We haven't found many videos about the Historic Harry Flatters Rally, the round six of the 2007 Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship, so if you have some or links to great one, please post a comment or send us an
email.
Report, round six: Historic Harry Flatters Rally
A last stage disaster for Mark Solloway and Den Golding handed victory to Gareth Lloyd and Ryland James on the Historic Harry Flatters Rally, round six of the 2007 Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship
Meanwhile, leading title contenders David Stokes/Guy Weaver and Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride both won their categories, and Jimmy McRae/Andy Richardson fought back to second after an early delay.
Once again, Epynt proved to be a tough test as big crowds basked in warm sunshine. With 17 stages and around 80 stage miles, it was an event that kept competitors and service crews working hard.
Category 1
The contest for category one was always going to be between the Porsche 911 of Nutt/McBride and the Sunbeam Tiger of Patrick Watts/Elgan Davies. However, they had very contrasting fortunes and it was the Porsche crew who swept to a commanding victory on Sunday afternoon.
In the opening leg of four stages on Saturday afternoon, Watts hit trouble. With the engine from his previous car fitted into the current Tiger he shed two fan belts and twice had to borrow water from the burger van at Dixies in order to complete the leg. Some busy work went into the car overnight, but Watts was not confident on Sunday morning and when the same thing happened on SS9, he was out.
Starting Sunday's stages, Nutt had led by nearly a minute and was expecting the Tiger to come flying into contention once the action moved onto the New Road on Sunday. But with his rival out, Dessie had a useful lead and ended the rally 72s up on Neil Calvert/Captain Thompson (Lotus Cortina). "The car has behaved very well; I'm delighted," said Dessie.
Equally trouble free was the run for Calvert, who drafted Thompson in to co-drive when Arlene Cookson had last-minute family commitments. The Cortina needed little attention and they duly took B4 from an equally trouble free run for Paul Mankin/Desmond Bell.
Things were far less straightforward in B2, where Clive King/Bob Ward had a nightmare on Saturday with a catalogue of problems, including a puncture that cost them a stage maximum. Meanwhile, Terry Cree/Richard Shores went ahead in their Mini Cooper S, but knew that King would be on the attack through Sunday.
The 1932 Ford, the car that brought style and performance to the mass market and went on to become the quintessential hot rod nicknamed the “Deuce,†is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2007. The August 19 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is marking this important automotive anniversary with a class of historically significant ’32 Ford hot rods.
“The 1932 Ford continues to have a tremendous impact on many aspects of the automotive world and on contemporary culture,†said Ken Gross, chief class judge for the Pebble Beach Concours’ Historic Hot Rod Class. “It was a landmark car for Ford Motor Company, beginning a period of styling dominance for the company and, most significantly, offering the world’s first mass-produced V8 engine.
“Not long after its introduction, the ’32 Ford played a major role in another revolution – the development of the hot rod. Built in backyards and small garages, modified ’32 Fords performed far beyond their original capabilities and often rivaled the performance of the best in the world. Hot rods are a uniquely American form of automotive expression.â€
The ’32 Ford hot rod has been immortalized in a number of movies, including American Graffiti, and songs like the Beach Boys “Little Deuce Coupe,†by Brian Wilson and Roger Christian.
Since 1997 the Pebble Beach Concours has included a biennial class focused on landmark hot rods. The first two classes concentrated on roadsters, the 2001 show featured historic hot rod coupes, in 2003 the class honored road racing hot rods and in 2005 the class focused on early custom cars, 1935-1948.
Historic hot rods are usually referred to by their original builder or by the person who owned the car when it earned its most notoriety. The nine historic ’32 Ford hot rods to compete at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours are:
Before the Classic Endurance Racing Spa round, coming August 18, we have selected some videos of the Classic Endurance Racing at Nürburgring.
45 historic race cars made their way to Germany for round three of the Classic Endurance Racing series at the Nürburgring. Some new entries added to an already impressive field in the first two rounds enlarging the class featuring such makes as Lola, Chevron and Porsche.
A small group of intrepid racers from the Gstaad Automobile Club gathered at the world-famous Nürburgring for a weekend of modern and classic endurance racing. Back in late seventies, the BMW M1 was a major force in the endurance racing scene. And it was by his 1978 M1 that we met up in the paddocks with Stanislas de Sadeleer. de Sadeleer was competing alongside other GAC members, including Stephan Gutzwiller in a classic B15 Chevron with a BMW engine, Christian Traber in another BMW M1, and Karim Ojjeh in the modern Le Mans Series LMP2 category:
Some videos of the Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix 2007, that have ben held at Hämeenlinna this week-end. I hope to find more in the next days. Also if you have some videos or links please add a comment or send us an email.
Many classic cars are racing at the Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix 2007, A porsche crash at 0:35
Ferrari FFX idle at Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix 2007:
The 2008 Targa Tasmania course released today continues the three year rotation policy of ensuring all areas of Tasmania gain benefit from the multi-million dollar event and addresses the strong competitor demand that Australia’s ultimate tarmac rally continues to provide a fresh challenge annually.
Additionally, the new course also addresses vital competitor and general public safety issues by minimising travel time and focussing on user-friendly roads.
Event Director Mark Perry believes the changes will strengthen the event for the long term.
“Pivotal in all the changes included, and there are many, is that we continue to conduct the best event of its kind in Australia and produce an event that keeps competitors coming back year after year in the face of increasing competition from the mainland.â€
“In some ways Targa has become a victim of its own success. People have seen what we have done here in Tasmania and over the last few years, many new events have started in Victoria, New South Wales and just recently in Queensland.â€
“To survive and thrive we have to remain the best, and the status quo simply won’t achieve that goal.â€
The 2008 course sees the West Coast finally rewarded for its years of loyal service to the event with its first ever overnight stop. Strahan will host the field at the end of a gruelling Day 4 (Saturday April 19).
Queenstown will also share the economic benefits and the event will provide a major showcase for the region and its visitors when the cars of Targa go on display on Saturday night in Strahan.
West Coast Mayor, Darryl Gerrity, who has lobbied for years to obtain a larger slice of the Targa pie, greeted the news with excitement.
“We have sat by and seen Targa just pass through the area for one day each year for the last 16 years, not complaining because we know of its great benefit to Tasmania as a whole. Now we will finally be rewarded for this loyalty with a direct financial return to the West Coast,†Gerrity said.
Continue reading "Safer Targa Tasmania sets course to build bright future"
Auto Union Type C pedal car, paying homage to the bygone era of motor racing
A body made from aluminium, handcrafted leather trim and an extraordinary design – the vehicle sends Hubert Waltl, Head of Audi Toolmaking, into a rapture the instant he lays eyes on it: "This car is something really special." And, indeed, the car in front of him is no ordinary car – it's the Auto Union Type C pedal car which AUDI AG has brought onto the market as an absolute first. No other car manufacturer offers a pedal car built so elaborately and to such a high standard.
How did Audi stumble upon this idea? "We needed a highlight for our collection which conveys the brand message and, at the same time, is spectacular enough to find buyers," says Katharina Wicker, Head of Audi design – Lifestyle Articles. And this was how the idea came about to design a pedal car that mirrors the company's heritage at first sight. The Type C Grand Prix racing car provided the ideal blueprint for doing this. The Auto Union Silver Arrow dominated the world of motor racing in 1936, racking up a total of ten Grand Prix victories. Furthermore, the Type C is one of the best-selling heritage models in the range of Audi miniatures. The pedal car will therefore be an exhibition piece for "grown-up" fans too.
The car's execution called for a great deal of technical know-how and creativity. For a start, how large should the pedal car be made? How close should it keep to the original in order to nevertheless demonstrate the quality and workmanship of a true Audi? Which materials are best suited to underlining the Audi brand values of sophistication, progressiveness and sportiness? "The greatest challenge of all was transposing a historical model to a pedal car for children whilst remaining as faithful as possible to the original," reveals Achim Badstübner, director of the Munich design studio that created the first draft designs. Those responsible for the project eventually decided to build the pedal car on a scale of 1:2 to make it large enough to accommodate budding racing drivers up to 1.35 metres tall.
Continue reading "Audi brings out an Auto Union Type C pedal car"
