BOTNIARING BRINGS THE SECOND VICTORY TO CIRCLEK MILESPLUS TEAM

While Baltics were suffering from a heat wave, Finland welcomed NEZ, BEC6H and BaTCC participants with 14 degrees and rain. It was wet and slippery practice on Friday and a very wet qualifying session on Saturday morning. However, as the start of the race was at 13:30, it was plenty of time for track to dry out. Some teams were happy, however, others not so much as the most of the practices were spent driving in wet conditions.

Qualifying run was tight and interesting: the fastest was lap time was set by Lamborghini Huracan of “Flash Racing” team with Mikk Maaten behind the wheel. However, their best shown time of 1,46.480 minutes did not assure the victory in the race. The engine valve broke down only five laps until finish and the victory was taken by “Circle K milesPLUS” team from Lithuania participating with Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. This team has started from second position after showing the time of 1,48.405 minutes during the qualifying.

Battles between “Flash Racing” and “Circle K milesPLUS” team started from the very begining. “Flash Racing” managed to take the lead in the start of the race, but “Circle K milesPLUS” never let them to run far away. Teams exchanged the leading position several times during the 6 hours race. 1.5 hours before the end of the race Jonas Gelžinis started to chase Artūrs Batraks from “Flash Racing”, after the refueling and driver change “Circle K milesPLUS” managed to take the lead, but Mikk Maaten from “Flash Racing” who was driving the 3rd hour in this race catched leader and overtook him. Seemed that the “Flash Racing’s” first  victory is just around the corned but only 11 minutes before the end of the race white smoke and flames started to come out of the Lamborghini’s engine. Mikk Maaaten stopped in the track and the car was brought to park ferme by track service car. Nevetheless “Flash Racing” team saved 2nd place overal and in class – the gap between both leaders and other teams was so big.

“I didn’t want to risk with the car. When I saw the smoke coming out of the engine, I just sopped. At least we reached the finish this time and even saved the second place,” said Mikk Maaten after the race.

“CircleK milesPLUS” and their Porsche took the first place in overall and their class, “Flash Racing” was the second and the third place was taken by Lithuanians “Noker Racing Team” with VW Golf GTI TCR car. At the same moment, this team assured first place in their class, too. Second place was taken by “Skuba Racing Team” and the third place by “Energizer racing team”. Basically, “TCR” class was controlled by VW Golf GTI TCR cars.

The biggest crash experienced “Dream2Drive PRO” team when the 17 year old lithuanian driver Kasparas Vaškelis drove off the track and jumped over a knoll with teams Cupra TCR car. Race for this team was over. No lucky this race was for Lithuanian girls team – “GSR Motorsport” team showed good pace, until the wheel’s studs of their VW Golf GTI TCR broke down. Due to this technical failure, car went out of the track in a really fast corner. However, team’s mechanics managed to fix it and they crossed the finish line.

“A3000” class was ruled by Lithuanians “Mazeikiu ASK” team with “Peugeot 308”. In between of diesel cars, the victory was taken by Finish racing team “Meretek racing by Special Stage” with BMW e90. Lithuanians “4Race” wih BMW 123 took the second place and another Finish team “R2M Performance” with BMW 33D was the third.

Even though, there were not lots of participants, the battle and fight for each second continued until the last moments of the finish. Each point counts and now teams will meet for new fights on August 17 – 18 during “Riga Summer Race” in well known Bikernieki track.