09 september 2007GPR clinches 24 Hours of Zolder after an improbable thriller, Goossens co-record holder
After a race which remained entirely open up until one hour before the chequered flag, the Pino Sperlinga troups could finally pop the champagne bottles. Marc Goossens, Maxime Soulet and the Dumarey brothers, Guillaume and Maxime won this 29th edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder; for Goossens his fourth victory and for young Soulet his second consecutive win at Zolder. AD Sport with the 996 Biturbo finished a brilliant second overall – and therefore also a worthy winner in D3 –and Prospeed appeared on the podium in third place. NGT won in D2, the team's fifth consecutive victory.
With just over one hour to go to the finish the First Motorsport Porsche 997 GT3, with Vancampenhoudt, Haane, Verbist and Stielstra, were still lying one lap ahead of the GPR Porsche. The performance put in by First was even more remarkable seeing the yellow Porsche actually started from the pitlane on Saturday afternoon. After the warm-up the team noticed an oil leak and in all haste the 997 was repaired, but was unable to make it to the start procedure in time.
60 minutes before the end the intense battle between GPR and First had an unexpected anticlimax. Verbist: "The gearbox literally exploded and I flew into the sand trap at the chicane. I still managed to rejoin the pits, but the adventure was over ... Undoubtedly this is the hardest moment in my career." This left the way open for Maxime Soulet & co, even though they would also have preferred fighting it out on the track.
Maxime Soulet: "We drove a strong and sensible race, without a single problem. Our most serious worry was the gearbox and that held out. I'm really happy with this victory, a hard fought victory which was never quite definite." Goossens: "I can but support my team mate and he's well on the way to making it four also..."
First and GPR were up front the last of the stayers after a race where any forecast was entirely unpredictable. The number of changes in the leadership board was difficult to recall and the difference between the protagonists was never more than some five minutes, a drop in the ocean in a 24 hours race. Roughly ten teams tasted the enjoyment of leading this edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder at some stage.
Right from the start of the race the GT3s started off at a high pace. The initial sprinters were the PK Corvette and both the MI Moslers, who very quickly drew away from the pack. But in the Mosler camp it wasn't long before there were two victims. Radermecker lost time with a wheel problem, while G&A were in fact the first to throw in the towel.
This was followed by a sprint for the first points at 22.0hrs, a sprint that also claimed victims. The remaining Mosler also disappeared into the pit box and dropped back, and a great Duval who after four hours had become the proud leader, also saw his chances go up in smoke when the clutch of the 997 packed up. PK Carsport had the best calculation and the duo Mollekens-Hart – Longin and Kumpen were still at Adria – collected the points for the virtual first place. But this green American power beast also had its share of problems to overcome. Firstly a suspension bolt broke off and later the dreams of victory of Kumpen and co literally went up in smoke. Mollekens: "I came out of the chicane jut before the rise and at that moment there was nothing wrong. I changed from 2nd to 4 th,, because we had lost 3rd a while back, when I was suddenly aware of some smoke. I realised that there was something wrong, I looked round and saw flames at the back of the car. I looked for a spot to safely park the car and made sure I got out of the Corvette as quickly as possible."
In the meantime Good Old Vanierschot, together with Patrick Schreurs, Erik Bruynoghe and Harry Steegmans were also working their way up front. The D3 Biturbo even took over the lead more than once and for some this was a definite surprise.
After the retirement of the Corvette and the Aston as also the problems encountered at MI, the Porsches took over the reigns of power. Both GPR-Porsches – Duez & co would still drop out with a damaged gearbox -, the remaining Prospeed Porsche, the AD Biturbo and especially the canary yellow 997 of Jo Jamers all went on the warpath for victory. As from 02.00hrs Vancampenhoudt, Haane, Verbist and Stielstra took up a front position, a position which they, notwithstanding the small differences never let go of ....until the Porsche's gearbox thought differently about it.
Behind the winners Albert Vanierschot and Rudi Penders (Lamot –Dujardyn – Van Roij) fought it out right up to the line for the second place on the podium. Neither team owner was giving in an inch and finally Vanierschot won in his 29th (!) 24 Hours of Zolder by a few seconds.
Heylen, the Wauters brothers and Raf Vanthoor in the AD Dodge Viper completed the success of AD with a third place in D1 and a fourth place overall, ahead of the NGT Porsche which finished fifth overall and also won the Division 2. NGT drove a spotless race and also spent the least time in the pitlane.
The pain for First Motorsport was somewhat alleviated by a second and third place in D2 and the Accent Racing Team Porsche as also the Mc Donalds Porsche were two and three in D3.
32.000 spectators found their way to the circuit of Zolder and witnessed one of the most open and unpredictable editions of this 24 Hours race.
Result:
1. #56 GPR - Porsche 997 GT3 Cup (overall winner) - 795 laps
2. #228 AD Sport - Porsche 996 Biturbo (winner DIII)
3. #51 ProSpeed Competition - Porsche 997 GT3 Cup
4. #28 AD Sport - Dodge Viper Competition Coupé
5. #111 NGT Racing - Porsche 996 GT3 Cup (winner DII)
6. #99 G-Force Racing - Porsche 997 GT3 Cup
7. #50 First Motorsport - Porsche 997 GT3 Cup (in the pits)
8. #25 Gravity Racing International - Mosler MT900R
9. #150 First Motorsport - Porsche 996 GT3 Cup (second DII)
10. #155 First Motorsport - Porsche 996 GT3 Cup (third DII)`
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