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Donington Park next for Porsche Carrera Cup GB
Dean Stoneman heads the early standings
Victor Jimenez tops the Pro-Am1 pack
More drivers join the grid
Donington Park, one of the most popular venues on the schedule, is the setting for rounds three and four of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and it is championship newcomer Dean Stoneman who currently tops the field heading into the race weekend (20/21 April).
Following the opening two races, run in bitterly cold conditions at Brands Hatch, it is Southampton-based Stoneman (Redline Racing) who has seized the early advantage after a truly impressive double win. Dean's story is remarkable as Brands was his return to racing after two years away while being treated for cancer. Before the illness struck, Dean (22) was rising rapidly up the single-seater racing ladder, but he has now re-grouped and is working to make a career as a sports and GT racer.
Backed up by the standard-setting Redline Racing, Stoneman swept to a double victory to lay down an early marker. Despite tough track conditions and strong challenges from Michael Meadows and Jonas Gelzinis, Stoneman was unfazed under pressure. He takes a seven-point lead to Donington and could now make another piece of Carrera Cup history. In terms of registered championship contenders, only Richard Westbrook had previously won his first two Carrera Cup races, back in 2003, and if Stoneman wins the opening Donington race to make it three in a row, he will set a new standard.
However, at least four drivers are all aiming to stop Stoneman winning at Donington and Meadows (Samsung Smart Motorsport) is the man best placed to take the fight to Stoneman. The defending champion was tipped out of the battle for second in round two at Brands and dropped to ninth after a pit stop, so he already has some ground to recover.
Gelzinis (Juta Racing), Rory Butcher (Celtic Speed) and Carrera Cup Scholarship racer Dan Lloyd (Team Parker Racing) were all podium finishers at Brands and are all potential race winners in this top quality field. Meanwhile, Richard Plant (Samsung Smart Motorsport) and Dan De Zille (Redline Racing) add further quality to the Pro entry.
In Pro-Am1 it was Spanish racer Victor Jimenez (Redline Racing) who set the mark at Brands with a classy double win, but George Brewster (Celtic Speed) and Redline Racing's Kyle Barnes and Yucel Ozbek all showed very good pace. Joining the Pro-Am1 pack for Donington will be brothers Michael and Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing) and both of them are potential podium challengers.
Meanwhile, Peter Smallwood (Parr Motorsport) is heading the way in Pro-Am2, but can expect a fresh challenge at Donington from defending champion Will Goff (IN2 Racing) and Keith Webster (Redline Racing). Webster hopes to be fit to race after suffering a broken arm in a cycling accident last month.
After qualifying on Saturday (20 April) at 14.00, round three of the Carrera Cup GB will start at 10.00 on Sunday (21 April). Round four will start at 15.40 and will be broadcast live on ITV4.
Dean Stoneman heads the early standings
Victor Jimenez tops the Pro-Am1 pack
More drivers join the grid
Donington Park, one of the most popular venues on the schedule, is the setting for rounds three and four of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and it is championship newcomer Dean Stoneman who currently tops the field heading into the race weekend (20/21 April).
Following the opening two races, run in bitterly cold conditions at Brands Hatch, it is Southampton-based Stoneman (Redline Racing) who has seized the early advantage after a truly impressive double win. Dean's story is remarkable as Brands was his return to racing after two years away while being treated for cancer. Before the illness struck, Dean (22) was rising rapidly up the single-seater racing ladder, but he has now re-grouped and is working to make a career as a sports and GT racer.
Backed up by the standard-setting Redline Racing, Stoneman swept to a double victory to lay down an early marker. Despite tough track conditions and strong challenges from Michael Meadows and Jonas Gelzinis, Stoneman was unfazed under pressure. He takes a seven-point lead to Donington and could now make another piece of Carrera Cup history. In terms of registered championship contenders, only Richard Westbrook had previously won his first two Carrera Cup races, back in 2003, and if Stoneman wins the opening Donington race to make it three in a row, he will set a new standard.
However, at least four drivers are all aiming to stop Stoneman winning at Donington and Meadows (Samsung Smart Motorsport) is the man best placed to take the fight to Stoneman. The defending champion was tipped out of the battle for second in round two at Brands and dropped to ninth after a pit stop, so he already has some ground to recover.
Gelzinis (Juta Racing), Rory Butcher (Celtic Speed) and Carrera Cup Scholarship racer Dan Lloyd (Team Parker Racing) were all podium finishers at Brands and are all potential race winners in this top quality field. Meanwhile, Richard Plant (Samsung Smart Motorsport) and Dan De Zille (Redline Racing) add further quality to the Pro entry.
In Pro-Am1 it was Spanish racer Victor Jimenez (Redline Racing) who set the mark at Brands with a classy double win, but George Brewster (Celtic Speed) and Redline Racing's Kyle Barnes and Yucel Ozbek all showed very good pace. Joining the Pro-Am1 pack for Donington will be brothers Michael and Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing) and both of them are potential podium challengers.
Meanwhile, Peter Smallwood (Parr Motorsport) is heading the way in Pro-Am2, but can expect a fresh challenge at Donington from defending champion Will Goff (IN2 Racing) and Keith Webster (Redline Racing). Webster hopes to be fit to race after suffering a broken arm in a cycling accident last month.
After qualifying on Saturday (20 April) at 14.00, round three of the Carrera Cup GB will start at 10.00 on Sunday (21 April). Round four will start at 15.40 and will be broadcast live on ITV4.