Steppat Starts Season Strong - Hockenheim

 It was a long hiatus for FRL points series racing. But with Covid-19 disrupting everything else in the world, it felt like a good time to shake up the FRL's formula for approaching a new season of racing as well. Particularly, when you take into consideration that it has been almost 10 years since the start of the league, and this season of racing marks the tenth regular Fall series the league has operated. All this has led to the most ambitious racing schedule undertaken to date. The excitement for the series was palpable and drivers were eager to get started with Round 1 at Hockenheim.

A quiet and orderly start to lap 1, it would not last

 One of the unique features adopted for this series meant that there was to be only one qualifying session to set the grid for the first race. Going forward, each event's grid will be determined by the previous race finishing order. Qualifying got off to a shaky beginning, as the start had to be waved-off a couple of times due to timing and scoring issues. Once resolved, the field of 9 GTES sports cars took to the meandering curves and angles of Hockenheim. Andrew Steppat set the bar early with a low 1:43.100 qualifying time that was nearly matched by Ethan Maestri turning a lap at 1:43.400. The field did not seem too far off of the #001 McLaren's pace, but could they keep things close in the race to come?

 As the green flag moment approached, one of the things on everyone's mind was Revenol Kurve. Traditionally, the first corner of any FRL race has had potential to make or ruin many a drivers night as the field bottles in the first corner. Things went shockingly smooth through the first turn here. It wasn't until the second turn that things would get harried. Ethan Maestri had started in P2 and was holding that position despite a strong challenge from Travis Billingsley. Ethan was set to take the inside line through Turn 2 when Bryan Dean "deaned" Ethan's rear bumper, shunting him well beyond the Turn 2 apex. Ethan's #3 Porsche would have to rejoin the track shuffled back into 7th position. Bryan would take over P2, never to look back.

The #3 driven by Ethan Maestri gets "deaned" by the #808 Jaguar driven by Bryan Dean

 Problem's for the #3 911 would continue to mount, having passed team mate Paul Maestri out of the Turn 4 hairpin, he set up well inside of Travis Billingsley's Ferrari but didn't call out his presence alongside. As the two cars skirted through the gradual arc of Turn 5, Ethan and Travis got together, Ethan once again getting the worst of the exchange and was pushed well off the track once again. As the largest group of cars reached Turn 6, Ghabe Stouffer got punted wide through this turn as well, temporarily setting him back a couple of positions.

 The rest of the field began to settle into a groove as the first lap came to a close. Two new drivers join the FRL ranks this season, Blake Wild in the #10 McLaren F1 and Seth Jensen in the #6 Porsche 911. Both drivers would perform well for their first outings. They contented themselves to see how the race unfolded in front of them, with the #10 driver taking advantage of a couple of off's by other drivers to advance a position.

Positions 2-9 as the field works its way out of the hairpin in the first lap

 Once Ethan had composed himself from several off's, he began working back toward the front of the field. He would pass the rookies by lap 6 and was closing on a tight battle for positions 4, 5 & 6. Travis Billingsley, Paul Maestri and Tony Tyree could almost have had a blanket thrown over them as they jockeyed for position. Ethan worked his way past Travis and Paul, leaving them to settle P6 amongst themselves. Travis Billingsley's #18 F50 would develop brake trouble as the race progressed. Despite the trouble, Travis would cross the line in P6. Paul's MBR #7 Porsche was able to secure P7.

Ghabe Stouffer in the #2 Ferrari gets shunted out of Turn 6

 Ethan and Tony would duel for several laps until Ethan was able to clear Tony as the #47 Porsche swung wide into the gravel at the Mobil 1 corner. Ghabe Stouffer took car of his car early, gingerly and deftly taking positions as they came to him, ultimately garnering a podium position for himself at P3, his first in series racing with the FRL. Bryan Dean took advantage of an ugly pass in Turn 2 and put his #808 Jaguar on the podium in P2. Andrew Steppat sets the bar once again however, taking the #001 McLaren home in P1.

 Our next event takes place August 2nd at Monza for three fast heats of FRL racing!

Finishing Order:
1. Andrew Steppat
2. Bryan Dean
3. Ghabe Stouffer
4. Ethan Maestri
5. Tony Tyree
6. Paul Maestri
7. Travis Billingsley
8. Blake Wild
9. Seth Jensen

Series Points:   
Andrew Steppat - 50
Bryan Dean - 40
Ghabe Stouffer - 35
Ethan Maestri - 32
Tony Tyree - 30
Travis Billingsley - 28
Paul Maestri - 26
Blake Wild - 24
Seth Jensen - 22