Danny Watts set the pace in testing ahead of rounds 11 and 12 of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Donington Park today (Thursday, 27 July). Watts set the best time of 1m09.179s in the afternoon session as most drivers went out on new tyres.Despite high ambient temperatures and the threat of rain, Watts (Team IRWIN with Red Line) was quickest by half a second from Tim Harvey (Motorbase Performance). “It’s Croft all over again,” said Watts, who started the previous Carrera Cup weekend by setting the pace in testing. “I’m really enjoying driving the car and I’m probably a bit more relaxed as this is my last race in the car,” added Watts, who has been deputising for Richard Westbrook this season. However, with Westbrook now set to complete the Carrera Cup season, this is Watts’ last planned weekend of racing for 2006.Unusually for the Motorbase team, Harvey also ran on new tyres in the afternoon session. “We’ve worked on the car again to find some more performance. The car was good on old tyres and now I’ve had the experience of trying new tyres,” said Harvey. “But Danny’s done a very, very good time,” he added.A stunning third fastest overall was pro-am category leader Phil Quaife (Motorbase Performance), running new tyres for the first time in a test session. “We decided to change a few things and it worked. The car was absolutely fantastic,” said Quaife. “I’m really chuffed to be third overall and the car is staying exactly as it is!”Championship leader Damien Faulkner (Team Parker with SAS) was fourth fastest, but possibly lost out by running his new tyres early in the session before the temperature started to fall, while Richard Williams (IN2RACING) was also under the 1m10s mark to be fifth fastest.Jason Templeman (Team Parker with SAS) and Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) were sixth and seventh fastest. “The car feels better than it has ever done,” reckoned Caine who didn’t use new tyres and should move up the order when he has new tyres for qualifying on Saturday.Second in pro-am was Andy Purdie (Paragon) with another strong performance, while Damien Faulkner jumped into Mark Hazell’s Team Parker Racing car to give Hazell some feedback. “I’ve not even sat in the car for two months,” said Hazell after Faulkner set ninth fastest time in Hazell’s car. Therefore, the top 10 times were rounded out by Alex Mortimer (Team RPM) and Mike Richards (IN2RACING). “That’s a good start,” said Mortimer. “I’d never ever even sat in the car before this morning,” he added of his 2006 Carrera Cup debut.Leading times:1 Danny Watts (Team IRWIN with Red Line)          1m09.179s2 Tim Harvey (Motorbase Performance)                  1m09.728s3 Phil Quaife (Motorbase Performance)                  1m09.897s4 Damien Faulkner (Team Parker with SAS)          1m09.925s5 Richard Williams (IN2RACING)                      1m09.973s6 Jason Templeman (Team Parker with SAS)          1m10.097s7 Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance)          1m10.107s8 Andy Purdie (Paragon)                                   1m10.381s9 Alex Mortimer (Team RPM)                      1m10.548s10 Mike Richards (IN2RACING)                      1m10.712s