Kaufmann makes short work of the Deutsche Rennsportmeisterschaft Revival and turns the fastest lap at the Historic Marathon.
The AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix on the Nürburgring brought a true marathon weekend for Wolfgang Kaufmann. Over the course of only three days, he took part in four racing series driving four different cars on the racetrack in the Eifel.
Two very different assignments of the Porsche kind were waiting for the professional racer at the 42nd AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix. On Friday he got behind the wheel of a 50 year old Porsche 904 GTS with a two-liter, six cylinder engine at the AvD Historic Marathon on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Together with Dr. Afschin Fatemi he took on the 4hr endurance race from 3rd position on the grid. In qualifying practice, they had left a number of much more potent cars behind them.
In spite of recurring rain and a race stoppage for too much water on the track, Kaufmann held the lead. However, the water took its toll on the Porsche when it began to lose power for water in the engine, and a wiper motor stopped working. Kaufmann/Fatemi had to give up several places and eventually took the flag in 9th place overall, and as winners in the GTP class for cars up to 1965. “This result doesn’t reflect our true performance, we had the speed to win the race without trouble”, Kaufmann said. Fastest race lap was some consolation for Kaufmann/Fatemi in the Porsche 904 GTS prepared by Team Scuderia M66.
It wasn’t for a lack of effort, as Kaufmann changed over to the Grand Prix track after the driver change, drove in qualifying practice for the DRM Revival, and returned to the Nordschleife in time for his final stint!
From the consistancy that was required of him in the Porsche 904 in the endurance race, Wolfgang Kaufmann had to switch to sprint mode in the Porsche 934/5. The turbocharged car built in 1976 has over three times the 904’s power and rolls on pure-bred racing tyres. Kaufmann held his own against strong competition in qualifying in impressive fashion, and secured pole position.
He also claimed the DRM Revival’s 16 lap sprint race on Saturday, in equally convincing fashion. Kaufmann won with a solo drive, and also set the fastest lap of the race. Initially Jörg Hübner, the car’s owner, was scheduled to compete the second race on Sunday; but he then decided to let the professional driver Wolfgang Kaufmann drive the car. He repaid this favour with the second victory on the Grand Prix track of the Nürburgring, and thanked Hübner by taking him to the winner’s podium! “It was a gesture of class of Jörg to let me drive, this win is for him ant the entire Scuderia M66”, a delighted Kaufmann said, “the thousands of fans along the track were amazing. The atmosphere was great, during our cool-down they gave us a standing ovation. I was a tremendous joy to win in front of such an emotional audience.”
The other brand Kaufmann got to drive at the Nürburgring was Jaguar. With an E-Type Lightweight Low Drag, he competed in the “Gentlemen Drivers” race for GT cars up to 1965. Hans Jörg Hübner and he qualified in 5th position. In the race, they were poised to charge all the way through to the head of the field; but a Safety Car phase and a small technical problem meant that Kaufmann/Hübner had to settle for 10th position.
The oldest car Kaufmann got to drive on the weekend was a 1955 Lister Jaguar he shared with its owner Jörg Hübner. The duo went into the race from 4th place. Kaufmann brought the car with its 3.8 liter six cylinder engine into 3rd position and seemed to be on course for a podium result. But fading front brakes lost him a place at the end of the 1 hour race duration.
The season will continue in a historic vein next week at the Zolder Race Festival where Wolfgang Kaufmann will once again drive a Ford Escort in the Youngtimer Trophy.