The last race of the year always sticks in your memory. That’s certainly true of the final IDM Supersport 600 race of the 2021 season. Spectators were treated to a thriller of the highest order.
The battle at the front raged between Patrick “Pax” Hobelsberger (Bonovo Action by MGM Racing) and Kevin Wahr (MVR-Racing), as well as Thomas Gradinger (Eder Racing) and Max Enderlein (M32 Racing). Because they were all so locked in a fierce battle, four more riders managed to close the gap to the leaders. It went back and forth, with three riders side by side into the corner—and not just once. Since the class winner had already been decided with Hobelsberger, runner-up Valentin Debise (Kawasaki Weber-Motos Racing) was absent due to injury, and third-place finisher Glenn Van Straalen (NIWA Racing) was at the Supersport World Championship in Jerez, it was a free-for-all.
Hobelsberger was able to pull away after six laps, once the battle with Wahr had come to an end. The Nagold native also had to let Gradinger pass him and ultimately even had to worry about losing his seemingly secure podium spot. Supersport rookie Jan-Ole Jähnig (M32 Racing) came flying past him out of the slipstream. He was eager to secure his first podium finish in his Supersport 600 career. Wahr prevented that by pushing back in front of him and crossing the finish line in third place. “I knew Patrick could be faster than me,” Wahr conceded defeat gracefully, “but I wanted to at least give him and Thomas a little trouble.”
For “Pax,” the most important thing was “proving that I can come out on top in a head-to-head battle and that I belong in the World Championship.” He already has offers. The Bavarian won half of all IDM races in his class in 2021. He and Christoph Beinlich (Roto-Store BRT) were the only riders who didn’t have a single retirement.
Max Enderlein came up short in the 600cc battle: finishing seventh in the race, the Saxon rider earned ten championship points. Had he done just a bit better, he could have knocked Glenn Van Straalen out of third place in the overall standings. Enderlein now goes down in history in fourth place, just one point behind the Dutchman.
Just as in the first race, the two Kawasaki ZX-6Rs ridden by Rob Hartog (Füsport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) and Andreas Kofler (Kawasaki Schnock Team Motorex) finished one after the other in the top ten. Once again, they were neck and neck.
IDM Supersport 600 Results, Round 2:
1. Patrick HOBELSBERGER (GER/Yamaha)
2. Thomas GRADINGER (AUT/Yamaha)
3. Kevin WAHR (GER/Yamaha)
4. Jan-Ole JÄHNIG (GER/Yamaha)
5. Sander KROEZE (NED/Yamaha)
6. Christoph BEINLICH (GER/Yamaha)
7. Max ENDERLEIN (GER/Yamaha)
8. Andreas KOFLER (AUT/Kawasaki)
9. Rob HARTOG (AUT/Kawasaki)
10. Milan MERCKELBAGH (NLD/Yamaha)