IMOLA CLASSIC

[Mike Bell]

Peter Auto season finisher. Includes Group C.

[Gerard C]

Provisional entry lists available showing 53 cars for Sixties, 45 for CER 1 and 37 for HTC including a Volvo "Brick". Looks very good!

[apriliadriver]

It's 18 years since I competed at this meeting at Imola, but it is a lovely circuit, and a great place to stay and explore. Watch out for the weather at this time of year, though - a wet Imola is not for the faint-hearted ! Nick

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by apriliadriver

It's 18 years since I competed at this meeting at Imola, but it is a lovely circuit, and a great place to stay and explore. Watch out for the weather at this time of year, though - a wet Imola is not for the faint-hearted ! Nick

The meeting is later than the previous PA visit couple of years ago, so prepared for less than perfect weather....... However, the Masters meeting at Imola in late April was one of the nicest racing weekends I’ve had. Nothing to with the organiser, though- just the weather, food, town, people and circuit were all at their best......

[delta]

I’ve not been or raced at Imola .Hope to one day .

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by delta

I’ve not been or raced at Imola .Hope to one day .

Great track, great town, great beer, great gelataria and cremaria, great pizza. Just your sort of place, bud......

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by delta

I’ve not been or raced at Imola .Hope to one day .

It would be another in your quest for 100 tracks. How close are you now?

[Willmaz223]

Originally Posted by apriliadriver

It's 18 years since I competed at this meeting at Imola, but it is a lovely circuit, and a great place to stay and explore. Watch out for the weather at this time of year, though - a wet Imola is not for the faint-hearted ! Nick

You put a curse on it (well for Sunday anyway).

[Gerard C]

Congrats, Mike! First in class, was 15 then 14 overall in the last lap (Cobra behind), year overall class winners, what else?
Another finish for the 356, well done too. Champagne!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Congrats, Mike! First in class, was 15 then 14 overall in the last lap (Cobra behind), year overall class winners, what else?
Another finish for the 356, well done too. Champagne!

There possibly will be champagne- at the do tonight!

Only 5th in under 2.5 litre category but for a change the 26Rs finished! The SLR wasn’t quite at its best- not sure why, but the result was good enough to guarantee 1st in the season under 2.5 litre championship. Fantastic result for the Stephens family again, with Will’s fastest lap quicker than half the grid of 911s.......

[Gerard C]

You had a very fast GTA, finishing 12th, best lap in 2'16"589. Is this driver, M Werner the same who won so many races in U2TC some years ago?

During your race, I was chatting with Jean Marc. What is amazing in the Sixties series, being the longest race and the most supported grid, is the high number of cars finishing. In spite of being highly competitive, this grid shows a level of reliability not found in other series -HTC for instance- but why?

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

You had a very fast GTA, finishing 12th, best lap in 2'16"589. Is this driver, M Werner the same who won so many races in U2TC some years ago?

During your race, I was chatting with Jean Marc. What is amazing in the Sixties series, being the longest race and the most supported grid, is the high number of cars finishing. In spite of being highly competitive, this grid shows a level of reliability not found in other series -HTC for instance- but why?

I’m not sure about the Alfa driver but I was told by someone that raced GTAs that the car is ‘as good as they get’ and ‘no expense spared’......

[E.B]

Great result for you and the team Mike. Congrats a plenty.

[Gerard C]

And the Chevron "hooked" a good LT during Q. Fingers crossed.

[Mike Bell]

Well, it’s all change this morning, with heavy rain during the night and continuing showers so far today. Here’s hoping it does dry out this afternoon, as I hate loading in the rain....

The B19 qualifying time was better than expected, so all were happy. And the repaired front section, damaged in FP, held up well! Coincidentally the fastest B19 came in during qualifying with virtually identical damage. Probably the same kerb.....

One member of the team was caught out by the clocks going back, but at least it meant they turned up early rather than late!

[356sc]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

One member of the team was caught out by the clocks going back, but at least it meant they turned up early rather than late!

Is it safe to assume this was one of the younger members of the team?!

[Gerard C]

Had a look on interweb, seems this M Werner won many races having sometimes A Furiani as team mate. No expense spared but it pays as was the case in period. Does the car retains a yellow nose?

Yes clocks have been going back but doesn't work for lap times, hopefully!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Had a look on interweb, seems this M Werner won many races having sometimes A Furiani as team mate. No expense spared but it pays as was the case in period. Does the car retains a yellow nose?

Yes, it does still have the yellow nose. Bill used to co-drive the car with Alex Furiani before Frank Stippler took over that duty many moons ago.

Sunday featured mostly wet races, resulting in quite few incidents! John and Bill had a great race in the former’s B19, finishing 6th o/a and 3rd in class, making for a very enjoyable and successful end to the season.

One weekend stand out for me was the Heritage Touring Cup race. 36 starters (bit different to Portimao HTCC weekend before) and race won by Brit Steve Dance in his brand new Capri RS3100. Only tested briefly in UK before transporting to Imola! Steve won the HTC championship last year in his RS2600, also self built and prepared, as is the new car. In this race he was ahead of this year’s dominant car, the CSL of Christian Traber, by 4 secs after an hour..... Also good to see was British Morgan stalwarts Oliver Bryant and Dad Grahame finishing 3rd in their RS2600. Ollie held fastest lap for most of the race, just being pipped by Traber at the end.... The rare (unique?) Gp2 AMC Javelin of Marc Devis and Martin O’Connell was looking a bit sorry for itself when recovered to Park Ferme, needing a few corners, but the Pinepac GpA Mustang seemed to go well (winning the GpA class), as did the little Gp2 Scirocco. Sadly no Volvo brick racing, though.

Great weekend in a great location. Got through Frejus tunnel during the quiet of the night and now parked up in France. It’s cold, wet, and I didn’t pack any jeans. Have to pretend I’m a postie....

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Great weekend in a great location. Got through Frejus tunnel during the quiet of the night and now parked up in France. It’s cold, wet, and I didn’t pack any jeans. Have to pretend I’m a postie....

First frost of the year here Mike - quite a deep one too judging by the white covering still around well after sun up.

Do you have a spare set of overalls you could to compensate for the lack of jeans for when you get back?

[midgetman]

Could M Werner be Marco Werner, three times Le Mans winner with Audi?

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

[Gerard C]

Thanks for the report and congrats to the team again, Mike. I didn't know S Dance takes care of his cars himself, impressing. The Scirocco has been fast and I never saw an AMC racing here. Sorry if they are not classified.

If you're still wearing short pants, must feel cold… Take care.

I would go for MAX Werner, not Marco. anyway, both are fast.

[delta]

Steve does a lot of work himself but it’s an ex Delta Studant that builds his cars . Rob Quin . Bright young man.Wish he was still with me

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by delta

Steve does a lot of work himself but it’s an ex Delta Studant that builds his cars . Rob Quin . Bright young man.Wish he was still with me

You’re right of course but I still consider Steve very much ‘hands on’ with his cars. It’s not as if he just throws a wad at a preparer and leaves it at that......

[Gerard C]

Mike you said about London show that there are still some original quad cam around. But if you need a new one, is there another way than the one leading to Stockport? RW says he can make 305 bhp with a Grp1 Essex on a single carb. really impressive.

[Gerard C]

And congratulations to one of our colleagues who won the TC1 category at each attempt, winning year class classification. Well deserved. Good car though, in a category where Grp1 "and assimilated" are admitted.