Porsche Carrera Cup GB

Faultless Harper takes Porsche Carrera Cup GB round seven victory at Oulton Park

2 Mins read
Porsche Carrera Cup GB - Oulton Park - Round 7
Credit: Porsche / Dan Bathie

Dan Harper put in another dominant display to win round seven of the 2019 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Oulton Park while Karl Leonard and Peter Kyle-Henney took the Pro-Am and Am class honours.

With a season of uncertain weather conditions it was a warm start to the weekend for the one-make series drivers as they were faced with a track temperature of 41°C.

Dan Harper lined up on the pole position spot in his JTR Porsche after finishing 0.355 seconds faster than that the Amigos Redline Racing car of George Gamble. Championship frontrunner Lewis Plato started from third place alongside rookie Tom Roche who had put in an impressive lap to start the race from fourth place.

As the lights went green it was a great start from Harper, who was followed by Plato and Gamble in to the first corner with Tom Roche and Josh Webster battling closely behind after finding a way around returnee Tom Wrigley.

In the Pro-Am class, championship leader Karl Leonard and rookie Jack McCarthy got the jump on pole sitter Esmee Hawkey to lead the way, whilst in Am class it was Peter Kyle-Henney leading the way ahead of John Ferguson as championship leader Justin Sherwood lost ground.

Karl Leonard - Porsche Carrera Cup GB - Oulton Park - Round 7
Credit: Porsche / Dan Bathie

On the second lap series returnee Will Bratt left the circuit at Old Hall Corner spinning to a halt as he tapped the barriers, the former BTCC racer returned to the circuit to battle his way through the field again.

On lap three Harper was already starting to pull away at front, with a gap of six-tenths of a second ahead of Gamble; Plato and Gamble were sticking together and despite losing time on Harper, were pulling away from fourth place Tom Roche.

As the race progresses Josh Webster was still looking for a way around the series rookie Roche, who was doing an impressive job of holding off the 2014 champion. On lap twelve Webster mounted a challenge and briefly passed Roche, only to lose out before the end of the lap.

Meanwhile in Pro-Am it was Leonard, Hawkey and McCarthy battling for tenth overall, covered by 0.765 seconds. On lap fourteen McCarthy made a move on Hawkey, tapping the GT Marques driver in to a spin at Old Hall Corner; McCarthy would find himself in the gravel at the next corner as he went straight on at Cascades after sustaining damage in the coming together; Hawkey would return to circuit but frustratingly at the back of the field.

Back at the front Harper, Plato and Gamble were leading the race comfortably; Roche was still hanging on to fourth place and on the final lap Webster made a run up the outside at Island Bend. The two drivers briefly came together in the braking zone, leaving the former champion out on the grass of the hairpin bend. Webster would rejoin the circuit but dropped from fifth to ninth as the train of cars passed by.

Harper would march on to take victory, keeping his 100% record of winning the opening race of the weekend so far this season, Plato crossed the line 3.307 seconds down to the winner, while Gamble settled for third place, a further seven seconds behind.

Porsche Carrera Cup GB - Oulton Park - Round 7
Credit: Porsche / Dan Bathie

In the Pro-Am class championship leader Leonard secured victory ahead of series debutant Adam Hatfield and the recovering Hawkey. For his part in the accident with Hawkey, McCarthy was handed a formal reprimand, losing two points in the process.

Peter Kyle-Henney won the Am class ahead of John Ferguson and a struggling Justin Sherwood, Kyle-Henney was lucky to finish the race as he experienced problems on the slowing down lap after the chequered flag, limping back to the pits.

On the podium Harper selected the number 5 ball at random, meaning for round eight the grid will see Jamie Orton start from pole position ahead of Tom Roche, George Gamble, Lewis Plato and Dan Harper.

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Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Checkered Flag who grew up visiting race circuits around the UK also a freelance motorsport PR officer. Outside of motorsport a lover of music, photography, NBA and NFL.
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