Nykjær on crucial pole in the wet
Perfection Racing driver Michel Nykjær was here, there and everywhere this Saturday, which is forming the last qualification session of 2009. The rain had stopped, but rivers of water still crossed the track. James Thompson is leading the championship, but his team has been refused to use him this weekend, due to the upcoming Bathurst 1000 race in Australia.
Michel Nykjær is only seven points adrift from the absent leader Thompson’s 239 points, and teammate Henrik Lundgaard is only two points further down the order.
But the joker was the sole Ree Sport driver Jan Magnussen, who is driving the heaviest car, sporting 60 kilos of penalty ballast.
Nykjær once again was the fastest on the drying track, and he claimed the pole position in front of Jan Magnussen.
FDM Motorsport returnee Casper Elgaard took the honours of third spot, while Jens Reno Møller was the fastest Independent Cup driver in fourth spot, once again pipping the Cup leader Per Poulsen who languished down in seventh place.
Invitation Only driver Martin Marrill took his second class pole position in two races in eleventh spot, taking the two S2000 cars of Hans Hartmann driving James Thompson’s Honda Accord and Kim Morgan Jensen in a BMW 320i E46.
“I have said the whole time, that the qualification would be crucial,” Michel Nykjær explained to DTC media.
“Because it awards the starting position to the first heat. And from there everything can happen. All in all, this qualification very crucial for the turn of events this weekend, and it has to be if I am to beat Magnussen and Lundgaard, who is right behind me. It is so great, but it is also the first time on Saturday, where I had sweat on my forehead, because I drove so much, as we feared that the track would dry up.”
“It is perfect that we are joining the action up front, “the second placed Jan Magnussen explained. “But to start in second spot is not perfect at Jyllandsringen, but we are up front and Nykjær is only one and a half tenth faster. I still rate my chances as being huge.”
”I think that my chances are as good as ever,” the fifth placed Henrik Lundgaard explained. He is seven points adrift of Thompson, with Nykjær two points ahead.
“We have often seen that the pole sitter isn’t the one taking home the biggest amount of points after a weekend. It is more or less the rule, but I would have loved to be further ahead. We have a long day ahead tomorrow, and I am sure that we still have good chances.”
Penalty ballast before the first race heat on Sunday:
Normal Guest Total
Jan Magnussen 60,0 60,0
Martin Jensen 47,5 47,5
Henrik Lundgaard 45,0 45,0
Per Poulsen 40,0 40,0
Hans Hartmann 7,5 30,0 37,5
Michel Nykjær 32,5 32,5
Peter Ager 0,0 30,0 30,0
Jason Watt 27,5 27,5
Jens Møller 22,5 22,5
Michael Carlsen 15,0 15,0
Kasper Jensen 15,0 15,0
Kim Morgan 7,5 7,5
Casper Elgaard 5,0 5,0
Tom Pedersen 0,0 0,0
