Tim Mullen and Chris Niarchos took the first win of the 2006 season, 20 seconds ahead of the Team LNT Panoz of Luke Hines and Tom Kimber-Smith.  The gap however didn't tell the whole story as the Ferrari and Panoz battled for the lead in a race that straddled the mandatory pitstops.  The Eclipse Motorsport Mosler of Lee Caroline and Phil Keen were a distant third.

The GTC Class was won by the Team Tiger Marcos Mantis of Chris Beighton and Jon Finnemore after an early three way battle with David Ashburn (#3 Trackspeed Porsche) and Phil Quaife (#16 Motorbase Performance Porsche).  Ian Stinton came through from 14th on the grid to take 2nd in class ahead of Ryan Hooker in the #3 Trackspeed Porsche.



After a lap behind the pace car, the 21 car field was released by the green light and they headed down towards to sharp right hander at Old Hall Bend with Chris Niarchos (#1 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430GT2) and Luke Hines (#57 Team LNT Panoz Esperante GTLM) side by side.  Hines, who had the inside line held the racing line forcing the Ferrari wide, allowing the Mosler of Phil Keen to move into second place.  However Niarchos fought back and regained the place at Hizzy's Chicane.   

Behind the top three, the Team Eurotech - Preci Spark of Godfrey Davies was just ahead of the battling top three GTC runners, with David Ashburn (#3 Trackspeed Porsche 996 GT3) just ahead of Chris Beighton (#81 Team Tiger Marcos Mantis)and Phil Quaife (#16 Motorbase Porsche 996 GT3).

By the end of lap 3 Hines had managed to open up a 1.9 second lead over Niarchos, with this leading pair leaving Keen and Davies in their wake.  The GTC battle still raged and Beighton got a good run out of Deer Leap and dived to the outside of Ashburn's Porsche on the run down to Old Hall.  Beighton kept his cool and the Team Tiger Marcos Mantis took the class lead in what can only be described as a daring move.

By lap 8 Niarchos had started to reel in the Panoz of Luke Hines and by lap 10 the Ferrari was looking for a way around the bright orange Panoz.  As the leading pair began the 12th lap Niarchos was glued to the rear of the Team LNT Panoz but Hines used all of his Touring Car experience to defend his position.

20 Minutes gone - Top 10

57 - 1 - 69 - 22 - 81 - 3 - 16 - 11 - 72 - 28

On lap 14 the leaders came into the pitlane for their mandatory pitstops with Tim Mullen taking over the controls of the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari and Tom Kimber-Smith in the Team LNT Panoz.  Phil Kean inherited the lead for four laps before coming in for his stop, followed a lap later by Godfrey Jones.

Mullen started to reel in the leader and on lap 19 he set a new fastest lap.  As the Panoz and the Ferrari came out of Deer Leap for the 21st time, Mullen put the Ferrari alongside Kimber-Smith who was forced to defend the racing line.  The Panoz managed to hold on as the pair exited Old Hall but as the cars hurtled down to Shell Oils Corner Mullen seized his chance and came back towards Hill Top in the lead.  The Ferrari then proceeded to open up a lead and took another 0.7 seconds out of the fastest lap of the race so far.

Once the pitstops had shaken out, Jon Finnemore in the Team Tiger Marcos Mantis was in 5th place and class lead from the Morgan Aero 8 of Keith Ahlers.

40 Minutes gone - Top 6

1 - 57 - 69 - 22 - 81 - 11

With 10 minutes to go the lead has settled down with the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430 GT2 of Tim Mullen heading Tom Kimber-Smith in the Team LNT Panoz Esperante by 15.330 seconds.  Lee Caroline in the #69 Eclipse Mosler is a distant 3rd, 74 seconds behind Mullen, with the Team Eurotech Porsche of David Jones another 15 seconds behind but still on the lead lap.

Jon Finnemore in the Team Tiger Marcos Mantis is leading GTC comfortably but is coming under pressure from the Rollcentre Racing GT2 Mosler of Ian Flux.

Gary Eastwood in the #16 Motorsbase Performance Porsche 996 GT3 was given a Stop Go penalty on lap 28 for a driver change infringement.

50 Minutes gone - Top 10

1 - 57 - 69 - 22 - 81 - 77 - 11 - 3 - 71 - 96  

As the race entered the final 10 minutes Mullen settled into a rhythm and brought the Ferrari home in first place to the obvious delight of the Scuderia Ecosse team who gathered on the wall to cheer their driver across the line.  Lee Caroline took the final podium position, the final car on the lead lap in the Eclipse Mosler.   David Jones (#22 Team Eurotech -Preci Spark) and Ian Flux (#77 Rollcentre Racing) topped out the GT2 class, Flux bringing the Mosler home well up the order after Kevin Riley started on the grid in a lowly 16th place.

The Team Tiger teams were over the moon as Jon Finnemore took the chequered flag in the Marcos Mantis. 

TIM MULLEN: "Chris did a good job in the first part of the race which set us up for the second part.  I had to find a way past Tom (Kimber-Smith) and when we got side-by-side into Old Hall he kept it very clean.  At Island I saw my chance and again Tom did a good job and was very clean, it was a good race.  I then took it nice and steady building a good lead.  This is a good start to the year."

CHRIS NIARCHOS:  "The start was OK but I got stuck behind the Mosler, which was very quick in a straight line.  "Phil Keen was focused on the Panoz and I got my chance on the first lap.  I then kept the pressure on Hines and we got close a few times, but he gave me space and kept it clean, it was a cracking race.  This is a big result for me after last year, but my thanks must go to the team, who worked hard to get the car ready for the race after the off this morning.  I'm dedicating this win to them."