The FINANCIAL — Nürburgring, 26th June 2011 – Aston Martin’s trio of entries in the 39th running of the ADAC Nürburgring 24 Hour race continue to progress to plan as darkness engulfs the Eifel region.
V12 Zagato #5 (green) has taken 1st place in SP8 – an impressive 21st overall in a 200-plus field – with V12 Zagato #3 (red) in 4th, while V8 Vantage N24 #6 holds 3rd in SP10GT4.
Aston Martin’s privateer entries are also running smoothly; Mathol Racing occupy 1st and Team Pflanz 8th in SP10 with Team Bratke 6th in SP8.
As Saturday drew to a close, driving duties returned to those who piloted the opening stints across Aston Martin’s three Nürburgring entries. Richard Meaden took over from Chris Porritt in V12 Zagato #5 (‘Zig’), Wolfgang Schuhbauer replaced Matthew Marsh in V12 Zagato #3 (‘Zag’) and Darren Turner returned to the cockpit of V8 Vantage N24 #6.
Chris Porritt, who finished his second stint of the race in V12 Zagato #5 shortly before midnight said: “It’s odd to think that when I get back into the car it will still be dark! This is a magical place to be at night – campfires and fireworks are all around the track now and in darkness is easier to see where you are going; it focuses your vision.
“During the night it is as important as ever that we conserve fuel so I tend to brake a little earlier into the corners and managed to get nine laps from a tank.”
Darren Turner who had just climbed out of V8 Vantage (‘Smurf’), having completed his second stint said: “It took me a little while to get used to the dark as I only had a couple of night laps during qualifying. It is quite a hard place to find your reference points in the dark here, but I was getting quicker.
“There were a lot of accidents that needed negotiating during my stint – it’s quite eventful out there, but I’m really enjoying my first Nürburgring 24 hour experience; the car has been perfect.”
In sweltering heat in Nevada at the Spring Mountain Motor Sports Ranch a production standard four-door Aston Martin Rapide continues to accumulate laps in a 24-hour test run in conjunction with Road & Track magazine. The car – also raising money for charities providing aid to victims of the recent earthquakes in Japan – is approaching the 200-lap mark.
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