He was lonely, but fast. Solo driver Axel Linther won the New Renault Clio Cup classification at the last race of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring and finished third in class SP3 ahead of the Roadrunner drivers “Rennsemmel” and Jürgen Peter who gained second position on the podium. Despite an exciting fight in catching up and race position three (fourth position in class SP3), Henry Walkenhorst and Michael Schrey did not succeed in eliminating Mathias Schläppi and Holger Goedicke from second Championship position in the Renault classification, and this even though the latter were not even able to take the start to the race due a spectacular accident in practice. The early Champions in the New Renault Clio Cup, Elmar Jurek and Jannik Olivo of the TKS-Team retired 30 minutes before the race end due to technical failure.
There is a difference of one point in the Renault special classification between Henry Walkenhorst and Michael Schrey and the second in the Championship Mathias Schläppi and Holger Goedicke. The German-Swiss team had to follow the exciting race as spectators. “It is really hard that we could not interfere”, explained Holger Goedicke later. He rolled the car heavily in practice. “The car was suddenly oversteering, the Clio rolled and stopped on the roof in the middle of the track”, described Goedicke the incident. “And this even though I was not really quick at that moment”, said the driver of the Schläppi team and he added: “Hats off to Michael Schrey and Henry Walkenhorst who were catching up so brilliantly after the accident at the start.” Start driver Walkenhorst had a collision with an oncoming car in the first lap. The car in front of him had spun on the track and crashed into the Clio of Walkenhorst, who had to continue without the front part of the race car. “Our Clio lost a lot of power. So regarding this accident after the race start, the third place is quite a comfortable conclusion of the season”, was the summary of Michael Schrey.
Axel Linther, too, gave a satisfied summary after his victory in the Clio classification and third position in class SP3: “It was a really tricky race, but all ok. I am happy and a little exhausted, but this is a comfortable conclusion of a rather disappointing year 2010”. Linther had a close fight over six laps with Ring Racing driver Uwe Kleen before he went into the lead and took big risks although it started to rain. “I continued on slick tyres and overtook Olivo and Jurek when they changed tyres in the pits”, informed Linther. He is now into tenth overall position. Kleen and Jacques Meyer finished the race into position four (seventh in class SP3) ahead of Robert Lommel and Lutz Rühl as well as Michael Schneider (Team Teichmann Racing), who finished the New Renault Clio classification into fourth position.
All the other results are available in the internet (www.renault-sport.de). Renault MotorSport will continue its engagement in this popular endurance racing series at the Nürburgring next year, as informed Renault MotorSport coordinator Bernd Hütter during the VLN final round. Renault MotorSport thus made allowance for the success of the New Renault Clio Cup in this year’s endurance racing series at the Nürburgring. More than 20 Renault Clio race cars were at the start of the season final.
“We are really happy that next year there will be a separate class for the New Renault Clio Cup which will continue to comply with the SP3 Technical Regulations”, informs Hütter. The Renault special classification will also be followed up. This means reliability in the planning for the teams and drivers who can look forward to another season with high-class Renault motor sport.
