Circuit Nordschleife '08 Racereport
 
 
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- Full race report Nordschleife -

 
100km race - Saturday 5 July 2008
 
MELSE TRIUMPHS AT NORDSCHLEIFE
 
Dutch driver, Hank Melse, took a victory in the FISC EuroTour race at the 10th Eifel Mountains Classic meeting at the Nürburgring - Nordschleife on Saturday 5 July.
 
When the FISC EuroTour caravan arrived at the Nordschleife on Thursday 3 July, torrential rains afflicted the Eifel country, in such way, that perople feared the most. However when the caravan awoke on the Friday morning, the sun was out, the shorts went on and for the next two days, the Eifel provided for the best racing weather, you could wish for.
 
As usual the drivers were invited to a free of charge 2 hours untimed practice session on the Friday afternoon. As a result of the event being part of the BF Goodrich Langstreckenpokal, this session alone provides adrenaline enough for a lifetime. Porsches, Corvettes, BMW’s, etc. on fat rubber slicks crawling over the backs of these poor historic cars, on their Dunlop vintage tyres.
 
Early on the Saturday morning, the FISC EuroTour grid came out first, the track still damp in places, but quickly drying up. Eventually it was Melse, who qualified his 2ltr Porsche 911 fastest, with Bakker (NL)  in his AH ‘Monza’ Sprite only half a second slower. Third on the grid was the British Caterham 7 Classic driver Graeme Smith directly followed by Peter van Hoepen (NL), who recently dominated the RMU Spa Classic in his impressive open Chevrolet Stingray.  This was van Hoepen’s first visit to this mother of all circuits and there was no other option for him, then to follow the more experienced drivers, obviously all of them in smaller cars.  Hans Dullaert (NL) in his open Lenham bodied MG Midget came 5th and Fred Corporaal in his 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SV came 6th.
 
Around midday, the grid was led to the starting area by a classy Mini 7 pacecar, diving into the pitlane just 50 yards before the starting lights. When the red lights went off, the grid took off, in a very disciplined way, for their 100km race.
 
Van Hoepen seriously using all the brake horsepower available to him, catapulted himself into the lead, only to be caught in the first hairpin by Melse’s Porsche. Melse, in the lighter car, immediately established a comfortable lead, which was clawed back by van Hoepen at the long 3,5km straight leading to the start- and finish line, but not enough to regain the lead. This game repeated itself lap after lap, handing Melse outright victory on his first appearance in the FISC EuroTour – Legendary Circuits Series.
 
The second pair Smith and Dullaert, started in a very competitive way, Dullaert trailing the quicker Caterham 7 Classic, but never able to really take advantage of his superior circuit knowledge.
 
Stijn Bauland (NL) in his AH Frogeye, coming from 8th on the grid, steadily progressed to 5th at the finish line, with Corporaal in his shade.
 
Fastest lap: Hank Melse - Porsche 911 11:05.534 

 
 
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