By Johan Laubscher
1. The Weekend
Focussing this week on the weekend of 8 - 9 September 2012
2. The Events
- Zolder 24 Hours
- Grand Am
- Continental Tire Challenge
- French GT Tour
- Japanese Super GT
- British GT
- DMV TCC
- IMG Racing
- RCN
- SVRA
- STCC
- Cup & Tourenwagen Trophy
- Audi Endurance Experience
- Belgian Historic Racing
- Midas Clubmans
- Austrian Hillclimb
- AvD 100 Meilen
2.1. Zolder 24 Hours
WRT returned to Zolder this weekend to defend their 2011 Zolder 24 Hours victory. A single Audi was entered by WRT which was also the only Audi on the grid. Only three FIA GT3 specification cars were in the race this year which was being billed as a three-way dog fight. The #32 Audi R8 LMS ultra claimed pole position and showed very good pace during all of the sessions. The Audi lost the lead at the start and circulated in third for many hours. The team adopted a slower but steady approach for the first half of the race. During the night the team soildered on and gradually started catching the competition as attrition began setting in. By the morning light WRT was up to second and hunting down the leaders. With a quarter of the race remaining, WRT took the lead and held it to the line after a nail biting battle for the race win in the closing stages. This marks WRT’s second Zolder 24 Hour win and their first 24 Hour win of 2012.
2.2. Grand Am
Round twelve of the Grand Am series headed to Laguna Seca. APR Motorsport entered their regular entry at the event, the #51 Audi R8 GRAND-AM. The car showed great pace placing well during the sessions and achieving eleventh in qualifying.
2.3. Continental Tire Challenge
The Continental Sports Car Challenge was also at Laguna Seca this weekend for round nine. The APR Motorsport Audi S4 was at the event. The Audi finished lower down on the final classification.
2.4. French GT Tour
The French GT Tour visited Navarra in Spain. Five Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars took part. The JWS Team debuted their Audi R8 LMS ultra this weekend. There are now four ultras entered in the French series. The Team Audi France R8 LMS ultra performed best this weekend. They achieved third from ninth in race one and fourth in race two.
2.5. Japanese Super GT
Fuji hosted round six of the Japanese Super GT. Three Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars were entered into the event. Both Audi R8 LMS ultra cars placed in the top ten, GAINER DIXCEL came in seventh followed by äpr racing in tenth. The third R8 LMS from Hitotsuyama Racing unfortunately did not finish.
2.6. British GT
United Autosports may now be fielding a McLaren in British GT, but this weekend there was another team debuting an Audi in the series. Wessex Vehicles, who acquired the older United Autosport Audi R8 LMS have already debuted in GT Cup and Britcar. They entered their car at Silverstone for round six of British GT. The team featured lower down on the results as they are still learning about their new car which boasted a new livery for the first time.
2.7. DMV TCC
Round six of the German DMV TCC championship visited Dijon in France this weekend. Three Audis were on the grid. Roth Racing competed with an Audi A4 DTM R11 and an Audi A4 STW. Prosperia UHC Speed were also at the event entering one Audi R8 LMS for Slobodan Cvetkovic. Edy Kamm achieved another double victory this weekend, behind the wheel of his Audi A4 DTM R11.
2.8. IMG Racing
Limitless Racing attended another regional event this weekend. Dr Jason Lee competed with his Audi R8 GRAND-AM at Pocono, an evening race part of the Independent Motorsports Group (IMG Racing).
2.9. RCN
The German RCN series held round seven at the Green Hell this weekend. A total of four Audis competed at the event.
2.10. SVRA
The annual U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen took place this weekend. The SVRA event had one Audi on the grid, the Audi R8 LMP (#606) of Travis Engen run by GMT Racing.
2.11. STCC
The penultimate Scandinavian Touring Car Championship round was held at Knutstorp. The BMS Racing team and their two Audi A4 S2000 cars competed in the Semcon Cup for privateers. The team showed great pace during the weekend and achieved podium finishes within their class and top ten places overall. The Ahlberg brothers maintain second and third in the Semcon Cup points standings.
2.12. Cup & Tourenwagen Trophy
The Cup & Tourenwagen Trophy was held at the Assen. Two Audis were on the gird, an Audi A3 and a TT. The #1 Audi A3 continued its good form in the series by setting a very fast pace.
2.13. Audi Endurance Experience
A round of the Audi Endurance Experience, hosted by Audi France, was held this weekend. The series is an all-Audi series using a grid of Audi A1 race cars. The event was held at Magny-Cours.
2.14. Belgian Historic Racing
The Belgian Historic Cup was also held at Zolder this weekend. The beautiful yellow and red Nothelle Audi Coupe was at the event.
2.15. Midas Clubmans
The Midas Clubmans were in action at Killarney this weekend. The series held an exhibition race at the Ford and Friends race day. Modack and his Audi A4 were present. This was the first event for Modack after the demise of Johan Fourie Racing, the team who had been supporting the running of the Audi A4. As has been the case so many times this year, Modack dominated the events by taking a double victory on the day. There was also an Audi TT competing in a separate category (Sports/GT) on the day
2.16. Austrian Hillclimb
After an accident sidelined the team earlier in the year we are delighted to report the return of the Marko-Racing Team and their Audi A4 STW in Austria. It was a victorious weekend for the team taking a class victory.
2.17 AvD 100 Meilen
Prosperia UHC Speed also entered the AvD 100 Meilen event at Dijon, as well as the DMV TCC mentioned above. For the AvD race the Audi R8 LMS was shared by Slobodan Cvetkovic and Christopher Mies.
2.18. Other Audi news
Exciting news emerged from Britain this week. After missing the Knockhill BTCC round Rob Austin Racing will be back at the next round with two cars. The team will field both Audi A4 race cars at Rockingham, to be driven by Rob Austin and Will Bratt.
Frank Biela was spotted at Dijon this weekend, accompanying the Prosperia uhc Speed team. Biela was very impressed by the diversity and excitement of the DMV TCC championship.
The United Autosports team have entered their Audi R8 LMS ultra for the 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race. This will be the team’s second race at Mount Panoramawith the Audi brand.
DragonSpeed were testing their Audi R8 LMS ultra this week. The team’s ultra remains the only ultra specification Audi R8 LMS in North America and will debut at the 2013 Dubai 24 Hours in January.
The Don Istook Audi TT RS and a 1983 Audi quattro were on show this weekend at the Tri-Marque Concours in Austin, Texas.
3. Next Weekend’s events (15-16/09/2012)
- FIA WEC
- DTM
- Superstars
- ADAC GT Masters
- Spanish GT
- Portuguese GT
- HSR
- MSS
- Audi R8 LMS Cup
- Asian GT Series
- ADAC Procar
- Swedish GT
- Norwegian GT
- FIA Hillclimb Buzetski Dani
- French Rallycross
- Goodwood Revival
All photos are hosted at their respective website which are listed within the Weekend Round Up
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