NGT Racing, KRK Racing and MPM Racing by Verbist also suffering Following on from Bert Longin parking his Mosler when exiting the Jacky Ickx-chicane, a 'Code 60' was waved. All remaining cars continue lapping at an average speed of 60 kilometres per hour. However we must discard our strategy booklet as yet. A definite fact is that the four Porsches only need to call on the fuel pumps a further four times; whereas KRK Viper will need a fifth visit for their thirsty V10-engine. The only thing that might still throw a spanner in the works is... mechanical failure!
At around twenty past eleven there were rumours doing the rounds in the pitlane that the NGT Porsche was struggling with gearbox problems. Ruben Maes is down on speed and is losing five seconds per lap. At NGT Racing everything is being prepared for an emergency stop. Drive shafts, gearbox, clutch, everything is lying ready should the Porsche Cup S be floored through bad luck.
Less than five minutes later Fumal furiously comes into the. "Cluthc, clutch!", the MPM Racing by Verbist-driver shouts out. On closer inspection it becomes apparent that one of the shafts has given up the ghost. Pulinx, Fumal, Menten and Palttala lose half an hour in the pits and return on track in sixth place. At the time of the incident the Porsche was up in second spot, and with the problems experienced by NGT in the back of their mind the underdog wa suddenly becoming a likely candidate for overall victory.
 KRK Racing takes over the command, or so it appears... but Koen Wauters parks the Dodge Viper Competition Coupé on the grass. At that moment KRK Racing is lying second... but the car needs to be towed back to the pits. Before the car is able to reach the pits from the Villeneuve-chicane, a few laps are lost. The final drive has, as expected, given up the ghost. The outcome is that Palttala once again finds himself up in the top-six. The #265 is still third in its class.
McDonald's Racing Team has not had an easy race either. Hour upon hour Bouillon and team mates tried to keep the car in the race, but four hours from the end the Porsche 996 GT2-R is in the pitbox with a broken turbo. A podium place in their class is no longer possible, seeing the enormous backlog as compared to the rest of the Division 3-field.
Pictures: Martijn Wouters
 VZW 24u.be - Gordon McKay on Sunday 31 August 2008 at 12:56. | 
