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17.04.2016 - ADAC NEC SSP300
Freitag and Dubbink take wins in third ADAC NEC race
- Changeable weather ensures exciting second round in Assen, Netherlands
- Standard class: Philipp Freitag beats Dirk Geiger and Matthias Meggle
- Ernst Dubbink wins Grand Prix category
Assen: Changeable weather conditions made the going tough during the second race weekend of the ADAC Northern Europe Cup (NEC) held under the banner of the MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship at the TT Circuit Assen. Race Sunday was no exception. Sun followed rain, and then the sun came back out just in time for the start of the third ADAC NEC race of the season. Philipp Freitag (18, DEU) and Ernst Dubbink (27, NED) stayed calm and secured victory.
The Standard class riders had an exceptionally exciting race. Pole-sitter Sander Kroeze (14, NED) maintained his lead after the start but was overtaken by Dirk Geiger (13, DEU) on the fifth lap. Geiger had Philipp Freitag, Matthias Meggle (15, DEU) and Simon Jespersen (14 , DEN) in tow. This group of front-runners then fought over every metre of track, constantly changing position.
Freitag finally managed to cross the finish line with a small lead on the opposition. ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Geiger secured second place and was only 0.162 seconds down on the winner at the finish line. But then again, Meggle was only 0.165 seconds adrift of Geiger but had to be satisfied with third place.
Jespersen lost the connection to the leaders a little over the final laps and came home in fourth place behind the winner with a deficit of nearly three seconds. Kroeze, who had started his home race from top position on the grid in the Standard class, finally took fifth place from Kevin Orgis (16, DEU), Oliver König (14, CZE) and Toni Erhard (15, DEU).
Meggle takes the lead in the standings in the Standard class, following his third place in Assen. The 15-year-old is on 56 points after three races, just a little bit ahead of Freitag (50 points) and König (50 points).
Local rider Ernst Dubbink clearly dominated proceedings in the Grand Prix class. The Dutchman clocked a whole series of fastest laps to finally win comfortably by 18.194 seconds. Jason Dupasquier (14, SUI), who secured pole position on Saturday in tough conditions, finished second.
Another local rider, Dennis Koopmann (19, NED), finished on the podium. Although the Dutchman ran into some technical problems around the middle of the race, he continued gamely to the finish line, securing third place. Johanna Innerfors (21, SWE) took the black and white chequered flag in fourth place in the GP class.
This victory also put Dubbink in the lead overall in the GP class. The Dutchman has notched up 58 points in the three previous races. Dupasquier is in second place on 52 points, ahead of Tim Georgi (15, DEU) with 50 points.
The third ADAC NEC race weekend takes place in less than two weeks’ time. The Standard and GP riders will line up at the Lausitzring, April 29th-May 1st.
Comments from Top Three
Philipp Freitag (18, DEU), Winner, ADAC NEC Standard:
“I found qualifying extremely tough, which resulted in 19th place on the grid. I got away pretty well and was quite far out in front by the first turn. I overtook Leon and many others almost simultaneously while going down the back straight. Sander had already pulled away a little from the lead group, and I thought that I would have no chance of catching him. Me and Dirk closed on him. I then took the lead, but Matthias went past me. I knew at that moment that the last lap would be really tough. I led on the last lap and was able to maintain my position at the finish line. I’m so happy.”
Dirk Geiger (13, DEU), Second, ADAC NEC Standard:
“The start went reasonably well. I tried to fight my way forwards, and that went quite well. Sander drew away a bit, but I caught up with him and overtook. I wanted to open up a lead after that and tried to push. Then Philip came and overtook me. I wanted to stay with him, but then, Matthias also turned up. That was a great three-way fight. I’m very pleased to secure my first podium for Kiefer Racing Team.”
Matthias Meggle (15, DEU), Third, ADAC NEC Standard:
“It was basically quite a good race. I had another great start and the first few laps were good. Then I fought with Kevin Orgis and lost the connection to the leading group a little bit, but I got into a great rhythm, closed on the Top Three once again and even past them all to take the lead. Then we had a really tough fight with Dirk and Philipp. I was in second place until the back straight on the last lap and wanted to overtake Philip, but he closed the door, and I wanted to pick up momentum again through the final chicane, but Dirk suddenly came up from behind. I’m pretty disappointed, because that’s another win that slipped through my fingers. Still, third place is not bad.”
Ernst Dubbink (17, NED), Winner, ADAC NEC GP:
“I started from twelfth place on the grid. I got off the line well and went into P1 on the second lap. I slowed down a bit, because my lead on Jason was increasing. I was able to take the win ultimately. We’re happy. We secured 25 points and did it here in the Netherlands on home turf. So that was a good race, exactly what I’d hoped for. The race was a bit lonely, unfortunately.”
Jason Dupasquier (14, SUI), Second, ADAC NEC GP:
“I got a good start and was then second. I saw Ernst in front of me, but he was so incredibly fast that I just could not catch him. I found it very hard to keep pace, and maintaining the concentration which I needed to secure second place was especially tough. However, it all worked out in the end, and I’m very pleased with second place. I hope that I can manage to achieve a similar result in two weeks’ time at the Lausitzring.”
Dennis Koopman (19, NED), Third, ADAC NEC GP:
“My start wasn’t very good really, but I was able to gradually gain position. Something broke in the engine, and my clutch started to slip around the mid-way point with some three or four laps to go. And so, I subsequently lost a couple of positions on the Standard riders. The rest was pretty decent. I then just tried to make it to the finish line. Ultimately, it’s really nice to secure a podium despite all the difficulties. I would like to have finished even further forwards, but I’ll get another chance in two weeks’ time at the Lausitzring.”
