Lap record and class victory for BLACK FALCON at VLN´s season highlight
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At the six hours race of VLN long distance championship BLACK FALCON scored one division victory and two more podium places. Also BLACK FALCON driver Manuel Metzger set a new lap record for the Nürbugring´s VLN configuration during the qualifying.
The longest VLN race of the year started with a bang. In qualifying Manuel Metzger at the wheel of BLACK FALCON´s Mercedes-AMG GT3 (number 7) drove the fastest VLN lap ever in 7:54,497 minutes. This incredible lap time secured Metzger and his teammates Gerwin, Hubert Haupt and Yelmer Buurman the pole position for VLN´s seventh leg of the season. Unfortunately, the crew was pushed back by a tire puncture while leading the race that cost the Bilstein-Mercedes a lot of time. After showing great dedication the driver quartett climbed up to sixth place again and finished the six-hours race.
The second BLACK FALCON Mercedes-AMG GT3 (number 6) was unlucky as well and ad to retire after just five laps. Abdulaziz Turki Al Faisal, Adam Christodoulou and Maro Engel went into the race from fourth position, but a suspension problem forced start driver Christodoulou to bring the car back to the pits where the race was over for car number 6.
After two early retirements in the last two VLN races Tim Scheerbarth and Alex Toril are finally back on the success track with their Porsche 911 GT3 Cup BF (number 56). The duo put in a strong performance but had to start from second position in division SP7. During the race they never showed anything but good lap times leading to the fourth win of the season in this division. The second SP7 entered Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Jürgen Bleul, Takis and Carsten Knechtges wasn´t lucky this time. The BLACK FALCON Team TMD Friction car had to be retired early after starting the race from a strong third place. Also both Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport didn´t finish the race. Runar Vatne and Christian Bjørn-Hansen (number 942) had to give up after an accident while the sister car of Fidel Leib and Aurel Schoeller (number 943) suffered a technical failure.
In the category of cars close to serial production two cars were entered by BLACK FALCON Team TMD Friction. The Porsche 911 Carrera (number 395) of Andre Kuhn and Philip was entered in division V6 amongst seven competitors. The duo came in second claiming a podium visit. A third podium position for BLACK FALCON Team TMD Friction at the seventh VLN race was secured in division V5. Ronny Lethmate, Carsten Palluth and DTM driver Daniel Juncadella finished the VLN highlight in third position with their Porsche Cayman (number 448).
Source: Akl Yazbeck / Sportscode Images