BRUISED & BATTERED WYLIE RECOVERS FROM ADVERSITY ON “HOME SOIL”

Ross just misses out on top-10 results

Ross Wylie bounced back from adversity to record two 11th place finishes in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB despite the Dumfries ace suffering scary barrel rolls in testing leading up to the event on “home soil” last weekend (30-31 Jul).

Wylie, from Thornhill, and supported by Dumfriesshire sponsors, PyroDry and Carronbridge Sawmills, was unceremoniously hit up the rear, sending his Toro Verde GT entered Porsche into a series of terrifying rolls in official testing at Knockhill on Friday.

Ross thankfully only shaken, battered and bruised, and totally blameless for the incident, switched to Parker Racing’s “spare” Porsche as the Toro Verde car was wrecked in the avoidable incident.

Wylie took to the track in the loaned 911 for the very first time in Saturday’s qualifying time trials in which Ross was creditably went 13th quickest. In Race 1, he did well to avoid a start-line accident and completed the opening lap placed an impressive ninth, the race red-flagged due to the wrecked cars on the grid. In the re-started race which Ross unfortunately had to begin from his original grid position, he finished 11th – a position he repeated in Race 2.

Wylie’s first ever visit to Knockhill was in 2003, as a 12-year-old, to watch British SuperBikes before spectating at a British Touring Car Championship event there a few years later. His first race at Knockhill was in 2012 (Celtic Speed Mini Cooper Cup) when he was supported by Thornhill-based Peter Gronbjerg who last weekend, sponsored Ross through his PyroDry company. In 2017 (Porsche Carrera Cup), Ross achieved a class podium before achieving third place overall three years later.

Ross Wylie (GB):
Age 30. Born & Lives Thornhill nr Dumfries, Scotland:

“After what happened on Friday, it was just a relief to be racing and take the chequered flag in both races. We’d got a lot of partners, prospects and guests in attendance, the majority from around Scotland, but with some coming from as far away as Denmark.

“The 30-minute qualifying session was the first time I’d driven the loaned Porsche but there were stoppages and Yellow Flag incidents which made it stop-start and therefore restricted my ‘push’ laps.

“Qualifying is critical in this one-make series as it’s so difficult to overtake combined with the nature of the Knockhill circuit when you start outside the top-six. Nevertheless it was enjoyable even if I felt a little battered and bruised. I was also indebted to Peter [Gronbjerg] who celebrated his 10th year of supporting me at Knockhill.”