8th IMCA X-MAS (Warm-Up) RACE

AALST, DECEMBER 17, 2005 (B)

"PIKI" BEATS NIEMAS, YOURI, NOVIELLO

Top-5 for the cars assembled by Michael Niemas

Except for Josef Korec, who's wife is highly pregnant, the best model car racers of the moment were seen together at the last meeting organised by JPVR. Only 21 racers showed but the quality of the entry field was high. The race went under the modified rules with the same hard plastic body for all racers. For world champion Salvatore Noviello it was a big deception to see that Matthias Parke, who promised him to assemble for him a decent car, was absent (due to an eyes-disease). So it was decided that Salvatore could race JPVR's car, an excellent car assembled by Michael Niemas. The young German assembled in total five cars: one for himself, three for JPVR and his two sons, and one for Dan Debella. Contrary to what happened at the EuroNats in Neumunster, it were excellent cars. Full evidence was given already at the qualifications where the Niemas-cars realised the five sharpest times, with a pole position in 4"868 (new track record) for Michael Niemas himself. Then followed "Piki" van Rossem in 4"950 and Youri van Rossem in 5"002.
The cars were raced with the traditional Fox motors since the 66 new ProSlot Euro Mk1 motors of Dan Debella were in his bags having been sent by error to Manchester instead of Brussels. All attemps at American Airlines to have them in time were at no avail.
Other fast cars on the track were those of the Dutch racers Nick de Wachter (the 2004 world champion) and Tamar Nelwan. Some of the Spanish cars were extremely fast at free practice but disappointed at the qualifications and the race. Very interesting was the Metris Mk2 car of Alvaro Sarabia, seeming very competitive should it have been raced by one of te more experienced top racers. Such an experienced racer was certainly Daniel Gonzalez, the 2005 Junior's World Champion. Unfortyunately he was ill, not able to defend his chances in the best way.
Another excellent car was that of the raising star Kai Kivekäs (SF), showing an excellent road holding. Contrary to former years America's Fred Hood was present with a competive car. Disappointingly slow was the car built by Raimond van Campenhout for his son Björn. During the mid-1980s Raymond worked several years as tuner of slot-racing cars for JPVR. He always had an excellent reputation as assembler of excellent cars. But being quite new in assembling of model cars he seems having to learn quite a lot before being competitive in this (for him) new form of slot-racing.
Prior to the race Michael Niemas won concourse with Piki's #1 car (40 votes) ahead of the Swiss car of Gabriel Inäbnit (32 votes), the splendid Canadian car of Mark Campbell (29 votes), the Slovakian car of Jozef Miskolci (25 votes, but being not ready for the warm-up race) and the Dutch car of Tamar Nelwan (24 votes). Very nice was the body Achim Zanders had in his bags. Unfortunately the work at his new Francorchamps track let him not enough time to finish the car, so that he had to enter with a borrowed car. On his web site one can find a good article on the 2005 X-Mas Races.

The race went over 4 heats of 6 x 4 minutes. In heat D, with the slowest racers Björn van Campenhout (B) was initially led by both Achim Zanders (D) and Mark Campbell (CDN), but during the two last segments he could pass them both to win his heat.
Heat C started as a disaster for the 2004 world champion Nick de Wachter (NL), since his car refused to start. He could achieve only one single lap during the first segment. Fastest man here was the 2000 world champion Geert Mertens (B), achieving 265 laps, followed by Francesc Reyes (E) and Alvaro Sarabia (E). Positions of the three last named changed continuously during the race.
Since JPVR and Salvatore Noviello had to race the same car, and since both should normally haved to start in the highest heat, it was decided that JPVR should do heat A and Salvatore heat B. In that heat B there was initially a close combat among Salvatore Noviello, Kai Kivekäs (SF) and Gabriel Inäbnit (CH). The first named was pulling quickly away from the two others, so that at the finish he had only eleven laps more than Kivekäs and twelve laps more than Inäbnit. Daniel Gonzalez (E), Dan Debella (USA) and Fred Hood (USA) followed a couple of laps further.
In heat A we found "Piki" van Rossem, Youri van Rossem, Jean Pierre van Rossem, Michael Niemas, Tamar Nelwan and Juanma Torres. Of them "Piki" van Rossem (B) took immediately the lead. At the end of the first segment he had one lap more than the trio Youri van Rossem, Michael Niemas and JPVR. Torres followed already at two laps, Nelwan at three laps. During the second segment Michael Niemas (D) succeeded not only to pass "Piki", but also to put him at the end of the segment at one lap, just as his younger brother Youri. Torres moved now into fourth position at three laps from Niemas, with JPVR one lap further. At mid-race Niemas was still leading, followed at one lap by "Piki". Youri van Rossem (B) had a troublesome run on green and followed now at three laps. Meanwhile Jean Pierre van Rossem (B) succeeded to undo his arrears on Juanma Torres (E). Both were now together in the same lap. During the fourth segment Youri had a splendid run on yellow (48 laps) and followed now at two laps from Niemas and at one lap of his older brother. For the fourth place JPVR took four laps over Torres, whilst Tamar was threating the Spaniard for the fifth place. During the fifth segment JPVR had a horrible run on white, deslotting twice ahead of Niemas, making the German loosing two laps on "Piki", so that Niemas lost the lead and followed now at one lap. During the last segment Niemas lost another lap on "Piki" van Rossem (B), who won the race. Youri finished as third. Tamar Nelwan (NL) succeeded during the last segment to pass Juanma Torres, to take rank 7 overall. In the scratch standings Noviello was fourth, Kivekäs sixth. [JPVR]

The five most beautiful cars at Concourse with Piki's car in the Belgian colours (assembled by Michael Niemas) preceeding the Swiss car of Gabriel Inäbnit, the Canadian #33 car of Mark Campbell, the Slovakian #7 car of Jozef Miskolci and the orange Dutch car of Tamar Nelwan.

The #1 car of "Piki" van Rossem, not only winner of Concourse, but also winner of the two 2005 X-Mas Races. In 2003 "Piki" won also both X-Mas races, despite the fact that he had 39° Celsuis feaver. That year "Piki" won the IMCA World Championship.

The German car of Michael Niemas finished twice as second after a splendid combat with Piki's car.

Picture of Heat B won by Salvatore Noviello. We recognize as racers Dan Debella, Fred Hood, Kai Kivekäs, Daniel Gonzalez, Salvatore Noviello and Gabriel Inäbnit. [Picture: Achim Zanders]

1st IMCA MODEL CAR WORLDS REVENGE RACE

AALST, DECEMBER 17, 2005 (B)

"PIKI" BEATS NIEMAS, NOVIELLO, YOURI

Top-5 again for the cars assembled by Michael Niemas

Jean Pierre van Rossem at the start for the very last race of his long career. Start of the Main Final of the 1st Model Car Revenge Race with f.l.t.r. Michael Niemas (D), 2001-2005 world champion Salvatore Noviello (I), 2004 world champion Nick de Wachter (NL), 1985 world champion JPVR, 2003 world champion "Piki" van Rossem (B) and his younger brother Youri van Rossem. Picture: Jozef Miskolci. In the back we see Bob Demeyer, for the last time as IMCA race director.

The second X-Mas Race was a real Revenge Race for the 2005 Model Car World Championship, since five of the six main finalists were found together at the start: Salvatore Noviello (I, winner of the 2005 Worlds), Nick de Wachter (second at the 2005 Worlds), "Piki" (third at the 2005 Worlds), Michael Niemas (fifth at the 2005 Worlds) and Geert Mertens (sixth at the 2005 Worlds). Out of the top-10 of the 2005 Worlds we had also Youri van Rossem (ninth) and Kai Kivekäs (tenth) at the start, what makes seven of the top-10. Missing were Andreas Laufenberg (D), Antónin Vojtik (CZ) and Matthias Parke (D). There were 20 racers of 10 different nationalities at the start. With Achim Zanders (D) having to return to Germany his free place went to Peter van Erkel (NL), the man who installed the power unit for the Worlds. In 1994 and 1995 he made several good IMCA races. Famous was his Alpine-Renault A210 Berlinette he raced at the 1994 Rouen 24 hours on special Cox tyres. Van Erkel could take the free place since Theo van Ginderhuysen (B) could not stay until the end of the race.
Prior to the race the new ProSlot Euro Mk1 motors eventually arrived from Manchester, where they were forgotten by American Airlines. Time to test them was very short, too short. The new motors are very professional. A variant with neodynium magnets was not present. The motor is best raced at 14 Volts with a 8T pinion and 42T spur gear. Then it has a terrible braking. Unfortunately not enough 8T pinions were available, so that it was decided to race the Fox motors. During the coming weeks Niemas, Torres, Nelwan, Kivekäs and others will test the new motors. After this testing it will be decided what's the best gear ratio which will be applied at the Euregio 36 hours and at the Barcelona Worlds.

QUALIFICATIONS
Already at the qualifications it became obvious that "Piki" van Rossem would absolutely win the Revenge Race. By turning a rather slow lap he tried to save his tyres as well as possible. During a long time Gabriel Inäbnit (CH) had the best time: 5"042. Big was the surprise that no one of the top guns could improve that time. With 5"052 Youri van Rossem (B) came provisionally no further than the second place. Nick de Wachter (NL) realised 5"066, his country mate Tamar Nelwan (NL) 5"080. Salvatore Noviello (I) disappointed with 5"107. "Piki" went for 5"179. Eventually the last qualifier, Michael Niemas (D), set the pole position in 4"979.

QUARTER FINALS
There were four Quarter Finals with five cars. Only the three best finishers of each Quarter could make the move to the Semis. Quarter D went with Nick De Wachter (NL), Tamar Nelwan (NL), Geert Mertens (B), and Juanma Torres (E). Daniel Gonzalez (ill) preferred not to start. Already after the first segment Mertens took one lap over De Wachter and Torres, whilst Nelwan followed at one lap. During the second segment Mertens increased his advance by one lap. Nelwan succeeded to come in the same lap from Torres but had to fight until the last segment to pass the Spaniard. Torres fought back but deslotted a couple of times during the last minutes, loosing all his chances to make the move. Mertens won with 203 laps, against 201 for De Wachter, 198 for Nelwan and 196 for Torres. Fastest lap time here was 5"005 for Nick de Wachter.

Youri van Rossem looks at the cars of the main final, shortly before the start. F.l.t.r. we find the cars of Michael Niemas (#14), Salvatore Noviello (#4), Nick de Wachter, JPVR (#38), "Piki" and Youri (#5). Since Noviello and JPVR had to drive the same car after Parke's withdrawal, it was decided that JPVR should use for the main final Dan Debella's #38. Debella himself finished 8th overall in his very last race with the #38. [Picture: Jozef Miskolci].

The six finalists: #5 Youri van Rossem, #1 "Piki" van Rossem, #38 JPVR (in fact Dan Debella's car), #25 Nick de Wachter, #4 Youri van Rossem and at the end Michael Niemas. Five of those cars were built by Niemas, proving that he's actually the best tuner of top-cars. [picture: Jozef Miskolci)]

Reigning world champion Salvatore Noviello looks at the cars of the main final, shortly before the start. [Picture: Jozef Miskolci]

In Quarter C we found Youri van Rossem (B), Kai Kivekäs (SF), Dan Debella (USA), Francesc Reyes (E) and Björn van Campenhout (B). During the first segment Youri, Kai and Dan achieved all three 34 laps. Francesc Reyes, organiser of the 2006 Barcelona Worlds, lost 10 laps on technical problems, whilst Björn van Campenhout had a lazy motor. During the following segment Youri took three laps over Kai and Dan. Since Reyes lost again six laps, the decision who should make the move was already taken. At the finish Youri van Rossem was the fastest with 205 laps, followed by Kai Kivekäs with 201 laps, Dan Debella with 199 laps, Francesc Reyes with 176 laps and the unlucky Björn van Campenhout with 157 laps. Fastest race lap was here for Youri in 4"921.
In Quarter B we had Gabriel Inäbnit (CH), Jean Pierre van Rossem (B), "Piki" van Rossem (B), Peter van Erkel (NL) and Mark Campbell (CDN) as starters. After the first segment the four first achieved all four 33 laps. Campbell lost five laps. During the following segment Inäbnit took one lap over JPVR, two over "Piki" (saving his tyres) and two over Peter van Erkel. Positions changed no longer and at the finish we found Gabriel Inäbnit as winner with 199 laps, JPVR with 197 laps, "Piki" with 195 laps, Van Erkel with 190 laps and Campbell with 172 laps. Fastest lap was for Gabriel Inäbnit in 5"022.
In Quarter A we started with Michael Niemas (D), Salvatore Noviello (I), Fred Hood (USA), Jozef Miskolci (SVK) and Alvaro Sarabia (E). Immediately after the start Niemas and Noviello were pulling away from the rest of the field. After one segment they had one lap over Miskolci and Hood, racing nose to tail. Sarabia came two laps further. During the following segment Miskolci moved into second place, ahead of Noviello, but three laps down to Niemas. The next segment Noviello could take back his second place, but Miskloci had always one complete lap over Fred Hood (and five over Sarabia).  Positions did not change at the fourth segment. With two segments to go it seemed as Miskolci should make the move to the Semis, and not Hood, who was always one lap down. At the fifth segment, however, Hood could undo his arrears and even pass Miskolci. Both started the last segment in the same lap, with Hood a quarter of the straight ahead over Miskolci. With the Slovak on the fast green (inner) lane and the American on the slaw black (outer) lane, everybody expected that Fred Hood should miss the move. However, he was racing as in his best days, and could maintain his small advance. Towards the end Miskolci became so nervous that he deslotted a couple of times, enough to finish one lap down to Fred. Winner was Niemas with 202 laps, followed by Noviello (198), Hood (194), Miskolci (193) and Sarabia (190). Fastest race lap was 4"998 for Niemas.

SEMI FINALS
The twelve semi finalists were Youri van Rossem (205), Geert Mertens (203), Michael Niemas (202), Kai Kivekäs (201), Nick de Wachter (201), Gabriël Inäbnit (199), Dan Debella (198), Salvatore Noviello (198), Tamar Nelwan (198), JPVR (197), "Piki" (195) and Fred Hood (194). None of the four Spaniards made the move, what was a big surprise. 
Semi B went with Mertens (B), Kivekäs (SF), De Wachter (NL), Inäbnit (CH), Niemas (D) and Noviello (I). During the first segment Noviello and Niemas (36 laps) took one lap over De Wachter and Inäbnit, three over Mertens and four over KiveKäs (who lost at the start three laps on fixing his body). During the second segment De Wachter could join Noviello. Both followed one lap down to Niemas. Inäbnit, who had no problems to follow the leaders during the first segment could no longer follow and lost two laps after a couple of deslottings. He had now 68 laps, three less than the leader, one more than Mertens and two more than Inäbnit. None of them could finish among the top-3. After 6 x 3' Niemas was the winner with 210 laps. Noviello (208) and De Wachter (208) were second and third. Mertens finished as fourth (204), followed by Kivekäs (202) and Inäbnit (201). Fastest race lap went to Niemas in 4"832, a new track record. 
Semi A saw at the start the three Van Rossems, two Americans (Fred Hood and Dan Debella) and one Dutchman (Tamar Nelwan). "Piki" took immediately the lead with 36 laps ...on the slowest white lane. Youri followed at one lap on black, all others at two laps. Having made a tremendous poor start on his favourite yellow lane JPVR was hanging in last position. During the second segment Piki maintained the lead, followed at one lap by an astonishing Fred Hood and Youri. JPVR was fourth on three laps, Debella fifth on four laps and Nelwan sixth on five laps. At mid-race we found "Piki" leading with 107 laps, followed by Youri (105), Hood (103), JPVR (101), Debella (101) and Tamar (100). After four segments Piki (142 laps) was leading Youri (139), Hood and JPVR (136), Debella (135) and Nelwan (132). During the one but last segment JPVR could pass Hood for the third place and during the last segment Hood was also passed by Dan Debella having done a superb last race half. "Piki" was the winner with 211 laps, followed by Youri 207 laps, JPVR 205 laps, Dan Debella 203 laps, Fred Hood 202 laps and Tamar Nelwan 189 laps. "Piki" improved the track record by achieving a race lap in 4"811. So the six main finalists were "Piki" (211), Niemas (210), Noviello (208), De Wachter (208), Youri van Rossem (207) and JPVR (205).

One of the very last images of the IMCA track. The day after the race the track was dismantled and sold to a fitness centre in Wervik (B). It will be no more used for international competition. [Picture: Jozef Miskolci].

Bob Demeyer is for the last time in his life race director. Here he checks the car of Jozef Miskolci. [Picture Jozef Miskolci]

Quarter Final C with f.l.t.R. Kai Kivekäs (SF), Francesc Reyes (E), Youri van Rossem (B), Dan Debella (USA) and Björn van Campenhout (B). We see also Raymond van Campenhout, "Piki" and Bob Demeyer. [Picture received from Dan Debella].

For Jean Pierre van Rossem, during more than 40 years promotor of international slot-racing, it's now definitively over. Behind him his collection of all 1970 Le Mans cars. The complete collection (more than 60 cars) is for sale at a total price of € 40,000. With JPVR the Belgian Model Car Centre disappears definitively. The day after the race the track was moved to a fitness centre in Wervik (B).

MAIN FINAL OF THE VERY LAST IMCA RACE BY JPVR
Since Noviello and JPVR, having raced the whole day the same car, are both qualified for the main final, it is decided that JPVR will use Dan Debella's #38 car (in the American colours) and that Noviello will continue with the #4 (Belgian) car. Immediately after the start, in the first curb, several cars deslot so that "Piki" can immediately go out at the lead. He's followed by Nick de Wachter. At the end of the first segment three cars are still in the lead lap: Piki's, JPVR's and Nick de Wachter's. Noviello and Youri follow one lap further. Niemas (on the outer black lane) is surprisingly last at two laps. During the second segment "Piki" achieves again 48 laps, just as at the first segment. On green he improves the track record: 4"791. Nick de Wachter is now second at one lap, Youri, JPVR and Niemas follow at two laps. Noviello is now last at three laps. During the third segment Youri - having realised a fastest lap on blue in 4"799 - moves into second position, two laps down to "Piki". Then follows JPVR at three laps, what makes that at mid-race we find the three Van Rossems at the three first places. Niemas is close behind at the same lap as JPVR, just as Nick de Wachter. Noviello is always sixth and last, at four laps.

During the fourth segment Nick de Wachter looses some twenty laps in the pits and drops to the last place. Niemas - 48 laps on green and a fastest in 4"794 - moves into second position, at to laps from leader "Piki". Youri is third at three laps, JPVR fourth at four laps, Noviello fifth also at four laps. During the fifth segment Youri looses another lap on the leaders ("Piki", followed at two laps by Niemas), and Noviello comes in the same lap as Youri, four laps down to the leaders. He passed JPVR, following now at five laps. Up from now, we see in the last segment a gruelling combat for the third place between Youri and Salvatore. They are now racing nose to tail and positions switch regularly in the two chicanes. Eventually Youri will loose his third place in the last segments, finishing less than 10 centimetres down to the Italian. In front "Piki" van Rossem  can take two laps more over Michael Niemas, finishing four laps ahead over the German at an average speed of nearly 5 seconds clear per lap. Salvatore Noviello and Youri van Rossem are third and fourth. At his real last race Jean Pierre van Rossem finishes against fifth overall, proving that he was perhaps a better racer (if motivated) than he always believed. An era in interlational slot-racing came so to a definitive end. [JPVR]