Some Luck And Lots Of Talent Secure Title In Team’s First Season
Founded less than year ago, ProSpeed Competition have finished their first year in motorsports in the best possible way with three class wins and the 2006 Belcar Class 2 Championship title. While the third class win was on the cards after Porsche factory driver, Marc Basseng, secured a first row spot in qualifying, the Championship title was less so as the odds were firmly stacked against the ProSpeed crew. To win the title Franz Lamot and Marc Basseng – subbing for an injured Rudi Penders – would have to win the class, with the championship leading BMW not finishing better than seventh in class.
The title bid was given some extra boost by Basseng parking the brand new ProSpeed 996 GT3 RSR in class pole and on the first row of the grid. What is more, he set the time in a damp second qualifying session, while the rest op the top qualifiers set their best time in the dry morning session. “The grip of this car in the corners is just phenomenal,” Basseng said. “It is also a lot wider and lighter than the one I use in the German “Langstrecken” championship on the Nürburgring, so it took me a few laps to settle in. We made some adjustments to the toe-in at the back after the first session, and that was enough to set the time.” Which, incidentally, was the quickest the car had ever gone around the Zolder track and only 8/10ths of a second shy of the pole sitting Corvette.
Franz Lamot took the start and immediately settled in his own rhythm staying with the Class 2 competition rather than taking up the fight with the overall leaders. After his 45-minute stint, Lamot ran in ninth overall and fourth in class, which was a good starting position for the second part of the race knowing that Marc Basseng would be a few seconds a lap quicker than the other Class 2 contenders. As expected, Basseng duly delivered, rejoining in 15th overall and quickly moving up to third overall and first in class as soon as all the other cars had completed their pitstops.
The title chase now completely out of ProSpeed’s control, the GS Motorsport BMW started hitting brake problems, which ultimately would lead to two offs and the ProSpeed Porsche gaining the upperhand in the championship. “We believed we could do it, but we also knew we would need for the others to fail rather than us just beating them to secure the championship,” an exhilarated team-boss, Rudi Penders, said. “On paper it might look like we had it easy, but this result goes to show that the last race is as important as the first. Two weeks ago it looked like “game over” after I wrote off the car in Spa, but the whole team got their heads down and put in a few all-nighters to get the new car ready. I would therefore like to thank all those who put in the extra work to make it possible for ProSpeed, Franz and myself to finish our first year with a championship title.” For Penders and Lamot it is their second consecutive Belcar title, their third in total.
Charles Van Decraen, owner of ProSpeed’s main sponsor, CPL Trans, was equally pleased: “It’s a fantastic result for everybody,” he said. “The team had some tough luck with technical issues at important races like the 24 Hours and then there was the accident, but they all kept fighting regardless how slim their chances looked before this weekend. I’m really glad to be associated with these guys! Today again shows that the opera isn’t over until the fat lady sings.”
For Marc Basseng it was his second win in as many weekends, and he was really pleased to have helped the team secure the title. “At the end it was a bit hard, as the car is very physical to drive, but I’m happy for Rudi and the guys to have been able to help them,” he said. “I was very impressed with the way the team is run, and it was good fun to make my Belcar debut with them. Maybe I can do some long distance races with ProSpeed in 2007, who knows. As for myself, I’m looking at doing something in the American or European Le Mans Series or maybe the FIA GT Championship, but a lot will of course depend on what Porsche will ask me to do for them.”
The team’s second car, crewed by Christian Kelders and Pascal Nelissen Grade, had an uneventful race to their best Zolder result of the season.
ProSpeed’s next outing will be the Dubai 24 Hours in January, 2007.
MVD BELCAR ROUND 7 – ZOLDER – RESULTS1. Longin/Kumpen Chevrolet Corvette C5-R 80 laps in 2h06m21s3592. Goossens/Van Donger Marcos LM600 + 1 lap3. Basseng/Lamot Porsche 911 GT3 RSR + 2 laps (1st Class 2)4. Wauters/Wauters Chrysler Viper GTS/R + 3 laps5. Van Rossems/Maes Porsche 911 Bi-turbo + 3 laps6. Kenis/De Keersmaecker Mosler MT900R + 5 laps (2nd Class 2)7. Leest/Schreurs Porsche 911 GT2 + 5 laps (3rd Class 2)17. Nelissen Grade/Kelders Porsche 996 GT3 RS + 6 laps (9th Class 2)
