In no particular order, this is much of what was going on at Donington Park…

Amanda Stretton (right) and Annie Templeton were having a wonderful time in the CMS Viper. “It’s lovely,” was Amanda’s reaction to her first laps on a proper track (as opposed to an airfield). She worked down to a low 1:17, with Annie just a little slower – for now. “I want them to take it gently. We’re starting right at the beginning here, and I want them to build their confidence,” explained Team Manager Doub Bebb.

Both ladies completed 30 plus laps this morning, with Amanda “not setting myself any targets – I don’t want to put more pressure on myself.” Annie was finding she had to be “very progressive with the throttle on cold tyres, but once they warmed up it was very progressive – and there’s lots more to come.” Potential backers will be present on Sunday to see the ladies in their first Viper race.

The Viper and the Corvette and the Moslers all looked just the job on track - real hairy old GT cars, and they’re going to be great entertainment this year. The odd thing about the British GT Championship is that as a former top class slips out of the system (GT1s in ‘99, now ‘GT2’s, almost), the next class just takes over.

But the Corvette of Peter Le Bas and Ricky Cole was in trouble rather quickly this morning. “A hole in the block,” said Dave Beecroft. “Not what we wanted.” But the spare will go back in for the weekend, an engine that has served the drivers well over a massive test distance. “We’ve done 500 laps here already,” said Ricky Cole, “plus over 100 at Rockingham.” Cole can thank Rob Schirle for his intro. to GT racing, the Cirtek (USA branch) man having invited him to a test in Spain last autumn, and the desire to go GT racing evolved very quickly from there. As a boy, Ricky went to a good number of BPR races (a Gulf connection): “Now that was a great series.” Yes indeed.

Cole got in a good 20 laps this morning, before Peter Le Bas had the engine ventilate itself at the Craners….and the Old Hairpin…..and up to Schwanz Curve. Long delay to soak up the 10W/40.

Bizarrely, anything painted blue and white at Donington was almost certainly painted by Le Bas a few years ago: kerbs, railings, posts, everything. And he even helped lay the concrete around the Melbourne Loop. Now he’s a GT racing driver.

So is Matthew Manderson (right), but we’ve known that for years. The dnm Darrien was allowed to run at the Test Day, but currently not in the actual race meeting itself. We’ll try and explain why tomorrow. “We’re pleasantly surprised by our pace,” said the BAR F1 paint sprayer, “especially with so little testing.” Other than passenger rides at the Media Day, this is the sum total of their testing. A CV joint brought things to a halt today, but they’re up and running, have a second car on the way…but will they be allowed to run?

When is an ACO ‘cold shoulder’ a good thing? Well, never, probably. Except that it’s possibly been a good thing for a couple of drivers who would have been in the Le Mans Morgan. Martin Short has transferred his budget to FIA GTs with EMKA (but was present today to look after the Moslers before “dashing to Luton for a flight to Spain”), while expected Le Mans Morgan partner Matt Griffin has found a home with Phil Hindley’s GruppeM Tech 9 Porsche – with Patrick Pearce, who would have driven the GVR Cup Class Porsche, except that Chris Egginton bent that one in testing. “I’m King of the late deals,” said Hindley.

Griffin (above) has that natural confidence of a quick man straight from single seaters, while Pearce has lots of Porsche experience. This pair will be strong contenders in the Cup Class. “Had we done Le Mans, I would have done some races in the British Championship too in a Morgan,” said Griffin, “but the Porsche will allow us to go for the title. Tuesday here was my first drive in a car with a roof: the ABS is great in the wet. I was surprised at how easy the Porsche is to drive. We’ve got about 370 bhp, Phil tells me, but it’s so neutral through the quick stuff.” Griffin has a marketing company behind him – Global Sports Development – and a great fan club back home in Cork. He and Pearce believe they can win overall if any of the races are wet this year.

Tony Rogers and Steve Moore (#77 - above, but not numbered in the image) were marginally quicker on the day than their new GruppeM team-mates’ best time, but Rogers had a moment into McLeans and smote the concrete hard – with a rear wheel. Gearbox, engine, chassis – all damaged, but it’s insured, and Hindley has an alternative back at base for them to use at the weekend. Good job you didn't have time to sticker this one up, Phil.

No Master Motorsport Ultima today: oil pump trouble last night, easily fixed for Saturday. Neil Cunningham was present, but not driving – yet. He’ll be in the second Morgan Aero 8 on Saturday and Sunday, partnering Keith Robinson. Keith Ahlers and Rob Wells were in the high 1:16s in the Aero 8 first spotted at the NEC in January; the sister car (entered by Richard Thorne Motorsport) is nearly ready, but not quite. Ah, it turned up at the end of the day.

And that leaves the top six – plus the eighth-quickest AJL Racing Jaguar XK8 (behind the Moore / Rogers Cup Class leader). No Jaguar-owner Allen Lloyd today, so Gerry Wainwright took on all the driving duties. Gerry runs Lloyd’s AJL Racing – and gets to drive all the cars too! “We’re restricted down to about 350 bhp (are you sure you’re not winding me up here Gerry?), but we need to do more work on the engine with these 31.8mm restrictors. Without them, it’s producing 560. Restricted, it runs out of puff at 7,000 – instead of revving to 8,000 unrestricted.”

Allen Lloyd was carved up by an Ultima at the team’s first test at Silverstone, so they lost a couple of weeks after that repairing suspension damage after an off at 130mph, but have run at MIRA and Mallory Park before today. It’s a lovely beast. They might do the ‘Ring 24 Hours in it, unrestricted.

The Glenn Eagling Motorsport Mantis (above) – for Glenn's son Daniel and 17 year old Tom Shrimpton – is the former Ohana car, and Glebe are sorting the gearbox out very quickly now. This car was an excellent sixth quickest with a 1:13 today, and is looking more reliable with every test. Tom Shrimpton is still at school (don’t they do A/AS Levels at college now?), should presumably have been there today, was at Donington instead, and didn’t seem at all fazed by the prospect of racing in the British GT Championship. He might have a tale to tell his mates on Monday morning. “It’s a good format this year, I want to stay in GT racing.” Choice of career, Shrimpton? GT driver, sir. Don’t be stupid boy, no one makes a career as a racing driver. Michael Schumacher is doing quite well, sir.

And that leaves the top five – two Moslers, three Tuscan T400Rs. Pick your Sunday winner from these five:
1. 27 CDL Tuscan T400R Steve Hyde / Gareth Evans 1:10.189
2. 23 Peninsula TVR Tuscan R John Hartshorne / Graeme Mundy (Richard Stanton) 1:10.431
3. 33 Balfe M’sport Mosler MT900R Shaun Balfe / Jamie Derbyshire 1:10.594
4. 22 Rollcentre Mosler MT900R Rob Barff / Tom Herridge 1:10.694
5. 69 Eclipse M’sport TVR Tuscan R Piers Johnson / Shane Lynch 1:11.831.

Richard Stanton set the time in the Peninsula Tuscan today, so count him out at the weekend. Steve Hyde was fastest in the CDL (former Rollcentre) car, the Mosler drivers were all grinning happily (Shaun Balfe right - looking very young), and the Eclipse pair were happy too.

Rob Barff was well within himself for a 1:10.694, but will presumably ‘go for it’ in Qualifying, the sister Balfe Mosler looked equally beautiful and well turned out – as did all the top five in fact. Piers Johnson is going to be another quick Eclipse partner for Shane Lynch, who is looking and sounding really content as a GT driver these days (below). “Le Mans one day, but I’m in no rush. And I want to do it with Eclipse.”

So it’s American Mosler muscle against good old British TVR. The former completes 24 hour races, the latter does 12 hours at Sebring, so in theory all five should be good for 75 minutes on Sunday. The Moslers look lower and meaner, the Tuscans more upright but no less purposeful. Perhaps it will all come down to driver talent.

This year could be very good indeed, especially with a couple more entries next time out, then another three for round 3. More faces and cars in the Saturday and Sunday reports.