The VLN Honda Junior Team scored another place on the podium in the still young season of the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring. Tim Scheerbarth as well as Dennis and Kristian Nägele showed a brilliant performance in their Honda Civic Type R at the 51st ADAC ACAS H&R Cup and ensured another success for FH Köln Motorsport.
There was even the possibility to win the class, but one after the other: Furious start of the race: Start driver Kristian Nägele in second grid position immediately attacks the pole sitter of Dupré-Nett Racing and puts huge pressure on the favourites. In lap 3, Nägele then manages to move ahead and confirms his race lead accordingly with the fastest race lap time of the season. The VLN Honda Junior Team is first of all able to increase the gap to the competitors behind considerably when engine misfirings appear at the long straight of the Döttinger Höhe. An empty fuel tank must be reported to the team management, just before the scheduled pit stop. Nägele continues stony-faced whilst the competitors pass by again. “We knew that there was a risk to run short, we consume a lot in doing such fast laps – but we simply had to take the risk. If you come earlier to the pits, you need one more pit stop and you already have lost”, explains the team. Nägele makes it slowly back to the pits. Quick stop and team mate Dennis Nägele rejoins the race. Maintaining the family honour, he makes the pace through the field and catches rival by rival. After his excellent performance, he is happy again when he is shown back into third position and comes to a scheduled pit stop. The crew of FH Köln Motorsport provides a quick service and changes to driver Tim Scheerbarth. The youngster has a strong stint and can easily set top times. He reduces to gap to the front and maintains the chance for a place on the podium. Kristian Nägele takes up the steering wheel again for the last race laps and immediately starts to attack. He puts a lot of pressure onto the second-placed car in front of him and finally manages to move ahead. Closely followed by his rival, Nägele can however further reduce the gap to the lead but it was not to think of catching up until the chequered flag came out. Pole-sitter Dupré-Nett Racing wins, followed by the VLN Honda Junior-Team and the podium is completed by the team Totz Motorsport.
“We are not really totally happy with the result, we should have won today”, says Kristian Nägele after the race. “The race was nevertheless a success – a second podium place in the still young season is not too bad after all. We will certainly be able to do a little better?!” And a glance onto the championship standing shows that the VLN Honda Junior-Team in the tv14 Honda Civic Cup is now, after the third round of the season, already shown into third position.
