By Marcel Hundscheid
The European historic motorsports scene will kick off with the Bosch Hockenheim Historic, in honour of the Scottish two-time Formula 1 World Champion Jim Clark, during the weekend of April 19-21, 2013. Over the years the event has become one of Germany’s largest and more important classic car events and attracts more than 20,000 visitors.
The Hockenheimring was originally built in 1932 using roads in the forest as an alternative to the Wildpark-Circuit in Karlsruhe, which became forbidden as a racing circuit by German officials. The newly-built track was used for motorcycle racing and was expanded to be used as test track for both Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union in 1936. The track was renamed the Kurpfalzring in 1938, used until 1947. The original track was almost eight kilometres long and consisted of two long straights with a long “Eastern” corner in the forest and a U-turn inside Hockenheim joining them together. The new Autobahn A6 separated the village in 1965 from the main part of the track, so a new version of the track was built, including the famous ‘Motodrom’ stadium section. After Jim Clark was tragically killed in 1967 in a Formula 2 accident, two chicanes were added. A third chicane was added at the Ostkurve after Frenchman Patrick Depailler was killed in 1980. Due to safety reasons and a demand from F1 officials the track was dramatically shortened in the early 2000s. The old forest section was replanted with trees prohibiting future events.
For the 2013 Bosch Hockenheim Historic organisers created a perfect mix of exciting races, a large brand club area as well as a varied supporting programs, featuring Historic Formula 2, BOSS GP, the FIA Lurani Trophy, ‘Batlle of the Dwarfs’, Supersports, Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge, Spezial Tourenwagen Trophy H&R Cup and the ADAC Lord Berghe von Trips Cup.
Historic Formula 2 cars will go for a spin at the Jim Clark Memorial Rally to honour the two-time Formula 1 World Champion Jim Clark. Fans of former Formula 1 cars from 2006 and earlier, Champcars, Indycars, GP2, Nissan and Renault World Series as well as Formula 3000 cars will be treated with the always spectacular and loud BOSS GP Series. The FIA Lurani Trophy is open to former Formula Junior single seaters featuring cars such as the Brabham BT2, Lotus 18, 22 and 27, Stanguellini and Cooper. The Battle of the Dwarfs (Kampf der Zwerge) presents small cars from the ’60s and ’70s including Mini Cooper, NSU TT, Abarth, Autobianchi and many others.
The most powerful racing cars of the world, gathered in the Supersports will be battling it out for the Petronas Lubricants Cup. Thirty year old prototypes from 1966/1971 (FIA ‘G’) and 1972/1976 (FIA ‘H’) fill the grid for a spectacular revival of the golden years of sports car racing. From the Netherlands the Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge featuring cars predating 1990 take part over the weekend as well as the German Spezial Tourenwagen Trophy H&R Cup presenting a mix of modern and classic cars.
For the first time the Bosch Hockenheim Historic will feature a new event as it becomes the venue for the ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Cup. The Cup itself dates back to 1982 and will be contested for the 32nd time in the 2013 season. Therefore it is not only the first but also the longest-running historic racing series in Germany. Finally ‘Race History on Track’ features formula cars from almost six decades including around twenty historic Formula 1 and around fifteen Formula 2 cars. Another highlight during this year’s event will be another attempt to break the world record for ‘the largest rolling automobile museum in the world’. At least 949 cars aged 30 and over must roll along the entire track.
Family-friendly entrance prices round off this excellent motorsport weekend. Entrance is free for all visitors on the Friday. Tickets for Saturday and Sunday are available from 25 euros and weekend tickets cost just 35 euros. Entrance is free all weekend for young people up to 16 accompanied by an adult.
For more information, visit Bosch Hockenheim Historic.
[Source: Marcel Hundscheid]
