VLN: Audi TT RS domination in SP3T and SP4T at round seven

By Johan Laubscher

The seventh meeting of the VLN Endurance Championship was held at the Nürburgring this weekend. A total of seven Audis were entered.

Only one Audi R8 LMS ultra was entered this weekend, the #44 Audi entry from Twin Busch Motorsport in the SP9 class.

An army of six Audi TT cars were also entered. Three TT RS cars were entered in SP3T, joined by one TT and one TTS. One TT RS was entered in SP4T. The Audi Sport customer racing developed TT RS entries included Raeder Motorsport, Møller Bil Motorsport and Rotek Racing.

During qualifying the Twin Busch R8 LMS ultra was the highest place Audi in eighth overall. There was an Audi 1-2-3-4 at the top of the SP3T class. The #331 Raeder Motorsport Audi TT RS took pole in SP3T and the #249 Rotek Racing TT RS took pole in SP4T.

The race concluded with the #44 Twin Busch Audi R8 LMS ultra unfortunately running low on fuel during the final lap, while they were running as high as second. The fuel miscalculation cost the team and they were ultimately classified as a non finisher. SP3T was dominated by the Audi TT RS cars, as the #331 Raeder entry won the class ahead of the #334 Møller Bil TT RS and the #290 TT RS in third. Rotek Racing won the SP4T class.

The eighth VLN event will be held at the Nürburgring on the twelfth of October.

Photo credit: VLN

VLN: Audi TT RS victories in SP4T and SP3T at the Nürburgring

By Johan Laubscher

The German VLN Endurance Championship held its sixth meeting of the season at the Nürburgring today. It was an unlucky race for the R8 LMS ultra competitors, but it was certainly a good day for the Audi TT RS entrants.

Only two Audi R8 LMS ultra cars were entered this weekend, a single entry each from Twin Busch Motorsport and Phoenix Racing.

Twin Busch Motorsport was the highest placed Audi during qualifying, having taken fourth place ahead of the Phoenix car in ninth. The #1 LMS Engineering TT RS claimed eighteenth overall and pole in the SP3T class. Rotek Racing and their #249 TT RS was on pole for the SP4T class, twenty-forth overall.

The Audi TT RS teams stole the show for Audi at the four hour VLN race today. LMS Engineering made it a victorious comeback and debut for their #1 Audi TT RS. They achieved class pole position, class victory and they finished in a very impressive sixth overall. It was also an Audi 1-2-3-4-5-6 in SP3T, as the #334 Møller Bil Motorsport TT RS finished second ahead of the Raeder Motorsport #331 TT RS in third and the #290 TT RS in fourth. Audi TTS race cars also finished fifth and sixth in SP3T. The TT RS clean sweep was completed by the Rotek Racing #249 taking victory in SP4T.

Both Audi R8 LMS ultra entries faced problems today. The #15 Phoenix Audi finished twenty-fifth overall and the Twin Busch Motorsport #44 Audi unfortunately retired after running as high as second.

The next VLN round will be taking place on 28 September. 

Photo credit: LMS Engineering

VLN: Successful rollout for LMS Engineering Audi TT RS

By Johan Laubscher

LMS Engineering conducted a successful rollout at the Nürburgring today. This was the first track test for their #1 Audi TT RS and its two litre five cylinder turbocharged engine.

After overcoming early season setbacks, LMS Engineering completed successful dyno testing this week, followed by a successful rollout. Their SP3T Audi TT RS was seen at the Nürburgring today, where the team tested the car on track for the first time.

LMS Engineering has developed a two litre version of the five cylinder turbo TT RS TFSI engine, allowing it to compete in the SP3T class in the VLN Championship. A few of these Audi Sport customer racing TT RS cars have been converted to run in the SP3T class (two litre turbo) versus the original specification in the SP4T class (two and a half litre turbo). The Raeder Motorsport and Møller Bil Motorsport TT RS cars are current examples of these SP3T versions, which are currently competing in the VLN. The LMS Engineering SP3T version will be the first variant with a five cylinder engine, the other SP3T TT RS examples are based on four cylinder two litre power plants. 

It is great to see the LMS Engineering TT RS progressing well, and the car certainly sounds fantastic in the video embedded below. The team has mentioned their intentions of taking part in the next VLN event, which will be taking place next weekend (14 September).

Photo credit: Mcchip-DKR SoftwarePerformance

VLN: Phoenix Racing with three Audi R8 LMS ultra cars in six-hour race on the Nordschleife

Phoenix Racing Press Release

Phoenix Racing will be competing with three Audi R8 LMS ultra cars in the six-hour-race of the Endurance Championship Nürburgring (VLN) on Saturday (24 August).
“Alongside the traditional 24-hour race this VLN race that lasts six hours is the second highlight of the season on the Nordschleife,” says Phoenix Team Director Ernst Moser.  “We’ve already won two VLN rounds this year but winning this race over the extended distance would be something special. We’re looking forward to this special race very much.”

The driver trio with the ‘Ring’ specialists Frank Stippler (D) and Marc Basseng (D) plus Roman Rusinov (RU), who impressively showed his abilities on the difficult Nordschleife at the 24-hour race in May, has firmly set its sights on the podium. They are driving the white-black #37 Audi R8 LMS ultra of G-Drive Racing by Phoenix. In a G-Drive Racing by Phoenix R8 Frank Stippler and Marcel Fässler (CH) had won the 24-hour ‘dress rehearsal’ at the second VLN round at the end of April.

With the tailwind gained from the victory at the fourth VLN round in June together with Frank Stippler, Ferdinand and Johannes Stuck are contesting the entire VLN season in the white-blue #15 Audi of TÜV Rheinland. The Stuck brothers are supported by Christopher Zoechling (A). The 25-year-old talent is driving for Phoenix for the first time. “Christopher Zoechling convinced us in track tests and we also watched his performances in the Porsche and in the Mercedes on the Nordschleife so that he deserves this opportunity in the R8,” explains Ernst Moser. And Hans-Joachim Stuck (D), who is driving the Phoenix R8 race taxi sporting Red Bull graphics as part of the activities before the VLN race, is ready to actively support his two sons again in the cockpit as a matter of exception.

Taking turns at the wheel of the #5 Audi featuring the white-black Primland graphics will be Christopher Haase (D), Frank Stippler and Harold Primat (CH). At the VLN round in June Haase/Primat, both of whom are driving a Phoenix R8 in the Blancpain Endurance Series with Oliver Jarvis (GB), had achieved a podium position. Ernst Moser: “Harold Primat would like to contest the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in 2014, so this and other VLN races serve as the best possible preparation.”

At this race Phoenix Racing is continuing the development work with the new suspension partner KW. Two R8 cars are equipped with dampers from KW, the third one with the time-tested Bilstein suspension.

Over 210 Teams, including a large number of GT3 sports cars with plenty of horsepower, make for a gigantic field of entrants. After tests on Friday afternoon and the 90-minute qualifying session on Saturday morning, the 6-h race will be started at 12:00.  

Photo credit: Phoenix Racing