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Races 9 and 10 of the DMV GTC took place at the Hockenheimring on the fifth race weekend (24/25.07.15). In the overall classification there were two different winners and a first place.
31 vehicles started the DMV GTC free training. Unfortunately Mario Cordoni's Corse Ferrari AF collided with Alexander Markin's Dupré Porsche. "Unfortunately, I made a braking error and Markin had no chance“, said the Italian later. The race weekend was therefore at an end for both drivers. The fastest time was notched up by Pertti Kuismanen (Chrysler Viper GTS-R) with 1:41.707 minutes, in front of Steffi Halm (BMW ALPINA B6 GT3) with 1:42.247. Third was "Coach McCansy" (Lamborghini Gallardo GT3) with 1:42.749. Fourth was Tommy Tulpe (Audi R8 LMS ultra with a time of 1:43.373).
Qualifying session 1 was tense. The positions changed over and over again. The drivers gave nothing away and Class 8 showed that there's nothing to choose between the GT3 vehicles. Pertti Kuismanen took pole position with a time of 1:40.579. Behind him was Steffi Halm who drove a good race with a time of 1:40.605. "Qualifying went smoothly. But today the conditions are probably different to what they will be on the race day. We'll have to look at the weather and adapt our tactics to the race situation. We plan to attack from second“, said the Kaatsch racing team pilot after Q1.
The front two were followed by Jürgen Bender, who later calmly said: "For me, Qualifying was the first roll out. We couldn't get onto the track for free training. We had to fight with an electronics problem which have happily now solved. But we can definitely achieve something from where we are now.“ Behind him there were a whole armada of GT vehicles, above all the two Corvettes from Callaway / RWT Racing with Kim Giersiepen and Hannes Utsch. "We're planning a junior programme and see the DMV GTC here as an ideal platform“, said Ernst Wöhr of CallawayCompetition and Gerd Beisel (RWT Racing). At the end of the race weekend they will know if they've had the right instincts in the series. "Coach McCansy" started in sixth, followed by Jack Crow (Ford GT GT3), Tommy Tulpe, Klaus Dieter Frers (Ferrari 458 GT3). Maximilian Stein completed the top 10 in his Audi R8 LMS ultra in front of Christoph Dupré in eleventh, also in an Audi R8 LMS ultra.
In the other classes, Peter Mamerow (Porsche 996 RSR/Class 9 – Overall rank: 12), Christof Langer (Porsche 991 GT3 Cup / Class 7a), Moritz Weeber (Renault Clio 4 Cup / Class 5) and Daniel Vogt (Porsche 997 GT3 Cup / Class 7b) took the placings.
If Qualifying was exciting on the first lap, the pilots upped the stakes for Q2! Best time was driven by Pertti Kuismanen who recorded an excellent 1:40.297. "The conditions were very hot. In contrast to the previous race at Hockenheim we found a good atmospheric pressure, which meant that it was easier over distance. If it rains tomorrow we'll give our best. That's why we're here“, said the Finn.
Jürgen Bender turned up in his "living room" to prove once more that he is a Hockenheim specialist. He started next to Kuismanen at the front of the grid and was the fastest pilot in Class 8.
On the second row on the grid were Kim Giersiepen and Steffi Halm. Behind them was "Coach McCansy" who continued to improve: "It went very well. We're registering marked progress. It was the fastest time I've ever driven here. My car drove as flat as a board.“ Completing the line up for Race 1 was Hannes Utsch. Moritz Weeber and Christof Langer got the best times once again in the Classes. Peter Schepperheyn (Porsche 997 GT3 cup) was in pole in Class 7b. Markus Alber grabbed the front spot in Class 9.
Saturday was a racing day, and one with uncertain weather. The experts forecast occasional showers. This was to affect the race later on.
The race started under clear skies, 22 degrees and in bright sunshine. After a few hundred metres Daniel Vogt (Porsche 997 GT3 cup) crashed. The HP pilot was unhurt but his car had suffered. Because the track was strewn with debris, the sweeper was called out accompanied by the Safety Car. Following the restart, Kuismanen shot off like a flash in his Viper and won the race after 15 laps. However, behind him chaos reigned. Steffi Halm pursued the Finn but also came under pressure from Jürgen Bender, causing him to have to concentrate on what was happening behind his ALPINA. Bender got ever closer but couldn't overtake and Halm beat Bender by a margin of just 0.122 seconds! "We are really happy with the Class victory. Two lapping events made the end very exciting and we're happy with this great result.“ Places four and five were taken by the Corvettes of Utsch and Giersiepen. Jack Crow was sixth in front of Christoph Dupre. Klaus Dieter Frers, Peter Mamerow and Maximilian Stein completed the top 10.
In Class 7a, Christof Langer (Porsche 991 GT3 Cup) was able to assert himself again against the competition. The Porsche pilot gained the lead with good lap times, particularly at the end of the race. "It was a hard race. First my brother Thomas was in front of me, and I had to fight to overtake him. Then it was all about a duel with Kai Pfister. In the end we took the Class victory, so that's all good.“
In Classes 7b and 9, Peter Schepperheyn (Porsche 997 GT3 cup) and Peter Mamerow (Porsche 996 RSR) took the respective titles.
In Race 2 in the afternoon everything initially went well. However, 93 seconds before the end a violent shower occurred. The pilots had to take extreme care and there were a few slicks and spins. Jürgen Bender emerged the beaming victor. Pertti Kuismanen attempted to overtake on the last curve but spun off the track. The Viper and Corvette had previously exchanged places many times, causing the crowd to roar. "We've done it. Pertti had tyre trouble, so I was able to take my chance“, said Bender. He continued; "I slowed down in the rain and it was then that he tried to overtake me, but I held off the challenge.“ But it wasn't a disaster for Kuismanen: "It was a nice race. I tried it again but it didn't work.“ Steffi Halm also had bad luck and finished early with a flat tyre. This was also the fate of Christoph Dupré who failed to see the chequered flag. Kim Giersiepen (Corvette GT3) had traction trouble and also didn't finish.
Corvette-brand colleague Hannes Utsch had better luck. He saw the chequered flag after 18 laps, coming in third. "This was a great debut. Many thanks to the team for making it possibile“, said the 20-year-old. "Coach McCansy" came fourth, taking third overall in Class 8. Jack Crow once again came in fourth in Class 8 and missed out on the podium again. Maximilian Stein was sixth overall, making him second in Class 10. The top 10 were completed by Klaus Dieter Frers, Dietmar Haggenmüller, Peter Mamerow (winner Class 9) and Bernd Haid.
Peter Schepperheyn scored a hat-trick at Hockenheim. He won four consecutive Class 7b races in Baden, leaving Marcel Hartmann in Race 1 and Kai Pfister and Andre Krumbach in Race 2 behind him. In Class 7a, Thomas Langer turned the tables once again. His brother Christof won Race 1, and his "bigger" brother Thomas won Race 2. To round the day off for the family, the Langer's nephew Moritz Weeber won in Class 5 in his Clio.
Jürgen Bender leads the Championship with 209 points at the moment. His victory and second place in Class 8 means that he's extended his lead from Marcel Hartmann / Andre Krumbach (191.50 points). Pertti Kuismanen follows in third with 158 points. However, the season is not finished and additionally, the worst two results are cancelled out. This will have an effect on the Bender - Hartmann / Krumbach relationship. The three are separated by only 12.50 points at the moment, according to this calculation. The last six races are set to be very exciting.
The first tile has been decided after six races at the Hockenheimring. Jürgen Bender won the Hockenheim Cup, a special evaluation within the DMV GTC. With four victories and two second places he lay in front of Peter Schepperheyn who also scored four victories, but only came third and fourth in his earlier races. Third was Markus Alber.
Organiser Ralph Monschauer was very positive after the race weekend: "We can be happy. The fans have seen exciting races and the drivers and teams had a lot of fun. What we particularly like as an organisation is the cooperation. The evenings in the driver's camp are great. Everyone's partying, it's a great atmosphere.“
The next race weekend is in the Lausitz. Races 11 and 12 are being run on the 16th of August 2015.