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Racereport 2003 / 07 Spa


Ardennes Rollercoaster

 

 

 

 

 

The FIA-GTC’65 presented itself with one of the largest starting fields in the „Six Hours Spa-Francorchamps” programme. Forty cars raced on the 6,97 km long Grand-Prix-Course. Jamie Boot (GB) was the major winner in a TVR Griffith. He won both races.

 

 

 

In the first race, he fought initially against Michael Menden who drove a Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray. But the guest driver had to retire into the tyre pile above the Eau Rouge in the sixth lap. “My left rear wheel broke,” reported Menden over his misfortune.

 

 

 

Another fast Corvette Sting Ray which was driven by Hans-Jürgen Malsbenden (D) also fought for a long while for the top position. But then he spun around in the new busstop-chicane and lost all chances for a triumph. Bernard Peruch (F) completed the V8-top position with his AC Cobra. The Frenchman marked the fastest racing lap of the FIA-GTC’65 this weekend.

 

 

 

Further behind last year’s champion Bo Warmenius (S) and Peter Kroeber (D), each in a Lotus Elan, put up a thrilling duel right up to the last lap. “I was already ready for Bo Warmenius in the last lap”, reported the German. “Just before the busstop-chicane, we ran up against a TVR Griffith and Bo managed to catch the better lane. In the first race, Bo Warmenius won in his class 0,5 seconds Kroeber. Peter Dunn (GB) secured the class win of up to 2,5 litre cubic capacity before Allison (GB). Both started in a Marcos 1800 GT – all in all there were 6 of them in Spa.

 

 

 

In the Period E, the victor was Peter Aylett (GB) in a Diva GT and not as usual in the former races, Udo Voßhenrich in a Lotus Elite. Walter Antonacci (B) reached the third position for cars up to 1961 in his Alfa Romeo Giulietta TI Spider. The fourth position went to James Willis (GB) in his MG Midget Coupe.

 

 

 

However on Sunday, the drivers of the FIA-GTC’65 who started together with the Touring Cars of the FIA-TC’65 in an imposing field of 68 cars, demonstrated that one can still heighten the suspense on the course. Jamie Boot rushed forward from his top position followed by Hans-Jürgen Malsbenden in a Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray. Behind them, Peter Kroeber found his way past Bo Warmenius quickly who then had to deal with Andre Bailly (F) in a Jaguar E-Type Competition Roadster and Bernard Peruch in a AC Cobra. Finally Bo only reached the sixth place but could secure the second position in the class before Claus Damgaard (DK) who had to start from the end of the field after having problems with his Elan.

 

 

 

Philip Nelson (GB) triumphed over his Marcos-colleague and ex-champion Stephan Minoprio (GB) in the class up to 2,5 litre cubic capacity whilst the winner of the day before, Peter Dunn had to retire in the fifth lap. The victory for the cars up to 1961 was again secured by Peter Aylett in a Diva before Udo Voßhenrich.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just before the end, Jamie Boot in his TVR Griffith heightened the tension. He became distinctly slower and Hans-Jürgen Malsbenden could make ground up to 2,2 seconds, followed closely by Peter Kroeber. Boot explained, “I became quite tired because it was very hot in the car”. Even so, it was enough for the Englishmann to secure his second victory of the weekend. Although Bernard Peruch marked up the fastest racing lap, he had to make do with an overall fifth position behind Andre Bailly.

 


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