Kelleners Wins Again

Qualifying:

POS	NO	DRIVER	TIME
1	9	Frank Schmickler	1:47.97
2	4	Ralf Kelleners	1:48.09
3	7	Danny Pfeil	1:48.71
4	11	Patrick Simon	1:48.72
5	1	Harald Grohs	1:48.87
6	5	Horst Farnbacher	1:49.04
7	3	Joerg Bergmeister	1:49.15
8	12	Gerhard Mueller	1:49.61
9	44	Kai Reimer	1:50.09
10	8	Hans Willems	1:50.84
11	6	Horst Staebler	1:50.87
12	20	Oliver Mayer	1:50.88
13	14	Axel Rohr	1:51.00
14	15	Karl-Heinz Schrey	1:51.37
15	18	Oliver Mai	1:51.38
16	10	Christian Ott	1:53.70

The start was clean, and Schmickler and Kelleners soon opened up a gap they would never lose. Kelleners got past Schmickler at the start, and was never headed. Despite constant pressure and close attention from Schmickler, he didn't make a single mistake, and took a well deserved win,

As per normal, Christian Ott started to drop away from the back of the grid and assume his tail end position. Listening to his car, however, it would appear that it isn't as well tuned as the rest. The engine never seems to rev as hard, and he seemed as though he was out for an afternoon drive. He was fast enough, though, and at least he wasn't lapped this time.

On lap 3, Kai Reimer was all over the back of Staebler, and was desperate to get past. His task was made substantially easier when Staebler lost it into the Dunlop Kurve, damaging his splitter. The top 8 were also grouping into battling pairs of cars, with large gaps between them. Grohs was attacking Simon for third, and Farnbacher was doing likewise to Pfeil for fifth. Grohs solved his problem on lap 5, when he dived past Simon into the Coca Cola kurve. He momentarily slowed both cars down though, and this allowed both

Farnbacher and Pfeil to catch them up. Then unseen by anyone, Mueller had a minor shunt, coming back into view with a smashed front left wing.

Grohs and Simon were still fighting, Simon getting alongside Grohs, but missing out going into the corner. Farnbacher also got past Pfeil, who then got back alongside in the Coca Cola Kurve, but not making it past. Grohs and Simon continued to dice for the next few laps, until on lap 10 Simon passed Grohs on the back straight. He then pulled safely away to the flag.

In the meantime, Pfeil was going backwards through the field, and by lap 13 he was vigorously defending his line from Bermeister. He didn't hold out though, and two laps later Bergmeister was through at the Dunlop Kurve.

In a last gasp attempt, Schmickler slipstreamed Kelleners down the main straight on lap 15, forcing Kelleners to go off line to defend himself into the Castrol S. This was as close as he ever got. Kelleners put the hammer down and pulled away again. Schmickler decided not to risk it and held back. Things then stayed calm til flag fall.

Results:

POS	NO	DRIVER	TIME
1	4	Ralf Kelleners	31:17.14 / 148.538kph
2	9	Frank Schmickler	31:17.50
3	11	Patrick Simon	31:29.28
4	1	Harald Grohs	31:30.03
5	5	Horst Farnbacher	31:33.97
6	3	Joerg Bergmeister	31:36.54
7	7	Danny Pfeil	31:42.39
8	8	Hans Willems	31:46.41
9	44	Kai Riemer	31:50.41
10	20	Oliver Mayer	32:03.24
11	12	Gerhard Mueller	32:07.08
12	14	Axel Rohr	32:11.27
13	18	Oliver Mai	32:13.97
14	6	Horst Staebler	32:21.75
15	15	Karl-Heinz Schrey	32:21.98
16	10	Christian Ott	32:54.16

Fastest Lap: Lap 4, Frank Schmickler, 1:48.78, 150.777kph

By Darren Galpin