11 juli 2008G&A once again back in the running in Spa
The first serious battle scars of the fourth meeting of the Belgian GT Championship were delivered even before the start of the first race. During the second qualifying session Anthony Kumpen had to cope with a sticking throttle pedal in his Mosler and flew off the track in the double left hander. The Mosler was seriously damaged, but Gravity will do everything in their powers to bring the car back into shape for tomorrow midday. Unfortunately Bert Longin could not cash in on the pole he clinched in the first qualifying session.
It was not Gravity International’s lucky day, seeing neither was Vincent Radermecker able to take advantage of his pole. Following a botched start he lost several places in the rankings. He put in a brave chase and after seven laps was back in the lead ahead of Maxime Soulet. Following an accident between the Ferrari of Thiers and the Viper of Kris Wauters the safety was called out and the entire field was brought back together. Ron Marchal then inherited the lead, but committed an error whereby the number two in the race, Greg Franchi also lost some time.
Guino Kenis then took over the lead and would therefore be able to save the honour of the American make. But nothing was finalised, because a charging Van Hooydonk, in the Dodge Viper of A+ Racing, was getting closer and overtook the G&A Mosler. Near the end Van Hooydonk was struggling with his tyres and Kenis was once again able to take the lead, to finish with less than one second and claim a first victory of the season, almost one year after the previous win in Spa.
The Porsche 997 Cup S with Couwberghs-Maes ended third, ahead of Franchi-Soulet, the new championship leaders.
The leaders in the championship before this weekend, Fred Bouvy and Damien Coens finally finished seventh after an error made during the opening part of the race by Fred Bouvy. Victory went to the Porsche 996 Biturbo of Voets-Bouillon in Division 2, and top prize in Division 3 was claimed by the Porsche 996 of Maes-Van Oost.
Result Race 1:
1. Kenis-De Keersmaeker (Mosler) 23 laps; 2. Van Hooydonk-Dierick (Dodge Viper) at 0.992; 3. Couwberghs-Maes (Porsche 997 Cup S) at 21.840; 4. Franchi-Soulet (Porsche 997 Cup S) at 29.343; 5. Marchal-Radermecker (NL-Bel/Mosler MT900) at 47.281 ; 6. Lumbeek-Van de Plaes (Dodge Viper) at 52.965 ; 7. Coens-Bouvy (Ferrari F430)at 55.578 ; 8. Greensall-Dockerill (GB/Ferrari F430) at 55.683 ; 9. Beaubelique-Balthazar (Fra/Ferrari F430) at1.29.461 ; 10. De Laet-Verbergt (Lamborghini Gallardo) at 2.11.297 ;… 12. Voets-Bouillon (Porsche 996 Biturbo) at 1 lap (D3) ;… 16. Van Oost-Maes (Porsche 996 Cup) at 1 lap (D2)
Starting order race 2 : 1. Kenis-De Keersmaeker (Mosler) 2.46.742 ; 2. Van Hooydonk-Dierick (Dodge) at 1.850 ; 3. Haane-Ceusters (NL/Bel Lamborghini) at 2.965; 4. Radermecker-Marchal (Bel-NL Mosler) at 3.216; 5. Soulet-Franchi (Porsche) at 4.117; 6. Dockerill-Greensall (GB/Ferrari) at 4.350; 7. Couwberghs-Maes (Porsche) at 4.934 ; 8. Ricci-Savary (Fra/Ferrari) at 5.094 ; 9. De Laet-Verbergt (Lamborghini) at 5.951 ; 10. Bouvy-Coens (Ferrari) at 6.334
