Another double victory at the Nürburgring could be celebrated by Karl Brinker and the Team Ring Racing: In addition to the first place in the New Renault Clio Cup, Brinker was also the quickest driver in class SP3 of the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft. Into positions two and three of the New Renault Clio classification followed Elmar Jurek and Jannik Olivo as well as Knut Wolf and Arnold Höppe.
The performance of Karl Brinker was the measure of all things again at the fourth round of the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft – in class SP3 as well as in the New Renault Clio Cup. Until he got this in writing, however, the Ring Racing driver had to be patient until after the finish of the race – just as all the other teams and drivers at the Nürburgring. The reason was that the race had to be suspended for more than one hour after an accident in lap 13 and it was hence run in two parts – before and after the suspension. Afterwards, these two parts were added and it was clear then: Brinker had left all the competitors in the Opel Astra as well as the Berliner Elmar Jurek and Jannik Olivio and also all the other Renault Clio drivers behind.
“Thereby, Heinz-Otto Fritsche in the Opel had pushed very hard finally. That was fantastic!” said the master baker later happily. “I was actually racing sort of lonely”, Brinker explained. He attributes his good condition to the consumption of his multi-grain rolls only.
Jurek and Olivio into second position also showed grit and stamina. “The start was perfect, although I think I was directed to a place some rows behind my actual start position. I had a good start, but the Honda drivers are really exhausting. We, in the Clios, are quicker in the corners but it is getting tough on the straights“, explains Jurek his part at the Nordschleife. At the restart, his team mate Jannik Olivio gained his first experience as start driver. “It went quite well. But bit by bit, the front tyres were suffering”, informs the high-school graduate who nevertheless managed to secure his second position in the Clio classification and the third place in class SP3.
No chance against him had the Schlaug drivers Knut Wolf and Arnold Höppe. And just before the race end, they were in addition still involved in an accident. “That was completely unnecessary”, said Wolf angrily after a competitor crashed into the side of his car in heavy traffic. Whereas he took the chequered flag as third driver in the New Renault Clio Cup and fourth in class SP3, his rival from Switzerland had to drive back to the pits after the crash. “He was driving in a sandwich – between two cars – and the situation resulted in the incident”, explained Pierre Morret regarding the accident of his team mate Claude-Alain Besse who stopped with broken shock absorbers.
Nicolas Abril and Stig Näs crossed the finish line into fourth position in the Clio class. They were looked after by the Swiss team manager and Clio driver Mathias Schläppi who was very happy with his drivers. Into fifth place finished Drive-a-racecar drivers Michael Trick, Gunther Gühne and Werner Gloyna.
Jacques Meyer arrived early at the pits, totally mad: “Someone just pushed me off at Breidscheid, unbelievable”, was the comment of the Team Ring Racing driver who had Elöd Szarka as second driver in the team.
A disappointing race at the Nordschleife also for the endurance racing returner Alexander Starke and Werner Uetrecht from the Schlaug Team. They had to come to the pits several times due to technical problems and finally had to retire early. The Schlaug drivers Xavier Lamadrid, St. Lamadrid and Marco Roon, too, had to follow the race as spectators from lap four. They had to stop after a crash.
In only two weeks time, the fifth round of the New Renault Clio Cup in the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring is on the calendar. Renault MotorSport invites all the teams and drivers again to join them for a get-together at the Renault Lounge the evening before.
