From a press release issued by FGSPORT GROUP:

Brno and Albacete: 18 Hours of Racing in June
The world endurance championship shifts up a gear next weekend for the Brno 6 Hour race. The Czech Republic round of the series marks the first of the season’s medium distance races, and two weeks later the championship moves on to Spain for the Albacete 12 Hour overnight race.

Brno 6 Hour – 14/15 June

The Brno 6 Hour race will be run in two 3-hour heats for the first time this year, with the first heat starting at 5:30pm on Saturday and running into the evening, and the second heat starting at 3:00pm on Sunday afternoon. This innovation will throw a number of new challenges at the teams.

The race result will be decided on an aggregate time of both heats, with championship points awarded accordingly. Between the two heats, bikes must be left untouched in the parc-ferme area and cannot be worked on, repaired or refuelled. There will be two endurance-style starts with the riders sprinting across the track to the waiting bikes, but the number of pit-stops made in each heat will be down to the individual team’s strategy; timing the stops to fit around the parc-ferme rules could give a significant advantage.

The Brno circuit, which dips and climbs through the forested hills just outside the Czech Republic’s second city, is popular with teams and spectators. Wildcard entries from Czech, German, Austrian and Polish teams will add to the level of competition and the spectacle of this always interesting race.

Albacete 12 Hour – 28/29 June

Two weeks after Brno the World Endurance circus gathers at Albacete for the Spanish round of the championship, where quite a lot Spanish and Portuguese teams are expected. The race is another new format, this time an overnight 12 hour race run from 9:00pm to 9:00am.

Racing begins with the traditional endurance start on Saturday evening, and continues non-stop through the night and into the following morning. Night racing has long been a unique feature of endurance racing and the Albacete round is eagerly awaited by everyone involved. For the less experienced riders it will bring a new dimension to the sport, and for the endurance regulars it will be a chance to make the most of their experience and skills. Endurance racing is also immensely popular in Spain and Portugal, and the local teams will present a very real challenge.

But the real treat will be for the spectators; an overnight Fiesta of racing and partying, with a long Sunday in the sun to recover.