Two days of pounding round the Nurburgring in conditions that range from the sublime to the ridiculous have determined the grid for the 2009 Nurburgring 24 Hours that is due to start at four in the afternoon local time, tomorrow Saturday 23rd May. According to my information there will be an impressive 170 cars to start. After all the talk of Audi R8 LMS versus Manthey Porsche battle for pole it was great to see Thomas Mutsch post 8:36.536 in his Ford GT this afternoon. The car looks and sounds great………and obviously goes like stink to beat the fancied runners to the largely symbolic honour of pole position.
.191 of a second slower was Marc Lieb in the Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, amazing considering the 25 kilometer length of the track. Marc was a little disappointed to be beaten for top spot, he is a racer after all. However he said to me that what really matters is who is ahead of the field at 4.00pm Sunday…….he seemed quietly confident.
Third, a further .8 of a second adrift was Marc Bassang in the first of the Audi R8 LMS entries, this one for Phoenix Racing. He said that he got lucky with a largely clear lap on the Nordschleife part of the track allowing him to drive flat out. It certainly seemed that way from my vantage point at the Karussel.
Just over half a second longer on his best lap was Lucas Luhr, whose Team Abt Sportsline Audi R8 LMS filled the fourth spot. He seemed pretty pleased as he posted the lap through heavy traffic at the end of the two session this afternoon.
Next up was the third Audi to make the top ten, with Timo Scheider hustling round 2.5 seconds shy of pole. He is seen here last night in the murk at the Flugplatz, real Nordschleife weather that.
The final werks Audi rounded out the top six qualifiers with 58 years young Hans-Joachim Stuck Jnr. flying round in 8:39.618. Stuck took victory in the first running of the Nurburgring 24 Hours back in 1970, do not rule out the possibility that he will grab the same top spot on the podium some 39 years later, amazing.
The next two spots were grabbed by the two other Manthey Porsches.
Both the 2 and 5 cars will be supporting the lead entry and are strong contenders for victory in their own right.
Best of the rest of the Porsche clan is the Hankook Racing effort of Jurgen Alzen.
At number ten on the grid is the Alpina B6 GT3, here enjoying the deluge last night. Johannes Stuck, son of the sixth place qualifier, is on the drivers roster.
So there is a terrific race in prospect over this weekend, which you can pick up on the internet at Radio le Mans .com. Next year get yourselves to the circuit, you won't regret it.
-John Brooks
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
Any news on the Scirocco trio?
114 and lower, it i have seen it right. http://adac.24h-rennen.de/uploads/media/24H_1._2.ZEITTRAINING_LPA_BY_LAP.pdf <--- the results of the quailifing
...Why is the Hankook Porsche double tire sponsored with Hankook and Falken tire decals?
Absolution, it might be due to Falken being an official sponsor of the Nurburgring 24 Hours. All of the teams may be required to display the tire manufacturer's logo regardless of whose tires they are using for the race.
Because Falken sponsors the event. Note that EVERY car has the same sticker.
these guys love those R8s
love the shot of the BMW in the rain John! Have fun this weekend!
first number in the pdf relates to car number....so 114 as sb states is car #114
To all the boxed-in-minded haters out there! Remeber the SEAT Arosa post earlier on? THe one that lapped the Nur in 8:50? Well Thomas Mutsch lapped the Nur in 8:36.536 with his Ford GT, as John over here wrote in the opening part of this post. Now what do you have to say about Arosa's performance? It is a bit slower but c'mon... by how much!? I think with a more rafined setup the Arosa could get around or even under the same bar.
What do you think?
Big up to the crazed petrolheads and drivers out there and big up for the Arosa owner/driver!
I think you are a SEAT Fanboy. Neat car but give it up brotha... ;-P Cheerz M8.
@ Chris Davy.............the circuit used in the 24 Hours is the combined Grand Prix and Nordschleife, so the comparison is not valid.............if it makes you feel better I was looking at the front suspension of the Scirocco in the paddock and the uprights has a SEAT stamp on them.
jb
I do remember reading last year, the Scirocco was using some Leon WTCC (S2000) or Supercopa (one make racecar) parts.
To put the Arosa in some perspective, The 'non-race' Nordschleife times for the ZR1 was something around the 7.29 and CTS-V 7.59. ...engine a little bit bigger than the Arosa
can anyone point me towards some live streaming online coverage?
last one for wallpaper, i'd say
@ Jonathon the Sciroccos are killin it!
Volkswagen Motorsport qualfying results (first # is overall place):
24 - AT - Volkswagen Motorsport - VW Scirocco GT24-CNG - 10:25.607
29 - SP3T - Volkswagen Motorsport - VW Scirocco GT24 - 10:40.341
30 - AT - Volkswagen Motorsport - VW Scirocco GT24-CNG - 10:41.981
31 - SP3T - Volkswagen Motorsport - VW Scirocco GT24 - 10:42.219
39 - SP3T - Volkswagen Motorsport - VW Scirocco GT24 - 10:48.921
OK, my bad, thanks for the information regarding the track. I was just saying but I guess I'm wrong.
As for being a SEAT fanboy.... Hardly! :)) I'm more of a japanese-german automotive type. One of my all-time fauvorites being NISSAN such as SKYLINES SILVIAs and such to AE86s.
My point was not the make but the way some people look down on some cars or drivers just because of the make of there cars, despite the obvious performances and such.
So, my bad again, but you don't have to look down on others just because the're not "mainstream".
As for this story, great! I think those R8s look bitchin' and were like, born to be on the track, as far as look goes.... I guess, as well as the performance.:)