First training sessions on the Palanga Aurum 1006 km track
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Also, the first training session on the track was held by the “Porsche Club Lithuania” and “Mitjet Baltics”, and the qualifying runs of the “A.R.S.A. group Drag Race” drag racing competition began.
VIDEO: Giedrius Notkus about the incident during training
Giedrius Notkus about the incident during training
Tomas Markelevičius
VIDEO: Engine change of “Porsche” in the “Aurum 1006 km race”
Engine change of “Porsche” in the “Aurum 1006 km race”
Athletes in Palanga will have two training sessions on Thursday, after which qualifying runs will take place on Friday. During these, the starting position of each crew for the Saturday race, which will start at 12 o’clock, will be determined.
Getting used to the track and adjusting the cars
After the first runs on the track, Robertas Kupčikas, a driver of the “Porsche Lietuva Racing” team, said that the first training is dedicated to car adjustment: “The first training went well. The track is dirty, but it’s the same for everyone. We dedicate the first run to car adjustment, managed to find some nuances and times are gradually improving and getting faster for everyone. It will be even better ahead.”
Understand instantly
Mitjet landing at Palanga Aurum 1006 km race
Strong statement from racers at the “Aurum 1006 km race”: they are polluting the name of motorsport
Povilas Bonkevičius, a pilot of the “LIK Racing by KTK” team, also enjoyed the first runs: “The track is slippery because it’s only the first training and there is a lot of dust. So far, the driving is definitely more cautious. It went well, but it’s still too early to predict anything. We are just strategizing, arranging, learning, and the mood is very good.”
Had to change the “Porsche” engine
However, things went much worse for the “OVOKO Dream 2 Drive” team, whose car suffered a huge crash just a week before the start in Palanga, and they had to quickly find another “Porsche” to start in the “Aurum 1006 km race”. After the first training sessions, technical issues emerged, which the team is trying to fix as soon as possible.
“Markus drove a couple of laps in the first training, then Dennis, and then I sat down. Already on the first lap, I felt that the car had about 80 percent power, and the gas alarm went off on the dashboard, it got stuck in third gear, and I returned to the pits only with the clutch. It seems we will put another engine because it’s unclear what is wrong with this one,” said Edvinas Žadeikis.
During the training, athletes recorded consistently improving lap times, but no one attempted track records in the first session yet. The fastest pace was set by Karolis Jovaiša from “Bio-Circle & HSG by SWAG” with an “AUDI R8 LMS GT3 EVO II” car – his time in the first run was 1:07.859. The second-best time of the first training belongs to Paulius Paškevičius from the “Energija by RD Signs racing” team. With a “Lamborghini Huracan GT3” car, he recorded a time of 1:07.930. Third in the training was Benjamin Barker from the “RIMO Adero & LKU.LT” team. He completed the track in a “Porsche GT3 CUP” car in 1:10.296.
Today, athletes await the second training session, and spectators can also enjoy the qualifying and final runs of the “A.R.S.A. group Drag Race”. On the specially arranged 1/8 mile (201 m) track for drag racing training and qualification, behind the famous Klaipėda turn, spectators could see the fastest cars with thousands of horsepower. Only the fastest, who pass the qualification, will compete in the final races on the one-eighth mile track set up near the main race starting line.
