Perfect start of the season for the drivers in the New Renault Clio Cup at the Nürburgring. As class winners, the faces of Andreas Gülden (Reifferscheid) and Theo Kleen (Wiesemscheid) were one beaming brighter than the other at the BF Goodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft in the Eifel county. Under the management of the Team Ring-Racing, they also finished second in class SP3. Into second place of the Clio Cup classification followed the TKS drivers Elmar Jurek and Jannik Olivio from Berlin and third position was gained by the Renault partners Henry Walkenhorst and Michael Küchenmeister.
”It just couldn’t have been better”, explained Andreas Gülden and Theo Kleen. This was their first time to race together in the Cup Clio of the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft – and what a success. The first race of the season which took place in bright spring weather was marked by hard battles on the track. “I had many exciting fights and the handling of the Clio is just fantastic”, said Gülden, former Formula Renault and Formula 3 driver. He had some tough duels also with Elmar Jurek and Jannik Olivio. “We thus jointly blocked the Honda armada”, explained Gülden.
He and Kleen last but not least benefited from the retirement of the fastest in practice Karl Brinker. The master baker, also driving for the Team Ring-Racing, had to stop in the last racing hour after an accident. Up to that moment, he dominated his rivals. “At the Hohe Acht, the BMW in front of me closed the door, I went off and damaged my steering rod as a consequence,” says Brinker who was racing in the modified Clio for the first time dryly. The suspension is already changed and the new engine should be used in the next race as Brinker informs.
To the regrets of the competitors Elmar Jurek explained: “It is difficult to keep the pace against the baker-Clio”. The fan of the Nordschleife who lives in Berlin nevertheless was happy with the start of the championship. “Everything was perfect although there was a lot of traffic on the track”, he adds.
Racing at the Nordschleife in the Cup-Clio represents a new challenge for car dealer Henry Walkenhorst who lives in Osnabrück. “This is my first race in a front-wheel driven car. It’s going to be interesting”, said the Nordschleife expert before the start. “Everything was running perfectly, we are more than happy”, was the statement from the team of Henry Walkenhorst and Michael Küchenmeister after the race. They finished into third position in the classification of the New Renault Clio Cup and all agreed: A fantastic start.
The second round of the New Renault Clio Cup at the Nordschleife will start on 18th April at the 34th DMB 4-Hour-Race organised by the Renngemeinschaft Düren. Renault MotorSport invites again to a come together taking place in the Renault lounge the evening before the race from 6 p.m..
