Motorsport News
Two Podiums at Sanair Motorsport Complex for Bernard Franke Volvo Team
By source: Franke Racing
Jun 26, 2007, 09:12

Racing the number 1 Volvo S60 Challenge car, 2006 GTO Touring Car Champion Bernard Franke scored a third place finish on May 26th and another third place on June 16th at the Sanair road racing course. Since the beginning of the season Franke has had to deal with a lot more competition as more and more cars are entering the series.

For the May race, the car was mounted on a new type of race wheels and tires.
Without any prior testing or scrubbing of the new tires, it was decided to sacrifice a strong qualifying run in order to scrub the racing slicks for the race. Starting from the 12th spot, Franke immediately put the hammer down as the green flag was waved. By the first corner he already had gained 2 positions. As the 40 lap race progressed, the pilot charged up the pack and relentlessly pursued any car ahead of him. Half way through the race Franke caught up and passed the second Volvo S60 Challenge car and continued his charge till the checkered flag where he finished 4th overall and 3rd in his class.

Three weeks later, a second event was held at the same track with a total of 17 cars in the GT class. Following the morning practice session, the GT cars lined up for qualifying. After the allowed 20 minute run for best starting grid position Franke put his Volvo 8th on the grid behind both the number 60 Volvo and long time rival George Moutafis driving his BMW M3. With an extremely hot day all GT drivers knew that they would face severe heat and dehydration. At the drop of the green flag, all cars went flat out for the first corner and somehow managed not to bang into each other.

For most of the race Franke fought hard to stay in contact with the other Volvo S60 and the M3. The three cars raced hard and Franke steadily gained positions. With about 5 laps to go, the number 60 Volvo made a hard pass for the BMW and now was fourth overall. The defending champion was in 6th place. Having physically trained to handle the extreme heat, former marathon runner Bernard Franke had plenty of reserve and launched an all out attack passing rival George Moutafis and then set his sights on the Volvo S60 driven by Charles Hammer.

With a few laps remaining to the race, two Volvo S60 Challenge cars where now fighting for a podium position. With only two laps to go, Franke raced nose to bumper with the other S60 down the back straight and out braked the white Volvo into corner one to move up one more position. At the checkered flag, the Blue and Silver Volvo had raced up fourth place overall and grabbed the final podium position in GT-2.

After the race, a very excited Bernard Franke commented: “This was a good race: I beat my personal track record by over 1 ½ second while having great duels with the Volvo and BMW. By tomorrow I will have lost about 4 pounds in liquids from today’s race and will feel a bit groggy but it is all worth it.”

Next stop will be at the totally new race facility in Calabougi, Ontario for the first weekend of August as the FSAQ GT series goes inter provincial for the next 2 rounds.

Bernard Franke is president and co-owner of Franke Volvo in Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Québec. Among his achievements driving he has won the Québec Rally Championship in 1983, the Eastern Canadian Rally Championship in 1984, the Canadian Rally Championship Runner up (1984-1986) and the Canadian Manufacturers Rally Champion for Volvo in 1986 at the wheel of 240 Turbo Group A rally car. After a 13 year sabbatical from motor racing where he competed in Duathlons and Marathons, Franke began racing F125 shifter karts in 2000. In 2005, he raced a Mercedes-Benz C280 in the Hankook Touring car Championship. In 2006 with his actual Volvo S60 Challenge car he won the GTO touring car Championship and won the Manufacturers Cup for Volvo Cars of Canada.

This year’s sponsorship partners include “Care by Volvo” from Volvo cars of Canada, Castrol oil products, Wurth Canada, Vitro Plus Ste-Agathe, Fix Auto Ste-Agathe, X-Vitres tinted glass and Infographie Boréale.

2007 Schedule

May 5th
Autodrome St-Eustache
May 26th
Sanair Race way
June 16th
Sanair Race way
August 4th 5th
Calabougi (Ontario)
September 1st 2 nd
Mosport (Ontario)
September 22nd 23rd
Circuit Mont Tremblant

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