Motormarques.com | Classic car revival

Text and photos by Guus Docen

Just a few days before the Spa Six Hours would take place, there was uncertainty if this event could be held. What was the cause of all this commotion ?  The problem stems back to a permit, which was issued to and received by the circuit in 2007 in relation to the new F1 Pits buildings. Soon afterwards, a Belgian noise pollution organisation called the Mute Association served legal papers at the Justice Department forcing the circuit to agree to rules governing noise levels.  But on Tuesday this week, after 2 years and coming completely out of the blue, the Justice department suddenly announced that they'd decided to uphold the legal papers from 2007, and so on Wednesday the circuit was forced to close their gates. In what must have been a frantic negotiation on Thursday morning between the circuit-management, the Justice department and local government officials, the permit was re-issued enabling activities at the circuit to continue for this year starting with the open practice on Thursday of the Six Hour event this weekend.

Grand Prix Masters relives a fantastic decade of Grand Prix racing for 3 litre F1 Cars built between 1968 and 1981. Running in five distinct classes, called after the most famous drivers of that respective period (Clark, Stewart, Fittipaldi, Lauda), emotive grids from the likes of Tyrrell, Lotus, Matra, McLaren, Cooper, Surtees and BRM, compete over two separate races per weekend. Twenty-three Formula One cars were entered for this weekend. The fastest car in practice was a 1976 March 761 driven by David Methley, while second on the grid was British teenager Michael Lyons in a 1975 Hesketh 308W. Third fastest in practice was a mid-seventies car, a 1974 Brabham BT24 driven by Italian Manfredo Rossi di Montelera. Both races were won by Methley followed by Rossi di Montelera.

Above: Normal 0 March 761	Above: Brabham BT42 and March 741	Above:Ford GT40 Roadster	Above Blocking brakes before :La Source corner

The leading race, the star event, the one that everyone looks forward to, is indisputably the “Spa Six Hours Endurance Race”. Cars allowed for this race are Touring Cars, Grand Touring Cars, Competition Touring Cars and GT Prototypes.built between January 1947 and December 1965.Almost 100 cars took part in the qualifying practice on Saturday. The three fastest cars were all Ford GT40s followed by another three GT40s, three AC Cobras and a TVR Griffith. Last year winners Minshaw and Stretton couldn’t qualify the Low-Drag E-Type because of a mechanical failure. Some professional racing drivers were invited to be a co-pilot by the ownerdrivers, just a few names to mention are Marc Duez, Michael and Jeroen Bleekemolen, Frank Stippler, Vincent Vosse, Simon Hadfield and Allard Kalff. Anyone visiting the pitsboxes will notice that this Six Hour race is taken very seriously. Every team has a professional pitcrew and the cars are well prepared. 

Above:Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport	Above:Dutch Shelby Cobra finished 2nd in 6 Hours Race	Above:Porsche 911 pitstop during 6 Hours Race	Above:Only Mini Cooper in the 6 Hours Race

Already after a few laps some cars were dented and heavily scratched as a result of some serious battles. It was a joy to watch the cars going through the legendary Eau Rouge, the famous uphill corner. Dutchmen Kooij and Poland, in particular were drifting in a sensational way through this difficult and dangerous corner with their red Porsche 911. Eau Rouge gets its name from a Belgian stream/river by the same name, this steep uphill corner is located at the point where the Spa circuit crosses over the stream. Already during the first hour the safety car entered the race. The second and last interruption by the safety car was 2 hours before the end of the race when the Ford GT40 of Chris Stahl slipped on the La Source corner on it’s own oil after blowing the engine. Some cars behind him couldn’t avoid the oil and slipped behind him off the track.

Starting from tenth position on the grid the race leaders were the Englishmen Lynn and Haddon in their Ford GT40.  After four hours the AC Cobra driven by Jeroen Bleekemolen, David Hart and Rob Hall was in second position. During the last hour Jeroen drove with tremendous skill and made some remarkable laptimes closing the gap between the GT40 and the Cobra but Lynn held the lead with cool determination and finally took the chequered flag by one minute and 24 seconds. Third place was taken by father and son Bryant and Andrew Smith also in an AC Cobra.

Above: Glowing Disc Brakes of TVR Griffith	Above: GT40 Winner of the  Six Hours Race	Above: Sir Stirling Moss in 1952 1956 Osca	Above: 1952 RGS Atalanta followed by Maserati 250SI and Healey Silverstone

One of the favourite cars was the Chevrolet Grand Sport drive by owner Michael Campagne accompanied by Michael Bleekemolen and Allard Kalff. This car is a recreation of the factory race version of the 1963 Corvette, called the Grand Sport. Just five of these 6.2 litre cars were made in 1963. They were forced to race in the prototype class where they faced superior mid-engined specials. Although no direct competition for class honours, the Grand Sports proved to be superior to the Cobras. Sadly the gearbox broke down after 4 laps during the qualification. Nevertheless the car was 14th on the grid and first in class. The gearbox was replaced  during the night. Allard started the endurance race and after 10 laps he climbed up to 3rd place. After the first pitstop and driver change, Michiel Campagne came back on in 54th place. By lap 50 he was back in fourth position. Then, during the last pitstop in the 57th lap Michael Bleekemolen took over the wheel and drove the last two hours. But then in lap 61 the throttle cable snapped. Luckily Michael repaired it and he continued the race in  63rd place. In lap 79 the throttle cable snapped again. The mechanics had to repair it and eventually he dropped down to the 59th position which was his final position at the end of the race. Just one Morris Cooper S started in this race, German owner Fred Fuchs was brave enough to drive his little car surrounded by Mustangs, Cobras and GT40s. At some point the right front of the car got damaged but this team managed keep the car running and to end the race in 70th  place !

Above: Monteverdes Jaguar D-Type &Jaguar XK140	Above: Just restored 1955 Lister 2 Seater Sports	Above: 1936 Alta Sports	Above: 1926 Bugatti T35B

  For the RAC Woodcote Trophy race, organised by Motor Racing Legends, 40 pre-1956 sportscars, were entered ranging from Jaguar D-type and C-type, through Aston Martin DB2 to the beautifully restored Lister Sports. On pole position was Ben Eastick’s D-type, his comfortable lead was interrupted by a long pitstop which put him back more than 20 seconds behind the Maserati 250SI of Marc Devis. Despite his fast and furious driving he wasn’t able to close the gap. Third place was taken by the famous, white, ex-Jim Clark Jaguar D-type of Carlos Monteverde and Gary Pearson. This recently purchased car was a last-minute replacement for Monteverde’s Ferrari Testa Rossa. At Donington the Ferrari got damaged and was beyond repair for Spa so the – still untested or examined- D-type took its place. In fourth place was the Lotus X of Adrian Hall and Nick Adams. Sir Stirling Moss was out in his Osca FS372 joined by co-driver Roger Earl, but during qualification the little red car suffered gearbox problems. The Italian thoroughbred has been plagued with gearbox problems throughout this season. However, before this race the gearbox problems were solved and Moss finished 29th overall and second in class. 

The Motor Racing Legends Pre-War race attracted a lot of attention as there were some interesting cars competing.  Gareth Burnett together with Alex Ames drove John Ruston’s 2-litre Alta Sports. A very fast car which passed the chequered flag 26 seconds in front of the 1.5-litre Frazer Nash Supersports of Charles Gillett and Justin Maeers. Martin Overington drove his 2.3-litre, supercharged Bugatti Type 35B to third place but in the last lap the lid of the gearbox loosened itself and Overington was sprayed all over with oil. He was forced to stop to refit the lid, but he eventually crossed the line still in front of the fourth-placed Frazer Nash of Patrick Blakeney-Edwards and Andrew Hall. Also drawing much attention was the ex-King Leopold Type 59 Bugatti of Hubert Fabri, which the Belgian racer recently acquired. Sharing this treasure with Tim Dutton, Fabri finished seventh overall and third in class.

Above:    Ex-King Leopold 1934 Bugatti T59	Above: 1968 Chevron B8 and Jaguar S-Type in HSCC-race	Above: Blown engine of an Italian Cooper S	Above:  U2TC Top Three

 The U2TC race sponsored by Motor Racing News always provides spectacular entertainment for the crowds as the Lotus Cortinas and Alfa GTAs and the rest of the colourful grid fight fiercely for race honours. As stated by the organisation: This series is about driving fast in nice cars but no crashing, no cheating and no complaining !  The first 3 cars on the grid were a reflection of the most competive marques in this race series. Fastest during practice were Andy Wolfe and Rob Hall in a Ford Lotus Cortina followed by Alex Furiani and Max Werner in the unpainted Alfa GTA. Third on the grid were Richard Shaw and former Grand-Prix team-owner and race ace Jacky Oliver in a Laranca prepared BMW 1800 TiSA. Starting the race from seventh position Austrian Dieter Karl Anton overhauled several competitors and while still on lap 1 he managed to get in third position. During the first seven laps the lead swopped repeatedly between the BMW of Shaw/Oliver and the two Alfas of Furiani/Werner and Dieter Karl Anton. From lap 8 Alexander Furiani and Max Werner pulled away from the BMW improving their lead but a pitstop and drivers/change took more time than expected and the gap was increased to 3,58 seconds when they crossed the finish line. Four seconds later Dieter Karl Anton passed the chequered flag.

Above: Many Lola T70s entered in the Masters Sports-Car race	Above: Spinning Ferrari 275GTB followed by Sunbeam Tiger Le Mans	Above: AC Cobras in GT & Sports Endurance race	Above: Winner of the GT & Sports Endurance race

The GT Sports Endurance Masters race was the final race of the weekend  For the past five years this 2 hour race was been won by Olivier and Grahame Bryant. Qualifying went well with Olivier lining the car up 4th on the 57-car grid. Unfortunately, after the stresses of the 6-hour race on Saturday evening, the diff internals broke on the out lap and the car had to be parked. First on the starting grid were two AC Cobras. Rob and Rick Hall in the orange car and Leo Voyazides and Simon Hadfield in the red car. Third on the grid was the very fast and always reliable Jaguar E-Type of Graf von Oeynhausen and Audi works driver Frank Stippler. The battle for overall victory was initially a two-way fight between the AC Cobra of Voyazides and Simon Hadfield and the Jaguar E-Type of Oeynhausen as the Hall & Hall entered Cobra didn’t finish the race. The lead swopped repeatedly between the light green Jag and the more powerful Cobra. In the final laps, Frank Stippler drove with tremendous skill and pulled away from the Cobra, and took the chequered flag by 27.7 seconds.

The Spa Six Hours Event is still one of the best historic meetings in the world and near the top of the list of the drivers each year. It would be a shame if the Spa circuit has to close because of  complaints about the noise. It can’t be the locals living close to the track because most of them have lived there for many years. To my mind the problem lies with wealthy homeowners who have moved recently into the area and now complain about the noise. Its like people who buy a house near an airport and then call up when low planes fly by. Hereby I want to make an appeal to the Spa Six Hours racingdrivers to buy these properties so you can participate next year again and leave the motorhome at home !

Videos on Youtube as follows:

 Corvette Grand sport Pt 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzX55A7k8NI&feature=related - Camera on board

Corvette Grand Sport Pt 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN2xP8UwWaU  - Camera on board

Opening lap Car No 64 -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN2xP8UwWaU  - Camera on board

 Porsche 911 -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShWR3itDM7g - Camera on board

Ford GT 40, Ford Mustang, Lotus Cortina -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUldPYedILk   - Camera on Trackside

 Motor Racing Legends Pre War Race http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me9HPbdXzwQ   - Camera on Trackside