Spa Classic 2013 – Results and Pictures

The Spa Classic 2013 was held 24-26 May at the famed 4.352 mile, 20-turn Spa-Francorchamps track in Belgium. A crowd of more than 13,000 enthusiasts witnessed the 3rd running of the Spa Classic with its strong grids and competitive vintage racing action.

With the Ardennes region’s predictably unpredictable weather, the three racing days were plagued by chilly and fickle weather that made Eau Rouge and the the rest of Spa that much more challenging.

In addition to nine classic car grids, this year the greatest hours of Touring were revived with two grids dedicated to endurance racing. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911, a complete grid of this model was present and on Sunday, a parade of over 50 cars was organised on the track.

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Photographer Julien Mahiels documented the 2013 Spa Classic, offering the following picture gallery that shows the varied field of entrants and the Spa racing circuit. We split up the 350 pictures that Julien captured into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite 100 images, all displayed in the full-width view of our website. The second gallery, complete with race report and results, can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all the photographs. To see more from Julien, visit julienmahiels.net.

Spa Classic 2013 – Top 100 Photo Gallery

 

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Spa Classic 2013 – Main Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture)

 

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Spa Classic 2013 – Race Report and Results

 

Spa-Classic Endurance – Touring 1 and 2 (by Peter Auto): Pre-1966 under 2L & Pre-1966 + over 2L & all classes from 1966 to 1984
Exclusively to this 2013 edition, the Touring grid held its promises reviving the greatest hours of Endurance racing during the day and night races. In the first round, David Ferrer and Mr John of B imposed themselves in T2 whereas Michael Erlich climbs on the first step of the T1 podium in front of Christian Traber and Lucien Guitteny. To be noted the incontestable domination of Alfa Romeo Giulia in T1. For the second round, the drivers took the start at night-time for a one hour race on the world’s most beautiful layout. Claude Boissy took the lead but gave up his place after a pit stop. David Ferrer took the advantage and the first place until the end. An impressive 4th place for Alexandre Furiani who battled against the more powerful cars with his “little” Alfa Romeo 1750GTAM. In T1, Christian Traber is once again on the podium, this time on the highest step.

Race One: T2: 1. D. Ferrer/Mr John Of B. – Ford Capri 2600 RS; 2. E.Mestdagh/P-A. Thibaut – BMW 3.0 CSL; 3. C. Boissy – Ford Escort 1600 RS
T1: 1. M. Erlich – Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600GTA; 2. C. Traber/ K. Konig – Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600GTA; 3. L. Guitteny – Alfa Romeo Giulia
1600GTA
Race Two: T2: 1. D. Ferrer/Mr John Of B. – Ford Capri 2600 RS;2. D. Roschmann – BMW 3.0 CSL; 3. C. Boissy – Ford Escort 1600 RS
T1: 1. C. Traber/ K. Konig – Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600GTA; 2. R. d’Abel de Libran/C. Galop; 3. P. Chase-Gardener

Spa-Classic Jubilee (by Peter Auto): Porsche 911 from 1964 to 1974
A grid dedicated to the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Porsche 911. Some thirty cars made between 1964 and 1974 were lined up on the starting grid. During the first round the Michel Lecourt-Raymond Narac crew took first place. Robert Williams won in the pre-65 category. On Sunday, Jim Page started from the pit lane which didn’t stop him catching up with his competitors and winning the last race of the weekend.

Race One: 1. M. Lecourt/R. Narac – Porsche 911 RSR 3,0l ; 2. S. Orjuela – Porsche 911 RSR 3,0l ; 3. D. Denat- Porsche 911 RSR 3,0l
Race Two: 1. J. Page/G.Tuma – Porsche 911 RSR 3,0l ; 2. M. Lecourt/R. Narac – Porsche 911 RSR 3,0l ; 3. P. Sanchez – Porsche 911 RSR 3,0l

Classic Endurance Racing 1 (by Peter Auto): Proto 1 (1966-1971) and GT 1 (1966-1974)
The CER 1 race is marked by the performance of Thierry de Latre du Bosqueau and Eric Jamr even though they lost precious minutes in the stands. Eric Jamr, very fast on the track took a well-deserved second place. Skilled driver Raymond Narac took the third place in the general classification. In this race, driving qualities made all the difference.

Race One: GT1: 1. M. Lecourt/R. Narac – Porsche 911 RSR 3,0l; 2. C. Roddaro – Porsche 911 RS 3.0-Litre; 3. S. Orjuela/J. Orjuela – Porsche 911 RSR 3.0-Litre
Proto 1: 1. B. Thuner – Lola T70 mkIII; 2. T. de Latre du Bosqueau/E. Jamar – Lola T70 mkIII; 3. P. Bruehwiler – Chevron B 8 FVC

Classic Endurance Racing 2 (by Peter Auto): Proto 2 (1972-1979) and GT 2 (1975-1979)
This year the CER 2 race took place in the rain, an important element which upset the classification as
the Protos and GTs finished together. Jürgen Barth on GT, after an impressive performance with his Porsche 934/5: starting in 16th position came back to take the win with a minute advance over his opponents. Just behind him, Philippe Scemama, in third position lost 14 places at the end of the race because of technical problems, leaving the podium to Michel Quiniou.

Race One: GT2: 1.J-M Martin/J. Barth – Porsche 934/5; 2. C. Traber/M. Devis – Porsche 935; 3. Mr JohnOf B – Ferrari 512 BLM
Proto 2: 1. D. Hart – March 75S; 2. D. Ferrer – Ferrari 512 BLM; 3. M. Quiniou – Lola T280 HU4

Sixties’ Endurance (by Peter Auto) – GT (pre-66) and Sports (pre-63)
For the first Spa-Classic night race, Ludovic Caron after a great start with his AC Cobra took the lead
but had to abandon because of a mechanical incident. Karsten Le Blanc with the same model takes advantage of the situation winning in front of Jean-Marc Merlin and Dominique Guenat; the classification remained unchanged until the chequered flag, a leading trio which confirms the domination of AC Cobra. Nevertheless, they were closely followed by the powerful Ford Shelby.

Race One: 1. K. Le Blanc/J. Sinke – AC Cobra ; 2. J-M Merlin – AC Cobra ; 3. D. Guenat/Y.Mahe – AC Cobra

Trofeo Nastro Rosso (by Peter Auto) – Italian GTs & Sports (pre-66)
The exceptional Trofeo Nastro Rosso cars came to the Spa-Classic for a unique representation; nearly twenty Transalpine beauties participating in the event. Among the competitors: ex. French Primeminister, François Fillon, driving an Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZT. After dominating the first race, Belgian Vincent Gaye took the victory and repeated the feat on Sunday.

Race One: 1. V. Gaye – Ferrari 275 GTB/C; 2. M.Devis – Maserati 250 S; 3. J. Brandenburg/J-L. George – Bizzarini 5300 GT
Race Two: 1. V. Gaye – Ferrari 275 GTB/C; 2. J. Gizen – Ferrari 275 GTB 4; 3.B. Wykeham – Porsche Carrera Abarth

Group C Racing – Sport & Sport Prototypes (1982-1993)
The powerful Group C cars had an eventful race. Peter Meyrick and his Spice SE90C easily dominated but unfortunately had to adandon a few laps before the finish. As for Eric Jamar in second position on the starting grid, his car refused to start and he had to return directly to the stands – a situation that suited Gareth Evans and Bob Berridge.

Race One: 1. G. Evans/B. Berridge – Mercedes C11; 2. A. Watt – Spice SE89; 3. H. Regout/S. Verbeeck – Porsche 962

Historic Formula 2 – F2 (1967-1978)
With 25 competitors at the start, the single-seater race began in the Spa-Francorchamps mist. The first fiercely fought over podium is totally British. Indeed, the first four drivers finish in the same second. The result of the second race is a repeat of the first. Martin Stretton and Andrew Smith were shoulder to shoulder during the whole race but the latter pulled ahead during the last laps.

Race One: 1. A. Smith – March 742; 2. M. Stretton – March 742; 3. N. Fowler – Chevron 34D
Race Two: 1. A. Smith – March 742; 2. M. Stretton – March 742; 3. N. Fowler – Chevron 34D

[Source: Peter Auto; photos: Julien Mahiels]