Spa-Francorchamps, 30th - 31st of July
The German Ferrari dealer and restorer Uwe Meisner and his
Modena Motorsport workshop can look back on 30 years in the
Ferrari business. Within these years the Ferrari specialists has
built up a reputation for restoring race ready sports and formula
cars and to give the owners of these cars the opportunity to enjoy
them the way they were intended for 1993 the first track day was
held. Now 20 years later both the company and the track days
were celebrating a round anniversary with the biennial event in
Spa-Francorchamps. The track days are usually a fixed date for
all Ferraristi in Germany or the surrounding counties and attract a
variety of road and race cars with a special focus on Formula 1 as
Modena Motorsport is official partner of the F1 Clienti.
On the last two days of July more than 200 Ferrari found their way
to the circuit in the Ardennes to fill the parking lot and the
paddocks, they were joined on the track by several classic cars
or modern supercars of Alfa Romeo, Maserati or Aston Martin.
As the price development of the last years permanently reduced
the amount of high valued cars driven in races or at road rallies
the track days with a closed off race track and no timed races are
one of the last opportunities to enjoy these cars with reasonable
risks but certainly this trend also affected the track days. Regular
guests comparing the 2013 event with previous editions clearly
saw a reduction of the entry list especially in of earlier race cars
and more modern street cars instead. The most significant
reduction could be seen in the Formula 1 entries as just half a
dozen cars were running these days compared to double the
amount two years before. When looking for a reason some
thought it might be the late date in the calendar compared to
previous years as it was in the holiday season this year or the
forthcoming Ferrari Racing Days in a few weeks on the
Hockenheimring that is also part of the F1 Clienti programme.
In the sports car category the field included a very rare Ferrari 308
GT/M that was driven on Tuesday afternoon. Other cars from the
prototype era were a trio of 512M, 312 PB and 512 BBLM brought
to Spa by the Swiss Turning Wheel Collection to be driven by
Patrick and Christoph Stieger just as in the days of the Historic
Ferrari Challenge. Additionally two Ford GT40 could be seen plus
a very rare Isdera I108, the Mercedes-Benz powered small series
sports car is a rare sight on the race tracks nowadays. More
modern but of the same category was the Porsche 962C, the
Maserati MC 12 and the Aston Martin DBR9.
The historic group was led by a 250 GT SWB Competition and a
166 MM Touring Barchetta from 1953 and included a couple of
365 GTB/4 Daytona both in road and race trim. But not only
12-cylinder Ferraris were present as a sole 500 TR was lapping
the circuit on both days together with some Dinos. Over the last
months more and more Alfa Romeo GTA appeared on the
different events and no less than 7 examples could be seen in
Spa. Star of this group was without doubt the Cobra Daytona
Coupé that also won the award for the best “non-Ferrari” in the
concours.
The last group was reserved for modern race and road cars and
several 8-cylinder models ranging from the 308 GTB to the latest
458 Italia could be seen, some of them modified for track use,
others properly race prepared for some race series like the 458
GT3 that already drove the 24 hours at the Nürburgring. Actually
this was the biggest group as many owners took the chance to
experience the circuit with the famous La Source and Eau Rouge
with their street car.
But not only did the cars take the track but also a concours
d’Elegance was held on Wednesday during the lunch break on
the main straight. An international jury led by Jacky Ickx and
noted Ferrari historian Keith Bluemel selected the most
interesting cars in the different categories to be presented on the
start-finish line to the public. Unfortunately the setup of the cars
was a little bit chaotic as the crowds entered through a side
entrance making a proper line-up impossible. Most of the owners
just left their car on the next spot watching the hustle and bustle
around their cars. It took a while to get the spectators behind the
wall to get the traditional group shot with the best of show cars in
the front line. From the same stable the superb unrestored 166
MM Touring Barchetta (0052M) and the 250 GT SWB California
Spider (2015GT) with Le Mans and Sebring history were awarded
best racing sports car and best road car, the Best of Show went
to the Ferrari 312 F1 with the famous spaghetti exhaust pipes
(Anamera.com sponsored).
Although it is difficult to compare an event with previous editions it
still is one of the most interesting Ferrari events around. Beside
the action on the track the spectators have the possibility to
watch the cars in close when walking the pit lane and the
paddock, something that is not possible on many other race
weekends. On the other hand it clearly shows the development on
the market and not few of the driving owners of these cars think
that it is going into a wrong direction as the automobiles more
and more become immovables. Just when looking at the intended
prices of the forthcoming Monterey auctions most of the cars are
bought as investment to park money and not few of the new
owner are not even able to drive cars like a 512M on a race track
as they were driven several years ago at the Ferrari Challenge.
Certainly the following years will be interesting to see and maybe
the market has settled a little bit in two years when the next
Modena Track Days will be held, hopefully with even more cars on
the track than this year.
Report & images ... Peter Singhof
www.ClassicCarPhotography.de
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