Armstrong and King victorious in Carrera Cup races
JEWISS AND RATCLIFFE ON THE PODIUM, BUT BAD WEEKEND AT SILVERSTONE FOR ARMSTRONG
TEAM Parker Racing claimed two wins in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB as Harry King finished first overall and Justin Armstrong emerged victorious in the Am class.
Kiern Jewiss and Ryan Ratcliffe also achieved podium finishes at Silverstone for the Desford-based outfit.
It was a tougher weekend for Justin Sherwood, however, after the Am class leader, aiming for his third straight title, retired from race one and could not compete in race two – the first time he has not finished first or second this season.
Coming into the weekend, Jewis had his sights set on the overall championship title after taking victory at Croft a week earlier.
He lined up second on the grid for the opening contest, one spot ahead of King, but Ratcliffe struggled in Pro-Am and was only sixth quickest in qualifying.
In the Am class, Sherwood pipped his team-mate Justin Armstrong, with the pair starting second and third respectively.
At the start of the first 28-lap race, it was King who got off the line well and settled into second, while Jewiss dropped back to fourth but quickly regained third with a good pass on Dan Cammish on the run to Becketts.
Ratcliffe claimed a spot in ProAm, Sherwood remained second in Am, but Armstrong, having claimed the class lead, went off at Brooklands before recovering in fifth.
The safety car was called on lap four and remained out until lap 13, with Ratcliffe gaining fourth in the Pro-Am class and Armstrong fourth in Am, while King fought past Lorcan Hanafin for the lead and Jewiss almost followed him through.
However, Sherwood moved on the inside of Am class leader Josh Stanton at Luffield and was sent into a spin before being collected by the unsighted David Shaw, ending both drivers’ weekends and causing the race to be red flagged 11 laps short of the original duration.
It meant King took the win but Jewiss did not have the opportunity to claim second place.
With the top four drivers reversed for race two, King started fourth but took third as Jewiss fell to fifth.
However, it was Armstrong in the Am class who had the best launch, racing from third to first, while Jewiss fought his way into fourth.
King put pressure on Hanafin but then began to fall back from the leaders and was passed by Will Martin, while Jewiss also struggled for pace, eventually finishing seventh.
In Pro-Am, Ratcliffe claimed third at the flag while Armstrong had an exciting race, running wide while in the lead and falling back but he got his head down to close back in and when Stanton and Lucky Khera came together, he reclaimed the lead which he
would not relinquish. The victory also moves Armstrong within 12 points of Sherwood in the standings.
The team will be back in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at its home circuit of Donington Park on the weekend of October 9 and 10.