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The grid of 34 cars of the Group C-GTP genre – racing on the full Le Mans circuit a few hours before the start of the 24 Hours – was an emotional sight. This was by far the biggest grid of these cars since they were the pinnacle of world sportscar racing in the Eighties and early Nineties.
Poleman Gary Pearson in his Jaguar XJR-11 established an early lead and initially looked secure at the head of the field, despite regular pressure from Charlie 
Agg’s Nissan R90CK. Topping an estimated 214mph on the Mulsanne Straight, Agg was closing on Pearson and on the second to last lap seemed about to mount an effective challenge. As Agg’s Nissan came within striking distance of the Jaguar, the latter’s differential failed and Pearson was out, leaving Agg to romp home to a convincing victory. “Awesome,” was Agg’s instant description of the circuit, on which he has never raced before.
Attention was immediately shifted to an even more dramatic battle for second place. The long-tailed Porsche 962C of Nigel James diced with 21-year-old Simon Pullan’s short-tailed 962 CK6, repeatedly swapping places through the second chicane, Mulsanne Corner, the Porsche Curves and all the way to the finish, where James slipped over the line less than 0.2sec ahead of Pullan. It was a first drive at Le Mans, too, for both Pullan and James. “This is the ultimate driver’s circuit,” said James elatedly after snatching second place. “It has fast corners, slow corners, frightening corners and unbelievably frightening corners. Simon was quicker through the corners with his greater downforce, but then I’d take him on the straights.” Pullan agreed: “Catching him was one thing, but passing was something else.”
Second row contenders Ralf Kelleners (Porsche 962 Kremer CK6) and Justin Law (Jaguar XJR-12) both suffered disappointment in the race. Also driving in the main 24 Hour event, Kelleners was more than 10 seconds quicker qualifying his 962 than his modern 911 GT3-RSR but on the support race’s formation lap he found the 962 had no boost, and he dropped out after the rolling start. Meanwhile Justin Law’s XJR-12 broke its front splitter and was forced to retire well into the race.
Class winners were Martyn Konig’s Porsche 956B, Mike Jankowski’s Spice Ford SE88C and John Pearson’s Ecosse-Ford C285.
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