Ring-Racing driver Karl Brinker continues his series of victories in the New Renault Clio Cup which is part of the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft. At the fifth championship round taking place at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, he became furthermore second in class SP3 ahead of Knut Wolf and Mark Beckord of the team Schlaug. Into third place finished the rent-a-racecar drivers Felix Schmitt and Marc Hurler. Winners not eligible for the Cup were also two brand-new Cup Clio III RS of phase 2 which had their debut at the Nürburgring.
After a delayed start of practice and of the race due to fog, the 49th Reinoldus Langstreckenrennen race organised by the Dortmunder MC was running in the dry until about 40 minutes before the scheduled finish despite a weather forecast to the contrary. Due to a violent tempest coming up, Race Control decided to stop the race in advance in lap 25 – which did not play into the hands of all the drivers. “That was icing on the cake”, was the funny comment of master baker Karl Brinker. He came to the pits to change for rain tyres and just after he rejoined the race, the red flag was shown and the race was stopped: There was torrential rain on some sections of the track. “It was a funny race for me and I was very lucky a few times”, said the Ring-Racing driver regarding a tyre blow-out and an off. He was however able to continue the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft race at the Nordschleife without problems and finished as winner in the New Renault Clio Cup and second in class SP3. His team mate Jean-Jacques Meyer, too, had a puncture and finished fourth despite some unscheduled pit stops.
An excellent performance showed also Knut Wolf and Marc Beckord. It was their first participation in one team and they went together very well as their second place in the New Renault Clio Cup and third place in class SP3 impressively proved. “The brakes in the Clio III are much smoother and more stable compared to its predecessor model. A fantastic race car”, Beckord, who was racing in the predecessor model so far, points out. The drive-a-racecar drivers, too, had a great race with exciting fights. “Everything is going very well”, said Felix Schmitt enthusiastically when he stopped at his pit. He and Marc Hurler finished the fights into third position. The team mates Michael Trick, Gunther Gühne and Werner Gloyna, though, suffered bad luck. They had to proceed to an additional pit stop due to a loose throttle connector. “We lost some valuable places therefore”, informed team director Frank Engel. Until the stopping of the race, the trio had already gained seventh position again.
The newcomers in the New Renault Clio Cup Frank-Dieter Lohmann and Peter Utsch, too, who competed in one of the brand-new Clio Phase 2, were highly motivated and finished into fifth place. “The car is fantastic, but I must still gain some experience. It is however quite a change”, said the previous Peugeot driver who is serviced by the Team Schlaug Motorsport.
Another great performance in the second Clio Phase 2 was shown by Michael Küchenmeister and Michael Schrey – until they had to stop with a loss of power about one hour before the end of the race. They were into second place at the moment when they retired.
Bad luck also for the brothers Helmut and Horst Baumann who had their first participation in the VLN series in the New Renault Cup Clio. They had to retire in lap ten with a broken gearbox. “It’s a pity, they both had a really good race. Hats off”, was the delighted comment of the Team Ring-Racing about the newcomers. “It is great fun to drive the car and basically it is very reliable. In addition, the value for money is very good”, said Helmut Baumann happily for whom this was the first participation again in the endurance racing championship after 16 years.
Schlaug driver Alexander Starke, team mate of the experienced endurance racing driver Werner Uetrecht, got off lightly but with some damage on his race car. Gearbox liquid on the track brought bad luck for him. “I was sliding, hit the track barriers and three cars then crashed into my Clio”, informed Starke about the crash. A disappointing fifth championship round also for Jannik Olio and Elmar Jurek from Berlin. They had problems with sealing material which got stuck in the fuel pump. They did not even finish the first lap.
Axel Linther and Dirk Riebensahm had to retire, too, with a broken exhaust.
Very happy about the heavily increasing popularity in the New Renault Clio Cup was Renault MotorSport coordinator Bernd Hütter at the Nürburgring: “Two additional Clio Phase 2 are ready for delivery shortly”, he informed. There is a big difference in particular in the smartly revised front end and back end of the Phase 2 Clio. The price is 37.500 Euro (plus VAT).
The next round on the calendar of the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft is scheduled for 18th July. Renault MotorSport invites again to a get-together to take place the evening before the race from 6 p.m. in the Renault Lounge.
