Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, Final Rounds, Laguna Seca 2017

Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars exiting the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca on Saturday's Round 9.  Winner Austin Versteeg seen here in third place.

Rounds nine and ten of the 2017 North American Lamborghini Super Trofeo series took place at Laguna Seca supporting the Weathertech IMSA race.   It is a very fast one make series for race versions of the Lmborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo.  They have V10 engines developing around 620 bhp which power the carbon / aluminium chassis through a racing gearbox. Around 20 cars participated at Laguna Seca, so an expensive grid!   There are four classes for Pro, Pro-Am, Am and LB Cup.   Both races at Laguna Seca were of 50 minutes duration around this 2.2 mile 11 turn race course.   Young Pro-Am competitor Austin Versteeg in the Orange DXDT racing Lamborghini Dallas No. 7 car took victories in both of the races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Amateur competitor, Yuki Harata had a good meeting as well.  English Team DAC Motor Sports got on the podium in their first North American race.  On Sunday we were introduced to the new Lamborghini Huracán Evo Super Trofeo Evo - a wicked looking car (see below).

The new Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo thar will race in 2018.

JC Perez leads a group of Super Trofeo cars through Laguna Seca's Turn Four.   Perez won the LB Cup class.

The English DAC Motorsport car of Peter Aronson crosses the start/finish line.

Austin Versteeg happy to get a congratulatory hug after his second win of the weekend.

The top of the Corkscrew with the very compettiive Hindman / Agostini car who didn't quite have the luck over the weekend to get a win.

Champagne sprayed all over the podium on Sunday.

Todd Snyder slightly misjudges the Corkscrew on Saturday.

The winning car of Austin Versteeg descends the Corkscrew.

Yuki Harata on top of Sunday's Amateur podium.

Austin Versteeg laps the DAC Motorsport car at the final turn.

For the Global Mazda MX-5 race at Laguna Seca, click here.

For the IMSA Ptotypes at Laguna Seca, click here.

For the IMSA GTLM cars at Laguna Seca, click here.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars race through the Rainey Curve at Laguna Seca.

Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Final Round, Laguna Seca, 2017

Patrick Gallagher won the final round at Laguna Seca and the championship.

Based around the 4th generation Mazda MX-5 Miata, this series provides close racing at six North American venues and provides the winner with a $200,000 "Mazda Road to 24" scholarship.  These 2 litre slick shod open 2 seater sports cars provide extremely close racing and they reward smooth drivers who don’t make mistakes.   At the September IMSA meeting at Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca, the final two rounds of the championship were held.  24 year old Patrick Gallagher took both rounds at Laguna Seca,  thus making it eight wins out of twelve races and winning the championship.  Robert Stout sealed Rookie of the Year with a fifth place. The photos below are of the twelfth and final round held on the Saturday, which was a race of 45 minutes duration.  Most are taken from around the famous Corkscrew turn and Rainey Curve.

Pole Sitter Robby Foley leads the field through the Corkscrew early in the race.  Patrick Gallagher is looking menacing in second place.   They finished in reverse order.

Side by side battle out of the Corkscrew with Bryan Ortiz on the outside and Drake Kemper on the inside.

Keith Jensen in the Corkscrew.

More side by side action in the Corkscrew. Alex Bouchoura in the white car and Ashton Harrison in the red car.

IMSA Prototypes at Laguna Seca, if you click here.

IMSA Le Mans GT cars at Laguna Seca if you click here.

Lamboghini Super Trofeo cars at Laguna Seca, if you click here.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

A long stream of Mazdas but one has got on to the dirt at turn 10.

36 ème Course de Côte Etretat / Bénouville 2017

The PBR Proto of Alain Bonnet at Etretat.

As well as the VHC cars at Etretat, there were the usual French competitors from Normandy and beyond competing in the French regional hill climb. Competing against these French guys was John Page, a British competitor, who has been hillclimbing in France for many years in his F3 Ralt.  John did well and won his class and finished in the top ten.  It was a shame that I had to leave early and was unable to congratulate him.   The ASA Côte d'Albâtre did their usual good job of organising this end of summer hill climb over the 1.62 Km course between Etretat and Bénouville in Normandy.

The top twenty fastest cars based on their fastest of three runs, at the Course de Cote Etretat/Benouville.  They were taking part in a round of the Coupe de France de la Montagne and are all shown below in the order that they were classified:

The overall winner was Fabien Ponchant in this F3 Dallara F302.  He was fastest on every run.

Second was this Dallara F307 of Bertrand Lassalle.

Third overall and winner of the sports car class was Alain La Sausse in his Norma M20FC.

Fourth overall was the Dallara F300 of Alban Lapotre.

Second in the sports car classs was William Pommery in this Norma M20B.

Third in the sports car class was Joel Maugy in this Norma M20F 

Seventh overall was this Dallara F308 of Dominique Hamel.

Fastest in the motor cycle engined sports car class was Olivier Dumont in this BRC 05 Evo PEP.

John Page in his F3 Ralt RT32 won his class and was ninth overall.

Rounding out the top ten was this Reynard 873 of Olivier Besnier.

Jean-Yves Doree won his class in this beautiful old Grac MT14S.

Yannick Roussel won his group and class in this Porsche 997 GT3 RS.

Winner of the Formula Renault class was Roger Guezet in this Tatuus FR2000.

Fourteenth overall and second in class was this Jema 630 GT driven by Yves Villain.

Fastest of the Touring Cars was Herve Jean in a Seat Leon Supercopa.

Just beaten in the A4 group was this other Seat Leon Supercopa of Julien Dupont.

An attractive addition to the field was this Jema 610 GT of Pierre-Louis Fouillen.

Janick Janin won his class in this Tatuus FR2013.

Fourth in the motorcycle engined sports cars class was this BRC 02 of Patrick Noe.

In twentieth position overall and winning his class was Michel Bineau in this Nissan Almera Kit Car.

For the Pre-War VSCC cars competing at Etretat in 2017, click here.

For the Post-War VHC cars competing at Etretat in 2017, click here.

For the Post Historic VHC cars competing at Etretat in 2017, click here.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

The hill climb course with Etretat in the background.

Etretat Hill Climb 2017 - VHC Post Historic

One of the best looking post-historic cars was this 1987 Alpine V6 GTA Turbo of Tim Jeffrey.

The third category of the VHC cars at Etretat were the Post-Historique cars built after 1976.  This was a relatively small category of nine cars but it wasn't decided until the last run and added a nice variety of cars to the event.   James Wilkinson held the hill record for these post-historic cars prior to the event in his Formula Vauxhall Reynard and it was never challenged.  James had gearbox issues with his Radical but eventually took the win on the last run.

James Wilkinson in his 1997 Radical Prosports was fastest but only managed a time on the last run. 

Paul Deslandes was fastest after the first two runs but had to settle for second place in his 1995 Caterham 7.  He also won his class.

This 1999 replica of a sixties Crossle 9S was third fastest of the post-historic category.

Taking a wide line in the under-steering 1981 MG Metro is Ryan Eamer who won his class.

Cutting a fine apex is Francis Da Silva in this 1980 Volkswagen Golf GTi

The 1987 Peugeot 205 GTi of Neil Brogden.

A welcome French competitor was Francois Prieur in this 1979 Fenouil JF79.

Finally their was this Lotus Eleven look-alike produced by Westfield and driven by Rob Hume.

For the pre-war cars at Etretat, click here.

For the post war VHC cars pre-1977, click here.

For the modern cars competing in the French Course de Côte at Etretat click here.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Etretat Hill Climb 2017 - VHC Post War

Tony Gomis was fastest of the VHC cars in his 1976 1.6 litre Marcadier CanAm. 

There were lots of lovely post war VHC cars at the August 2017 Course de Cote Etretat-Benouville.  Most are shown in this blogpost in order of the scratch time they achieved with the fastest first.   Most of the cars were from Britain with a couple of French entries.  It as good to see the beautiful French sports car, the Marcadier, come first.  Tony Gomiz has competed many times at Etretat as has Lyn Padfield and Bob Gibson; they had a good battle for FTD.  This was the 19th running of the VHC Hill Climb run between Etretat and Benouville in Normany, France.

Lyn Padfield, 1968 1.6 litre Lotus Seven

The 1973 1.6 litre Alpine A110 of Bob Gibson.

Mark Linworth and his 1973 2 litre Ford Escort Mk1.

The 1972 2 litre Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT of Duncan Richardson.

Spectacular driving from Tim Greenhill in his MGB.

Johnny Hulme's 1974 1.6 litre Alpine A110

Dave Wheeler's Renault R8 Gordini.

Stephanie Wilton's 1953 2 litre Grand Prix F2 Cooper-Bristol T23Mk2.

The French Alpine A110 1300S of Alain Marie.

The unique 1954 Jacobs-MG special of Stuart Dean.

For more about the Jacobs-MG Special, click here.

The 1961 Lotus Seven of Chris Davis.

The 1960 Formula Junior Cooper T56.

Sheridan Bell of Alpine A110.

The 1965 Renault 8 Gordini of Nigel Patten.

The 1953 2 litre Cooper-Bristol 2 seater Sports of Jonathan Harmer.

1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia TI Super of Michel Deldon

The 1971 Mexican built Dinalpin A110 of Andy Owler

The 1953 Frazer Nash Le Mans of David Knight.

Australian Ernst Luthi with a 1961 TVR Grantura Mk2.

Liz Owler's 1976 Matra-Simca Bagheera S.

The Pre-War cars at Etretat can be seen by clicking on this link.

The post-historic cars at Etretat can be seen via this link.

The modern cars competing in the French Course de Cote can be accessed by clicking here.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.