Local Race Ace, Ross Wylie, from Thornhill near Dumfries, heads to the penultimate Porsche Carrera Cup GB event of the season next month still second in the Pro-Am class championship standings after enduring mixed fortunes in the latest races (27 Aug).
For the fifth time from six races, Wylie started his Glenturret Porsche 911 from the front row of the Pro-Am category, denied a second consecutive pole-position in the closing stages when he was baulked at the last corner of Donington Park’s 2.5-mile Grand Prix circuit.
Having made a good start, making up a place, Ross was unceremoniously hit up the rear halfway around the opening lap, ending his race on the spot. Team Redline Racing mechanics did well to repair the damage allowing Wylie to line-up 22nd on the 22-car grid later in the day.
Remarkably, Ross catapulted himself up the leaderboard, incredibly making up 11 places and into third in class with three-laps remaining despite the opening two-laps being neutralised behind the Safety Car. But fluid on the track at the final corner caused Ross to “lock-up’ and run wide, costing two places. At the chequered flag following 19-laps, Wylie missed out on his sixth Pro-Am podium of the season by a mere 0.353secs finishing fourth, dicing for ninth overall, having also set the class fastest lap.
Prior to his next Porsche Carrera Cup GB commitment at Silverstone over 23-24 September, Ross contests GT Cup races at Donington on 16-17 September. 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:
“Snatching the Pro-Am title is going to be a challenge as I’m now 23-points behind the leader but with four races remaining, there’s over 40pts still up for grabs so I’ll be pushing hard to the very last lap of the final race.“It would have been really nice to snatch a podium in Race 2 having started from the very back of the grid but all things considered, it wasn’t a bad recovery. I had a car spin in front of me so lost momentum then got into third [in class] late on but had a lock-up when I hit fluid on the track and sailed past the corner, losing places, and critically third in Pro-Am.
“Getting hit up the rear on the opening lap of Race 1 was very frustrating which caused me to start from the back of the grid in the second race. I was in a good position, had made up a place, car felt great, and I felt confident. I was four lengths in front of a car behind but that car was hit by another pushing the car behind into me. Disaster. It marked my first non-finish in what was the 11th race of the season.”
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