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Stephan Wiesel is no longer | |
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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. |
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Canada's Tim Murphy passed away | |
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He was one of the funniest racers on earth | |
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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] |
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Long disease fatal for Craig Landry | |
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He developed several Worlds winning ZAP chassis | |
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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. |
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Juanma Torres killed in motor-accident | |
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He was the second best all-time Spanish slot-racer! | |
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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. |
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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. | |
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Werner Grund & R. Fellauto passed away |
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Sons of Reggie Coram and of Jeff Mack were assasinated | |
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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.
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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)
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ADIEU, MADDY . . . | |
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Wife of IMCA bar keeper Geert finishes her life | |
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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. |
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ERIC ERRTHUM KILLED BY BEST FRIEND | ||
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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." |
Tulsa
Shooting Victim Dies, Suspect Arrested
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HERMAN HELSKENS PASSED AWAY | |
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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. |
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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. |
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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! | |
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THEY PASSED AWAY: CLAES TÖRNFELDT (S), RAY NUNES (CDN), DENNY TINDALL (USA) | |
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April 29 - We
were informed (only) this week that three slot-racing enthusiasts passed
away. |
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. |
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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. |
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Thomas Sasse (Mr. Totoslot) passed away | |
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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. | |
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Reflections at the
death of a German slot-racer | ||
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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. |
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IN MEMORIAM FRANCO GIANOTTI |
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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. |
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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). |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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) |