2020 Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique - Départ Reims - Cars of the Fifties & Sixties

The Bouchets' 1966 Alfa Romeo Guilia Sprint leaving Reims on the Monte Carlo Rally Historic.

Reims is a favourite city of mine with its history, motor racing connections, champagne, variety of architecture and great food.  Thus, this year I thought it was time to return for the start of the Monte Carlo Rally which Reims shares with six other cities.  Reims has the greater number of starters plus has the advantage of the Glasgow starters coming through as well. Thus a great place to see these historic rally cars start or continue on their their rally.  This year it was on Friday January 31st.

The Monte Carlo Rallye Historique has cars from the fifties, sixties and seventies compete in this regularity competition.  Joining the Historique competitors were those taking part in the Monte Carlo Rallye Classique as well, which do just the first part of the rally.  Cars from both events that were built up to 1969 feature in this blog post (other posts will follow).

My day in Reims following the event started at the verifications in the Parc des Expositions and then moved on to the gathering in the Place du Boulingrin and then finished with them driving off into the night on their way to the south of France.   I also caught up with one of the cars in the old pits at the Reims-Geux circuit.

I have to say I really enjoyed seeing these cars and my favourite was the Saab Sonett II but all of them helped make an enjoyable day.

A 1952 MG YB entering the square at Boulengrin in Reims after its journey from Glasgow.  Note the Welsh leek!

The 1958 Renault Fregate Amiral of the Bessons.

The 1958 Austin A35 of De Varine and Domange awaiting scrutineering.

A 1958 Triumph TR3 joins the queue as it arrives from Glasgow.

Another 1958 car arrives from Glasgow, a MG A.

Two Russian Volga M21s.

A 1962 Volga M21M

A 1963 Porsche 356C ready for its crew of Di Egidio and Ferrari.

A 1964 Morris Mini Cooper S visits the pits at Reims-Geux.

The 1964 Bond Equipe of De Varine and Santarossa.

A 1965 Porsche 911 leaves the podium on its way to the South of France driven by Cornet de Ways Ruart.

The 1965 Lancia Fulvia Coupé of Peccenini and Darre.

The Raffin's 1965 Lotus Cortina Mk1.

The 1966 Lotus Elan of Ordord and O'Brien.

The 1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia of the Durins drives through the night.

The Mockridge/Varney crew prepare for their journey in this 1967 Austin A40.

A 1967 Triumph Spitfire.

The 1968 Peugeot 404 speeds through Reims.

The Herman and Robert 1968 Saab Sonett II undergoing scrutineering.

The Vilalta/Vanderstraeten 1968 Saab 96 V4.

The 1968 Fiat Moretti 850S of Lambert and Sylvan.

The 1969 NSU 1200 TT of Leplaideur and Payre.

A 1969 MG B GT waiting for its crew of Deleas and Durand.

A 1969 Austin Mini Cooper receives its rally number from the Pradeau crew.

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 lovely Peugeot 404 of Thierry and Emeline Emptas.

2019 Dijon Motors Cup! Colmore YTCC Race 2

Lots of variety - A 1967 McLaren M1 and a 1970 Dodge Challenger.

The Dijon Motors Cup has lots of variety.  The Colmore YTCC race was a case in point.  Everything from a Can-Am McLaren to GT cars to Touring Cars.  YTCC stands for Youngtimer Touring Cars Challenge.  I am not sure I would call a McLaren M1C a Youngtimer Touring Car but who cares!   I saw the second race on Saturday and it was getting late and most of the crowd was going home.  The fun part was watching Walter Hoffman climb from the back of the grid tp second place in his McLaren.  The only one he didn't catch was the 1969 7 litre CN-Cobra of Christian Nowak, another rather strange Youngtimer Touring Car!   Despite my reservations about the name, this was a nice field of two to four seater cars from the 60s 70s and 80s.  It is a Dutch series but the field at Dijon was very European with many nationalities taking part.

The McLaren passing a Porsche early in the race.

The winning CN-Cobra leads a BMW 323i

The 1970 Dodge Challenger 9400 of Beat Gubler.

The sixth placed Pontiac TransAm SCCA 8075 of Roger Bolliger.

Some Youngtimer Touring Cars!   BMW, Sunbeam, Opel.

Dutch lady Anita Renes in her 1989 Lotus Esprit 2200 that finished 19th.

A fellow Brit , Martin Reynolds, is his 1971 Ford Escort Mk1 2000

In sixth place came Swiss driver Urs Steffen in this 1967 Triumph Spitfire GT8.

ddd

The Alpine Renault A110 1600S GrpIV of Swiss driver Christian Schober.

Robert Dubler's 1956 Chevrolet Corvet comes out to play.

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 top third of the field wend their way around Dijon-Prenois early in the race.  No sign of the McLarem!

TVR Tuscan 4500cc

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 Classic Endurance I cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

For the Classic Endurance 2 cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

For the Group C cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

For the Heritage Touring Cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

For the Euro F2 cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

For the Trofeo Nastro Rosso 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.