The Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux is at its third appointment of the 2023 season and it close to the main event: the 45th edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder. The Belgian classic has traditionally been the hunting ground for the various versions of the Porsche 911. Because of course the various participants with a Porsche compete for victory in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux on August 26 and 27, but also the overall victory in the race that counts for the Belcar Endurance Championship, is marked with red for the various teams. See you on Saturday 26 August at 4:00 pm for the start of the 45th edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder.

In the early years of the 24 Hours of Zolder it was mainly touring cars that had the last word, but at the end of the 1990s GT cars also started to find their way to the Limburg circuit for the 24-hour race. In 1989, the Stuttgart brand took its first victory thanks to the trio of Philippe de Craene, Roger van Peteghem and Didier de Puyseleyr. A second victory followed in 1992, incidentally the first of two victories by a foreign team on the asphalt of Circuit Zolder, thanks to the Germans Michaël Beilke, Edgar Dören and Peter Prosten. Six consecutive victories followed for a Porsche 911 up to and including 1998. Even after that, the well-known German machines were still very successful with four consecutive victories for Belgium Racing, a record that still stands today. The last victory for a Porsche dates back to 2018.

“In the last two seasons, the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – finished second each time, with RedAnt Racing and Q1 Trackracing, but we see that more and more teams are betting on the car and this season Porsche is again well represented in the top class, GTA,” said Series Manager Rudi Penders, who won the race with Porsche in 2009. “The teams competing with a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – we count ten of them, are fighting among themselves for victory in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux, but I am sure that the winner of our battle in the battle on Sunday at 4:00 pm will also be close to the overall victory. The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – has become a very solid and fast endurance machine, as witnessed by the many international successes, and that is a real asset here on the grueling Zolder circuit.

Also in GTB

During the 24 Hours of Zolder, Porsche is also represented in the GTB class, with a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport for Tip Top Rent by NGT, the team that was champion in the GTB class of the Belcar national endurance championship last season. Arthur Peters does it together with his regular teammate Gunther Van den Bergh, and Koen De Mulder, Tom De Boever and Damien Haelterman also get into the Porsche. BE Motorsport is also entering a Porsche Cayman GT4 for Stephan Beyens, Jurgen Vandenbroek, Didier Beyens and Davy Suffeleers.
For a troop review in the GTA class, please refer to a second press release in the run-up to the 45th edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder.

The 24 Hours of Zolder will start on Wednesday 23 August with a parade from the circuit to the center of Heusden-Zolder (3.30 pm), while all training and qualifying sessions will be held on Thursday 24 August. The battle for the best starting places starts at 7:00 PM with the Superpole. By the way, access to the circuit is free on Thursday. The race itself will take place on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 August.