Kuismanen fastest in warm-up - First Motorsport lies in wait Kuismanen Competition worked hard on Friday to bring the Chrysler Viper GTS-R into race configuration. The Finnish team have more or less replaced all mechanical components. The power best will be on the grid of this 31st edition of the 24Hours of Zolder with a fresh engine; gearbox and clutch. However Pertti Kuismanen's team can't afford to rest on its laurels. AD Sport and First Motorsport also feature as favourites in this endurance race. During the warm-up the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S of First was second fastest, in the wake of the American nest of vipers. Verbist and cohorts were a mere two tenths slower. The Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 of JD Competition by KS is in fine form, with an excellent third time in the warm-up. The ProSpeed Competition Porsche 996 GT3 RSR clocked up a fourth best time, ahead of the 996 GT3 RS of McDonald's Racing Team. Recruiting team manager Fred Gonitz at McDonald's Racing has turned out to be an excellent exercise for Bouillon and team. Following a disastrous 2008 season, the likeable West-Fleming is now enjoying a great season with PMB Motorsport.
The AD Sport Viper culdn't achieve better than a sixth time, bit no reason to panic. "The car is fully ready for the event ", Ron Marchal confideded. "The team is motivated, and with a tank of 100 litres we can hold out for 1 hour and 20 minutes. As long as everyone keeps a cool head we should be in for an enjoyable race. We might have achieved more on Wednesday night, but we stuck to the team strategy. From a publicity viewpoint pole position is interesting, but it is a 24 hours race. The importance of the place on the grid is actually minimal ", the Dutchman residing in Belgium remarked. The Mégane Trophy of Equipe Verschuur finished the warm-up in seventh spot, ahead of the BMW Silhouette #22 of KS Motorsport, the Speedlover Porsche 997 GT3 Cup and the Porsche 996 Biturbo of AD Sport.
Everyone completed a lap; apart form the two cars out of the Delahaye stable. The team opted merely to practice pitstops and the quick change of disk brakes.
Top 10 overall:
1. #12 Kuismanen Competition - Chrysler Viper GTS-R - 1:35,325
2. #50 First Motorsport - Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S +0.174
3. #10 JD Competition by KS - Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 +0.187
4. #60 ProSpeed Competition - Porsche 996 GT3 RSR +1.441
5. #217 McDonald's Racing Team - Porsche 996 GT3 RS +2.659
6. #14 AD Sport - Chrysler Viper GTS-R +2.838
7. #11 Equipe Verschuur - Renault Mégane Trophy +3.293
8. #22 KS Motorsport - BMW M3 Silhouette +4.323
9. #20 Speedlover - Porsche 997 GT3 Cup +4.515
10. #15 AD Sport - Porsche 996 Biturbo +5.574
 VZW 24u.be - Gordon McKay on Saturday 22 August 2009 at 14:41. | 
