Fastest qualifier at the third race (R.O.C., Monza 1000 Memorial) was the Filipinetti Ferrari 512S by N. de Wachter/'Piki'. However, the race was again dominated by the Piper Porsche 917K, built by Matthias Parke. Here Josef Korec replaced Yves Welter jr, to form team with Salvatore Noviello. Up from the start the red Porsche pulled away from the rest of the field. Here the three factory Ferraris 512S, including the Landrud/Vadlejch one, the Gulp Porsche of Fyhr/Kivekäs and the Lola T70 Mk3B of JPVR/Nelwan were battling for the second place, whilst Noviello and Korec increased their advance by 1 lap per segment. This was possible since Matthias Parke decided to change the rear tires, an operation done in less than 20 seconds. The same was done with the Gulf Porsche 917K of Fyhr/Kivekäs. Eventually this car finished third, in the same lap as the runners-up 'Piki'/N. de Wachter and their Filipinetti Ferrari.
In the lower classes the three Alfa Romeos  T33/3 were sharply beaten by Spicker's little 914-6 Porsche shared by the Garcia Bros. The Blatzheim Porsche 907 by Harald Uhl - surprisingly fastest qualifier with Chris Radisich at the previous round - seemed not completely repaired and was fighting the whole race with the back benchers. Best under 3-litre car was the Alfa Romeo T33/3 of Michael Phillipaerts and Robby Cuppens, finishing 11th, and beating the sister car of Vogel/Youri van Rossem, suffering serious tires problems.

LE MANS MEMORIAL TO #22 GULF PORSCHE!
The entry
Most thrilling race at the F. Gianotti Trophy was undoubtedly the Le Mans 24h Memorial, this year also the IMCA EuroNats race. Here the legendary Porsche-Ferrari combat of 1970 was done over. Porsche came at the start - just as in the real race - with 7 917 cars. Of them 3 were entries by JW Gulf Automotive (3 cars built by Matthias Parke). On the #20 we found Parke himself together with Vladimir Horky (CZ). The #21 was shared by Einari Fyhr (SF)/Kai Kivekäs (SF) and the #22 by Josef Korec (CZ)/Antónin Vojtik (CZ). Of those drivers Horky and Korec won together no less than 7 world championships. KG Salzburg had two works cars at the start, both built by Dieter Jens. The #23 917K (winner of Le Mans 1970) was shared by Dieter Jens and former world champion Geert Mertens (B). The #25 Porsche 917LH went to Alexander and Dieter Jens (but was raced during the 13th to 18th segment by Henrik Hasager). Martini International came with the very fast #3 Porsche 917LH built by Stephan Wiesel, but shared by Francesc Reyes (E) and Daniel Gonzalez (E). AAW Shell had the 917K of builder Pitter Schwaar (D) and Gerd Klinge (B).
Ferrari had 8 512S Longtail cars on the grid, 3 less than at the real race. There were 4 works cars. The #5, built by Pitter Schwaar, went to former world champ JPVR and this year's runner-up at the world championship Yves Welter jr. The #6, built by Thomas Spicker, went to Mack de Wachter (NL) and Peter Reijerkerk (NL). The #7, built by Pitter Schwaar, went to former world champion Michael Landrud (S) and Miroslav Vadlejch (CZ). The #8, built by Gerd van de Wiel, went to Kieran Dale (NZ) and John Emmons (USA). Garage Francorchamps alligned the duo 'Piki' van Rossem (B)/Salvatore Noviello (I) on the yellow #12: together they were good for 6 world championships and the strongest opponent to the JW Gulf Porsches of Horky/Parke and Korec/Vojtik. One of the Filipinetti Ferraris, the #11, went to the fresh triple world champion Nick de Wachter (NL) and the experienced Tamar Nelwan (NL). Both assembled the car together. The #14 Filipinetti, built by Pitter Schwaar, was driven by 2003 rookie of the year Gilles Dohogne (B), with Daniele Malangone as team mate. Last but not least, the #11 N.A.R.T. Ferrari 512S LT went to George Kimber (GB) and builder Gerd van de Wiel (D).
In the 3-litre class a sharp combat was expected between the two Alfa Romeos T33/3, built by Harald Uhl; the #32 Matra MS650 of former world champion Dennis Vogel and Youri van Rossem (built by the Dutchmen); the Thomas Spicker #27 Martini Porsche 908-02 LH of Daniel Gerecht (D) and Stoffel Vos (B); the #29 Porsche 908-02 (the camera car built by Stephan Wiesel) of Graeme Stephenson (GB)/Matthew Stewart (GB); and the #57 N.A.R.T. Ferrari 312P Coupe, built by Gerd van de Wiel, for Rasmus Johansen (DK). There were also 3 GT cars. Spicker's 914-6 for the Garcia Bros (E), Jens's 911S for Hasager/Hanson (DK) and Wiesel's Corvette 427 for Patrice Dohogne (B) and Yves Welter sr (B).

Qualifications
At the Qualifications the Porsche-Ferrari combat went to a zenith. Initially we found no less than 4 Porsches at the 4 first places. Surprisingly the Wiesel Porsche #3 of Reyes/Gonzalez was fastest in 5"300, followed by the fastest Parke JW Gulf Porsche, the Fyhr/ Kivekäs one in 5"301. Then came Jens's #23 Salzburg machinery (5"318), follewed by the second JW Gulf Porsche (Horky/Parkes) in 5"346. The #22 Gulf Porsche disappointed with 5"403. Even more disappointing were the 4 works' Ferraris 512S - none of them finishing in the top-10. The 2 last cars to qualify were the yellow Ferrari 512S of 'Piki'/Noviello and the Filipinetti 512S of N. de Wachter/Nelwan. Whilst the first came no further than a 6th place, the #15 realised the pole position in 5"297. 
Fastest GT car was the Corvette 427, realising in hands of Patrice Dohogne a sharp 5"403, good for the 9th place on the grid. The 914-6 was only 16th, the 911S 22nd.
Of the 6 3-litre prototypes the Matra MS650 of Vogel and Youri was fastest in 5"455 (12th), immediately followed by the Alfa Romeo T33/3 of Fillipaerts and Cuppens (5"476). The Martini Porsche 908-02LH of the Britons was third in its class with 5"741, but only 21st on the grid.

1	De Wachter jr-Nelwan	#15 Ferrari 512S LH Filipin	5,297
2	Gonzalez-Reyes	#3 Porsche 917 LH Martini	5,300
3	Fyhr-Kivekäs	#21 Porsche 917K JW Gulf	5,301
4	Jens-Mertens	#23 Porsche 917K Salzburg	5,318
5	Horky-Parke	#20 Porsche 917K JW Gulf	5,346
6	Piki-Noviello	#12 Ferrari 512S LH Francorch	5,366
7	Malangone-Dohogne jr	#14 Ferrari 512S LH Filipinetti	5,400
8	Korec-Vojtik	#22 Porsche 917K JW Gulf	5,403
9	Dohogne sr-Welter sr	#2 Corvette 427	5,403
10	Schwaar-Klinge	#18 Porsche 917K AAW Shell	5,420
11	JPVR-Welter jr	#5 Ferrari 512S LH SEFAC	5,422
12	Youri Van Rossem-Vogel	#32 Matra M650	5,455
13	Phillipaerts-Cuppens	#36 Alfa Romeo T33/3	5,476
14	A. Jens-S. Jens	#25 Porsche 917LH Salzburg	5,496
15	Landrud-Vadlejch	#7 Ferrari 512S LH SEFAC	5,533
16	Garcia-Garcia	#40 Porsche 914-6 Sonauto	5,582
17	Gerecht-Vos	#27 Porsche 908-02LH Martini	5,646
18	Kimber-Vande Wiel	#11 Ferrari 512S LH NART	5,684
19	Dale-Emmons	#8 Ferrari 512S LH SEFAC	5,690
20	De Wachter sr-Reijerkerk	#6 Ferrari 512S LH SEFAC	5,710
21	Stephenson-Stewart	#29 Porsche 908-02 Solar	5,741
22	Hansen-Hasager	#41 Porsche 911S Ec.Luxemb	5,774
23	Johansen	#57 Ferrari 312P Coupe NART	5,780
24	Radisich-Heath	#35 Alfa Romeo T33/3	5,780

Hours 1-6
Fastest away at the start is the #23 KG Salzburg Porsche 917K of Dieter Jens. Two Ferraris, the #15 Filipinetti (N. De Wachter) and the #12 Garage Francorchams ('Piki') are seriously purcha-sing. Meanwhile the factory #8 Ferrari 512S of Kieran Dale refuses to start and remains during 26 laps immobile in the pits. After 10 laps we find those 3 cars nose to tail. However, Jens increases the speed, and succeeds pulling away. Towards the end of the first hour he can take an entire lap over the 2 Ferraris. Four other cars follow at 2 laps. Among them the 3-litre class leading Matra MS650 and the GT-leading Porsche 914-6. First factory Ferrari 512S is only 10th at 3 laps. Situation at the end of the first hour is:

Hours 7-12
Drama starting hour 7. Three cars stand immobile in the pits: the psychodelic Porsche 917LH of Reyes-Gonzalez, loosing its 6th place; the first work's Ferrari 512S of Landrud/Vadlejch, loosing its 7th place; and the GT class leading Porsche 914-6. The psycholdelic Porsche will only start 3 hours later; the 2 other cars 6 hours later. They drop to the 3 last places in the overall ranking.
During the 6 following hours, positions of the top-3 will not change. Nick de Wachter (#15 Ferrari 512S) maintains 1 lap over the #23 Salzburg Porsche of D. Jens/Mertens and over the #22 JW Gulf Porsche of Korec-Vojtik. 'Piki'/Noviello can pass the #21 JW Gulf Porsche of Fyhr/Kivekäs for the 4th place, but loose with their yellow Ferrari 512S 2 additional laps on the leaders (due to braids cleaning). They follow now at 4 laps. Fyhr-Kivekäs lost 4 more laps and follow as 5th at 6 laps. The other Filipinetti Ferrari of Malangone/G. Dohohne is now 6th, already at 10 laps. So, after 12 hours, positions are Ferrari-Porsche-Porsche-Ferrari-Porsche. Only then follows in 7th position the tiny Matra MS650 of Youri/Vogel, now at 10 laps. They are serious class leaders, since the following 3-litre prototype, the #36 Alfa Romeo T33/3 of Phillipaers/Cuppens is 14 laps further at rank 10. The Jens Bros may be grateful to the Danish team, since during their absence, they brought the #25 Salzburg Porsche back from 19th to 14th. Positions at mid-race are as follows:

Hours 13-18
Again drama at Ferraris, starting hour 13. Having decided that they wish to bring the F. Gianotti Trophy back to Italy, and that they go start their tremendous come-back, Salvatore Noviello and 'Piki' miss 5 laps in the pits on talking instead of racing. The yellow Ferrari drops from 4 to 5 but is now ...9 laps down to the leader. Furious about such mistake 'Piki' is again driving as in his best days and at the start of hour 14 he's 8 laps down to the leader, always Nick de Wachter. The purchase, however, is not well continued by Noviello, since at the end of the 18th hour difference is still 6 laps. Meanwhile the #32 Matra MS650 could catch the 6th place, with Malangone/Welter jr 4 laps further. Towards the end of the 18th hour they are even passed by the Horky-Parke JW Golf, being now 7h, 1 lap down to Matra. Positions after 18 hours are: 

Hours 19-21
For Matthias Parke, having after 18 segments his cars in positions 2-4-7 (good for 29 points), winning the Constructor's Trophy is not certain at this stage of the race. Knowing that leader Nick de Wachter is in the shape of his life and that 'Piki' is a tremendous finisher, constructor Tamar Nelwan can always expect a 1-2-6 at the end of the race (good for 41 points). But if this happens Parke can not score 29 points, but 26 (3-4-7), thus 15 less than Nelwan. If one nows that before the start of the enduro race the difference between the 2 constructors was only ...14 points, the Dutch constructor still believes in his chances - the more since he and Parke scored an equal number of points at Concourse.
So the 6 last segments of the Le Mans endurance race belong to the most thrilling moments in the history of slot-racing. Starting segment 19 Parke decides to play it tactically. On his 3 JW Gulf Porsches he decides to switch the rear tires, believing that the 3 laps lost on doing so, will more than compensated by a better road holding. After 19 hours Nick de Wachter maintains always 1 lap over the #22 Korec-Vojtik JW Gulf Porsche 917K, 3 over the #23 Salzburg Porsche 917K and over the #21 JW Gulf Porsche of Fyhr-Kivekäs. Having achieved their segment on the slowest lane, 'Piki'/Noviello can maintain Nelwan's yellow Ferrari 512S at 7 laps (should have been 2 without the stupid start-missing at segment 13!)
Up to now leader Nick de Wachter did the first 19 segments completely alone, so team-mate Nelwan has to race the 4 following segments (in order to reach the minimum of 4 stints). During segment 20 positions hardly change. N.de Wachter-Nelwan maintain 1 lap over Korec/Vojtik (#22), 4 over D.Jens/Mertens (#23) and Fyhr/Kivekäs (#21) and 6 - 1 less - over the yellow Ferrari.
During segment 21 'Piki', now really the fastest man on the track, can take 3 new laps back on the Filipinetti Ferrari 512S, having now the #22 Korec-Vojtik Porsche 917 in the same lap, hardly one straight behind. Since D. Jens/Mertens (#23) and Fyhr/Kivekäs (#21) could both take 2 laps back positions are now: 1. N.de Wachter/Nelwan (#15 Ferrari 512S), 2. Korec/ Vojtik (#22 Porsche 917K) at ...8 metres, 3. D.Jens/Mertens (#23 Porsche 917K) at 2 laps, 4. Fyhr/Kivekäs (#21 Porsche 917K) and 5. 'Piki'/Noviello (#12 Ferrari 512S) at 3 laps. Meanwhile Youri/Vogel can maintain their 6th place, always 1 lap ahead over the #20 JW Gulf Porsche 917K. So with 3 segments to go we have no less than 5 cars being candidate-winners!

Hours 22-24
During segment 22 the #15 Ferrari 512S LT can lap Parke's #22 JW Gulf Porsche 917K, and has again 1 lap over the Czechs. Meanwhile however, two other cars came back in the same lap as Korec's car: the #23 KG Salzburg Porsche of D. Jens/Mertens and the #21 JW Gulf Porsche 917K of Fyhr/Kivekäs. That means that no less than 4 cars are within 1 single lap after 22 segments. Was close racing ever closer than that! Here the DSC Rules gave full evidence that they ensure splendid racing. On the yellow Ferrari 512S Noviello failed to unlap himself, so that the car hangs 3 laps behind. On the little Matra MS650 Youri van Rossem succeeded to hold the car in 6th position, always 1 lap ahead over the third JW Gulf Porsche of Horky/Parkes. Only now he'll pass the car in hands of team-mate Dennis Vogel.

During the one but last segment the #23 Salzburg Porsche - having just come back in the leader's lap - looses all its chances at overall victory when Dieter Jens deslots and when the hyper nervous Kai Kivekäs (strictly bona fide, guys, no doubt about it!) needs 2 laps to put the car again in the slot. But the #21 Porsche looses also 2 laps, so that with a last segment to go Korec/Vojtik have 1 lap over N.de Wachter/Nelwan, 3 laps over D.Jens/Mertens and over Fyhr/Kivekäs. Noviello spills another lap and follows now at 4 laps. Meanwhile Dennis Vogel failed to maintain the difference with the Horky/Parke Porsche and is now passed by them.
During the last hour Nick de Wachter takes over the #15 Ferrari and will try to keep the tired Ferrari in front. On the yellow Ferrari 'Piki' goes for the last stint, hoping he can pass Jens/Mertens and Fyhr/Kivekäs, to take the 3rd spot. But for the Nelwan boys the last segment ends as a drama. With less than 1 minute to go the #15 Ferrari is passed by the #22 JW Gulf Porsche of Korec. And when Korec smells victory, he's invincible. So Nick de Wachter dies 7 metres behind the winning car. Same drama for 'Piki' ending in the same lap of Fyhr/Kivekäs and Jens/ Mertens, but 4 metres less to pass them both. Drama for Jens too when he looses his third place during the last minute! No close racing can never be closer than that! A brilliant spectacle.

Consolation for Nick de Wachter, the hero of the 24 hours race, is that 'Piki' couldn't pass the Salzburg during the last segment. Should that have happened he and Noviello should have both finished with 60 points. But since Noviello won twice, Nick once, the Italian should have been the winner of the F. Gianotti Super Trophy. Now Nick de Wachter went home as winner, 2 points ahead over Noviello. Josef Korec was third in the overall ranking.
During the last segment Youri will try, at no avail, to win the 6th place back from Horky-Parkes. He and Dennis Vogel will finish 7th as first 3-litre prototype. For Dennis Vogel enough to win the F. Gianotti Trophy for P3000 and GT cars. [Unfortunately the trophy was not available!] Youri van Rossem finished here as second.
The Constructor's Title went convincingly to Matthias Parke. His cars were the best of the field. They won 3 of the 4 races. Tamar Nelwan finished as second in the Constructor's Trophy, 25 points from the winner. Pitter Schwaar - having missed the good motors - was third. Thomas Spicker and Dieter Jens could have finished much higher. However, Spicker was not there and prefered vacation under the Spanish sun instead giving his cars a last tune. Dieter Jens was victim of the last minute withdrawal of the American wing car racers and of 'Gugu' Bernardino. Racers on his 2 other cars lacked experience for a combat among the Gods of model car racing.
Stephan Wiesel - also under the Spanish sun - was replaced by Daniel Gerecht for the last tune-up of his cars. Gerecht did a great job, but Reyes/Gonzalez spilled at least a 6th place by not showing at segments 7 thru 12. Last but not least one should note that without loosing 26 laps at the start, Kieran Dale should have finished 9th overall, so that Gerd van de Wiel should have finished within the points.

German Report by M. Parke      American Report by John Emmons       Report by Stéphane Martin       Report by Yves Welter sr