LAMBORGHINI MAKES IT BACK TO WIN AT SERIES RETURN
It's been an unusual race weekend for the GTSPRINT INTERNATIONAL SERIES. The Grand Touring Car series lined-up in the Zolder GT International race alongside the local Supercar Challenge for a total of 25 cars on the grid. Both GTSPRINT wins were scored by the returning Lamborghini Gallardo. Behind the wheel for Kox Racing.
Peter Kox (NLD) will travel to Zolder, Belgium this weekend, where he is going to participate in his next racing event with fellow countryman Nico Pronk in a red Lamborghini LP600+. Contesting for Koxracing, both drivers have set their sights on a podium finish.
It is still unclear if the GT sprint series will run alongside the Supercar Challenge or if there is room on the schedule for two separate starts at Zolder.
“Nico and I would love to contest both series, but we will have to wait and see what the organisational team decides,” says Peter Kox.
Nico Pronk and Peter took part in the second round of the ELMS at Imola this weekend, the first ever for "Kox Racing" as an entrant!
The free practices were run in mixed conditions, which were used to give Nico track time at this demanding, but rewarding track. It showed that the Lamborghini suited the track as the car was always at the front of the time sheets.
Qualifying went well and Peter was able to put the car on pole position for the three hour race on Saturday afternoon.
The race strategie was based on that Peter should do the start, Nico the two middle stints and Kox back in the car for the last 50 minutes.
At the start, Peter could take the lead and the Gallardo was working very well as the team made some small changes after qualifying.
Nico went in and drove faultlessly his both stints and the team did excellent pit stop work.
Then when Peter was in the car for his last stint, he got a message on the the radio that they brought Nico in 30!seconds too early, which meant that they had to make an extra stop to obey the rules of minimum driving time.
The team opted to do this at the last possible moment of the race, so that Nico only had to do one more lap.
As it was done this way Nico left the box for his last lap, arriving at the end of the pit lane the light was read, Marshall's enabling Nico to rejoin as the leader was in his last lap!
This was a bitter end to the race for the team, as everybody did everything right and the car was very competitive throughout the weekend, giving away a certain podium finish.
24 Hours Nürburgring
Immediately on Sunday morning after the Imola race Peter flew to Germany to go straight into the 24 hour race at the famous "Nordschleife" Nürburgring!
It was decided by the team, although he didn't take part in the practice and qualifying sessions, that Peter would take the start with the Dörr Motorsport Mclaren.
The car had qualified in 39th position after it had some issues, still in a respectable place to have a good result! The car had felt good in all sessions so everybody was in an optimistic mood..
At the start, after an impressive green flag lap where there are thousands of people on and alongside the track, Peter felt immediately that the car lost power.
On the GP circuit he still managed to overtake a number of cars, but immediately felt that the car didn't have the power it should have..
At flugplatz a big white smoke cloud was the evidence of an engine on the way out!
Peter parked the car after Schwedenkreuz where the crew were going to pick him up and cover the remains.
Waiting for this he got offered a cup of coffee from the friendly Marshall's, the only positive note of the day...
