Northern Talent Cup:
round 2 in Lausitzring
Second round for the Northern Talent Cup in Lausitzring, Germany, with one win for the Belgian Luciano Lorenz and for the Czech Jakub Gurecky.
Race 1
Lorenz Luciano (Junior Black Knights Team) was the first to taste Lausitzring glory in Round 2 of the Northern Talent Cup, with the Belgian just pipping home hero and points leader Freddie Heinrich (PrüstelGP Junior Team) to the top step in Race 1 for his maiden win. JRT of Automotodrom Brno riders Jakub Gurecky and Jonas Kocourek duelled it out for third, with Gurecky coming out on top for a first NTC podium.
It was Gurecky who took the holeshot from pole, with Soma Görbe (HRE Team) slotting into second ahead of Heinrich. The number 42 then struck for and briefly held the lead, but it didn’t last long for the Hungarian before Gurecky hit back. It was a lead group of six for the first half of the race, before disaster struck for one of them as Romanian Jacopo Hosciuc (Hos Racing Team) had to pull off, running wide over the cones.
That left a five-way fight for the win, with Gurecky seemingly in charge at the front but the Czech rider unable to break away. Heinrich struck for the lead on the penultimate lap though, and that allowed Luciano to edge a little closer as the gaps had started to ever-so-slightly increase.
It was neck and neck for the top two over the line to start the last lap, however, with Gurecky emerging ahead into Turn 1 for the early advantage. Heinrich wouldn’t let that last long though, striking through the eases to take back the baton. Not long after that, Luciano also made his move. The number 81 sliced through for second and set his sights on Heinrich, with time running out to try and attack but the Junior Black Knights rider on a roll. Sure enough, he came saw and conquered, taking the lead and left to try and defend it over the last few corners of the lap.
Ultimately, he did just that, beating Heinrich by just 0.010 in an incredibly tight finish. Gurecky was forced to settle for third but his first NTC podium after pace but bad luck in Round 1, with his teammate Jonas Kocourek shuffled down to fourth.
Soma Görbe took a tumble on the last lap, out of contention for his second win of the year.
Race 2
Jakub Gurecky (JRT of Automotodrom Brno) has been the man starting from the front so far in 2020, but some bad luck hit the Czech rider in Round 1 and denied him the chance to contend for the win. In Round 2 those fortunes changed, with the number 59 backing up a Race 1 podium with a first win in Race 2 as he narrowly defeated home hero and points leader Freddie Heinrich (PrüstelGP Junior Team) at the Lausitzring. Race 1 winner Lorenz Luciano (Junior Black Knights Team) completed the podium.
Gurecky took the holeshot from pole, with Soma Görbe (HRE Team) once again the early rear gunner and Heinrich slotting into third ahead of Jacopo Hosciuc (Hos Racing Team). The classic group squabble began, but incredibly the Romanian was forced out of it once again: exactly the same as Race 1, pulling off and out of contention.
There were no such issues for Gurecky this weekend, however, and the number 59 continued at the head of the battle more often than not. It was an eight-rider train mid-race, with some picking up their pace from the morning. And yet, the familiar number 59 at the front.
It was Gurecky who still led heading onto the final lap, ahead of Luciano and Görbe, but the number 81 struck into Turn 1 to take over. Gurecky hit back, and then Heinrich was on the scene as he sliced through the dice for the win. Luciano defended and then lined up a move to take back P1 from Gurecky, shooting through and running well wide. That was his chance of the win gone as the Belgian had to slot back into P3.
Gurecky held it to the line despite the slipstreaming Heinrich just behind, taking his first NTC win in style after an impressive performance in Round 2. Luciano held on for third, ahead of an absolutely stoked Tibor Varga (Forty Racing) as he took his best result yet in P4, beating a gaggle of riders to the line.
