Nuerburgring, Germany, 29 - 30 June 2009.
Uwe Meissner’s Modena Motorsport Track Days were held on the full
Grand Prix circuit at the Nurburgring on Monday and Tuesday, 29th &
30th June. The event has always attracted a wide variety of Ferrari
competition and road cars, along with an eclectic mix of other makes,
and the 2009 edition was no exception. As is well known, the weather
in the Nuerburgring area can be notoriously changeable, but apart
from a short sharp shower around lunchtime on the Monday, the
remainder of the time it was predominantly bright sunshine, although
occasionally grey clouds drifted over to keep everybody on their toes.
As mentioned there was a great selection of Ferraris with a number of
rare examples, including two each of 166 MM Barchettas, 250 GT
SWB Berlinettas, 512 Ms, 512 BB/LMs and F333 SPs. Amongst
others in attendance there was the 212 Export Barchetta, chassis #
0102E, that featured in the fifties film “The Racers” starring Kirk
Douglas, a 212 Inter Vignale Coupé, chassis # 0163E, the unique
166 MM/53 PF Berlinetta, # 0346M, a 312 P(B), a 308 GT/M, the “348”
bodied Enzo prototype, a pair of FXXs, and around a dozen F1 cars.
Other marques included a pair of Mercedes CLK LM “flying
machines”, a CLK-DTM, a Porsche GT1, long and short body versions
of the McLaren F1 GTR, a Sauber Mercedes sports racing car, a
McLaren MP4/1 F1 car, a 1993 Williams F1 car, a Bizzarrini A3C, a
Maserati Bora and MC12, a Porsche 962, plus a Lola T70 sports
racer.
The purpose of the event is mainly to give participants plenty of track
time on the challenging circuit, with groups sessions arranged
according to the type of car. As an aside, all Ferraris in attendance are
automatically included in an informal Concorso d’Eleganza, informal
in the sense that the cars are judged as they stand or are parked,
rather than in a formal setting, so that the owners can enjoy their track
activities without having to worry about getting squashed flies on the
paintwork! Originality comes before cleanliness. At the end of the day
the Best of Show award went to the beautifully restored 1968 312 F1
car, chassis # 0007, of Jean-Francois Decaux, which also saw plenty
of track action over the two days. The prizes were presented by Jacky
Ickx and a surprise Royal visitor in the form of Prince Peter-Christiaan
van Oranje-Nassau from the Netherlands Royal Family, who had
been invited by one of the Judges, Jean-Louis Bezemer. He was very
gracious in accepting the invitation to present the concours trophies,
with him presenting the road car ones, and Jacky Ickx presenting the
competition class ones, with a joint presentation of the Best of Show
award. His presence was much appreciated by the attendees from
The Netherlands, especially those whose cars had won one of the
trophies, which were elegantly crafted leather plaques by Schedoni.
Ferrari Concorso d'Eleganza Award Winners.
Class 1 - '50s Street Cars - Presented by Ferrari Market Letter
(USA)
166 MM Touring Barchetta, chassis # 0052M
Class 2 - '50s Race Cars - Presented by Modena Motorsport
(D)
212 Export Barchetta, chassis # 0102E
Class 3 - '60s Street Cars - Presented by Modena Motorsport
(D)
275 GTB/4, chassis # 09783
Class 4 - Ferrari Passion Award - Presented by Ferrari Model
Club (D)
340 America Spider Vignale, chassis # 0196A
Class 5 - '70s Street Cars - Presented by Modena Motorsport
(D)
365 GT4/BB, chassis # 17617
Class 6 - '70s Race Cars - Presented by Anamera.com (D)
512 M, chassis # 1002
Class 7 -Judges Choice - Presented by Modena Motorsport (D)
275 GTB, chassis # 06705
Class 8 - Modern Race Cars - Presented by Modena
Motorsport (D)
F40 LM, chassis # 74045
Class 9 - Monoposti - Presented by Modena Motorsport (D)
312 F1, chassis # 0007
Best Restoration - Presented by Modena Motorsport (D)
166 MM/53 PF Berlinetta, chassis # 0346M
Best Cabriolet - Presented by Cavallino Magazine (USA)
365 GTB/4S, chassis # 16549
Best of Show - Presented by Ferrari World (D)
312 F1, chassis # 0007
Keith Bluemel
07/2009
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