The old generation retires: Dignified NLS farewell for the Falken Porsche 911 GT3 R

After another good performance at the eighth race of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS), Falken Motorsports bid farewell to its successful Porsche 911 GT3 R (Gen. 991.2). Its 992 generation successor in the "Falken-Erlkönig-Design" had to be parked early on its debut.

The qualifying for the PAGID Racing 46th DMV Münsterlandpokal went according to plan. Julien Andlauer and Klaus Bachler circled the 24.358-kilometer combination of Nürburgring sprint track and Nordschleife in the new Porsche 911 GT3 R (Gen. 992) with pinpoint accuracy in 9:11.279 minutes, putting the #4 on the 13th grid position. A good result, which however only had symbolic character. Since the new car currently has no homologation, Andlauer/Bachler had to start the race, according to the regulations, at the end of the first starting group.

Falken star Martin Ragginger and Tim Heinemann, who started for the Japanese tyre brand for the second time, circled the track in 8:58.861 min. and secured in their proven #3 Porsche 911 GT3 R (Gen. 991.2) with the sixth place a good starting position for the four-hour race.

Tim Heinemann showed an outstanding start. The newly crowned DTM Trophy champion took the lead directly in the first corner and got his first taste as a leader in the NLS. After two laps, however, he had to stop at the pits because leaves flying around and clogged the radiators.

A fate that also befell Andlauer/Bachler in #4 with even greater consequences. In the following, the engine overheated and the Porsche had to be stopped at the beginning of the third lap for safety reasons.

Meanwhile, Ragginger/Heinemann fought for the podium the entire distance and crossed the finish line in a well-deserved third place. However, due to a breach of rules on the track, there was a time penalty after the race and threw the #3 back to seventh final place.

With that, Falken Motorsports bid farewell to the Porsche 911 GT3 R (Gen. 991.2) after numerous successes - this season alone Falken won the ROWE 6h ADAC Ruhr-Pokal and the newly created 12h race - into a well-deserved retirement and ended the 2022 season.