ADVANTAGE HARPER AS PORSCHE JUNIOR HEADS CARRERA CUP GB CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS AT OULTON PARK

Championship leader 18-year-old Porsche GB 2018 / 2019 Junior Dan Harper (JTR) set the fastest time in both Friday practice sessions at Oulton Park. Chasing the pacesetter – in championship order – were Lewis Plato (Motorbase Performance) and Josh Webster (Team Parker Racing) who ended the day P2 and P3 respectively.

Adding further excitement to both of the sessions was the return of Tom Wrigley (Rob Boston Racing). Third overall in 2018 and a multiple race winner, Wrigley secured a dominant pole position and victory at Oulton Park last season. He finished the first day of his return an impressive P4 in the combined times. A second dimension was provided by the return of Will Bratt (IN2 Racing) who ended the day P6 overall. Bratt is joined in the Pro category at Oulton Park by former Pro-Am category race winner Jamie Orton (JTR) – Orton resumes a Pro category campaign for the first time since 2017.

Pro-Am category newcomer Adam Hatfield (Valluga Racing) joins the Porsche Carrera Cup GB having spent time racing in the British GT Championship and on the TOCA package. Hatfield registered the second fastest Pro-Am category time on Friday, Esmee Hawkey (GT Marques) ending the day 0.274 secs ahead, with Rookie Jack McCarthy (Redline Racing) in P3. Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing), overall winner of round six at Croft, placed fourth in category. Of the Am category drivers, Peter Kyle-Henney (IN2 Racing) topped the category from rivals Justin Sherwood (Team Parker Racing) and Rookie John Ferguson (Redline Racing).

With a Pro category now numbering ten drivers, all eyes will be on tomorrow’s fight for pole position around Oulton Park’s fast 2.26-mile Island Circuit.

Session 1 – 09:50 to 10:35
Track temperature: 28.8 degrees

The first drivers taking to the track in each category were Dan Vaughan (Motorbase Performance) – Pro, Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing) – Pro-Am, and Justin Sherwood (Team Parker Racing) – Am
In warm and dry conditions the 17 drivers gradually built speed, Lewis Plato (Motorbase Performance) was the early pacesetter registering a lap time of 1:23.334s
18-year-old Porsche GB 2018 / 2019 Junior Dan Harper (JTR) went fastest with 33 minutes of the session remaining
Championship challenger Josh Webster (Team Parker Racing) occupied second spot overall with returnee Tom Wrigley (Rob Boston Racing) immediately on the pace in P3
Leonard led Pro-Am from Esmee Hawkey (GT Marques) and newcomer Adam Hatfield (Valluga Racing)
The Am category was headed by Sherwood from Rookie John Ferguson (Redline Racing) and Peter Kyle-Henney (IN2 Racing)
With 20 minutes of the session remaining, Pro category returnee Will Bratt (IN2 Racing) improved to sit P8 overall
Hawkey improved to P1 in Pro-Am – P6 overall – posting a time 0.043secs ahead of Rookie Jack McCarthy (Redline Racing)
With 5 minutes of the session remaining, George Gamble (Amigos Redline Racing) moved into P3 overall, his time 0.122secs off that of Junior Harper in P1
When the flag fell Hatfield in P15 and Kyle-Henney in P16 (overall) had completed the highest number of laps – 25
Pro: Harper, Webster (+0.037), Plato (+0.050)
Pro-Am: Hawkey, Leonard (+0.017), McCarthy (+0.326)
Am: Sherwood, Kyle-Henney (+0.231), Ferguson (+0.359)

Session 2 – 13:10 to 13:55
Track temperature: 45.4 degrees
Hot and sunny conditions welcomed 16 cars to the track for the start of Free Practice 2
The first drivers taking to the track in each category were 18-year-old Porsche GB 2018 / 2019 Junior Dan Harper (JTR) – Pro, Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing) – Pro-Am, and John Ferguson (Redline Racing) – Am
Early on, Junior Harper, Lewis Plato (Motorbase Performance), Josh Webster (Team Parker Racing) and returnee Tom Wrigley (Rob Boston Racing) occupied the top four positions on the timesheet
Leonard set the initial Pro-Am category pace from Esmee Hawkey (GT Marques) and newcomer Adam Hatfield (Valluga Racing)
Two runners battled for top honours in Am due to Justin Sherwood not taking part in the session – Peter Kyle-Henney (IN2 Racing) led John Ferguson (Redline Racing)
Plato set the fastest time overall with just over 30 minutes of the session remaining – 1:22.958s
Returnee Will Bratt (IN2 Racing) gradually readjusted to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, steadily improving his times to sit P4 overall
With 25 minutes of the session remaining Junior Harper snatched P1 to move 0.606secs ahead of Plato
In Pro-Am Hawkey posted a time good enough for the category lead, P3 overall
Plato, Webster, Wrigley and George Gamble all improved, Webster moving to P2 – his time within 0.069secs of Junior Harper in P1
With 5 minutes of the session remaining Harper improved twice in quick succession posting a best time of 1:21.848s
When the flag fell Hawkey, in P10 overall, had completed the highest number of laps – 26
Pro: Harper, Plato (+0.350), Webster (+0.573)
Pro-Am: Hawkey, Hatfield (+0.274), McCarthy (+0.447)
Am: Kyle-Henney, Ferguson (+0.975)

Qualifying for round seven will take place on Saturday 29 June between 11:00 and 11:30, with drivers fighting for the two points awarded in 2019 for the fastest time posted in each category over the course of the session.

Source. Porsche