Friday, 29.03.2024 | Deutsch | English
Saturday in Zolder Part 3 - Halm leads podium shutout for Iveco

Saturday in Zolder Part 3 - Halm leads podium shutout for Iveco

15. September 2018Zolder - Steffi’s impressive start-to-flag victory had hearts beating faster in Team Schwabentruck and Iveco, which celebrated its first ever podium shutout, Hahn finishing in P2 and Kursim in P3. For Hahn Racing, in whose workshops all three trucks were built, this was one more reason to celebrate.
In one ruthless sideswipe at the start, Halm took the lead from hapless polesitter Kursim. Reinert meanwhile surged up to P3, tailed by Hahn, Albacete, Kiss, and Lacko. Lenz, who had started from 3rd with high hopes of a podium finish, dropped to P8 after a nasty scrap.
The trucks continued several laps in close pursuit over a track that had turned extremely dusty in parts. Spirited battles behind her allowed Halm to stretch her advantage progressively to nearly 5.5 seconds at the finish.
One third into the race, Kiss’s Mercedes seemed to lose pace, allowing Lenz to shoot ahead into P7. Two laps later Reinert missed the entry point to the Jacky Ickx chicane and got his wheels onto the dirt as he fought to rejoin the track. Hahn, almost up alongside the MAN pilot, took his chance to slot into P3.
Two laps later Lacko went off in the same chicane right across the grass, only to line up behind Lenz again. On the following lap the Czech’s Freightliner slowly rolled into pit lane – and retirement.
Halm was now followed at some remove by Kursim, Hahn, Reinert, Albacete, Lenz, and Kiss. Reinert tried his best to hold up under pressure from his Spanish pursuer but presently caved in, allowing Albacete to move up into P4.
When everyone thought the race was run, Hahn made his move at the start of the final lap, pulling alongside Kursim. The two Ivecos ran neck and neck for half that lap, till Hahn finally eased into P2 in the paddock chicane to collect 9 points at the flag. Albacete also closed in on Kursim but ran out of road. Reinert finished in P5, followed by Lenz, Kiss, and – some distance behind – Jose Rodrigues in P8. The Hungarian had to trade places with the Portuguese MAN pilot after 10 seconds were added to his time for overspeeding.
The real battle was for P9. For a long while MAN pilot Shane Brereton seemed secure in that position, but he was presently caught by fellow Brit and MAN colleague Jamie Anderson. A few hundred metres to the flag, exiting the Jacky Ickx chicane, which had already proved decisive to the outcome of the race for the frontrunners, Anderson got up alongside and, with greater launch momentum for the final sprint, beat Brereton to the flag by all of ... nine thousandths! That dare also earned him top honours in the Grammer Truck Cup at Brereton’s expense, with tankpool24 Racing pilot Steffen Faas rounding out that podium.
„Die Bullen von Iveco Magirus“ (Hahn / Halm) was the top-scoring team, ahead of Reinert Adventure (Lenz / Reinert) and Truck Sport Bernau (Albacete / Recuenco).
Hahn has extended his lead in the overall standings. The Iveco pilot now has 252 points, followed by Lacko (198), Kiss (169), Albacete (159), Lenz (143), Halm (137), Reinert (124), and Kursim (105).

Impressions:

Saturday in Zolder Part 3 - Halm leads podium shutout for Iveco
Saturday in Zolder Part 3 - Halm leads podium shutout for Iveco
Saturday in Zolder Part 3 - Halm leads podium shutout for Iveco
Saturday in Zolder Part 3 - Halm leads podium shutout for Iveco
Saturday in Zolder Part 3 - Halm leads podium shutout for Iveco