10-12 August 2001
AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix
Nürburgring
With well over 600 historic cars competing on the contemporary grand prix track in
the Eiffel mountains, together with a 400km Marathon on the historic Nordschleife
and numerous parking lots occupied by the visiting marque clubs, the 29th run of
the AvD Oldtimer Grand-Prix provided for a weekend packed with motor racing.
12 different race series
The first race of the ”FIA Cup for Historic GT Cars” brought Swiss Lukas Hüni on the
grid in his delightful silver 250 GT LWB TdF Berlinetta Scaglietti. The model earned
the ”TdF” (Tour de France) part of its model title through its victories in the gruelling
French classic in the late fifties, as an honour bestowed by the organisers. The
Swiss car broker recently acquired this car, chassis number 1141GT, for his own
racing pleasure, so to speak. The second run of the ”FIA Cup for Historic GT Cars”
saw Rogier Battelier in a Ferrari 275 GTB/C and David Piper in the well known BP-
Green 250 LM, chassis number 8165.
The ”Racecars of the fifties” race had two Ferrari entries, Italian Corrado Cupellini
drove his 500 TRC, chassis number 0670MDTR and Dutchman Paul
Schouwenburg drove his 250 TR replica, using the identity of 0720TR. The grid
also included 11 various Maserati models and plenty of other makes. A further 9
Maserati competed in the Pre-1960 Historic Grand Prix Cars race.
The programme was completed a number of other interesting races where no
Ferrari or Maserati competed. To name but a few highlights of this programme; FIA
Championship for Thoroughbred GP-cars, FIA Challenge for Historic Touring Cars,
International SuperSports Cup and Group C, Group 5 and IMSA racecars
Matadoren demonstration run
Star of the ”Matadoren demonstration run” was a very rare Ferrari 330 P, chassis
number 0818, driven by Michael Hofer. For the first time in 34 years, this particular
car was back on the track. The car was campaigned in 1964 by Maranello
Concessionaires’ Colonel Ronald Hoare and was driven by Graham Hill and
Joakim Bonnier. Highlights were winning the 1000km of Paris at Montlhery and the
Tourist Trophy at Goodwood. In 1966 the car was crashed fatally by Dick Protheroe
at Oulton Park in England, and the wreck later bought from his widow by David
Piper. The father of the driver in the demonstration run, Austrian Egon Hofer,
acquired the chassis and some other parts of the car from David Piper in 1967, and
has had it restored over the years. However, the story does not end there, as
Englishman Mike Ostroumoff claimed to have bought chassis number 0818 from
Tom Meade in Modena in 1973, which he rebuilt in England during the period up to
1981, and then raced before selling it to the USA. This car is currently in the
Collezione Maranello Rosso in San Marino.
Also in the demonstration run there was a Ferrari 250 GT SWB driven by German
Axel Schütte and a 500 Mondial, chassis number 0438MD, driven by Hans-Jürgen
Phiesel from Germany. Two Maserati and the so-called ”Ferrari-Prototype von
1967” driven by Swiss Max Theiler completed the Ferrari share in this
demonstration.
Bonhams & Brooks auction
This years’ auction tent was situated in the middle of the paddock, where the
auction itself took place at Saturday 11th of August 2001 from 17:00 onwards.
Among the 82 classic cars for sale, there were two major Ferrari stars in this
auction. The first being a 500 TRC ”Testa Rossa”, and the second a 1987 Formula
1 monoposto.
The 4 cylinder ”Testa Rossa” was build in 1956 for American John. V. Quakenbush.
This dark red Scaglietti build 500 TRC, chassis number 0634MDTR, was being
sold on behalf of a Japanese collector, who entered the car in this year’s Millia
Miglia. The sale estimate was between 1 and 1.2 million Deutsch Mark, but it
turned out to be the top sale on Saturday for DM 950.000.
The second Ferrari of particular interest was Gerhard Berger’s 1987 formula 1
monoposto. Enzo Ferrari himself gave this car to Gerhard Berger as a present, to
thank the Austrian driver for winning the Japanese and Australian GP in this
particular car, chassis number 097.
The current Motorsport Director of BMW sold the car to a collector, who
subsequently sold it to the German collector that had put the Formula 1 car up for
auction. Estimated to sell at around DM 480.000, bidding stopped at DM 450.000,
before it reached its reserve.
Anniversary
Be sure to find time in your diary for next year, when the Oldtimer Grand-Prix will fill
the Nürburgring and the famous Nordschleife with action, when the event will
celebrate its 30th anniversary.
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