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Qualifying – 60 mins

The mixed league drivers set their sights on autosport’s hallowed ground, the Green Hell. Tonight’s car was the Skyline GTR - a badge with rather impressive Nordschleife pedigree. A unique format required the drivers to jump straight into a one hour hotlap session with points and bragging rights on the line. At 9+ minutes a lap, the need for careful out-laps and car preservation, this proved to be no easy feat. 18 minutes into the session, Michael Palladino sets the first benchmark of 9:29.355, immediately pipped by David Lord (-15.5 sec). Salteri, on a flyer, mucks up the final segment but takes another 3.5sec off (as well as his front splitter). With 20 minutes to go, only Jason, Enda and Jeremy had added their names to the board. Dying minutes saw a flurry of drivers wrapping up their lap. Salteri and Lord manage another flyer each, the former taking P1 – a 9:06.398 (-1 sec, Lord). A welcomed cameo by Dunlop Supercar drivers; Josh Hunter and Andre Heimgartner ensured the regular drivers would have to bring their A-game!

P1. Iain Salteri

Race 1 – 3 laps

The long trek began with a few guys finding the kitty litter around the GP circuit. Salteri led the field as they transitioned to the old circuit. Nathan Tregarthen loops it but does very well to stay off the narrow walls. Salteri relinquishes the lead to a tight Lord-led pack. The steep kerbs take their first casualty in spectacular fashion, throwing Enda Murphy into the barriers. Salteri elects to stop for tyres after the first lap. Ross Rizzo also flies off into the barriers. Young kiwi - Heimgartner appears to have some problems and also retires. Jason’s car leaves a huge trail of steam in its wake – perhaps a ploy to throw off his rival. Regardless, he applies the pressure onto Michael Palladino and passes. Michael’s engine, in better condition, still has the legs on the straight forcing them to get dicey into the braking zone and then straight into the pits at the end of lap 2. They re-join together but Michael flips it over the barriers! Relieved-Jason’s smile doesn’t last long when his motor decides to give-in and leave him stranded in the forest. Hard-charging Jeremy Pernesz, uses fresher rubber to dispose of Salteri up to P2. Nathan, after his early race troubles, passes Frank Rizzo and finds himself in 4^th place. But the drive of the race, belonged to David Lord who managed his tyres to come out on top by 19 seconds!

1. D.Lord
2. J. Pernesz
3. I. Salteri

Race 2 – 3 laps

Plenty of contact and two-wide action sort out the running order before the twisty bits. At the GP Hairpin, Frank is the first to slide off. Given a second chance, Salteri leads the field again. Lord pokes his nose around for a little bit, gets the door slammed shut. Rarely-frazzled Palladino drops to the back, vents with some circle work and calls it quits. Meanwhile Lord grabs the lead but still locked on in Salteri’s sights. Following the leaders, Jeremy and Jason have their own epic duel. Side-by-side, Salteri and Lord enter the pits. Side-by-side they exit, Elbows out! However Jeremy falls victim to pit double-stacking and elects to drive through the pits instead, hunting down non-stopper Jason. Lord makes a bold move on the outside of Salteri and barely nips the grass to prompt a high-speed spin. Nonetheless, foot to the floor and before long – he messages Salteri with his bumper, “I’m Still here!”. Side-by-side again down Döttingen Höhe (the long straight) into Hohenrain and Salteri locks up, Lord Shoots through to take another victory! Fighting for the final spots becomes a tight race. Jeremy close to the tyres’ limits chases down Jason who’s actually on his wheel rims! Duelling Frank and Nathan, narrowly avoid the two of them. Ross Rizzo rounds up the podium.

1. D.Lord
2. I. Salteri
3. R. Rizzo

by Matt Anderson