Penders / Lamot did what they had to do during the Spa Racing Festival, finishing 3rd overall and winning their GTB-class; after the race they gained one more place, because Longin / Couwberghs were penalized for overtaking under safety car - the Porsche drivers keeping all options open for the Belcar title. The SRT crew also did what they had to do, namely winning the race, but if Penders / Lamot finish at least 4th overall and 1st in GTB during the Zolder Masters, the last Belcar round, the TT Racing squad will be Belcar champions. This could be the first overall title for a GTB team ever in the Belcar series. Both teams have some pressure now; SRT has only one real option left, they have to win the last race of the season, even if mathematically other scenarios are still possible. So if the Corvette wins, Penders / Lamot have to be 4th overall and 1st in class. If the blue C5-R is 2nd, the Porsche team has to finish within the top-9 overall if they win their class. If Penders / Lamot are only 2nd in class, they have to finish within the top-6. Many other possibilities are still open, but are not very likely. Anyway the championship could be won or lost by only 1 or even half a point. This is due to the scoring system of the Belcar races during the 1000 K and of course the Zolder 24, where half points were distributed after 6 and 12 hours. Kuismanen and Vosse are both also still in competition but not without major trouble for the two other contenders.

Franz Lamot explains what happened in Spa last week: “Of course, third in a 125-minute race with a GTB Porsche is incredible. The last safety car period and the consequences of it were God’s gift because normally we’re not supposed to be on the overall podium.” “First Bart Couwberghs passed under yellow, without immediate consequence, then Kuismanen got a stop & go but he did not stop and was penalized with 60” after the race. And our luck wasn’t over yet. Rudi got by Leo Van Sande in the closing stages of the races and even though Leo and Rudi had a small coming together, both drivers continued. After the race, Leo admitted not to have seen Rudi. We were then in a virtual 4th overall. Some laps before the end, the Mazda hit Koen Wauters and Koen lost his 3rd place. After the race, we complained against the overtaking manoeuvre of Couwberghs and finished after all on the podium. The early retirement of the Maes / Verbist Porsche also helped us to finish as high as 3rd.” “The last race in Zolder will again be very difficult: we’ll drive our own race but we’ll have to keep in touch with the frontrunners, and another class victory is of course very important. But the come back of the Thiers brothers in GTB with a brand new Porsche 996 GT3-RS will make it no easier than it already was...”

Meanwhile GLPK withdrew its appeal against the decision of the race directors at Spa, after the images of the race were released. But the sporting committee will still have to meet and take a decision.

The minute lost by the Kuismanen Viper ruined its championship hopes. The Vosse / Kuismanen crew is now 3rd in the GT-championship. In GTA, they are still second, eight points behind the Corvette. Both PSI Porsches will fight for 3rd spot in GTA with only one point separating them. In GTB, Penders / Lamot are of course champions, but the battle for 2nd is still open. The difference between the Qvick Ultima and the First Porsche Super Cup is now up to 9 points but everything is still possible. Both teams are at least sure to finish 3rd in GTB after the forfeit of de Gastines / De Bock and the bad luck of the Belgium Racing Ultima.

In the division for touring cars, a finish will make three in a row for the Beliën / Jakobs BMW squad. They are already champions in TA and a third consecutive title in Touring is very near. In TB it’s far from being decided. After the accident for the GS Motorsport pair, Muytjens / Josten, both BMW teams - De Hoen/Essers and Broodcooren/De Coster - now lead by one point over the Belgian - German GS squad.

In the Philip Verellen Junior Challenge, rewarding the best young driver in Belcar, Johan Van Loo of First Motorsport is already the winner. He beats Olivier Muytjens. The latter had a big off at Spa.

The Ladies Challenge sees the MINI pair Van de Velde / Ickx leading Kelly Jamers. Kelly did race at Spa but a possible victory in Zolder keeps everything open.

Ellen Lohr could play a decisive role in the Ladies Challenge as she returns with the Audi TT. Other guest in Zolder will be Rob Knook in the mighty Stealth B6 with a 6.0 V8 Elan Ford delivering 650 bhp. Last but not least, Bo McCormick returns to Belcar, after at Brands in June, with his Ferrari 360.

Michaël De Keersmaecker did not manage to become European rally cross (division 2) champion. The G&A driver was in the lead for the entire championship but lost it in the last round in Germany with a broken gearbox, during the final.

The Belcar masters will also see a dramatic round of the Legend cars. These little cars, close to Midgets, with a 1250 cc Yamaha engine, developing 150 bhp, and with a weight of 480 kg, will race during the last weekend of the Belcar. But what’s more, there will not only be the regular championship rounds, but also a gala race with 18 Belgian race stars: Belcar regulars Fred Bouvy, Vincent Vosse, Marc Goossens and Koen Wauters will try to beat Larry Cols, Didier Defourny, Marc Duez, Stéphane Henrard, Freddy Loix, Jean-Michel Martin, David Saelens, Patrick Snijers, Bruno Thiry, JP Van de Wauwer, Renaud Verreydt etc.