Porsche Motorsport Newsletter 2009: Volume 9

If you’re not able to keep up with each Porsche Motorsport post here on FlatSixes.com and would prefer a brief synopsis of what’s happening in the world of Porsche Motorsport, there is no better way to stay in touch than by reviewing the monthly Porsche Motorsport Newsletter. Filled with interesting facts and figures about past and upcoming races, along with changes to team and crew, the Porsche Motorsport Newsletter is an easy way to keep up-to-date on this year’s racing activities.

American Le Mans Series: 100th win yields championship title

After their hard-fought victory at the final round of the ALMS in Laguna Seca, Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long are the new GT2 champions. The Porsche works drivers gave a superb performance: Six wins from ten races handed their Flying Lizard Motorsports squad the team title and again earned Porsche manufacturers honours. The success on the Californian circuit marked the 100th Porsche victory in the ALMS. Joerg Bergmeister claimed his fourth GT2 title, for Patrick Long it was his second. Cytosport’s Porsche RS Spyder concluded the race second in the LMP2 class securing the fourth podium result from four races.

Grand-Am: Victory at finale and three titles for Porsche

Another Porsche festival in Florida: Joao Barbosa and Hurley Haywood won the twelfth and final race of the Grand-Am Series on the Homestead Miami Speedway (10/11 Oct), in the Brumos Porsche Riley prototype, whilst Dirk Werner and Leh Keen celebrated a clear championship victory in the GT class. The German-American duo secured four wins at the wheel of their Farnbacher Loles Racing 911 GT3 Cup. Farnbacher won the team classification, Porsche is the new manufacturers’ champion.

FIA GT Championship: Collard and Westbrook keep the race open

Securing second place at rounds six and seven of the FIA GT Championship on the Algarve (20 Sept.) and in Le Castellet (4 Oct.), Emmanuel Collard and Richard Westbrook keep the suspense high in the race for the GT2 drivers’ title with their 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Prospeed Competition. Heading to the final in Zolder (25 Oct.), the Frenchman and the Briton rank a promising second in the points.

International GT Open: Championship decision must wait

Richard Lietz and Gianluca Roda (Autorlando Sport) travelled to the penultimate round of the International GT Open in Monza (3/4 Oct.) as points’ leaders. After Lietz’s spirited final spurt, the team finished the first race in second. Bad luck hit in race two on Sunday: Sitting second, tyre damage dashed all hopes for Lietz/Roda and the duo were relegated down the ranks to second overall. The title decision must now wait until the final in Barcelona (31 Oct./1 Nov.).

Italian GT Championship: Suspense mounts in lead-up to final

Drama in the Campionato Italiano GT: In Mugello (26/27 Sept.) Richard Lietz shared driving duties with Francisco Cruz-Martins to claim third at the eleventh round in Autorlando Sports’ 911 GT3 RSR. At round twelve, Sascha Maassen supported the Portuguese racer: Cruz- Martins leads the drivers’ standings ahead of Maassen and a Ferrari armada. The title will be decided at the final round in Monza on 17/18 October.

Spanish GT Championship: Miguel Angel de Castro on title track

With four championship rounds still to go in the Spanish GT Championship, Spain’s Miguel Angel de Castro ranks second in the race for the title at the wheel of the 911 GT3 RSR run by the Drivex team. Previously in Albacete (12 Sept), De Castro finished race one in fourth and race two in second.

Speed World Challenge GT: Porsche wins manufacturers’ championship

After the tenth and final round of the SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge GT, Porsche was crowned champion of the manufacturers classification for the eighth time in the history of the popular US series. James Sofronas (911 GT3 Cup) won the final in Laguna Seca and is the new drivers’ runner-up behind a Mustang pilot who won the championship.

BF Goodrich Long Distance: Second win of season for Mamerow Racing

At round eight of the BF Goodrich Long Distance Championship Nürburgring (3 Oct.), Christian Mamerow and Dirk Werner (Mamerow Racing, 911 GT3 Cup S) beat Romain Dumas, Arno Klasen and Marcel Tiemann in the 911 GT3 RSR of Manthey Racing by 55.5 seconds and claimed their second win of the season.

Carrera Cup Great Britain: Tim Bridgman claims championship at finale

Only at the last race weekend of the year in Brands Hatch (2./4.10) could the title of the Carrera Cup Great Britain be decided. In a record field of 27 Porsche cars, Tim Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) won races 19 and 20 to secure the championship ahead of James Sutton (Red Line Racing) and Tim Harvey.

Carrera Cup Italia: Alessandro Balzan is the new champion

The 29-year-old GT stalwart, Alessandro Balzan (Ebimotors Centro Porsche Varese) from Venice, secured the championship with his third win of the season in Mugello (26 Sept.). Race two of the weekend (27 Sept.) went to the youngest driver of the field, Alex Frassinetti (22).

Carrera Cup Japan: Shimizu is champion with victory at final

A season final made to measure for Shimizu: After securing second at the ninth and penultimate round, the points’ leader followed up with a flag-to-flag victory at the final of the Carrera Cup Japan as support to the Formula 1 weekend in Suzuka (2/4 Oct.) to claim the title.

Carrera Cup Scandinavia: Jocke Mangs defends his title

A fourth and an eighth place at the final round of the Carrera Cup Scandinavia in Mantorp (25/26 Sept) was enough for Jocke Mangs (Xlander Racing) to defend his championship title. The 27-year-old professional won four rounds in 2009. Second in the championship went to Tony Rickardsson after two victories in Mantorp.

Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama: Hat-trick for Bob Faieta

Bob Faieta from California gave his arch rival Martin Snow no chance at the final race weekend of the Patrón GT3 Challenge in Laguna Seca (10/11 Oct.). After two victories at the wheel of his Competition Motors 911 GT3 Cup, Faieta claimed his third consecutive overall victory in the brand trophy series. The Gold Cup for 911 GT3 Cup cars from the model years 2005 to 2007 went to Melanie Snow.

Race notes: Victories in Barcelona (20 Sept) and Dijon (11 Oct.) put Jeroen Bleekemolen within striking distance of points’ leader Thomas Jäger heading to the final of the Carrera Cup Deutschland on the Hockenheimring (25 Oct). Jan Seyffarth takes a break after sustaining a hip injury when he became entangled in an accident in Barcelona. +++ Christian Menzel (StarChase team) is the new front-runner of the Carrera Cup Asia after winning the “SC Global Singapore 2009” (26 Sept). +++ In the fight for championship honours, points’ leader Renaud Derlot (Sofrev ASP) comes under pressure from his teammate Anthony Beltoise heading to the final race of the Porsche Matmut Carrera Cup France in Lédenon. +++ Swen Dolenc is the champion of the GT3 Cup Challenge Deutschland. After three wins this season, second place at the finale in Hockenheim (10/11 Oct.) behind Lars Kern was enough for him to secure the title.

Related Posts
Porsche Motorsport Newsletter 2009: Volume 8
Porsche Motorsport Newsletter 2009: Volume 7
Porsche Motorsport Newsletter 2009: Volume 6
Porsche Motorsport Newsletter 2009: Volume 5

[Source: PCNA]