Flying Scotsman claims fourth Pro-Am class victory of season & first at Knockhill
Thornhill’s Ross Wylie scored a commanding Porsche Carrera Cup GB Pro-Am class victory on “home” soil when the series made its annual visit to Knockhill (12-13 Aug), a result combined with fifth place in the second race, strengthening his second-place in the series.
The event marked only the fifth year in the Dumfries & Galloway ace’s varied 20-year motor racing career he had raced at Knockhill but Wylie was in magnificent form from the outset in the Glenturret Porsche 911 that also featured support from Glasgow-based Tunnock’s for the first time plus AL-2 Teknik UK, PyroDry and Carronbridge Sawmill, all three from Ross’s hometown of Thornhill.
He recorded a brilliant maiden Pro-Am class pole-position in qualifying, an impressive third row start on the 23-car grid – his best overall start position of the season. Ross followed that up with a comfortable, well-managed three-seconds class win, eighth overall, in the 32-lap race having previously achieved second (2017) and third (2020) placings in the one-make series at the Fife venue.
A heavy rain shower just prior to Race 2 prompted competitors to switch to “wet” treaded tyres with Ross leading his class until almost one-third distance. But his last-minute gamble to change the car’s set-up in anticipation it would continue raining and not dry, caused Wylie to drop back to an eventual fifth – less than two-seconds off scoring his sixth podium from 10 race starts this season.
Ross contests GT Cup races at Donington Park over 16-17 September prior to the next rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB series at Silverstone the following weekend. Wylie leads the GT Cup Championship outright by 38.5 points and heads the GTO class by a commanding 111.5pts.
Ross Wylie (GB):
Age 31. Born & Lives Thornhill nr Dumfries, Scotland:
“It was great to finally record a Porsche win at Knockhill. I first raced at Knockhill in 2012, racing Minis, and became the Knockhill Young Saloon Car Driver of the Year having won a couple of races there – my last victories at Knockhill until this weekend.
“I feel proud to be flying the flag for Scotland with ‘home’ sponsors like The Glenturret, Tunnock’s, AL-2 Teknik UK, PyroDry and Carronbridge Sawmill and it was especially nice to have success at Knockhill as we had guests present from each of those companies.
“Unfortunately I made the wrong call for Race 2, guessing the rain would intensify and not stop and dry up – I guess being a Scotsman I should have known better! But a good, enjoyable weekend nevertheless.”
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