AVIA W&S Motorsport team is aiming to defend its class title in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) in 2022.
The winners of the “Cayman GT4 Trophy by Manthey Racing” start with a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 992 in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring Cup 2 and with the winning vehicle of the previous year, the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS, in Cup 3.
“We put together a great package with the two Porsches and the driver crews for the Endurance Trophy. The entire team and the drivers will do their best to deliver excellent results in the classes,” says team boss Daniel Schellhaas. The Nordschleife experts Tim Scheerbarth and Daniel Blickle compete in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 992 for the team of Patrick Wagner and Schellhaas. The current model of the manufacturer from Stuttgart delivers more than 500 hp and will be close to the top of the field in terms of lap times.
At the eighth NLS race last year, Scheerbarth and Blickle, together with Max Kronberg, secured the Cayman Trophy in the Cup 3 class. Starting this season, two classes will be fighting for the title in the newly created “Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring”. The spearhead is the ranking in the Cup 2 class, in which the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 992 is used. The various Porsche Cayman GT4 models collect their points in the Cup 3 class. At the end of the season, a champion is chosen who can come from both classes.
Tim Scheerbarth knows the Nürburgring and its peculiarities better than almost any other driver. In 2011 he became overall champion of the VLN, and he also achieved numerous class victories in the series with GT3 and GT4 vehicles from different manufacturers. His teammate Daniel Blickle also has years of experience in the Green Hell. Since 2017 he has competed successfully in long-distance driving in the near-series Porsche Cayman. After entering the SP10 class with the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS in 2020, he switched to Cup 3 with the team last season.
The sister car also has a promising line-up. Here Marius Rauer and Sebastian Vittel take turns at the wheel. Rauer has mostly contested his races in a TCR car since 2017 and is now daring to step into the cockpit of a GT4. The young man from Baden is supported by Vittel, who comes from France and has also completed a few starts in the NLS.
Team boss Daniel Schellhaas: “By winning the Cayman Trophy in our debut season in the cup, we have raised our bar quite high for this year. We are now facing the mission of defending our title with the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 992. It’s fantastic that Daniel and Tim are still on board. Both are experienced, reliable and fast pilots. The crew of the Cayman GT4 also promises success in Cup 3. We are aware that it will not be an easy undertaking and that many top-class drivers will once again take the wheel in the field. We are looking forward to eight exciting races in the Eifel and fair, tough competitions on the Nordschleife.”
“With our new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, we are moving up to the top league. The car is simply mega and I’m really looking forward to it. With Tim I will do my best to defend our title. Because of me, it can start tomorrow,” says Daniel Blickle. Tim Scheerbarth adds: “As reigning trophy champions, we are the hunted in Cup 2 this season. We will give to climb onto the podium at every run and keep the trophy within the team. But as is well known, the accounts are only settled at the end and the Nordschleife is always good for surprises. I am well prepared and highly motivated for this challenge. Let The Games Begin.”
Full Toyo Backing For Ring Racing Supra
Ring Racing will contest all races of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) and the Nurburgring 24-hours together with Toyo Tires this year.
In the third year of the team’s collaboration with the Japanese brand, the entire car will be liveried with Toyo Tires branding for the first time.
The goal for the upcoming season is to establish the team as frontrunners in SP10 and to regularly fight for class wins.
Andreas Gülden, Michael Tischner and Heiko Tönges, three proven Nordschleife specialists will take the wheel of the Toyota GR Supra GT4.
“We have put together a good package for the upcoming season. The team now knows the Supra very well and tire development with Toyo Tires is also progressing. With three experienced and fast drivers in the car, who will contest the entire season together, we will certainly have a say in the battle for class victories,” says team boss Uwe Kleen.
Dad And Lads For Cup 3
The ‘Racing Bakers’ is a term likely known best to DSC readers as referring to our friends at Inter Europol Competition – There are however others to whom the title equally applies.
VLN race Ralf Oehme is one, he’s a master baker and has been racing for some time at The ‘Ring with his three sons, Niklas (26), Leonard (24) and Moritz (20) they indulge in a common hobby, actually, it is even a passion. The quartet from Düsseldorf has been racing as part of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) for some time.
And, in 2022, the family of four wants to start together in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring Cup 3 at the 24-hour race
“Ever since my youngest son was born, I’ve dreamed of this moment. We want to do that this year. I’m very fortunate that all three are crazy about cars, so I’m really happy that they’ve embraced my hobby. That’s great,” says the proud father, who has been racing in the NLS since 2012, currently with a Porsche 911 GT 3 Cup MR from the 9und11 Racing team. The two older sons, Niklas and Leonard, had their first shots in a Porsche Cayman in the V5 in the Green Hell in 2018, last year they switched to Cup 3 in a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS.
Moritz was active in the V5, the H2 and the Cup 3 last season. “Unfortunately, he doesn’t have an A permit yet. First the pandemic got in the way, then he was the second driver at the 2021 final, but the starting driver dropped out,” says Ralf Oehme.
At the NLS, in 2021, the Oehmes almost came as a complete package. The father drove together with his two older sons in the ROWE 6-hour ADAC Ruhr Cup race. “A four-hour race with four people isn’t much fun. Basically, the boys should ride as much as possible. My regular place in the NLS is and will remain alongside Georg Goder,” says Ralf Oehme, who also completes some historic races with his sons in a Porsche RS.
Ex-Champ Christopher Rink Joins Smyrlis Racing
Smyrlis Racing will start this season with a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS in the NLS and the team has signed two-time NLS champion Christopher Rink, who is leaving Adrenalin Motorsport after eight years, as part of their squad.
“I am very pleased that we will take another step in the direction of professional motorsport this year. Driving your own Porsche on the Nordschleife is a dream,” says Ioannis “Janni” Smyrlis. Since 2022, Smyrlis Racing has owned a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS, which is used in the strong Cup3 class. “We know that the competition in the Cup3 class and in the entire NLS is incredibly fierce and that’s why we were looking for experienced pilots. In the end, I’m really happy about our fast trio of drivers,” said Smyrlis. “We want to be in the leading group and are aiming for the podium.”
Rink, Philipp Stahlschmidt and the Italian Francesco Merlini will also be starting for Smyrlis Racing.
Christopher Rink can look back on more than ten years of experience at the Nürburgring. He also currently holds a record in the Eifel with 26 consecutive class wins. “I am really looking forward to the new project with Janni. It’s a challenge that we’re happy to face together,” says the Frankfurter. In the past eight years he has driven in the NLS for Team Adrenalin Motorsport, mainly with BMW racing cars. “The decision to try something new wasn’t easy for me, but new life circumstances, a changed focus and the personal connection to Smyrlis Racing ultimately made me do it,” says the new father.
Rink and Smyrlis have a close friendship that has gone far beyond motorsport for 20 years. “My grandfather gave us the impetus to work together more than ten years ago and would certainly be proud of us now,” adds Rink, who successfully competed in races with his father in Porsche vehicles and completed his master’s degree in automotive engineering at the Zuffenhausen-based brand . Philipp Stahlschmidt has shared a cockpit with Rink in the NLS for the past two years and narrowly missed out on the 2021 championship title.
Francesco Merlini from Italy has been a regular driver on the Nordschleife since 2019. The 32-year-old achieved various class wins and podiums in the NLS. In 2021 he captured the runner-up title in the Cup5 class, in which the BMW M2 CS Racing are classified. A few test days are now on the agenda for Smyrlis Racing to familiarize themselves with the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4. “We’re working hard to be competitive from the first race,” says Smyrlis.
