BELCAR SHORT NEWS 2006-03-08 – BSN6

Since Friday the 24th of February, one can find not only the Belcar sporting rules on www.belcar.com/ but also the application forms for the Belcar Endurance Cup, the Belcar Sprint Cup and the Belcar Historic Sprint, three VAS-championships (regional).

In the last Belcar news, we mentioned the upcoming surprise regarding Wim Noorman’s team, Eurotech. Meanwhile, an official press release revealed the news that Marc Goossens will share the wheel of a Eurotech Marcos LM600, with Danny van Dongen. 
Wim Noorman explains his choice: “In order to counter all speculations; the car we will race is a freshly built Marcos LM600, in 2003 spec.” The Eurotech boss also explains that all Marcos racing cars built since 1999 come from Eurotech. “The car is almost ready and we hope to go testing soon. Marc will join the team not only because of his speed but certainly also because of his huge experience and the added value he offers to the team. We’re fully aware of the distance we have to catch up compared with the Corvette etc. But on the other hand, I think we will find the level of the best Viper ever seen in Belcar and for example a 2’16” at Spa should be possible. At first, we will have to go through a development period and the car will need further evolutions on different levels. Right now, we have 600 bhp aboard for approximately 1100 kg. Both the power and aerodynamics can still be improved, resulting in a better and faster car. Carbon brakes are not an option in the opening stages as I think that even right now the road holding of the car can already be compared to the Corvette. After all, the first half 2006 will much of a development period during which taking points is the only ambition. Some good results are the aim by the end of the year and finally 2007 will be decisive.”
“Danny Van Dongen will be all right, he spent lots of time in the Marcos and showed speed on several occasions. Goossens / Van Dongen will be a top driver pair. Last but not least, we hope to get excellent tyres in order to be on a par with the other top teams.”

The duo of Kumpen/Longin already announced its plans for a full year of Belcar, but neither the car nor the sponsor were known. Last Monday, all speculations came to end in Hasselt as GLPK launched its prestigious new 2006 project. As expected, the team will run the Corvette C5-R seen for Hezemans / Kumpen / Longin in FIA-GT last year. Sporza is the new, famous sponsor. Mike Hezemans will join the team for the Zolder 24 hours and this same trio will probably race a C6.R in FIA-GT.
Bert and Anthony will also be present in the Endurance Cup. The youngster Koen Deberdt will get the support of both the top drivers in a Porsche 996.

Contradicting what was written last week, Van Hoepen is not yet sure about his future within the new team CEO-Racing. So it’s not yet sure that Van Hoepen will share a Porsche together with Bert Van Rossem. The latter and Marc Claes remain as team owners, but all the rest will be reorganized. As mentioned before, the name Markant will be replaced by CEO-Racing.
Harald Grohs will prepare the Porsche race cars, with the technical support of some ex-Freisinger mechanics. Klaas Van Akker will be team manager. The team’s aim is to become even more professional. De Laet/Vollebergh will drive the Porsche GT3-RS and at least one Porsche Cup will be entered in class 3.

As already mentioned, JMT will return to Belcar. The team of father and son Taijmans will run two ex-PSI Porsche 996 Biturbos; one for Wilfried van Dyck/Leo Van Sande.

Marc Vannerum and a driver TBA will drive the other. Patrick Taijmans announced the names of Nicolas Stelandre or Jonathon Tonet as possible other drivers. A Porsche GT3 Supercup in class 3 and a BMW E36 in the BonGou Belcar Endurance Cup are other options. Possible drivers are Johan Vannerum (son of Marc) and Pascal Notermans, chairman of HIBN.

The last seat within GS Motorsport is also definitive. Johan Vanloo gets the Canadian driver Mark J. Thomas as partner in a Porsche GT3 Supercup. Thomas has already raced in Canada and Great Britain. With four cars, two BMW and two Porsche, GS is almost certain the biggest team in Belcar. 

Last weekend, some Belcar regulars had some fair good results in other than Belcar races.

Marc Goossens didn’t miss his debut in the NASCAR Bush Series. Fast Marc showed his pace in Mexico City even if he did only one day of testing before the actual race weekend. In qualifying, he set the 6th time overall in his CitiFinancial-Ford, only 26 hundreds of the pole-position and leaving big guns such as Andretti and Tracy behind him. Marc finished the race in 9th spot after losing precious time during one of his pit stops. He even led the race briefly and a podium could have been possible without the time lost. The Marcos driver made an impressive debut in the series, which holds prospects in NASCAR. 

Last weekend was also the opening round of the Belgian rally cross championship. Michaël De Keersmaecker won his maiden race in his brand new Opel Corsa in division 1A. The car of the G&A driver is built by RML. Willem Veltman, also racing in the Belcar Sprint Cup, came home in third in his Citroën Saxo VTS.