Damien Faulkner sensationally wrapped up the 2006 Porsche Carrera Cup GB title with an excellent second place finish in yesterday's race at Brands Hatch. The reigning champion took his Team SAS Porsche to two podium finishes over the weekend to take his second championship crown in a row with two races still to run. Faulkner adds his second Porsche Cup title to his list of championship wins which includes the European Formula Palmer Audi championship and titles in Formula Renault and Formula Ford.

Faulkner started the weekend knowing he could wrap the championship up by picking up just three points more than his title rival Tim Harvey, but in what has been a very competitive season the Donegal man was prepared to bide his time and allow the title to go down to the wire at the final two races at Silverstone in two weeks time, if necessary.

Having been fastest from the start Faulkners run of bad qualifying luck continued as he came in for new tyres later than Harvey and Danny Watts. His rivals used their new rubber to leapfrog the SAS International driver while he sat in the pits, and then as he prepared to use his new set of tyres to take back the top spot the red flags flew, destroying his chances of a pole position start. Faulkner wound up third just 0.03 of a second off pole but satisfied with being close to Harvey and in a position to keep his championship goal in sight.

With the championship at stake and grid positions for Sunday's race to be decided Saturday's event was not one in which Faulkner could afford to take any risks. Overtaking on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit is notoriously difficult and unsurprisingly grid order was maintained in the opening laps with the Irish driver settling in behind Harvey and shadowing him to the flag to pick up another podium finish and a second row start for Sunday's race.

Going in to the weekend's second race Faulkner could have been excused for taking the easy route and counting down the laps to move another race closer to championship victory, but he had already decided he wanted to take the title rather than wait for it to come to him. Putting pressure on Harvey right from the start Faulkner saw his opportunity at the end of lap two and surprised Harvey with a superb lunge up the inside at Clearways to take second place. Harvey tried to do the impossible and hold on around the outside but ran out of road and clipped the back of Faulkner with his right front wheel, losing third place in the process to Faulkners SAS team mate Jason Templeman.

The champion elect headed off after race leader Watts, and caught him within a couple of laps, but was unable to pass and had to settle for second place. Meanwhile Harvey's indiscretion on lap two was to prove to be his downfall as he had sustained a puncture which eventually put him off the track and then into the pits for a tyre change handing the delighted Faulkner the 2006 Carrera Cup crown.

"I'm overwhelmed at the moment" said Faulkner of his championship win. "I Did not expect to win the title today but I am delighted to have won it in style by taking the place from Harvey, which was very satisfying, rather than settling for points over the remaining three races. This will take some time to sink in as not only have I won my second Carrera Cup championship but I have taken them back to back and we have all but tied up the same double for Team Parker SAS in the teams championship. I am delighted for everyone involved. Team Parker have done a fantastic job and given me a competitive car at every event which has helped me to finish on the podium in every race that we finished. Of course none of it would be possible without the support of Eddie McElhinney and the backing he provides through SAS International."

Faulkner went on to praise McElhinney's contribution to his and the teams success saying "Not only does Eddie provide financial support to myself and the team but he also takes time out from his very busy schedule to attend all of the races. He has been an important part of the team and his advice and help with our approach and strategies has been invaluable. It's been brilliant to have him here at every race and I am looking forward to taking the No. 1 SAS International car to the top of the podium at the final two races now that all of the championship pressure has been removed."

Faulkner will complete his triumphant season at Silverstone on October 14th and 15th with the final two races of the season before turning his thoughts to next season and a possible graduation to the Porsche Supercup.