Tim Bridgman completed his record-breaking run of pole positions in the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB by making it 10 poles from 10 races at Croft yesterday.
While Bridgman again topped the overall qualifying times, Glynn Geddie bagged a double pro-am1 pole and Paul Hogarth completed the set by going fastest in pro-am2 for both of Sunday's races.
"This isn't my strongest circuit, so I'm really, really pleased," said Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) after extending his run of 2009 pole position to 10 on the run. "At the start of the season I didn't expect to be on pole at Oulton Park or here. We played it safe and it paid off."
However, it was incredibly close among the leading times, with less than a quarter of a second covering the top four. Chasing Bridgman were Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) who took second and fourth places for the two grids, James Sutton (Red Line Racing) who was third and second, and Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing) with fourth and third places. "Tim's got a tenth or two, but any of the three of us could have been second," said Harvey.
Fifth fastest overall and top of pro-am1 for both races was Geddie (Team Parker Racing) on the anniversary of his Carrera Cup debut in 2008. While the Scottish teenager was happy to be fifth, he was slightly disappointed to be just over half a second away from the leading quartet. "I was hoping to be closer to the top guys," said Geddie. "I didn't have a really good session and there is a bit more to come."
Completing the top six for both races was Tom Bradshaw (Team Parker Racing), but he also felt his session could have been better. "It's not great, to be honest. It wasn't as good as testing yesterday." Chasing Bradshaw, and second in pro-am1, was Robert Lawson (JHR), but he also felt he should have been quicker. "I was struggling for grip all round; it's not quite there," he said.
"That's my best overall qualifying so far," said Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance) after posting eighth best time for both sessions, while Red Line Racing team mates Lewis Hopkins and Tony Gilham rounded out the top 10, with their positions reversed for round ten.
There is some great racing in prospect in pro-am2 as Hogarth (IN2Racing) takes on Celtic Speed drivers George Brewster and Bob Lyons. With only half a second covering the three cars, there should be an excellent race within a race. "That was a very good session," said Hogarth, who was then flying back to Cheshire by helicopter for a friend's 50th birthday party on Saturday evening.