Stephan Wiesel is no longer

December 16, 2007 - Fola Osu informed us that Stephan Wiesel passed away, due to a heart attack. He died when he was racing in a round of the DSC. As far as I know he's the first racer dying with the controller still in his hands.  Wiesel was an icon in German model car racing. He was for German racing what Franco Gianotti was for international racing. He built himself hundreds of resin slot-cars is famous for his Wiesel tyres, and was a good racer.  In his career he collected 67 slot-racing points and won two IOC-races. In 2004 and 2005 he built several cars for the Franco Gianotti Trophy. With his #3 Porsche 917LH he won 20 concourse points. Famous too is the decoration of the track at Neumünster.  Wiesel was a passionate and excitable racer. He restricted his entries to German races were he was extremely popular. He was one of the founders of the DSC racing which originated in North-Germany. He also co-operated at the organisation of several editions of the Dieter Jens Le Mans Challenge. There can be no doubt that the last cars he built will become true collector's items.  Hereunter the car, a Corvair Chevrolet #57, which Stephan was driving for his run into heaven.[JPVR] 

         For Relexions on Stephan's death click here.

Canada's Tim Murphy passed away

 He was one of the funniest racers on earth

November 21 - We were informed  by Dan Debella that Canada's Tim Murphy passed away after a fatal heart attack. We got the following info:

JP, I just spoke with Dale Kent (Tims partner in Hamilton, Canada where they live). Last Saturday Tim's car broke down on a trip between Hamilton and Ontario. He pushed it into a gas station for repairs and afterwards didn't feel very well. Kind of sore and extra tired. While they thought it might only be the beginning of the Flu Virus going around, on Monday morning Tim had Dale drop him off at the hospital for a checkup to make sure he was ok. Within 5 minutes he dropped. The Doctors tried to revive him for 25 minutes with no success.  This Friday in Ontario there will be a service for him. He is being cremated. The funeral home is on Rideau St. and its called Miller George.

These are all the details I have at this time.  I've included Tim's email address which Dale is using and hope some of the racers and his friends can send condolences to her. Tim and Dale and her children moved together a few months ago and were going to spend the rest of their lives together.

Tim Murphy introduced wing car racing in Canada. Since his show at the 1987 IMCA Valkenburg Worlds he had a great interest in real scale model cars. Together with Dan Debella he introduced Canada's Chuck Ingram in the Pinky Point Trophy. Ingram caused a stir by winning the real last Pinky Point round, ahead over Sergio Maresca, so that Willy Heerwegh - and not Maresca - could win the Ferrari 308 GTB (first prize at PP). During twenty years Tim Murphy was IMCA'ss correspondent in Canada. He came as visitor to several IMCA Worlds, without racing himself. He came essentially to help other racers and to make fun. I think that Tim was somewhat the funniest racer I met during the last quarter century. He had a well developed social conscience. Several nights we caused together aabout the state of affairs in the world. Tim was convinced that a more social world was absolutely necessary if one wanted to contribute to a greater hapiness of its inhabitants.

I received his last mail shortly before the 19th IMCA Worlds, after I wrote him that David Campbell seemed to me my best successor. I didn't find the time to bring Tim and Mark together. Kim's death is a great loss for Canadian  slot-racing. Brad Friesner is one of his disciples. [JPVR]

Long disease fatal for Craig Landry

He developed several Worlds winning ZAP chassis

July 17, 2007 - The micro cosmos of slot-racers lost yesterday one of its most respected members: Craig Landry of Houston Texas. It was Andy Wasserman who conacd us by mail. Landry was one of the best 1/24th chassis builders in the world. He himself was an excellent racer before the weakness of his eyes prevented him to continue his career as a good wing car racer. In 1993 he TQ-ed at the USRA Div I Nats where he finished third behind P-A Watson and Austria's Martin Gramann. By clocking 1"850 he realised a World Record (at once more than 0.1" second faster than the official WR by Petteri Pirhonen and also better than the real 1"853 WR by Wasser-man).  In 1995 he reached again the Main of the USRA Div I Nats, but finished 8th due to a bent chassis. That day he has sworn that he should develop one day an non destructible  wing car chassis.  It was the start of ZAP, worldwide famous as chassis manufac-turer. It's well known that Mario "MSP" Schöne won in 2001 the USRA Nats with a ZAP chassis. Earlier, in 1999, and later in 2003 Schöne  won the Wing Car World Championship with a ZAP chassis.
When IMCA decided earlier this year to contest the 124 Le Mans 24 hours at the Peugeot show room at the Champs Élysées and when it appeared that the actual LMP1 and LMP2 prototypes are so low that an in-line chassis could be necessary, IMCA USA con-tacted Craig to develop such chassis. Craig had an immense knowledge of all types of slot cars - and not exclusively wing cars as always was believed - and, despite his disease, he accepted the deal. Unfortu-nately he could no more materialise his ideas.
After he stopped active racing, Craig Landry helped hundreds racers at all places where he showed.  But even earlier he was always extremely helpful. I remember the 1988 Chicago Worlds, where one of the European wing car racers had nobody as helper. Craig was the first to do the job. We'll miss him terribly. Condolences to his family on behalf of IMCA. 

Juanma Torres killed in motor-accident

He was the second best all-time Spanish slot-racer!

October 31, 2006 - Late this night we received on the IMCA mailbox a very sad message, both from Francesc Reyes as from world champion Daniel Gonzalez that Juanma de Torres Perez was killed yesterday with his motor bike in a road accident. Juanma was one of the best Spanish racers and entered this year the top-100 of the all-time ranking of the best slot-racers. At the recent IMCA Worlds in Barcelona he finished three times on the podium at the FIA GT races: he was 2nd at the Benelux Cup, 3rd at the Race of the Champions and in the Team Race.
At the eventual Worlds he was the first victim of Tamar's strange behaviour to do a technical control after only 18 minutes of racing. A bad crash at the end of the preselection race made him loosing his 1mm clearance: instead of moving up he lost 12 laps and was out.
Juanma came to international racing in 2003 where he immediately caused a stir by his spectacular driving style. At the X-Mas Races of the same year he finished as first ama-teur. Together with Francesc Reyes he won also the Plafit EuroCup at Le Mans.
In his own country he won several times the Spanish Cham-pionship, both in model car racing and in ES24. He was a typical all-rounder and one of the biggest hopes in Spanish racing.
Normally he should have been one of the starters in the LMS Farewell Race for Tamar Nelwan at Alsdorf (D) on November 18-19. He was an excellent endurance racer and a regular team mate of Francesc Reyes, Daniel Gonzalez and Jordi Borras.
He was present at all IMCA Model Car World Champion-ships from 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. His best result was a 15th (2005) and an 18th (2003).
Juanma was a born "bon vivant" who was always in for fun. He was everybody's friend and came regularly up with refreshing ideas in model car racing. This year he was the 15th best racer of the world as can be seen at our Latest News web page.
His passion were fast cars and fast motor bikes and with 1/1 cars he was an extremely good driver. For 2007 he was selected for the SARA GT3 Euro Championship with an Aston Martin DBSR9 which he was expected to share with Jordi Gerald.
It's unrealistic to realise that we'll see him never back. To his family IMCA expresses its deep feelings of regret and its very sincere condolences. [J.R.]

Juanma could compete with the best model car racers in the world. Here a picture of the 2003 X-Mas races where we see Juanma (left) together with the winner "Piki" and with runner-up Nick de Wachter. It's hard to realise that we'll see him never back.

Werner Grund & R. Fellauto passed away

Sons of Reggie Coram and of Jeff Mack  were assasinated

October 3 - We were only informed recently about the dramatic end of two slot-racers and two sons of slot-racers. In Germany Werner Grund, father of Norman, died from a heart attack during a slot-racing contest. The Grunds belonged to the best slot-racers in Central-Germany.  In 2000 they were present with the German team at the World Cup in Roeselare. Werner finished with Manfred Stork 8th at the 2000 Model Car European Championship. He was a regular visitor of the races orga-nised by the FNS, but also a regular entrant of DSC races in the Frankfurt area.  At the DSC Mitte he was always one of the most difficult racers to beat.  About him Onno Tiemens wrote in a report on a DSC race at Bishofsheim: "Dennoch war die Truppe unvollständig und wird es leider auch bleiben müssen. Nicht nur die Scaleracingszene hat den Tod von Werner Grund zu beklagen, an den hier erinnert sei. Werner gehörte zu den Stammfahrern der DSC und besonders der DSC-Mitte. Mit seinem vollem Einsatz für seinen Club SRT Frankfurt und seiner aktiven und immer hilfsbereiten Teilnahme an vielen Rennen prägte Werner das Bild der Veranstaltungen mit, und zwar auf gelassen humorvolle Art. Er war ein begeisterter Racer und konnte herrlich fachsimpeln, ließ es sich auch nicht nehmen, unermüdlich immer wieder an Organisation und Rennabwicklung mitzuwirken. Mich persönlich bestürzt dieser Verlust, wir waren uns gerade näher gekommen. Werner erlag am vergangenen Mittwoch den Folgen eines Herzinfar-ktes. Die DSC gedachte Werner mit einer Schweigeminute." I have to apologize that I missed this text.


End of January - it was on the OWH but I forgot to read it - the son of G7 racer Reggie Coram was killed by a shooting on Sint-Maarten. Reggie and his son are from that lovely island where, in 1991, the Worlds were organised. We got no details on the dramatic circumstances having contributed to the tragic death of the young man.
In January too James C.  Hollabaugh, better known under the first name "Jim" passed away in his sleep. He, a former organiser of the USRA Nats, was owner of Roller City and Pit Stop Raceway.
Early August 2006, Ricardo Felauto, the best wing car racer of Argentine, was killed with 10 bullits in his head. Felauto was a police man fighting against corruption and the maffiosi in his country. He was killed in front of his door. In police ciercles there seems to be no doubt that Ricardo was victim of a cowardly attack by a local gang of crimi-nals. Ricardo was a regular visitor of the IMCA web site and sent us several reports of wing car racing in his country.


Killed too by bullits was the son of Jeff Mack. "Mack" won in 2003 Semi-Pro at the USRA Nats. Since December last year he served in the military in Iraq. It was "Gugu" Bernardino who informed us about the tragic death of his son. We have no further information.
In name of all IMCA racers I present their sincere condolences to the family of each of them.

Picture of Werner Grund as released by Onno Tiemens. Below Werner Grund with the German team at the 2000 World Cup (left of Manfred Stork)

ADIEU, MADDY . . .

Wife of IMCA bar keeper Geert finishes her life

January 20 - This morning at 8.25 am the extremely gentle Maddy,  spouse of IMCA bar keeper Geert Dierick, finished her life by a shot à bout portant. Maddy was 37 and had nothing but friends. On the picture we see her together with her husband Geert.

Racers having been in the Belgian Model Car Centre certainly will remember Maddy for her smile.

Family problems provoked the drama. It's not already known at what day the funeral will be.

The Belgian Model Car Centre closed its doors after the IMCA X-Mas Races. The track went to a fitness centre in Wervik. Less than a half year ago another member of the BMC - the late Herman Helskens, having assembled the track and scenery - also committed suicide.

 ERIC ERRTHUM KILLED BY BEST FRIEND

September 1 - A young American wing car racer - Eric Errthum - was killed last Sunday in Tulsa (USA). We found the news on the OWH Slot Car Talk 5. However, as so often is the case on Paul Kassens's magazine, the news was confusing, not correct and far from informative. On Kassens's magazine we could read one of those typical idiotic threads as sent by Tony Hobart who wrote: "I hope they nail that guy to the wall and then nail him again. Eric was a great kid and it just makes me cry to think about this."
At least The News on 6 clarified what happened. Eric was not killed intentionally like the OWH suggests. He, better known as "Lil E" in slot-racing circles, and a couple of friends were hanging out late in the evening. They were all drunk when at a given moment his best friend got a gun out. When it went off Eric Errthum was hit in the stomach (shot in the abdomen) and conducted by ambulance to one of the Tulsa hospitals where he died some hours later.  Things happened near 81st Street and Memorial.
In my archives I find no results of Eric Errthum for the years 2004 and 2005. Even at the 2004 USRA Division 1 Nats in Tulsa Errthum was absent. His best results date from 2002 when he entered a couple of races at the Great Plains USRA. He won a G12 race at the age of 14 and did even some G7 racing. Guys like Ron Herrera, Larry Blanton and Benny Justice helped him a lot, since he was a great talent. It's sad, really sad to loose such talent on such a stupid way. We'll never know where were his limits. Who knows he was the better of Greg Mills? [JPVR]
Tulsa Shooting Victim Dies, Suspect Arrested

Tulsa Police are working the shooting death of 17-year-old Eric Errthum Sunday evening.

They say Eric and his best friend were drinking and got a gun out and it somehow went off, hitting Eric in the stomach. Eric died Monday morning.
Tulsa Police arrested the best friend; the Tulsa County DA will decide what charges should be filed. Tulsa's had 44 homicides so far this year. At this time last year, we'd had 32. In Tulsa's record setting year for homicides, we'd had 40 by this point for the year.

HERMAN HELSKENS PASSED AWAY

He was certainly not the best racer of his generation, but he could have of those moments when he was able to follow the best ones. I remem-ber a round for the 1994 Model Car World Championship at Hardinckx-veld (NL) where he could finish just behind the great Sergio Maresca (I)., That day he was the best of all Belgian racers in Holland.
Herman Helskens (B) was born at De Pinte, next to Ghent, in 1968. He did some races in autosport with Formula Ve, but had not the budget to continue. I met him for the first time in 1989 when he asked me to enter my team of mechanics at my Onyx F1 team. He flow a couple of times with me in my Falcon 900 to several Grand Prix and brought my one of my Ferraris over to the Grand Prix of Portugal in 1989. In 1990 I engaged him as my personal chauffeur with my former Rolls Royce. Since I collected in those days so many speed tickets a judge retired my driver's licence during one year. Having Herman Helskens as chauffeur was quite an adventure. Each evening it was the same procedure. I had to take Herman - having drunk once more too much - over my shoulders, to throw him on the rear seat of the Rolls, and to drive him home. But at 6am he was before my door, ready to drive my around in whole Europe.
Herman was involved in the preparation of the 1994 and 1995 IMCA Worlds. Earlier, in 1991, he was the man behind my election at the Belgian parliament. The idea of the play-bill (cf. picture below) was his, and he was my best bill board paster at the election. One night we were together, sticking political posters along the street, when I was discovered by the police. Whilst the policemen were questioning me Herman slipped away to the other side of the police combi, sticking their car full of posters for my political party. When he was discovered he took extremely quickly his brush let it go over the face of the policeman and stuck him a poster ...on his face! Herman was a born anarchist, afraid of nothing in the world. Once I was elected in the parliament he was my man in the commissions. He took all notes, made me excellent reports, and then, at once, took off for the rest of the day. He stayed with me in the parliament until 1995. He was a born republican and strongly anti-royalist.

When in 1995 I stopped my political career Herman went working in Yugoslavia where he met his later wife. Together they had one daughter. Two years ago Herman helped me to set up the track at the Belgian Model Car Centre in Aalst. He made all the scenery, made the connections for the lightning, made the trainrails, the switches and everything. On Friday evening he assisted the club races, finishing at three occasions second behind "Piki". When last year I wrote my theatre piece "God is dood, 't is godgeklaagd" ("God is dead, goddamned") Herman was the man who built the decor and who transported it from theatre to theatre. He was the man too who did the publicity campaign for the theatre piece.
Around that period things started to go wrong for Herman. His wife deci-ded to leave him and went living, together with her and his little daughter, with one of Herman's brothers. That, he could never or never support. Herman became more and more depressed and phoned several times to me and to "Piki" that he wished to end his life. He became more and more embittered and was drinking without end. He lost his job, had no more income, and more than once I gave him a couple of thousand euros to survive. He lived in Ghent at a small flat and became hyper agressive. He didn't longer show at our club races, stopped laughing, became an unliveable person. Some nights he phoned me at 3 in the morning, telling that he should suicide himself. At the long last nobody believed anymore that he should do so. The evening before it happened he called me a last time, totally drunk, telling me that I was a bastard and that it was my fault that his life was a ruin, that I had done nothing to bring his wife and his little daughter back. One day later they found him hanging on a cord.
He was burried on Saturday. The church was plenty of people. I had a moment when Herman's favourite song Je suis venu dire que je m'en vais (I came tell you that I'm going) was played. Herman was a good fellow, a good friend and always loyal. At the 1994 Mello Yello Youngsters World Championship he was elected as most congenial racer. Up from next year I'll organise at the IMCA Memorials a Herman Helskens Momorial as one of the 11 rounds of the Franco Gianotti Trophy. More... [JPVR]

My 1991 political poster with from left to right former prime minister Wilfried Martens, former vice-prime minister Guy Spitaels, former vice-prime minister Louis Tobback and the leader of the Walloon Christian Party Guy Deprez. The poster, on an idea of Herman Helsekens was such a success that at the Ant-werp book fair, where I was signing my newest novel, more than 100,000 posters were sold. Four days before the elections the Belgian State, afraid by my political success, put me in jail. Herman Helskens continued my propagan-da and I won four seats, directly from jail!

THEY PASSED AWAY: CLAES TÖRNFELDT (S), RAY NUNES (CDN), DENNY TINDALL (USA)

April 29 - We were informed (only) this week that three slot-racing enthusiasts passed away.
Claes Törnfeldt from Sweden, brother of Stefan Törnfeldt, passed away in January after a long struggle against cancer. Claes was 50 years old and a famous modeler. In 1994 he finished 4th at the Concourse World Championship. In 1995, at the same event, he finished as runner-up to Steve Walker (GB). In 2003 he won Concourse at the very last IMCA Christmas Race and last year he finished still third at the Concourse Worlds. His main interests were NASCAR cars, police cars and music. Together with Hasse Nilsson he built the wooden 4-laner of a Swedish club. The track was so solid that 32 years later it is always used. Claes and Stefan were running together their parents's business. Claes built dozens of splendid NASCAR cars at scale 1/24th. Next week we'll publish some pics of his cars.
Ray Nunes from Canada passed away last week. He suffered a fatal heart attack while riding by bike to his work. Ray Nunes was the fastest Canadian wing car racer ever. In 1987, at the Toulouse Wing Car World Championship, Ray reached the main final in one of the best attended G7 Worlds ever. The race was won by P-A Watson (USA). But Nunes best performance was  winning the USRA Midwest Nats at Dan Thorn's in Bradley. As the main ended with Ray knocking off the 3 toughest guys in slots, Csaba Szekelyhidi (USA), the then nearly unbeatable Paul Pfeiffer (USA) - three times G7 world champion in a row - and P-A Watson (USA), the Canadian "National Anthem" came up on the juke box: "TAKE OFF" by Bob & Doug.

On March 18 Denny Tindall, a local American racer from Louisville, pas-sed away after a long disease.  The last years he was the man pitted by the door in a wheelchair at Bullitt Speedway in Louisville. He  has also been a regular at the now closed track in Madison In. and at Greene's raceway in Bedford. Denny was the one that helped most of the young kids get started at Bullitt by helping them build cars or letting them race one of his. He was also seen on many occasions paying their entry fee so they could race one of his cars. It would be very difficult to find somebody at Bullitt that has not at some time raced one of Denny's cars. He is greatly missed and was a great example for others in his genorosity of helping new people in the hobby.
At the Franco Gianotti Trophy we commemorate all former racers having passed away. It's a long list with among them Peter Pancke, Thomas Sasse and Oliver Beeck from Germany; Michel Blanchet from France; Franco Gianotti and Marco d'Amato from Italy, "Smette" and "Rosse Snor" (Dirk Devos) from Belgium; Jan Groos from Holland; Hans-Peter Sutter from Switzerland; H-H. Kristiansen from Denmark. Now we have to add Claes Törnfeldt from Sweden, Ray Nunes from Canada and Denny Tindall from the States to this long list. Let's give the dead their due at the Franco Gianotti Trophy. Or with the words of Paul Kassens: "Slot cars bring together people from all walks of life, and all corners of the globe - making friends for life who just happen to share the same hobby. Whether it is a close family member, or a friend met more casually through our hobby, job, or even here on the net... the passing of someone we know is always a shocking reminder of our own mortality." [JPVR]  

 

 

PETER PANCKE passed away

The same day that at the IMCA Worlds a minute of silence was respected to commemorate the late Franco Gianotti, and all other slot-racers who passed away, Germany's Peter Pancke died. He was a member of the SRC Weser-Ems and often seen in the races of the North-German Liga. "Pancki" - as he was called by his friends - was a typical serious local racer, alas never seen in international racing.

His son Leo(nhard) was also well-known in German model car cercles. At the German Slot-Racing forum a long list of racers showed their "Beileid".

After Thomas Sasse and Oliver Beeck, Peter Pancke is already the third German racer to pass away in hardly one year. In the long list of deceased slot-racers we find also Michel Blanchet (F), "Smette" (B), Jan Groos (NL), Dirk Devos (B), Hans-Peter Sutter (CH), Franco Gianotti (I), Marco d'Amato (I), H-H Christiansen (D), and so many others who we never met.

It should be great if one of the DSC races could bear his name, because this is the best way never to forget him.

Personally I had never the honour to meet him. My condolences go to his son and his family.

J.P.V.R.

Thomas Sasse (Mr. Totoslot) passed away

 

June 8 - Matthias Parke informed us yesterday evening that one of the most congenial slot-racers of the world, Thomas Sasse (D), passed away in the night from June 6 to June 7. He died during the night in his hotel room at Bordeaux, where he was present for the traditional international old-timer race.
Together with Philippe Point, Samy Béraha, Russell Sheldon and Françis Bogaert, Thomas Sasse was one of the most important collectors of old-timer slot cars. Year after year one could admire his  superb vintage cars at the Mettmann Rennen where he won at several occasions concourses and races. Where he showed, Thomas Sasse was always the first to help others with advice or with spare parts for their vintage cars. Several times he gave his own cars to others to let them be raced. After Oliver Beeck in September 2003 and Marco d'Amato in January 2004, Thomas Sasse is already the third famous slot-racer to pass away in less than one year. On the German Slot Car Forum we found following homage to Thomas Sasse:
"Totoslot war ein Slotracer aus Leidenschaft, besonders die Oldie Fahrzeuge aus den 60igern hatten es ihm angetan.Viele kennen ihn von den Oldtimer Rennen in Mettmann und in Hamburg, wo er jedem mit Rat und Tat half. Die Tat bestand meist darin, jemandem ein Auto aus seinem Fuhrpark für ein Rennen auszuleihen - so erhielt er auch den Beinamen "größter Autoverleiher der Slotbranche
Aus dem Forum, wo er seit den Anfangszeiten aktiv ist, kennen ihn die Meisten mit seinen sehr schönen und unterhaltbaren Weihnachts-geschichten und seinen Reiseberichten aus der Slotracingwelt. Dazu konnte er wunderbar das Wissen aus "alter" Zeit zu aktuellen Fragestellungen beisteuern und war so maßgeblich am Know-How-Transfer für die heutigen Slot-/Scaleracer beteiligt.
Dass er dabei immer ein liebenswerter Missionar für das Oldtimer Slotracing blieb, muss eigentlich nicht extra erwähnt werden.
Aus Bordeaux hätte er sicher auch eine Menge zu erzählen gehabt.
Für uns kamen aus Bordeaux leider nur schlechte Nachrichten, denn mit Thomas verlieren wir einen besonders netten und einmaligen Slotkumpel."

 

Reflections at the death of a German slot-racer
OLIVER BEECK PASSED AWAY

September 10 - Matthias Parke informed me by mail that the German model car racer Oliver Beeck, specialised in model car racing with vintage cars, passed away on August 11 after an accident with the new motor bike which he bought shortly before. Since the early 1990s Oliver Beeck was member of the SRC Kiel and performed well at the classic races of the North-German Liga.
Oliver Beeck had strong own principles concerning model car racing. When I tried my old tactic, by launching a controversy on the North-German Slot-Racing Forum, hoping that the result should be the creation of a German Model Car Racing Federation, Oliver Beeck was one of my most direct opponents, swearing that he never should enter a race organised by the IMCA. Everybody knows that my favourite tactic failed completely in Germany, so I decided to send an e-mail to Oliver, a mail where I explained what went wrong. I wrote the text of the mail in English and asked one of my friends to translate it in correct German. When the translation arrived, early-July, I was so busy with the preparation of the IMCA Nats that I forgot to send the mail. Now I feel really guilty that I omitted to do so. In the past my most radical opponents, after a long controversy, became nearly always my best co-operators, bringing innovation within IMCA. I always hoped that I should convince Oliver that he was a valuable guy, and that he could have co-operated in a new approach of German racing. Now he's no longer there, I can only apologize for my stupid attacks. The death of Oliver Beeck let me decide to stop my tactics of controversies in order to obtain progress. It is perfectly true that in science sharp controversies contribute to the most direct progress of human knowledge. However, slot-racing is not a science and slot-racers are no scientists. Neat and well-educated racers as Oliver Beeck don't accept violent attacks. In a certain sense his death (only 34 years old!) influences IMCA politics more than his life. The tragic accident opened my eyes. International slot-race politics can be exercised in a better way than I always did. Let's never forget that lesson. [JPVR]

  

IN MEMORIAM FRANCO GIANOTTI

October 23, 2002. Today one of the world's best scale racers, Italy's Franco Gianotti (47) has been buried in Brescia. Where they showed, he and his wife Corinna, they were a living example of hapiness so rare in this postmodern times of stress, anxiety and insecurity. They had nothing than friends.  Franco was a self-made man, expanding business in several branches. He married Corinna Bernardelli. In 1985 he built with Giovanni Montiglio his first slot-racing track and entered together with Corinna at once international instead of club racing.  Meanwhile he started La Padana Ricambi, a firm specialised in parts for scooters. Two days ago he found that the roof of the building was leaking and let come three specialists in roofing. When shortly before noon he - an extremely carefull person - wished to take a look at the leak, the roof cracked making him falling 8 metres down, just a few meters aside a pile of carton boxes where he could have landed safely. After his fall Franco was perfectly conscious and showed no external injuries. Shortly after noon he was brought to hospital and seemed to be out of danger until deeper anlaysis let expect an internal emorrhage at bouth lungs. Franco lost consciousness and died at 13h47. Corinna found just the time to see him still alive, arriving from home. Today she and her two daughters Arianna (10) and Silvia (7) accompained Franco with many slot-racing friends for his last trip. To Corinna and her two daughters the IMCA staff presents its sincere condolences. In the article below JPVR describes the international slot-race career of Franco and Corinna.

1985 - Before 1985 Franco Gianotti was totally unknown as a slot-racer, even in his own country. However, his first international race, at the Antwerp Crest Hotel was enough to remember him. He and his wife Carine arrived as two amateurs. They entered the second Pinky Point race where - except for Jan Limpach - all the best wing car racers and scale racers from the world were present. That they could qualify among the top-16 of 46 hyper professional teams was considered as an accident. But when 12 hours later he and his wife Corinna finished as high as 5th, immediately behind the best wing car experts of the world, and ahead of all scale racers, the great Sergio Maresca or Giovanni Montiglio included, nobody was intended to forget him. But even if he and Corinna had finished 46th and last, it should not have been other: with Corinna slot-racers discovered a dream woman, classy, gentle, extremely beautiful. By finishing 2nd in their second race, now even ahead of the best Americans, they were at once accepted as real experts in endurance racing. To the end of the year they confirmed their talent at a 24-hour race where they finished 5th overall (even ahead of the legendary Paul Pfeiffer, triple wing car world champ) and first in the class GT. On the left pic they received their awards out of the hands of Jan Groos (who passed away in 1999 due to diabetics). But Franco was not only an excellent endurance racer. At the European Grand Prix, a sprint race on the MRTU Blue King he qualified for the main (pic above with f.l.t.r. Didier Moret, Marc Joyeux, Jon Laster, JPVR, Csaba Szekelihydi and Franco himself) where he finished 3rd overall, even ahead of America's Jon Laster (IOC n°2 at those days).

1986 will bring the confirmation that Franco and Corinna are excellent racers. They easily win the European Endurance Championship, organised by de U.E.S., i.e. the European Federation of Scale Ragers. After the withdrawal of Charleroi it's a series over three rounds (France, Spain and Italy). At their own track in Brescia (round 2) Francco and Corinna score their first international win. But up from now they try also to convince in individual racing. That's why they are both present at the World Championships at Valkenburg (NL). At the PR132 race Franco even realised the main final. In ES32 Corinna seemed to make easily the move to the main final, when at the last stages of the semis she looses a nearly certain second place. At two occasions Corinna finishes ahead of Franco, but just as in daily life, they are pretty close together. They also enter the 12 races of the UES European championship (ES32, PR32, F1) where Franco finishes 6th in PR32 and 8th in F1, again with Corinna close behind. At the 3rd Benelux Cup, a race with IOC-status, Franco and Corinna, now helped by Brazil's Celso Duarte, finish 4th overall, despite an extremely qualitative racer's field. The 4th Benelux Cup (at that days there were two such races per year) a very tactical game is played. Indeed it is the race deciding who of Willy Heerwegh (B) or Sergio Maresca (I) will win the famous Ferrari 308 GTB, being the first prize at the end of the 1985-86 Pinky Point Cup. The race goes with PR32, split in two classes: the faster EuroToy 1 and faster Club Car race in Division 1, the slower and older Plus car in Division 2. Before the start the gap between Heerwegh and Maresca is down to 3 little points. Since the unbeatable Maresca starts in Division 1, Heerwegh opts for Division 2: if Sergio wins his class, Willy has to do the same in Division 2 to win the Ferrari. The Italians decide to align their best racers in Divsion 2 with the instruction that as many of them can finish ahead of Belgium's Willy Heerwegh. Franco Gianotti is among the racers who have to stop Willy, together with Alberto Capra and the extremely fast young Michele Scarpato. Corinna is with Giacobbi in Division 1 to protect Maresca as well as possible. The 6 finalists in Division 1 (pic above left) are Debella (USA), Ingram (CND), Corinna, Maresca, Bellenger (F) and Giacobbi. The hyper nervous Maresca, normally never deslotting, looses the lead around mid-race when he deslots a couple of times and when one of the Heirwegh friends (Bellenger) holds up Maresca: enough for Chuck Ingram to set the pace. Corinna tries a couple of times to hinder the Canadian, but at no avail: he wins Division 1 with Maresca as second. That means that in the Division 2 final Heerwegh should finish at least second to win the Ferrari 38 GTB. He has Laurent Cardin (F) and JPVR (B) as allies, Capra, Scarpato and Franco as enemies. Immediately after the start Scarpato and Capra are pulling away from the rest of the field, with Heerwegh as third (too low to win the Ferrari). Just before mid-race a drama for Maresca when Scarpato deslots and has to retire with a broken Alba AR6. Heerwegh is now again second and sure to win the Ferrari. Then, however, comes Franco. He bites his Alba AR6 in the rear of Heerwegh's and even succeeds to pass him when the Belgian is heating his motor. Franco fights as a devil to keep his second place, but has during the last segment no more power when his motor is totally up. Eventually Heerwegh can pass Franco to win the second place and the Ferrari 308 GTB. Left below and standing we detect Capra, Heerwegh, Scarpato, JPVR, Franco and Cardin. 

1987 - Franco and Corinna decide to specialise in individual sprint races and to stop endurance racing. The Toulouse (F) Worlds bring the confirmation that they belong up from now to the elite of international pros. At all races, except the F1 race (where he is the first non qualified for the move) Franco realises the main: he finishes 6th in PR32 and Old Timers and gets as 3rd at the ES32 Scale Racing Worlds the podium with Giuseppe Rudilosso and Tim Ryan (after the disqualification of winner Sergio Maresca). He will be with Rudilosso and the nearly invisible Ryan, the first European racer to come on the cover of John Ford's famous American SARN Magazine. At Profondville he will finish second to Achim Burgmann in the European G12 Model Car Championship (with Corinna finishing 7th). At the Old Timer EuroNats, also at Profondville Corinna will finish as 9th, but Franco makes again the main, finishing 4th. This year the Pinky Point standings cover the 6 races at Toulouse (among them the G7 wing car race) and the 4 races at Profondville (among them again one G7 wing car race). In the overall ranking Franco will finish second to Jan Limpach, and being classified as the second best racer of 1987. He is now a star, able to beat the best racers in the world. He and Corinna are much appreciated international pros and any organiser of a top event wish to have them at the start. More and more he's interested in developing his own slot-race parts. He will contribute to the improvement of the Tover, a new production car, which he lets test by Giorgio Brenna. The new car is full of child diseases, but Franco continues to work on it. Meantime he runs his own club at Brescia. He starts up a manufactury specialised in parts for motor bikes. In daily life he's now a much appreciated business man with Corinna as an admirable help. For Franco and Corinna it becomes more difficult to travel around the world and to show at all international meetings. That explains why they are absent at the UES European Championship for scale 1/32nd cars. For 1988 they plan just one international trip to the Chicago Worlds, where spread over one week, they can enter a dozen of races with the best racers on earth. Since there is an Endurance World Championship scheduled, going over 5 rounds, they make it to their main objective for 1988. 

1988 - This year the IMCA pays for 50 non-American racers a plane ticket to Chicago and 8 days of free hotel. It will be the best attended Worlds in the history of slot-racing with more than 150 racers coming from 17 different countries together in IMCA's new commercial raceway. The Gianottis show with an extremely well prepared Parma Flexi chassis equipped with a standard Mura X12 and a Tiga CG287. As was done at the last Pinky Point race in 1986 there are again 2 classes: C1 is the Open G12 class, C2 the production class. All cars are at scale 1/24th. Half of the racers go for C1 with the ProSlot RTR as most popular chassis, the other half for C2 with the new stamped chassis EuroToy RTR as favourite. Franco is an intelligent guy: he knows that most top racers go after overall victories and use C1 cars for this, so that competition in C2 is less heavy. There are 5 races to go: 4 over 3 hours and one over 12 hours. In each class (C1 and C2) the top-10 finishers win the same amount of points. In C2 Franco's most dangerous competitors are Jan Limpach (USA)/Wayne Bramble (AU), Dan Debella (USA)/JPVR (B), Lee Gilbert/Dave Liebenthal (USA) and Mike "Raisin" Garrett/Boyt Johnson (USA). Franco counts that in C1 the wolves will devore each other. Thr first round is won by Dieter Jens/Burkhrd Werner, driving a rental car, since their luggage was lost on the plane. C2 goes to Lee Gilbert/Liebenthal, with Debella/JPVR as 2nd, and Franco and Corinna as 3rd. The following round Jens/Werner are disqualified. Andrew Smith/Timothy Smith (USA) are the surprising winners, whilst Franco and Corinna bring their Tiga home as 4th and C2 winner. Limpach/Bramble, having finished 4th at round 1 are now 3rd. That means that Franco and Corinna lead the provisional standings with 32 points, heading the C1 drivers Bernardino/Buggenhout (BR) with 27 points, Debella/JPVR with 25 points, Gilbert/Liebenthal with 24 points and Limpach/Bramble with 22 points. Round 3 is won by the C1-drivers Rudilosso and Trigilio (I) having now 32 points. C2 goes to Gilbert/Liebenthal increasing their points total to 44. By finishing 3rd in C2 Franco and Corinna are now in with an equal total of points, whilst Debella/JPVR, having finished as 2nd C2 stand on 40 points. Limpach/Bramble (4th in C2) are now already 12 points behind the leaders. The fact that Bernardino/Buggenhout missed to qualify implies that no C1 teams are any longer dangerous for Franco and Corinna. Round 4 is won by Capra/Montiglio (I) ahead of Rudilosso/Trigilio. C2 is won by Maresca/Giacobbi who swifted from an unsuccessful C1 to C2. Debella/JPVR are 2nd, Limpach/Bramble 4th, Liebenthal/Gilbert 5th and Franco and Corinna only 6th. That gives the following standings: 1. Debella/JPVR 55 pts, 2. Liebenthal/Gilbert 52 pts, 3. Franco/Corinna 50 pts, 4. Rudilosso/Trigilio 47 pts, 5. Limpach/Bramble 40 pts, 6. Bernardino/Buggen- hout 39 pts. That means that the last round will be decisive. Rudilosso/Trigilio decide not to start to let Franco's chances on winning intact. The Italians decide that wonderboy Sergio Maresco has to help Franco and Corinna to win the title. Debella/JPVR opt for Mark Harrison (GB) as third driver, Gilbert and Liebenthal for Jeff W. Long (USA), Limpach/Bramble for Paul Lyon (GB) and Bernardino/Buggenhout for Dieter Jens (D).  
Fastest away at the fifth and decisive round is "Gugu" Bernardino, winning the $ 1,000 US. For Lee Gilbert the race starts as a disaster when the chassis of his Gebhardt JGTC is bent after a crash. But also Debella & Co are in problems, loosing 350 laps in the pits. When everybody is back on track we find 2 C1 cars leading: Bernardino/Buggenhout/Jens followed by Young/Duarte/Werner. Franco and Corinna are now 3rd, Limpach & Co 4th, Debella & Co 7th, Gilbert & Co 8th. That means that Franco is on his way to become the 1988 Endurance World Champion. 

Then, after 8 hours of racing, Franco had at once a serious motor problem. Changing brought no solution and he decided to change braids, leadwire and gear. When he came back on the track his advance over Debella/JPVR was at once down to 39 laps. With Franco leading C2 (good for 20 points) and Debella as second (good for 15 points) both teams were virtually with an equal amount of points: 70. In that case the ranking of the four racers (Corinna, Franco, Debella, JPVR) should depend upon the achieved number of laps. After 9 hours of racing Franco had still an advance over Debella of 25 laps, but in total, over the 5 races, he had done 24 less than Debella. That implied that he was still virtual leader, but only ... one lap ahead of Dan. After 9 hours racers were replaced. With Corinna being extremely tired it was decided that Maresca should do the stint, while Debella give it to Harrison. During one full hour both cars were still in the same position, with at the end always a 25 lap difference. After 10 hours Franco came back for a one hour stint, thus Dan did the same. He needed 36 minutes to take one lap on Franco. The direct consequence was that both had now 70 points and an equal number of laps. Then Debella decided to attack as hard as he could. In 5 minutes he took 2 other laps on Franco and was now the virtual world champion. However his attack was so heavy that the gear was coming off. After repairs Debella was at once 120 laps down to Franco. Meantime Limpach jumped into the second place in C2, so that even on points Debella came now 3 units short to be the world champion. Franco, however was so tired, that he had to ask Maresca to take over. After 11 hours of racing Debella had achieved 161 laps more over 5 races than Franco: now it was sufficient that he could pass Limpach's car to be again the virtual world champ. The last hour both teams convenied that JPVR should do the last stint for Debella's team, Maresca for Franco's team. Limpach decided to do a double stint. After 11 hours the difference between him and JPVR was 30 laps. Debella could only be world champion if JPVR could pass Limpach. He tried what he could, however without taking the smallest lap back. Eventually Franco, Corinna and Sergio Maresca finished 3rd overall behind both Brazilian teams, but as winner in C2. By finishing 5th, 32 laps down to Limpach's car, and as 3rd C2, Debella came 3 points short to be the new world champion. So Franco was crowned the 1988 Endurance World Champion, with beautiful Corinna as runner-up. It brought him on the cover of the famous EuroSlot magazine (n°13) together with Mike Swiss who won the wing car worlds and Jan Limpach who won the scale worlds.
1989  was the last year that the Gianottis were seen in international racing. Meantime JPVR withdrew from slot-racing after he bought a F1 team with Stefan Johansson, Bertrand Gachot (and later J.J. Lehto) as racers. He gave Andrew Smith the financial means to continue the IMCA. Andrew organised in 1989 a new world championship in Chicago, but now with less races. One last time Franco Gianotti reached the main, now at the Scale Racing Worlds, where no less than 6 Italians were in for the final combat. Franco was a long while found in third position (just as in 1987), but eventually he had to retire with technical problems. In 1990 the IMCA had no longer own financial means and Andrew Smith was unable to continue the great international events of the five preceding years. In 1991 Corinna was pregnant and the Gianottis disappeared from the international scene. Up from now Franco was busy with his new firm, but he released time by time high quality slot-racing parts. This year he released a new competitive G12 chassis, and it was told that he should make his come-back. A stupid 8-metre fall from the roof of his building ended the hope on any return. With Franco Gianotti the international community of slot-racing pros looses one of its most congenial racers. Up to now Franco is always ranked among the top-50 on the all-time ranking of slot-racers. He will be missed by all of us. [JPVR]

SURVEY OF ALL INTERNATIONAL RESULTS BY FRANCO GIANOTTI

1985 Pinky Point 12h-Enduro #2 (later called 2nd Benelux Cup) 1985 Pinky Point 3h-Enduro #3 1985 Pinky Point 24h-Enduro #8  1985 Pinky Point European GP #4
1. Csaba Szekelihydi/J.Strachan(USA) 1. Achim Burgmann/A.Pomeranz(D) 1. Willy Heerwegh/Chantal Aerts(B) 1. Csaba Szekelihydi (USA)
2. Martin Gramann(A)/B. Möbus(D) 2. Franco & Corinna Gianotti(I) 2. Csaba Szekelihydi/J.Strachan(USA) 2. Didier Moret (F)
3. Joel Montague/Jon Laster (USA) 3. Bernd Möbus/Fritz Mattern (D) 3. Jon Laster (USA)/JP van Rossem(B) 3. Franco Gianotti (I)
4. Paul Pfeiffer/P-A Watson (USA) 4. JP van Rossem/W. Heerwegh (B) 4. Axel Pomeranz/Erich Lorenz (D) 4. John Strachan (USA)
5. Franco & Corinna Gianotti (I) 5. G. Montiglio/A.ngelo Magnani (I) 5. Franco & Corinna Gianotti(I) 5. Jean Pierre van Rossem (B)
6. Sergio Maresca/Paolo Niccolai (I) 6. Samy Béraha/Gérard Caupène (F) 6. Henk Scheffer/Jeroen van Es (NL) 6. Jon Laster (USA)
7. Jan Ekman/Bjarne Liliendahl (S) 7. Sergio Maresca/Paolo Niccolai (I) 7. Antonio Merlini/Marco Venturi (I) 7. Dominique Bellenger (F)
8. Philippe Laudet/Henri Roufosse (B) 8. Trevor Crout/Tim Ryan (GB) 8. André Dame/René Dame (NL) 8. Erich Lorenz (D)

Antwerp  July 19 1985 - 92 entries

 Antwerp July 20 1985 - 57 entries Uden (NL) Nov 8-9 1985 - 44 entries Uden (NL) - Nov 9 1985 - 16 entries
1986 Scale Racing Worlds ES32  1986 Model Car Racing Worlds 1/24 1986 UES EuroNats Production 132 1986 UES EuroNats ES32 Scale
1. Sergio Maresca (I) 1. Giovanni Montiglio (I) 1. Paolo Trigilio (I) 1. Sergio Maresca (I)
2. Giovanni Montiglio (I) 2. Georges Baikry (B) 2. Jean-Claude Malherbe (F) 2. Angelo Magnani (I)
3. Bruno Novarese (I) 3. Sergio Maresca (I) 3. Giorgio Brenna (I) 3. Jan Limpach (USA)
4. Dan Debella (USA) 4. Jon Laster (USA) 4. Gérard Caupène (F) 4. Giorgio Brenna (I)
5. Pietro Razzano (I) 5. Michele Scarpato (I) 5. Olivier Demoget (F) 5. Paolo Trigilio (I)
6. Tom Hansen (USA) 6. Olivier Demoget (F) 6. Franco Gianotti (I) 6. Gérard Caupène (F)
12. Corinna Gianotti (I) 27. Corinna Gianotti (I) 7. Willy Heerwegh (B) 13. Franco Gianotti (I)
21. Franco Gianotti (I) 30. Franco Gianotti (I) 19. Corinna Gianotti (I) 21. Corinna Gianotti (I)

Valkenburg (NL)  July 11-13 1986 - 82 entries

 Valkenburg (NL) - July 13 1986 - 227 entries Italy, France, Spain, Belgium  - 63 racers ranked Italy, France, Spain, Belgium  - 68 racers ranked
1986 UES EuroNats F1 1986 Pinky Point 132PR #40 1986 Pinky Point ES32  #41 1986 4th Benelux Cup PR132
1. Giovanni Montiglio (I) 1. Sergio Maresca (I) 1. Sergio Maresca (I) 1. Chuck Ingram (CDN)
2. Sergio Maresca (I) 2. Willy Heerwegh (B) 2. Dave Harvey (GB) 2. Sergio Maresca (I)
3. Jean-Claude Malherbe (F) 3. Chuck Ingram (CND) 3. Giovanni Montiglio (I) 3. Alberto Capra (I)
4. Paolo Trigilio (I) 4. Silvio Giacobbi (I) 4. Chuck Ingram (CND) 4. Willy Heerwegh (B)
5. Maura Magnani (I) 5. Dan Debella (USA) 5. Jan Limpach (USA) 5. Ian Jensen (GB)
6. Gérard Caupène (F) 6. Jan Limpach (USA) 6. Ian Jensen (GB) 6. Giovanni Montiglio (I)
8. Franco Gianotti (I) 11. Corinna Gianotti (I) 13. Corinna Gianotti (I) 12. Corinna Gianotti (I)
9. Corinna Gianotti (I) 20. Franco Gianott i (I) 17. Franco Gianott i (I) 21. Franco Gianott i (I)

Italy, France, Spain, Belgium  - 64 racers ranked

 Antwerp (B) Nov 22 - 48 entries Antwerp (B) Nov 22 - 50 entries Antwerp (B) Nov 23 - 40 entries
1986 3rd Benelux Cup Hard Plastic Model Cars 1986 Bordeaux 24-h (132 EEC #1) 1986 Big Ben 24-h (132 EEC #2)
1. S. Maresca/Giovanni Montiglio/M. Scarpato (I) 1. M. Thoumieu/S. Trécul/J-F Mallet/D.Dupuis (F) 1. F.Gianotti/C.Gianotti/E.Carrara/P.Roversi (I)
2. JP van Rossem (B)/J. Limpach/D. Debella (USA) 2. S. Béraha/Fr. Béraha/L. Cardin/G.Caupène (F) 2. J.Armengol/A.Ortega/Francesco Mareu (E)
3. W. Heerwegh/Chantal Aerts/Georges Baikry (B) 3. Didier Ritter/F. Cardin/Christophe Peix (F) 3. G. Caupène/D. Ritter/L. Cardin/F. Cardin (F)
4. Franco Gianotti/Cor. Gianotti (I)/C. Duarte (BR) 4. F.Gianotti/C.Gianotti/E.Carrara/P.Roversi (I) 4. Michel Thoumieu/Serge Trécul/D. Dupuis (F)
5. G. Brenna/Alberto Capra/Silvio Giacobbi (I) 5. J-L Orban/H.Roufosse/P.Laudet/F.Cathénis (B) 5. M. Pascual Laborda/M. San José/M. SanRemo(E)
6. C. Ingram (CDN)/J-L Orban (B)/H. Roufosse (B) 6. J.Armengol/M. Pascual Laborda/M.San José (E) 6. J. Rosines/R. Guixa/J. Basas/X.Vila i Garcia (E)
7. R. Klose(D)/Schnier (D)/Tracy Adamson (CDN)  7. F. Callat/P. Point/W.Ingelbrecht/S.Vuillemin (F) 7. ?
8. Jon Laster/Mark Lowrie(US)/B.Adamson(CDN) 8. - 8. ?
Antwerp (B) Nov 22-23 - 58 entries Bordeaux (F) March 13-15  - 25 entries Mallerussa (E), Nov 1986 - 36  entries
1986 Brescia 6-h (132 EEC #3) 1986 Final Ranking EEC 132 1985-6 Final Ranking Pinky Pnt 1987 Scale Racing Worlds ES 32
1. A.Capra/G.Montiglio/M.Magnani/S.Giacobbi (I) 1. Franco Gianotti (I) 18 pts 1. Willy Heerwegh (B) 488 pts 1. Giuseppe Rudilosso (I)
2. F.Gianotti/C.Gianotti/E.Carrara/P.Roversi (I) 1. Corinna Gianotti (I) 18 pts 2. Sergio Maresca (I) 485 pts 2. Tim Ryan (GB)
3. Paolo Niccolai/Paolo Trigilio/Stano Uti (I) 1. Enrico Carrara (I) 18 pts 3. Giovanni Montiglio(I) 371 pts 3. Franco Gianotti (I)
4. S.Maresca/M.Scarpato/W.Cartella/M.Comincini 1. Paolo Roversi (I) 18 pts 4. Jean-P van Rossem (B) 325 pts 4. Jan Limpach (USA)
5. G. Brenna/A.Ventimiglia/M.Mero/C.Cassino (I) 5. Serge Trécul (F) 12 pts 5. Dan Debella (USA) 324 pts 5. Sergio Maresca (I)
6. Pino Castricone/G.Gianmarco/Mauro Bettini (I) 6. Michel Thoumieu (F) 12 pts 6. Jan Limpach (USA) 295 pts 6. Tom Hansen (USA)
7. F. Tutone/Maurizio Senzione/Marco Bellini (I) 6. Didier Dupuis (F) 12 pts 17. Corinna Gianotti (I) 132 pts 7. Mark Harrison (GB)
8. G. Caupène/Michel Thoumieu/Didier Dupuis (F) 8. Laurent Cardin (F) 10 pts 19. Franco Gianott i (I) 126 pts 8. Alberto Capra (I)
Antwerp (B) Dec 1986 - 28 entries 42 racers ranked of the 65 entrants 179 of the 1,680 entrants over 42 races are ranked Toulouse (F) Nov 19 - 45 entrants
1987 Model Car Worlds 1/24 G12 1987 World Cup 132 Production 1987 World Cup 132 F1 1987 World Cup 124 Old Timers
1. Georges Baikry (B) 1. Georges Baikry (B) 1. Sergio Maresca (I) 1. Leo Vogel (NL)
2. Paul Lyon (GB) 2. Paolo Trigilio (I) 2. Bruno Novarese (I) 2. Samy Béraha (F)
3. Willy Heerwegh (B) 3. Sergio Maresca (I) 3. Paolo Trigilio (I) 3. Willy Heerwegh (B)
4. Sergio Maresca (I) 4. Giovanni Montiglio (I) 4. Angelo Magnani (I) 4. Giovanni Montiglio (I)
5. Jean-Claude Malherbe (F) 5. Jan Limpach (USA) 5. Alberto Capra  (I) 5. Dan Debella (USA)
6. Franco Gianotti (I) 6. Franco Gianotti (I) 6. Henri Roufosse (B) 6. Franco Gianott i (I)
7. Corinna Gianotti (I) 7. Henri Roufosse (B) 7. Chris James (GB) 7. Laurent Cardin (F)
8. Andrew Tarling (CDN) 12. Corinna Gianotti (I) 9. Franco Gianott i (I) 11. Corinna Gianotti (I)

Toulouse (F) Nov 19 - 34 entrants

 Toulouse(F)  Nov 20 - 34 entries Toulouse (F) Nov 21 - 44 entries Toulouse (F) Nov 21 - 36 entries
1987 Model Car EuroNats 1/24 G12 1987 5th Benelux Cup (ES32) 1987 Old Timer EuroNats 1987 Final Pinky Point Ranking
1. Achim Burgmann (D) 1. Jon Laster (USA) 1. Jan Limpach (USA) 1. Jan Limpach (USA)
2. Franco Gianotti (I) 2. Jan Limpach (USA) 2. Giovanni Montiglio (I) 2. Franco Gianotti (I)
3. Jan Limpach (USA) 3. Willy Heerwegh (B) 3. Serge Vuillemin (F) 3. Georges Baikry (B)
4. Paul Lyon (GB) 4. Franco Tutone (I) 4. Franco Gianotti (I) 4. Jon Laster (USA)
5. Georges Baikry (B) 5. Giuseppe Rudilosso (I) 5. Giuseppe Rudilosso  (I) 5. Sergio Maresca (I)
6. Burkhard Werner (D) 6. Giovanni Montiglio (I) 6. Hugo Dekker (NL) 6. Giovanni Montiglio (I)
7. Corinna Gianotti (I) 7. Alberto Capra (I) 7. Laurent Cardin (F) 7. Willy Heerwegh (B)
8. Jean Pierre van Rossem (B) 15. Franco Gianott i (I) 9. Corinna Gianotti (I) 12. Corinna Gianotti (I)

Profondville (B) Dec 12 - 35 entrants

 Profondville (B)  Dec 13 - 32 entries Profondville (B) Dec 13 - 44 entries 63 racers ranked on 387 entrants for 10 races
1988 Endurance G12 W-Cup #1 1988 Endurance G12 W-Cup #2 1988 Endurance G12 W-Cup #3 1988 Endurance G12 W-Cup #4
1. Dieter Jens/Burkhard Werner(D)* 1. Andy Smith/Timothy Smith (US)* 1. G. Rudilosso/Paolo Triglio (I)* 1. Alberto Capra/G. Montiglio (I)*
2. Lee Gilbert/D. Liebenthal (USA)** 2. Bernardino/Buggenhout (BR)* 2. M. Harrison/Paul Lyon (GB)* 2. G. Rudilosso/Paolo Triglio (I)*
3. Alberto Capra/G. Montiglio (I)* 3. G. Rudilosso/Paolo Triglio (I)* 3. Celso Duarte/Jae Young (BR)* 3. Bernardino/Buggenhout (BR)*
4. D. Debella(US)/JP van Rossem(B)** 4. Franco & Corinna Gianotti (I)** 4. Lee Gilbert/D. Liebenthal (USA)** 4. M. Harrison/Tim Ryan (GB)*
5. Bernardino/Buggenhout (BR)* 5. L. Äberg/Anders Gustafson (S)** 5. D. Debella(US)/JP van Rossem(B)** 5. S. Maresca/S. Giacobbi (I)**
6. G. Baikry/Willy Heerwegh (B)* 6. J-T Andersson (S)/Jeff Long (US)* 6. Franco & Corinna Gianotti (I)** 6. D. Debella(US)/JP van Rossem(B)**
7. Franco & Corinna Gianotti (I)** 7. J. Limpach(US)/W. Bramble(AU)** 7. Tim Ryan (GB)/P. Sardella (CDN)* 7. Mike Garrett/B.Johnson (USA)**
8. J. Limpach(US)/W. Bramble(AU)** 8. D. Debella(US)/JP van Rossem(B)** 8. G. Baikry/Willy Heerwegh (B)* 12. Franco & Corinna Gianotti (I)**

Chicago (USA) June 24 - 48 entrants

 Chicago (USA) June 25 - 50 entrants Chicago (USA) June 26 - 60 entrants Chicago (USA) June 27 - 56 entrants
1988 Endurance G12 W-Cup #5 (later called 6th Benelux Cup) 1988 Endurance G12 World Cup - Final Ranking 1988 Model Car EuroNats (initially called Benelux Cup) 1988 World Cup 124 Old Timers
1. Buggenhout(BR)/Bernardino (BR)/D. Jens(D)* 1. Franco Gianotti (I) 70 pts 1. Alberto Capra (I) 1. Sergio Maresca (I)
2. C. Duarte(BR)/Jae Young (BR)/B. Werner (D)* 2. Corinna Gianotti (I) 70 pts 2. Dan Debella (USA) 2. Clythio van Buggenhout  (BR)
3. Franco & Corinna Gianotti (I)/S. Maresca (I)** 3. Dan Debella (USA) 67 pts 3. Giuseppe Rudilosso (I) 3. Jan Limpach (USA)
4. J. Limpach(US)/W. Bramble(AU)/P.Lyon(GB)** 4. J-P van Rossem (B) 67 pts 4. Jiri Micek (CZ) 4. Lee Gilbert (USA)
5. Debella(US)/JP van Rossem(B)/M. Harrison** 5. Lee Gilbert  (USA) 62 pts 5. Corinna Gianotti (I) 5. Giovanni Montiglio (I)
6. Alberto Capra/G. Montiglio/S.Giacobbi(GB)** 6. Dave Liebenthal (USA) 62 pts 6. Paolo Trigilio (I) 6. Paul Lyon (GB)
7. G. Baikry(B)/W.Heerwegh(B)/B.Kimpton(US)* 7. C.vanBuggenhout (BR) 59 pts 7. Sergio Maresca (I) 13. Franco Gianotti (I)
8. Lee Gilbert/D.Liebenthal/Jeff W. Long (US)** 8. G. Bernardino (BR) 59 pts 21. Franco Gianott i (I) 24. Corinna Gianotti (I)
Chicago (USA) June 27/8  - 30 entrants Chicago (USA) 63 racers ranked Chicago (USA) June 29  - 54 entrants Chicago (USA) June 29  - 35 entrants
1988 Model Car Worlds (124 G12) 1988 Scale Racing Worlds (ES32) 1989 Model Car Worlds (124 G12) 1989 Scale Racing Worlds (ES32)
1. Paolo Trigilio (I) 1. Jan Limpach (US) 1. Jan Limpach (USA) 1. Alberto Capra (I)
2. Alberto Capra (I) 2. Silvio Giacobbi (I) 2. Dave Gick (NZ) 2. Paolo Triglio (I)
3. Dan Debella (USA) 3. Chris James (GB) 3. Clythio van Buggenhout  (BR) 3. Silvio Giacobbi (I)
4. Jae Young (BR) 4. John-Torre Andersson (S) 4. George Kimber (GB) 4. Sergio Maresca (I)
5. Jan Limpach (USA) 5. Josip-Maria Armengol (E) 5. Mark Harrison (GB) 5. Giovanni Montiglio (I)
6. Lee Gilbert (USA) 6. Alberto Capra (I) 6. Mike "Raisin" Garrett (USA) 6. Mark Harrison (GB)
7. Tim Ryan (GB) 7. Sergio Maresca (I) 7. Silvio Giacobbi (I) 7. Jan Limpach (USA)
25. Franco Gianotti (I) 18. Franco Gianotti (I) 15. Franco Gianotti (I)