Another motor sport family has joined the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft at the second championship round which took place last Saturday, on 18th of April. Franz Groß participated for the first time together with his son Max and his nephew Hajo Müller. Whereas Franz Groß can look back onto many years of experience in the endurance racing championship and Müller, too, has already participated in several races at the Nordschleife, this should be the first race participation for Max.
The ‘racing family’ decided to enter a close-to-production 3 litres BMW M3 with about 285 HP. “Although we also still have the former Mamerow Porsche, we feel the BMW is exactly the right race car to start with”, informed Franz Groß who didn’t want to put his son under too much pressure with the over 400 HP of the 996 RSR. The junior should finally just get to know the Nordschleife better under racing conditions.
Whilst the free practice session which took place on Friday evening under heavy rain and at low temperatures could be successfully completed, the blue orange BMW of the family didn’t get very far in the qualifying. After Franz Groß had brought the car onto operating temperature and Max Groß had warmed up on the Grand Prix Circuit, the junior wanted to proceed to the Nordschleife to set a first fast lap.
Unfortunately he then accelerated too early in the Hatzenbach section, the rear car broke away and the BMW was sliding over the high curbs in place at this section to crash into the guardrails. The complete right side of the car was so badly damaged that the start in the race was out of question
“It is a pity, but this can happen just to anybody”, said father Franz. The father-son-nephew team will be back at the Nordschleife in two weeks time for the third round of the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft. “By mid year, our Porsche should be ready to race so that we can then also use this car for the remainder of the season”, promised Franz Groß.
