Season review of DTC 2008 – Part 2

The Danish Touringcar Championship 2008 season was back on track after the summer break in mid August. The championship would now enter the decisive stage. Three drivers were up for the final fight. It was the two Chevrolet drivers Hendrik Lundgaard and Michael Outzen up against Danish racing legend Jan Magnussen of BMW. The decider did not come until the final race of the year in an exciting way.

The annual Bosch GP Denmark at FDM Jyllandsringen is traditionally the first race after the summer break. Whether the drivers were a bit rusty after spending almost two months without racing, is hard to say. Nevertheless, the first race on Sunday proved an eventful one behind Jan Magnussen, who took a lights-to-flag victory.

Teammate Martin Jensen was taken out of the equation by Jason Watt and championship leader Tom Pedersen was sent into a spin by reigning champion Michel Nykjær for second. Both Nykjær and Watt was sentenced a penalty, Nykjær however managing to hold on to second. Watt, having taken the penalty, put James Thompson in the gravel when entering the track again.

In the second race, Michael Outzen took the victory ahead of privateer Peter Ager in the BMW. Behind him, the fight was on again with Michel Nykjær taking third from Robert Schlünssen, who fell through the ranks due to technical issues, as did championship contender Henrik Lundgaard in the Lacetti. Jan Magnusssen took fourth, meaning he would be on pole position for the final race of the day.

Magnussen proved untouchable again as he headed for yet another victory and the lead in the championship. Lundgaard finished a lowly eighth and Tom Pedersen was black flagged for overtaking under safety car. This meant that Magnussen was alone at the front with Michael Outzen picking up good points for second. Privateer Peter Ager took the final step of the podium – and in doing so, doubled his total points tally in one race weekend!

Surprises at Sturup Raceway

The twisty Swedish track near Sturup Airport was the venue for the sixth round of DTC. Practise and qualifying had been dominated by the Team Den Blå Avis pair of Magnussen and Jensen, but warm up saw an engine blow up for the pole man. The Magnussen crew managed to change the engine with seconds to go before the grid was closed. It became clear in the race, that the blue, white and red BMW wasn’t up to speed, and an incident with Michel Nykjær put Magnussen in the gravel. At the front, Robert Schlünssen was in charge on slicks in damp conditions, but James Thompson made better use of his choice of slick tyres to overtake the German. Martin Jensen finished third.

A massive accident took out Nykjær and Kim Lund, a privateer in a Seat Leon, in the second race. Winner was Tom Pedersen ahead of Kasper Jensen in another BMW and Henrik Lundgaard in fourth. Kristian Poulsen finished fifth ahead of Magnussen, who had started from the last row on the grid.

Kristian Poulsen made history when claiming the first win in a finale by a privateer. The WTCC regular won ahead of Tom Pedersen, who was now back in the points lead, with Robert Schlünssen in a fine third ahead of Jan Magnussen. For this round, Poulsen had taken over the black BMW of Emmet O’Brien, who was absent due to back pain.

Elgaard returns at Padborg as Watt shows good form

Le Mans Series refugee Casper Elgaard had taken the wheel of Thompson’s Honda Accord when DTC returned to Padborg Park near the German border. The triple champion showed his speed, but accidents robbed him of any top results. The front wheel drive racers showed their usual speed at the track, as Lundgaard and Outzen took a 1-2 in race one with Jason Watt winning ahead of Michel Nykjær and Tom Pedersen. The win was the first since 2004 for the paralysed Seat driver.

The finale saw Michel Nykjær take his first win in the BMW and the first win for 15 months for the 2008-champion ahead of championship contenders Lundgaard and Magnussen, who had lingered just outside the podium for most of the weekend. Jason Watt took fourth, Outzen fifth while Tom Pedersen finished a lowly ninth behind, among others, Casper Elgaard. With the results, Magnussen was in front in the championship ahead of Pedersen and Lundgaard with Outzen and Nykjær keeping mathematical chances of the DTC crown.

Second DTC title for Magnussen in the bag

In a rather undramatic first race of the final round of DTC, Jan Magnussen shot away from pole position ahead of title rivals Lundgaard and Pedersen. Behind them, Watt drove an inspiring race in the white and black Leon to take fourth from Outzen. Emmet O’Brien finished the race in sixth, equalling his best result of a season, that proved tough for the Irishman.

In the second race the Team Den Blå Avis driver Magnussen secured the title. Lundgaard was out with broken suspension after a collision, and the engine of Tom Pedersen’s BMW gave up a few laps into the race. Magnussen, finishing sixth behind Nykjær, O’Brien, Martin Jensen, Michael Outzen and Jason Watt, could no longer be threatened at the top of the table.

The finale was well underway with Tom Pedersen as a spectator – the former title contender had to sit out, as the team did not have a spare engine. Magnussen was again untouchable at the front with Nykjær second and O’Brien finishing on a high in third. Robert Schlünssen was crowned the best privateer ahead of Swede Jens Edman and Dane Kasper Jensen in the JM Racing entered BMW.