The VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring 2011 stands above all for variety. Six different teams have shared the victories amongst themselves in the first six races of the season. The equal level of performances in the top group is however carried on through the whole field. In none of the 32 classes has a team scored six class wins so far.
In four classes, teams have however been able to gain five class victories. Those are Wolfgang Weber (Vilshofen/ Germany), Norbert Bermes (Krefeld/ Germany) and Rickard Nilsson (Balduinstein/ Germany) in their Aston Martin Vantage V8 entered by Mathol-Racing in class SP10, Anja Wassertheurer (Stuttgart/ Germany), Daniela Schmid (Austria) and Bejnamin Koske (Büttelborn/ Germany) in a Ford Focus RS entered by FH Köln Motorsport in class SP4T, Markus Schmickler (Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler/ Germany) and Lars Heisel (Bielefeld/ Germany) with the BMW 325i in class V4 as well as Marcel Hoppe (Lennestadt/ Germany) and Harald Thönnes (Mülheim-Kärlich/ Germany) in their Volkswagen Scirocco R entered by Fleper-Motorsport in class V2T. The results in class GT3 (SP9) are totally different. Each race was won by a different team. This class was dominated by the teams Black Falcon and Mamerow-Racing as well as twice respectively by the teams ROWE-Racing and Phoenix-Racing with two different cars and crews respectively.
A study of the championship table reveals that consistency this year is more decisive than victories in the fight for the championship. In the lead of the championship are Thomas Kappeler (Bad Saulgau/ Germany), Harald Hennes (Eschweiler/ Germany) and Thomas Gerling (Uchte/ Germany) in a BMW M3, having scored four wins so far, ahead of Bermes/ Nielsson/ Weber. Last year’s champions Mario Merten (Nürburg/ Germany) and Wolf Silvester (Nürnberg/ Germany) are into third position with three victories in the BMW Z4, ahead of Jürgen and Heinz-Otto Fritzsche (both from Hückeswagen/ Germany) together with Nicole Müllenmeister (Wermelskirchen/ Germany) who are fourth even though they have not yet scored any class win so far.
The 6h ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen to take place on 27 August may easily put the annual statistics upside down. The fans may look forward to an exciting continuation of a fantastic season …
