NEZ: Linnemann defends Denmark

Category: May, Miscellaneous, News Posted 16.05.12 15:22 by Eddi Laumanns

The first of four rounds counting for the 2012 FIA Northern European Zone Rallycross Championship series was won by Linnemann, Jørgensen, Nilsen and Frøshaug at the Nysumbanen in Denmark.

The opener of the four round 2012 FIA NEZ Rallycross Championship was held on May 12 and 13 at the Nysumbanen at Nysum in Denmark. ERC regular Ulrik Linnemann used the event on home soil to set himself once again in the limelight. Among the NEZ-1600 competitors the Peugeot campaigner had very little competition here. In Timed Practice he drove his 207 to the fastest time, eventually being the only one to do a Nysumbanen lap in under 37 seconds. After setting the best times in all three qualifying heats the Dane was allowed to start the all decisive A final from the pole position to once again running away from his opponents. When Linnemann had completed the eight final laps he took the chequered flag with an advantage of 9 seconds to his runner-up, Reinis Nitišs (Peugeot 206) from Latvia. The third place was claimed by Ernestas Staponkus (VW Polo Mk4/9N3) from Lithuania, reaching the finish line just that little bit quicker than dog-hounding Norwegian Asgeir Taraldsen (Peugeot 206) who became fourth.

The A final of the NEZ-2000 category turned out into a all Danish rostrum affair when Allan Jørgensen (Opel Corsa B) claimed the overall victory, leaving the two other places on the Nysum podium for his compatriots Dennis Christensen (Renault Clio Mk2) and Jakob Teil Hansen (Ford Fiesta Mk7). With 2011 NEZ champion Sten Oja from Estonia competing in Finland the same weekend and 2010 NEZ series winner Camilla Antonsen from Norway also missing the NEZ-4WD class saw a rather poor shoot-out. From the three competitors of the qualification just two started in the A final, here it was Norwegian Håkon Gjesdal Nilsen (Volvo S40 Mk1) who reached the chequered flag being more than 14 seconds ahead of Kazimieras Gudžiūnas (Ford Puma) from Lithuania.

With 18 drivers racing in the qualification runs the NEZ-Open class was the event highlight in terms of quantity. Reigning champion Ola Frøshaug (Volvo S40 Mk1) from Norway started the 2012 season the same way he finished the 2011 one, with yet another overall victory. The A final was an almost all-Norwegian business, of the eight contenders here there was just one Danish driver, Peder T. Jensen who drove his Volvo 240 to sixth place. Runner-up to Frøshaug became his make colleague Børre Håkelia (Volvo S40 Mk1), while Atle Aamodt drove his veteran Ford Escort Mk1 to a fine third place.