21 oktober 2007Mosler victorious, GPR and Bart Couwberghs champions
The Gravity Mosler-duo Stéphane Lémeret and Vincent Radermecker clinched their third victory of the season this weekend. Notwithstanding this excellent performance Gravity International Racing have to leave the title of national endurance champion of the Mediagroep Van Dyck Belcar in Division 1 to GPR. Maxime Soulet and Guillaume Dumarey retained a four point lead over the Mosler‘boys’ and as such are the first Belgian GT3-champions.
Bart Couwberghs can also uncork the champagne bottle, because apart from winning the title in D2 with NGT, the regular driver has also grabbed the Belcar Driver Challenge.
The Belcar Last Race was one of those races that wouldn’t unfold into a definite outcome. Numerous unexpected changes of course kept the tension on a high right through to the chequered flag, and in fact the new champions were only certain of their title once they had crossed the finish line. Up front both Moslers had built up a safe margin, whilst behind them an exciting battle for top places was being fought out.
But then a drop-out race took over, which would only end two hours later. The first victims were the GPR Porsche of Duez and Maes (race incident), the Daikin Viper of the fast ladies (ditto) and the Prospeed Porsche of Loix and Bouvy (transmission).
In the meanwhile Guino Kenis (G&A Mosler) and Kenneth Heyer (GS Dodge) set about chasing down the Corvette of the championship leaders Longin and Kumpen. Longin fought hard with the Z06, but to no avail. A broken front suspension arm put an end to all dreams of the Limburg based team. The Gulf Mosler (electronics) and the GS Dodge put their name down on the list of retirements, as did the three Ferraris 430 of the French Sport Garage.
The DHL Mosler had in the meantime built up a lead and behind the fast American beast Guino Kenis and Michael De Keersmaecker were in second spot whilst the Wauters brothers, with the AD Viper, found themselves in a fantastic third place overall.
But here was more excitement to come. Maxime Soulet, who had taken over from Guillaume Dumarey was busy climbing up the ranking, having to finish in at least fifth place to offer up the title to his team. “I was battling more and ever more with the car and by the end of the race I was just able to hold off Rudi Penders and as such claim the title. I’m truly happy with this performance and want to thank the entire team for this really great season”, a highly emotional Maxime Soulet told us after the finish, prior to embracing his team mate Guillaume Dumarey.
Slotting in between the Wauters brothers and the GPR Porsche, Steegmans and Schreurs, in their AD Sport Porsche biturbo, ended in fourth place taking an excellent victory in Division 3. The Thiers brothers finished third in the division and were assured of the title.
Van de Plas and Lumbeeck had their best result of the season, finishing seventh, ahead of the Division 2 champions Couwberghs and Vancampenhoudt in the NGT Porsche. De Laet – Vollebergh (CEO Porsche) and Steinberg – Teinmann finished off the top-10 of this Last Race.
But with this excellent race it is not the end for the Belcar series, because now the countdown is starting for the 2008 season of the Belgian GT championship.
Patricia Indekeu – Promoter of the MVDB - : “After serious consultation with the teams we will be holding seven meetings, as previously, of which four will be according to the FIA GT3 format. This implies two races of one hour with compulsory pitstop. In addition there will be two weekends with races of two hours, as per the FIA-GT norms, as experienced today in Zolder. And finally there is the 24Hours of Zolder, which will once again be on our programme. In addition the calendar, with one race per month will be highly well balanced. Further information will follow later on this week. I will like to conclude by thanking one and all who worked hard in making this a great motorsport year and look forward to meeting everyone at the prize giving in December!”
Result:
1. Lémeret-Radermecker – Mosler MT900 – 77 laps, 2. Kenis-De Keersmaecker – Mosler MT900 – at 1min37, 3. Wauters-Wauters – Dodge Viper – at 1 lap, 4. Steegmans-Schreurs – Porsche Biturbo – (1ste D3), 5. Soulet-Dumarey – Porsche 997 – at 2 laps, 6. Penders-Lamot - Porsche 997 –, 7. Van de Plas – Lumbeeck – Dodge Viper –, 8 Vancampenhoudt-Couwberghs – Porsche 996 – (1ste D2), 9 De Laet – Vollebergh – Porsche 996 – (2de D3) at 3 laps, 10. Steinberg-Teinmann – Porsche 996 – (2nd D2) ...
