The team of Mühlner Motorsport which is based in Spa-Franchorchamps in Belgium started in the second round of the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft 2009 last Saturday at the Nürburgring with two Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S.
Like at the starting race of the season two weeks ago, the team consisted of drivers Oliver Kainz (Kottenheim) and Frank Schmickler (Rösrath). They carried start number 73 on their Porsche. The second Porsche with start number 67 was driven by Heinz-Josef (Juppy) Bermes (Willich), regular driver in the Mühlner team, Ulf Karlsson from Sweden and Dieter Schornstein (Aachen).
There was heavy rain during the qualifying in the morning and the track got only a little dryer close to the end of the session. Kainz drove the Porsche into third row on the grid and Karlsson in the second Mühlner Porsche into seventh row. Good starting positions for the race over 4 hours which was started on time at 12 o’clock exactly.
At the start, all of the 182 cars were fitted with dry weather tyres. The first raindrops then came down in the formation lap but no team changed tyres at this moment. The rain got stronger during the first race laps and Kainz, knowing the Nordschleife very well and completing the first turn in car number 73, was able to take full advantage of his experience. He started the second race lap into third position. Karlsson in the sister car also remained on dry weather tyres although some other competitors already came to the pits to fit wet weather tyres. Whilst Kainz came back to the pits after his second lap without any problems to change to wet weather tyres, Karlsson went off the track and damaged the front bumper and the rear left side. After a quick repair, Karlsson, too, rejoined the race on wet weather tyres.
In lap 9, though, Karlsson sustained another accident and the car was so badly damaged that they will need a new bodyshell for repair. Second and third drivers of the team, Bermes and Schornstein, could thus not anymore take the start.
Kainz on his part completed some other fast laps and came to the pits for a driver change after the eleventh race lap. Schmickler took over and could immediately perfectly cope with the difficult weather conditions. After another 9 laps he came to a splash and dash stop and took fuel for the remaining distance. Schmickler continued as driver as he knew the track conditions perfectly well and finally saw the chequered flag as third in class FIA GT3 (SP9) and fourth overall.
“Another place on the podium in FIA class GT4 for Oliver and Frank is a good result. It is a pity that Juppy and Dieter were not able to race due to Ulf’s accident, but that can always happen”, said Bernhard Mühlner after the race.
