CEC Eerduosi Station Concludes with Thrilling Races and Victorious Teams

The 2024 CEC (China Endurance Championship) third leg concluded with a flourish at the Eerduosi International Circuit on July 28th. After an exhilarating 120-minute second stage battle in both the Manufacturer's Cup and the National Cup, the Autohome Hongqi Racing Team's car number 66, driven by Chen Jialong, Wang Tao, and Liang Qi, secured their third consecutive Manufacturer's Cup victory of the year. In the National Cup, the Beijing WingsRacing Yixiu Team's car number 866, piloted by Yu Shuang and Yang Yang, emerged triumphant with exceptional strategy execution and tire management.

Manufacturer's Cup: Hongqi Achieves a Hat Trick with 66th Car Winning Three Consecutive Victories

In the second stage of the Manufacturer's Cup final, Chen Jialong, Wang Tao, and Liang Qi continued their outstanding performance from the start, leading from pole position to secure a commanding win. This victory maintains the unbeaten streak of the Autohome Hongqi Racing Team in the Manufacturer's Cup category.

Another team from Autohome Hongqi Racing, car number 55, consisting of Zhou Yuxuan, Zou Yunfeng, and Gao Ruoxiang, made a strong comeback after a dramatic first stage final. They reclaimed the second position in the Manufacturer's Cup on Sunday, marking another double podium finish for the team since the Chengdu opener in May.

The Lynk & Co Performance Car Club Team faced a challenging day, with the second-placed team from the first stage, Li Lin and Liu Taiji, suffering from axle damage, which led to their exclusion from the podium contention. Wu Xiaofeng, Song Bo, and Lv Yang, who had a chance to compete for the second position, also faced mechanical issues in the second half of the race, ultimately settling for third place.

National Cup: Intense Battles See Beijing WingsRacing Yixiu's Yu Shuang/Yang Yang Dominating

In the National Cup's 1600T category, the battle among the leading group was a highlight of the event. Beijing Yisu Racing Team's Gao Ruoxiang and Yang Shuo maintained their lead after the start, closely followed by Yu Shuang/Yang Yang from Beijing WingsRacing Yixiu Team and Wang Honghao/Sun Jiran from Shanghai Hanting DRT Team. After a period of intense competition, Wang Honghao/Sun Jiran had to stop early due to vehicle damage caused by debris on the track, missing the opportunity to compete for victory.

The suspense of the championship contenders then fell between Gao Ruoxiang/Yang Shuo and Yu Shuang/Yang Yang. With different car characteristics, the two teams adopted completely different strategies. Yu Shuang/Yang Yang, who stopped first, took a set of tires for the entire race, saving over 40 seconds in the pit stop and gaining a lead on the track. Gao Ruoxiang/Yang Shuo, after their pit stop, fell to second but relied on the advantage of new tires to chase down the leaders, closing in on Yu Shuang/Yang Yang in the remaining race.

Unfortunately, the remaining time was not enough for Gao Ruoxiang/Yang Shuo to complete the overtake. Yu Shuang/Yang Yang executed their bold strategy with excellent tire management and speed output, securing their second victory of the season in the National Cup 1600T category with a lead of over 10 seconds.

Gao Ruoxiang/Yang Shuo finished second in the group, while Wang Honghao/Sun Jiran secured the third position, with the three teams also sweeping the second to fourth positions in the overall standings. Shanghai Hanting DRT Team's Feng Zhiqiang/Kang Yining/Wu Muzhu/Ding Keyin and LTC RACING Team's Lv Yan/Cao Qi Kuan/Wang Zeyu won the fourth and fifth places in the group.

In the National Cup 2000 class, the internal battle within Beijing WingsRacing Yixiu Team was noteworthy. Facing pressure from their teammates in car number 186, the newly formed team in car number 861, consisting of Lin Yang/Zhao Lin/Zhang Yiwen/Zhang Zelong, managed to defend their lead and won their first group title. Diao Yu/Zhang Hanxu secured the second position in the category.

In the National Cup 1600A class, Weili MXR Team's Huang Ying/Lin Hao/Jin Zheng/Lu Chao, who were hard to beat, achieved their second consecutive season victory on the Inner Mongolian grasslands. Xi'an Carman Racing Team's Wang Baohua/Tian Liang/Hao Hua and Zhang Li/Chen Rui/Chen Yao demonstrated the spirit of endurance, overcoming numerous difficulties to bring back the second and third positions in the group.

After the Eerduosi grassland journey, the endurance national competition enters a brief summer break. The next leg of the CEC will be held from August 29th to September 1st, making its first visit to Pingtan Island. As the competition teams enjoy the beautiful coastal scenery, the racers will face off again on the street circuit. The passion for racing never stops, and we look forward to more exciting moments in the new leg of the CEC.