Foto: b-Garage
jeudi 6 décembre 2012
QuébecOriginal - Raconter le Québec
TROPHÉE ANDROS.l'hiver des pistards
En fin de semaine, le Trophée Andros reprendra ses droits pour une nouvelle édition sur le tracé de Val Thorens où la neige est déjà bien présente. Les pistards trouvent là une occasion hivernale de garder le contact avec la piste. Olivier Panis sera à nouveau à pied d'œuvre sur la glace au volant d'une Dacia Lodgy alignée par Tork Eurodatacar partagée avec Bérénice Demoustier. Connu pour sa présence en Championnat de France GT et Blancpain Endurance Series, le Saintéloc Racing aura en charge cinq autos avec deux Mini (Dayraut et Balas/Fontanel) et trois Ford Fiesta (Mottard/Thoral, Bénézet/Chianale et Gherardi/Joncoux).
Du côté du Trophée Andros Electrique, on retrouvera Stéphane Ortelli sur une Andros Car 04 alignée par Motul Systems, Adrien Tambay chez Pilot, Matthieu Vaxivière chez Saft, Franck Lagorce chez Andros ou Margot Laffite chez Picard. La lutte pour le titre est ouverte et Christophe Ferrier, champion en titre, sera à nouveau de la partie sur une Andros Car 04 engagée par Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur.
by Laurent Mercier(endurance-info.com)
NORTON CS1 RACER
At 84 years old, this Norton CS1 is the oldest motorcycle still being raced in the UK on a regular basis. It has over 400 classic race wins to its name, and it’s piloted by the Liverpool-based rider Ian Bain, with support from the helmet manufacturer Davida.
Even without such a remarkable racing pedigree, any CS1 500 is an iconic machine. Built only between 1927 and 1929, it was designed by Walter Moore and was the first ‘cammy’ Norton. This particular 1928 machine was bought for a song in 1957 by Ian’s father Geoff, from a scrapyard on the Mersey. (If you know the TV show Steptoe and Son, you’ll get the picture.) He had to push it fifteen miles home—but given the thrills and spills it’s since provided, it was well worth the effort.
A bike of this age requires a lot of maintenance, so it helps that the Bains own a foundry. They’ve replicated many of the engine parts, though you can’t tell—they’re perfect facsimiles of the originals. The carb was handmade by Ian, as were the crankcases; the originals wilted under the strain of the hard racing that Ian subjects this bike to.
The carb bell-mouth was an experiment that yielded instant improvement, as did refinements to the exhaust. Ian reckons that modifications of just 3mm (around an eighth of an inch) in those areas can dramatically boost performance. Other improvements to the bike proved difficult: Ian had to fight a committee to be allowed to use a 60s BSA 8-inch front brake, after discovering that the original was an accident waiting to happen.
Despite being raced regularly, the engine hasn’t been rebuilt for eight seasons. It’s been detuned slightly since the 1990s, when the UK vintage racing scene was at its most competitive. It’s also down to the quality of the engineering, and the strength and endurance of the classic Nortons.
The Bains’ passion for vintage racing is refreshing in these times, when big business is encroaching on so much of the racing scene. For Ian, vintage racing remains one of the last ‘pure’ racing experiences: the machines are visceral, the racing intense, and the experience captivating for riders and spectators alike.
Davida’s interest was sparked eight years ago when the Bains visited the company’s factory—the proverbial stone’s throw from the scrapyard where Geoff rescued the Norton in 1957. Ian left the factory with a Davida Jet helmet and a promise of support. Eight years later, the bike is running stronger than ever, and the helmet fits like a glove.
With thanks to Jules Watts. Images courtesy of Brian Maher.
RM at Arizona, 2013: Perfect pair of 1960s sports cars heads the early entries
It’s almost as if Christmas has come early. For its forthcoming January sale, RM has announced the consignment of two cars that would be guaranteed a place in the Classic Driver garage: a GT40 and a 250 SWB.
The pair will join other early entries worthy of such an accolade, including the 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C and the 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350 R, chassis 5R531, one of only 33 production R models built.
But back to the GT40 and the SWB. Looking first at the Ferrari, it’s a 1960 car, a genuine 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione, chassis 1905 GT. Delivered new to a client in Italy, the red car left its native country in 1967 and then spent the majority of its subsequent life in the USA.
It is the 17th of just 74 competizione-specification SWBs built, and has come out of a 2010 ‘freshening’ by renowned marque expert Wayne Obry. As you can see in the photographs, it looks quite superb, a beautiful example of one of the most striking cars ever built.
Expect to be struck also, however, by the estimate; something you’ll need to contact the specialists at RM to find out about.
The Pine Green 1965 Ford GT40, chassis P/1034, does come with a price: USD 2,400,000 – 3,000,000. It was delivered new to James Fielding, chairman of Heenan & Froude, the famous British manufacturer of hydraulic (water brake) dynamometers.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, many a powerful Vanwall, Ford or Chevrolet racing engine would have been tested on one of these dynamometers, most often on the Slough Trading Estate, home to Ford Advanced Vehicles.
Although ordered as a road car, with extras that included a heated windscreen, reversing lights, wing mirrors, an electric clock, two fuel gauges and road silencers, it has been raced in historic events in recent years. But, fundamentally, it remains a highly original, unmodified GT40 road car and as such is a rare beast. And highly desirable.
RM Auctions’ 2013 Arizona sale will take place at its usual Arizona Biltmore & Spa venue on 18 January.
Other news from the Ontario-bases auctioneers includes the results from its 1 December 2012, John Staluppi Collection sale. With all entries at ‘No Reserve’, the catalogue was a sell-out, grossing $10.4m. |
Please CLICK HERE to see the full results.
Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: Pawel Litwinski ©2012 Courtesy of RM Auctions
Chris Vermeulen to return to MotoGP?
Roberto Rolfo’s gig with IodaRacing lasted five days - from announcement on Saturday after the final qualifying session of the season to the day after the Valencia tests - which meant that Giampiero Sacchi’s CRT team, who will be expanding to two riders in 2013 needs to find a new rider to pair up with Danilo Petrucci and that rider may turn out to be Chris Vermeulen.
Vermeulen’s last official ride was with Kawasaki’s factory team in World Superbikes, but he spent more time of the 2010 season sidelined with numerous knee issues following a crash in the season opener at Phillip Island that would later force him to pull out of the championship to undergo knee reconstructive surgery. While in 2011 he was hindered by stil another array of injuries, from his back to his elbow forcing him to skip several rounds.
Despite having dropped hints that other teams were interested in him, the Australian spent 2012 away from racing except for replacing injured Colin Edwards (fractured collarbone) at the LeMans GP - where he finished 17th on NGM Forward’s Suter-BMW.
Despite not being overly enthusiastic about CRT machines, Vermeulen wants to race again and have another shot in MotoGP and IodaRacing could be his gateway back to a full-time ride in the premier class and the Italian squad would get an experienced development rider.
Source | speedweek.de et Twowheelsblog
A RACING HEART AT THE ESSEN MOTOR SHOW
Racing is in Germany’s blood: since the pre-war days facing up to the big three of France, Italy and Great Britain, the Silver Arrows have been pounding the opposition on the tracks around the world for over 80 years. The 2012 Essen Motor Show put on a special display of sportscars in Hall 3 celebrating the rebirth of the World Sportscars in its modern guise as the FIA World Endurance Championship, which showed off four decades of stunning cars – including this pair of Sauber-Mercedes Group C behemoths.
Around the show you could also find the oldest ’50s sportscar and newest hybrid-powered Le Mans Prototype…
…and plenty more besides hiding around every corner across the other halls. Motorsport has been fully embraced by the Essen Motor Show and now permeates every aspect of it.
But Essen isn’t just about the celebration of old racers – on the contrary, the special historic exhibits just backed up the real thrust of the show: to promote modern motorsport to the hundreds of thousands of fans who will pour through the gates of Messe Essen over its nine-day show period.
Not that visitors looked like they needed much convincing… This is a sentiment that I very much agree with.
Along with the display area for classic racers, a second major hall was dedicated to every conceivable form of contemporary motorsport available in Germany.
Hill-climbing, Time Attack, drifting, single seaters, touring cars, multiple levels of GT racing – everything was there to sample and sign up to, presented by a combination of racecar manufacturers, series organisers and the major German tracks.
Want to take an old DTM racecar hill-climbing?
Or jump in the new trackday-prepped GT86 CS-V3 that’s just been launched in Germany? If you wanted to get racing, then Hall 6 was the place to be.
More high-end racecars decorated booths throughout the show. It became a normal occurrence to wander past a McLaren MP4-12C GT3 on a paint stand…
…and it seemed like almost every Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 so far constructed was in Essen, spread across the halls like racing confetti.
Brand new racecars like Reiter Engineering’s Camaro GT3 could be admired up close. The Camaro first appeared this year in the ADAC GT Masters series in the hands of Yaco Racing, who are planning to mount a two-car attack with the US musclecar in 2013.
Although there’s still a lot of politics to iron out in global GT racing, GT3 is still an incredibly strong category when the correct format is used: just look at GT Masters and the Blancpain Endurance series. GT3 racers tick all the boxes for me: a great mix of engines and body shapes, oversized aero and ridiculously big rear wings. The Camaro has a 7.9-litre V8, perfectly highlighting how the more open rules in GT3 allow a wide range of cars to be developed for the series.
Sponsorship is of course important: and what better combination than meat and beer? The perfect car for the Nürburgring 24 Hours!
Having not caught up with the DTM this year except on TV, the quantity of 2012 cars at Essen was a great opportunity to check out the latest generation of DTM track weaponry in detail.
BMW’s Bruno Spengler took the championship after a hard-fought season; the front of his BMW M3 looks positively architectural with its stepped, spiralling front aero appendages.
From low down you can see how advanced these cars are, and why drivers so often compare them to single-seaters with roofs. Tunnels under the nose channel air to the complex aero at the sides of the cars – and according to the revised rules these are theoretically simpler constructions than previously allowed! Looking at this you wouldn’t believe it.
That said, although the front and side aero is still awash with winglets, louvres and tunnels the rear of the cars is definitely more simplistic: sculpted rear vents from the wheel arches along with deep diffusers and smaller rear wings. They are incredible-looking racecars: it’s just a shame that so few tracks show them off to their best and let them stretch their legs.
Although Porsche are of course synonymous with Germany’s racing success, Mercedes-Benz have an even longer history. We’ve seen this 300 SEL 6.8 AMG a couple of times recently: Hans Heyer and Clemens Schickentanz drove it to a class victory and second place overall at the 1971 Spa 24 Hours. What an example of taking a saloon, dropping it, adding enormous rubber and plumbing in a ridiculously big engine. I’m glad to see that this is still the basic premise for so many modern racing cars.
The DTM has featured some amazing cars over the years, like the 1990 Mercedes AMG 190 Evo II. This car now runs in the Nordschleife-based VLN series, which in itself allows drivers to enjoy a huge spectrum of old and new racecars around the legendary track.
DriftUnited had strong representation on their stand: it’s not often you see a drift spec E21, especially not one with a shovel wing that looked like it was straight out of 1970s Group 5.
Next door, a Z4 had somehow squeezed a dayglo V10 Viper unit into its nose…
…whilst this nearby VLN Viper showed the V10 in its natural habitat.
I know everyone loves Viper engine transplants, but you can’t beat a Viper engine in its proper place. It’s an industrial-scale weapons complex that deserves a suitably oversize environment to operate in.
Over on the KW stand, Fredric Aasbø’s Toyota 86-X was on display behind suspension-mounted ropes – a nice touch!
The ultra-wide front rubber and extreme camber still makes me gasp every time I see it… What a car! Hopefully we’ll see it out even more frequently in 2013.
Backing on to Hall 6 was the Motorsport Arena: a fearsomely tight course laid out on the slippery hall surface where a wide selection of racers and drifters could show off to the crowds.
Some cars apparently required serious ballast to help with control around the narrow course.
Remmo Niezen and Lars Verbraeken, stars of Ken Block’s recent European Gymkhana event, were wowing everyone in their Falken BMWs.
How about this for an unexpected track-day car? It was packing some serious firepower under the hood. We need to find out more about it! Imagine this at Gatebil…
Back to Hall 3 and the World Sportscar Championship displays: a visual history of the evolution of sportscar racing across the decades.
Ferrari’s hand-built V12-powered 250MM (MM for Mille Miglia) was entered into the debut year for the WSC, 1953, which included such tough events as Mexico’s Carrera Panamericana road race, the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia itself.
Although the ’50s were awash with iconic cars, the Mercedes 300SLR could be said to top them all, especially in Mille Miglia livery.
Jaun Manuel Fangio piloted #658 in the 1955 running of the Mille Miglia: driving solo for a thousand miles (hence the fared-in passenger seat), he finished second to the Stirling Moss/Denis Jenkinson sister car, just 30 minutes in arrears.
Jaguars, Aston Martins and Maseratis then led on to a 1968 Ford GT40 in the epic powder blue and orange livery of Gulf Oil.
Gulf sponsorship transferred with the JWA team to Porsche, creating the definitive pin-up look for the 1970 917.
The Ferrari 512 is often overlooked when looking back at that era, but I think it’s easily the equal of the 917 in aesthetic terms – even more so as the S rather than in the straighter lines of the later 512M. Making it even more special, this is an ex-Mario Andretti car.
These three cars pretty much sum up the perfection of a decade of racing. Does it get better than this? (Well, there are the Group Cs to come…)
Short-wheelbase roadsters ruled in the mid-70s: screaming pocket-rockets like the three-litre V8 Alfa Romeo T33TT from 1975 and accompanying Matra MS670 from 1973.
For the sake of chronology, I’ll take a brief diversion to Porsche’s 50th Anniversary stand in Hall 1, where Kremer Racing had brought along this K3 – we featured this awesome car back in September, plus a tour of Kremer’s workshop.
Porsche’s dominant 956/962 series of the early to mid-’80s was represented by this Primagaz 962C from 1987.
Jaguar’s XJR-9LM was the winning car in the 1988 edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours…
…but then we had two more heart-stopping examples of German racing technology (or Swiss-German, to be more accurate): firstly 1989′s Sauber-Mercedes C9, with its C11 sister next up.
Both cars have been run in the Historic Group C challenge over the last couple of years: I’ve been lucky enough to see them racing twice in 2012, at Le Mans and also at the Donington Historic Festival back in the Spring. They are phenomenal to watch on track – and even more so to hear.
They’re such raw cars: the plain, functional liveries makes them look even more brutally efficient. It’s the kind of extreme racing machine that anyone can appreciate.
The Mercedes-Benz C11 came on stream the following year. It’s an even more shark-like car, and the performance was similarly predatory: the C11 swept the 1990 WSC, winning all but one race.
Book-ending the WSC, 40 years on from the 1953 Ferrari, was the Peugeot 905B from 1992 – the final year of the original glorious run of the WSC. This was the ultimate evolution of a prototype sportscar: Formula 1 levels of performance and even more technology. The huge rear wing is so far off the back that it’s virtually in a different country, and they produced epic levels of downforce. More spaceship than sportscar.
Although the World Championship was temporarily incapacitated, the following years were hardly lean for sportscars: how can anyone pass over the mighty McLaren F1 GTR, Mercedes CLR and Porsche GT1 from FIA GT of the late ’90s?
But in 2012, 20 years after it last ran, there was once again a World Championship for sportscars. Audi might have run away with the overall title, but with the speed of their TS030 Hybrid newcomers Toyota have shown that 2013 will be no walk in the park for the Four Rings. Expect a serious arms race over the winter.
Rallying is as popular as ever, particularly at a national level. Alongside Kremer’s 935s and the GT1 on Porsche’s anniversary stand was this 953 from the 1984 Paris-Dakar rally, driven to victory by René Metge and Dominique Lemoyne. Legendary all-rounder and multiple Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx drove a second 911SC that year…
…and another, rather less familiar Mercedes rally-raid off-roader also driven by Ickx was over at the Mercedes FanWorld display. His name was also on several of the sportscars in the WSC display – he really was an incredibly adaptable driver.
Upstairs in the auto-jumble area, more car clubs were crammed in – I have a soft spot for Stig Blomqvist’s Saab 96 from the ’60s…
…and back downstairs in the ADAC hall (Germany’s automobile club, and organiser of most major racing series in the country) the new Polo R rally-car that will compete in next year’s World Rally Championship was on display.
So, old to new and back again: Essen’s racing heart was clear to see. Next up we’ll focus on the tuned cars and the awesome selection of hot rods.
Jonathan Moore (Speedhunters)
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