Grippingly close slipstream duels at the Salzburgring produce two surprise PRTC winners

Salzburgring. Rounds 3 & 4 of the Pfister-Racing Touring Car Challenge (PRTC) were held at the legendary Salzburgring from June 11-13, 2021 The high-speed race track in the Austrian “Nesslgraben” near the city of Salzburg welcomed the touring car racers, contrary to the initial weather forecasts, with bright sunshine and therefore the best conditions on the race track.

Both PRTC races were broadcast in the “XLR8” live stream for viewers at home, with the entertaining commentator duo Andreas Pfister and Peter Baueregger. Meanwhile, the starting field for the race series had grown further and there were already two CUPRA Ibiza Cup V1 race cars starting in Division A Class 1 and more than 10 CHEVROLET Cruze Eurocup 1.8 LT V4 race cars in Division A Class 2.

“We are very much looking forward to the professional XLR8 event at the Salzburgring, which is brilliantly organized and achieves a great marketing reach. Our starting field is bigger than ever, and we are already very excited about which of the drivers will be the best on the high-speed track at the Salzburgring!” said organizer Andreas Pfister at the beginning of the race weekend.

Real cars, real racing: the PRTC offers exciting touring car motor racing at its best!

All racing cars are equipped with standard tires from TOYO TIRES, with the semi-slick Proxes R888R, which in combination with the central fielding and “rotating system” of CHEVROLET and CUPRA racing cars by Pfister-Racing GmbH ensures a high level of equal opportunities at affordable costs.

The winner of the 2021 Pfister Racing Touring Car Challenge (PRTC) will receive a free test drive in the 350 hp TCR racing car.

A flying stack of tires notwithstanding: Dirk Ehlebracht wins sensationally in race 1

On Friday, the pilots had the chance to get used to the conditions at the Salzburgring during the free practice sessions and to learn how to best master the Nocksteinkehre and the legendary paddock bend.

Things then got more serious during the first qualifying session to determine the starting grid on Saturday morning. The aim here was to secure the best places on the grid. The fastest lap around the Salzburgring was achieved by Robin Renz (GER, Filderstadt), who secured pole position ahead of Roman Holzner (GER, Munich) and Dirk Ehlebracht (GER, Oberursel).

The tension among the fans and drivers was palpable before the start of the first race, which began with a standing Grand Prix start. They were not to be disappointed this time too because there was the very best touring car motor racing to be seen from the first meters onwards: Pole-positioned Renz did not get off to a good start and Roman Holzner and Thomas Eckert (GER, Nürnberg) took advantage of that. Holzner took the lead ahead of Eckert and Dirk Ehlebracht also overtook Renz during the first lap of the race.

Bad luck had a name at the Salzburgring: Roman Holzner (GER)

With fast lap times Holzner was able to stay in the lead, but the opponents in pursuit managed to stay in his slipstream for the time being. At the end of the start-finish straight Robin Renz then dared a fateful maneuver: He sat to the right of Thomas Eckert to slow him down, but clearly timed his braking point too late and shot straight into Roman Holzner’s door.

Holzner was able to continue the race after a spin, but he was of course put well back. In the meantime, Dirk Ehlebracht was able to take the lead, but he too was soon put under pressure again by Eckert and Renz.

Despite the action, everything was done right: Dirk Ehlebracht scores 18 championships points and takes the lead in the standings!

Robin Renz then showed his ambitions for victory again and was about to take the lead, but braked hard again at the first chicane and hit the pile of tires head-on, which flew straight in front of Dirk Ehlebracht’s car. Ehlebracht was lucky and reacted cleverly by swerving right onto the grass. This not only cost Renz more time but also a demotion of 5 places in the starting grid for the second race by the race organizers.

Marco Bedrich (GER, Cottbus) was able to make the most of this action again by taking the lead with a clever and fast drive. Eckert and Ehlebracht were behind him in his slipstream and two old acquaintances also met again: Roman Holzner had moved forward and was now fighting with Robin Renz for important points. Renz overdid it again and then had to park his Chevy in the gravel after the paddock bend.

In the CUPRA class the youngsters Sebastian Reeh (GER, Filderstadt) and Noah-Gabriel Vogler (GER, Ranstadt) showed that they are up to the challenges in touring car motor racing, because both were able to battle convincingly with the theoretically faster CHEVROLET Cruze Eurocup race cars.

Meanwhile, Bedrich was outpaced at the front by Dirk Ehlebracht and Thomas Eckert, who both managed to pass the man from Cottbus in the slipstream with fast lap times.

With this Ehlebracht took his outstanding first victory in the Pfister Racing Touring Car Challenge ahead of Thomas Eckert and Marco Bedrich. A good fourth place was achieved by David Stein (GER, Usingen), who provided more action on the track in an infight with Tim Schestag (GER, Walldorf). The Top 5 was completed by Roman Holzner, who was able to cut his losses.

Second race, second surprise winner: Thomas Eckert from Nuremberg

After the adrenaline-filled first race on Saturday, the Pfister Racing Team mechanics also had a lot to do to get the race cars back in shape, but they succeeded.

Thomas Eckert secured the pole position for the second race ahead of Roman Holzner and Robin Renz. Tim Schestag, Sebastian Reeh and David Stein completed the first three rows for race two, which started with a rolling “Indianapolis” start.

In the starting phase Eckert kept his cool and took the lead, which he was able to extend continuously in the course of the first laps. David Stein managed second position behind him after a strong start. However, things did not go well for Roman Holzner once again: He lost performance considerably due to technical problems.

Successful in the CUPRA class: Sebastian Reeh from Filderstadt

Now the chasers started to follow on the heels of David Stein in second place, really putting him under pressure. Stein then missed the braking point at the first chicane and had to swerve through the gravel. He then returned to the track very unluckily and rear ended Marco Bedrich, which meant a premature finish for both drivers.

In the lead, everything went according to plan for Thomas Eckert, even though Dirk Ehlebracht, in second place, managed to set an absolute new Chevy best time of 1:52:997 on the Salzburgring on the last lap of the race. Robin Renz was able to complete the podium this time, securing more important points for the overall ranking. Fourth place went to Tim Schestag, who is still one of the title contenders, ahead of Patrick Huber (GER, Stuttgart) who was able to finish in the Top 5 for the first time with his clearly improving form.

The PRTC action will be continued soon in Croatia at the Automotodrom Grobnik (CRO) as a guest race as part of the FIA CEZ (Central Europe Zone) from July 23-25, 2021.

Fotos: Pfister-Racing GmbH