The Final Three Hours
They Did It – From 20 Laps behind
© Joost Custers

At 13.23 the #6 AD Porsche retired with a broken wheel. It’s that sort of year for AD Sport… At 13.40, as the race continues rather steadily – even though the lead is as yet undecided – the #31 hits trouble. The car is pushed into the garage, because Lamot has felt vibrations at the back end. The mechanics check the car and Franz is back on the road for the final stint.

14.00:
http://timing.24u.be/2005/t21.htm

Meanwhile the police have confiscated the equipment of the local radio station, the channel covering the race on a local network. No more local radio…

The #36 First Porsche Supercup retires, broken engine. The PSI #5 continues its way to the top, even if Palttala is clearly disappointed. “We came for victory and not for a podium in GTA and 7th overall. OK, we grab some points but except for the Kuismanen car every other top car does. We’re now focusing on finishing and ending up in the top 3 of the championship by the end of the year.”

Around 15.00, the race is over for the lead, between #4 and the Corvette, is finally over…. the #4 PSI Porsche stops on the track, engine dead. Meanwhile the other PSI Porsche enters its garage, with more trouble for the Palttala crew: as for the #4, the engine causes the delay. But the #5 seems be able to continue. It’s now a very long 90 minutes for the SRT Corvette.

15.00:
http://timing.24u.be/2005/t22.htm

Penders and Van Bellingen seem about to complete the podium. If the Porsche was an outsider, the performance of KS Motorsport is beyond belief, for the team based in Leuven. Penders might also take the spoils in GTB, where the #34 Ultima and the #30 Pino Porsche complete the top 3. AD Sport could find some relief in winning the guest category and GS Motorsport is well ahead in Touring.

16.00:
http://timing.24u.be/2005/t23.htm

It’s now waiting for the chequered flag… Patrick Selleslagh looks suitably worried, pacing round and round…

David Loix was bitterly disappointed after his retirement in #4, but “we made the race, we fought till the end and are proud of our performance. It’s bitter too for Jos (Menten) and Fred (Bouvy) as their championship hopes seem to be gone.”

This Mantis was heading towards 25th overall - the Eurotech car would finish 14th. The #59 Porsche is the Pascal Nelissen Grade / Marc van Hoof car (13th).

Just before the end, the #29 AD Porsche crashes out at the end of the start-finish line, after a technical failure. The car retires.

And then SRT takes a maiden 24 hours victory for Corvette in Europe!

All together almost 50,000 spectators visited the Zolder 24 hours. Endurance is alive… well done the organisers, well done Belcar… well done Patrick Selleslagh, Marc Goossens, David Hart, Guy Verheyen and Jan Heylen - and the SRT crew of course. And all those who finished this marathon.

Full result:
http://timing.24u.be/2005/t24.htm

The Top Ten
1 #7 GTA Goossens / Hart / Verheyen / Heylen Corvette 799 laps FL 1:31.985 on lap 435
2 #31 GTB Lamot / Penders / Couwberghs / Dujardyn Porsche 786 laps
3 #61 S van Bellingen / Leyssens / Vandermaesen / Fuma BMW 773 laps
4 #34 GTB Derdaele / Empsen / Verhoeven / de Wit Ultima (below) 763 laps
5 #30 GTB de Gastines / Turco / Tonet / Gonnissen Porsche 761 laps
6 #42 G van den Broeck / Lèmeret / Herman / Cloet Porsche 747 laps
7 #5 GTA Palttala / van Sande / Mollekens / Radermecker Porsche 746 laps
8 #2 GTA Kuismanen / Vosse / Huisman / Alamaki Viper 745 laps
9 #17 G Dunarey / Dumarey / Dumarey Porsche 744 laps
10 #37 GTB van Rompuy / Jamers / Haane / van Loo Porsche 738 laps

12 #91 TB Josten / Muytjens / Cracco BMW 732 laps
17 #71 TA Belien / Jakobs / Colman / Brinkmann BMW 711 laps