KISS TAKES 200th PODIUM WITH THIRD MISANO WIN
It was another tick in the victory column for Norbert Kiss as he converted his Misano Qualifying 2 pole into Race 3 victory.
Jochen Hahn looked like he wanted to take the fight to the Hungarian off the line, but getting a perfect getaway in his #1 Révész Racing truck, Kiss held onto the lead that he wouldn’t relinquish for the next 12 laps. The German tried to reel in the reigning champion, but with his exceptional race craft and experience, he remained unbeatable as the chequered flag fell.
Unlike in yesterday’s first race, Antonio Albacete managed to hold off the charge from Sascha Lenz as the lights went green and held onto third place, taking his first podium of the weekend.
Steffen Faas not only took Chrome class pole today and the Chrome class victory for Race 3, but also took the class lead with an impressive start to his Sunday. He battled throughout the race with Titan driver Steffi Halm who had picked up some damage from first lap incidents.
The #44 Team Schwabentruck lost some of the front right bodywork during the first lap, which put her at an aero disadvantage to Faas, however she kept the Chrome driver racing, ready to pounce on any mistakes, crossing the line half a second behind the class winner.
José Eduardo Rodrigues was next across the line, taking second in Chrome class ahead of André Kursim who rounded off the Titan finishers. The pair will create the front row of the final race of the weekend as Kursim takes reverse grid pole finishing P8 overall.
Wheel-to-wheel contact became the talk of the race, as two Chrome drivers were force to retire after incidents broke something on their front axels. Clemens Hecker was the first, after contact with Mark Taylor saw both Chrome drivers in the gravel traps. Taylor was able to continue, taking fourth in class behind Luis Recuenco (who completed the Chrome podium), but Hecker was forced to retire.
John Newell was also an unlucky one, as he came to a halt in the gravel trap. Wheel-on-wheel contact with fellow countryman Luke Garrett – who suffered steering pump issues and was unable to qualify earlier – forced Newell to retire from the race on lap 2.
Bradley Smith took the final points of the race finishing fifth in Chrome, after Garrett retired into the pits on lap 7. It is assumed this was more steering issues for the new to the championship driver.
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