Sunday in Nogaro Part 2 – Narrow win for Kiss

21. June 2015Nogaro - While the temperature climbed gradually to 30°C, the truck racers were getting the cool breeze in their faces on the Pilots Parade, riding pillion around Circuit Paul Armagnac on heavy Harley-Davidsons.
Sunday’s first race was likewise a rather relaxed affair.
Polesitter Kiss took the lead at the start on a track that was toasting at 58° in parts. Behind the Hungarian the field strung itself out in the starting order. Janiec was the only one who was able to climb a spot to eighth at Lohr’s expense. At the rear end of the field the two Spaniards Marco David (MAN) and Pedro Garcia (Iveco) tangled, the MAN pilot coming to rest off the track. The race continued uninterrupted.
Kiss, Lacko, Hahn, and Albacete together made up a quartet at the front, each separated from the truck ahead by a second. Behind them, at some remove, followed Vršecký, Reinert, Halm, Janiec, Lohr, and Smith. The points were as good as decided, and nobody thought anything would – or could – change.
But two laps from the finish Lacko loosed himself from Hahn’s claws and latched menacingly onto Kiss. But catching up and overtaking are two different things, and the Hungarian had his nose ahead by half a second at the flag for his second win of the weekend.
Hahn meanwhile had decided against any further exertions. Third place was certain, and the gap to Albacete simply too big.
With his eighth-place finish – behind Vršecký, Reinert, and Halm, – Janiec once again collected pole for the day’s second race.
Oxxo-Lion (Kiss / Janiec) took the team honours, ahead of Buggyra (Vršecký / Lacko) and Reinert Adventure (Hahn / Reinert).

Impressions: