Motor Racing, H:O Scale Slot Cars, Classic Cars, the building of my slot car circuit

Les courses automobiles francaises et voitures classiques
Showing posts with label S. Show all posts
Showing posts with label S. Show all posts

Thursday, 1 November 2018

Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI - Eifel Trophy

A 1969 Porsche 911S driven by Randall Smalley.
Although, I am not a fan of one make racing at all and frankly find a field full of Porsche 911s rather boring, this race still had something of interest to me, especially as I am a fan of the Porsche 914-6.

The Porsche Rennsport Reunion is a unique event, that is held once every three or four years, dedicated just to classic and more modern racing Porsches, their drivers and the men and women who made it all possible.    Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI held over four days in September 2018 was again located at Laguna Seca like the last one in 2015.  No surprise as Laguna Seca is in California, which also happens to be the biggest market for Porsche.   This year the event was subtitled The Marque of Champions - a name that speaks for itself.  The event was also part of Porsche's 70th birthday celebrations.
The first lap and a 914 is in the lead.
On the wonderful 2.238 mile Laguna Seca road course, seven groups of Porsche cars raced over the weekend.  The Eifel Trophy event was for cars such as Porsche 911 up to 2.5 litre, 911TR, 911ST and 914 and 914-6. . 
Behind the leaders a host of old 911s battle it out.
The Drivers
A number of Porsche 911 and 914 drivers from the sixties and seventies were present as guests of Porsche.
John Fitzpatrick, Dennis Aase, Willy Kauhsen, Vic Elford and Hurley Haywood.

As it was a long time ago a reminder about some of these drivers achievements in Porsche 911s and 914s.

John Fitzpatrick was 1972 European GT Champion in a Kremer Racing Porsche 911.
Dennis Aase raced a Porsche 911S throughout the seventies.
Willy Kauhsen won the 1968 24 hours of Spa-Franchorchamps in a Porsche 911L.  He also drove a Porsche 914/6 in the 1971 Targa Florio.
Vic Elford came third overall and had a class win at the 1967 Circuit del Mugello in a Porsche 911R 9shared with Gijs Van Lennep).  Vic also drove a 911L in the 167 and 1968 British Saloon Car Championship with some success and won the 1968 Monte Carlo Rally in a 911T.
Hurley Haywood dove a Porsche 914 in 1971 with Peter Gregg.  They won in Virginia, at Bridgehampton and at Summit Point.  In 1972 they drove a 911S winning at Virginia and Watkins Glen.

The Race
The winner of the Eifel Trophy, Thomas Gruber, in his 1971 porsche 914-6.
David Donohue was second in this 1968 Porsche 911T/R
This 1967 Porsche 911S driven by Nelson Calle came third.
Fourth placed Alan Terpins in his 1967 Porsche 911T/R really attacks the Corskscrew kerbs.
Fifth place Fritz Seidel at the Rainey Curve in his 1967 Porsche 911S.
The sixth placed 1971 Porsche 911S of John Coey leading a 914 and two more 911s at the Corkscrew.
A 1965 Porsche 911 driven by Matthew Goetzinger came seventh.
The eighth place 1967 Porsche 911 of Gilbert Hakim.
In ninth place was Kelvin Tse in this 1966 Porsche 911(one assumes the spoiler was added later).
This good looking 1970 Porsche 914/6 of Dener Pires came tenth.

Jeff Zwart was eleventh in this 1970 Porsche 914-6 GT.
Jeff Zwart leads another 914-6 GT down the Corkscrew.

Twelfth was another 1970 Porsche 914-6 GT driven by Edie Arrowsmith.
A rather different 914, the 1971 914-4 of Trevor Frank.  He finished fourteenth.
This pretty 1967 Porsche 911S driven by George Calfo came in seventeenth.
For my recent Motor Sport blogposts click here.

Exhibition Cars
I took a shine to this 1972 Porsche 911 ST.  It is of course the 1972 European GT Championship car of John Fitzpatrick who won the championship that year.
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. 

Wednesday, 1 November 2017

Classic Endurance Racing 1 - Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2017

The amazing 1968 Howmet TX Gas Turbine. Here it leads a Chevron B16.
For me this race was such a pleasure as it included two Ferrari 512s, an Alfa Romeo T33/3 and best of all a Howmet Gas turbine.  I remember watching the 1968 BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch on television at the time and seeing the Howmet race until it crashed.  So it was a very pleasant surprise, after 49 years, to at last see it in the flesh , so to speak, and to race.  Again it didn't last the race but it was brilliant why it lasted.  The CER 1 category of Classic Endurance Racing is for prototypes from 1966 to 1971 and GT cars from 1966 to 1974; a really classic period for endurance racing.   The weather was bright but it wasn't easy taking photos due to the very strong Mistral wind.  At times i was nearly blown over with the force of the gusts.  Luckily I had my monopod to help steady the camera a little.  Enjoy the photos below of some of my favourite cars that took part.

For all you need to know about the Howmet TX click here.

A Lola T70 leads the amazing field around for the rolling start.
The second half of this large field with Ford GT40s, Chevron B8s and the Howmet TX.
This beautiful 1970 Ferrari 512M finished fourth in the hands of Carlos Monteverde and Gary Pearson.   A Chevron and a Lola follow at this stage although the Lola went on to win.
For all you want to know about the Ferrari 512M, click here.

The 1970 Ferrari 512S.
For all you want to know about the Ferrari 512S, click here.

Midfield variety - Ford GT40, De Tomaso Pantera, Chevron B16, Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche 911 RSR and Porsche 910.

The Gérard Lopez/Dickie Meaden 1969 Lola T70 MkIIIB with a Ferrari 512S giving chase.
The winning 1970 Lola T212 FVC of Mark Percy.

Two 1970 Ferraris.  The 512S about to be lapped by the 512M.
A Ford GT40 chases an amazing battling group of endurance racing cars along the start finish straight.
The 1970 Ferrari 512S leads a 1965 Elva MkVIII.
The track became quite crowded at times.  Here a Porsche 911 RSR shares th corner with an Alfa Romeo T33/3 and a Chevrolet Corvette.

The second placed 1968 Lola T70 MkIII.

1968 Lola T70 MkIII laps a 1971 Chevrolet Corvette.   Tony Seiler came sixth in the Lola in its beautiful Ulf Norinder colours.
1970 Ferrari 512M.

1965 Ford GT40 driven by Grant Tromans and Dickie Meaden.
1967 Lola T70 MkIII Spyder.
1969 Alfa Romeo T33/3 fights out a challenge from the Elva.  Emmanuele Pirro was one of the drivers of this Alfa.

A close battle between a 1974 Porsche 911 RSR 3.0L and a 1971 Lola T212.
A real shame that the Howmet TX only lasted 3 laps.


For the Group C cars at Paul Ricard, 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.
Sixties Lola T70s in the paddock.
Work in the paddock on this 1968 Lola T70 MkIII.
A real shame that this Alfa Romeo T33/3 didn't start.
Again, this 1968 Alfa Romeo t33 "Daytona" graced the paddock but not the track.