Historic Tour - Val de Vienne - ASAVE Racing 65 & 75 - 2021

The classic Val de Vienne shot - the start of the ASAVE 65 & 75 race.

Part of the Historic Tour, as the French Historic Car Circuit Racing Championship is called, ASAVE racing has two groups of cars.  One is for GT and Touring Cars (the old Groups 1, 2 ,3 and 4) that were homologated prior to 1966.  The second group is for GT and Touring Cars from 1966 to 1975 and Sports prototypes until 1970. At each meeting they either have one 60 minute race or two 45 minute races.  Each race has a pit stop and thus two pilots can take part in each car.  The groups are further divided into classes.   

This type of racing seems to attract small but interesting fields and it was the case at Val de Vienne where there were only 13 cars but lots of interest for fans of historic sports and GT racing.  The Saturday ASAVE race that I saw was my first ever race at Val de Vienne and it lasted 45 minutes which gave me plenty of time to move around various vantage points.  Many thanks to the official who helped me find some particularly good shots.

The racing was not particularly close or exciting but just seeing Lolas, 910s, 240Zs, Corvettes and Mk1 Escorts driven fast makes my day.

The early leader was the 5.8 litre 1966 Lola T70 Mk2 Spyder.  Unfortunately it retired after 8 laps. It was driven by the team of David & De Murard and took fastest lap with a time 3 seconds faster than anyone else.

The winner was José Beltramelli in this 4.7 litre 1965 TVR Griffith 400.  He was running in ASAVE 65.

This fast TVR Griffith was always the likely winner after the Lola dropped out.

In second place was this 2.4 litre 1967 Porsche 910 driven by Sylvain Regnier.  It was the top ASAVE 75 runner.

Porsche 910 at Virage Le Ferme.

In third place was this 2.8 litre 1975 Datson 240Z driven by Valinho & Mathon.  it led one lap during the pitstops and was quite close to the Porsche 910 by the end of the race.

Fourth was this 2.0 litre 1975 Ford Escort RS1600 of Olivie Dusailly. 

The Ford Escort RS1600 looked quite spectacular at times.

Pierre-Yves Dauxerre was fifth in this 3.0 litre 1975 Porsche 911 SC

Porsche 911 SC speeding past two female marshals at Virage Trop Vite.

Porsche 911 SC.

Sixth was Antoine Benne in a 1.6 litre 1965 Lotus Elan. It led one lap during the pit stops.

This 3.8 litre 1963 Jaguar E-Type came seventh driven by Bernard Wilhelm.

The Jaguar E-Type.

Gaso & Bernard came eighth in this 1.6 litre 1964 Lotus Elan, just beating the Corvette.

This wonderfully growly 6.5 litre 1969 Chevrolet Corvette came ninth driven by the Excoffiers.

1969 Chevrolet Corvette.  It was running third at the start but then fell back to fourth and later to ninth.

Tenth was Alain Lagache in this 2..0 litre 1970 Porsche 914-6 GT.

Porsche 914-6.

This 1.9 litre 1963 MG B came eleventh driven by Romain Guerardelle and finished not far behind the Porsche 914-6.

1963 MG B.

Final finisher was Benjamin Dupuy in this 2 litre 1968 Ford Escort who ran at the back all race.

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.

Lola T70 about to lap an MG B.

Tour Auto 2020 - Competition - VHC

 

Winner of the Tour Auto this year was this 1962 Jaguar E-Type 3.8L crewed by 
Raphaël FAVARO/Lucien-Charles NICOLET.

The most prestigious competition within the Tour Auto is to be scratch winner of the VHC category.  This category is cars from 1951 to 1965 and of course the car marques and models must be ones that competed in the original Tour de France Automobiles.  In recent years winners have driven cars such as AC Cobras, Ford GT40s, and Jaguar E-Types.  For the last two years (2018 and 2019) the winners has been Raphaël Favaro in a Lotus Elan with Yves Badan as his co-driver.  This year he changed his co-driver and car but still won, this time in the Jaguar E-type seen above.  

This year, three time GP winner, Thierry Boutsen took part in the Tour Auto for the first time and actually finished in the top ten of the VHC competition.  He is shown below with many other of the top twenty runners below.

Second were Jean Pierre LAJOURNADE/Christophe BOUCHET,
also in a 1962 Jaguar E-Type 3.8L.  They were winners back in 2015 and 2016.

This 1965 Shelby Cobra 289 crewed by Damien KOHLER/Sylvie LABOISNE was third.

Sébastien BERCHON/Sebastien BORDIER came fourth in this 1956 Austin Healey 100/4.

Fifth was this 1964 Jaguar E Type 3.8L crewed by Christophe DELACHAUX/Josselin PETER.

Bertrand PENLAE/Anne PENLAE were sixth in this 1965 Porsche 911 2.0L.

Another 1965 Porsche 911 2.0L came seventh crewed by 
Satanas of Monparnasse/Diabolo de Charbo

Jean-Marc RIVET-FUSIL/Claude LE JEAN were eighth in this 1963 Jaguar E Type 3.8L.

The fifth Jaguar E Type 3,8L in the top ten and in ninth place was this 1963 example
crewed by Serge COZZOLINO/Pascale LEGAY COZZOLINO.

Ex-F1 star Thierry BOUTSEN came tenth navigated by Hervé ORDIONI
in this 1965 Porsche 911 2.0L.

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.

In twelfth were Claude DEMOLE/Sébastien DEMOLE in this 1965 Shelby Cobra 289.

Jacques-Yves LE MAREC/Gautier ROSSIGNOL came twentieth in this 1963 Triumph TR4.

2015 Traversée de Paris Hivernale

The 15th Traversée de Paris Hivernale was held last Sunday

On Sunday 11th January 2015 the 15th Traversée de Paris Hivernale was held.  It had been a difficult week for Paris with the multiple terrorist attacks that had taken place in the preceding few days.  The atmosphere on the Sunday was both one of relief and defiance.  Most of the cars taking part in the Traversée carried 'JE SUIS CHARLIE" stickers.

Organised by the Vincennes en Anciennes, as usual there was a huge selection (over 600) and variety of vehicles with the emphasis on classic cars but plenty of bicycles, motor bikes and vans as well. They started and ended up their day at the Chateau de Vincennes. Gareth, Kido-san and myself got up early and headed up to Montmartre in my Alfa Romeo for the first arrival of the cars in this beautiful part of the city.  Later, we headed down to Les Invalides to catch up with the remaining classic vehicles and then took some lunch after taking well over 1,000 photos between us.  The weather was excellent for the time of year and with the excellent turn out of participants and the good atmosphere it was a special morning.  I hope you enjoy these thirty or so photos that I took and am sharing with you all.

If you have never been to the Traversée of Paris make it a date for next year.

Early in the morning in Montmartre with three cars from the Traversée, Alfa, Triumph and Mini.

One of my favourite classic cars, a Lancia Fulvia Coupé leaving the square at the top of Montmartre

Cars and bikes including this Renault 4CV, climbing up to the square at the top of Montmartre

Dressed up for the cold in their Jaguar C Type (replica?)

Vintage Bugatti in the early morning light

Old Citroen passes over the old cobbled streets by the Sacré Coeur 

The Traversée passes under the Sacré Coeur

Beautiful condition Volvo P1800

VW Beetle convertible passes by the Christmas decorations

A queue of classic cars travel down the narrow Montmartre lanes

An elegant old Ford

Fifties Alfa Romeo Spyder

There were bikes as well as cars including this character playing the part of the Gendarme

These two beautiful vans about to set off again

Citroen Avant climbs the hill

More variety including Porsche 936 and three wheeler

Jaguar Mk2 passes by the Montmartre paintings

Ford Thunderbird

Renault 4CV

A vieux tacot nearly at the end of the climb up to Montmartre

A bicycle made for two

Jaguar C Type Close Up

Ferrari Dino 246 GT

Jaguar XK140

Jaguar E Type

Tractors share the road with an AC Cobra

Jaguar E Type in front of Les invalides

Peugeot 404

Morgan Three Wheeler

Alpine Renault A110

Ford Mustang parked in front of Les Invalides

Thanks to all the Ferrari, Lamborghini, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Morgan, AC Cobra, Renault, Citroen, Alpine Renault, Ford, Chevrolet, Buick, Porsche, Bugatti, VW, Mini, Triumph, Austin Healey, MG, Volvo and other owners who took part.  A great selection of French, British, American, German, Italian, Swedish and other vehicles.

For more photos of Classic Cars including the 2014 Traversée de Paris and last year's Classic Days at Magny Cours click on the Classic Cars tab above.

John Etherton asserts the copyright to the photos in this blog post but feel free to republish them elsewhere on the web as long as you publish the name of the photographer and this blog site and provide a link to this page.

I am looking forward now to the Rallye Monte Carlo Historique at the end of the month and Retro Mobile at the beginning of February.