Jan Heylen clocks up best time in free practice - Snippets from the pitlane

The first free practice sessions for the 24 Hours of Zolder has come to an end. The session started out under a cloudy sky, but v soon the heavens opened up.Jan Heylen was at that moment clocking up the fastest lap time, with the AD Sport Dodge Viper Competition Coupé #28. "The track was rather greasy due to an earlier shower before the start of the session....and in the middle of the session it started raining again. We then decided not to take any risks, and we came into the pits", Jan commented.

Luc Janssens, who had been confirmed as driver for the Porsche 996 Biturbo of the McDonald's Racing Team clocked up second best time,: "The car is in great shape", François Bouillon confirmed. Three times FIA GT champion Christophe Bouchut drove the Mosler MT900 R of Gravity Racing International to third time, ahead of the PK Carsport Corvette and the #55 Porsche 997 GT3 of GPR.

Major absentee was First Motorsport. Team boss Jo Jamers reveals all: "These last few weeks we have tested a fair bit at Zolder, in order to be prepared for any eventuality. This is why we kept our cars in the pits", the Limburg tuner commented. The ProSpeed Competition Porsche #51 seemed to be having a problem... "but there was nothing wrong!", Rudi Penders assured us. "Merely pushed in the speed limiter button."

Penders is driving around with a minor injury: "My hand? It's not giving any problems. I've just completed a few laps. It obviously hinders a bit, but luckily it is not painful, and I'll definitely be at the start of the race. "

Val Hillebrand is back in Belgium: "We merely used thiese practice sessions to run in a few components. Markus and Leo both completed a few laps, and we discovered a small problem with one of the shock absorbers. But in the meantime that's been solved. We've got a pretty strong technical crew!"

In Division 2 the best lp time was set by NGT Racing Porsche with trace number 111. The GS Motorsport Porsche #121 clocked in second in DII, ahead of the La Fleur du Pain model. In DIII the best time went to the McDonald's Biturbo, ahead of the Russell Racing Porsche with race number 210. Third in DIII was the AD Sport quartet comprised of Vanierschot-Steegmans-Schreurs-Bruynoghe.

Picture: Martijn Wouters

VZW 24u.be - Gordon McKay on Wednesday 5 September 2007 at 22:03.