 'Belgian top welcome ERC-tenors' Persbericht: ERC
Foto: Willem Wittenberg | RSSP.eu
This proverb is very fitting for the first Belgian rally on the calendar of the Euro Rally Challenge this coming weekend. The only way to finish on top in this short race is to keep the pedal to the metal on the fast stretches of gravel. Hesitation will loose you precious seconds.
But the proverb also applies to the Belgian drivers, who were conspicuous by their absence when the Euro Rally Challenge was launched. The rest of the competitors will be pulling out all stops to ensure that seven-time Belgian rally champion Patrick Snijers and his fellow countrymen Kris Princen, Melissa Debackere, Hubert Deferm, Bernd Casier and Gunther Monnens will get a run for their money if they want to stand tall in front of their home crowd.
With already two legs driven in the Euro Rally Challenge, where fun, comradeship and spectacle are proving essential ……things are already heating up. In the Tank S rally, the opening race of the Dutch Championship, Erik Wevers’ slight driving error cost him the race despite a courageous comeback, giving victory to van Eldik. In the Vogelsberg Rally in Germany, Wevers evened the score ensuring a thrilling duel with van Eldik in the upcoming race in the small town of Bocholt. Famous for its tricky gravel stages and the Marten Browery, which produces a delicious local beer named…………”Sezoens”.
Rene Kuipers will be fighting for third place with the Skoda Fabias WRC of Harry Kleinjan and John Temmink. Milhaly Hodula will be coming from Hungry with his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6 ready to take advantage of even the smallest mistake of the WRC drivers.
Dennis Kuipers is again the favourite in Group N with his Peugeot 207 S2000 but in the Sezoens Rally, top speed is more important than it is in a lot of other events. This gives the “classic” Group N’s a definite chance. We anticipate Michael Pedersen with his Lancer Evo9to be a front runner but Edwin Schilt in the Impreza WRX STi and Janina Depping in her Lancer Evo7 also have a good chance. Jan de Winkel is the only participant in Group R with his Renault Clio R3. He will be undoubtedly concentrating on keeping pace with the Group N drivers.
Tim Stebani, after having to retire early in the Vogelsberg rally, is determined to score some points with his Skoda Octavia kit car. The Dane Funch, in his Opel Kadett, will definitely be keeping the pressure on the rest of the competition in Group H.
The Sezoens rally, to be driven on Saturday 17th May 2008, consists of 12 special stages divided into 3 loops of 4 stages. |
