Modena, 14 May 2002
John & Jan Bosch fastest competitors overall
The third edition of the Modena Centro Ore Classic, starting and finishing at Modena
and taking in the Fiorano and Imola racetracks, concluded with the victory of the English
Chiles-Mountford team in a 1965 Ford GT40 after four days of competition on the circuits
and on the Apennine roads covering a total distance of more than 1000 kilometres.
Christopher Chiles and David Mountford have a lot of experience and good results in
previous years like 2nd o/a (1998) and 3rd o/a (2000) in the Tour Auto and 1st o/a in the
2001 Tour de Espana. Second place in the Speed category went to the Italian team of
Tonetti-Silva in a 1965 Bizzarrini 5300 GT, followed by the winners of the first edition,
Sandretto-Mollica in a 1963 Jaguar E Coupè. Fastest overall was the Dutch team of
John and Jan Bosch in 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Competition "Daytona" (s/n 14407), the
ex- successful 1972 Tour de France and 1974 24H Le Mans Ferrari. It was very
admirable watching John Bosch pushing his Ferrari around Imola and up through the
narrow winding special stages. Jan Bosch, father of John: ”…......it’s incredible to be the
co-driver of my son but I really did have fun.”
Of the 48 registered teams which started the speed section on Saturday 11th of May,
there were only 11 retirements in spite of the demanding standard of the event, proving
that the cars were well prepared for the different setup requirements of the racetrack and
road sections. Cars taking part in an event of this kind have the opportunity to give their
best, bringing great pleasure to their drivers as well as to the spectators, who have the
rare opportunity to see some of the most beautiful racing cars in several decades in
competition.
The top places in the Regularity category (24 cars at the start) went to: 1st Marchesi-
Stringhini in a Ferrari 365 GT/4 BB; 2nd Bianci Barisetti-Colle in a Lotus MK II; 3rd
Katsaounis-Drouliscos in a Ford Shelby GT350; 4th Olivi-Iotti in a Ferrari 250GT Tour de
France and 5th Stanguellini-Confaloni in a Porsche Roadster.
Racing in Modena, Fiorano and Imola
The first stage was all centred on Modena and its environs; the first special section was
in the Apennines in the afternoon, followed by a return to Modena through the main
streets of the city centre and a show-stage to get the engines really revving in the Novi
Sad park. The second stage was the most exciting for all the teams, with the timed trial
on the Ferrari S.p.A. test circuit at Fiorano, and continued with two special sections in the
Apennines, followed by a break at the Palazzo De' Rossi at Pontecchio Marconi and then
the transfer to Riolo Terme. During this second day one of the teams most fancied to
win, Cipolli-Grazia in a 1972 De Tomaso Pantera GR4, was forced to retire. Monday 13th
brought the 3rd stage focusing on the races on the track at the Imola circuit, where team
nr. 18 (Bosch-Bosch) confirmed its position as absolute winner thanks to masterly
driving at the wheel of its Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Comp. "Daytona". The two circuit trials
(7+11 laps) and the two special trials at Casola Valsenio were very close-fought, and
forced the retirement of two of the event's best-prepared cars: first of all the Ferrari 330
GTO of Voegele-Voegele, which suffered a gearbox failure during the first Imola race,
and then the 1965 Sunbeam Tiger of Rino Righi, one of the competition's five
organisers. On Tuesday 14th, the fourth and final stage: after a brief visit to Tuscany
with two special sections in the morning and a break in the main square of Porretta
Terme, two more crucial special sections in the Modena Apennines before the return to
Modena itself, where the cars remained on show in the gardens of the Ducal Palace all
evening to delight the fans.
23 particular Ferrari teams participated in the third edition
As in the earlier editions, two thirds of the teams were from Europe and the USA,
bringing some really impressive cars: there were 23 Ferraris, including the "four aces":
the four Ferrari Daytona's belonging to the series of 15 built between 1971 and 1973,
including the three winners of the GT category at the '72, '73 and '74 Le Mans 24 Hour
races, which were at Modena in their race colours. The Ferrari 330 GTO (s/n 4561 SA)
and the fabulous Ferrari 250 GTO (s/n 5111 GT) of Paul and Jennifer Pappalardo (USA)
and no less than five Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinettas, five 250 GT TdFs and an
absolutely superb 1953 Ferrari 250 MM (0310MM) could be admired during the 3.
Modena Cento Ore Classic.
There have been also great cars of other brands: a Zagato bodied Alfa Romeo 8C 2300,
a 1936 Alfa Romeo 2,9 MM Corse, a 1953 Maserati A6 GCS and a Maserati 3500 GT, the
Ford GT 40 (s/n 1042 P, which was entered Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours and at
Le Mans 24 H), a rare ASA Rollbar (s/n 21004), a Porsche 550 RS, an Alfa Romeo
Daytona 33………..….an endless list.
The Modena Cento Ore Classic – an event you can’t afford to miss
"After the success of this third edition, we can safely state that the Cento Ore has
become an important event for historic car fans from around the world, let's say one of
the four or five fundamental competitions: now it only remains for us to get to work on the
next edition, since we have already received plenty of enquiries during this year's
event…And of course our thanks go to the several hundred people who have been
involved in organising the Modena Cento Ore in various ways". These were the first
comments of Mauro Bompani, organiser of the Cento Ore Classic together with Renzo
Raimondi, Rino Righi, Alberto Barbieri and Carlo Rinaldi.
This is a unique meeting in the Italian context, designed to combine speed with
regularity, track races and road trials, a real competitive event through countryside full of
cultural and gastronomical delights. During their intervals of relaxation, the participants
were able to appreciate extraordinary architectural settings such as the Castle at
Panzano, the Palazzo de Rossi, the Castle of Riolo Terme, and Villa Quadra at
Bomporto.
If the project calls to mind the celebrated Coppa d'Italia, abandoned in 1988 but never
forgotten by its fans, its true roots are to be found in an idea suggested in 1953 by the
Modenese club "Circolo della Biella", whose members included the five entrepreneurs,
all enthusiasts and experienced drivers, who participated in the famous Tour Auto in
France of that year.
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