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Porsche Carrera Cup GB 2011 Race 10 & 11 Snetterton

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Snetterton next for Porsche Carrera Cup GB

Three drivers covered by 11 points and with 10 races to run; the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB is wide open as the second half of the season kicks off at Snetterton over the weekend of 6/7 August.

The biggest grid of the season will line up for two races on the new Snetterton 300 circuit and with a field of 26 450bhp 911 GT3 Cup cars in the field, the pair of Carrera Cup races will be real thrillers.

It has been six weeks since the ninth round of the Carrera Cup GB, an incredible race within the Porsche Carrera World Cup on the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Now, it's back to more familiar surroundings for the start of a 10-race burst over the next two and a half months.

Coming to the newly re-developed Snetterton, James Sutton (SAS/Redline) has the title lead despite a torrid time in Germany when he slid off on the opening lap of the race in treacherous conditions. Second place among the British contingent at the Nurburgring for Stephen Jelley (Parker with Juta) gave him the chance to close down Sutton's lead and the margin is now just seven points. The weekend offers 44 points, so it is very close. But then Michael Meadows (SAS/Redline) is only four points down on Jelley and is ready to win again is what is proving to be a cracking season for Meadows.

Of course, it is premature to see this as a three-horse race and, despite a massive accident at the Nurburgring, Euan Hankey (Parker with Juta) is still well in contention. Meanwhile, rising stars like Sam Tordoff (Team Parker Racing), Richard Plant (Team Parker Racing) and Ben Hetherington (Oman Air/Redline) are all chasing a place on the podium. Local ace Michael Caine (Nationwide/Motorbase) is ready to win again after a trying start to the season. His season turned a real corner at Oulton Park when he challenged Sutton, Jelley and Meadows and there is nowhere better for the Newmarket racer to score his first win of 2011 than here at his home track. Joining Caine in the Motorbase squad is series newcomer Kieran Vernon.

New on the grid this weekend will be reigning Australian Formula 3 champion Ben Barker (Parr Motorsport). The 20-year old, originally from Cambridge, is racing in the Australian Carrera Cup this season and is taking advantage of a gap in the Australian calendar to sample the Carrera Cup GB.

In Pro-Am1, Lithuanian racer Jonas Gelzinis (Juta Racing) has a handy lead over Rory Butcher (Celtic Speed) and Ahmad Al Harthy (Oman Air/Redline). Al Harthy has gone well in recent testing at Snetterton, while Butcher was awesome on a wet track at Oulton Park and the Nurburgring. However, with a 34-point lead, Gelzinis will be very hard to catch. Dextra/JD Pierce by Parker team mates Derek Pierce and Alex Martin both had great races in Germany and will be keen to carry that form forward to Snetterton. New in Pro-Am1 this weekend will be Freddy Nordstrom with GT Marques.

The Pro-Am2 contest is wide open as Andrew Shelley (Redline Racing) has a small margin over George Brewster (Celtic Speed), Keith Webster (Redline Racing) and Richard Denny (Parr Motorsport). Only 16 points cover the top four right now, so it is all to play for and Steve Parish (Motorbase Performance) is also likely to be right in thick of another pair of entertaining Pro-Am2 battles.

Round ten will start at 09.00 on Sunday, with round eleven at 15.25. Round eleven will be broadcast live on ITV4 during the extensive BTCC programme, which starts at 11.00 on Sunday.
 

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Meadows and Jelley take Carrera Cup GB poles at Snetterton

Michael Meadows and Stephen Jelley shared the pole positions in qualifying for the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Snetterton today (Saturday, 6 August) ahead of rounds 10 and 11 of the championship.

In an incredibly close session, Meadows pipped Jelley by twenty-eight hundredths of a second for round 10, but Jelley turned the tables by just over a tenth of a second on the grid for round 11. In Pro-Am1, Jonas Gelzinis took a double pole, while series returnee Yucel Ozbek took pole in Pro-Am2 for both races.

The level of competition in the Carrera Cup this season was amply demonstrated in the grid for round 10, with the top 13 cars of the 25-car field covered by less than a second. On the grid for round 11, less than a second spilt the top 12 cars.

It was a great session for Meadows (SAS/Redline) and Jelley (Parker with Juta), who both earned a point for pole position. That allowed Jelley to narrow the gap to championship leader James Sutton (SAS/Redline) to just six points. Sutton's woes were compounded by a troubled session that left him ninth and sixth for the two races. 'Everyone was expecting more grip but the car felt nothing like it did in testing," said Meadows as the times were slower than the previous day. 'The track was dirty, but it was the same for everyone," he added. Jelley was delighted to bounce back after a poor day on Friday. 'Fantastic! We put a lot of work in last night and it paid off," he said.

For championship leader Sutton, it was a bad day at office and leaves him with a lot of work to do in the opening race, which starts at 9am on Sunday morning. 'I just didn't go as quick on the second set of tyres," he said. 'The tyres just didn't want to connect to the road."

Third for both races was a tremendous result for Richard Plant (Team Parker Racing) and marked his best qualifying performance so far. 'I'm really happy to get that far up in my first season," said Plant. 'We're all new to the track and so it's good to be at the front." Just as impressive was series newcomer Ben Barker (Parr Motorsport) who was fourth fastest for both races ahead of his Carrera Cup GB debut. 'I didn't really know where we'd be and so I was aiming for the top six. P4 is good and now the podium is the target," said the Australia-based British racer.

Behind Pro-Am1 leader Gelzinis (Juta Racing) were more strong runners, headed by Carrera Cup Scholarship winner Ben Hetherington (Oman Air/Redline) who turned in a great performance to head Euan Hankey (Parker with Juta) and Michael Caine (Nationwide/Motorbase). Hankey jumped up to fifth on the grid for the second race.

Gelzinis underlined his status as the man to beat in Pro-Am1 and has a cushion of six Pro drivers between him and his closest category rivals on the grid for round 10. 'There was a lot of traffic and it was very difficult," said Gelzinis. Behind the Lithuanian driver, Ahmad Al Harthy (Oman Air/Redline) and Rory Butcher (Celtic Speed) each took a second place, while Derek Butcher (Dextra/JD Pierce by Parker) took two third slots. Pierce underlined just how competitive it is in the Carrera Cup pack. 'Nine-tenths of a second off pole on a three-mile circuit; you can't be disappointed even in 13th place overall," he said.

Ozbek (Redline Racing) ran strongly to top Pro-Am2 for both races. 'It was okay," said the Turkish racer. 'I was hoping to improve more, but the track was slower than yesterday." Behind Ozbek, Keith Webster (Redline Racing) and George Brewster (Celtic Speed) shared second and third places. 'I flat spotted a front tyre on the first set and then spun on the second set," said Webster. 'I decided to go into the pits and save some tyres for the races."
 

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Jelley wins Carrera Cup GB round 10 at Snetterton

Stephen Jelley scored a hugely important victory in a superb round 10 of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Snetterton today (Sunday, 7 August). After 14 laps of the Snetterton 300 circuit, little more than two seconds split the top five cars and victory for Jelley put him to the head of the title race.

Michael Meadows and impressive championship newcomer Ben Barker completed the overall podium, while the action continued all the way down the 25-car field. Jonas Gelzinis took Pro-Am1 as a fierce battle raged over second place, while Keith Webster beat George Brewster by less than half a second in Pro-Am2 after both had spins.

The 25-car field of 450bhp 911 GT3 Cup cars made a fabulous sight on the Snetterton grid and it was Meadows (SAS/Redline) who led the pack away from pole. However, into Agostini's on the opening lap, Jelley (Parker with Juta) spotted a gap and dived ahead. 'He left the door open and I went for it," said Jelley. 'I was a bit hesitant on the brakes," said Meadows. Ben Hetherington (Oman Air/Redline) burst through to third place off the grid, but was adjudged to have jumped the start and had to take a drive through penalty.

As Jelley and Meadows settled into a rhythm at the head of the field, it was Barker (Parr Motorsport) who was on the move and, from sixth on the opening lap, he passed Richard Plant (Team Parker Racing) and Euan Hankey (Parker with Juta) to take third as Hetherington took his penalty. Once clear in third, Barker set about closing the gap to the leaders and set the fastest lap of the race as he reeled in Jelley and Meadows. With five laps to run, Barker made it a three-car contest for the lead and his arrival on Meadows' tail gave Jelley a slight breathing space.

Then, into the closing laps, Plant and Hankey closed in as well to make a five-car train at the head of the race. Despite race-long pressure from Meadows, Jelley drove a superbly controlled race to take his third win of the season as well as the championship lead. 'It was never comfortable and I thought that Ben Barker coming up might be a good thing for me," said Jelley. 'This could be an important weekend for the championship."

Meadows held firm in second, while Barker starred with his drive to third place in such a competitive field. 'I didn't want to take any big risks," said Barker. 'The podium was good for me and I had a great car from Parr." Plant had a fine run to fourth to match his best result of the season, while Hankey was right on his tail in fifth. Pro-Am1 winner Gelzinis (Juta Racing) was sixth overall ahead of former championship leader James Sutton (SAS/Redline) who just didn't have the pace to make up any places.

Gelzinis was away and clear in Pro-Am1 and had to fend off Sutton in the early laps. 'It was a bit difficult when Sutton was behind me but I managed to pull away," said the Lithuanian racer. The battle for second and third in Pro-Am1 was far less settled, however, and a fierce contest raged between Derek Pierce (Dextra/JD Pierce by Parker), Ahmad Al Harthy (Oman Air/Redline), Rory Butcher (Celtic Speed) and Freddy Nordstrom (GT Marques). Eventually, Al Harthy spun at Riches after contact with Martin and Pierce spun on the infield after a clash with Butcher and it was Martin who took second from Butcher as Daniele Perfetti (Motorbase Performance) took fourth from the recovering Pierce.

Pro-Am2 also delivered some drama as Yucel Ozbek (Redline Racing) Webster (Redline Racing) and Brewster (Celtic Speed) all had turns in the lead and all had spins. Eventually, Webster got ahead but it was close as Brewster fought back for second after a spin at Agostini's and with Ozbek also spinning down the order it was Richard Denny (Parr Motorsport) who took the final podium place. 'Ozbek pulled off a brilliant move on me and then threw it off at the next corner," said Webster. 'The whole thing hinged on two mistakes; one by Keith and one by me," said Brewster. 'It was fantastic racing!"
 

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Jelley does Carrera Cup GB double at Snetterton

Stephen Jelley made it a perfect weekend in East Anglia when he won round 11 of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Snetterton today (Sunday, 7 August) to make it a double victory in a very important weekend for his title bid.

Michael Meadows again chased Jelley home as they both moved ahead of erstwhile championship leader James Sutton, and Jelley now has an 11-point lead in the table. Jonas Gelzinis doubled up in Pro-Am1, while Pro-Am2 was only decided at the final corner when Keith Webster dived ahead of Yucel Ozbek.

Jelley (Parker with Juta) jumped ahead from pole position and controlled the race from the front while under pressure from Meadows (SAS/Redline). After an early safety car period Meadows mounted a concerted attack, but Jelley was able to match his rival and then edge clear over the second half of the race. 'We seemed to have the leg after the first quarter of the race," said Jelley. 'To outscore Michael Meadows and James Sutton is what we wanted." Meadows chased Jelley to the flag but was fortunate to make the finish in second as a slow rear puncture struck with four laps to run.

Into a first Carrera Cup podium finish came Richard Plant (Team Parker Racing) after spending the entire race containing the challenge of Sutton (SAS/Redline). It was 15 laps of pressure for Plant, but he was equal to the task and was delighted with his best Carrera Cup result to date. 'To be at the front with the big guys was great, but that was hard work," said Plant. For Sutton it was a case of damage limitation during a trying weekend when he did not quite have the pace to challenge for victory.

Right behind Plant and Sutton were Ben Barker (Parr Motorsport) and Euan Hankey (Parker with Juta) in a fast-moving train of cars that also included Gelzinis (Juta Racing), Ben Hetherington (Oman Air/Redline) and Sam Tordoff (Team Parker Racing). Barker's excellent pace helped earn the 'team of the weekend' award for Parr Motorsport.

Gelzinis extended his Pro-Am1 advantage with his second category win of the weekend. 'I tried to fight with Euan and that stressed the tyres a little bit," said Gelzinis. 'It was very hard to control the car later in the race." Over the first half of the race, a tremendous battle raged over second place in Pro-Am1 as Derek Pierce (Dextra/JD Pierce by Parker) headed Rory Butcher (Celtic Speed), Ahmad Al Harthy (Oman Air/Redline), Alex Martin (Dextra/JD Pierce by Parker) and Freddy Nordstrom (GT Marques). Pierce defended resolutely for several laps before Butcher edged ahead at Agostini's hairpin. Once ahead, Butcher pulled quickly away for a secure second in Pro-Am1. 'It was another really hard fight with Derek," said Butcher. Despite constant pressure from Martin, Pierce completed the Pro-Am1 podium. 'It's been a hard day," said Pierce.

The Pro-Am2 contest ran right to the very last corner of the race as Webster mounted a relentless chase of his Redline Racing team mate Ozbek. Then, as they braked for Murray's for the last time, Webster scythed ahead in a spectacular move to take victory and help earn the 'driver of the weekend' award. 'The Bomb Hole was the one place I was quicker and that set up the move," said Webster. 'That's the best I've driven all weekend," he added. Ozbek salvaged second place while Steve Parish (Motorbase Performance) recovered to take third after George Brewster (Celtic Speed) hit alternator problems early in the race.
 

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