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Sutton and Hankey

Race report

Sutton and Hankey
Tim Harvey (Nationwide/Motorbase)
Stephen Jelley (Parker with Juta)
George Brewster (Celtic Speed)
James Sutton
Tommy Dreelan (Celtic Speed)
Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, 1 May 20, Race report
Sutton takes double win at Thruxton

James Sutton completed a perfect weekend in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Thruxton today (Sunday 1 May) when he won round six to take a 19-point lead into the five-week spring break in the calendar.

In another action-packed race, Jonas Gelzinis completed a double win in Pro-Am1, while George Brewster won Pro-Am2 with a commanding drive.

Sutton (SAS/Redline) again converted pole position into a first lap lead despite pressure from Euan Hankey (Parker with Juta). In the early laps, this pair eased away from the chasing pack as Stephen Jelley (Parker with Juta) slotted into third from Gelzinis (Juta Racing), Tim Harvey (Nationwide/Motorbase) and Michael Meadows (SAS/Redline).

Over the first half of the race Hankey tracked Sutton, but as the race moved into the later stages, Hankey knew he was in tyre trouble. “The rear tyres just went away,” he said of the punishing Thruxton track surface. “Then I had a big moment with a backmarker at Goodwood and lost two seconds in one lap.” Instead of chasing Sutton, Hankey now had to focus his attention on Jelley, who was closing in.

Meanwhile, Sutton reeled off the remaining laps to complete a double win and extend his early points’ lead. “Over the course of the weekend I was really starting to find the limit of the car,” he said of the latest 450bhp 911GT3 Cup. “I’m very, very pleased with the weekend.”

The battle for second was a real highlight as Hankey and Jelley went wheel-to-wheel in a sporting contest. It was finally resolved in Jelley’s favour at the chicane with a lap to run. “Euan covered the inside so there was only one place to go,” said Jelley after diving to the outside under braking. Hankey left his braking very late, but had to leap his car over the chicane kerbs as Jelley grabbed the place. “The car was really consistent all the way through,” said Jelley, which contrasted with his team mate’s experience. “It was really strong at the start but later I had massive oversteer. I salvaged something!”

Meadows battled ahead of Harvey and Gelzinis to take a strong fourth, while Gelzinis was pleased to secure another Pro-Am1 victory in fifth place ahead of Harvey and Michael Caine (Nationwide/Motorbase).

In the early laps, Rory Butcher (Celtic Speed) chased Harvey with good pace, but a spin into the chicane dropped him behind the battling pack of Team Parker Racing’s Richard Plant and Sam Tordoff and Ben Hetherington (Redline/Oman Air). Butcher still recovered to take second in Pro-Am1 and complete an excellent weekend at the challenging Hampshire track. “I’ve made a big step forward with the car this weekend,” said Butcher. Ahmad Al Harthy (Redline/Oman Air) wrapped up the Pro-Am2 podium.

Brewster (Celtic Speed) always controlled Pro-Am2, with Andrew Shelley (Redline Racing) and Steve Parish (Motorbase Performance) delayed in a first corner tangle. While Brewster led from the front, Keith Webster (Redline Racing) ran second from Richard Denny (Parr Motorsport). That was how it finished, but Denny had to contend with a strong challenge from the recovering Shelley over the closing stages.



All reports on the previous season can be found in our archive.