24H Nurburgring: GT3 Endurance Team preview

GT3 Endurance Team head to the "Green Hell"

South Island based motorsport enthusiasts Scott O'Donnell, Lindsay O'Donnell, Allan Dippie and Manawatu Doctor Bruce Stewart leave New Zealand this week to compete in the Nurburgring 24-Hour race in Germany over the weekend of May 24/25.

The track has a total length of over 25km with the 19km mountain portion of the circuit known as the "Nordschleife" or "Green Hell" because of the challenging and ever- changing weather conditions, plus it's 73 corners.

The team will be driving a Porsche GT3, which has been prepared by the David Taylor led Motorsport Services outfit, and will be supported by five kiwi mechanics. The entire team are New Zealand based and will be proudly wearing the silver fern and the kiwi as their team branding.

A total entry of 280 cars will face the starter at 4pm on May 24. The GT3 Endurance team are car number 39 and will compete as one of 30 cars in the SP7 class along with all the top factory backed Porsches.

The event is one of the worlds biggest with over 1000 drivers, 2000 support crew, 200,000 spectators and a television audience of 1.8 billion.

The main aim of the GT3 Endurance team is to finish the event and in doing so to gain a good overall and class placing. This in itself is seen as a major success. As well as the main 24-Hour race the team will also compete in a preliminary 4-Hour race on the Friday before the 24-Hour event in hired Porsches and BMWs.

-credit: adac.24h-rennen.de