With NLS7, the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring has started the hot phase of the 2022 season. Final spurt in the championship – the battles for the PETN titles are coming to a head. With a victory, KKrämer Racing has returned to Cup 2 and extended its lead in the standings. In Cup 3, Smyrlis Racing celebrated its first victory of the season and stormed up from fifth to third place in the team standings.

In terms of weather, the 54th ZEWOTHERM ADAC Barbarossa Prize covered almost the entire range that makes the Green Hell so unmistakable: icy temperatures and rising fog in qualifying in the morning, rain on time for the starting grid and bright sunshine shortly after the middle of the race and bright sunshine in between – a great challenge for the tacticians at the teams' command posts and the drivers. The right setup had to be found and the drivers had to handle sometimes difficult situations on the track and could not allow themselves the slightest mistake.

In the Cup 2 class, KKrämer Racing (#112) came out on top in the end: Karsten Krämer, Christopher Brück and Moritz Kranz drove a strong race and clinched their second victory of the season. Especially the final phase was exciting, as Kranz passed the leader Daniel Blickle on the penultimate lap and drove home the victory. The trio of AVIA W&S Motorsport (#120), for whom Blickle as well as Tim Scheerbarth and David Jahn took the wheel, ended up in second place, just 5.120 seconds behind. Tobias Müller and Hendrik von Danwitz finished third for the Black Falcon Team Identica (#102). The duo also set the fastest race lap in the 21st lap with 8:14.277 minutes and thus secured an additional championship point.

"In the first stint, we initially acted cautiously. After that, we went full attack," said Kranz. "We extended our lead in the championship, but that's far from a cushion we can rest on. We have to keep working hard to win the title." KKrämer Racing and AVIA W&S Motorsport each have two victories. In the two remaining races, the decision will be made. "We had hoped to be able to save first place at the finish," admitted Scheerbarth. "Unfortunately, it wasn't enough in the end. Our motto for the last two races is full throttle. We are the hunters."

The three first-placed Cup 2 teams also positioned themselves in the top 10 in the overall standings of the Nürburgring Endurance Series.Sixth place for KKrämer Racing out of 121 cars started – including 14 GT3 cars in the SP9 class – was the best result of a Generation 992 Cup eleven in the still young history of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring.

Klaus Abbelen and 'Jules' secured victory in the AM classification of cup 2 together with pro driver Felipe Fernández Laser from the Frikadelli Racing Team (#111). "We had a good weekend, especially after we couldn't score any points in the 12h race," said 'Jules'. "The conditions today were really difficult, but the team did a fantastic job. We have a very good basis - we need to build on that. We want to be even faster and build on this good result in the AM classification."

Smyrlis Racing enters the championship battle

Christopher Rink, Philipp Stahlschmidt and Francesco Merlini drove their first victory of the season in the Cup 3 class in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS (982) of Smyrlis Racing (#952). "We've been working towards this moment all year round," Rink said. "So far we have had a lot of bad luck, today everything has finally fit." In the difficult conditions, the strategy played an important role. "We had a lucky hand in the choice of tyres, were able to quickly gain a lead and then manage it to the finish." With a gap of 46.515 seconds, Stefan Beyer, Heiko Eichenberg and Torsten Kratz from Team Sorg Rennsport (#949) finished second for their best result of the season. Championship leaders Ivan Jacoma, Mauro Calamia and Kai Riemer from Team Schmickler Performance powered by Ravenol (#969) finished third. With the first victory, Smyrlis Racing jumps to second place in the drivers' standings behind Schmickler Performance. "Our goal is to finish the championship in the top 3," Rink said.

The best-placed AM team was Mathol Racing (#955) with drivers Rüdiger Schicht, 'Montana' and Alex Fielenbach. The trio thus seamlessly continued their success in the 12h race, celebrated their second victory in a row and extended their lead in the AM classification of the Cup 3 class.

The seventh race of the Nürburgring Endurance Series will take place on 22 October.