The Syntix Zandvoort 500, the opening race of the Syntix Winter Endurance Championship, was won by Stefano de Val, Nicola de Val and Henk Haane, with a Wolf GB08 Sportscar prepared by Bas Koeten Racing. The 500 kilometer race was characterized by an exciting battle in the different divisions.
The pole position for the race was conquered by Henk Thuis and Pim van Riet. The duo appeared at the start with the fast Intrax Racing Radical SR8 Sportscar and scored a time of 1:40,334. The second starting position fell prey to Stefano de Val, Nicola de Val and Henk Haane in the Wolf GB08 Sportscar. The difference was only 0.08 seconds. In Division II the best time was recorded by Simon Knap and last year’s winter champion, Bas van de Ven. In Division III, Christjohannes and Peter-Conradin Schreiber clocked the best time in a Renault Clio Sport, while Remon Vos and Kevin Veltman (BMW 123d) captured the best starting position in Division IV.
The starting phase of the race was marked by a fierce battle at the head of the field. The Radical Sportscar of Pim van Riet first had to admit a few places, while the Wolf sportscar got off to a good start, as did Max Braams in the Renault Mégane Trophy. After a number of laps Van Riet put his house in order and took the leading position, only to build up a solid lead. After an early pitstop of the Intrax Radical, the trio took over the leading position in the Wolf sportscar. Impressive was also the performance of Danny van Dongen and Dillon Koster in the Praga R1 Sportscar. For a long time the duo was at the forefront of the field and they were also in the lead for a few laps. However, a rain shower threw a spanner in the works of the various teams, who had to adjust their strategy because of the rain. Bas Koeten Racing made the best choice with the Wolf sportscar, so that almost the entire final phase of the race the leading position was maintained. After 117 laps the Wolf Sportscar was flagged first, with a lead of two laps on Henk Thuis and Pim van Riet. Luc and Max Braams took the last podium place in Division I.
In Division II the battle was for the victory especially between the two BMW 320d cars of MDM Motorsport. Rob de Laat, Theo de Prenter and Jeroen den Boer were able to conquer the leading position in the class early in the race, to hardly give it up. With a lead of one lap, the trio finished in front of the BMW of Simon Knap and Bas van de Ven. The last podium place in Division II became a prey for Marco Poland and Jochem van Amsterdam. After an initial phase with some setbacks, the duo managed to fight back to the well deserved podium place.
Division III was a tactical battle between the Schreiber Renault Clio and the BMW Compact of Jacques Groenewegen and Ras Lalmy. In the early stages Groenewegen and Lalmy drove on a victory race, but after the first hour the Clio-equipe seemed to be the stronger duo. They didn’t get the victory as a present, because the BMW Compact was in the lead several times during the race. Still Christjohannes and Peter-Conradin Schreiber had the best cards in their hands and finished as class winner in Division III. Groenewegen and Lalmy finished second, followed by Wilbert Groenewoud and Dirk van Vuure in the RFF Motorsport Porsche 944 Cup.
In Division IV, better known as the diesel class, it remained exciting until the flag fell. In the early stages of the race the Vos/Veltman BMW 123d was passed by Las Moras Racing drivers Duncan Huisman and Liesette Braams. After six laps Kevin Veltman put things in order by reclaiming the lead. During the whole race the teams stayed together. It seemed for a long time that the Vos/Veltman duo would win the class, but a strong last stint by Duncan Huisman caused, with a few laps to go, a change in the classification. The Las Moras Racing duo was flagged as winners in the class with only two seconds lead over Vos and Veltman. There was also a lot of competition for the last podium place until the end of the race. Finally Paul, Max and Anouk van Splunten finished third, with Richard Verburg, Dirk Schulz and Frans Meixner just behind them.
Results
1. S. de Val / N. de Val / Haane, Wolf GB08, 117 laps in 3:58,48,231 (126,50 km/hour); 2. Home / Van Riet, Radical SR8, on 2 laps. 3. L. Braams / M. Braams, Renault Mégane Trophy, at 2 laps.
Class winners
Division 1: S. de Val / N. de Val / Haane; Division 2: De Laat / De Prenter / Den Boer, BMW 320d, 111 laps; Division 3: C. Schreiber / P. Schreiber, Renault Clio Sport, 100 laps; Division 4: L. Braams / Huisman, BMW 123d, 104 laps.
Next race: Saturday 4 January 2014 – New Year race – Circuit Park Zandvoort – Free admission
Categorised in: Motorsports