Rotek Racing Press Release
Rotek Racing celebrated a double class victory in the ADAC Nürburgring 6 Hours with the increasingly notable Audi TTRS SP4T car and the debuting Audi RS4 SP8 machine at the legendary German track on Sunday (6 April).
After the TTRS stormed to class pole in the hands of 2012 FIA World Touring Car Champion Rob Huff in Saturday’s qualifying session – only to be hit by a grid penalty – Gentleman racer, Richard Meins, span under yellow-flag conditions during the mandatory night practice, which serves as part of the qualification process for the headlining ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours (19-22 June).
The start of the race from 21st on the grid was entrusted to an emerging talent from the USA, Kevin Gleason, who previously celebrated victory in the 2013 25 Hours of Thunderhill alongside Huff in Rotek's Audi TTRS last December.
Gleason, a full-time contender in the US Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge, made his ‘Ring’ debut in the six-hour contest but adapted quickly to the demands of the world’s 'ultimate proving ground' to propel Rotek to 15th overall during an initial stint of eight laps, before handing the car to Historics stalwart, Meins .
Meins completed a further eight laps to continue the team’s progress, but Huff took the reins and went in hot pursuit of the more powerful GT3-spec Mercedes-Benz SLS AMGs and Audi R8 LMS Ultras to drag the TTRS into the top ten overall at the halfway point.
The OCC LASIK-backed Briton lapped consistently in the 8m40s bracket but it was up to Gleason and Meins to conclude the race and ensure Rotek Racing qualified well for June's gruelling 24-hour race.
Both performed faultlessly by maintained a solid pace and ultimately took the chequered flag in ninth overall to secure the SP4T class victory.
The Nürburgring-based team’s second entry boasted an eclectic mix of speed, fun and razzmatazz. Rotek’s newly-built Audi RS4 was pedalled by Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) newcomer Robb Holland, his compatriot, Bill Caswell, of ‘Build, Race, Party’ fame, as well as BTCC race winner Rob Austin and multiple VLN Champion Danny Kubasik.
Despite suffering with new-car teething problems, Rotek Racing’s spirit and the enthusiasm of its driver line-up ensured the RS4 was delivered home with a well-deserved class victory, Kubasik pushing hard to record a super-competitive time for a production-based race car in the 9m40s.
After the event, a clearly delighted Holland, said: “There’s no doubt that the entire Rotek Racing team had a lot of fun out there and everybody involved performed brilliantly to achieve the team’s first double victory. It stands us in good stead for the 24-hour race in June and the rest of the German VLN Endurance Championship programme here at the Nürburgring.
"It was great to have such big characters racing for the team, as it made the weekend a massive pleasure. For the TTRS to show such outstanding pace demonstrates that Rotek Racing has the ability to provide superb race cars for everybody, from motorsport’s elite to less experienced club racers."
Rotek returns to ‘Race The Ring’ on 19-22 June for a two-car assault on the 2014 ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours, while Holland is set to contest Round 2 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) at Donington Park on the Derbyshire/Leicestershire border with his Oakley Motorsports-backed Audi S3 Saloon in just under a fortnight’s time (19-20 April).
For more information on Rotek's 'Race the Ring' programme, please visit the official www.race-the-ring.com website or 'like' the Facebook page.
And for more on Rotek Racing, visit the official www.rotekracing.com website, ‘like’ the team’s Facebook page or follow @rotekracing on Twitter.
Photo credit: BAM Motorsports Group
