Friday 28th August 2015

Giant killing at Zolder: Time For Tea?

If ever you needed proof that rain is a great leveller then see here!

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This weekend it's 24 hours of Zolder. For reasons of history, tradition and news cycles, the Belgians like to hold their Qualifying session on the Thursday. This means that newspapers can be printed, TV updates broadcast, and on Saturday morning the whole Benelux region can be well-informed as to who is starting from pole position on Saturday at 1600h.

Looks like a road car because it nearly is!

Sitting below the famous GT3-heavy Spa 24-Hour, the 24 hours of Zolder is still an important highlight in the European calendar. Which would explain why so many current and ex-factory drivers appear, seemingly out of nowhere, to drive some rather eclectic machinery. Dutch and French speaking TV crews and reporters were thick on the ground yesterday, as drivers like Peter Kox, Bas Leinders and Dirk Adorf took their places alongside rookies and club racers.

Our own Dale Lomas is competing with the local team, Yokohama Skylimits, in a very lowly BMW Clubsport Trophy car. This is essentially a stripped-out, nearly standard E90 BMW 325i. It should be one of the slowest cars on the grid.

But not if you invite BMW factory driver, and recent winner of the Spa 24-hour, Markus Palttala to drive for you. Watch the vid and you'll see...

We'll be giving you a full report from the race next week.

Watch the video here.
 

[Photos: Patrick Visser]

[ZX10R NIN]

Loving that some proper wet weather prowess showed there.

[Alias218]

Went to Zolder on the way back from the Nürburgring in May. The Belgians on the gate kindly let us have free roam of the place, although they wouldn't let us take any cars into the track (boooo).

Gratuitous photo time:

[stuart-b]

That looks excellent, great driving.

But why would they do all that work to a 325i and not start with at least the 330 ?

[stevesingo]

Same engine.

Same Throttle Body and intake

Same exhaust

Different Map

[soad]

A good clip.

[stuart-b]

stevesingo said:

Same engine.

Same Throttle Body and intake

Same exhaust

Different Map

I used to think that, but it is a myth. It doesnt take much to get there, but they arent the same.

Here is a guy in the US who did it

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=372...

[3795mpower]

stuart-b said:

I used to think that, but it is a myth. It doesnt take much to get there, but they arent the same.

Here is a guy in the US who did it

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=372...

Lets not get confused with U.S cars which run different intakes and come in different flavours (323/325/328/330).

Euro cars 325/330 with the B30 are separated by ecu mapping.
They have the same manifolds etc.

[Dale Lomas]

It's a single make championship, so the power is fixed and we are running on AO48 trackday tyres too.

[MissChief]

Combination of a bit too much power and fear of binning a very expensive race car and turning it into scrap metal I suspect. He was very smooth though which helps.

[smilo996]

Zolder looks like a pretty interesting track, fast. Imagine having this and Spa in close proximity.
Imagine the difficulty getting past that Porscha, the rear is so wide it almost takes up the whole track.
Good little vid.

[Furyblade_Lee]

Zolder is a lovely circuit, done 6 days trackdays there although on a trackday noise limits are draconian, especially in a bike-engined car.... Managed to consistently get round in under 2 minutes while still having to lift for the two noise meters in use, would love to lap without lifting but 2 strikes on your transponder and you are OUT!! Its a long way to go to get booted off...