DTC: The outcome of the 2000 Danish Touringcar series is now final

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Pierre Legarth won appeal

The outcome of the 2000 Danish Touringcar Challenge is now final, following a ruling from Dansk Automobil Sports Union's Court of Appeal in a saga, which began at last year's championship finals at Jyllands-Ringen back in October. The ruling has not changed the overall outcome of the series, which was won by Peugeot's Michael Carlsen from McDonald's-Nissan driver John Nielsen and Volkswagen man Michael Schröter. However, it moves Pierre Legarth to fourth place overall, as the Court of Appeal ruled in his favour.

"I'm glad about the decision, which shows that you cannot bend rules in the direction that you want," Legarth said of the outcome.

The saga started on the final lap of the 2000 season, when Pierre Legarth and John Nielsen collided. After the race, Nielsen was given a 25 second penalty for having passed Legarth under yellows, and Nielsen also lodged a protest against Legarth, who subsequently was given an identical fine for having caused the collision.

Legarth took the case to the Court of of Appeal, who have now decided to annul his time penalty on the ground that the stewards of the meeting had allowed John Nielsen to protest following the expiration of the official time limit, as John Nielsen was taking part in an endurance race, which had started immediately following the DTC final.

Even though the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Pierre Legarth, it also slapped his hands for having delayed the case. "It is the aim of the Court of Appeal to get these cases settled as fast as possible," Court Chairmand Bent Mikkelsen said. He had waited in vain to receive a number of documents from Legarth, and eventually had to fix a date for the hearing.

"I got a reprimand, and as it should not have taken such a long time, I have to accept it," Legarth said afterwards. With the ruling the overall standings of the 2000 Danish Touringcar Challenge is know final. Whereas the top 3 has been unchanged, there have been some changes lower down the order, which was also a consequence of Team Brask driver Klaus Madsen loosing all his points from the final race, where he was racing under appeal - an appeal that he lost.

Text Provided By DTC

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.