October 28, 2009 - One cannot compare Sergio Maresca with the average slot-racer. Therefore he is too special. Although he stopped active racing already more than 17 years ago, he's in Italy more than the God of slot-racing. The fact that he comes out of 17 years retirement was for Italian slot-racing enthusiasts the biggest news of the century. Best proof are the hundreds of mails we received from Italian supporters all asking ... where they can find entrance tickets to admire their star, just as if the Battle with the Gods Race should be organised in some big soccer stadium before immense grandstands. The last time we u5ed grandstan87at the IMCA Worlds dates from 2001. That year we organised the Worlds next to a hippodrome in a big marquee. That year another Italian, Salvatore Noviello, won the Worlds. I asked my wife, Mila, to count the mails of Italian Maresca-fans asking for entry tickets.  Yesterday evening she counted already 956 demands. And this morning there were again several dozens of similar mails. Great was the deception of all of them when we answered that the race location is only 300 square metres big and that we have absolutely no space for visitors.  For that reason we asked Daniel and Jason Schelfthout to make a long video report of the races at Herentals. So, all Maresca fans will receive the DVD of the event in the weeks to come.

Watching Sergio Maresca racing is a unique happening. Nobody in the world is so quick with his fingers as Sergio. Give him a very small straight, no longer than 30 centimetres and he goes flat out. Just as Vladimir Horky he's a born winner, but with an explosive Italian temperament so contrasting to the Slavic temperament of the always quiet Horky. Of all racers being present at the Battle of the Gods, Maresca is the only one having battled with the Great Jon Laster in more than 50 contests. The combats of Sergio against Jon were the absolute highlights in the history of slot-racing. And they battled not only on European soil, but also in the States, e.g. at the 1988 Chicago Worlds.

Maresca, then 18 years old, came into international racing in May 1985, when he showed at the first of 52 rounds of the Pinky Point Trophy where the first prize was a 1/1 Ferrari 308 GTB. Although he could not do all rounds, spread over 15 months, ha was immediately ranked at the top. Several racers from the region around Sorrento followed in the following months the example of Maresca and entered international racing. The best example was certainly Michele Scarpato who caused a stir at the 1986 Worlds at the Valkenburg Casino. Maresca entered nine world championships and won them all, but twice he was disqualified for a too low ground clearance. After his disqualification of 1992 he retired from active racing.

Maresca is owner of a four star hotel palace in Sorrento, the Hotel Mediterraneo. He's a good business man. After he retired from active racing he became for Italian home racers a living legend. His fame raised year after year and nobody expected to see him one day back in competition. For Italian youngsters the come back of "their" Sergio is the event of the year. Especially the fact that he goes into an open confrontation  with the best German model car racers, having fully dominated model car racing the three last years, makes his come back even greater and so unique. At Herentals his most dangerous opponents could be in that order Michael Niemas (D), Ralph Seif (D), Paul Gawronski (USA), "Piki" van Rossem (B), Josef Korec (CZ), Jozef Miskolci (SK), Philipp Kremer (D), Alexander Ortmann (D), Chris Radisich (NZ) and the Checa Bros (E).

Maresca comes to Belgium together with Giovanni Montiglio, the other star of Italian slot-racing. In the 1980s and early 1990s Maresca and Montiglio were the two best Italian racers, followed by Paolo Trigilio (still active in scale racing), Alberto Capra, Franco & Corinna Gianotti. From 1985 until 1992 the Italians dominated scale racing as never seen before. Later Salvatore Noviello continued the Italian tradition, winning as well the ISRA Worlds and the IMCA Worlds.  In actual scale racing only Paolo Trigilio and Piero Castricone try to prolonge the Italian successes. [JPVR]

F.l.t.r. JPVR's wife, Sergio's wife, Sergio Maresca and JPVR in the famous Don Alfonso Restaurant, a Relais & Châteaux Palace.

  Howie Ursaner

October 3, 2009 - The "Battle with the Gods Race" will be a historical event, because never more such strong entry field, covering all ages, will be seen together around a track. The man to beat is of course Sergio Maresca, in fact unbeatable, despite the fact that he stopped racing 17 years ago. Seeing Maresca in action is an attraction on its own. Even on a short straight of only 50 cm he goes flat on. Never before and never after him I saw one other racer on earth doing so. Among the very scarce racers having a tiny chance to beat him, I count not only the six Germans, but also Chris Radisich. On racing with equal cars Chris is a certitude for at least a podium place. In the past he had not always the good car, but now cars are so equal - all racing between 7'94 and 7'99 on the fastest lap, that Chris may be the most dangerous opponent for Maresca. For the Italian it will be exactly the same situation as at the last Pinky Point race in 1986, when he and his Italian friends were alone against all other racers from the world. Then the first prize was a real 1/1 Ferrari 308 GTB, and if Scarpato - from Sorrento just as Maresca - had not broken his car in two pieces, Chuck  Willy Heerwegh should have finished in C2 third (12 points) in place of second (15 points). In C1 Canada's Chuck Ingram realised the race of his life, succeeding in passing Maresca towards the end after Dominique Bellenger bumped Maresca's car out. So instead of 20 points Maresca won the same number of points as Heerwegh (15), whilst he needed 20 to bridge the 5 points gap in the overall standings. The Ferrari thus went to Heerwegh (having contested some 50 Pinky Point races) with 5 points ahead over Maresca (having contested only 20 Pinky Point races).

DAN DEBELLA'S PROPOSAL: A GEEZERS'S RANKING
In one of his mails ProSlot's Dan Debella - the manufacturer of all motors in IMCA racing - argues that there should be a separate ranking for racers under and above 50. Among the Gods they are six: Fred Hood (°1943), John Tore Anderson, Tonie Ursaner, Terry Schmid (°1950), Giovanni Montiglio (°1950) and Vlado Okali (°1955). Among the Half-Gods they are five: JPVR (°1945), Hugo Dekker (°1956), Tim Tyler (°1959), Christoph Kremer (°1959) and Jozef Miskolci (°1960). Perhaps they'll not play a dominant role in racing for the first place, but they can be decisive who'll win the battle: the Gods or the Half-Gods. 

The "Battle of the Gods Race" can be seen as a soccer or a tennis match, where it's more important to know who wins the match, than who scores by individual winning. Let's remember the basic principle.

There are four separate races:
l The 12th Production Worlds with 1/32nd handout NSR Moslers;
l The 21st Benelux Cup warm-up with 1/24th handout Procar BMW M1s;
l The 17th EuroNats Sprint warm-up with 1/24th handout Procar BMW M1s;
l The 21st IMCA Model Car Worlds Sprint with 1/24th handout BMW M1s.
Let's give the 10 first of the three first named racers res. 20, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point(s), and the double of it at the last named race. And let's add to this that the 10 first geezers win at the three first racers a bonus of 10, 7.5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.5, 1 and 0.5 points and the double at the last race, then we can see if the Half-Gods can beat the legendary Gods.  
The geezers have thus certainly an important role to play in the "Battle with the Gods" and there will be three separate trophies - at IMCA's standards, thus extremely beautiful - for the three first geezers at the final race, the Model Car Worlds sprints for PROS. Among the Gods there is only one real model car racer ("Piki"), whilst all Half-Gods are experienced with model cars, especially the Germans representing the #1 model car nation in the world: Germany (where some 15,000 people are seen on a regular basis in competition). On paper the Half-Gods start as favourite in the combat, but the Gods are such fantastic racers that - despite the presence of six German top-racers - they have serious chances to win the game.

Next week the t-shirts will be made. For the Gods it will be deep purple shirts with yellow characters, for the Half-Gods deep purple shirts with white characters. On the front side we'll put the name of the driver, the rainbow flag followed by how many times a racer was world champion (for Vladimir Horky that will thus be x 24) and the national flag indicating the racer's nation. On the back side we'll put the IOC rank number of the racer. As the racing premises are only 300 m² no other spectators than the Citation Cup racers will be allowed. Daniel Schelfthout will make a video DVD of the whole event, a DVD which will be sold to sponsors and to the several candidate spectators for who we have not enough room. Juyst before the start of the 21st IMCA Worlds there will be one minute of silence to commemorate Jon Laster. In the DVD Jon Laster will be remembered by pics and by the interviews.  [JPVR]

September 29, 2009 - It's too busy. Too busy for a man alone. Today my autobiography has been released. The whole day I had to give interviews and this evening I have to be in the TV studios of Canvas. I have hardly time to breath. This night I absolutely need to write an article about the upcoming ISRA Worlds in Finland. Next week we'll clean the track and control all 1/32nd NSR Moslers which will be used for the inaugural production race. Next week too the personalised t-shirts for the Gods and the Half-Gods will be made. Those of the Gods will be in deep purple with yellow numbers and characters, those of the Half-Gods in deep purple with white numbers and characters. Next week I have to conclude the collective insurance policy, but I am still waiting on the correct birthday of some drivers. Please mail it as soon as possible.

Still no news from John 'Tore' Anderson. Will he receive his green card in time? I don't know. At any rate we need him at the start. Joel Montague sent me a long email to apologize that he cannot show. But Joel has not to apologize. He has valid reasons to be not among us and we all accept those reasons without the smallest form of criticism. We all know that on October 31 he'll be with his heart 100 per cent with us. Meanwhile I found no solution to let make a life high portrait of Jon Laster on a plastic banner. The quality of all pics we have from Jon is alas too low. What a pity. I am still waiting on the money of our six sponsors, but as my editor pays me next Tuesday I'll do all remaining payments the same day. It concerns the Czechs, John 'Tore' Anderson, Terry Schmid and Howie Ursaner. The others, having right on € 500 will be paid upon arrival, except if they wish be to paid now. Then I ask them to send me by mail their complete bank address.  [JPVR]

September 25, 2009 - This morning I received a long mail by Joel Montague, explaining me that for business reasons and due to paperwork troubles it's not possible for him to show on October 31 at the "Battle with the Gods" race. That's something doing pain. A last homage to Jon Laster without his spiritual father Joel Montague is something that doesn't fit well. It's a master piece where the ultimate icing on the cake is missing. Things at what they are. We can certainly deplore that Joel will not be among us, but the earth continues to turn around its axle.

Of course the "Battle with the Gods race" goes with the strongest entry field ever seen in model car racing. Can we make it still stronger? Yes we can! But then we need Matti Fyhr (SF) among the Gods and Christian Schnitzler (D) and Sebastian Nockemann (D) among the Half-Gods. Schnitzler and Fyhr won this year the three rounds of the EPC. Both are excellent racers, but are they good enough to beat Sergio Maresca (I), making his come-back in competition after a 17 year break? Maresca is a world on his own, an absolute phenomenon in slot-racing. Where he starts, he comes to win. And on October 31 that will be so again. The number of racers in the world able to beat Maresca is extremely small. Can Paul Gawronski (USA) do it? Brian Saunders (GB)? The Czech trio Vladimir Horky (24 times world champion), Josef Korec (10 times world champion) and Petr Krcil (3 times world champion) are excellent competitors, but have they enough experience with hard bodied model cars to beat Maresca?  Or has it to come from "Piki" (7 times world champion), having made his come back through the big door earlier this year?

Since the famous Pinky Point Series of 1985-1986, where the first prize was a 1/1 Ferrari 308 GTB, Maresca uses to struggle with a united entry field, having only one goal: beating the unbeatable Italian. Can we make it more difficult for Maresca? Perhaps his most dangerous adversaries are such Germans as Philipp Kremer (D), Ralph Seif (D), Alexander Ortmann (D) and Michael Niemas (D). But is this enough to beat the Italian wonder boy? I hesitate. Sure, those Germans are superb racers, but perhaps they could be make even stronger if we could add Christian Schnitzler (D) and Sebastian Nockemann (D) to the entry list. We should make it not too easy for Maresca. That's why I think also on Matti Fyhr (SF). He's perhaps the best driver having seen in competition the last year. He's a typical all-rounder, able to drive any car. Wing car, scale car, model car: Matti Fyhr can drive it all with his superb driving skill. I received his new email address from Brian Saunders. I think I'll contact him this week-end. But who has the correct email addresses of Christian Schnitzler and Sebastian Nockemann? After my computer crash from mid-August I lost their addresses. Who can help?

For the moment John "Tore" Anderson (S), living in the States, has still problems getting his green card. We all hope that he can fix it in time, because we absolutely need the most Viking of all Vikings! Before the end of next week I need to know definitively the entire composition of the entry field, because I have to regulate the collective insurance policy and to let make the purple t-shirts. Moreover, if Schnitzler, Nockemann and Fyhr should show, I have to ask Michael Niemas to build three or four extra cars. Time thus urges!

Concerning the distribution of the cars Mark Campbell (CDN) wrote a vicious thread on Slotblog. He stated that the cars can never perform all equally and that it was unfair to assign the cars already now instead of doing it by lottery (as was initially our plan). In that way he let understand that we gave the best cars to our best friends. Really vicious! It's for sure that nobody can make 30 cars performing 100 per cent equally. After two test sessions it was however proved that the difference between the fastest and the slowest car is less than 0.4 seconds. That's a difference which can always be bridged by driving skill, specifically in the Esses of the MTT (where Maresca let see everyone in Toulouse, at the 1987 Worlds, that nobody can go faster in the Esses than he). The main difference between Campbell and me is that I always showed respect for racers coming from overseas, and that I always paid their travelling costs. For this year I got only sponsorship from BMW Switzerland (€ 5000 + the cars), from Abel Lepitre (6 bottles of champagne), from Marlboro (€ 1000), from Airpress Compressors (€ 500), from Memphis Meltdown Ice Cream ($ 1000 US) and from a Austrian brewery (144 bottles beer). That's why I gave the best drivers those cars: the works BMWs to Horky, "Piki", Niemas, Saunders, Seif, Ortmann, John 'Tore' and Fred Hood; the Abel Lepitre car to Maresca, the Marlboro car to Philipp Kremer, the Airpress car to Korec, the Gösser Beer car to Krcil and the Memphis car (as they wished their car being driven by the best American) to Gawronski. The car assignment has thus NOTHING to do with favouritism, as Campbell suggests. Of course our sponsors are not interested who wins or who looses. The received sponsoring was not more than a sign of friendship with a former F1 racing team owner. Nevertheless I hope that after the race I can write them that "their" car finished on a good rank! But if I calculate all my costs the promised sponsoring can certainly not cover all the travelling incentives, the trophies, the t-shirts and the € 5000 prize money. That's why I wrote quickly two new books in order to cover the rest of the costs. I have more than enough to be always incriminated by always the same two persons (Campbell and his Dutch lap-dog), knowing nothing of my financial arrangements, and condemning what I do by pure jealousy. The day that Campbell and his Dutch lap-dog will invest out of their own pocket only 1 per cent of what I invested in sponsoring slot-racing, I'll be a happy man. But I am afraid that I'll have to wait at latter Lammas to see it done.

IMPORTANT: At all races I organise I always subscribe always a collective insurance policy. So I need very URGENTLY the exact birth date of all entrants at the Battle of the Gods Race. Can you mail it asap?

September 25, 2009 - It looks as if we'll be enforced to ask Michael Niemas, the assembler of the BMW M1 cars, to make four extra. Indeed, we need actually two extra cars: one for Howie Ursaner (USA) and one for young Alexander Ortmann (D), last year still winner of the Endurance Worlds. So actually it's 14 Gods bs 14 Half-Gods. Meanwhile I received the valid e-mail address of Jan Limpach (USA), winner of three USRA G7 Nats, of six world championship and early 2000 declared "best racer of the 20th century". I sent him an invitation, not only because Upper-God Joel Montague (USA) insists, but also because he was a close friend of the late Jon Laster (USA). Very indeed Limpach and Laster worked during the 1980s close together to develop the new ES/24 car which should enter international competition up from 1991. But already much earlier Limpach and Laster developed an own American version of the ES32 with the open can motor. The real first confrontation came at Profondville (B) end 1987. At that moment the Italians dominated completely ES32 with the nearly unbeatable Sergio Maresca (I), but also with Giovanni Montiglio, Paolo Trigilio, Franco Gianotti, Alberto Capra, Giuseppe Rudilosso, Tranco Tutone, Maurizio Senzioni, etc. At Profondville they were all there with the clear intention to win the world cup in 1/32nd. Although they initially planned to show with their own Elektra, Pandana or Capri F1 chassis, they had seen Limpach and Laster at work at Le Mans where, in a round of the European Championship, where both literally pulverised the opposition, winning the race with streets of advance.

So, shortly before the Profondville World Cup the Squadra Azzuri decided to switch to the open can Camen motor which Laster and Limpach had used at the race in Le Mans. They thus all showed at Profondville with their own Italian chassis, but now equipped with the brand new Camen motor. However, Laster and Limpach anticipated on what the Italians did. Secretly, once back from Le Mans in the States, both developed an own new chassis. Laster thus came to Profondville with his new Camen JL Ml1 chassis, Limpach with the improved ProSlot Raimundo Mk6A chassis.

They changed the position of the Camen motor making the side winder angle narrower, lowering the centre of gravity and using complete new spurgear and pinion. Before the start of the fatal race of December 13 at Profondville the Italian contingent was 100 per cent sure they never could loose the ES32 race, now that they, just as Laster and Limpach, had also the fantastic new Camen ES32 motor. But already at the qualifications the Italians saw that it should be a more difficult job than they initially believed. Yes, Capra and Montiglio won the first row on the grid after the qualifications, but the gap with the two Americans on 3 and 4 was smaller than 0.1 second. Just before the race Jon Laster came with a big smile to me, telling that Limpach and he didn't go to the limit at the qualifications and that their cars had plenty of reserves.I saw Laster and Limpach doing fabulous races in my life, but I believe that December 13, 1987 was for both the best race of their life. Both they pulled away from the rest of the field, up from the start. The proud Italians could not believe their eyes: they had won everything from 1984 thru 1986 and now at once they could not follow the pace. Jon and Jan were taking them lap after lap. During seven of the eight segments they raced nose to tail. They agreed to cross side by side the finish line, just as happened with the Fords MkIIB at the 1966 Le Mans finish. But during the last segment Jan lost a pinion or so. Jon asked him if he should wait - because both had amready ... more than 30 (!) laps over the unbeatable Italians. Jan said: "Go, Jon. Don't wait me." If you have still a EuroSlot nr 9-10 of 1987 you can see at p. 97 that Jon won with 506.2 laps, against 493.5 for Limpach and 474.14 for Franco Tutone. A difference of 33 laps. Never seen before. Up from then the Italians, later followed by the French and the Britons, started to copy Jon Lasters Camen JL Mk1 chassis. He and Jan Limpach were the real founders of actual ES32/ES24 racing.
Back from my trip to Italy I received from Joel Montague several pics of Jon Laster. My intention was to make a life high banner with Jon on it, but the resolution of all pics is too low. They are now studying if there is any possibility to make a sharp pic of one of the received pics, but it's not sure that the quality will be good enough. So give me a bit more time.
IMPORTANT: At all races I organise I always subscribe always a collective insurance policy. So I need very URGENTLY the exact birth date of all entrants at the Battle of the Gods Race. Can you mail it asap?

September 21, 2009 - I am back from my short trip to Italy. There in Sorrento I met Sergio Maresca (I), probably the best racer I ever saw at work. Even on a short straight of one ft he always succeeded to go flat out. Nobody knew how he did, but he did. He comes to the Battle of the Gods with only one ambition: to win (despite the fact that he stopped racing 17 years ago). Sergio is now a successful business man. Together with Ernie Provetti (USA) and Bernd Möbus (D) he's one of the rare slot-racers who succeeded to realise his life. We made a trip to the isle Capri with one of his two yachts. He asked me a lot of technical questions, e.g. if the difference in the speed of the cars is low enough that the small handicap can be overcome by taking on the MTT the famous "Esses" at nearly full speed. Maresca knows the MTT track very well, as at the 1987 Toulouse Worlds he finished as first, far ahead over all the others. Unfortunately he was too low at the finish and was disqualified, losing the Worlds.
When I came home I found some 200 mails on my laptop. I'll try to answer them tomorrow evening, because I have still to write my weekly article for a magazine.
In Italy I prepared a memorial text for Jon Laster. I hope to have it finished for next week-end.  Jon and I spoke after his withdrawal around 1996 mainly over American policy, rarely over slot-racing. Nevertheless there was one point which Jon contested already in 1986 (one finds his vision back in the first editions of EuroSlot): the contract we subscribed December 14 at notary Ernst van Tricht's office. Jon found it wasted money to try to protect the use of the term "world championship" in slot-racing affairs. He always advocated that G27 Pro should be considered as well as a world championship as Open G7. In scale racing ES24 with complete new chassis and open motor can - his child! - could never be the lonely scale racing world championship as described in the Van Tricht document. ES32, 1/32nd F1 and 1/24th Production - defended Jon - were world championships as well, despite the fact that the Van Tricht document said nothing about those specialities.
"You should forget that stupid paper: racers decide themselves if an event has the status of a world championship. No document can replace the meaning of the majority of the racers," was what he wrote in 1986.

Although I knew that he saw it right, I hesitated to change things, otherwise it was as if I paid a fortune for nothing: the so-called "patent". O.K., we both forgot the whole thing, we continued our discussions concerning George Bush jr, around 9/11, around Irak, around Afghanistan, about Obama's public care.  But when there came problems as Mark Campbell - totally unknown to Jon - wished to organise his proper model car worlds, we came shortly back on my strange view upon "world championships" and how Jon saw it. During my trip to Italy I decided to follow Jon's vision, especially after Campbell proved black on white that the presumed Van Tricht patent was worthless. If you are interested to see the result you can click here. I have to admit that Jon's vision was in all views superior on what we put on paper in 1985.

Meanwhile Brian Saunders (GB) confirmed his entry in the Battle of the Gods Race. Who he'll replace among the Gods is still not obvious. John 'Tore' Andersson wrote he has some problems to obtain his passport. Fred Hood wrote that also Geez seems to have some paperwork problems. I cannot imagine that we should hold the Battle with the Gods without the Upper-God: Joel Montague. Geez wrote me that Jan Limpach - always very close to Jon: together they developed the revolutionary changed American version of the ES32 and the ES24 - should be present, that I have to forget the old controversy I have since Diepenbeek 2001 with Jan. I'll write Jan later this week, yes. Howie Ursaner asked how it goes further now. I hope to answer him tomorrow, just as Terry Schmid.
Good news is that Alexander Ortmann confirmed his entry with the Half-Gods. That implies that wonder boy Sergio Maresca will find the German cohorte on his difficult way to victory lane. I mean Ralph Seif (D), Philipp Kremer (D), Christoph Kremer (D), Michael Niemas (D), Alexander Otmann (D) and perhaps also  Christian Schnitzler (D). It will be not easy for Segio, making a short come-back after 17 years of inactivity.

Dan Debella proposes that we should make an apart ranking for racers over 50 years and the young lions. He's probably right that the wrecks which we are can never beat those young lions. I have to think about it. If I can also convince Matti Fyhr (SF) to show then we have a dream entry field! Wait and see.   [JPVR]

September 12, 2009 - Today one of the most famous slot-racers on earth, the great Jon Laster (55) is buried next to his father in the woods of Maine. He will be terribly missed by all of us because Laster was such unique personality. He'll be remembered as the American racer who introduced wing car techniques into modern scale racing. Laster may be considered as one of the most intelligent racers on earth. His driving abilities were unique. He could win with any kind of car from HO over Model cars to scale cars and wing cars. He helped hundreds of racers how to master the several types of slot-racing car. Racing with Laster as a team mate was just a dream. In name of all IMCA racers we present our condolences to his family, especially to his mom and to his sisters.

Concerning the upcoming Battle with the Gods Race, organised as a Jon Laster Memorial, I can confirm that Terry Schmid will be among the Gods. As Dan Debella decided not to race no extra car will be needed for the BMW M1 race. Terry Schmid was one of those American youngsters who in the 1960s was the first racer of Russkit, travelling around in whole America. He was from the New York group, together with Ernie Provetti and Tony P. I received an email by Terry Schmid, confirming his entry, but I didn't yet find time to answer. Meanwhile I wired via my bank $ 7000 US starting bonuses five racers (Gawronski, Tyler, Radisich, Stahl, Hood). Payment to the other racers will be done by the end of the month, when I am back from Italy. I wait on the full bank addresses of Howie Ursaner, Terry Schmid, John 'Tore' Andersson and Joel Montague. [JPVR]

September 9, 2009 - It's still waiting on Terry Schmid (USA) - with Mike Steube and John Cukras the hero of the 1960s. Fred Hood wrote me that Terry will absolutely show, but it's waiting on confirmation by mail by Terry himself. Fred also contacted John Cukras, but as feared he is still following chemo. We all hope that he can make it, because we hold a place vacant for John at the April 3-5, 2010 Worlds. That Worlds will no longer be organised by me, but by SRC Merllijn.

 I received also a mail by Paul Ciccarello (USA). He has an R/C event the same week-end and cannot show, but he will be present at the 2010 (if the R/C calendar allows so). No more news from Tony P. All cars are now already assigned and only if Dan Debella (USA) don't show that car can go to Tony P. I had Dan on the phone this morning, but, after a prolonged week-end, he had not already read his mail correspondence. I expect his ansswer in the course of this week. [JPVR] 

September 7, 2009 - The entry field for the Balltle of the Gods Worlds is as well as complete. John 'Tore' Andersson confirmed his entry. On Friday I received a mail from a racer from Cleveland asking me why Dan Debella was not in the list of the Gods. I answered: "But Dan is in the list!" He repeated: "No, Dan is not in your list." When I had a look upon the list I saw he was right. I based my opinion upon the invitation emails having gone out and then I saw there was one to PROSLOTS7@aol.com. I believed that this was Dan's mail address, but it appeared to be the mail address of Bill Skinner II. So, I sent Dan immediately a mail, but as I lost all my mail addresses in a computer crash, I had to send it to his office. So I didn't receive his answer. The lonely racer who has still to confirm among the Gods is Giovanni Montiglio. He's our man who has to drive in the 1/32nd Moslers for the Production race on Saturday morning. That's a one make race, however without a direct link to 1/1 autosport, so the handout will be randomly. Now Mark Campbell having been fired as IMCA president in May, started his hate campaign on the Slotblog forum accusing me of favouritism because the assignment of the Procar BMW M1 cars was not done by lottery. Campbell writes: So here is what I don'' get. These BMW M1 cars have been kicking around for the better part of a year now. All 100 percent equal. Never seen the track. Not one faster than the other. Give me an f'in break. The 'clique' has been thrashing these puppies around all summer and the Doctor knows exactly which car runs and which one couldn't limp to the Casino in Monaco. And there isn't a builder on the planet that can make 26 cars perform identically. So if that's the case, why have they been pre-assigned? Why not let the racers draw them by open lottery on the day of the race? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmn. Sounds like a little extra padding on the infamous IOC list. What can I say. Take the money and run guys . . . but get it up front before it falls into some unforeseen contract negotiations with BMW AG.

Point 1. Most of the races I organised in my life were 1/24th versions of real autosport races. In that I went so far that one day Tamar Nelwan was kidding, telling that he suspected me that I should let come over a rain machine if at the 1/1 version it was raining. On the assignment of the cars I always gave the cars having finished in the 1/1 races to the most talented drivers. That has NOTHING to do with favouritism. 
Point 2. As there is a € 500 concourse price for the racer having made the most beautiful BMW M1 body we had to do the assignment prior to the race. Or did Campbell expect that the racers going after the concourse price could assemble a concourse body a couple of minutes before the start?

Point 3. Campbell knows absolutely nothing about the 1/24th BMW Model cars. Not he, and nobody of his clique, did say them even a fraction of a second. Michael Niemas, who assembled all cars tested them on the MTT track before they went to the Procar 30 Years Festivities and all 26 they performed between 7"94 and 7"99 per lap. When the cars came back from the Festivities Kristof Huys tested them again on the MTT track (again on purple, as Niemas did) and obtained nearly the same results. After the second tests all cars went in a sealed metal box where they wait the racers until the night from Friday to Saturday, just before the race.
Point 4. Campbell is blue of jealousy that we have at the start 14 official world champions whilst he at his infamous Toronto race, swindled for a world championship, had only one. He finds that model car racing has not grown up to maturity as long as we pay the travelling costs of racers coming from overseas. He meddles with someone else's races instead of minding his own business. Campbell is pure poison for slot-racing. Does I meddle with his OEPS races or Trier Worlds? They are not my business.
Point 5. Most scandalous is Campbell's suggestion that I should not pay the racers what was agreed upon. Campbell, poor guy, let me know which racer received when one dime less than what was promised. I am not like you. I paid you 1000 euro entry fees for your Toronto farce. You never returned me the money when my racers refused to show.

Far from the commotion having been set up by a man, sick of jealousy, we are working now on the Jon Laster Memorial. So we decided that at the God's Race all entrants will receive deep purple t-shirts - Jon's preferred colour - with in front their name in yellow. I remember that when I was studying in the States all those very professional racers, who I admired, had not only long hair, just as me, but most of them wore purple shirts. Joel Montague was always called "Geez", so often that I believed that this was his real name. And yes, there was a racer, always wearing white silk shirts. How he did to hold them clean, I never have known, because with all that glue and goop around it was a miracle to hold it white. Jon Laster himself, ten years younger than me, I saw him for the first time in May 1985 at the Antwerp Crest Hotel where he had Joel Montague as team mate. I believe that together they won a Honda S800 little sports car. When in Toulouse we gave the racers for the first time a personalised white t-shirt, Jon took me apart and asked why the shirts were not purple like in the good old days. Jon had always his purple shirt under the white one, even when it was too hot for two shirts.
Meanwhile it's still waiting upon Christian Schnitzler, the defending world champion. As at BMW Switzerland they have still the #1 of Mario Andretti he can use that car if he shows. I think that once more I'll need Mike Wagner to convince him. Schnitzler is a hell of a driver, perhaps one of the very few able to beat the unbeatable Sergio Maresca, who after 20 years comes back from retirement. [JPVR]