THE EIFELRENNEN   26-28th SEPTEMBER 2008

Formula Junior returned in strength to the Eifel Mountains for the second time this year, still bathed in the glorious Indian Summer sunshine that had blessed Goodwood Revival.

This time it was the ADAC Eifelrennen (successor to the Eifel Klassik meeting) with generous entry terms and a longer but indeed more cosy tent than we had had at the Old Timer.  It was also a quite different entry, enabling those with only National A licences or anold HVIF to compete and several, including Steve Smith, Cooper T59 and Crispian Besley, Elva 100 were making rare continental appearances amongst the 40+ entries. 

Unusual and very welcome appearances included the Gemini Mk4.01 of Jan Göckmann, and from France the Monopole-Oliveira of Gilbert Lenoir still with a ‘cooking’ 850cc Panhard engine, and the D.B Panhard Monomil #505 of Alain Gawski.

It was good to see Mark Linstone back at the ‘ring, where he regularly raced Duncan’s Emeryson 500 back in the 1980’s & early 90’s, this time with Stuart Rolt’s Cooper T59.  There were also races for German ‘open’ and F.Vau Historic which saw Peter Ramann’s Gemini Mk2, Marco Rollinger’s Stanguellini 00131 and Karl Heinz Meub’s Cooper-BMW participating, while our friend Horst ‘the egg man’ Niggerman shared the FJ tent with his Lotus 20.J.800 (II) and Paul Robinshaw gave this much mechanical attention over the weekend, only for the ADAC to prevent him running, even in the demo event without FIA papers, yet no one had even looked at the papers of the FJHRA cars!
It seemed and was a little harsh.

Friday saw the FJ’s out on the Nordschleife for two full laps behind a pace car. 
Most took part and enjoyed this fantastic experience. Sadly, Ivo Göckmann’s Stanguellini broke its diff and Duncan’s surprisingly high compression BMC engine all but failed on the slow hills, but all enjoyed the run.  Crispian Besley’s flight from East Midlands was unfortunately cancelled due to bad weather in UK and he arrived too late for this.

Saturday was a busy day: Free practice in the morning gave the experienced ‘ringers a lead, with Christian Traber, Lotus 22 at 2 mins 07.011 ahead of Jens Rauschen’s similar car, Jorgen Carlsson’s  Merlyn 3 and then the Team Lotus boys, Chris Locke (27) and Chris Dinnage (20). Jens Rauschen unfortunately suffered a cracked chassis, no doubt as a result of a coming together in August, and Lars Göran Sjöberg’s Swebe-Cooper broke its stub axle.
For many this was their first time on the Nurburgring GP circuit and it was much liked, although nobody had a good word to say about the exceptionally abrupt Yokohama chicane at the end of the start/finish straight ~~ in fact our knowledgeable commentator mentioned that it was by far the worst chicane at any circuit anywhere in the world.
Near the end of the session a hub failure threw a rear wheel off Pete Morton’s Lightning Envoyette and he was beached at the hairpin. However, there was no collateral damage and after some lightning paddock work (pun certainly intended) the hub was repaired.

Hardly time for others to check & refuel their cars and we were out again, for Qualifying, and this time the English Coopers of Smith, Anthony Binnington T67 and Linstone were getting the hang of the ’ring, in 3rd, 6th and 4th places respectively, behind Carlsson and Traber, Jens Rauschen’s problem being irreparable.  Locke and Dinnage were 5th and 7th followed up by Hans Jörgen Krag’s Lola Mk3. Pete Morton put his earlier fright behind him and slotted in 9th and completing the top ten was Stuart Roach who’s front engine Alexis humbled many potentially faster cars behind him. In fact Roach’s lap of 2:10.3 caused some consternation when the stewards inexplicably decided to apply the FIA 10% rule and several Class B runners were at first not classified.
DCPR quickly ensured that this matter was redressed and calm in the ranks was restored.

The afternoon slipped by quickly and it seemed only a short break before we were called up for Race 1. The organisation was thorough if perhaps protracted and a few competitors strolled back to our marquee to find that we were being called up some 45 minutes ahead of our race time. However this did allow the commentator plenty of time to explain about most of our cars and drivers to the large gathering of watching enthusiasts and to the remainder of the paddock at large via the strident PA system.
The grid formation completed quickly and as the red lights extinguish poleman Jorgen Carlsson repeated his OldTimer GP start, moving slowly from the grid, consumed by at least the next 4 cars but then the Viking Ghosts of Hengist and Horsa seemed to take hold, but riding, not on a white steed, but ultimately on the BT6 of Peter Strauss!  Fortunately Peter escaped, but Jorgen carried on at a slower pace for two laps to be sure that no serious damage had occurred: meanwhile on the long run down to the evil Yokohama chicane, Linstone shoots through to take the lead from Smith and Traber. Following them Locke and Binnington are scrapping but by lap 3 Locke is in trouble. These early hard fought laps wreak further havoc when James Hicks Caravelle Mk3 and Peter Straus Brabham BT6 collide and so the infamous Yokahama chicane claims its first major FJ victims and Sjoberg retires the Swebe-Cooper on the same lap.
Two laps later and 3 more cars submit to mechanical problems ~~ Krag’s gearbox is playing up not for the first time this season, George Cooper’s Cooper T59 suffers an oil pipe connection failure and Besley’s Elva bursts its differential asunder.
Much close racing is evident throughout, notably Roach dicing his Alexis against John Delane’s Lotus 18 and these two are all over each other lap after lap with no quarter given or taken, but all conducted in a very safe and civilized manner. Göckmann contrived to spin his Grant Wilson restored Gemini three times and always directly in front of Andrew Taylor’s Britannia ‘though Andrew took it all in good humour, but up at the front it was gritty determination as Smith passed Linstone under braking for the hairpin and Traber followed him. Then it looked like the Yokahama chicane was about to claim more victims when a great battle for the lead ended when Smith & Traber tried to get a quart into a pint pot, leaving Smith with a badly shattered nose, and a hugely disappointed Traber, seeing his chances of a first ever victory disappearing into the mists of time, spun and continued., Meanwhile Binnington had passed Linstone and was now closely after Smith with a recovering Traber chasing them hard.
And so after 30 minutes and 14 very hard fought laps a surprised Smith emerged as the winner ahead of very close Binnington, Traber & Linstone.
After a splendid official podium presentation with champagne & large trophies we repaired to our marquee for class winners’ prize giving from the commentator cum MC, who DCPR was clearly heard by many to call “your highness” on several occasions.
This caused much twittering until, when eventually asked just exactly who this chap was, DCPR broke into a huge grin and said that his name was actually Johannes Hübner!
So, no “by royal appointment” for FJ then!  Never mind, how about Wimbledon Regis?
After the laughter had died down the delighted class winners received their awards and
Steve Smith collected another grand trophy and also recorded the fastest lap of 2:06.74 put up on his last lap ~~ not at all bad going for a first timer at the ‘ring !

After such a hectic day, which had seen the Juniors complete well in excess of 75 minutes track time across 3 sessions, we all dispersed to various small hotels & landhaus which dot the very attractive countryside in these parts. Well, almost everyone dispersed but those with work to do, included Dave Abbott who smartly replaced the broken differential in Besley’s Elva and Krag who was attending his Lola’s early Hewland gearbox. 

Sunday morning dawned with a little mist, which soon burned off and again we enjoyed wonderful warm sunshine in a clear blue sky with lovely cool fresh mountain air to breathe. There was plenty of time for last minute shopping for polo shirts, badges and other mementos, plus of course coffee from various outlets; one of which was unusual in that the complete machinery and serving apparatus was cleverly housed in the back of a Porsche. Soon though race time was upon us but when Alex Morton came to warm up the engine of his Ausper it was reluctant to run on all cylinders. However after much investigation one of the valve clearances was found to have closed up and it fired up just in time for Alex to join the run out onto the grid, which was the same starting positions as for race 1 but had reduced to 39 runners after Saturday’s fallers. Unfortunately though, Alex had more woes when serious clutch problems caused him to thoughtfully drop to the back of the pack on the formation lap not wishing to inconvenience others if he were to make a tardy getaway. At this time the indefatigable and completely unflapable Krag was still in the paddock bolting up the gearbox on his Lola but he just, but only just, made it in time to be allowed to start from the pit lane as we all took off.
The term sang froid could have been invented for this affable man from Denmark.

Anyway, lights out and would you believe it but Carlsson’s Merlyn suffers another diabolical start from pole position. This lets Linstone into the lead from Traber and Smith. Binnington and Locke are quickly up with them and also Col Bob Birrell makes a good start from 15th in his familiar yellow peril Brabham BT6 but midfield Fred Boothby Lotus 20 is not well sighted for the start lights and this allows Peter Jackson’s Cooper T56 to get past for a good run down to the chicane. Birrell threw away his early advantage when he spins in the first part of the Schumacher S right in front of John Hutchison’s Lotus 18 and Bob afterwards complimented John on his phenomenal avoidance of a collision.
Elsewhere, Delane and Roach took up their duel again but unfortunately this excitement ended prematurely when Roach’s engine suffered point’s failure. It wasn’t a good day for family Roach because father Keith had the oil filter seal blow out in his Gemini Mk2 covering him and the car with hot oil. Clive Temple raced hard in his Cooper T56 and enjoyed dicing with Dietrich Merkel’s Britannia until he missed a gear and was mugged by 4 cars at the Yokahama chicane ~~ nasty !  Jeremy Deeley in his rare Cooper T52 had an enjoyable and trouble free race in this his first foreign adventure, although fellow Cooperiste Claus Myhr’s beautiful self restored ex Kurt Ahrens T56 was struggling with ERSA gearbox selector issues.
Klaus Rauschen had generously given up his Brabham BT2 to Jens, who did this gesture proud by keeping Dinnage at bay as did Jan Gockmann with Ian (jumbo 747) Robinson’s Lola Mk5. Others seen to make up places were particularly Andrew Taylor Britannia who started 27th and actually finished 13th whilst Hutchison improved 10 places from his start position. This is to say nothing of the superb efforts displayed by Alex Morton and Krag both starting from the back. Jackson having got past Bouckley in the Schumacher S basked in the unaccustomed luxury of being class leader when suddenly Krag zooms past at the Khomo Kurve and a couple of laps later Morton’s Ausper brakes devastate Jackson’s weedy 8” ones at the same place, quickly followed by Bouckley.
~~ so, hero to zero in short order for the Cooper Cockpit Commentator.
Meanwhile up at the sharp end Carlsson whacks a wall, the effects of his first race coming together and the yellow flags are out on the main straight  and loses a wheel in the process, which causes Pete Morton to clench his nether regions.
Traber and Smith are already past Linstone by lap 2 and then Traber locks up under braking for the hairpin on lap 5 and Smith nips through into a commanding lead whilst Traber scuttles across the edge of the gravel to rejoin behind the canny Binnington with Locke, Dinnage and Rauschen scrabbling close for the following places, Dinnage and Linstone having made contact, yet another placemen battle ended in tears, the latter driving straight to the pits to retire, disenchanted.
So an astonished Smith runs home for his second win of the weekend followed by friend & rival Cooperiste Binnington and Traber third, also for the second time.
Celebrations are now unbridled at the familiar official podium as the same top 3 men carry off even larger and this time gold coloured trophies and yet more magnums of champagne to the FJHRA marquee for “your highness” to give Class awards. Steve Smith again put up the fastest lap, this time at 2:07.43 on lap 7 as he built a 12 second comfort zone between himself and the rest.

Altogether it was a superb meeting for FJ, feted in this our 50th anniversary year and there was no repetition of the unpleasant scenes at the Old Timer as we packed up the cars and departed, in the most part, by about 3.30pm in time to catch evening ferries to UK.

Race 1 statistics >
1st overall & Class E, Steve Smith ~ Cooper T59. Lap time 2:06.74
2nd overall & Class E, Anthony Binnington ~ Cooper T67.
3rd overall & Class E, Christian Traber ~ Lotus 22.
1st Class A, Michael Ashley-Brown ~ Volpini. Lap time 2:28.34
1st Class B, Stuart Roach ~ Alexis. Lap time 2:11.08
2nd Class B, Keith Roach ~ Gemini Mk2.
3rd Class B, Duncan Rabagliati ~ Alexis.
1st Class C, John Delane ~ Lotus 18. Lap time2:10.51
2nd Class C, Kevin Musson ~ Lotus 18.
3rd Class C, John Hutchison ~ Lotus 18.
1st Class D, Jeremy Bouckley ~ Cooper T56.
2nd Class D, Alex Morton ~ Ausper T3.
1st Class G, Alain Gawski ~ DB-Monomill. Lap time 2:26.49

Race 2 statistics >
1st overall & Class E, Steve Smith ~ Cooper T59. Lap time 2:07.43
2nd overall & Class E, Anthony Binnington ~ Cooper T67.
3rd overall & Class E, Christian Traber ~ Lotus 22.
1st Class A, Michael Ashley-Brown ~ Volpini. Lap time 2:29.54
1st Class B, Crispian Besley ~ Elva 100. Lap time 2:16.21
2nd Class B, Heinz Stege ~ Elva 100.
3rd Class B, Duncan Rabagliati ~ Alexis.
1st Class C, John Delane ~ Lotus 18. Lap time 2:10.86
2nd Class C, Andrew Taylor ~ Britannia.
3rd Class C, John Hutchison ~ Lotus 18.
1st Class D, Hans-Jorgan Krag ~ Lola Mk3. Lap time 2:09.43.
2nd Class D, Alex Morton ~ Ausper T3
3rd Class D, Peter Jackson ~ Cooper T56.
1st Class G, Alain Gawski ~ DB-Monomill. Lap time 2:27.02

DCPR / the Cooper Cockpit Commentator / and the many contributors & competitors
29th September 2008

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