Ross Wylie was one of the stars of the seventh and eighth rounds of the 2013 APR Volkswagen Racing Cup at Snetterton, coming away with a win and a second place having being cruelly denied a double taste of glory.
The Scottish youngster from Thornhill secured his maiden pole position in his still rookie season in the drying Saturday qualifying session at the 300 circuit, snatching the top spot after the chequered flag to beat Phil House in what had been an entertaining back and forth dice between the Scirocco pair.
The pair’s duel transferred into the following day’s opening race, Slidesports‘ Wylie making a good start before proceeding to keep House at bay by only as much as a few car lengths throughout the 10-lapper. The former double champion could not quite get close enough to usurp the leader it seemed, but as the pair reached the final corner of the final lap, heartbreak struck Wylie as his car slowed through Murrays having run out of fuel.
House therefore powered by to seal the win from under his rival’s nose, but the Scot made amends for the disappointment in race two, helped by a mega start from fifth up to second place, before passing race leader Martin Depper‘s similar Scirocco R with a well-judged dummy overtaking move into Riches on lap two. Wylie then lost the lead to points leader Aaron Mason later in the race, but was soon gifted back his second victory of the year when Mason spun out of the lead at Murrays.
Wylie now lies second in the championship, 18 points behind rival Mason, although there remains question marks over whether he will compete in the full calendar due to his commitments in the European Scirocco-R Cup.
On his Snetterton success, Wylie said: “It was almost a perfect weekend – pole, a win and a second! Qualifying had been difficult due to changeable weather conditions and in race one I was holding the gap to House before disaster struck. My VW had 6-litres fuel remaining causing it to surge and kill the engine – my worst nightmare.
“But then in race two, I moved up from fifth to second by the first corner and then enjoyed an awesome switch back move into the lead at Turn One on the second lap. I lost the lead four laps later but kept the pressure on the leader forcing him into a spin before controlling the race to the chequered flag.”
“Both of my parents have sacrificed so much to allow me to go karting throughout Europe, then Mini racing and now racing VWs in the UK and Germany,” he added. “They’ve both encouraged and supported me but obviously it has been my Dad who has steered me in the right and proper direction in terms of my racing career and so it only right I dedicate these latest results to him.”