Rapport 2003 / 04 Zolder

Zolder, 18th. – 20th. June 2004

At the race track – at long last, even if only as a guest. The car is all ready but unfortunately not the driver. Although considerably jetlagged after a few weeks in the USA, it was still terrific to see everybody again.

The FIA-GTC-TC’76 Saturday race had to take place on a wet course – unfortunately. Therefore both Danish “Panteras” stayed in the garage once again. It has not been possible to come up with the suitable rims for the rain tyres.

Wolfgang Schachinger (BMW Coupe) gained greatly from the wetness and his correct tyre choice and reached the finishing line just 8 seconds before Peter Mücke (Ford Capri RS) on the drying asphalt. Only 20 seconds later, Dr. Helmut Stein (Ford Escort RS) became third.

The first FIA-GTC’65 race was also held on Saturday. Stefano Rosina’s Elva (GTP) dominated the field here. With his bizarre orange coloured vehicle, he managed to reach the finishing line 26 seconds before Bo Warmenius and his Lotus Elan. Just 2,5 seconds behind Bo Warmenius, Allen Tice became third and was the fastest of the four Marcos. The closest timing for the finish was put up by Richard Styles and his Marcos (6th. position) and the Griffith of Jamie Boot – here there was only a difference of 1,5 seconds. In this race, we must also comment on Armin Zumtobel’s Porsche 911 which was at least 4 seconds faster per lap than any of the other Porsches as well as on the unluckiest driver of the day – Peter Kroeber, whose Elan retired in the first lap due to an electric defect. Therefore Bo Warmenius could be certain that he would not be attacked by his strongest rival at the beginning of the race. In the training, only five hundredth of a second separated the Swede from his rival. In the “small” capacity, this time Michael Lombard (Alpine) kept just about one step ahead of Theo van Bree’s Alpine (Positions 17 and 18).

In the end, the second race on Sunday provided enough possibilities for revenges. Kroeber and Jürgen Malsbenden (who also stranded with his Corvette at the wall on Saturday), had to start from the last row, of course ! This gave Warmenius and Menden some respite from their strongest rivals. That Stefano Rosina’s Elva led the field again is only worth a passing comment, nothing changed much until the finish. But one of the most exciting races developed before then. As expected, Kroeber and Malsbenden shot through the field and there was little resistance from anybody. But there is always an invincible barrier somewhere – in this case, this was the Menden-Corvette and in another case, the Tice-Marcos. Although Kroeber and Malsbenden sometimes managed to achieve faster lap rounds than the leaders, they just could not get pass !! At some time, the “Dunlops” claimed their right to be cooled down and especially Malsbenden was at last convinced of the instability of his Corvette’s roadholding when he tried to overtake Bo’s Elan in the last lap.

In the long run, Kroeber’s Elan with the slim tyres was defeated by his rival’s broad tyres. Bo Warmenius raced permanently into the 2nd. Position, a good 13,5 seconds after Stefano Rosina. It looked like he could control the Menden-Corvette following him after all. Michael Menden though did not have many chances to concentrate towards the front. He had to defend his 3rd. position much too often against Malsbenden who attacked him ceaselessly – in vain though. Allan Tice became fifth before Peter Kroeber with a good 13 second margin towards the end of the race. Seventh was Styles (Marcos) before Francois and Lindberg (each in Lotus Elan).

At least one name is missing up front !! Where was Claus Damgaard who is usually amongst the first-placed ? After he had spent the whole weekend under his car bonnet, changing one engine after the other, this last engine let him down in the 13th. lap. Oh, what a terrible weekend for the poor Dane ! Armin Zumtobel must have had similar feelings. Until the 7th. lap, he drove very comfortably before Henrik Lindberg’s Elan (here as well one second faster per lap than on Saturday), when suddenly he had a tyre damage in the beginning of the curve of the back straight and he had to land in the gravel pit with a deep crunch. Lambert Parren was 10th. and within the first of the 911s. He was followed very closely by Ralf Oehme’s 911 (practically stuck to Parren’s bumper). Just 3,5 tenth of a second - like in the race the day before. Although Oehme was faster than Parren in his best lap - but being close is just not like going past after all !

We can take this as a transition to the FIA-TC’65 race. Here as well, it was really thrilling and sometimes that close that one asks oneself why anybody bothers to watch modern races at all.

The Qualifying belonged to the Gustavssons and their Cortina. Definitely over a second faster than Reinhold Gröpper in his Mustang who became 2nd. Third was Dieter-Karl Anton’s Alfa Romeo GTA – unfortunately the only GTA on the field. Behind him the usual colourful rows of the Ford Motor Company – a Falcon, Mustangs and Cortinas – 13 all in all. The positions 9, 10 and 12 were taken up by three Minis, amongst all these Fords. The four Alfa Romeo Giuliettas of the Scuderia del Portello team were at the end of the result lists, famous since many years for the Historic Touring Cars Sports.

Sunday afternoon – High Noon !! Race start. The Austrian GTA took over the leadership without further ado, followed closely by the Swedish Cortina and the English Falcon. And out of the depth of the field, a Cortina with the headlights turned on, rushed towards the front – Warmenius/Turebrand. Something went wrong during the Qualifying – Starting Position 16. Warmenius inched himself further forward lap for lap. At the front, Anton tried to defend himself but had to allow the Gustavsson-Cortina to pass by. As if that was not enough, the headlights suddenly turned up in his rear mirror. Anton had to give way to Warmenius’ pressure. This went on until the pit stop which all three only absolved in the last possible minute. Turebrand held the leadership that Warmenius had fought for, Anton about 200 meters behind him. The Gustavssons who had stopped a lap later, placed themselves exactly between the other two. Anton pushed his GTA to the hilt and was lucky that Gustavsson 2 was a little weaker than Gustavsson 1 and only pulled the brakes at the finishing line after sliding past the Cortina. Of course he would have liked to overtake Mr. Turebrand but the distinctly audibly damaged limited slip differential made this impossible.

About 7 seconds behind, Anton reached a happy 2nd. Position. The Gustavssons took about 13 seconds more to reach the 3rd. position. The above-mentioned Falcon of Bacon/Voyazides became 4th. Mr Kerry and Mr Sanders brought in their Cortina as fifth into the finish. Only these five managed to drive 30 rounds in the 1-hour race, all the others were out lapped by at least one round. Actually we should write something about each competitor and each deserved to have his performance commented on separately. Unfortunately this is not possible. Nevertheless, one or even better two drivers were that outstanding that it would be a shame not to mention them: Allen Tice and David Methley. What they pulled off with their Mini was absolutely unbelievable. Each lap on the same line, reaching the same time in each lap, driving out of the curves with the same number of revolutions – both drove forward to the 7th. position and had an incredible 40 second lead over the 8th. Congratulations !!

Congratulations as well at this point to all 3 FIA Race Series. Extremely thrilling races but also a very relaxed atmosphere amongst the competitors – this is what that distinguished all the weekends. What Ronny started last season, is actually bearing fruit now – the drivers are now forming a real friendly community. For those who might wish to think back – this was not always the case in the FIA Historic European Championship.

See you all in Luxemburg – hopefully the yellow Elan with the green stripes will be there again if the fitness of the driver allows this.

VEIT AVEMARG