Paul Rees and Josh Webster each claim a pole positionChampionship leader Michael Meadows hits major troublePepe Massot and Paul Donkin head Pro-Am1 and Pro-Am2Paul Rees and Josh Webster shared the pole positions in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Croft today (Saturday 28 June) in a dramatic qualifying session that proved disastrous for championship leader Michael Meadows. Meanwhile, championship newcomers Pepe Massot and Paul Donkin set the pace in the Pro-Am1 and Pro-Am2 categories respectively.The session started on a dry track but with the threat of rain. After only one flying lap, Ollie Millroy (Redline Racing) went off at Clervaux and out came the red flags. While the session was halted, rain started to fall and it was only in the closing 10 minutes of the re-started session that conditions improved enough for faster times to be posted.The battle for pole raged between Rees (In2 Racing), Webster (Redline Racing) and Meadows (Samsung UHD TV Racing) and Webster lost his best lap time for exceeding the track limits at Clervaux. Ultimately, Rees claimed his first Carrera Cup pole for round eight and Webster did the same for round nine. Meadows posted two third places before running wide onto the grass at Tower. As he tried to rejoin the track, the front of his Porsche hit a step up onto the asphalt and the front of the chassis was damaged. The car will need to go to a bodyshop overnight and so the current championship leader will miss round eight on Saturday afternoon.Newcomers Massot (Parr Motorsport) and Donkin (Redline Racing) coped remarkably well with tough conditions to set the pace in Pro-Am1 and Pro-Am2, although Justin Sherwood (Team Parker Racing) pressed Massot hard. Steven Liquorish (Team Parker Racing) was second fastest in Pro-Am2 for round eight despite clipping the barriers on his out-lap after the red flag.Paul Rees (In2 Racing) fastest and second fastest overall:“When the rain came at the start of qualifying, I thought I was doomed. Then I sat in the pits for a lot of the session. As soon as we saw that the times were getting close we went out and got pole. I really want to thank In2 Racing; they got it 100% right. I just need to capitalise on it now.”Josh Webster (Redline Racing) second and first fastest overall:“I lost my best time because I was running wide on the exit of Clervaux: I was just too fast into the corner. But I’d rather have pole for race two and the rolling start. The conditions were really, really tough.”Michael Meadows (Samsung UHD TV Racing) third fastest overall:“There was a big step back onto the circuit from the grass and I hit it as I tried to rejoin. Maybe I should have stayed on the grass. I’ll have to miss the first race.”Pepe Massot (Parr Motorsport) fastest in Pro-Am1:“I tried a couple of things and I just needed one or two more laps. I was getting to grips with the conditions and then there was more rain on the way down to Tower. I braked as early as I could and went onto the grass. Fortunately, it was not too bad.”Justin Sherwood (Team Parker Racing) second in Pro-Am1:“It was tough through the fast bits in the damp conditions. Perhaps I should have put the new tyres on, but I decided not to.”Paul Donkin (Redline Racing) fastest in Pro-Am2:“I’ve never driven in conditions like that before. I just stayed out for most of the session and it came together right at the end.”Round 8 grid:Pro category: 1 Paul Rees 1m24.058s; 2 Josh Webster 1m24.175s; 3 Michael Meadows 1m24.358s.Pro-Am1 category: 1 Pepe Massot 1m25.185s; 2 Justin Sherwood 1m25.974s.Pro-Am2 category: 1 Paul Donkin 1m26.894s; 2 Steven Liquorish 1m27.887s; 3 Peter Kyle-Henney 1m31.445s.

Round 9 grid:Pro category: 1 Josh Webster 1m24.331s; 2 Paul Rees 1m24.636s; 3 Michael Meadows 1m24.919s Pro-Am1 category: 1 Pepe Massot 1m25.941s; 2 Justin Sherwood 1m26.184s.Pro-Am2 category: 1 Paul Donkin 1m27.714s; 2 Peter Kyle-Henney 1m32.291s; 3 Paul McKay 1m34.747s.