ALL 2006 IOC-RACES FOR MODEL CARS
Model Car Races 2005 Model Car Races 2004 Model Car Races 2003 Model Car Races 2002 Model Car Races 2001 Model Car Races 2000

NATS 2000

2001 Report

2002 Report

AUGUST 20-23: BARCELONA

2003 Report

2004 Report

2005 Report

DANIEL GONZALEZ 2006 WORLD CHAMPION
Close racing: Nick de Wachter & Kai Kivekäs finish at less than 1/2 lp

RESULTS OF THE 16th MODEL CAR WORLDS (IOC RACE)

1. Daniel Gonzalez E Schöler 205
2. Nick de Wachter NL Plafit Excel 205
3. Kai Kivekäs SF MoMo MP4 204
4. Philip Kremer D Plafit LS 200
5. "Piki" van Rossem B PlaFit LS 194
6. Al Paterson RSA MoMo MP2 186
Eliminated at the Semi Finals
7. Michael Niemas D Plafit LS 160
8. Ralf Seif D Plafit LS 155
9. Youri van Rossem B Plafit LS 155
10. Chris Radisich NZ MoMo MP2 154
11. Jozef Miskolci SVK MoMo MP2 154
12. Francesc Reyes E Schöler 143
Eliminated at the Quarter Finals
13. Gustav Heymann RSA PlaFit Excel 116
14. "Gugu" Bernardino BR PlaFit Excel 115
15. Pål Hanson N M-Racing C1 115
16. Geert Mertens B Plafit Excel 115
17. Marcel Oosterling NL Plafit Excel 114
18. Brian Saunders GB Plafit LS 114
19. Gabriel Inäbnit CH Plafit LS 114
20. Giovanni Montiglio I Plafit LS 114
21. Antonio Ortega E MoMo MP2 113
22. Fred Hood USA Plafit Excel 112
23. Benny Justice USA Plafit Excel 109
24. Christophe Kremer D Plafit LS 100
failed to qualify for the 16th IMCA Model Car Worlds
25. Jordi Girald E Schöler 168*
26. Tom Ooms B Plafit Excel 166
27. Daniele Saini I MoMo MP2 160
28. Albert Ortega E Schöler 154*
29. Robby Cuppens B Plafit Excel 114
30. Pol Garcia E Schöler 114
31. Henri van Gool NL Plafit Excel 113
32. Albert Vidal E Plafit Excel 112
33. Alvaro Sarabia E Metris Mk1 110
34. John Emmons USA MoMo MP2 109
35. "Paco" Ballota I Plafit LS 109
36. Salomaa Marko SF MoMo MP2 108
37. Salomaa Arttu SF Plafit LS 105
38. Juanma Torres E Schöler 102*
39. Michael Philippaerts B Plafit Excel 102*
40. Hasager Henrik DK Plafit Excel 98
41. Klinge Gert B Plafit Excel 96

August 28 - Of the 16 IMCA World Championships the Barcelona one was undoubtedly the most thrilling, full of drama. Four racers out of 24 succeeded to join the 20 preselected racers: Antonio Ortega, Al Paterson, Pal Hanson and Francesc Reyes. The race was already on when, ot once, someone discovered that Jordi Girald should have been in, instead of Reyes. For the Spaniards that gave no problem, since they race as a nearly perfect national unity.
There were 4 Quarter Finals, with the 3 first of each Quarter making the move to the Semis.
At Quarter D Brian Saunders (GB) was leading until mid-race with Daniel Gonzalez (E) as second and Gabriel Inäbnit (CH) as third. Giovanni Mon-tiglio (I), who had to prepair his car frm scratch, could maintain the third place only during the two first segments, but then dropped in the stan-dings. During the second half of the race Saunder's car missed speed on lanes 5 and 6, making him dropping from first to sixth. Gonzalez took the lead. Meanwhile Philip Kremer (D) and Al Paterson (RSA) could move up in second and third position. Positions changed no more during the 2 last segments, so that Gonzalez, Paterson and Kremer made the move and that Inäbnit, Montiglio and Saunders were out. 
Quarter C was full of surprises since the car of Christoph Kremer (D), having won earlier the Franco Gianotti Trophy, was not working at all, and since also Gustav Heymann's (RSA) car was too slow. Nick de Wachter (NL) was leadeing from start to finish, followed by Michael Niemas (D) and Francesc Reyes (E). They finished in that order. Heymann, Marcel Oosterling (NL) and the very unlucky Christoph Kremer were all out.
In Quarter B Brazil's "Gugu" Bernardino was initially leading, being passed in the second segment by Ralf Seif (D), who'll set the pace until the finish. In third position we found Youri van Rossem (B), followed by Chris Radisich (NZ), Pal Hanson (N) and Benny Justice (USA). At half race Radisich could pass Youri, to take the 3rd place. Positions seemed to be stable but at the real end of the Quarter "Gugu", deslotted and was passed by both Radisich and Youri. He was out, just as Hanson and Benny Justice. 
In Quarter A Jozef Miskolci (SK) caused a stir by leading during four segments with a car built from four year old scratch pieces. He was followed by Kai Kivekäs (SF) on a car prepaired by Germany's Matthias Parke. In third position we found "Piki" (B) on a car lacking terribly speed. Then came Geert Mertens (B), Fred Hood (USA) and Antonio Ortega (E). At mid-race Hood could pass Mertens. He was attacking "Piki" in third place, when at once he suffered from thorn braids, making him dropping in fifth place. In front Kivekäs could pass Miskolci, lapping him twice and being the fastest of the quarters with 121 laps, against 119 for de Wachter, Miskolci and Gonzalez. Niemas and Seif realised 118 laps, "Piki", Paterson, Reyes, Philip Kremer and Youri 117 laps.

In the Semis we find one MoMo MP4 (Kivekäs), 3 Momo MP2 (Paterson, Miskolci, Radisich), 5 PlaFit LS (Niemas, Kremer, Seif, "Piki", Youri), 1 PlaFit Excel (De Wachter) and 2 Schöler (Gonzalez, Reyes). Except for Philippe Kremer's car, none of the PlaFits LS seems fast enough to win the race. In Semi A we receive a first prove of that: Michael Niemas, with speed problems on the fastest lanes, can pass Jozef Miskolci for the 4th place, but fails to pass Philip Kremer on the third place. Eventually De Wachter (1st), Gonzalez (2nd) and Philip Kremer (3rd) will make the move. In Semi B Ralf Seif was initially leading, but dropped after braids problems in fifth position, headed by Kivekäs, Al Paterson, "Piki" and Youri. In the last segments Reif can pass Youri, but fails in 4th position. The 6 finalists are Kivekäs and Paterson on MoMo, "Piki" and Philip Kremer on Plafit LS, Nick de Wachter on PlaFit Excel and Gonzalez on Schöler.
During the 4 first segments of the Main Final Kai Kivekäs (SF) is leading, with Nick de Wachter (NL) and Daniel Gonzalez all time on the lead lap. The 2 PlaFit LS cannot follow, and loose several laps. Al Paterson is the back bencher up from the first segment. During the 5th segment Gonzalez can pass Kivekäs, with De Wachter nearly a complete lap behind. However, he starts a terrible come back. At the start of the 6th segment the 3 leading cars are less than 10 metres apart. De Wachter can pass without problems Kivekäs and comes within 2 metres from Gonzalez with 1'30" to race when he deslots. Then he makes a second come back, comes nose to tail with Gonzalez's car, but deslots again. The battle is over. Gonzalez wins with De Wachter 3 metres behind and Kivekäs some metres further. Philip Kremer is 4th, "Piki" 5th, Paterson 6th. A splendid final, full of thrill!


16th Model Car Worlds, Main Final, with f.l.t.r. Philip Kremer (D), who finished 4th; Al Paterson (RSA), who finished 6th; and "Piki" van Rossem (B), who finished 5th.

Mounted on a PlaFit chassis we see in front the Nismo Nissan of runner-up Nick de Wachter and in the background, mounted on the new Schöler chassis, the Nismo Nissan of world champion Daniel Gonzalez.   For the second consecutive year, set-up of the world champ was done by Francesc Reyes. This year he switched from MoMo to Schöler, considering that Schöler had better chances to win than MoMo.

MELLO YELLO JR WORLDS TO NICK DE WACHTER ANTONIO ORTEGA WINS AMATEUR WORLDS

RESULTS OF THE 9th MELLO YELLO WORLDS (IOC RACE)

1. Nick de Wachter NL Plafit Excel 199
2. Philip Kremer D Plafit LS 197
3. Daniel Gonzalez E Schöler 195
4. Antonio Ortega** E MoMo MP2 195
5. Youri van Rossem B Plafit LS 186
6. Al Paterson** RSA MoMo MP2 176*
Eliminated at the Semi Finals
7. Hanson Pål** N M-Racing C1 151
8. Jordi Girald E Schöler 145*
9. Francesc Reyes** E Schöler 145*
10. Tom Ooms B Plafit Excel 144
11. Daniele Saini I MoMo MP2 139
12. Albert Ortega E Schöler 135*
Eliminated at the Quarter Finals
13. Robby Cuppens B Plafit Excel 114
14. Pol Garcia E Schöler 114
15. Henri van Gool NL Plafit Excel 113
16. Albert Vidal E Plafit Excel 112
17. Alvaro Sarabia E Metris Mk1 110
18. John Emmons USA MoMo MP2 109
19. "Paco" Ballota I Plafit LS 109
20. Salomaa Marko SF MoMo MP2 108
21. Salomaa Arttu SF Plafit LS 105
22. Juanma Torres E Schöler 102*
23. Michael Philippaerts B Plafit Excel 102*
24. Hasager Henrik DK Plafit Excel 98
25. Klinge Gert B Plafit Excel 96
26. Michael Niemas D Plafit LS 50
Names of amateurs in dark blue. * = after 10 % laps penalty for too low clearance. ** = racers making the move to the 16th IMCA Worlds


It was an extremely strange Mello Yello this year. Things started very well organised with racers being invited in the enclosed zone to fit under eyes of the race direction their handout motor and their handout tyres. Tamar Nelwan was so kind not to start in the Worlds, so that he had enough time to organise the technical control perfectly. Scrutineering was done by Kai Kivekas and by Jozef Miskolci. Although the complete procedure took 4 hours, everybody was happy: this year there was absolutely no place for racers trying to cheat the others.

26 racers (half of them youngsters, other half amateurs) started in the 3 x 6' Quarter Finals. And then, at once, the most stupid thing that I ever saw in 45 years of slot-racing happened: Tamar Nelwan decided completely on his own to hold a post-race TC where at once two cars were penalised with 10 % of their achieved laps, because they were at once ...too low. But how a car can be too low after only 18 minutes of racing, using hard rubber tyres loosing only 1mm of height after more than 3 hours of racing. All those cars came directly from the enclosed zone to the track, thus even if someone had the intention to cheat the others, it was to be done during racing time, so that nobody did something illegal. Being too low after 18 minutes of racing can have only 2 causes: or clearance was at the limit on the initial TC, and then it was Tamar's task to warn the racers; or clearance came down due to an accident. Victims of Tamar's extremely stupidity were Juanma Torres and Michael Philip-paerts who both missed the move to the Semis for a too low clearance.
But even before the Tamar-comedy the race was full of drama. During the first Quarter Gert Klinge, who was leading his Quarter, at once complained that one of the handout controllers, fixed on the track, was not working properly. He was so furious that he retired immediately. One Quarter later I decided that Francesc Reyes should use the same controller on the same lane, and nothing was wrong with the controller. Meanwhile top-favourite Michael Niemas had quit the race after only 50 laps with a car not functioning at all. So with Torres, Philippaerts and Niemas we lost 3 candidate-winners at the Quarters.

Top-3 at the Amateur's World Championship with f.l.t.r. the moral winner Al Paterson (RSA), the eventual winner Antonio Ortega and Norway's Pål Hanson (3rd). Why Al has a Nelwan t-shirt is for me a mystery. Perhaps because Al was the major victim of the Nelwan-comedy?

At the Semis the Tamar comedy was complete: the 2 first of Semi B were all 2 too low: Jordi Girald (who won his Semi after a superb combat with Reyes), and Francesc Reyes himself. So 2 non qualified racers Al Paterson and Antonio Ortega could make the move to a completely falsified Main, together with Nick de Wachter who, obviously saved his car for the Main. In the other Semi Philip Kremer, Daniel Gonzalez and Youri van Rossem made the move without any problem. Top 6 of the combined Semis were Philip Kremer (158 laps), Jordi Girald (158 laps), Francesc Reyes (157 laps), Nick de Wachter (156 laps), Daniel Gonzalez (155 laps) and Youri van Rossem (154 laps). Under normal circumstances that should have been the 6 racers of the Main.
In the Main Nick de Wachter took immediately the lead, followed by Gonzalez, Youri, Kremer and the two miraculously survivors of the Nelwan-comedy: Al Paterson and Antonio Ortega. That were the positions after the first segment.
Already in the second segment it became obvious that justs as the cars of Christoph Kremer, Ralf Seif, "Piki", and Niemas himself - all 4 abnormally slow at free practice preceeding the race - Youri's car lacked terribly power. Fact is that poor Michael Niemas - who assembled also the cars of Brian Saunders, Giovanni Montiglio and Arttu Salomaa - had so much work to do before the Worlds, that he missed time to prepair all Nismo cars correctly for the Mello Yello and the Worlds. Youri thus dropped in fifth position, without any means on a come back.
In front Nick de Wachter had not the smallest problems to pull away from Gonzalez and Kremer, digging in the second segment a gap of 2 laps over the 2 others. In the background the two amateurs, racing in place of Reyes and Girald, Al Paterson and Antonio Ortega, were struggling for the Amateur's World Championship. Up from the 3rd segment it became obvious that Paterson was too strong for Ortega. He even succeeded to pass Gonzalez for the 3rd place, after Daniel was also passed by Philip Kremer. Things changed no more and Nick de Wachter (NL) won the race in 199 laps, 2 more than Philip Kremer in 2nd, 3 more than Al Paterson in 3rd and 4 more than Daniel Gonzalez in 4th. For De Wachter it's already his 5th world championship's title.
Sensation after the race when it appeared that Al Paterson was too low. Not he, but Antonio Ortega won the Amateur's title! Ortega was already present at the Chicago Worlds in 1988, together with the best Spanish delegation of that moment: Armengol, Mateo and Laborda.
What should we learn from the Nelwan-comedy? (1) That only the race director can order a post-race TQ, not a self-nominated race director. (2) That a post-race TQ after the Quarters is totally meaninless. (3) That the rule book so specify in clear terms that clearance starting the race should always be 1.2 mm and may never drop under 1 mm. (4) That the sanction for too low clearance must be limited at maximum 3 laps instead of 10 % of the achieved laps.

Right: the Nissan Nismo of Antonio Ortega having won the Amateur's World on a MoMo MP2 chassis.



CHRISTOPH KREMER WINS GIANOTTI TROPHY
38 of the 45 entrants, kicked at the end of the meeting, just before the prize giving ceremonial. (Pic: John Emmons)

This year the Franco Gianotti Trophy went over 7 rounds, the first having been earlier disputed at Euregio Raceway. Of those rounds the Saleen S7R of Kremer/Kremer/Seif won 4 rounds. The Maserati MC12 of Niemas/"Piki"/Youri won twice, but was disqualified once. Aston Martin won surprisingly the European Championship with Saunders & Heymann. The opening round at Euregio went to the Maserati MC12 of Mertens/Christoph Kremer/Jan Gürtzen. Among the GT2 cars (not present at Euregio) the Ferrari F430 won 5 out of 6 rounds: twice the #63 Scuderia Ecosse of Mertens/Philippaerts/Cuppens, twice the JMB of De Wachter/Klinge/Oosterling, and once the AF Corse of Vidal/Girald/Sarra-bia. Porsche won only once with Niemas/Youri/Ph. Kremer. 
In the individual ranking Christoph Kremer collected most points, 72. His son Philip Kremer was second overall with 64 points and won the Franco Gianotti Trophy for youngsters ahead over Michael Niemas (52 points) and Youri van Rossem (48 points). Among the seniors Geert Mertens was 2nd (3rd overall with 61 points), with Ralf Seif as 3rd (53 points). There were 54 entrants.
The Nations Cup was won by Germany, despite the fact that they were missing 3 racers. Initially the Germans digged the gap, but at the Mello Yello Junior & Amateurs Worlds and at the 16th Model Car Worlds, the German racers disappointed (except for Philip Kremer's car, none of their Plafit LS cars was really competitive), so that Spain could come back at 5 little points. With non competitive cars in both Worlds, where they came no further than twice the 5th place) the Belgians, having been all time in 2nd position, were even passed for the 3rd place by Holland, where Nick de Wachter collected no less than 52.5 points at the 2 Worlds, against 18 for Belgium. The Commonwealth Team finished 5th, ahead of Scandinavia, America and Italy.

Germany won the 2006 World Cup, ahead of Spain, Holland and Belgium. The Spanish racers are missing on the pic, since there was a miscalcula-tion before the prize giving. Germany showed with the 2 Kremers, Seif and Niemas as racers. Niemas drove also for Belgium and Belgian Youri also for Germany. Difference among the 4 first ranked nations was small.
Three first non-youngsters at the 2006 Gianotti Trophy, with f.l.t.r. Ralf Seif (3rd), Christoph Kremer (1st) and Geert Mertens (2nd). Three first youngsters at the 2006 Gianotti Trophy with f.l.t.r. Youri van Rossem (3rd), Philip Kremer (1st) and Michael Niemas (2nd).
FINAL RANKING 2006 GIANOTTI TROPHY
(IOC RACE)
  Euregio

#1

#2 #3 #4 #5 #6 pts
Christoph Kremer (D) 19 10 10 8 5 10  10 72
Philip Kremer (D) 14 10 10 5 5 10  10 64
Geert Mertens (B) 19 1 10 5 8 8 10 61
Ralf Seif (D) - 10 10 8 5 10  10 53
Michael Niemas (D) 14 8 4 - 10 8 8 52
Youri van Rossem (B) - 8 4 8 10 10 8 48
Marcel Oosterling (NL) 6 10 8 10 4 4 6 48
Daniel Gonzalez (E) 8.5 5 6 8 8 5 6 47.5
Nick de Wachter (NL) 15 4 8 10 6 3 1 47
Michael Phillipaerts (B) 3.5 1 10 5 8 8  10 45.5
Robby Cuppens (B) 3.5 1 10 5 8 8 10 45.5
Tamar Nelwan (NL) 15 4 8 6 6 3 1 43
Gabriel Inäbnit (CH) 15 4 8 6 6 3 1 43
Francesc Reyes (E) 8.5 5 6 4 8 5 6 43.5
"Piki" van Rossem (B) - 8 2 5 10 8 8 41
Gert Klinge (B) 6 10 8 - 4 4 8 40
Brian Saunders (GB) - 6 5 10 3 6  4 34
Gustav Heymann (RSA) - 6 5 10 3 6  4 34
Juanma Torres (E) - 5 6 4 8 5  6 34
Henri van Gool (NL) - 10 8 - 4 4  8 34
Kai Kivekäs (SF) 9 1 4 3 4 4 5 30
John Emmons (USA) - 5 3 4 6 6 6 30
Jordi Girald (E) - 6 6 - 10 3 3 28
Alvaro Sarrabia (E) - 6 6 - 10 3 3 28
Benny Justice (USA) - 5 3 1 6 6 6 27
Albert Vidal (E) - 6 6 - 10 3 - 25
Al Paterson (RSA) - 6 5 - 3 6 4 24
Garcia sr (E) - 5 3 - 6 6 6 21
Daniele Saini (I) - 5 5 2 5 2 4 21
Stefano Mazzarella (I) - 5 5 - 5 2 4 21
Henrik Hasager (DK) - 1 4 3 4 4 5 21
Antonio Ortega (E) - 5 5 - 5 2 3 20
Pol Garcia (E) - 3 1 8 2 5 1 20
Pål Hanson (N) - 1 4 1 4 4 5 19
Jan Gürtzen (D) 19 - - - - - - 19
Tom Ooms (B) 3.5 3 1 3 2 5 1 18.5
Giovanni Montiglio (I) - 2 3 2 2 2 3 14
Jozef Miskolci (SVK) - 2 3 2 2 2 3 14
"Paco" Ballotta (I) - 2 3 2 2 2 3 14
Albert Ortega (E) - 3 1 - 2 5 1 14
Chris Radisich (NZ) - 3 1 4 1 1 2 12
Marko Salomaa (SF) - 2 2 1 3 1 2 11
Arttu Salomaa (SF) - 2 2 - 3 1 2 10
Tim Tyler (NZ) 9 - - - - - - 9
Pekka Nurrkanen (SF) 9 - - - - - - 9
"Gugu" Bernardino (BR) - 3 1 1 1 1 2 9
Fred Hood (USA) - 3 1 - 1 1 2 8
Tim Gürtzen (D) 6 - - - - - - 6
Peter Recker (D) 6 - - - - - - 6
Achim Zanders (D) 3.5 - - - - - - 3.5
Stefan Kuhn (D) 3.5 - - - - - - 3.5
Marcel Kuhn (D) 3.5 - - - - - - 3.5
Ralph Meyer (D) 3.5 - - - - - - 3.5

IOC POINTS WON ON MONDAY AT IMCA NATS

  #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 FGT Worlds pts
Philip Kremer (D) 22 20 12 9 23 20 15 36 157
Christoph Kremer (D) 20 20 15 9 23 20 20  - 127
Daniel Gonzalez (E) 9 12 15 15 9 12 1  48.5 121.5
Nick de Wachter (NL) 6 15 20 12 2 - -  52.5 117.5
Ralf Seif (D) 20 20 15 9 20 20 9  1.5 114.5
Youri van Rossem (B) 17 1 12 20 18 15 3  9 95
"Piki" van Rossem (B) 15 1 9 20 15 15 -  9 84
Michael Niemas (D) 17 1 - 20 15 15 6  3 77
Juanma Torres (E) 9 12 6 15 9 12 -  - 63
Francesc Reyes (E) 9 12 6 15 9 12 -  - 63
Brian Saunders (GB) 12 6 20 2 12 3 -  - 55
Gustav Heymann (RSA) 12 6 20 2 12 3 -  - 55
Al Paterson (RSA) 12 6 3 2 12 3 -  6 47
Tamar Nelwan (NL) 6 15 12 12 2 - -  - 45
Gabriel Inäbnit (CH) 6 15 12 12 2 - -  - 45
Kai Kivekäs (SF) - 3 2 3 6 9 -  18 41
Geert Mertens (B) - 9 9 - 1  6 12  - 37
Marcel Oosterling (NL) 3 - 20 - - 2 2  - 27
Michael Phillipaerts (B) - 9 9 - 1  6 -  - 25
Robby Cuppens (B) - 9 9 - 1  6 -  - 25
Pål Hanson (N) - 3 1 3 6 9 -  3 25
Henrik Hasager (DK) - 3 2 3 6 9 -  - 23
Pol Garcia (E) - - 15 - - - -  - 15
Antonio Ortega (E) - - - - - - -  13.5 13.5
Jordi Girald (E) 1 - - 6 - - -  1.5 8.5
Albert Vidal (E) 1 - - 6 - - -  - 7
Alvaro Sarrabia (E) 1 - - 6 - - -  - 7
John Emmons (USA) - - 6 - - 1 -  - 7
Chris Radisich (NZ) - - 6 - - - -  - 6
Gert Klinge (B) 3 - - - - 2 -  - 5
Henri van Gool (NL) 3 - - - - 2 -  - 5
"Paco" Ballotta (I) - 2 2 1  - - -  - 5
Giovanni Montiglio (I) - 2 1 1 - - -  - 4
Jozef Miskolci (SVK) - 2 1 1 - - -  - 4
Tom Ooms (B) - - 3 - - - -  - 3
Benny Justice (USA) - - 1 - - 1 -  - 2
"Gugu" Bernardino (BR) - - 1 - - - -  - 1
Garcia sr (E) - - - - - 1 -  - 0
Stefano Mazzarella (I) - - - - - - -  - 0
Daniele Saini (I) - - 2 - - - -  - 0
Albert Ortega (E) - - - - - - -  - 0
Marko Salomaa (SF) - - - - - -    - 0
Arttu Salomaa (SF) - - 1 - - -    - 0
Fred Hood (USA) - - - - -  -     - 0

FINAL RANKING WORLD CUP

   #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 Mello Worlds pts
1. GERMANY 35 26 27 10 40  26  22.5  9 194.5
2. Spain 21 24 21 35 12 15 31.5  30 189.5
3. Netherlands 26 30 32 18 9  13 30  22.5 180.5
4. Belgium 16 22 18 35 30  35 9  9 174
5. Commonwealth 15 10 23 5 18 16 4.5 4.5 95
6. Scandinavia 3 8 4 9 7 11 - 18 60
7. USA + Brazil 12 4 7 13 13 11 - - 60
8. Italy 8 12 4 11 4 9 - - 48
Team Germany won the World Cup, 5 points ahead over Spain. F.l.t.r. Philip Kremer, Ralf Seif, Youri van Rossem, Christoph Kremer and Michael Niemas. Team Holland finished third at the Nations Cip. F.l.t.r. Gert Klinge, Nick de Wachter, Marcel Oosterling, Gabriel Inäbnit, Tamar Nelwan and Henri van Gool.

GERMANY NEARLY UNBEATABLE, BUT SAUNDERS & HEYMANN WIN EURONATS

For the first time in the long his-tory of slot-racing a series of autosport races could be repro-duced at scale, with model cars of the same year as the real race cars. Here the complete field of 2006 FIA GT cars at the start in Barcelona. The man be-hind this success is undoubted-ly Tamar Nelwan, who, with the help of Nick de Wachter, assem-bled at least half of all cars at the start. Michaël Niemas and Christoph Kremer assembled most of the other half of the cars on the grid. The Ferraris F430 of the Scuderia Ecosse were assembled by res. Geert Mertens and Al Paterson.  Fran-cesc Reyes assembled the two cars of the Spanish team.
In front we see the Phoenix Aston Martin which dominated the 2006¨Proximus 24 hours of Spa and the Vitaphone Maserati which eventually won the race. Then follow the BMS Aston Martin, the Zakspeed Saleen and the Racing Alliance Aston Martin, followed by the second Vitaphone Saleen and the GPLK Corvette C6-R. Cars in the back-ground are 6 Ferraris F430 GTC, the #24 Aston Martin of BMS and the two Ebimotors Porsche 996 GT3-RSR. Pic: John Emmons

The BMS Aston Martin DBR9 as assembled by Nick de Wachter and Tamar Nelwan catches the eyes. We see also the AF Corse Ferrari F430 GTC, assembled by Francesc Reyes, the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari F430 GTC, assem-bled by Al Paterson and the Ebi-motors Porsche 996 GT3-RSR, assembled by Pål Hanson.
Next year, at the Sao Paolo IMCA Worlds most of those cars will be again at the start, but then spread over 16 national teams instead of 8 this year. Picture: John Emmons.

                    5th BNL RACE FESTIVAL
It was a relentless combat between the German Saleen S7R of Kremer/ Kremer/Seif and the Maserati MC12 of "Piki"/Youri/Niemas. Towards the end of the race the Germans could take one lap over the Maserati, to hold it until the finish. None of the 4 Aston Martins DBR9 was in for victory, with the Saunders/Heymann/Paterson unit finishing as best on rank 3. The Phoenix Aston Martin of De Wachter/Nelwan/Inäbnit could follow the two leading cars during the two first segments, but dropped then in the standings.
In GT2 the Ebimotors Porsche of P.Kremer/Youri/Niemas won the race, but lost victory after a 5 laps penalty for shouting. So the JMB Ferrari F430 GTC of Oosterling/Van Gool/Klinge won its class. Initially the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari F430 GTC of Mertens/Philippaerts/Cuppens was leading this both cars, but a violent crash under the carousel, after a collision with Sarrabia's AF Corse Ferrari, obliged the car to make a long pit stop, so that it dropped in the standings to the last place.

      6th R.O.C. (RACE OF THE CHAMPIONS)
At the second round the Phoenix Aston Martin seemed much faster than at the BNL. This time the car had no problems to follow the German Saleen, the Belgian and the Spanish Maserati. Eventually the Maserati MC12 of "Piki"/Youri/Niemas won the race, but then at once, Gert Klinge decided at his own to install a TC. Several cars were not regular, but Klinge found that the Belgian Maserati was the lonely one to be sanctionned, perhaps because the 8"384 realised by Niemas was the best lap time of the day. So the Saleen of Kremer/Kremer/Seif could win its second consecutive race, 4 laps ahead over the Phoenix Aston Martin DBR9.
In GT2 the Scuderia Ecosse of Mertens/Philippaerts/Cuppens was outstanding, finishing 5th overall, 14 laps ahead over the JMB Ferrari F430 which won the first round. The German Porsche 996 GT3-RSR ran in serious problems and finished only 6th in its class. Problems too for the Norvegian Ebimotors Porsche, lacking speed, just as at the first round. The Italian AF Corse Ferrari F430 GTC was during 4 segments 3rd, but dropped in the standing during the final stages of the race.

             14th EUROPEAN MODEL CAR NATS
The defending European champion, Christian Schnizler, was absent. For this race only two racers per car were allowed, with the experts driving GT1 cars and the youngsters and amateurs GT2 cars. Main favourites were "Piki" van Rossem/Geert Mertens (Maserati MC12), having earlier won the European Nats in 2000. Since "Piki" won also in 2003, he could win his third EuroNats. They took immediately the lead, but ran in se-rious braids problems, dropping them after 10 minutes in 7th position. In front the Aston Martins DBR9 of Nelwan/Inäbnit and Saunders/Hey-mann were involved in a close combat with the Saleen S7R, now driven by Christoph Kremer and Ralf Seif. Since there was a prize of € 500 for the team changing as fastest its tyres, several teams were at once much faster to do the job. Geert Mertens even arrived to do a tyre change in 11"52. It brought the car back in 4th position, behind the two Astons and the Saleen. Positions were changing continuosly, with the two Astons setting the pace. During the 4th segment Brian Saunders and Gustav Heymann succeeded to lap everybody and to take the lead, followed at 1 lap by the Saleen 7R and at 2 laps by the Phoenix Aston Martin DBR9 of Tamar Nelwan and Gabriel Inäbnit. Nobody gave the British/South-African duo great chances to win, since they had to finish the race at the two slowest lanes. Great motoring of Gustav Heymann during the one but last segment and of Brian Saunders during the last segment, made that they could maintain their position, winning the race one lap ahead of Christoph Kremer and Ralf Seif with the Saleen S7R. Nelwan/Inäbnit came one lap further in the #5 Aston Martin. Despite a fabulous come-back "Piki"/Mertens came no further than the 4th place.
In GT2 we saw a close combat between the JMB Ferrari F430 GTC of De Wachter/Oosterling and the AF Corse Ferrari F430 GTC of Gonzalez and Pol Garcia. During the first stages of the race, when Marcel Oosterling was driving the car, Pol Garcia could keep up with the Dutch Ferrari. But once Nick de Wachter took over Garcia lost 4 laps in one segment. Later Daniel Gonzalez tried what he could to undo this arrears, but at no avail. So Nick de Wachter/Marcel Oosterling won the title among the juniors and amateurs. Philip Kremer and Youri had back luck with their Ebimotors Porsche, loosing 8 laps shortly after the start. Although they were the fastest on the track they finished only 3rd in their class, having taken one lap back on De Wachter/Oosterling. During the race Michael Niemas - who didn't start - and Nick de Wachter tried to beat the 11"52 record for changing tyres of Geert Mertens, but none of them came under 15".

                     18th BENELUX CUP
The Benelux Cup is the oldest model car race on the international calendar. Of the 45 starters "Piki" and Geert Mertens are the lonely ones, having won the Benelux Cup earlier. Both are extremely motivated to win a second time. Having won 2 of the 3 previous rounds C. Kremer/P. Kremer and Seif had to start with 20 gram ballast in their Saleen S7R. This time "Piki" van Rossem/Youri van Rossem and Michael Niemas (Maserati MC12) are fastest away, follewed by Daniel Gonzalez, Francesc Reyes and Juanma Torres in a simular car. Of the 4 Astons at the start only the Dutch one is able to follow the leading duo. In front, however, the gap between the Belgian and the Spanish Maserati MC12 becomes wider and wider, reaching already a full lap after the first segment. During the following segment Michael Niemas tried to improve his 8"384 lap record, but stranded at 8"428. Meanwhile the gap with the Spanish Maserati increased to 2 laps. The Saleen S7R was now 3rd at 3 laps, closely followed by the Dutch #5 Aston Martin DBR9. In hands of Kai Kivekäs the Scandinavian Maserati MC12 was initially able to follow the leading quartet, but when Henrik Hasager took over a series of deslottings made the car dropping in the standings. Behind them the American, the Italian and the Commonwealth Astons were involved in a close combat for the 7th place.
During the second half of the race "Piki" and Youri increased the advance of their Maserati over the Spanish sister car with 2 more laps. Eventually the "Piki" van Rossem/Youri van Rossem/Michael Niemas car won the race with 204 laps, the lap record of the meeting. Reyes/Gonzalez/Torres were 2nd at 5 laps, De Wachter/Nelwan/Inäbnit 3rd at 8 laps. By finishing 4th at 10 laps, Kremer/Kremer/Seif were rid off the 20 gram ballast for the following round.
In GT2 we witnessed a gruelling combat between the Spanish AF Corse Ferrari F430 GTC and the Belgian Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari F430 GTC. Initially they were 3 out on the lead, but the German Ebimotors Porsche 996 GT3-RSR lost shortly after the start 28 laps in the pits, dropping in last position. In front positions between the Spanish and the Belgian Ferrari switched nearly from lap to lap, racing nose to tail as they did. They were pulling away from the American and Italian Ferraris F430 GTC, involved in a close struggle for the third place. Here Benny Justice (USA) and "Paco" Ballota (I) were also racing nose to tail and we had to wait the real last segment to see Benny Justice conquerring the 3rd place in GT2. Meanwhile the Belgian Ferrari was suffering from technical woes, making Mertens/Philippaerts/Cuppens loosing 11 laps in the pits. Nevertheless they succeeded to maintain the 2nd position in their class, 7 laps over the American Ferrari of Benny Justice/John Emmons/Garcia sr. The Ebimotors Porsche 996 GT3-RSR of the Scandinavian team found at least enough speed to compete with some of the Ferraris F430 GTC. This time the car finished 6th in its class, passed during the last metres by the Dutch Ferrari F430 GTC having earlier won already twice. GT2 victory was for Jordi Girald/Albert Vidal/Alvaro Sarrabia. That implied that a Ferrari F430 won the four first rounds with none of the Porsches able to beat them.

18th Benelux Cup. Lane change with Tom Ooms stickering the Maserati MC2. In the background we recognize Pål Hanson, Brian Saunders, Youri van Rossem, Nick de Wachter, Philip Kremer, Ralf Seif and Francesc Reyes. The Benelux Cup is the oldest model car race on the international calendar.

                  9th IMCA SUMMER RACE
The IMCA X-Mas race being no longer organised, it has been replaced by the Summer Race. Freed from its ballast the German Saleen S7R could lead from start to finish, offering the trio Christoph Kremer/Philip Kremer/Ralf Seif their third victory out of five rounds. On lane 1 Christoph Kremer could improve the lap record of Niemas: 8"339. This time Niemas/"Piki"/Youri (Maserati MC12) insisted no longer, doing nothing else than defending their second place. One lap behind Saunders/Hey-mann/Paterson (Aston Martin DBR9) were involved in a close combat for 3rd with the Maserati MC12 of Reyes/Gonzalez/Torres. Eventually the Commonwealth Aston finished ahead over the Spanish car.
Saved from technical bothers, having plagued their Porsche 996GT3-RSR the trio Philip Kremer/Youri van Rossem/Christoph Kremer could eventually beat all Ferraris for the first time. At the wheel of the Dutch JMB Ferrari F430 GTC Gert Klinge realised the second fastest GT2 lap of the day, but his team mates seemed unable to realise the same speed. Mertens/Philippaerts/Cuppens finished as 2nd GT2. Again Justice/Em-mons/Garcia sr finished 3rd in their class.

                  7th IMCA TEAM RACE
Contested on Tuesday, the last round with the FIA GT cars went without much animo. Most racers were already prepairing their Nismos in view of the world championship. Niemas/"Piki"/Youri tried a last time to bear the hyper fast Saleen S7R of Christoph Kremer/Philip Kremer/Ralf Seif, but they came 2 laps short, finishing again 2nd. Places 3 and 4 went to the Spanish and the Scandinavian Maserati MC12. Having tested during several hours to beat the tyre changing record of Geert Mertens, both Niemas and De Wachter tried a last time to win the €500. However, both failed, despite the fact that Niemas, helped by Reif, realised a sharp 8"87 on practising.
In GT2 Gert Klinge was again the fastest man on the track, but he could not stop the Ferrari F430 GTC of Geert Mertens/Michael Philip-paerts/Robby Cuppens to win a second time with a new lap record of 192 laps. The Dutch Ferrari F430 GTC came 6 laps short to win and finished as 2nd, followed by the American Ferrari F430 GTC, realising for the 3rd consecutive time the 3rd place. The German Ebimotors Porsche suffered once more from technical woes and was not able to fight on equal foot with the Ferraris. [JPVR]

5th BNL RACE FESTIVAL (IOC RACE)

1. C. Kremer/Ph. Kremer/R. Seif D Saleen S7R 200 GT1
2. M. Niemas/P v Rossem/Y v Rossem B Maserati MC12 199 GT1
3. B. Saunders/G. Heymann/Paterson COM Aston Ma DBR9 192 GT1
4. F. Reyes/J. Torres/D. Gonzalez E Maserati MC12 189 GT1
5. N.de Wachter/T.Nelwan/G.Inäbnit NL Aston Ma DBR9 187 GT1
6. M. Oosterling/H.Van Gool/G.Klinge NL Ferrari F430 183 GT2
7. Ph. Kremer/Y. v Rossem/M.Niemas D Porsche GT3 179* GT2
8. A. Vidal/J. Girald/A. Sarrabia E Ferrari F430 173 GT2
9. G.Bernardino/F. Hood/C.Radisich AM Aston Ma DBR9 172 GT1
10. G. Montiglio/"Paco"/J. Miskolci I Aston Ma DBR9 170 GT1
11. K.Kivekäs/H.Hasager/P.Hanson SCN Maserati MC12 165 GT1
12.B.Justice/J. Emmons/Garcia sr AM Ferrari F430 165 GT2
13. S.Mazzarella/Ortega sr/Saini I Ferrari F430 163 GT2
14. t.Ooms/P. Garcia/Ortega jr COM Ferrari F430 161 GT2
15. Salomaa sr/Salomaa jr/P. Hanson SCN Porsche GT3 155 GT2
16. G Mertens/M.Philippaerts/Cuppens B Ferrari F430 118 GT2

6th IMCA's R.O.C. (IOC RACE)

1. C. Kremer/Ph. Kremer/R. Seif D Saleen S7R 197 GT1
2. N.de Wachter/T.Nelwan/G.Inäbnit NL Aston Ma DBR9 193 GT1
3. F. Reyes/J. Torres/D. Gonzalez E Maserati MC12 192 GT1
4. G Mertens/M.Philippaerts/Cuppens B Ferrari F430 191 GT2
5. B. Saunders/G. Heymann/Paterson COM Aston Ma DBR9 184 GT1
6. K.Kivekäs/H.Hasager/P.Hanson SCN Maserati MC12 183 GT1
7. G. Montiglio/"Paco"/J. Miskolci I Aston Ma DBR9 181 GT1
8. M. Niemas/P v Rossem/Y v Rossem B Maserati MC12 178* GT1
9. M. Oosterling/H.Van Gool/G.Klinge NL Ferrari F430 177 GT2
10. A. Vidal/J. Girald/A. Sarrabia E Ferrari F430 173 GT2
11. G.Bernardino/F. Hood/C.Radisich AM Aston Ma DBR9 173 GT1
12. S.Mazzarella/Ortega sr/Saini I Ferrari F430 171 GT2
13. Ph. Kremer/Y. v Rossem/M.Niemas D Porsche GT3 164 GT2
14. B. Justice/J. Emmons/Garcia sr AM Ferrari F430 160 GT2
15. Salomaa sr/Salomaa jr/P. Hanson SCN Porsche GT3 155 GT2
16. T.Ooms/P. Garcia/Ortega jr COM Ferrari F430 148 GT2

* = after a 5-laps penalty for shouting at the marshalls (Ph. Kremer)

* having won the race they were penalised with 20 laps for 2mm too wide, and this on request of Gert Klinge. Of the 8 other cars not meeting the tech rules no other car was penalised by lap sanctions.

14. EUROPEAN MODEL CAR NATS (IOC RACE)

1. Brian Saunders/Gustav Heymann COM Aston Ma DBR9 191 GT1
2. Christoph Kremer/Ralf Seif D Saleen S7R 190 GT1
3. Tamar Nelwan/Gabriel Inäbnit NL Aston Ma DBR9 189 GT1
4. "Piki" van Rossem/Geert Mertens B Maserati MC12 188 GT1
5. Nick de Wachter/Marcl Oosterling NL Ferrari F430 186 GT2
6. Francesc Reyes/Juanma Torres E Maserati MC12 186 GT1
7. Daniel Gonzalez/Pol Garcia E Ferrari F430 182 GT2
8. Kai Kivekäs/Henrik Hasager SC Maserati MC12 179 GT1
9. Philip Kremer/Youri van Rossem D Porsche GT3 179 GT2
10. Giovanni Montiglio/Jozef Miskolci I Aston Ma DBR9 178 GT1
11. Robby Cuppens/Mich Philippaerts B Ferrari F430 178 GT2
12."Gugu" Bernardino/Benny Justice AM Aston Ma DBR9 175 GT1
13. John Emmons/Chris Radisich AM Ferrari F430 167 GT2
14.T.Ooms/Al Paterson COM Ferrari F430 163 GT2
15. "Paco" Ballotta/X. Saini I Ferrari F430 159 GT2
16.Pal Hanson/Salomaa jr SF Porsche GT3 145 GT2

18th BENELUX CUP (IOC RACE)

1. M. Niemas/P v Rossem/Y v Rossem B Maserati MC12 204 GT1
2. F. Reyes/J. Torres/D. Gonzalez E Maserati MC12 199 GT1
3. N.de Wachter/T.Nelwan/G.Inäbnit NL Aston Ma DBR9 196 GT1
4. C. Kremer/Ph. Kremer/R. Seif D Saleen S7R 194 GT1
5. A. Vidal/J. Girald/A. Sarrabia E Ferrari F430 190 GT2
6. K.Kivekäs/H.Hasager/P.Hanson SCN Maserati MC12 190 GT1
7. B. Saunders/G. Heymann/Paterson COM Aston Ma DBR9 188 GT1
8. G. Montiglio/"Paco"/J. Miskolci I Aston Ma DBR9 185 GT1
9. G.Bernardino/F. Hood/C.Radisich AM Aston Ma DBR9 180 GT1
10. G Mertens/M.Philippaerts/Cuppens B Ferrari F430 179 GT2
11.B. Justice/J. Emmons/Garcia sr AM Ferrari F430 172 GT2
12. S.Mazzarella/Ortega sr/Saini I Ferrari F430 167 GT2
13. M. Oosterling/H.Van Gool/G.Klinge NL Ferrari F430 162 GT2
14. Salomaa sr/Salomaa jr/P. Hanson SCN Porsche GT3 162 GT2
15. T.Ooms/P. Garcia/Ortega jr COM Ferrari F430 161 GT2
16. Ph. Kremer/Y. v Rossem/C. Kremer D Porsche GT3 160 GT2

9th IMCA SUMMER RACE (IOC RACE)

1. C. Kremer/Ph. Kremer/R. Seif D Saleen S7R 203 GT1
2. M. Niemas/P v Rossem/Y v Rossem B Maserati MC12 195 GT1
3. B. Saunders/G. Heymann/Paterson COM Aston Ma DBR9 194 GT1
4. F. Reyes/J. Torres/D. Gonzalez E Maserati MC12 194 GT1
5. K.Kivekäs/H.Hasager/P.Hanson SCN Maserati MC12 192 GT1
6. Ph. Kremer/Y. v Rossem/C. Kremer D Porsche GT3 191 GT2
7. N.de Wachter/T.Nelwan/G.Inäbnit NL Aston Ma DBR9 186 GT1
8. G Mertens/M.Philippaerts/Cuppens B Ferrari F430 183 GT2
9. B. Justice/J. Emmons/Garcia sr AM Ferrari F430 181 GT2
10. G. Montiglio/"Paco"/J. Miskolci I Aston Ma DBR9 179 GT1
11. Tom Ooms/P. Garcia/Ortega jr COM Ferrari F430 175 GT2
12. M. Oosterling/H.Van Gool/G.Klinge NL Ferrari F430 175 GT2
13. G.Bernardino/F. Hood/C.Radisich AM Aston Ma DBR9 174 GT1
14. A. Vidal/J. Girald/A. Sarrabia E Ferrari F430 170 GT2
15. S.Mazzarella/Ortega sr/Saini I Ferrari F430 167 GT2
16. Salomaa sr/Salomaa jr/P. Hanson SCN Porsche GT3 166 GT2

7th IMCA TEAM RACE (IOC RACE)

1. C. Kremer/Ph. Kremer/R. Seif D Saleen S7R 202 GT1
2. M. Niemas/P v Rossem/Y v Rossem B Maserati MC12 200 GT1
3. F. Reyes/J. Torres/D. Gonzalez E Maserati MC12 195 GT1
4. K. Kivekäs/P. Hanson/H. Hasager SCN Maserati MC12 194 GT1
5. G. Mertens/R. Cuppens/M. Phillipaerts B Ferrari F430 192 GT2
6. B. Saunders/G.Heymann/A. Paterson COM Aston Ma DBR9 191 GT1
7. M. Oosterling/H.Van Gool/G.Klinge NL Ferrari F430 186 GT2
8. B. Justice/J. Emmons/Garcia sr AM Ferrari F430 185 GT2
9. G. Montiglio/"Paco"/J. Miskolci I Aston Ma DBR9 185 GT1
10. S.Mazzarella/Ortega sr/Saini I Ferrari F430 183 GT2
11. G.Bernardino/F. Hood/C.Radisich AM Aston Ma DBR9 183 GT1
12. N. de Wachter/T. Nelwan/G. Inäbnit NL Aston Ma DBR9 176 GT1
13. J. Girald/A. Sarrabia E Ferrari F430 170 GT2
14. Ph. Kremer/Y. v Rossem/C. Kremer D Porsche GT3 169 GT2
15. Salomaa sr/Salomaa jr/P. Hanson SCN Porsche GT3 168 GT2
16. Tom Ooms/P. Garcia/Albert Ortega COM Ferrari F430 167 GT2
SUNDAY: A MIRACLE HAPPENS & ALL IS CLEAN

Sunday August 20 - At 4 p.m. everyone was in the hotel. Chris Radisich and John Emmons arrived earlier, around noon, followed by the Italian team with Giovanni Montiglio, "Paco" Ballota, Stefano "Disaster" Mazzarella and a youngster as substitute for Franco Gnocchi. A few minites later "Gugu" Bernardino (the G7 world record holder over 40 minutes with 1175 laps) and Benny Justice (the 1'4632 world record holder over one lap) were there. They told us that Joao C. Geraldo could not show since he had no valid pasport for the US, and that Marcello Triginelli couldn't find a plane at a reasonable price. Tamar Nelwan, Marcel Oosterling and Nick de Wachter arrived by plane. Unfortunately they failed to rent a car at the airport. Our three Finnish racers - Kai Kivekäs, Arttu Salomaa and Marko Salomaa were waiting in the loby of the hotel. Big problems at 4.30 p.m.: there are not enough cars to join Les Franqueses del Valle. So Tamar tried to rent a bus. However: no bus available on Sunday. The solution is found by renting two cars.
Meanwhile organiser Francesc Reyes is furious about my article on Saturday. He explains that nobody was expected to show on Saturday, that there were drinks in the refrigirator, that catering was scheduled for Sunday, that everything was cleaned up and that the raceway was ready to receive a world championship. At the moment he phones me I can hardly believe that he succeeded to perform such a miracle. But when we arrive at the raceway, two hours later than scheduled, I can once more not believe my eyes. Indeed, the miracle did happen: the raceway was clean, there was enough space for everybody, inner marshalling posts were added to the track and at once everything was enjoyable. On cleaning up everything he was helped by the Germans.
Outside the raceway we find Gert Klinge and his wife, also Geert Mertens, his wife, the youngsters Robby Cuppens and Michael Phillipaerts. All Spaniards, except for Mark Garcia are there: Daniel Gonzalez, a grown-up Pol Garcia, Albert Vidal, Jordi Gerald, Antonio Ortega, Albert Ortega and Alvaro Sarrabia with his brand new Harley Davidson, admired by all racers. Juanma Torres comes later. He has a broken arm and blond hair. Father Garcia decides to replace his son Mark. Gabriel Inäbnit is in too. I guess with his wife, but I forgot to ask it. I'll do it tomorrow.

Francesc Reyes is still not there. He's to the airport to pick up Brian Saunders, Henrik Hasager and Pal Hanson. Now we are complete. After some discussions everybody agrees that Francesc Reyes found all his dignity back. Indeed, the efforts he did to make it as enjoyable as possible, let racers forget the bad fellings of one day earlier. Because that's what's so beautiful on international slot-racing: eventually we are all friends and hard words are forgotten as fast as they came. At the registrations all racers have to bet € 10 on who'll be the three first of the 16th Model Car Worlds. Most votes for the winner go to Michael Niemas, but Nick de Wachter, Daniel Gonzalez and Francesc Reyes score very good. Chris Radisich was tipped twice as winner, just as Gustav Heymann and Brian Saunders. For me it's a mystery that Christoph Kremer and Philip Kremer were named not once. "Piki" is tipped by most racers as second or third.
For the second time in two years John Emmons has the wrong t-shirt. Up from now he's from Brazil, listening to the name Marcello Triginelli. Father Garcia is at once his own son and again a youngster.
The whole evening, until midnight, is reserved for practising with FIA GT cars. Best time of the evening was realised by the #24 Aston Martin DBR9 of Gustav Heymann with 8"600 as absolute best time. Then came Kai Kivekäs with Hendrik's Maserati MC12: 8"701. Third best time goes to the Saleen S7R of the Kremers with 8"718. The Italian Maserati MC12 was in for the fourth best time: 8"734 for Montiglio. Since the Corvette C6-R of Michael Niemas was not ready, the team had to swith to their Red Bull Maserati MC12, but even with this car they were beaten by the Spanish Maserati MC12: 8"803 for Daniel Gonzalez. The Dutch Aston Martin DBR9 and the American Red Bull Maserati were not seen during free practice.
Among the GT2 Robby Cuppens realised the best time in 8"902 with the Belgian Ferrari F430. Then followed the German Porsche 996GT3-RSR in 8"922 and the Dutch Ferrari F430 in 9"001. The Norvegian Porsche of Pal Hanson came next, followed by the Ferrari F430 of Tom Ooms, driving for the Commonwealth Team. The team - having lost Triginelli and Craig Strydom will be completed by two excellent Spanish youngsters: Pol Garcia and Albert Ortega. The Italian F430 realised 9"154 in hands of Stefano "Disaster" Mazzarella. The American Ferrari F430 was nearly not raced, but Chris Radisich clocked 9"155. The Dutch Ferrari was only seen during very few laps. Here Nick de Wachter was the fastest man in 9"001. Differences among the GT2 are narrower than among the GT1s.

FREE PRACTICE TIMES FIA-GT

1. #24 Aston Martin DBR9

RSA/GB

Gustav Heymann 8"600
2. #2 Maserati MC12

SF/DK/N

Kai Kivekäs 8"701
3. #9 Saleen S7R

D

Christoph Kremer 8"718
4. #23 Aston Martin DBR9

I

Giovanni Montiglio 8"734
5. #1 Maserati MC12

E

Daniel Gonzalez 8"803
6. #15 Maserati MC12

B

Michael Niemas 8"886
7. #62 Ferrari F430

B

Robby Cuppens 8"902
8. #4 Corvette C6-R

B

"Piki" van Rossem 8"911
9. #75 Porsche 996 GT3

D

Philip Kremer 8"922
10. #55 Ferrari F430

NL

Nick de Wachter 9"001
11. #74 Porsche 996 GT3

SF/DK/N

Pal Hanson 9"098
12. #61 Ferrari F430

RSA/GB

Tom Ooms 9"117
13. #58 Ferrari F430

E

Alvaro Sarrabia 9"119
14. #59 Ferrari F430

I

Stefano "Disaster" 9"154
15. #56 Ferrari F430

USA/BR

Chris Radisich 9"155
16. #5 Aston Martin DBR9

NL

not seen NT
17. #33 Aston Martin DBR9

USA/BR

not seen NT
TEAMS FOR THE FIA GT RACES
#1 Maserati MC12 E D.Gonzalez/F.Reyes/J.Torres
#2 Maserati MC2 SF/DK/N K. Kivekäs/H.Hasager/P. Hanson
#5 Aston Martin DBR9 NL N. de Wachter/T. Nelwan/G.Inäbnit
#9 Saleen S7R D C.Kremer/P.Kremer/R.Seif
#15 Maserati MC12 B P. van Rossem/Y. v Rossem/Niemas
#23 Aston Martin DBR9 I G. Montiglio/J.Miskolci/"Paco"
#24 Aston Martin DBR9 RSA/GB G.Heymann/B.XSaunders/A.Paterson
#33 Aston Martin DBR9 USA/BR G. Bernardino/B.Justice/C.Radisich
#55 Ferrari F430 GTC NL M.Oosterling/H.van Gool/G.Klinge
#56 Ferrari F430 GTC USA/BR F.Hood/J.Emmons/Garcia sr
#58 Ferrari F430 GTC E A.Sarrabia/A.Vidal/J.Girard
#59 Ferrari F430 GTC I S.Mazzarella/X.X/Antonio Ortega
#61 Ferrari F430 GTC RSA/GB T.Ooms/M.Garcia/Albert Ortega
#62 Ferrari F430 GTC B G.Mertens/R.Cuppens/M.Phillipaerts
#74 Porsche 996GT3 SF/DK/N M.Salomaa/A.Salomaa/JPVR
#75 Porsche 996GT3 D P.Kremer/Y vRossem/Niemas/Kremer

THE 2006 FRANCO GIANOTTI TROPHY
THE NEARLY PERFECT MODEL CAR RACE
Geert Mertens, Philip Kremer & Jan Gürtzen win thrilling race
Red Bull Maserati MC12 beats the two Aston Martins

May 28 - At the splendid model car track of Übach-Palenberg - a copy of the Spa Francorchamps track - Geert Mertens, Christoph Kremer and Jan Gürt-zen won with their Red Bull Maserati MC12 the first round of the 2006 Franco Gianotti Trophy. The ten remaining rounds will be contested at the Barcelona Worlds on August 21-22, 2006. Mertens & Co could conquer the lead of the race at the 10th of 24 segments. Up to then they were 5 laps short of the leading #28 Aston Martin DBR9 of Nick de Wachter/Tamar Nelwan/Gabriel Inäbnit, being out on the lead since 5 segments. However, a too low ground clearance made the Dutch Aston loosing 8 laps in the pits, so that after 10 segments the Red Bull Maserati was leading the Aston by 3 laps. After a superb stint by Jan Gürtzen (on the difficult white lane) and a unique stint by Mertens himself, they could maintain the lead until the end of the night section. At mid-race their advance over the #28 Aston was always 3 laps. The other Aston Martin, shared by Michael Niemas and Philip Kremer was then 12 laps behind the leading Maserati. However, should Niemas had put lights in his car before the start, and not during racing time, the German #29 Aston Martin DBR9 could have been a strong co-leader, since they lost exactly 12 laps in the pits.
During the second half of the race Niemas/Kremer were the fastest racers on the track, taking 8 laps back on the Maserati in 12 segments: however, not enough to win the race. Towards the end they succeeded to pass the Dutch sister car and to lap it once, but they could no prevent that the first round of the 2006 Franco Gianotti Trophy went to the Maserati of Mertens & Co. It was an extremely thrilling race and until the last minutes nobody could predict who of the three leading cars should reach as first the chequered flag. In the point standings for the Gianotti Trophy Mertens and Christoph Kremer did an excellent business collecting 19 points in total, against 15 for De Wachter, Nelwan and Inäbnit and 14 for Niemas and Philippe Kremer.

FIRST ROUND FIRST WIN FOR MASERATI - Everybody expectede that one of the Aston Martins should win the Spa 24 hours, but the Maserati was 4 laps faster at the finish line.

THE ENTRY
We found 10 cars at the start, all GT1. Aston Martin was present with 2 cars, just as Maserati and Corvette. Ferrari had 3 cars on the grid, 2 Larbre Compétition F550s and one R.A.R. F550. The remaining car was the Graham Nash Salleen S7R of reigning junior world champion Daniel Gonzalez and Francesc Reyes. Missing at the start were "Piki" and Youri van Rossem, having been replaced on the #29 Niemas Aston Martin by Philippe Kremer. Missing too was the Vitaphone Maserati of Salvatore Noviello and Daniele Malangone, so that their team mate Geert Mertens - the 2000 world champion - had to switch to the #15 Red Bull Maserati, where he found Christoph Kremer and Jan Gürtzen as team mates. The absence of Noviello is due to his medical condition after two heart attacks.  Also missing were Andreas Laufenberg and the European champion Christian Schnizler who could not be missed on their main club event. Last but not least there was no Ferrari 575GTC for the Czech team of Josef Korec, Vladimir Horky and Antónin Vojtik. It's even not sure if they'll show at the Barcelona Worlds. That Dieter Jens, Matthias Parke, Thomas Spicker and Stephan Wiesel were all absent may perhaps be explained by the fact that this time they could not sell their cars at the highest prices; moreover those nostalgic enthusiasts of vintage cars have no big affinity with such modern cars as 2005 FIA GT cars.

THE QUALIFICATIONS
First to go for a fastest lap was Niemas with the #29 Aston Martin DBR9. There was so much dust on the track that the DBR9 had nearly no grip. Niemas came not further than the last but one time (10"389). Robby Cuppens (B) - last year still top qualifier at the Le Mans 1970 Memorial - had also problems with a too low grip and did no better than 10"504. The first to improve Niemas's time was the fast Spaniard Albert Vidal with the #12 Larbre Compétition Ferrari F550: 10"050. First to go under the 10 seconds was Kai Kivekas (SF) with 9"777. We had to wait Geert Mertens to see how his Red Bull Maserati imroved that time: 9"536. With lonely two cars left it was up to Nick de Wachter (NL), the triple 2004 world champion, to do again better: 9"366 for the #28 Aston Martin. As lasr starter Daniel Gonzalez failed to do better with the #8 Graham Nash Saleen S7R: his 9"584 was only good for a third place on the grid, behind the TQ-ing #29 Dutch Aston Martin and the #15 Red Bull Maserati.

SEGMENTS 1-6
Fastest away was the#17 R.A.R. Ferrari F550 (the Russian one) of Gert Klinge, achieving a first lap in 9"401, with Daniel Gonzalez (Saleen) and Nick de Wachter a bit slower. It took 4 full laps on cleaning the dusty tires before the #29 Aston Martin took off at the bottom of the field. In front the Saleen was setting the pace up from lap 2. Only the Dutch #27 Aston seemed able to follow. After 1 segment positions were: 1. #8 Saleen (Gonzalez) 95 laps, 2. #27 Aston Martin (De Wachter) 92 laps, 3. #15 Maserati (Chr. Kremer) 90 laps, 4. #17 RAR Ferrari F550 87 laps, 5. #6 GLKP Corvette (Phillipaerts) 86 laps, 6. #28 Aston Martin (Ph. Kremer) 85 laps, 7. #11 Larbre Ferrari F550 (Kivekäs) 83 laps, 8. #12 Larbre Ferrari F550 (Sarrabio) 81 laps, 9. #22 SRT Corvette 80 laps, 10. #9 Vitaphone Maserati (Hasager) 75 laps. 

During the second segment Francesc Reyes, having replaced Gonzalez, could keep the lead, but now followed at 1 Lap by the Dutch #27 Aston DBR9 and at 3 laps by the #15 Red Bull Ferrari. Klinge could keep his 4th place with the RAR Ferrari at 6 laps, followed 1 lap further by the German Aston DB9, having passed the yellow Corvette. Postitions remained nearly unchanged during the two following segments, except that the German DB9 was now fifth, and that the German SRT #22 Corvette had passed the yellow Corvette of the Belgians. During the 5th segment Gonzalez took the Saleen over from Reyes, now speeding up as hard as he could, in order to widen the gap. He realised a fastest race lap in 9"011 (nobody should do any better for the rest of the race). When he had already 2 laps over the Dutch Aston DBR9 the motor can was slightly bent: indeed the screw side of the ProSlot motor is too thin so that after a heavy collision the pinion comes off the spur gear. On repairing the bothers the Saleen is passed by the Dutch DBR9, later also by the German DBR9, having now passed the Russian Ferrari. Towards the end of the fifth segment the Saleen, having lost 23 laps in the pits, rejoins the track in 4th postion, just ahead over the Finnish #11 Larbre Ferrari having passed the Russian Ferrari. During the sixth segment Tamar Nelwan can increase his advance over the Red Bull Maserati to 3 laps. The Spanish Larbre Ferrari F550 looses 50 laps in the pits to change the motor and the Russian F550 looses 25 laps on tire bothers. After 6 segments positions are: 1. #27 DBR9 (De Wachter/Inäbnit/Nelwan) 546.35 laps (5 pts), 2. #15 Maserati MC12 (Mertens/Chr. Kremer/J. Gürtzen) on 5 laps (4 pts), 3. #29 DBR9 (Niemas/Ph. Kremer) on 7 laps (3 pts), 4. #8 Saleen S7R (Gonzalez/Reyes) on 21 laps (2.5 pts), 5. #11 Ferrari F550 (Kivekas/ Tyler/Nurkannen) on 25 laps (2 pts), 6. #6 GPLK Corvette (Phillipaerts/ Cuppens/Ooms) on 38 laps (1.5 pts), 7. SRT Corvette (Zanders, K. Kuhn/ M. Kuhn/Meyer) on 42 laps (1 pt), 8. RAR Ferrari F550 (Klinge/Recker/J. Gürtzen) on 47 laps (0.5 pt), 9. Vitaphone Maserati (Hasager/Christian-sen) on 79 laps, 10. #12 Ferrai F550 (Sarrabia/Vidal/Girald) at 102 laps.

SEGMENTS 7-12 (NIGHT SECTION)
On starting the night section in the dark none of the Spanish drivers is present so that after 9 lost laps Reyes decides to keep the #12 Ferrari gooing. Also in the pits is Niemas: he forgot to put lights in his car before the start) and needs to do it now during racing time. He looses 12 laps and team mate Philip Kremer rejoins the track just ahead of the #12 Ferrari F550 from Tim Tyler.  On the RAR Ferrari Klinge is now rocketing like a canon ball, passing the two Corvettes (2 laps apart from each other) and the Finnish #11 Ferrari F550. The Saleen runs in big problems when at once the front lights are falling out. So the Russian Ferrari can move into 4th position. After 9 segments difference between the Dutch DBR9 and the #15 Maserati MC12 is always 5 laps. Fastest car on the track is now the German DBR #9 reducing its 17 laps arrears to 11 laps, and holding the 3rd place. After 10 laps both Astons are found with a too low ground clearance. It costs the Dutch DBR9 8 laps in the pits, so that the Maserati takes over the lead, now 3 laps ahead over the Dutch DBR9. When Achim Zanders, after a great stint, can eventually pass the Belgian Corvette, the car hits the wall and the front gound clearance is too low. The car looses 28 laps in the pits and drops from 6th to 9th position.

Bothers too on the yellow Corvette, loosing its rear spoiler, and later loosing its motot pinion. Cuppens rejoins the track one lap over the SRT Corvette of the Germans. At mid-race positions are: 1. #15 Maserati (Mertens/Chr.. Kremer/J. Gürtzen) 1088 laps (5 pts), 2. #27 DBR9 (Nelwan/Inäbnit/De Wachter) at 3 laps (4 pts), 3. #28 DBR9 (Niemas/Ph. Kremer) at 11 laps (3 pts), 4. #17 RAR Ferrari F550 (Klinge/Recker/T. Gürtzen) at 89 laps (2.5 pts), 5. #11 Ferrari F550 (Kivekäs/Tyler/Nurr-kanen) at 98 laps (2 pts), 6. #8 Saleen (Reyes/Gonzalez) at 115 laps (1.5 pts), 7. #4 GLKP Corvette (Phillipaerts/Cuppens/Ooms) at 122 laps, 8. #22 SRT Corvette (Zanders/K. Kuhn/M. Kuhn/R. Meyer) at 123 laps, ç. #9 Vitaphone Maserati (Hasager/Christiansen) at 174 laps, 10. #12 Ferrari F550 (Sarrabia/Vidal/Girald) at 176 laps.

SEGMENTS 13-24
On the leading Maserati Mertens & Kremer have to continue without Jan Gurtzen. Especially during the night section he had a superb stint on white, holding off Nick de Wachter and the Dutch DBR9 during the complete segment. Up from now victory goes between the Red Bull Maserati and the two Astons. The German #28 Aston is the fastest on the track and has to fight until the real end to pass the Dutch #27 sister car and to lap it once. After 24 segments the #28 DBR9 is only 4 laps down to the winning Maserati of Mertens/Chr. Kremer/J. Gürtzen. We saw some splendid motoring with the two Astons nose to tail fighting for the second place and the Red Bull Maserati shortly further. It's the most thrilling endurance race in the history of model car racing. 
Behind the leading trio the Russian Ferrari runs in problems and drops gradually from 4th to 7th. That brings the Finnish Larbre Ferrari F550 into 4th position, now followed at more than 30 laps by the wounded Saleen. The struggle between the two Corvettes turns out as a drama for the Belgian youngsters on the yellow Corvette. They drop from 6th to 8th position. Towards the end they have even to defend their 8th place against the #9 Maserati (Hasager/Christiansen), having been on speed only at the qualifications. Postitions change no more and Mertens/Chr. Kremer/J. Gürtzen win the most beautiful race of their life.

BEFORE THE REMAINING 10 ROUNDS OF THE GIANOTTI TROPHY
Mertens and Kremer collected 19 points for the Gianotti Trophy. They are in excellent position to win that series, especially since in Barcelona both will avoid the gruelling competition between the GT1 cars. Indeed Mertens will start on the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari F430 GT2 and Kremer on a Porsche 996 RSR, also in the GT2 class. In GT1 the big guns will eat each other whilst Mertens and Kremer can win easy points. That proves that the Gianotti Trophy is in the first place a question of race strategy.

NEARLY PERFECT MODEL CAR RACE  
Driving the 10 fastest cars of the real Spa 24 hours on a model car track of the Spa circuit is just a dream. What a difference with racing vintage cars no youngster ever saw racing. Fia GT racing is a big attraction for young racers and a real promotion for the hobby sport. Just some minor shortcomings: a Saleen in the wrong colours, two CR6 Corvettes instead of CR5s. Let's hope that at the X-Mas races we will reach nearly 100 pct perfection by racing all the 2006 cars of Spa at the ...Spa model car track. Great effort by Tamar Nelwan & Achim Zanders! [JPVR]

CAR

DRIVERS TEAM QUALIF AFTER 6 SEGM AFTER 12 AFTER 24 Points
1. #15 Red Bull Maserati MC12 Geert Mertens (B)
Christoph Kremer (D)
Jan Gürtzgen (D)
Belgium A 9"536 (3) 541.35 laps (2) 1,088.47 (1) 2,215.06 (1) 19 pts
2. #28 Aston Martin DBR9 Michael Niemas (D)
Philippe Kremer (D)
Germany A 10"504 (9) 539.09 laps (3) 1,077.21 (3) 2,210.44 (2) 14 pts
3. #27 Aston Martin DBR9 Nick de Wachter (NL)
Tamar Nelwan (NL)
Gabriel Inäbnit (CH)
Holland A 9"366 (1) 546.35 laps (1) 1,085.25 (2) 2,208.88 (3) 15 pts
4. #11 Larbre Ferrari F550 Kai Kivekäs (SF)
Tim Tyler (NZ)
Pekka Nurrkanen (SF)
Finland 9"777 (4) 520.96 laps (5) 989.24 (5) 2,042.70 (4) 9 pts
5. #8 GNR Saleen S7R Daniel Gonzalez (E)
Francesc Reyes (E)
Spain A 9"584 (2) 524.87 laps (4) 973.13 (6) 2,013.61 (5) 8.5 pts
6. #17 RAR Ferrari F550 Gert Klinge (NL)
Marcel Oosterling (NL)
Tim Gürtzgen (D)
Peter Recker (D)
Holland B 10"374 (8) 499.35 laps (8) 998.70 (4) 1,995.15 (6) 6 pts
7. #22 SRT Corvette C5R Achim Zanders (D)
Stefan Kuhn (D)
Marcel Kuhn (D)
Ralph Meyer (D)
Germany B 10"101 (6) 505.12 laps (7) 965.29 (8) 1,961.35 (7) 3.5 pts
8. #6 GPLK Corvette C5R Michael Phillipaerts (B)
Robby Cuppens (B)
Tom Ooms (B)
Belgium B 10"504 (10) 507.87 laps (6) 965.96 (7) 1,946.79 (8) 3,5 pts
9. #9 Vitaphone Maserati MC12 Henrik Hasager (DK)
Peter Christiansen (DK)
Denmark 10"274 (7) 467.09 laps (9) 914.44 (9) 1,932.94 (9) 0 pts
10. #12 Larbre Ferrari F550 Alvaro Sarrabia (E)
Albert Vidal (E)
Jordi Girald (E)
Spain B 10"050 (5) 443.47 laps (10) 911.82 (10) 1,867.97 (10) 0 pts

Fastest lap during the race: Daniel Gonzalez (E) GNR Saleen S7R in 9"011

click here to find where all model car parts can be found and what are the technical rules!

MODEL CAR RACING AT ITS REAL BEST

2004 Francorchamps 24 h

IMCA Report 2003 Francorchamps 24 hours

IMCA Report 2002 Francorchamps 24 hours

Another fine IMCA int'l race meeting Address: SRC Eurode e.V., Plitschard 182 52134 Herzogenrath (D) Leitmotiv: Bring slot-racing closer to real autosport racing!

2nd 5L Midsummer Race, Neumünster (D),August 26-27, 2006 (NO IOC RACE)

August 28, 2006 - At Neumünster Matthias Parke & Co organised their 2nd 5L Midsummer Race, a candidate for promotion as IOC race. The race date nearly conflicted with the 2006 Barcelona IMCA Worlds, so that, except for Kai Kivekäs (SF), no well reputated internationals came at the start. Among the 30 teams there was a team from Austria (finishing 13th on a Schöler Striker chassis), a team from Switzerland (finishing 24th on a MoMo MP2 chassis), a team from Denmark (finishing 20th on a PlaFit Excel chassis) and the Finnish team (finis-hing 16th on a MoMo MP1 chassis). Although 7 of the 8 foreign racers were merely amateurs without real international experience, it was quite a performance of the organisers to have them at the start.
Of the 30 cars at the start 18 were Porsches, 12 Ferraris. Neumünster being Parke's MoMoland it hardly caused a stir that half of the used chassis were all MoMos (5 MP4, 9 MP2 or MP1). There were only 3 Plafit chassis at the start (2 124LS, 1 Excel). Of the 5 used Schöler chassis 4 were of the new Striker type. Contrary to international cercles, where absolutely nobody wishes to drive the Slotvision, there were 4 Slotvis-ions at the start. There was only 1 Metris Mk2, 1 Solid, 1 own-made chassis and 1 unknown. Nobody raced the M-Racing-C1 chassis (in Barcelona good for a podium place at the Amateur's Worlds).
Commercial obligations made that the German reporters could not say that the Slotvision was once more nowhere. They tried to hide the m-teenth misfire of the Slotvision by stating that at the qualifications the 4 best sold chassis were found among the top-10. Racers, however are interested in final standings. And at those final standings we find the Slotvisions as 15th, 21st, 28th and 29th on 31. A débâcle, no? If we attribute the traditional 20, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points to the top 10 we obtain 25 points for the PlaFit LS124 (with 2 cars), 25 points for the new MoMo MP4 (with 3 cars), 20 points for the Schöler Striker (with 2 cars), 8 points for the older MoMo MP1/MP2 (with 2 cars) and 3 points for Oberbillig's Eigenbau.
As was expected Matthias Parke/Jurgen Stüdemann won the race. Ortmann/Wolff were a fine 2nd, Dieter Jens/Peter Berg 3rd. By finishing 5th on distance, 4th on points (the German system!) Gerd "Devil" van de Wiel gave once more full evidence that he's a much better racer than most other competitors believe. Let's hope that we find him back among the entrants of the Nordic Trophy at the 2007 Copenhagen Euronats!
I wish to note several plus points on the 2006 edition of the 5L Midsum-mernight Race. First of all there is the excellent and classy race location and of course all the beauty of the typical model car track, especially now that the lightning of the scenery has been improved. Next it's important to mention that, despite the race goes with cars that no youngster ever saw racing, there were several youngs-ters at the start. Last but not least there is a good pragmatic rule book, ensuring fair racing.
Some racers have the feeling that the whole event is pretty commer-cial, but I find that organisers have the right to earn business money to cover all the costs, especially since they have to work without any financial sponsoring. It should be great if next years some excellent international racers could show at the third edition. A serious handicap, however, is that the PlaFit Open in Mörfelden starts one week later. Most racers know Mörfelden (host of the 1995 Worlds) for its interna-tional reputation and perhaps prefer to go to there. Let them remem-ber that the 5L Summerrace is on the good way, absolutely worth to be attended.
There are 2 handicaps to promote the excellent 5L Race interna-tionally: (1) it seems nearly impossible to sell the German ranking system to the rest of te world (a combination of race points and concourse points works only in Germany) and (2) North-Germany has not the touristic appeal of e.g. Italy, France, Greece, Spain or Portugal. Nevertheless Parke merits our support in promoting his 5L Race. [JPVR]

Results of top-10 (31 teams, 62 racers, 5 nations)

1. Matthias Parke/Jürgen Studemann Ferrari 512M MoMo MP4 710.98
2. Alexander Ortmann/Dirk Wolff Porsche 917K Plafit 124 707.14
3. Dieter Jens/Peter Berg Porsche 917K Schöler 703.06
4. Dietmar Schmeer/Jan Uhlig Ferrari 512M Plafit 124 701.35
5. Gerd vd Wiel/Matthias Fellmer Ferrari 512S Schöler 691.86
6. Peter Hanel/Niels Schröder Porsche 917K MoMo MP2 691.37
7. Romas Moser/Albrecht Richt Porsche 917K MoMo MP4 686.65
8. Peter Oberbillig/Uli Schumacher Porsche 917K Eigenbau 685.38
9. Stephan Wiesel/Beate Wiesel Ferrari 512M MoMo MP2 684.01
10. Lars Schäfer/Jan Reimer Porsche 917K MoMo MP4 681.76
The winning Ferrari 512M of M. Parke/Jürgen Studemann (MoMo MP4)
The Porsche 917K of Ortmann/Wolff finishing 2nd (PlaFit 124) The Porsche 917K of Dieter Jens/Peter Berg was 3rd (Schöler Striker)
The Ferrari 512M of Dietmar Schmeer/Jan Uhlig was 4th (PlaFit 124) The Ferrari 512S of Gerd "Devil"/Matthias Fellmer was 5th (Schöler Striker)

LES NEUF HEURES DU VIKING (DK) (Nov 4-5, 2006) (NO IOC RACE)

HASAGER, HANSON, BIRKEBÆK, SANDER WIN

Les 9 Heures du Viking very well organised - First win for MRC1

November 6, 2006 - Although Henrik Hasager and Pål Hanson informed IMCA by mail that they are not ready to organise the 2007 IMCA Worlds - they wish to wait 2008 - they succeeded to organise their second faultless Les 9 Heures du Viking, an endurance race for actual Le Mans cars. Nine teams came on the start with racers from Denmark, Norway, Holland, Switerland and Belgium. Main favourite was Racing for Holland, at the start with the #24 Aston Martin DBR9 already seen at the 2006 Barcelona Worlds. Nevertheless it was a strange situation to find them at the start without their traditional road captain Tamar Nelwan, who retired last month from active racing. Drivers were Nick de Wachter, Gabriel Inäbnit and Henri van Gool (the Dutch selection for the 2007 Worlds in Barcelona!).
The Aston Martin DBR9 won easily concourse, but finished only 4th at the qualifications in 6"465. Pole position went to the Courage C60 of Pål Hanson in 6"312, followed by the Riley & Scott MkIIIC of Jostein Vandås in 6"406.
At the start the blue Porsche 911 GT1 with the white arrow was fastest away and could keep the lead during the 20 first laps. During the first segment a Belgian race director made an error so that the heat must be done over. Since the Aston Martin lost some 20 laps before the error, due to a lost pinion, the car receives a 20 lap penalty at the restart.  Shortly after that restart the pinion comes off for the second time and RfH decides to use a press-on brass pinion. When the Aston joins the track the car is in last position. Meanwhile the Courage C60 of White Mouse Racing took over the lead from the Porsche 911 GT1, closely followed by the Courage C52 of the Høflers. After the first daylight section the White Mouse Courage is 4 laps ahead over the C52 of the Høflers, with the RfH Aston Martin in 4th position at 25 laps.
The night section hardly changes the positions. At the end, after 2/3rd of racing we note: 1. Courage C60 (White Mouse) 2,651; 2. Courage C52 (Race Fun) at 5 laps; 3. Aston Martin DBR9 (RfH) at 27 laps; 4. Porsche 911 GT1 (Clerical) at 146 laps, 5. Riley & Scott (RfN) at 247 laps, etc. During the night we loose two cars with light problems: the Courage C52 of HMC and the BMW V12 LMP of Martin Borch/Gert Klinge/Rasmus Johansen.
During the last day section something happens which should have provo-ked a heart attack to the absent Tamar Nelwan. On a tech control ground clearance of the White Mouse Courage C60 is too low. Normally that means that they should loose 10 per cent of the achieved laps since the last control. But under Danish race directors that's something not done for an all Danish car: all what happens is that Hasager & Co have to adjust the clearance in the pits. The Race Fun Courage C52 can take over the lead but then is again passed by the White Mouse Courage C60, winning the race with a 7 laps advance over the C52 of the Høflers. The RfH Aston Martin is 3rd at 54 laps. During the last hour there was a merciless combat between the Riley & Scott of RfN and the Courage C60 of Huniche & Co. The Riley & Scott came ...one lap short to take the 5th place. [J.R.]

Row 1: Aston Martin DBR9 of RfH. Row 2: the Courage C60 of the winners & the BMW V12 LMP of Borch & Co. Row 3: Courage C52 of HMC (left), C52 of the Høflers (mid) and C52 of Racing for Vikings (right) . Row 4: Panoz LMP of Stoneloose Fast Boyz, Riley & Scott Mk3 of RfN (mid) and Porsche 911GT1 of Clerical Racing (but what is so clerical at this car?)

FIRST WIN FOR M-RACING C1 CHASSIS!

Interesting was that only two types of chassis came at the start: the good old PlaFit Excel and the new MTC-1 chassis. In Barcelona Pål Hanson used already the new chassis, finishing with it 3rd at the Amateurs Worlds. This time the chassis proved to be really competitive, winning its first international race. If Hanson and Hasager use next year in Barcelona the same chassis at the Mello Yello they are the outspoken favourites to succeed Antonio Ortega as 2007 Amateur World Champion. Already last year Hasager/Hanson/Birkebæk won the 9 hour race, then with Peter Lind as fourth driver. Now Lind raced with the Høflers (finishing as second), whilst Mark Sander was the new driver on the winning car.
Tomorrow I'll present my favourite topic, nl. how to organise next year a European Endurance Championship over 5 rounds, recognised as IOC-event. Such races as the Viking 9 hours, the Diepenbeek 24 hours, the Uden 24 hours, the Moers 24 hours and a 5th endurance race in France or Italy (which could be added on this list), should be selected! I find that the creation of such Endurance Championship is an absolute must. [J.R.]

team racers of the team car chassis laps
1. White Mouse Racing Pål Hanson (N)/Henrik Hasager (DK)/Jørn Birkebæk (DK)/Mark Sander (DK) Courage C60 M-Racing C1 3,735
2. Race Fun Christian Høfler (DK)/Keld Høfler (DK)/Gorm Nørgaard (DK)/Peter Lind (DK) Courage C52 PlaFit Excel 3,728
3. Racing for Holland Nick de Wachter (NL)/Gabriel Inäbnit (CH)/Henri van Gool (NL) Aston Martin DBR9 PlaFit Excel 3,681
4. Clerical Racing Anders Nielsen (DK)/Daniel Olsen (DK)/Søren Thomsen (DK)/Hroar Olsen(DK) Porsche 911 GT1 PlaFit Excel 3,498
5. Racing for Vikings Michael Huniche (DK)/Oliver Andersen (DK)/Rene Andersen (DK) Courage C60 M-Racing C1 3,383
6. Racing for Norway Jostein Vandås (N)/Stig Eriksen (N)/Jan Andersen (N)/Morten Momsen (N) Riley & Scott MkIIIC M-Racing C1 3,345
7. Stoneloose Fast Boyz Rolf Næhr (DK)/Jens-Peter Andreassen (DK)/Peter Christiansen (DK) Panoz LMP PlaFit Excel 3,344
8. HMC Racing Jørgen Ringtrup(DK)/Robert Castella(DK)/Steen Petersen(DK)/M. Klarskov(DK) Courage C52 M-Racing C1 1,566
9. Virages Gert Klinge (B)/Martin Borch (DK)/Rasmus Johansen (DK) BMW V12 LMP PlaFit Excel 1,534

11th DIETER JENS LE MANS CHALLENGE, BISHOFSHEIM (D) (May 19-20, 2006)
(NO IOC RACE)

MATTHIAS PARKE WINS AN EMPTY BOX

LMC no longer the same after withdrawal Spicker & Steingräber

May 21, 2006 - Although no IOC race, due to the fact than only German racers accept to race under such conditions, the LMC rests one of the most important model car races of the season. Especially the fact that each year some complete new models are entered contribute to that status. This year Dieter Hartmann showed with a splendid Marcos LM600, whilst Dieter Jens himself came with an old Chevron-BMW B12. The entry list this year, however, was the poorest in the race's history. Indeed on Sunday several racers - among them Michael Niemas, Philip Kremer and Christoph Kremer showed no longer. Asked why they explain: the LMC goes under what is commonly named "Amish race conditions", i.e. racing without motor (one hardly can consider the Fox II as a motor) so that anything depends upon the tyres; those tyres are Ortmann-Wiesel stuff and everybody knows that they are far from uniform. Some racers as the Jens, Matthias Parke and Rüdiger Krieger showed with much better tyres than all others. For Krieger, that doesn't matter since it's well known that he is no winner, just a whiner. Since the trio of the Kremers and Niemas had to do it with very standard tyres of low quality they could not defend themselves now they had to race without motor: no ProSlot Euro Mk1, no Bison Mk3, but just some lady shave motor making no speed at all.
The first race went to Dieter Jens finishing two laps ahead over Parke (defending the Amish clan). The second race was won by Matthias Parke, just some sections faster than Dieter Jens. At the third and definitive race only 15 racers showed. Although Stephan Eder was the winner victory went to Jens's close friend, Mathhias Parke, who won 20 concourse points with his Panoz LMP, whilst Eder received only 13 concourse points for his Lancia Beta MC. Concourse remains a subjective matter and can easily be manipulated. That makes the sportive value of such style of Amish racing very doubtful. The 11th LMC edition suffered also from the fact that Thomas Spicker and Uwe Steingräber - 10 editions long the trendsetters at the LMC - didn't show any longer now that their Slotvision chassis became a first class commercial flop. But without them LMC is no longer what it always was in the past. [JPVR]

KLASSE 1: GT & Touring cars older than 1964
1. Dieter Jens Chevron B12 237.09 (70 pts)
2. Matthias Parke Corvette Sting-Ray 235.25 (67 pts)
3. Alexander Jens Chevron B8 225.25(64 pts)
4. Stephan Eder Ferrari, 375 Plus 224.08 (62 pts)
5. Philip Kremer Mercedes Benz 218.29 (60 pts)
6. Michael Niemas Mercedes Benz 216.09 (59 pts)
7. Friedjof Aleith Porsche 911 214.21 (58 pts)
8. Ralf Braun Ferrari Dino 246 214.20 (57.5 pts)
KLASSE 2: Prototypes & Sports-cars cars older than 1974
1. Matthias Parke Ford GT40 Coupe (1967) 239.27 (69 pts)
2. Dieter Jens Chevron B16 (1970) 239.15 (67 pts)
3. Ralf Braun Ferrari 312P (1968) 239.10 (59 ps)
4. Michael Niemas Porsche 917K (1970) 238.03 (61 pts)
5. Philip Kremer Porsche 917K (1970) 237.03 (60 pts)
6. Stephan Eder Porsche 907 KH (1967) 231.06 (59 pts)
7. Sebastian Jens Ford GT40 Coupe (1966) 229.20 (59 pts)
8. Alexander Jens Porsche 906 (1966) 228.25 (57 pts)
KLASSE 3: Modern Sport-cars and Prototypes (post 1974)
1. Stephan Eder Lancia Beta MC 237.09 (63 pts)
2. Matthias Parke Panoz LMP 236.03 (67 pts)
3. Dieter Jens Ferrari 348TB 230.04 (63 pts)
4. Ralf Braun Porsche 956 228.19 (60 pts)
5. Dieter Hartmann Marcos LM600 226.18 (56 pts)
6. Friedjof Aleith Mercedes-Sauber C9 221.23 (59 pts)
7. Stebastian Jens Porsche 935 216.24 (58 pts)
8. Alexander Jens Porsche 3.8 RSR 215.25 (57 ps)
OVERALL STANDINGS (3 CLASSES TOGETHER)
1. Matthias Parke 67 pts + 69 pts + 67 pts 203 pts
2. Dieter Jens 70 pts + 67 pts + 63 pts 200 pts
3. Stephan Eder 62 pts + 59 pts + 63 pts 184 pts
4. Alexander Jens 64 pts + 57 pts + 57 pts 178 pts
5. Ralf Braun 57.5pts + 59 ps + 60 pts 176.5 pts
6. Friedjof Aleith 58 pts + 54 pts + 59 pts 171 pts
7. Rüdiger Krieger 57 pts + 54 pts + 59 pts 169 pts
8. Sebastian Jens 50 pts + 59 pts + 58 pts 167 pts


8th DIEPENBEEK 24H OF SPEEDLINES (June 23-24) (B) (CANDIDATE IOC RACE)

VOS, MERTENS, CUPPENS & PHILIPPAERTS WIN

Sportive value of their race diminishes year after year

June 26, 2006 - There is something wrong with the 24 hours of Diepenbeek. This race seemed on its way bto become a valid international meeting, but this year there was no longer a team from Denmark and no longer a team from Germany. At once the race was reduced to a simple combat Belgium-Holland. Where everybody expected that Racing for Holland, having already won in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 should win once more, was seriously wrong. The motivation for Tamar, Nick and Wim is no longer what it was in the previous year, when the race was something completely different than a simple Belgium/Holland combat. RfH considered the 2006 edition as a minor one and did no great efforts to win. Serious efforts were made by GPS Racing, where Stoffel Vos built an excellent car and tested it thoroughly weeks before the start. The same was done by Bart Gijzen who changed shortly before the race the name of his team in Slot-Racing for Belgium (SFB). Despite serious testing the car was unable to follow the top-four but finished ahead over the Dutch DAR Team with very experienced racers. The second place of Desmo Racing is free from merits. This team uses since years tricks. In 2002 they still changed the complete body without the smallest sanction by the race direction. In 2003 they did it over, again without sanction. So what is the value of a second place for a team cheating openly the most elementary rules. I guess nil. Positive is that GPS improved seriously the 24 hours record by achieving 15,526 laps. Normally Urtrack should have finished second, bu now they came 111 laps short to the experienced rule cheaters of Speed '74. For me it's a secret why a honnest guy as Geert Mertens let them still start. [JPVR]

 
1. GPS Racing G Mertens (B), Stoffel Vos (B), M Philipparts (B), R Cuppens (B), Pieter Tytgat (B) BMW V12 LMP 15,526
2. Desmo Racing Hugo Dekker (NL), Desmond Dekker (NL), Ron Prins (NL), Wilco (NL) BMW V12 LMP 15,076
3. Urtrack Harry van Avenzaath (NL), Roger Crol (NL), Rob Worms (NL), Sven & Rudy Munten BMW V12 LMP 14,965
4. Racing for Holland Tamar Nelwan (NL), Nick de Wachter (NL), Willem Kloppenburg (NL) Aston Martin DBR9 14,567
5. SFB  Lamberto Bosch (B), Bart Gijzen (B), Jan Celis (B), Frederik Comheir (B) Audi R8 TDi 14,051
6. DAR Marcel Oosterling (NL), Henri van Gool (NL), Gert Klinge (B), Bas Polkerman (NL) Ferrari F550 Maranello 13,663
7. B & T  Tom Ooms (B), Bart Ooms (B), Tom Rill (B), Ali Demerçi (B), Frank Goyaerts (B) Porsche TWR Joest LM 13,466
8. H.M.I. Racing Team  Yoeri Vos (B), Dimitri Marechal (B) ??? 12, 654

8th DEUTSCHE PLAFIT MEISTERSCHAFT-Darmstadt (D), September 22-23, 2006 (IOC RACE)

ANDREAS LAUFENBERG/CHRISTIAN SCHNIZLER/JAN GÜRTZGEN CONFIRM THEIR EARLIER GOOD RESULTS

144 entrants spread over 48 teams - a new record

September 24, 2006 - When in 2005 young Christian Schnitzler won in Amishland the European Model Car Championship, ahead over Michael Niemas and Andreas Laufenberg, the whiner of the North-German Amish, Rüdiger Krieger, was yelling murder and fire that the result was falsified by the fact that Laufenberg and Schnitzler had better cars than his. But at the true German Championship - nothing to do with the ridiculous DSC where tricks with Ortmann/Wiesel Reifen decide upon the results - Laufenberg and Schnitzler won very convincingly the race, nine laps ahead over Ralf Seif/Alex Ortmann/Peter Kreuzer. Triple ex-winner Michael Niemas, now with the Kremers, finished third. By winning Laufenberg confirmed his fourth place at the 2005 IMCA Worlds, Jan Gürtzgen confirmed his victory at this year's European Endurance Championship and Christian Schnizler confirmed his win at the last year's European IMCA Champion-ship in Amishland.
The success of the DPM is growing year after year. With 144 entrants at the start (among them the best racers from Japan) the DPM is an absolute must. Here one races real motors (Bison Mk3), no lady shave motors as at the DSC. Here too tricks with unreliable Wiesel-Ortmann tyres, as used in the DSC, are excluded, since everybody races standard Scaleauto ProComp tyres. Whilst the best German racers have no eyes for a pure Amish amusement as the DSC, they massively enter the DPM, reducing its little brother, the DSC, to the same touristic curiosity as the Amish themselves. Fastest qualifiers were Koudu/Suzuki/ Sekine. A bad crash let them loose their leading position. Representing the Amish, Matthias Parke gave full evidence that he's only a mediocre racer. Obliged to race with a motor and with standard tyres he was just nowhere, despite the valuable help of Dieter Jens and Dietmar Schmeer. He finished as a poor 14th, preceeded by no less than 33 German racers. That proves how worthless is a DSC win. Let's forget the DSC circus.

 


Nick de Wachter and Tamar Nelwan, who lost last year all their chances after a terrible crash where absent this year. [for JPVR]

 
Pos.

Racers

car Qual Laps
1. Andreas Laufenberg/Christian Schnitzler/Jan Gürtzgen (D) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 3rd 735.18
2. Ralf Seif (D), Peter Kreuzer (D), Alex Ortmann (D) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 2nd 726.35
3. Michael Niemas (D)/Christoph Kremer (D)/Philip Kremer (D) Honda NSX 2005 7th 724.16
4. Sebastian Nockermann (D)/Jan Uhlig (D)/Thomas Nözel (D) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 6th 723.28
5. Koudu Nobuhisha (J)/Katshnori Sekine (J)/Hideaki Suzuki (J) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 1st 716.32
6. Manfred Stork (D), Caroline Schnizler (D)/Uwe Bönish (D) Porsche 911GT1 Evo 11th 713.37
7. Frank Schüler (D)/Bernd Starke (D)/Carsten Starke (D) Porsche 911GT1 Evo 8th 712.43
8. Kevin Krollmann (D)/Peter Oberbillig (D)/Martin Bartelmes (D) Honda NSX JGTC 13th 708.12
9. Günther Riehl(D)/Matthias Eichwald(D)/Michael Schluckebier (D) Honda NSX 2005 15th 704.41
10. Patrick Brau (D)/Klaus Klein (D)/Jochen Fußmann (D) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 36th 704.34
11. Nezhi Durunkanli (D)/Peter Manthei (D)/Ditmar Schortmann(D) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 33rd 700.41
12. Josema Garcia (E)/Iker Santos (E)/Armando Timoneda (E) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 22nd 700.16
13. Axel Bernhard (D)/Norman Grund (D)/Thomas Resch (D) Honda NSX 2005 9th 697.21
14. Dieter Jens (D)/Matthias Parke (D)/Dietmar Schmeer (D) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 25th 697.14
15. Akira Banno (J)/Kensi Aisawa (J)/Keisuk Tumita (J) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 15th 695.30
16. Mike Hampel (D)/Mark Kiefer (D)/Joachim Welsch (D) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 10th 695.01
17. Thorsten Brauckmann(D)/Michal Riehl(D)/Tom Goldenbaum(D) Honda NSX 2005 12th 694.95
18. Gorg Balthasar (D)/Uli Schumacher (D)/Michael Ukbrich (D) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 24th 694.34
19. Markus Fessler (D)/Lukas Hofmann (D)/Wolfgang Krech (D) Honda NSX 2005 20th 692.19
20. Niko Karres (A)/Hans Steinger (A)/Vinzenz Forsthuber (A) Porsche 911 GT1 Evo 29th 691.09
30. Markus Hahnel (D)/Guido Gellerer (D)/Peter Weiterer (D) Honda NSX 2005 17th 668.14
36. Thomas Hahnel (D)/Thorsten Maxeiner (D)/Peter Schuler (D) Honda NSX 2005 40th 664.22
43. Miguel Cortez (E)/Fernando Gracia (E)/Josep Ruiz (E) Nissan 350Z 41st 646.19

HISTORY OF THE DEUTSCHE PLAFIT MEISTERSCHAFT (IOC RACES)

DPM 1999-2005

MICHAEL NIEMAS WON THREE TIMES

Günther Riehl & Matthias Eichwald collected most IOC-points

January 23, 2006 - After four years of discussions it was decided that the DPM (Deutsche Plafit Meisterschaft) should be upgraded as a full IOC-event. Let's analyse why it took so many years to come to such decision. Indeed, since last year's DPM saw 120 racers at the start, with teams from Holland, Japan and Spain, next to the German teams, it was no longer possible to deny that the DPM had its place on the IOC-calendar.
When in 1985 Gérard Caupène (F), Hans van Es (NL) and myself founded IMCA there was no universal chassis on the market where one could fit any hard plastic body. So, international model car racing, went with hard plastic cars fit on an old slot-racing chassis - style Cox, Revell, Mono-gram, K&B, Strombecker, Russkit, etc. Towards the end of the 1980s Nori Ono (J) of Beaver Corp. launched the first universal chassis to which any plastic (PLA) body could be fitted (FIT). He called it Plafit. It took several years before the Plafit chassis conquered the European and American market. Two distributors, Kurt Petri (D) from H+T Motor Racing (Darmstadt) and Juan Basas (E) from CricCrac did serious efforts to make the Plafit chassis popular, but one had to wait 1994 before IMCA decided to accept it as the chassis to be used at international races.
In 2768 Gérard Caupène (F), the former founder of IMCA, launched the idea to organise up from 1999 a European Model Car Championship, called EPC, with Plafit cars. The DPM was one of the rounds of this championship. At IMCA, however, one refused to recognise the EPC as a true European Championship. The mean reason was that the term "European Championship for Model Cars" was patented before notary Ernst van Tricht (B), and that there existed already such a champion-ship, much more internationally attended than Caupène's own EPC. So it was not possible to homologate the EPC as a European Championship going after IOC-points.

F.l.t.r. Günther Riehl, Michael Niemas and Matthias Eichwald after their 2004 victory. Together they won twice the DPM. Last year Niemas opted for two new team mates [Daniel Seeliger and Philip Kremer] and he won his third DPM. That year Günther Riehl and Matthias Eichmann failed for the first time in 7 years to reach the top-8 at the DPM.

Although intended to be a round of the new EPC, the DPM remained from its real first edition in 1999, much more attractive than the EPC, being a more commercial attraction. So the EPC (initially over 3 or 4 rounds) was absolutely not representative for European model car racing. Then the DPM was more representative (for German model car racing), but not fully: of the German model car racers around Matthias Parke (D), only Björn Skottke (D) and the guys from Siegen were (both once) present at the DPM.
From 1994 until August 2001 the relations between IMCA and the people around Kurt Petri (D) were excellent. The Petri boys showed at all impor-tant IMCA meetings and even won a couple of IOC IMCA races with Rolf Schäfer (D), Steve Walker (GB) and Kurt Petri himself. Then came the 2001 Worlds in Diepenbeek. Although Petri subscribed 8 German racers for the Diepenbeek Worlds, none of them showed. What happened? Initially scheduled in June, the meeting was to be postponed early 2001. The new date co-incided with the DPM and the Petri boys all decided to go to the DPM instead of going to the Diepenbeek Worlds (however, without the smallest warning at IMCA). So no Michael Niemas, no Kevin Krollmann, no Norman Grund, no Axel Bernhard, no Kurt Petri, no Werner Grund, no Thomas Hahnel and no Markus Hahnel in Diepenbeek (most of them were still at the 2000 IMCA Worlds). The German team coach, Ralph Klose, had to complete his national team with ...American racers (among them Paul Ciccarello) in order to win points at the Nations Cup. It was the start of a strong controversy between Kurt Petri and IMCA's JPVR.

 

The 40 cars before the start of the 2005 DPM.

DPM 1999 - At the first edition we found 10 cars at the start: 4 from Germany, 3 from France, and 3 from Spain. Bodies were hard plastic versions of GT1 cars. Motor was - just as in IMCA racing - Parma's 16D and Super 16D. Rear tyres were free except for the fact that they had to be from black sponge. The race was dominated by Mauro "Golden Finger" Balaguer with Bernat Solsona as team mate. All German teams were restricted to racers of the Mörfelden club (region Darmstadt). There were no racers from Köln, Trier, Berlin, Hamburg, etc. The DPM was one of the 4 rounds for the EPC.

DPM 2000 - There were again 10 cars at the start: again 3 from Spain, but now only 1 from France, 5 from Germany and 1 from Holland.This year's DPM was one of the 3 rounds of the EPC. Bernat Solsona won again, now with Ruben Sanchez as team mate. Baumann/Kalff/Golden-baum were again second, Eichwald and the two Riehls again third.

29 of the 37 cars before the start of the 2004 DPM.

DPM 2001 - Under influence of Tamar Nelwan (NL) the rules were simpli-fied in order to guarantee a fair competition. Up from now all cars were equipped with ProComp tyres from Scaleauto and the too fast Parma 16D motor was replaced by the better adapted Bison Mk2 motor, launched by Plafit. Sportscar LMP cars (in resin or GFK) were now allowed together with the GT1 cars. Victory went to Manfred Stork, Guido Gellerer, Markus Hahnel and Peter Weiterer, beating Jens/Spicker/Schmeer. For the third consecutive time Matthias Eichwald and Günther Riehl were third. There were 24 cars at the start, however no longer cars from France nor cars from Spain. Except for one Dutch car, all cars came from Germany, but now also from other clubs than Mörfelden. We noted entries from Trier, Köln, Mainz, Wiesbaden, Solingen, Bad Münstereifel, Saarbrücken, etc. The DPM was no longer a mere round of the EPC, but an apart championship. Meanwhile the EPC became a pure commercial joke in hands of Cric-Crac.

DPM 2002 - Resin or GFK bodies were no longer allowed. Up from now only handout Bison motors and handout ProComp tyres could be used. The DPM was again no longer part of the EPC, having now moved from Igualda to Le Mans. Number at the DPM of cars raised from 24 to 28. Again no cars from Spain and no cars from France, only 2 cars from Holland, all the rest from Germany. Since a team of Siegen is present, now all German regions (except Berlin) are at the start with at least one car. Günther Riehl and Matthias Eichwald eventually win, now with young Michael Niemas as team mate. The Trier boys are second, Jens and Spicker third, tied with De Vries/Nelwan/Brethouwer.

Entry field at the 2003 DPM.

2002 was a strange year for PlaFit. Indeed, for the first time since 1994 Plafit could not win the Model Car Worlds. Josef Korec, Frantisek Poledna and Salvatore Noviello trusted the three first places of the Worlds, all racing the brand new MoMo SW2 chassis. Five of the eight finalists are on MoMo. "Piki" and Geert Mertens, 4th and 5th are the first Plafit racers. In northern Germany Matthias Parke becomes the advocate of MoMo, and up from now no racers from North-Germany are any longer involved in DPM racing. They create their own DSC series, racing vintange cars, contrarly to the LMP/GT1 cars raced at the DPM. The split of German model car racing is now a bare fact.

DPM 2003 - Despite this split number of entered cars at the DPM is steadily growing. This year we find 29 cars at the start, again no cars from France or Spain and only 2 cars from Holland. Now the Trier boys Martin Bartelmes/Peter Oberbillig/Kevin Krollmann are winners. Last year winners, Riehl/Eichwald/Niemas are only fourth. The same year Plafit won again the Model Car Worlds, with 4 cars among the 8 finalists. The new Springsteel chassis seems more reliable than the MoMo SW2.

DPM 2004 - At the 2004 Model Car Worlds the 7 first finishers are all on Plafit Excel Springsteel. MoMo seems failing to hold its promises. Number of DPM entries increases now to 37. Internationalisation of the DPM becomes a fact, since now we find also racers from Austria, Denmark, Spain and Holland at the start. Riehl/Eichwald/Niemas win their second DPM, beating the that year nearly unbeatable triple world champion Nick de Wachter. Last year winners are now third. LMP bodies are no longer raced. All bodies are of hard plastic GT1 type.


Entry field at the 2002 DPM

DPM 2005 - In 2005 MoMo wins its second Model Car World Championship, not in a Matthias Parke version, but now in a Spanish version of Francesc Reyes. Despite Plafit's defeat, entry at the DPM is still growing. Entry is now up to 40 cars, all of type GT1, GT2 (incl. Group C). This year Michael Niemas won the DPM for the third consecutive time. However this time with two new team mates: Philip Kremer and Daniel Seeliger. Runners-up of last year Nick de Wachter, Tamar Nelwan and Gabriel Inäbnit could qualify as fifth, but were at no moment in a better position than tenth to finish eventually as a poor fifteenth. Niemas's team mates of last year, Günther Riehl and Matthias Eichwald formed this year a team with Patrick Brau and finished as tenth. The teams finishing this year in the top-3 were exclusively restricted to youngsters. The unknown trio Sebastian Nockermann/Thomas Nötzel/Jan Uhlig finished as second, four laps down to Niemas's team. They were followed at less than 3 metres by the team of Andreas Laufenberg having Jan Gürtzen and Tim Gürtzen as team mates. The international experts Dieter Jens, Thomas Spicker and Dietmar Schmeer finished fifth overall. Of them Dieter Jens realised the fastest lap time during the race. Kevin Krollmann, with team mates from Trier finished sixth. Good old Manfred Stork was eleventh. First non-German team of Bernat Basas (E)/Ivan Basas (E)/Josep Ruiz (E) was ninth. Both Japanese teams disappointed by finishing twenty-third and one but last.

DPM 2006 - There can no longer be any objection against the upgrading of the DPM as an IOC-event. It became a good international show and an excellent promotion of model car racing. It should have been unfair to refuse the upgrading just because of a controversy between Plafit's Kurt Petri and IMCA's JPVR. Only one person seems unhappy with such upgrading: MoMo-man Matthias Parke. He mailed: "I see that the DPM is now an IOC race. The way you make your decisions ist mysterious. At the DPM there is no open Chassis rule, there is no very international attendance, but the race that you promote goes to the DPM instead of to my 5 L Summernight race, Nevertheless we have 5 nations at the start, with over 60 Drivers; we have a open Chassis rule and we think about to use the new ProSlot motor, but now I get a knife in my back."  At his own forum he continues: "Trotz anfrage beim deustchen IMCA Direktor hat es nicht zum IOC Status für das International besetzte 5L Rennen gereicht.
Berechtigterweise erhält die DPM diesen Status. Die IMCA hat sich für die DPM entschieden."
It's not impossible that "Piki" van Rossem (B)/Youri van Rossem (B) /Michael Niemas will form a team at the 2006 DPM. Another team with Salvatore Noviello (I)/Kai Kivekäs (SF)/Geert Mertens(B) may be expected. Add to this a team Henrik Hassager (DK)/Pål Hanson (A)/Thomas Mortensen (DK) and number of nations present will seriously increase.

The 120 entrants of 2005 and the winning car

1999 2000 2001
1. Mauro Balaguer/Bernat Solsona (E) 1. Bernat Solsona/Ruben Sanchez (E) 1.Gellerer/M.Hahnel/P.Weiterer/M.Stork(D)
2.Markus Baumann/C.Kalff/T.Goldenbaum(D) 2.Markus Baumann/C.Kalff/T.Goldenbaum(D) 2.Dieter Jens/Thomas Spicker/D. Schmeer (D)
3.M.Eichwald/G.Riehl/M.Riehl/Knut Stritzl (D) 3.M.Eichwald/Günther Riehl/Michael Riehl (D) 3.M.Eichwald/Günther Riehl/Knut Stritzl (D)
4.E.Reguena/Pep Torras/Santiago Vidal (E) 4.Bernat Basas/Ivan Basas/Jordi Tasias (E) 4.A.Bartelmes/J.Gobbert/Peter Oberbillig (D)
5.A.Bernhard/Th.Hahnel/R.Maurer/B.König (D) 5.E.Reguena/Pep Torras/Santiago Vidal (E) 5.Markus Baumann/C.Kalff/T.Goldenbaum(D)
6.S.Dubret/I.Duchêne/L.Goyon/N.Marasco (F) 6.Patrick Brau/Norman Grund/K.Krollmann (D) 6.Roland Bruss/Arnd Feige/Mike Wagner (D)
7. Bernat Basas/Ivan Basas/Jordi Tasias (E) 7.A. Bernhard/Th.Hahnel/Markus Hahnel(D) 7.Rainer Fickus/Christoph Ganz/M.Niemas (D)
8. G. Gellerer/Markus Hahnel/P.Weiterer(D) 8.Tamar Nelwan/Gerhard Bretbrouwer (NL) 8.M.Bartelmes/Harald Schu/Uli Schumacher (D)
10 cars - 32 entries - 3 nations 10 cars - 26 entries - 4 nations 24 cars - 79 entries - 2 nations
2002 2003 2004
1.Günther Riehl/M.Eichwald/M.Niemas (D) 1.M.Bartelmes/P.Oberbillig/K.Krollmann (D) 1.Günther Riehl/M.Eichwald/M.Niemas (D)
2.A.Bartelmes/P.Oberbillig/Jörg Gobbert (D) 2.Patrick Brau/J.Fuβmann/Klaus Klein (D) 2.N.de Wachter(NL)/T.Nelwan(NL)/P.Kreuzer (D)
3ex.U.Geiβler/D.Jens/T.Spicker/D.Schmeer (D) 3.Ph. de Vries/T. Nelwan/G. Brethouwer (NL) 3.M.Bartelmes/K.Krollmann/Peter.Oberbillig (D)
3ex.Ph. de Vries/T. Nelwan/G. Brethouwer (NL) 4.Günther Riehl/M.Eichwald/M.Niemas (D) 4.A Laufenberg/Jan Gürtzen/Tim Gürtzen (D)
5.Norman Grund/Werner Grund/A.Bernhard (D) 5.Mike Hampel/M. Kiefer/Joachim Welsch (D) 5.Norman Grund/Werner Grund/A.Bernhard (D)
6.Arnd Feige/Ralf Seif/Roland Bruss (D) 6.Roland Bruss/Ralf Seif/Björn Skottke (D) 6.G.Balthasar/M.Gräber/Ralph Seif (D)
7.Th.Maxeiner/M.Klukhohn/Chr. Kremer (D) 7.A Laufenberg/Jan Gürtzen/Tim Gürtzen (D) 7.Bernd Starke/Carsten Starke/Fr.Schuler (D)
8.G. Gellerer/M.Stork/M.Hahnel/P.Weiterer (D) 8.T.Maxeiner/M.Klukhohn/P.Schuler/C.Kremer 8.Mike Hampel/M. Kiefer/Joachim Welsch (D)

29 cars - 76 entries - 2 nations

29 cars - 91 entries - 2 nations

37 cars - 111 entries - 5 nations

2005
         
1. Michael Niemas/Ph Kremer/D. Seeliger (D)
2. S. Nockemann/Thomas Nötzel/Jan Uhlig (D)
3.A Laufenberg/Jan Gürtzen/Tim Gürtzen (D)
4.Ralf Seif/Alex Ortmann/Alois Kreutzer (D)
5.Dieter Jens/Thomas Spicker/D Schmeer (D)
6.K Krollmann/P Oberbillig/M Bartelmes (D)
7.Fr Schüler/Bernd Starke/Carsten Starke (D)
8.Mike Hampel/M. Kiefer/Joachim Welsch (D)

40 cars - 120 entries - 5 nations

WON IOC-POINTS AT THE 1999-2005 DEUTSCHE PLAFIT MEISTERSCHAFT

1ex Günther Riehl D 42,5 2 wins 27ex Mauro Balaguer E 10 1 win 52ex Mike Hampel D 4
1ex Matthias Eichwald D 42,5 2 wins 27ex Ruben Sanchez E 10 1 win 52ex Joachim Welsch D 4
3 Michael Niemas D 35,5 3 wins 27ex Philip Kremer D 10 1 win 55ex Bernd König D 3
4 Peter Oberbillig D 31 1 win 27ex Saniel Seeliger D 10 1 win 55ex Arnd Feige D 3
5 Kevin Krollmann D 20,5 1 win 31 Axel Bernhard D 10 55ex Robby 'Madman' Maurer D 3
6 Bernat Solsona E 20 2 wins 32ex Ralph Seif D 9 58ex Bernd Starke D 2
7 Tamar Nelwan NL 20 32ex Patrick Brau D 9 58ex Carsten Starke D 2
8 Martin Bartelmes D 19,5 1 win 34ex Nick de Wachter NL 7,5 58ex Frank Schüler D 2
9ex Christoph Kalff D 18 34ex Peter Kreuzer D 7,5 61ex Georg Balthasar D 1,5
9ex Markus Baumann D 18 34ex Norman Grund D 7,5 61ex Michael Gräber D 1,5
9ex Tom Goldenbaum D 18 34ex Jochen Fuβman D 7,5 61ex Björn Skottke D 1,5
12ex Thomas Spicker D 16,5 34ex Klaus Klein D 7,5 61ex Thorsten Maxeiner D 1,5
12ex Dieter Jens D 16,5 34ex Emilio Reguena E 7,5 61ex Christoph Kremer D 1,5
12ex Dietmar Schmeer D 16,5 34ex Pep Torras E 7,5 61ex Martin Klockhohn D 1,5
15 Gerhard Brethouwer NL 12,5 34ex Sebastian Nockermann D 7,5 61ex Mike Wagner D 1,5
16ex Markus Hahnel D 12 1 win 34ex Thomas Nötzel D 7,5 61ex Thomas Hahnel D 1,5
16ex Philip de Vries NL 12 34ex Jan Uhlig D 7,5 61ex Stéphane Dubrot F 1,5
16ex Michael Riehl D 12 44ex Werner Grund D 6 61ex Yves Duchêne F 1,5
16ex Knut Strizl D 12 44ex Uwe Geiβler D 6 61ex Leonard Goyon F 1,5
16ex Alfons Bartemes D 12 46ex Bernat Basas E 5,5 61ex Nicolas Marasco F 1,5
16ex Jörg Gobbert D 12 46ex Ivan Basas E 5,5 73ex Christoph Ganz D 1
22ex Andreas Laufenberg D 11,5 46ex Jordi Tasias E 5,5 73ex Rainer Fickus D 1