RACE REPORT: OULTON PARK RACE TWO

Matty’s streak of fourth-placed finished in Porsche Carrera Cup GB extended to five in succession following the second race of the weekend at Oulton Park, as the Eighty-One Powerdrink backed racer maintained his championship positions following six rounds of competition so far.

It was however a frustrating result for the Northumbrian driver, after a third-place start following the reverse grid draw had given him high hopes of taking his first podium in the series after showing quick pace in both wet and dry conditions around the Cheshire track.

A delay to the timetable following incidents earlier in the day however put the start of the race at a time when the track was drying quickly and conditions were evolving by the second, Matty’s least favourite of all.

Making a good start, Matty was up to second by the time the field reached turn one, but unfortunately for he and team-mate Scott McKenna up ahead had the Team Parker Racing entries of Josh Webster and Harry King right behind and looking menacing.

Having started fifth and sixth respectively and with drivers between them and the Redline Racing pair that could have been expected to have resisted their progress, it was almost inevitable that with 14 laps available, they would find their way to the front.

Matty yielded to Webster into Cascades on lap two as he had a moment defending into the turn and to King a lap later, on the drag into the Hislops chicane.

With the safety car deployed on lap nine as the beached Sam MacLeod was recovered from a spin, the field was closed-up and Matty was set to fight his team-mate over the final rostrum spot.

Lapping at a comparable pace, McKenna began to struggle with his tyres with just two laps remaining and when the Teessider ran massively wide out of Cascades and clattered into the track limits marker for good measure, it looked like Matty would be able to strike.

But with his own Michelin wets also showing the effects of 13 laps on a drying track, he was unable to out-break his rival into the hairpin and was instead left to settle for another fourth-placed finish.

The championship now moves on to the Scottish track on Knockhill in a week’s time, with an official in season test to take place the Wednesday prior.