An alive museum of more than 300 old racing cars
To Lédenon as on previous visited circuits, 12 trays of Historic Tour invite the public to a great leap in the past by staring almost half a century of motorsport.
According to the races – 23 was proposed during the weekend!! - Find in action racing cars of all sorts, valuable cars of the 50s, the almost modern GT, or proto cars of the 90s.
MONOPLACES/SPORTS-PROTOS
Trophée F3 ClassiC
The race 1 of the common tray F3/Formula Renault Classic inaugurates the long list of 21 races of the weekend.
In the absence of Lionel Robert, present in the free practice on a Martini MK42 but in the grip of a failing engine, Hugo Carini quickly takes off and, lap after lap, increased his lead on Remi Fraisse.
Constantly in battle with Laurent Vallery Masson, the boss of HVM Racing, the driver of the Gers succeeds in preserving this good narrowly (half a second) on the finish line.
Noël Delplanque takes a meritorious fourth place.
In the afternoon, Hugo Carini starts again his demonstration in the second race, which he dominates so clearly in front of Remy Laurent Fraisse and Vallery Masson, again neck and neck for the other two steps of the podium.
Thanks to this ultimate victory, Hugo Carini completes his season on a score without appeal of 10 victories in so many races.
Trophée Formule Renault Classic
Matthew Castles got an excellent start which allowed him to complete his first lap in leader in front of Antoine Robert.
He reacts immediately and seizes the lead, whereas his rival is soon forced to retire, transmission out of order.
The way is clear for the young son of Lionel Robert, who joins the arrival with a robust advance on Fabrice Porte and Charles Gerbout.
Driving his Orion 90, Gil Oks signs the best performance among the users of atmospheric versions.
In Race 2, Robert Antoine restarts in a solo breakaway to reach the checkered flag with 14'' ahead of Matthew Castles, 2nd after its withdrawal in the previous race.
The younger brother of the latter, Jean-Baptiste, raises himself to fourth behind Fabrice Porte, again invited on the podium.
Challenge Formula Ford Historic
Wonderfully played the morning race loses immediately one of its favorites with the engine problems of the French champion François Belle.
Xavier Michel quickly takes the lead. Then, Laurent Waisler, the "poleman", relieves him in the command before being delayed by a spin.
Xavier Michel himself delayed by a Drive Through, the hour of Gislain Genecand seems to happen but Laurent Waisler, quickly returned, eventually rob him of the power in the penultimate lap ... before being penalized for overtaking under yellow flags!
The battle don’t decrease in intensity in the race of the afternoon (the last of the season!), where a group composed of Xavier Michel, Alain Girardet and Gislain Genecand imposes its rhythm and joins the arrival in this order after multiple changes of positions.
François Belle and Laurent Waisler crossed the finish line in fourth and fifth. A small consolation after their disappointments in the morning ...
Trophée Formule Ford Kent
Starting from pole, Xavier Michel (Crosslé 32F) completed the first lap in the lead, then leaves the position to Nicolas Beloou before colliding with Gislain Genecand two laps later.
Therefore, Nicolas Beloou escapes with David Zollinger, came as a neighbour but will be excluded at the end of race.At the end of 15 laps, the Manceau preserves the advantage and won with ten seconds ahead of Alain Girardet, itself followed closely by local Antoine Weil.
Son of the former pilot of F1, Alain Simon takes a good sixth place. Came discover the Ford Kent trophy, Lionel Robert won the GHI category on the Nike usually driven by "John Doe".
Private of Alain Girardet's opposition, his heir apparent in the previous race, Nicolas Beloou immediately take the head of this second confrontation of Kent trophy.
He turns the corner of the mid-race with almost ten seconds ahead of the driver / instructor David Zollinger, started from the last position because of its exclusion at the finish of the race one.
In spite of the efforts made by the latter to reduce the gap, the situation will evolve any more. Winner of the ‘Trophée Formule Ford Kent ‘2016 Nicolas Beloou concludes its season with a final victory.
Alain Weill repeats his performance in Race 1 finishing third.
SportProtosCup
Leader, from the green light, the "poleman" Frédéric Da Rocha (Lucchini P3 BMW) makes the race at the head from start to finish, leaving behind Philippe Gandini (Merlin MP95) and Franck Metzger (Cesca Grac Ford) arguing the second place on the podium.
The latter finally found the opening on the last lap. Philippe Gandini finds comfort with the gain of the Prototype category, whereas that of the old ‘Coupe de l’Avenir’ rewards Jean-Luc Delort's intact talent (Merlin Alfa).
The second race of SportProtosCup starts in the absence of two of the three drivers present on the podium of the day before: Frédéric Da Rocha and Philippe Gandini. Franck Metzger and Jean Lafargue return to the pits, after two laps at reduced speed.
Jean-Luc Delort took the opportunity to go ahead at the wheel of his old Merlin of the ‘Coupe Alfa’. Very quickly, it is Patrick Merlin (G Mech) who takes the control, followed by Eric Baumard on a Lola T492 motorised by a Ford Pinto engine.
The race ends with this hierarchy, with Jean-Pierre Caszalot (Lola T598) third man of the leading trio. Jean-Luc Delort forced to retire two laps from the checkered flag, Jean Moindrot is the winner in category A aboard his Grac MT14B.
GT/BERLINES
Trophée GT Classic
Starting from pole, Franck Morel realizes a new carefree race, far ahead of the rest of the runners.
More fierce, the battle for second place turns to the advantage of Sébastien Mathieu, five seconds before the other Porsche 964 of Laurent Sabatier.
At the wheel of his BMW Z3, Guy Burnichon takes the fourth place after long crossed swords with Patrice Faurie, finally stopped the black flag for not complying with a Drive Through.
At the start of the race 2, Franck Morel (Viper GTS-R) leaves to Sébastien Mathieu (Porsche 964 RSR) the lead of the race before to take the command when Laurent Sabatier (Porsche 964), started third, had to drop out of the competition.
Therefore, the new champion of France and winner of the 2016 GT Classic trophy, flies to a nth win. Sébastien Mathieu and Guy Burnichon (BMW Z3) will have to wait for the arrival to join him on the formal podium. Patrice Faurie (Porsche 964) and Jackie Domas (Porsche 928) appear too to the prize list of this last race of the season as respective winners of the categories GTC3 and GTC4.
HTCC Groupe 1
Already strongest of the qualifying practice of Friday, Philippe Truffier remained untouchable throughout this first race.
The future winner of the 2016 HTCC precedes the Escort RS2000 of Jean-Paul Guerdoux firmly entrenched in second place from the start and Patrick Bourguignon who has waited the final laps to get rid of Didier Gruau (other Ford Escort).
After starting from the back of the grid, at the wheel of his famous Vauxhall Magnum, Claude Boissy finishes a beautiful ascent in the 15th place.
As for other categories, Christian Lange (Peugeot 505 turbo) take the pot in Antho Cup and Christian Chalon (BMW 323i) in Pro-Series.
Assured of winning the 2016 edition of the HTCC Group 1 championship, Philippe Truffier (BMW 530 IUs) makes it a point of honor to dominate from start to finish this ultimate race of the season. Behind the BMW 530 IUs, Didier Gruau, who has just participated in the race of ASAVE few minutes earlier, enter a severe fight with Patrick Bourguignon, which will end in favor of the latter. On another Ford Escort RS 2000, Jean-Paul Guerdoux finished just behind them. 5th, Jean-Louis D'Esparbes takes his revenge in Cup Antho while Malivaďl Castelli (BMW 323i) won hard-won victory in Pro-serie class in front of the winner of the race 1, Christian Chalon (BMW 323i), and to "Berdal" (BMW 635).
Trophée Maxi 1000
If the Lionel Couche‘s Austin 1275 GT is absent this weekend, the one of Michel Frenoy is there! Author of the pole in the early morning, the driver of the Somme confirms its supremacy in the first race after gradually outpaced its two direct rivals, Laurent Majou (Cooper S) and Jean-François Besson (Alpine A110).
Ultimate unexpected development after arrival: Michel Frenoy is excluded for not having respected a drive-through. Victorious of the small class, less than 1000 cm3, the young Enzo Thiéfain is insured to be the 2016 prize-winner of the Maxi trophy 1000.
In the absence of Michel Frenoy, the second race of Max 1000 seems destined to Laurent Majou or Jean-François Besson. However, badly start, the duo let Sébastien Calas (Austin 1275 GT) briefly take the lead.
He also quickly forced to retire, Jean-François Besson takes the command, then it’s at Laurent Majou to take the lead in the mid-race.
Both men go for spin on the oil left by anothet competitor. By safety, the race direction decides to shorten the debates while there were four tours to the end. Laurent Majou is declared victorious in front of Jean-François Besson, whereas the young Tomy Gruelles imposes his Mini Marcos in the class 1000 cm3.
Trophée Lotus
Author of pole the day before, Xavier Jacquet imposes his law from the beginning of race in front of Philippe Gaso, then Philippe Huret, soon replaced by Claude Rucheton on the mid-race. Nothing changes and despite the consolidation at the end of the race between the top four, Xavier Jacquet kept its place at the checkered flag.
For the last of the season, and the meeting's closing race, the drivers of the Lotus Trophy go on the track in the late afternoon.
Xavier Jacquet takes command again from the start, held a series of laps at the top in front of Pascal Metayer and Claude Rucheton, for a long time stayed neck and neck, and finally adds a new line to his list of victories.
Like the results of the morning, Dominique Vulliez finishes first users Caterham, in sixth place overall.
Trophée Saloon Car
Alain Derognat immediately takes the race on his own. Once again, Fabrice Lefebvre (Audi Quattro) tries in vain to hold the rhythm of the powerful BMW 323i, he conceded 22 seconds to the winner.
Far behind, Laurent Majou (Cooper S) is the third man of the beginning of the race, then a battle start between Fabrice Delavault (Caterham), eliminated late in the race with a broken transmission, José Pascual (R21 turbo) and Vincent Drouilleau (Alfa GTV6), overtaken by Patrick Fuet (BMW M3) at the end of the race.
The race 2, in the afternoon, starts under the same auspices.
Alain Derognat stays the boss and accumulates rapids laps in leader in front of Fabrice Lefebvre finally forced to abandon in the middle of the race.
Patrick Fuet takes the opportunity to take this second place, to the detriment of Vincent Drouilleau.
Challenge GT/Tourisme Asavé
In great shape, Ghislain Gaubert loops the first three laps in the command, and finally Franck Morel succeeded him in lead.
The driver of Revel manages a small gap on his contender, leaving eight seconds after 14 laps.
For a short time point between them, Didier Gruau finished third in front of the usual driver F3 Classic, Eric Martin.
In race 2, Franck Morel start again on the same tempo in front of Ghislain Gaubert, who eventually lose his position to Didier Gruau at the half of the trail.
We have from that moment the podium of the race.
Asavé Racing 65
Already the fastest in the practices, José Beltramelli imposes logically its Chevrolet Corvette in head from the first laps.
The real battle is taking place away from him between the Lotus Elan of Jean-Pierre Vacher and Franck Julien, who finish the race together in the same second.
In the race of the afternoon, the time is the status quo. Once again, José Beltramelli dominates the situation, in his wake we find the less powerful Lotus Elan of Jean-Pierre Vacher and Franck Julien.
Legends Cars Cup
Two sprint races and one endurance race (40 Minutes) made the program of the meeting.
This invited competition will keep all these promises with battles in all the levels.
Bruno Chaudet and Theo Burgundy respectively, share the sprint races 1 and 2, Frédéric Morel appropriating the long-distance race.
My favorite of the week end
For this weekend my favorite will be car with the largest engine ... The Viper GTS-R #C39 of Frank Morel
Already champion before Ledenon, Franck Morel dominated without sharing the GT-Classic category.
See you next year for the Historic Tour 2017