Belcar Zolder – Race Report
Mosler Victorious, GPR and Bart Couwberghs Champions
© Joost Custers

The Gravity Mosler duo of Stéphane Lémeret and Vincent Radermecker clinched their third victory of the season at Zolder today. Notwithstanding this excellent performance Gravity International Racing have to leave the title of national endurance champion of the Mediagroep Van Dyck Belcar in Division 1 to GPR. Maxime Soulet and Guillaume Dumarey, in their Porsche 997 (below), retained a four point lead over the Mosler boys’ and as such are the first Belgian GT3 champions.

Bart Couwberghs can also uncork the champagne bottle, because apart from winning the title in D2 with NGT, the regular driver has also grabbed the Belcar Driver Challenge.

The Belcar Last Race was one of those races that wouldn’t unfold into a definite outcome. Numerous unexpected changes of course kept the tension on a high right through to the chequered flag, and in fact the new champions were only certain of their title once they had crossed the finish line. Up front both Moslers had built up a safe margin, whilst behind them an exciting battle for top places was being fought out.

But then a drop-out race took over, which would only end two hours later. The first victims were the GPR Porsche of Duez and Maes (race incident), the Daikin Viper of the fast ladies (ditto) and the ProSpeed Porsche of Loix and Bouvy (transmission).

Meanwhile Guino Kenis (G&A Mosler) and Kenneth Heyer (GS Dodge) set about chasing down the Corvette of the championship leaders Longin and Kumpen. Longin fought hard with the Z06, but to no avail. A broken front suspension arm put an end to all dreams of the Limburg-based team.

The Gulf Mosler (electronics) and the GS Dodge put their name down on the list of retirements, as did the three Ferrari 430s of the French Sport Garage team.

The DHL Mosler had in the meantime built up a lead and behind the fast American beast, Guino Kenis and Michael De Keersmaecker were in second spot whilst the Wauters brothers, with the AD Viper, found themselves in a fantastic third place overall.

But here was more excitement to come. Maxime Soulet, who had taken over from Guillaume Dumarey, was busy climbing up the ranking, having to finish in at least fifth place to offer up the title to his team. “I was battling more and more with the car and by the end of the race I was just able to hold off Rudi Penders and as such claim the title. I’m truly happy with this performance and want to thank the entire team for this really great season,” a highly emotional Maxime Soulet told us after the finish, prior to embracing his team mate Guillaume Dumarey.

Slotting in between the Wauters brothers and the GPR Porsche, Steegmans and Schreurs, in their AD Sport Porsche biturbo, ended in fourth place taking an excellent victory in Division 3. The Thiers brothers finished third in the division and were assured of the title.

Van de Plas and Lumbeeck had their best result of the season, finishing seventh, ahead of the Division 2 champions Couwberghs and Vancampenhoudt in the NGT Porsche (below). De Laet / Vollebergh (CEO Porsche) and Steinberg / Teinmann finished off the top 10 of this Last Race.

But with this excellent race it is not the end for the Belcar series, because now the countdown is starting for the 2008 season of the Belgian GT championship.

Patricia Indekeu – Promoter of the MVDB: “After serious consultation with the teams we will be holding seven meetings, as previously, of which four will be according to the FIA GT3 format. This implies two races of one hour with a compulsory pitstop. In addition there will be two weekends with races of two hours, as per the FIA GT norms, as experienced today in Zolder. And finally there is the 24 Hours of Zolder, which will once again be on our programme. In addition the calendar, with one race per month will be well balanced. Further information will follow later on this week. I will like to conclude by thanking one and all who worked hard in making this a great motorsport year and look forward to meeting everyone at the prize giving in December!”

Result
1. Lémeret / Radermecker – Mosler MT900 – 77 laps
2. Kenis / De Keersmaecker – Mosler MT900 – at 1 min 37
3. Wauters / Wauters – Dodge Viper – at 1 lap
4. Steegmans / Schreurs – Porsche Biturbo – (1st D3)
5. Soulet / Dumarey – Porsche 997 – at 2 laps
6. Penders / Lamot - Porsche 997 –
7. Van de Plas / Lumbeeck – Dodge Viper –
8 Vancampenhoudt / Couwberghs – Porsche 996 – (1st D2)
9 De Laet / Vollebergh – Porsche 996 – (2nd D3) at 3 laps
10. Steinberg / Teinmann – Porsche 996 – (2nd D2) ...