| Fri, Jul 30 5:42AM (NZ) |
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This website is now dedicated to covering the Black Bullets. Current Black Bullets news is now provided on iSportz » with past news archived here for your continued reference.
Germany: New Zealand's Kiwi Team Nurburgring has set another milestone at the world's largest endurance production motor race by winning the Group N production category three years in succession at the 24 hours of Nurburgring.
Running two Honda Civic Type-R cars, the team finished in 77th and 89th positions – 13 laps ahead of the nearest class competitor, climbing 125 positions from the original starting order for the winning car.
Eight drivers split across the two cars, team owner Dr Greg Taylor took car 240 across the finish line in 89th place, expressing that taking the chequered flag was a dream occasion: "It's a fantastic emotional moment – I've looked forward to it for three years and I got my chance this afternoon – fabulous."
"As usual – coming to the Nurburgring you are lucky to survive. It's just 24 hours without sleep and a very difficult Saturday night, very slippery, very wet, cold and a tremendous amount of traffic on the track and very difficult driving conditions."
Winning the class for his second successive time, Wanganui's Michael Eden was at the helm of car 241: "You're just not sure what to expect," he said after finishing the race. "Everybody wants to wave and thank you and of course you want to thank them. There were some really trying conditions out there, especially at night. The team really pulled together and helped one another out and did the lap times that were required. It's a real adrenaline buzz and I absolutely love it, there is something about it."
 Contested annually at the Eifel region location of Nurburg in north-west Germany, the combined Nurburgring and Nordschleife circuits total a massive 25.378km per lap. Qualifying to start the event from 280 entrants, the kiwi team sat inside the 220 cut-off using the same pair of cars that took them to victory in 2007.
With the venue dubbed the 'green hell' by Sir Jackie Stewart, repeating the performance was not on the team's goal list, insisting instead that finishing be their first and only priority – accepting whatever result was achieved.
Starting out from 182nd and 204th positions on a cool overcast Saturday afternoon, overnight rain was contrasted by glorious sunshine for the 3pm (1am NZST) chequered flag finish.
Benefiting from team-work during the week the team have been based at the foreign location, meticulous pre-event preparation was credited with allowing the cars to survive the enduring race.
"I owe a special thanks to Richard and Craig Field, who along with Paddy Casey turned out two reliable cars the drivers' could safely and reliably repeat this incredible result," said Dr Taylor.
Planning on a fourth attempt, Dr Taylor says his dream strategy is to extend the teams performance and introduce a Porsche to the lineup in the quest for a more competitive outright result.
Driving in the Group N winning Honda 241 for the race was: Michael Eden (Wanganui), Stu Owers (Wellington), Lewis Scott (Wellington) and Mark Corbett (Auckland).
Second in the Group N category, driving car 240 was: Dr Greg Taylor (Auckland), Brian McGovern (Auckland), Tim Martin (Auckland) and Ali Taylor (Hawke's Bay).
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