Ross Wylie signed off from his inaugural APR Volkswagen Racing Cup season in magnificent style at Donington Park today (Sunday 6 Oct).
The 22-year-old from Thornhill near Dumfries recorded his third race series win before scoring his 10th top-10 placing from 12 race starts.
Wylie started the opening race from pole-position, the Scot’s second “pole” of the season, having claimed the fastest time by a significant 0.550secs on the 32-car grid – his fastest four laps good enough for the No1 spot – and led the shortened race from start to finish.
In the second race around the 2.49-mile track in Leicestershire, Wylie started sixth due to the reverse grid ruling, moved up to third only for a gearbox glitch to drastically affect his pace for a seventh place finish.
“I’d shown strong pace by claiming ‘pole” and winning the opening race and I was really determined for at least another rostrum finish in race two”, remarked Wylie who finishes sixth in the 14-race series despite missing two races.
“But just before mid-distance I couldn’t upshift then the gearbox wouldn’t down shift. Seventh place wasn’t the result I wanted to wrap up the championship with and it was a frustrating end to the UK series.
“I first visited the Donington track in 2008 when I won a test drive in a Formula Renault single-seater but only returned there a couple of weeks ago for a test in preparation for this weekend.
“I have enjoyed my season of racing in the UK and cannot believe how quickly the season has gone. It’s has been a great learning curve and have gained a great deal of experience.
“It’s only my second season in car racing and my first at National level. I’ve learned a lot which hopefully I can put to good use in the future.”
As part of the Motor Sports Association’s Academy programme that Wylie is a member of, Ross visited Prodrive, one of the world’s leading motorsport businesses.
“MSA Academy mentor David Brabham, a former Le Mans 24 Hour race winner and Formula One driver showed us around the facility in Banbury,” said Wylie.
“I was able to talk with chairman David Richards about what Prodrive looks for in a driver having run programmes in motorsport for Aston Martin, Subaru, Ford, Porsche, Honda, BMW and MINI.
“Meanwhile David [Brabham] was quizzing me about the Volkswagen Scirocco I drive in the German series as he’s driving one in Macau next month.”
Wylie now switches his attention to the final round of the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup at Hockenheim in Germany on 20 October. Ross starts the eighth and final round of the series an impressive fifth in the Junior rankings having scored his maiden class triumph last time out at Oschersleben.
“My aim is to finish the season in Germany on a high,” concluded Ross.
(ends)
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* Editorial Copyright Photographs of Ross Wylie from Donington Park attached