Nineteen races, over ten rounds and one man. Those were the statistics that grabbed all of the headlines as we headed into Brands Hatch in March. All belonged to the 2014 Porsche Carrera Cup of Great Britain. That one man was Samsung UHD TV Racing’s Michael Meadows. Two wins validated his position as favourite after said first round, albeit points victories as a somewhat sensible and conservative reigning double champion was inclined not to fight with Parr Motorsport’s guest driver Ben Barker.
Donington Park in April saw a win followed by a spin in the second race. Enter from stage Redline Racing, Josh Webster. A sublime decision to switch tyres in challenging conditions gave the single seater convert a well-deserved victory.
At Thruxton in May the champagne was all Meadows’. In June came a very special meeting at Le Mans. Barker was back and drove blindingly to win the Porsche Cup race that featured a huge entry of over sixty cars. Meanwhile, Webster toppled Meadows and did so again at the following two meetings back on British soil. Croft and the dramas suffered by the Samsung driver in qualifying after an errant tarmac lip severely damaged his Porsche and forced him out of the first encounter has been critical to this narrative. His lack of pace at Snetterton equally so.
Knockhill can be labelled concisely. Meadows wins race one. Meadows wins race two. Silverstone equally so. The Rockingham meeting that split the aforementioned duo was less simple. Michael was victorious in race one and stopped by a fuel pump issue in race two. Step forward In2Racing’s Paul Rees, who deserved a standing ovation for his consummate victory.
Two Races, One meeting, Two Men
Those are the statistics as we head forward into the two races tomorrow, morning and afternoon. A surprise perhaps that Meadows has not dominated. Does not lead the title race going into the final Sunday. Brands Hatch has, this weekend, provided more drama than simply the above. Here is the qualifying story.
Once Upon a Time for Fairy-tale Cammish
Dan Cammish. Anyone who followed the TOCA package even fleetingly in 2013 cannot have forgotten the name. Or, with all due respect, the tedium his dominance brought to Formula Ford encounters. At least it was only the first twenty four races.
Jokes aside last year Cammish silenced all the doubters, leastways those who were willing to admit they were incorrect and showed himself to be a single seater superstar. His brave move into the GT4 classification of British GT this year has been rewarded with somewhat fewer headline grabbing victories. It has been equally as significant in career terms though.
He has stepped into the Porsche guest car being run by Team Parker Racing this weekend. To some surprise, which with hindsight is foolish, in qualifying today he wasn’t just on the pace. Or near pole position. He was on it.
Setting the fastest and then the fastest second fastest lap times (if that is not a contradiction within itself), were the facts that mean he now will view the lighting gantry with an unobstructed view twice tomorrow.
“It is a fantastic result and I am really pleased for the whole team,” was the delighted conclusion from the man himself. Now about that championship…
Webster and Meadows will line-up second and third respectively for both races eighteen and nineteen. The former now holds a six point lead as he looks towards his first ever Porsche title. Forty two points are on offer over both encounters so this is almost certainly a fight to the end.
The Rest: Time for tea in Pro Am1 and Time for a fight in Pro-Am2
Justin Sherwood (Team Parker Racing) has already claimed the Pro-Am1 title at Silverstone. Today at Brands Hatch he claimed both a class second and a class pole position for the final Sunday of the year. He was bested in the former and trailed in the latter by his sparring partner throughout the season Jordan Witt (Redline Racing). George Brewster returns this weekend as a third class runner for Welch Motorsport.
Pro-Am2 is still up for grabs. For two contenders. The scoring system for the class is particularly complicated to explain, with drop scores a factor. Mercifully, the long and the short of the situation couldn’t be simpler. Either Peter Kyle-Henney (Parr Motorsport) or Steven Liquorish (Team Parker Racing) will be crowned champion tomorrow. The victor will be he who takes the greatest share of the twenty two points on offer. Will Goff (In2Racing) is the sole member of the supporting cast.
The Final Piece of the Puzzle
Is Jake Hill. Former Ginetta Junior star and one time BTCC racer. Returning to the Carrera Cup GB after contesting the very first round of the season back in March at Brands Hatch and again racing for In2Racing. Issues in qualifying mean he starts last for both races tomorrow. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more interesting. Thriller won’t cover it.
