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.

From the Archives - 2002 Le Mans Classic

In Plateau No.2 the white 1956 Maserati 250SI of Jeremy Agace races with the 1954 Aston Martin DB3S of Roos, and Hugi whilst exiting Tertre Rouge..

The first edition of the Le Mans Classic was held on the 21st and 22nd September 2002 with five grids of historic sports cars racing around the clock from 4pm on Saturday to 4pm on Sunday.  There were no support races and compared to more recent editions, quite a small crowd of enthusiasts.  I was one of those enthusiasts at the event and took a few photos on my Nikon E855 Compact camera which I share with you in this post.

It was just a three day meeting with scrutineering on the Friday and practice from 9am to 1 am on Saturday and the races commencing at 4pm.    The night time practice actually happened during Saturday evening after the first 4 races.  The tradition of having a dummy Le Mans start and then a real rolling start was in place for this first edition and gave many of us a chance to see our first Le Mans start.

The four plateau or grids back in 2002 were as follows:

Plateau 1 - Cars from 1923 to 1939. (Sponsored by Alfa Romeo)

Plateau 2 - Cars from 1945 to 1956. (Sponsored by Jaguar)

Plateau 3  - Cars from 1957 to 1961. (Sponsored by Aston Martin)

Plateau 4 - Cars from 1962 to 1965. (Sponsored by Ferrari)

Plateau 5 - Cars from 1966 to 1975. (Sponsored by Porsche)

All cars taking part had to be of a model that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Man between 1923 and 1975.

Each Plateau had four races that each lasted around 35 minutes.

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Saturday started with a walk around the classic cars from various car clubs parked the length of the Bugatti circuit and the various paddocks<

A number of beautiful Bugattis.   Types 31, 40 and 43 were down to race.

A well known Jaguar powered HW - Alta.

Another beautiful classic car.

Plateau 1

Plateau 1 contained many desirable pre-war cars from Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Aston Martin, Riley, Bugatti and many other marques.   At the end of the race, an Alfa Romeo 8C won from a Talbot 105 and an Aston Martin 2 Litre.

The pre-war cars kicked off the first 30 minute race of the day.

The prewar cars around the Dunlop Chicane.

Plateau 2

Plateau 2 included lots of lovely Jaguars, Maseratis, Aston Martins and Ferraris. First and second places in this plateau were taken by Jaguar D Types with a Lotus Eleven taking third.

The Plateau 2 cars including a C-Type Jaguar, a Ferrari and an Allard exit Tertre Rouge.

Plateau 2 cars including clockwise from top left - Michael Kahn's 1951 Allard J2X, GiuseppeTomasetti's 1956 Maserati 150 Sport, Peter Johns's 1956 Jaguar XK140 and Michel Biscaras's 1951 Jaguar C Type.

More Plateau 2 action.  Clockwise from top left - an Aston Martin DB3S in the Esses, A Maserati 450S at Turn 1, Jaguar XK120 leading a DB and a Porsche through the Esses, A lotus IX leaving the Esses, an Aston Martin DB3S and a Maserati 250 SI.

Plateau 2 early on Sunday morning.

Plateau 3

Plateau 3 was full of more lovely Aston Martins, Maseratis, Ferraris and Lotuses.  However, at the end of the race it was a Jaguar E Type who was the winner.  Runner up was a Maserati Birdcage, followed by another E Type.  Mark Knofpler was driving in this plateau in a Maserati 300S.

The Plateau 3 cars on Sunday Morning.    In the top picture you can make out a Ferrari 250 GT SWB and an Aston Martin DBR1.  In the lower picture is a Maserati 300S and a Lister-Jaguar Knobbly.

Plateau 4

Plateau 4 contained Ferraris, Porsches, Shelby Mustangs and more.  In the end a Ford GT40 won from a AC Cobra and Nick Mason's Ferrari 250 GTO. 

The drivers of plateau 4 get ready for a Le mans start.

A Mini Marcos GT, an E Tpe Jaguar and two Alfa Romeo TZs wait for the sart.

The drivers run to their cars.  From left to right - An Austin Healey Sprite, a Shelby Mustang, A CD Panhard, and a Sunbeam Tiger.

Plateau 5

Plateau 5 was my favourite plateau as it contained a host of Lola T70s and Alfa Romeo 33s, not to mention a Porsche 917.. The winner was an Alfa Romeo 33 from a Chevron B16 and a Porsche RSR.  

Some of the fastest cars in Plateau 5.  Top - the 1970 Alfa Romeo 33 of Won Shipman that finished second in the Targa Florio.  It leads a Chevron and two Lolas.   below - Two Lola T70s lead a Porsche RSR.

The 1967 Lola T70 Mk3 of André Bailly exiting the Esses and descending towards Tertre Rouge.   The Jackie Epstein car that finished fourth in the Spa 1,000kms of 1967.

The 1967 Porsche 910 of Franck Leonesio.   This is a car that won its class at the Targa Florio.  

A Lola T70 in Jo Bonnier colours and  the 1973 Alfa Romeo TT33 of Joe Nastasi.

Francois Bourdin's 1966 Lotus Elan and a Porsche 910.

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.

Le Mans late in the evening.

Le Mans at night.

From the Archives - 1980 AMOC Brands Hatch Historic Racing

Aston Martin vs Jaguar E-Type as the field exits Druids at Brands Hatch in 1980.

I think the photos in this blogpost were taken at the Sunday 11th May AMOC meeting at Brands Hatch.  Certainly the pictures were taken in May 1980 or before and certainly it is Brands Hatch.  Given the number of Aston Martins in the pictures it is safe to assume it is an Aston Martin Owners Club Meeting.   The pictures have been scanned from some rather contrasty Kodachrome slides.  The photos were taken on an Olympus OM10 SLR with 24, 50 and 100mm lenses.   The pictures haven't scanned that well but represent probably the best motor racing pictures I took up to that date.  From a distance of more than 38 years it is quite difficult to identify all the cars and drivers.   The meeting featured FIA Championship Historic Car races.  Certainly some quality cars and certainly some that I haven't seen much of recently.   Historic Racing, then as now, was a mixture of very authentic cars plus those rather less original and some more in the nature of copies or replicas.   Perhaps, there were more Ferraris racing regularly compared to today.

The well known JCB 1960 Ferrari Dino 246 F1

I think this must be Bobby Bell in his Lister Jaguar Knobbly.

Two Aston Martins battling it out into Druids.

The Geoffrey Marsh owned Aston Martin DBR4 overtakes an ERA on the blast up top Druids.

Aston Martin engined Lola T70 MkIII in the paddock.

Ferrari 330 GTO.  

Rear end of the 330 GTO

Pre-War Aston Martin at South Bank Bend.

Another Pre-War car taken from South Bank

ERA in the paddock.  Is this R2B Romulus?

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. 

Chevrolet Camaro getting sideways at South Bank.