January 2020, and excitement was high as teams arrived at Spa-Lyons for the first R32 evening of the new decade! The weather outside was piled higher and deeper thanks to an earlier snowfall, but inside things were warm and dry with a good crowd anticipating an evening of fun.
Spectators had arrived on all sorts of wonderful machinery, both 2 wheeled
and four. Ducati’s, MV Augusta’s, Aston’s and E-types graced the course providing some true European flair.
Patrons were scattered around the track, staying in all manner of accommodations and enjoying some of the finest pies on offer.
Photo crews jostled for the best vantage points
and the paparazzi were in evidence around the track- not necessarily always interested in the action on the track it seemed.
The good old boys lined up for the anthem prior to the first race.
And then they were off! The usual amount of NASCAR carnage ensued for the first
few laps until the drivers began to settle in after the long layoff.
When it was over, Jeff Gordon had far outpaced the rest of the field with 66 laps in the Rainbow Warrior, while
Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhart Jr. and Bad Boy Kurt Busch dragged in next with 62 laps with half a second and
then 5 seconds separating the three cars. Matt Kenseth the victim of some early aggressive driving finished with
60 laps. Afterwards the stewards had stern talks with some of the ‘boys’ behind closed doors.
After a through track cleaning by the course workers to clean the NASCAR bits, next up were the 70’s GP cars.
A more gentlemanly race ensued, perhaps due to the fragile nature of the cars or perhaps just because the cars
were more suited to the winding nature of the course.
Carlos Pace in a Surtees–Ford TS16-2 with “Hi Fi Bang & Olufsen” sponsorship arrived home 1st with 70 laps,
followed one lap later by Emilio de Villota in a rare Lotus 78 with 69 laps and with Patrick DePailler in a Tyrell 007
a further lap back with 68. Indigo Montoya in a custom liveried Shadow DN1 finished with 65 laps and the McLaren
M23 of James Hunt ran further astern with 62 laps after some technical difficulties.
Following a short pause for the cause racing continued with Group C cars taking to the track.
The action was fast and furious.
When the chequered fell, the Canon sponsored Porsche 956C of Palmer/ Lammers/Lloyd had covered 73 laps,
while the #38 Toyota 88C driven by Artzet/Hoshino/Suzuki was well back with 69 laps. The Nissan R89C of
Hasemi / Hoshino / Suzuki rounded out the podium with 67 laps.
The Mercedes Sauber of Acheson/Baldi/Niedwiedz finished with 65 laps. The field was rounded out by the cigarette
sponsored ‘Fortuna’ Porsche 962C with 64 laps after some technical issues with their primary car.
The final race of the evening was LMP/GT cars.
Under the watchful eyes of a pair of 356 Porsche Speedsters around Hot tub corner they flew, with not all drivers
apparently giving their undivided attention to the course??
When the dust had settled, local knowledge and driver talent proved a considerable advantage with the #25 Porsche
911 GT1 of Muller/Alzen/Wollek outclassing the rest of the field with 75 laps.
Followed home in second by the similar Fever sponsored ‘Cat In The Hat’ Porsche 911 GT1 of A.Hahne & A.Scheld
with 72 laps.
A Lola B09/60 driven by Piro/Cocker/Drayson ran third with 67 laps
and the Yellow Corn McLaren F1GTR entered by Team Hitotsuyama Racing with drivers Naoki Hattori and
Eiichi Tajima finished with 65 laps.
It was great to return to Spa-Lyons after a holiday break.
Thanks to our host Drew and his wife Nancy for their hospitality on a blustery January evening!
