::::: World Super GT Championship | Official Race Reports :::::

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GTPlanet World Super GT Championship

GT500/GT300


::::: Round 2 | Japanese GT | News Articles by Masi_23 :::::


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GT500 | Round 11 | Polyphony GT | Nurburgring 24HR
Lynchy bounces back from Suspension to claim victory at a rain-lashed Nurburgring!

by J. Soanes

The clouds were gathering, the crowd was roaring, and the drivers were stomping in their cars, raring to tackle the Green Hell. There was no better place to hold the final round of what has been a roller-coaster of a season than a track that truly requires an insurmountable quantity of concentration and great determination to get round a never-ending piece of tarmac. A few of the championship-leading drivers had dropped out, knowing they were safely through to the finals and conserving themselves for that challenge.

For some however, this was a do-or-die spectacle, one final visit to the last-chance saloon, while for the rest it was a good time to round out the season in style. And what a race it was. The drivers, feeling safe in the knowledge that there was no expected change in the fine weather predicted by their teams, must have felt a certain uneasiness when the clouds started to roll in.

Then it started to pour, from the first few drops to the buckets of water that fell from the sky during the formation lap. It was clear that this would be no easy ride. The track was only slightly greasy from the start line at Flugplatz, in which the contenders managed to keep a clean start. CSL was fast going into the first hairpin and managed to maneuver an overtake on NEPALII quite early, dropping him right in front of Biffy, as the pack raced into Adenauer-Forst. Eventually, Biffy got past NEPALII and started to chase CSL through Kesselchen, as the top three pulled away from the rest of the GT500. Biffy made his move on CSL around the outside at Karoussel, using the advantage of having more grip than on the inside.

That lead did not last long however as he took too much power into Hohe Acht, taking damage and allowing CSL to reclaim that lead. CSL went way wide at Brunnchen though, giving Biffy another to get past in what was a hell of a first lap. Biffy however could not avoid CSL as he came back on track, and ploughed into his rear, giving himself full engine damage, with Paginas unable to avoid a struggling Biffy also taking damage. NEPALII retook the lead as those that were damaged pitted and changed to Inters, with the track really becoming slippery.

With the rain unrelenting, those that had Inters really made up the time on the those on Dry tires, particularly as he managed to charge back up the field. First driver up was Paginas, who he managed to overtake on the GP circuit. In another part of the circuit, Remy sustained terminal damage as he slid in the treacherous conditions made strong contact with the walls. Going into lap 3, Joshua1994 and CSL were next on Biffy's list. Again Biffy managed an overtake on the GP circuit, and caught CSL later on in the lap, as a struggling Joshua became another victim to the oh so fearsome walls lining the track. Onto lap 4/5, and Biffy finally caught up to the leaders, Lynchy and NEPALII, as they exited the pits.

NEPALII was clearly on the cold tires, as he went wide and allowed Biffy past, who caught up to Lynchy at the hairpin with a great chance to retake the lead, only to power onto the gravel along with Lynchy, back to 3rd. From that moment on, Biffy lost his pace and just couldn't keep up with Lynchy and NEPALII, who seemed to find a new lease of life rubbering in their tires.

Further on in the lap and OwensRacing and CSL just could not find the grip in a myriad of surface water that was resurgent in every corner, causing them to crash out into the walls, along with C-Falcon on the next lap. With only 5 GT500's left, Lynchy was pulling away rapidly from NEPALII, who, on lap 9, finally capitulated under atrocious conditions. Biffy, almost 4 minutes away from Lynchy but with 2nd almost in the bag, had to undergo a tremendous amount of frustration as, 1 lap away from the finish, his car finally gave in to the punishment of several collisions with the walls, and had an engine failure. RedReevos also had a close call, with a small lapse of concentration putting him into the wall, but miraculously, managed to keep the car going. After one of the most challenging Super GT races to date, Lynchy finally reached the finish line to win that coveted trophy, with Paginas and RedReevos far behind finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively.




GT300 | Round 11 | Polyphony GT | Nurburgring 24HR
Paul Mackay Emerge Victorious at Hellish Nurburgring

by Theo R.

The race began under rainy conditions, the legendary course flexing it's mighty muscle upon those who wish to challenge it. Truly a race at Nurburgring is race against the track rather than it's inhabitants. Upon entering the Nordschleife section of the course, Scanny_Flick lead the pack through the parade lap and the first section of the race after Flugplatz. Upon a bumpy exit entering Adenauer-Forst Scanny allowed a tire to run along the grass causing him to lose traction and spin off the course, thankfully with no wall or car contact. The resulting spin allowed Paulmac2k9 to seize the lead from Scanny with MH4wheel taking over second. Scanny returned to track in third, dangerously close to the 4th place runner GTP_Pinoy and 5th place Litchi_GTPlay. After a fast recovery Scanny shifted into chase mode and began his progress of reclaiming first from Paulmac, who was beginning to stretch his lead even further with 4wheel not far behind.

After close running throughout the Nordschleife Paulmac returned to the GP circuit of the course with 4wheel momentarily dropping back through their progress of the circuit. After a few minor shakes around the Dunlap-Kehre they soundlessly moved back into the Nordschleife section and through the Hatzenbach. Scanny had carefully closed down some time, but still was far out of reach of 1st and 2nd. Pinoy had surrendered 4th to Litchi by their return to the circuit and was now playing catch-up as the rain continued to pour. It's frequency showing no signs of letting up. Paulmac and 4wheel remained close throughout the second lap, the split between them getting no less than a second and no more than seven seconds. Scanny continued to strive for a come back, only half aware of his competitors movements further ahead. Litchi soon started his chase of Scanny's ghost, feeling him just slightly ahead, yet always out of sight.

The weather soon decided to play a larger factor in the race, it's strength growing ever more as the cars came around for their third lap, with the entire GT300 field pitting to fit the rain tires sometime over the next two laps. After a safe pit and consistent lap 3, Paulmac lead 4wheel through the circuit section of the course, unfortunately running off at the Ford Curve, allowing 4wheel to take over the lead. Scanny's chase to reclaim first edged him ever closer to the lead, but he still remained a few seconds back from the leaders. Pinoy incurred several run offs and minor damage after a missed pit opportunity on the lap before, which lead up to him running off at the Bit-Curve and through the sand trap before breaking down at the Hatzenbects-Bogen where his car would rest until it was safe enough to remove from the track on lap 7. Litchi continued to persevere well into the dark night of the course, just catching faint glimpses of Scanny ahead.

With the night setting in on the whole field, regardless of class, shadows became an issue. The turns and braking points were obscured as the dark unknown of the Nurburgring wrenched it's sinister claws around the drivers' peripheral vision. It soon claimed it's first GT300 victim on lap 5 when Litchi lost control shortly after the Karusel, leading to his car breaking down with heavy damage on the side of the track and requiring immediate removal. 4wheel and Paulmac continued to battle into the black abyss as the rain only got worse. The treacherous Nordschleife lashing out at them only to be cut down by their piercing headlights before swallowing up the track behind them. Running into the Karussel, 4wheel went in too fast and allowed his left side to dip into the banking causing his spin. Paulmac happily took back the lead and tore off into the darkness as 4wheel struggled to catch up, Scanny all the while closing the gap between them.

4wheel's luck would turn around though as then it was Paulmac's turn to experience the harsh treatment of the Nordschleife. In his attempt to put the 2nd place runner further behind he pushed too hard going through the Brunchen and losing traction with a slight run-off with the grass lead to an unfortunate spin. 4wheel assumed the lead from Paulmac going through the Pflanzgarter until he lost traction and dipped into the sand trap allowing Paulmac to regain 1st place going into the Schwalbenschwanz. Scanny may not have seen the conflict happening ahead, but he could sure tell there was something amiss as his split from the leaders shortened even more! Heading through the Antoniusbuche 4wheel returned on Paulmac's bumper, riding the slipstream before making a pass through the Tiergarten. Returning to the circuit both drivers raced into the pits where a battle of pit crews would determine who would be the first out.

With Paulmac's pit finishing before 4wheel's he had made ready to assume the lead coming out of the pits when 4wheel was dropped from the jack moment's before being passed and cut out in front of Paulmac to hold strong to the lead. The rain had become torrential as they returned to the track as both drivers fought both each other and the track, leading to 4wheel's fault going into the Ford Curve, leading to his run off into the sand and Paulmac taking back the lead. Once Paulmac had reclaimed lead he began to take off without looking back. 4wheel kept pace as best to his abilities but it was not to be as coming back into the GP circuit he had gotten off track and slid full on into a wall, dealing crippling damage to his car. Even after hobbling back into the pits it wasn't enough to keep Scanny from 2nd place as he soon rolled over 4wheel going into the Ford Curve.

With 2nd under his control, Scanny focused on reeling in Paulmac throughout the next 4 laps, each time coming closer and closer. The seconds being shaved off with each section. Even with a competitor catching, Paulmac was not to be undeterred. The final lap he could feel Scanny on his neck, the occasional glance in the mirror confirming that he was only one corner ahead as that yellow glare continued to get bigger. They pushed it through the Karussel, danced through the Wipperman, and sprinted down the Tiergarten. It was to no avail for Scanny though as Paulmac remained just out of his reach as he soared under the finish line and claimed the 1st place Podium and wrapped up the regular World SuperGT Championship 300 Class Season with a glorious Podium!
 
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