Lungaard wins from pole position

The first heat of round 2 of the Danish touring Car Cahmpionship at Padborg Park was a textbook presentation of close touring car racing. Close in fights, a few hits and a jab. Defense and attack. Pole sitter Henrik Lundgaard fought for his lead, while Thompson tried every single manoeuvre in the book, to get past the very wide Chevrolet Lacetti in front.

The rolling start was the word go that James Thompson in second position needed to try and get past Lundgaard. But sneaky Lundgaard saw him coming in the first corners, frustrating Thompson to brake a little too late, resulting in contact more than once.

Another attempt in the Big Mag curve before the straight, but Lundgaard defended himself once more. Behind Thompson Nykjær tried to hold of Jason Watt, who was tailed closely by Jan Magnussen in fifth. In turn 1 Thompson left the braking a bit too late, hitting Lundgaard on the left corner.

A few laps later Jason Watt was evenly frustrated, hitting the blue Chevrolet of Nykjær in third, leaving the ETCC champions bumper hitting the rear wheel, spreading blue smoke over the track. Per Poulsen showed the pace of the Hartmann Honda Accord on the straights, trying to trick Magnussen into a mistake, Magnussen´s E85 fueled BMW E90 might lack the speed on the straights, but defensive driving is a strong card in Magnussen´s driving style.

Thompson tried again and again to pass Lundgaard in the last corner, taking the Dane on the inside. But Lundgaard didn’t leave the door open. In the closing stages Casper Elgaard tried to get past John Nielsen in seventh, pushing Nielsen on the grass. A penalty was issued for that move, but Elgaard decided not to take the penalty, giving him a 10 second penalty on the scoreboard.

As Heat 2 starting grid has a reversed grid in the first eight positions, the move on Nielsen actually ended up costing Elgaard pole for Heat 2. Kasper Jensen also had a spin due to own devises, ending a very dramatic heat.

Best privateer was Per Poulsen in sixt place, and best Invitation Only driver was John Hansen in his Seat Supercopa in fourteenth spot.

The next heat will start with an autograph session at 15.30.