All good things come in threes: At the 7th round of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring, Elmar Jurek and Jannik Olivo from Berlin were able to replicate their previous team successes within the Renault Clio classification. Mathias Schläppi (Switzerland) and Holger Goedicke (Weinsberg/ Germany), followed by the Roadrunner drivers Michal Slomian, Patryk Kulik (both from Poland) and Danny Kubasik (Mechernich/German y), completed the podium in the Renault special classification. Interesting detail: The winners of VLN category SP3, Wolf Silvester and Mario Merten in a BMW Z3, were followed by twelve of the total of 21 Renault Clio drivers in a row.
“This race was just like a small 24 Hour Race with very special requirements for man and machine, just great”, was the summary of Renault Clio driver Helmut Baumann. The 6 Hour Race traditionally represents the highlight of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft.
With position 37 in the overall classification and a hat trick in the Renault classification, the TKS team was able to increase their advance in the lead of championship impressively after this race around the Nordschleife. The six hours race ADAC-Ruhr-Pokal, however, turned out to become a nail-biter event for title holders Janik Olivo and Elmar Jurek due to problems in the electric system of their race car. “We had to restart the engine again and again, initially once per lap, afterwards even more often. We lost a lot of time hence”, informed the race drivers from Berlin. “Apart from this, the Clio engine is running perfectly, like a Swiss clockwork. That is really great fun”, said Jurek.
The motto for second placed Mathias Schläppi and Holger Goedicke was to finish the race. “And we managed to achieve this”, was the summary of the team which had started the race from position three. “We have made the best of the situation”, was the unanimous opinion of Goedicke and Schläppi, who are also in second place of the Renault Clio classification.
Smiling faces also within the team Roadrunner: Keeping the pace into second place at the beginning of the race, Michal Slomian (Poland) was able to defend his position perfectly after the start behind Elmar Jurek. Patryk Kulik (Poland) was also able to defend second position after the change of drivers. The newcomer in the team, Danny Kubasik (Mechernich/ Germany), though, first had to get familiar with the Clio. “That was totally o.k.”, explains team manager Udo Huppertz. The team dropped back into third position of the Renault drivers and into place four in class SP3 due to the loss of time. “Team and drivers, we both are super happy with that result! We are on the right way and are closing up to the top Clio cars. This is more than we had expected for our first season”, said a smiling Huppertz.
Very happy was also Karl-Heinz Teichmann, head of the team with the same name from Adenau near the Nürburgring, they finished fourth in the Renault classification and fifth in class SP3. “Michael Schneider (Erkrath/ Germany) and Lutz Rühl (Idstein/ Germany) have got familiar with the Clio very quickly. Perfect”, and he emphasized what Lutz Rühl confirmed. “That was by far my best race – exciting and very close fights.” The second Teichmann Clio retired with clutch problems.
Into place five finished the quartet Werner Gloyna, Michael Trick, Malte Tack and Manuel Passberger of the team „Drive a racecar“, ahead of the Ring-Racing drivers Jacques Meyer, Elöd Szarka and Uwe Kleen, who are currently holding third position in the Renault classification, followed by Henry Walkenhorst and Michael Schrey. The crew was slowed down due to a technical failure and had to be satisfied with position nine. “It’s a pity, we don’t know yet what was the reason. We are, however, already quite happy that we can take the car back home without any damage due to an accident”, explained Walkenhorst.
Bad luck for Ring-Racing driver Karl Brinker and team manager Uwe Kleen: After they had scored the fastest time in practice and overall position 65, they had to retire from the event even before the start of the 6 Hour Race. “We assume that a valve broke in practice”, informed Ring-Racing team manager Meino Kleen. Axel Linther, too, was not able to start the race: He had to struggle with steering problems in practice which could not be resolved until the start of the race.
In addition to the 21 Clio drivers in class SP3, Christian and Stefan Benz at first had a very good race with their Renault Clio prepared in accordance with the class V3 regulations. Unfortunately, they had then to retire after an accident in the section Wehrseifen. The team Four Motors with the Biodiesel Mégane also had to stop the race due to technical failure whereas the French Renault engineers Franck Grossetete and Philippe Gehin finished into third place in class Vd! T with their Renault Mégane Coupé Diesel.
The eighth VLN round ‘um den ADAC Barbarossapreis’ organised by the MSC Sinzig will take place on 25th September and cover the distance of four hours.
