Genk/Frankfurt am Main. The DKM traveled to Genk in Belgium at the weekend for the second round. For many years now, the circuit has provided a great backdrop for the categories of Germany's highest kart racing series and there was plenty on offer again this time. New winners stood on the podium. In the supporting programme, the Mini 60 Series by Chrono Karting provided a lot of fun.
106 drivers from Germany and all over the world competed on the 1,360-metre circuit in Genk at the weekend. The conditions at the "Home of Champions" could not have been better. The sun shone on all three race days and Sunday even turned into a small heat battle.
As at the opening race in Muelsen, the three categories DSKM, DSKC and DJKM were again represented. An international top field ensured duels at the highest level in both shifter kart classes, and on Sunday evening there were six different winners in six races with Stan Pex, Markus Kajak (both DSKM), Niels Troeger, Ronny Tabakovic (both DSKC) as well as Mats van Rooijen and Marc Gerstenkorn (both DJKM). For the second time, the young drivers of the Mini60 Series by Chrono Karting were represented in the supporting programme, where Semir Velija won.
DSKM: Victories for Stan Pex and guest driver Markus Kajak
Robert Kindervater (BIREL ART RACING KSW) set the first best mark in qualifying for the German Shifter Kart Championship. On Saturday evening following the races, however, Dutchman Stan Pex (SP Motorsport) led the field and started the final Sunday from pole position. With a perfect start, the former champion pulled away in the first final and kept his pursuers at bay for the entire race. "That was a tough race. I always had pressure from behind and couldn't make a mistake," said the winner in the interview later. Tim Troeger (Maranello SRP Racing Team) held the chasing position until two laps from the end, but Thomas Imbourg (CPB Sport) switched the order again shortly before the flag. Fourth and fifth place went to David Trefilovs (Maranello SRP Racing Team) and Jorrit Pex (SP Motorsport).
After a quiet first race, things got intense in the second. Imbourg and Trefilov won the start, but there was contact between the two and Imbourg dropped way back. The places at the top were taken by the Pex brothers. However, both lost speed as the race progressed. They defended their positions, although Jorrit Pex and Trefilovs collided fighting over a corner, and the latter retired. Meanwhile, guest driver Markus Kajak (KH Racing Team) held his ground at the front - with new tyres, the Estonian fought his way to the top from 22nd on the grid. "The start into the weekend was not easy, I didn't expect to win. All the nicer now to be on the top step," he beamed at the finish. Second was Guust Specken (CRG Holland) ahead of Troeger, Kris Haanen (SP Motorsport) and Slavik Putiatin (CPB Sport). Stan Pex slipped down to seventh place.
DSKM championship standings after 4 of 10 rounds:
1st Stan Pex (97 points)
2nd Daniel Vasile (60 points)
3rd David Trefilov (58 points)
4th Jorrit Pex (53 points)
5th Tim Troeger (47 points)
DSKC: Two winners and finally new winners
With 45 drivers*, the field of the DMSB Shifter-Kart-Cup was again full in Genk. Thomas Rackl (Maranello SRP Racing Team) won the qualifying but gave up his top spot to Linus Hensen (Mach1 Motorsport - Kartschmie.de) during the heats. The driver of the German Mach1 kart also dominated the first final and crossed the finish line as the clear winner. But there was a disappointing surprise on the scales; Hensen was 100 grams underweight and lost his victory. This now went to Niels Troeger (Maranello SRP Racing Team) ahead of his teammate Rackl. The remaining cup places were completed by Sivert Møyland (CRG Holland), Gil Mertens (CLAUDE BAL RACING TEAM) and Emma Felbermayr (TB Racing Team).
In the second heat, Troeger had a lightning start from pole position and drove away from the pack. In the end, however, the start was a little too early and the German received a time penalty - although he was flagged off as the clear winner, the gap was not big enough and he was one second short of the win. As a result, second-placed Ronny Tabakovic (C.K.R. Srl) celebrated his first win of the season. "Wow, after I had a retirement in a heat yesterday and we were far behind, the races went perfectly today. I would never have thought that I would come from 26th on the grid to the top," exclaimed the winner. Tom Adams (Maranello SRP Racing Team) finished third, ahead of David Yevan (CPB Sport) and Rackl.
DSKC championship standings after 4 of 10 rounds:
1st Niels Troeger (101 points)
2nd Thomas Rackl (70 points)
3rd Juliano Holzem (68 points)
4th Tom Adams (67 points)
5th Linus Hensen (55 points)
DJKM: Two new youngsters win with Mats van Rooijen and Marc Gerstenkorn
The general development of the OK classes at national level was unfortunately also reflected at the DJKM in Genk. Only ten young drivers started, but they delivered varied races. With Luke Kornder (SIM-ON) a new face was fastest in the qualifying. He also won a heat, but it was Phil Colin Strenge (ADAC Württemberg e.V.) who went into Sunday's final round as pole-sitter.
In the first final race, however, the two favorites from Saturday had to retire. At the top, guest driver Mats van Rooijen took the reins and won ahead of Marc Gerstenkorn (TB Racing Team) and David Gorcica (FORZA RACING z.s.). "That was a super race. After I took the lead, I pushed hard to celebrate the victory," beamed the winner at the finish. Things got turbulent towards the end of the second race. While Gerstenkorn pulled away at the front and celebrated his first triumph in the DJKM, Strenge fought his way up and hung behind Cemil Bayyati (Lanari Racing Team) shortly before the end of the race - the duel between the two resulted in a collision, with Bayyati having to retire. Meanwhile, Strenge finished second ahead of Italian Alex Brunner Gostner (TB Racing Team). With his victory, Gerstenkorn also took the lead in the overall standings - his summary was equally positive: "We improved over the entire weekend. I am very satisfied; with the victory I have taken the lead in the championship and would like to win again after the summer break in Wackersdorf."
DJKM Championship standings after 4 of 10 round:
1st Marc Gerstenkorn (107 points).
2nd Phil Colin Strenge (101 points)
3rd Cemil Bayyati (90 points)
4th David Gorcica (89 points)
5th Alex Brunner Gostner (61 points)
Mini 60 Series: Semir Velija wins after thrilling finale
The 21 young drivers in the Mini 60 Series by Chrono Karting once again brought a lot of joy to the spectators. In qualifying, the first 16 competitors were separated by less than half a second, and the heats on Saturday were correspondingly as close. Emilio Bernd (TB Racing Team) started the pre-final in the lead. In the course of the race, a group of ten fought for the victory - the lead changed several times during the 13 laps of the race. It was only in the final meters that Ami Kara Osman (Rodopi Racing Academy) was the winner.
In the decisive final, a duel developed at the front between Bernd and Semir Velija (Lanari Racing Team). The decision was made two laps before the end: After a change in the lead, Bernd started the counterattack, both touched each other, and the Bavarian had to retire early. After that Luca van Leer sensed his chance but did not manage to force Velija out of his position - the youngster was super happy at the finish: "It's unbelievable to have won. In the race I took my chance and defended my lead until the finish. A big thank you to everyone who supported me." Behind the two, Carlo Nees (Nees Racing), Kara Osman and Luca Treusch (Lanari Racing Team) followed in the top five.
Road to Wackersdorf is in the starting blocks
After a successful start to the season with the races in Muelsen and Genk, the DKM is taking a short summer break. The next round will take place from 25-27 August at Pro Kart Raceland, Wackersdorf. In the meantime, the DKM team is organizing the Road to Wackersdorf before that. The race will take place from 20-23 July and offers drivers and teams a perfect opportunity to prepare for the FIA Karting World Championship at the beginning of September. "We want to offer a good test platform with the race. That's why we are also announcing all three classes on the program – KZ, KZ2 and KZ2 Masters. The races are run according to FIA regulations using LeCont tyres and fuel from P1 fuels," explains coordinator Stefan Wagner. More information can be found on the official DKM homepage at www.kart-dm-de.
DKM race calendar 2023:
21.04.-23.04.2023 – Mülsen incl. Mini 60 Series by Chrono Karting
26.05.-28.05.2023 – Genk (Belgien) incl. Mini 60 Series by Chrono Karting
25.08.-27.08.2023 - Wackersdorf incl. Mini 60 Series by Chrono Karting
22.09.-24.09.2023 - Kerpen incl. Mini 60 Series by Chrono Karting & GKC100
27.10.-29.10.2023 - Franciacorta (Italy) incl. Mini 60 Series by Chrono Karting