Porsche Carrera Cup GB

Eastwood Does the Double as Plato/Oliphant Dice Thrills

3 Mins read
Credit: Dan Bathie

Redline Racing’s Porsche Scholar Charlie Eastwood leaves Donington Park leading the Porsche Carrera Cup GB for the first time in his still short GT racing career, after a complete performance secured him a Donington double on Sunday afternoon.

The second Porsche encounter of the weekend was pushed back and shortened due to a British Formula 4 accident involving Billy Monger and Patrik Pasma earlier in the afternoon. Full story here.

When the action did get underway, Eastwood pulled a slight margin over the chasing pack. Lewis Plato and Dino Zamparelli, JTR team-mates no less, fought firmly into Redgate from the standing start and their battling allowed the opportunistic Tom Oliphant (Redline) to steal third from the latter on the run down the Craner Curves.

So began an enthralling battle between Plato and Oliphant for the runners-up honours. Oliphant stole the position at the culmination of lap two yet by Redgate on lap three, but a corner later, Plato was able to snatch the position back.

An error at Coppice corner by Plato then allowed Oliphant ahead once more, and this seemed to be the culmination of some hard but fair dicing. Behind Zamparelli was valiantly fending off his impressive stable-mate Tio Ellinas.

Dan Cammish (Redline Racing) wasted little time in moving his way through the Pro-Am1 and Pro-Am2 ranks, after four laps he was tenth and tailing the Pro contingent he traditionally finds himself leading.

Half-way into the race and he was ahead of Euan Mckay (Redline) and into the top half-dozen competitors. One lap after deposing the Scottish youngster for sixth, Cammish pulled a similar move on Cypriot Tio Ellinas at Redgate to climb into the top five. Ellinas and McKay ended the encounter fifth and seventh respectively.

Our two narratives here merge, as Oliphant fell back into the clutches of Plato. This thus allowed Zamparelli and Cammish to close in. Plato confirmed Redgate as the Porsche pick for overtaking at Donington Park, stealing second back from the struggling Oliphant. As the latter tried to fight back he found himself pushed wide and behind Zamparelli and Cammish, ultimately falling to sixth. Zamparelli then continued to fight to retain his podium, which he managed successfully. Cammish’s charge from twentieth finished in a highly creditable fourth. Plato’s second made it a two-thirds JTR podium. Yet the man stood at the top, of both the rostrum and the points table, was Redline mounted Charlie Eastwood.

The action wasn’t limited to the Pro order though, as Cammish witnessed on his journey through the field. Alex Martin (Team Parker Racing) made amends for his Saturday drama by claiming the Pro-Am1 win, Peter Jennings (G-Cat Racing) unable to capitalise as he had a day previously. Justin Sherwood rounded out the PA1 podium for Team Parker, two thirds from two races.

In Pro-Am2 it was Peter Kyle-Henney (In2Racing) who once more secured the class victory, Shamus Jennings (G-Cat Racing) making second position in the classes a family affair with Rupert Martin claiming his second Pro-Am2 podium in a season where he continues to show much improved consistency for Team Parker Racing. Late drama was provided by Peter Parsons (The Car Loan Centre) and Ian Dockerill (Asset Advantage Racing), who clashed at Redgate in the dying laps, both retiring following this incident.

From Donington the Carrera Cup GB club moves to Oulton Park, with over two months until the next chapter in an enthralling tale so far. Charlie Eastwood has firmly announced his championship intentions with a Donington double, but a trouble-free Dan Cammish has the potential to be devastating in Cheshire. Also factor in the improving Lewis Plato, in-fact the entire JTR stable, along with In2Racing and Tom Wrigley who showed their potential in the opening race, as well as SlideSports and Ross Wylie who continue to adapt to their new surroundings and you have the potential for a thrilling showdown. Cliché alert: It is wide-open.

Full results from the second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and TOCA support meeting can be found here.

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