08 augustus 2009A strong edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder ahead
In only two weeks time, Belgium will live its second 24-hourrace in a month time. The 31st edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder will take place on the 22 and 23 of august. The racing scene in Belgium changed a lot over the last few months. Speedworld, the new promoter of the Belgian Touring Car Series and Hans Van de Ven, promoter of the Dunlop Endurance Cup - a Belgian version of Britcar and Dutch Super Car Challenge - took over SRO Belgium and together they will run two brand new series in 2010, one for Touring Cars and one for GT's (both in an 'Open' philosophy). But in order to save the 24 Hours of Zolder of this year, their collaboration already started now and the result is a renewed 'Open' edition for the 24 Hours of Zolder. So back are Touring Cars, Silhouettes and GT's on the same starting grid, as is was the case in the glorious Belcar years.
And the result seems to be promising. The top teams from the BTCS series, the championship leading Delahaye Racing and runner-up KS Motorsport will enter three cars, one Renault Mégane for Delahaye and two BMW M3 for KS Motorsport. In the Renault we will se a real dream quartet with Anthony Kumpen (winner in 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004), Marc Goossens (winner in 1997, 1998, 2005 and 2007), Maxime Soulet (winner in 2006 and 2007) and last but not least Belgian youngster Ludovic Sougnez who won both GT4 races in Oschersleben. KS Motorsport already finished 3rd and 5th in 2005 and 2006 and the squad of Steve Vanbellingen will be a serious outsider for overall victory.
Of course the 31st edition of the race in Zolder will also see several GT3's, as the race still is a meeting of the Belgian GT Championship. Main contenders are: the KRK Dodge Viper with championship leaders Jeffrey Van Hooydonk and Koen Wauters, together with Kris Wauters and Raf Vanthoor, the First Motorsport Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S of Bert Longin, Ruben Verbist, and Ruben Maes, the Delahaye Francorchamps Motors Ferrari 430 of Bouvy-Coens-Mollekens-Kelders, the JD by KS Motorsport Lamborghini Gallardo of De Laet-Vollebergh- and Rob and Arjan Van der Zwaan, the VDS Mustang of Stéphane Lémeret and Ford GT1 runners for 2010 Maxime Martin and Eric De Doncker and many others.
In Division 2 and Division 3 we see a Porsche 996 for Michel Pulinx, Armand Fumal, Jos Menten and Markus Palttala, a VDS Mustang GT4, a First Porsche 997 GT4...
But the Dunlop Endurance Cup will also add some nice names to the list. ProSpeed Competition might well be one of the contenders for overall victory, with a powerful Porsche 996 GT3 RSR for Penders, Lamot and Loix, but two Chrysler Viper GT1 for Kuismanen and AD Sport, the Euser Marcos and many other GT's will be at front as well.
And there is more. From the BTCS-series, there will be two or three very reliable Solution F Silhouette, a BMW M3 GTR from good old Moore, the BMW M3 GT4 of Beliën, several BMW 120 d, some Seat Leon Supercoppa and many other BMW, Renault and other Touring Cars.
