ARC: Tristan and Isolde

Category: May, Miscellaneous, News Posted 04.05.12 11:15 by Eddi Laumanns

Tristan Ekker, Klaus Freudenthaler, Mario Leonhardsberger and Thomas Strobl bagged the Austrian Rallycross Championship Round 2 victories at the Nordring at Fuglau.

Just one week after the Austrian Rallycross Championship (as well as CEZ Trophy) opener at Melk the second chase for ARC points took place at the Nordring in Fuglau near Horn. As the event did not count for the Czech nor the Hungarian championship series the entry was rather limited this time and with just four drivers from the Czech Republic had only little international aura.

Reigning Austrian champion Alois Höller was the undisputed favourite among the three SuperCar contenders. The Ford Focus Mk1 campaigner set the fastest times in practice and both, the first and second qualifying heats to ensure himself yet another pole position for the A final. Höller shot also into the lead of the last race of the day, but did not get very far due to severe engine troubles. After the multiple Austrian champion was forced to give up Tristan Ekker drove his SuperCar to a maiden victory. Maid “Isolde” is a well prepared and shiny four-wheel driven VW Polo Mk3/9N, now eventually ennobled with its first overall win.

The Super1600s did not find fertile soil in Austria so far and Fuglau saw just two cars racing the Nordring. Victory went to Klaus Freudenthaler in the Škoda Fabia Mk1, after he had already dominated at the Wachauring at Melk the previous week, while Werner Panhauser (Citroën C2) became his runner-up. Once again the most busy class was the SuperNationals category; of the 17 competitors it was young Mario Leonhardsberger who drove the ex-Patrick Breiteneder Honda Civic Mk7 Type-R to his first ever SN victory.

The inaugural National1600 series seems to become dominated by Thomas Strobl and his Citroën Saxo. However, in Melk Tom had simply thrown away an almost certain victory by an unnecessary spin while comfortly leading the A final. This time the youngster kept his nerves together although being dog-hounded the whole way to the chequered flag by Melk winner Sven Förster and his Daihatsu Charade of the fourth generation.