvin Burt / Marino Franchitti by half a second (1:36.745).<BR> <BR> "I feel that a 1:32s will be the pole time at the weekend," said Harvey. "We need to get the programme back together and we're by no means out of the equation. It's very much a three-way fight now and all the better for it," he said of the current championship position.<BR> <BR> "We're on a roll now," said Caine. "We just want to match the pace of the Lister and the Viper with the best driver in," he added of their aim for the weekend. With two very quick drivers in the TVR, this will give them a strong chance of a third win of the season.<BR> <BR> Jordan and Warnock concentrated on bedding the rebuilt Lister in, after the team had worked flat out to repair the damage sustained in the first corner incident at Brands Hatch. Minor brake balance problems cost them time in the morning, and rain in the afternoon prevented much in the way of faster times.<BR> <BR> Elsewhere in the GT category, Colin Blower and Edd Sharpe posted a top 10 time in just nine laps (1:38.338) before fuel problems hit the Ultima GTR, while the Mike Haines Racing Lotus Esprit hit turbo problems with Chris Ellis and Nick Cresswell at the wheel. Also running (photo, above), albeit without recording times due to lack of timing transponders, was the pair of Stealths, with Terry Pudwell / Mark Pashley and Robin Rex / Nigel Greensall driving. However, the participation in the race of the Lotus and the Stealths is yet to be confirmed.<BR> <BR> In GTO, Short fired the Tuscan R to the head of the times after a coil problem slowed the car at the start of the day. Otherwise, it was an excellent day for the Rollcentre Racing team as it bids for a second win.<BR> <BR> In second slot was the Burt / Franchitti Porsche, with Marino delighted to have taken the Craner Curves flat for the first time. "It's very satisfying, and a lot of fun," he reckoned. "I think we can do it this weekend," he added.<BR> <BR> Continuing its strong form from Brands with third best time in GTO was the Cirtek Motorsport Porsche 911GT3R of Adam Jones / Tony Littlejohn (1:37.873), which just edged the Porsche of Matt Turner / Ed Horner back to fourth (1:37.895). Richard Stanton / Steve Hyde (TVR Tuscan R - 1:38.276) and Mark Sumpter / Shaun Balfe (Porsche 911GT3RS - 1:38.661) completed the GTO top six, although the Sumpter Porsche was damaged when Mark slid off at Redgate in the damp. The damage was patched up in time for the final session.<BR> <BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>