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IMCA 124 MODEL CAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Most important meeting at the IMCA Nats was the 124 World Championship. Absent were Philip Helmuth (USA), despite the fact that IMCA paid for him his plane ticket and hotel, and John van Hoornaar. At the last minute JPVR decided not to start so that his youngest son could race his #43 Dodge STP Cheerios and that Youri's own #5 Chevrolet Kellogg's could be raced by Belgium's most promising young racer Yves Welter jr. Four fastest qualifiers were 'Piki' van Rossem (5"7452), Yannick Demeyer (5"7558), Yves Welter jr (5"8156) and Josef Korec (5"9381). It were the lonely racers staying under the 6 seconds. They made directly the move to the Semis. Biggest surprise, however, came from the 11-year old Youri van Rossem, realising the 5th best time in 6"0066. Then followed Luis 'Gugu' Bernardino (BR), Juanma de Torres Perez (E), Matti Fyhr (SF), Frantisek Poledna (CZ),Francesc Reyes (E) and Tamar Nelwan (NL). Of the 5 fastest cars only Korec's was not a Philippe de Vries set up!
Then followed 5 Consis, where only the 2 first could make the move to the Semis, together with the the 2 best thirds. Here we lost all racers from Portugal, the 2 Americans (Fred Hood and Herman James), 3 of the 4 Britons (Aynsley even didn't start), the 3 Kiwis, Hugo and Desmond Dekker (having not practiced on the difficult track), the 2 South-Africans, and surprisingly also Kai Kivekäs (SF), Antónin Vojtik (CZ), Daniel Gonzalez (E) and Matti Fyhr (SF). The non-qualification of former world champion Geert Mertens (B) was a big deception for the public, standing behind the Belgian ace. Dramatic too was the elimination of Juanma de Torres Perez, leading his Consi until the last stages, but loosing 5 laps in the pits, enough to be eliminated.
Qualified for the Semis were the 2 Belgians of the B team (Youri van Rossem, having won his Consi, and Yves Welter jr), 2 Belgians of the A team ('Piki' and Yannick Demeyer), 2 of the 4 Spanish racers (Borras and Reyes, having been the fastest man at the Consis), the 3 Italians, 3 of the 4 Czechs, Einari Fyhr for Finland, John Brown for England, and Miskolci (SVK) and 'Gugu' (BR) for the International Team. Of the non-European racers 'Gugu' was the lonely one to make the move to the Semis. CLICK HERE FOR PICTURE GALLERY IMCA NATS |
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Semi B went with Yannick Demeyer (B-1), Yves Welter jr (B-2), Frantisek Poledna (CZ), Salvatore Noviello (I), Daniele Malangone (I), John Brown (GB), 'Gugu' Bernardino (INT) and Jan Korec (CZ). Here Demeyer and Welter were setting the pace immediately after the start. They were followed by 'Gugu', Noviello and Poledna. After 4 segments we found Demeyer and Welter at the 2 first places, followed by Noviello, Poledna and 'Gugu'. Malangone, Brown and Jan Korec followed already 5 laps down to qualification. Towards the end Poledna and Noviello could pass Welter (saving his car for the main), whilst 'Gugu' missed the move for 5 laps.
Semi A went with 'Piki' van Rossem (B-1), Josef Korec (CZ), Francesc Reyes (E), Jozef Miskolci (INT), Einari Fyhr (SF), Youri van Rossem (B-2), Jordi Borras (E) and good old Giovanni Montiglio (I). Here 'Piki' was setting the pace, surprisingly followed by the 11-year old Youri and Josef Korec (CZ). Up from the second segment Francesc Reyes joint that trio. Montiglio was early out with technical problems. When 'Piki' increased speed, nobody was able to follow. Youri maintained his second place, one lap ahead over Reyes, Korec and Fyhr. Miskolci tried to follow and Borras was loosing field. At mid-race 'Piki' had already a 5-laps lead over Youri and Korec. One lap further came Reyes, heading Einari Fyhr. Positions remained unchanged until two segments before the end. Then Reyes, on his way to a certain move, had to come into the pits, offering Einari Fyhr the fourth place. Youri lost during the two last segments on the difficult inner lanes 2 laps, but finished as fourth, 2 laps ahead over Miskolci. By qualifying for the main he let note a unique historical perfomance, being the youngest racer ever having qualified for the final of a world champ-ionship.
Among the 8 finalists we found 4 racers from Belgium ('Piki', Youri, Yannick Demeyer and Welter jr, all driving Philippe de Vries cars), 2 racers from Czechia (Josef Korec, Frantisek Poledna), 1 Italian (Noviello) and 1 racer from Finland (Einari Fyhr). 'Piki' and Korec stayed until the two last segments in the same lap, leaving no chances to the others. Welter maintained 3 segments long the third place but was then passed by Poledna, Demeyer and Noviello. Demeyer came back after a brilliant race to the third place. Noviello was eliminated with technical problems. Eventually 'Piki' won, 5 laps ahead of Korec who lost those lap at his 2 last runs on the inner lane. Poledna was fourt, Fyhr fifth. Youri was eliminated with braids problems and finished eighth. |
