Black Isle driver wins first race in British GT Endurance Championship
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MICHAEL Macpherson claimed his first win in the British GT Endurance Championship with victory in Cheshire.
The Black Isle driver followed up third place in his GT racing debut at Silverstone last month with a win at Oulton Park.
Sharing the Team HARD Ginetta GT4 with fellow Scottish racer, Josh Hislop, a red flag interrupted qualifying session saw the two Scots racers qualify the No36 Ginetta GT4 second in class for the two hour endurance race.
Electing to drive the final one hour of the race, Macpherson took over the car and rejoined the race after the first of two compulsory pit stops in fourth place in the GT4 class.
A safety car period two laps later resulted in a quick thinking radio call from the team to bring Macpherson in for the second of the two compulsory pit stops.
Through the rest of the one hour stint a committed drive by Macpherson had taken the car past the Aston Martin GT4 and McLaren GT4 in front and up into second place.
Rapidly closing to within five seconds of the leading GT4 Aston Martin, and with just 10 minutes of the race remaining, it was all set for a showdown fight for the lead over the last couple of laps when the leading Aston incurred a stop go penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
As the Aston peeled into the pits to serve its penalty Macpherson continued to pull away from the second and third placed cars behind to take his and Team HARD’s first win in the British GT Endurance Championship.
Macpherson said: “ The car was very unstable on the fast parts of the track after suffering some axle damage on the high kerbs at Oulton Park.
"I’d also lost radio contact with the garage so couldn’t even let the team know and I wasn’t even sure I would be able to finish the race. "So it was fantastic to be able to get our first win so early in the season.
"Although I have to say I was really looking forward to a hard race for the lead on track with the leading Aston Martin and I think it would have been a real epic last couple of laps.
"But not only have we got our first win and more silverware for Team HARD but we are now actually lying third overall in the British GT Endurance Championship which is a fantastic achievement.”
Team HARD Academy driver Macpherson will be returning for the next race meeting at the Snetterton Race Circuit in Norfolk on May 14.
