# 77 Callaway C7R GT3 wins at Zandvoort on SAT; Jules Gounon extends ADAC-GT points lead
On Saturday July 22, Jules Guonon, a star at just 22, and Renger Van Der Zande, 31 won at Zandvoort in the Netherlands. Callaway Competition recruited the native Dutch driver (DTM & other experience) to fill in for mainstay Daniel Keilwitz who broke a leg testing at Spa in June. Daniel was at the race to cheer them on and is expected to drive the # 77 C7R GT3 Corvette again at the Nurburgring in early August.
Jules won the pole and led from the start. Van Der Zande took over and led to the end, the result of a perfect pit stop and holding off a slew of Audi, Porsche, AMG Mercedes, BMW, Lambo, McLaren and Nissan GT Supercars. The ADAC-GT Masters, like many other sports leagues, (besides racing) use formulas to equalize the competition to attract more fans and commercial backing in this day and age.
For Sunday July 23 the # 77 carried extra 30 kg (66 lbs) ”success ballast”. Astute fans know that more weight affects not only speed but also tyre wear, braking and the like. Qualifying times of the top 8 cars were separated by tiny fractions.
All day rain was another equalizer. Treacherous conditions brought out the safety car a number of times. Van Der Zende starting 7th got shuffled as far back as 11th but fought back to 2nd before handing over to Guonon.
A clutch problem forced Jules to exit the pits in 2nd gear. He exceeded the speed limit without the benefit of the rev limiter. The drive-through penalty dropped him to 6th, at the end, still a respectable result against a 27 car field.
Jules leads the driver standings with 3 race weekends to go giving him and Callaway a good shot to win the driver and team championships.
On Saturday Gerd Beisel’s gentleman driver RWT team of Sven Barth and Max Hacklander in the # 13 Callaway C7R GT3 finished 15th on the lead lap and on Sunday in the wet 22nd 3 laps down.
Before Bernie Ecclestone took over F1, there was a provincial touch to the Dutch Grand Prix at this seaside resort town. Now the modernized circuit hosts DTM, ADAC-GT, club racing, motorcycles and other attractions.
Results compiled by Wayne Ellwood
Full-race videos for Saturday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLKT7NIfRn4&feature=youtu.be and Sunday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xriQdFpwoe0&feature=youtu.be
Thanks to Callaway Competition and other resources for assistance.
