LOCAL MOTORSPORT: Lindenberg toughs it out for win
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MOTOR NEWS REPORTER
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Published:
2009/11/26 01:19:44 PM
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Peter Lindenberg took top honours in PE in his GT40.
PORT Elizabeth fans were treated to some outstanding endurance action as Round 1 of the Execuline Springbok Series blew into town on Saturday, the 90-minute race becoming an all-out competition of pace and pit strategy.
The immaculate Fred Phillips/ Steve Humble Chevron B19 set the qualifying pace ahead of Peter Lindenberg (GT40), Peter Gough/ Ferdi van Niekerk Jnr (Porsche 917), Colin Frost/Peter Bailey (Porsche 917), Ross Lazarus (GT40), John Greve (Porsche 911 RSR) and Mike McLoughlin (Backdraft Cobra). Further down the likes of Stevan Puschavez (Porsche 911 RS) Morne Hobson/John Simpson (Ford Escort), Barry Scott (Ford Escort), Cindy Evans-Finney/Jason Finney (Renault R10) and Mike Altona (GSM Dart) battled for the smaller capacity qualifying honours.
Lindenberg, Lazarus and the pair of Porsche 917 got off to a flyer and the race became a fight between these competitors. Lazarus held station just behind with the Chevron and McLoughlin Cobra in flying formation.
The pace and longevity started to deal out some blows mid race with the Cobra, Gough/Van Niekerk and Roger Pearce MGB falling out with technical gripes. For the Chevron the halfway point signalled a hard charge and it quickly set the day’s fastest lap time .
The GT40 trump card came to the fore as onlookers realised the car could last the distance without stopping. When the chequered flag finally dropped it was Lindenberg from Lazarus and the hard charging Chevron in third .
The next round is at Kyalami on December 5 .