Photo: PSP Images

James Thompson tops first test

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It is busy times on a hot and sunny FDM Jyllandsringen, apart from championship races in Advan Cup and Danish Endurance Championship, four test sessions has been included for the Danish Touring Car Championship racers. James Thompson showed the DTC elite his speed, and Michael Klostermann seems to have the Invitation-Only class in full control.

Test Session 1

Already 9.35 the first of the 25 minute long testsessions, and times soon began to tumble. The DTC has very strict testrestrictions this year, only four days will be allowed, so a full DTC field went to the tarmac this morning.

The first session was soon topped by Chevrolet driver Henrik Lundgaard with a best laptime of 1.10,838, after at fight with Champion Jan Magnussen and teammate Michel Nykjær in third place. Best Invitation-Only driver was Michael Klostermann in his BMW 325i E46. The two Honda drivers finished of the field, in last spot.

Test Session 2

The spectators saw this session go on where the first session left, with Magnussen, Lundgaard and Nykjær fighting for the best spot. But Seat Leon pilot Jason Watt soon showed himself as the second fastest, only topped by Magnussen lapping in 1:10,502, but in front of the two Lacetti´s.

A surprise was Thompson´s Honda teammate Per Poulsen in fifth spot, turning his back on Clio racing. Privateer Michael Carlsen braved in 7th spot, in his 407. Again Klostermann topped the Invitation-Only class, in his heavily modified ex-Pierre Legarth DTC racer.

Test Session 3

This afternoon session saw Thompson rocket straight to the front, showing of the Accord famed enginepower with an all weekend best laptime of 1:10,252. Trailing right behind was again the usual suspects of Lundgaard, Magnussen, Watt and Nykjær. John Nielsen showed that he is fully motivated despite his 52 years, placing his BMW E90 in sixt place.

Interestingly Jens Reno Møller outpaces leaddriver Casper Elgaard in this session, showing the pace of the 2007 Leon. Klostermann seems to be on top of the Invitation-Only class, leaving Tom Pedersen´s Mercedes and Kasper Jensen´s DTC S2000 racers in the dust.

Test Session 4

Henrik Lundgaard takes topspot with the best laptime of 1:10,263, not topping the best laptime set in the previous session by Thompson. Nykjær made it a Chevrolet double, the next double was right behind. James Thompson and Per Poulsen showed the Honda pace, John Nielsen was trailing the four drivers.

Interestingly Elgaard outpaced Seat veteran Watt, showing that the FDM Motorsport driver has adjusted to frontwheeldrive in the Leon. Klostermann was not surprisingly the fastest non-S2000 driver in 10th spot, leaving half the field behind.

Next DTC testsession will spring to life Sunday at 11.00, following is three sessions ending at 15.40.