2022 Le Mans Classic - Plateau 6 - 1972 to 1981

 

Some of the leading cars at the Esses in their first race on Saturday evening.  Lola leads TOJ and Porsche. Paul Lafargue was very fast in this 1979 Lola T298 but lost 3 laps in the final race having won the first two.

Plateau 6 at the Le mans Classic covers the period 1972 to 1981 and thus is the latest period covered by the six main grids.  An interesting selection of cars but not really representative of those who did well during this period. Nevertheless, some close racing.  Caron didn't win any of the three races but consistency was what put him at the top of the podium at the end.

Just after the start of the final race on Sunday and Lola and Mirage battle it out into the Dunlop Chicane.

Further down the field they try three abreast into the chicane!   Osella vs Chevron vs Lola.

Eventual winner was Ludovic Caron in this 1975 Chevron B31.

Second was this 1976 Cheetah G601 driven by Beat Eggimann.

Third was the 1976 Chevron B36 of Philipp Bruehwiler.

Fourth was the 1979 BMW M1 Procar of Sebastian Glaser.

Fifth was the Duby/Vannelet/de Sibenthal 1977 Porsche 935.

Sixth was this 1982 Ferrari 512 BBLM driven by Alexander Wittweger and Sam Hancock.

Seventh was this 1972 Mirage M6 driven by Chris Mac Allister.  He won the final race.

Jean-Marc Merlin was eighth in this 1980 Porsche 935 K3.

Ninth was this 1979 BMW M1 Grp 5 driven by Albert Weinzierl.

Tenth was Frédéric Da Rocha in this 1979 Lola T298.

A 1972 Lola T290 leads the Mirage through the Esses.

The 1977 Aston Martin RHAM/1

René Arnoux was one of the drivers of this 1979 BMW M1 Procar.

1976 Sauber C5

1976 TOJ SC304

1976 Inaltera LM

1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Grp IV

1973 Lola T292 battles with a 1976 Cheetah G601

1975 March 75S.

1976 Dodge Charger.

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 à condition de créditer le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com, et de fournir un lien vers cette page.

 

1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0.

H:O Scale Group C Slot Cars

First lap through the Esses!

The late eighties and early nineties was a time when H:O scale slot car racing was booming and the availability of a good selection of Group C cars was a major factor.   If you got the various versions produced in America, Japan, UK and France, a good collection could be built up. Considering the size of H:O slot cars which are 1:64th scale they were quite reasonable models.

Tomy made most of them but Tyco made a good selection of Porsches. Marchon also made one (a Sauber-Mercedes) but it is not featured here. Also not featured here are the high-intensity lighted Group C Porsche and Jaguar that Tomy made for their 45 lane Le Mans set - these were great for home racing but weren't as accurate in detail.

Here a few of the many that were available .  I was recently inspired to take 20 of my old collection out of the box for a run around the Rouen-les-AFX circuit after seeing the Le Mans Classic Group C race.

Porsche
Both Tomy and Tyco made versions of the Porsche 956 in both 956 and 962 colour schemes.  I think there were about 8 Tyco variants most of which I have but not all shown here.  There were even more variations of the Tomy version.

The particularly desirable Tyco Miller Porsche slides wide.

Tomy Kenwood Porsche leads Tyco Kenwood Porsche.

Tyco BF Goodrich Porsche

Tomy Porsche 956 Group C car in Dunlop/Shell colours.

Jaguar
The favourites in the UK were often the Tomy Jaguar XJR9 Group C cars.

The rare Japanese Tomy Jaguar with Silk Cut colours and wording.  It was not available elsewhere due to having cigarette advertising on a kids toy.

Not strictly a Group C car but the Group 44 Jaguar that led the way for the jaguar group C program.

Toyota
Winners in the Derby Le Mans 24 hours for HO slot cars even if they never won the real Le Mans 24 hours.  I didn't take my Silver/Grey Tenoras car out for this run.

Three versions of the Tomy Toyota group C car.

Probably the rarer of the three colour schemes I have of the Toyota.

Sauber-Mercedes
The C9 was another very popular car of the time.  For a while you could only get Black car in the UK in Beatties (remember them!).

Tomy AEG Olympia Sauber-Mercedes Group C car.

Nissan
These were a body not very available in the UK, most were imports from Japan. This is car March made for Nissan.  At least one other was available apart from those shown here.

Two Nissans lead the field.

Tomy Nissan Group C cars.

Tomy Mada Nissan leading a Porsche.

Tomy Nissan chasing a Porsche.

Peugeot
I seem to remember that one of the two numbers was only available in France.

Two Tomy Peugeot 905s

The No 44 car.

I tried to get some "movement" into these pictures - hope you enjoyed.

For pictures of the real Group C cars 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.