• Two home wins for Lucas van Eijndhoven in Zandvoort
• Niels Troost takes victory in Race 2 during the Whitsun races
• John de Wilde still leader in the championship
The Porsche Sprint Trophy Benelux was a big part of the spectacle during the Whitsun races at Circuit Zandvoort. In the first confrontation, Lucas van Eijndhoven (JW Raceservice) was able to record his first victory of the season after the 30-minute and very eventful sprint race. After a brilliant duel in the opening rounds, John de Wilde led the dance. When Gilles Smits (Speedlover), at that moment second, lost control of his car in Scheivlak, the race was startled for the first time, and two laps later polesitter Jaxon Verhoeven made a mistake when he wanted to attack his teammate John de Wilde . Both Speedlover-Porsches had to end the battle prematurely, and it was the young Lucas van Eijndhoven who finally got the chestnuts out of the fire. Although the Dutchman was put under pressure until the end by his fellow countryman Niels Troost (Team GP Elite), he managed to secure a nice home victory. Jos Jansen (JJ Racing) took the lead in a duel with Wim Meulders (Speedlover) and captured the third podium place.
On Sunday morning, the second sprint race was held on a soaked track, after fifteen minutes before the start a heavy shower had drawn over the dune circuit. Poleman Niels Troost was not impressed, however. The young Dutchman, leader in the standings at the Rookies, retained his first place at the start and then drove sovereignly to his first victory. Behind the rider of Team GP Elite, Gilles Smits tried to fend off the attacks of John de Wilde, but the man from Wavre eventually had to bow to the leader in the championship. A little later Lucas van Eijndhoven also passed, but the latter was given a time penalty for a false start, and so it was Gilles Smits who was allowed on the podium. Van Eijndhoven and Jos Jansen completed the top 5.
The last race on the well-filled program also promised spectacle. Lucas van Eijndhoven started from pole in the 55-minute race, and also went first through the Tarzan corner. Afterwards he quickly drove away from Niels Troost. After the mandatory pit stop, van Eijndhoven was ten seconds ahead of Speedlover drivers Gilles Smits and John de Wilde, who were soon joined by Niels Troost. He had put in new Michelin tires at the pit stop, which led to an exciting battle for the podium. Despite all attempts, however, the winner of Race 2 had to give up, so that the trio of Eijndhoven-Smits-De Wilde could complete the podium ceremony. After a penalty on the starting grid, the result of the collision in the first race, father and son Verhoeven (Jaxon and Jean-Pierre) drove to fifth place, ahead of Jos Jansen and the duo Wim Meulders-Rik Renmans.
John de Wilde will be the leader in the standings for the next meeting, which will be held on 9 and 10 July in the support act of the 25 Hours VW Fun Cup at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The Belgian now has 10 points more than Niels Troost and less than 20 on Gilles Smits, Wim Meulders and Lucas van Eijndhoven, who are only separated by two points. One thing is certain: this season is far from over!
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