BuggyraZMRacing falljustshortof victoryinEstoril12
Hours
TheBuggyraZMRacingcrewofAliyyahKoloc,AdamLackoandDavid Vršeckyenduredarollercoaster12HoursofEstoril,endingtheweekend classifiedinsecondafterfightingforvictoryinthefourthroundofthe Creventic24HSeries.
ThetriptothenorthofEstorilfeatureda uniquedouble-headerstyleformat,starting withasix-hourpoints-scoringqualifyingrace heldonFridayafternoon,beforethelongest continuousraceoftheseasononSaturday,a 12-hourflag-to-flagencounter.
Allthreedriversshowedstrongpacethroughouttheweekend,which totalledastaggering18hoursofcompetitiveracingacrossthetwodays butfellshortoftheGT4classvictory.
Nevertheless,theteamscored morechampionshippointsahead ofthefinalroundoftheyear,the24 HoursofBarcelona.
Preciouslittletimeseparatedtheendofthequalifyingrace andthe12HoursonSaturdaymorning,whichbeganat 11amlocaltime.
Fromsecondonthegrid,the#416
Mercedesheldontoitspositionduring Lacko’sdoublestintandsubsequently movedintotheleadoftheGT4classin thesecondhourbyjustovereight seconds.
Thatleadballoonedtonearly20seconds,asKolocalsodidadouble stint,beforetheteamencounteredmechanicaltroubleintheeighth hour,withLackoatthewheel.
Thatforcedthecarbackintothe garagewhererepairsweremade beforeitreturnedtothetrack,eight lapsdownontheleadingGT4car.
Allthreedriversdemonstratedanever-give-upattitudeandcontinued topushonintheremainingfourhours,butafurtheroverheatingissue inthecarmeantthatVršeckydidn’treachthefinish.
Still,thecarwasclassifiedas runner-upforthesecondday inarow.
“Itwasaprettylongandbrutalday,therewasalotofaction,andwelosta wheelatonepoint,”Kolocsaid.“Andtheninthelast12minutes,thecar stoppedandapparentlytherewasafire.
So,weweren’tabletoseethe chequeredflag,soafter12hoursof racing,it’sreallydisappointing.Butit’sa goodexperienceforus,aheadofthe24 HoursofBarcelona.
