Ten Opel Astra OPC Cup cars in the world’s toughest endurance race
Opel has a long, successful history on the Nordschleife
Rüsselsheim. There are venues that hold an outstanding place in their respective sports. Without a doubt, the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife is one of the world’s most famous motor racing circuits – especially when the legendary ADAC Zurich 24h-race takes place there for the 42nd time on June 21 and 22, 2014. Opel, one of the most successful marques in the race at the “green hell,” will be represented by ten Astra OPC Cup cars, alongside numerous privately owned race cars.
Successful racing cars from Rüsselsheim have a long tradition in the 36-year history of the VLN endurance racing championship. Nine champions have driven to victory in an Opel, with the Rüsselsheim-based manufacturer responsible for 17 outright wins. With 594 class victories, Opel is the third most successful brand. The overall victory at the 2003 24 hours by Manual Reuter, Timo Scheider, Marcel Tiemann and Volker Strycek in their Opel Astra V8 Coupé remains a memorable moment in motor racing.
Last year, Opel revived this grand Nordschleife tradition with its Opel Astra OPC Cup. The racing version of the Astra OPC, which has been optimized for the 2014 season to combine high performance and professional technology at an affordable price, provides the technical basis for the Cup models.
However, the 24-hour race on the Nordschleife is more than just an extremely demanding race. It is also the site of one of the largest events in international sports and attracts some 200,000 fans every year to a gigantic party for everyone lucky enough to be there.
The 42nd ADAC Zurich 24 hours starts at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, 2014.
