2008 WORLDS: 4  LAST CARS  ARE GONE . WE  ARE  AGAIN  64

G. Dohogne, Iversen, Razzano and Martinez make it complete

May 8, 2008 - The 4 cars being still free earlier this week have found a new driver. Gilles Dohogne (B) will drive the #95 Autorpa F430 at his 4th IMCA Worlds. Mørten Iversen (DK) will drive the #141 Kessel Racing F430 at his first IMCA Worlds. Pietro Razzano (I) will drive the #16 HP Exclusiv F430 (of this car we received a dozen of pics!). For Razzano it will be his 5th entry at the IMCA Worlds. He was already present in 1985. The #11 Baron Service F430 will go to Mimo Martinez (I), entering his 2nd IMCA Worlds. Of the Italian team Giovanni Montiglio enters this year his 12th IMCA Worlds. He won the Worlds in 1986 and finished 7 times among the top-12. Other racers having been present at more than 10 IMCA Worlds are Jean Pierre van Rossem (B) with 13 entries and 2 wins, "Piki" van Rossem (B) with 12 entries and 5 wins, Hugo Dekker (NL) with 10 entries and a 4th place as best, Jan Limpach (USA) with 10 entries and 2 wins, Dan Debella (USA) with 10 entries and 2 2nd and 2 3rd places as best, and Ralph Klose (D) with 11 entries and rank 17 as best. Now that the 4 last cars are gone we are again 64 at the 20th IMCA Worlds.

2008 WORLDS: 4 CARS ARE STILL FREE

We absolutely need a driver for 2 sponsored cars (#11 & #16 F430)

May 5, 2008 - Now that all entry advances were checked we have 60 regular entrants for the upcoming 20th IMCA Worlds. We are happy that the number of withdrawals could be restricted to 4 out of 64. However, the withdrawal of Herman James (USA) and Henri van Gool (NL) caused a serious problem, since they were supposed to drive 2 sponsored cars, nl. the #11 Baron Service Ferrari F430 and the #16 HP Exclusiv Ferrari F430. Of the last car we received even a dozen of pictures. We are now looking after 2 new drivers for those 2 cars. The 2 other cars being still free (#95 & #141) are non sponsored cars, so that they cause no immediate problem. An additional problem for the #14 and #16 is that those cars can only be raced by EXPERTS (having collected 40 IOC points or more). Following both sponsoring contracts driver of those cars should be a top racer. I see not so many candidates. Most appreciated candidates are Matti Fyhr (SF), Yves Welter jr (B), Daniele Malangone (I), Andreas Laufenberg (D), Georges Baikry (B), Kevin Krollmann (D) and Gilles Dohogne (B). We don't know who of them is free from July  20 thru July 23. Should there be other candidates, they are always welcome at jppro@pandora.be.

By clicking here one finds an actual alphabetical ranked IOC-list, where one can see if the minimum of 40 IOC points has been reached. The IOC-points are in red characters in the column at the right. Of course we could ask Vladimir Horky (CZ) and Josef Korec (CZ) to show, but they are no model car racers and they have to make the cars themselves, which is not so easy, seen their charged racing calendar. The whole situation shows that sponsored races are always problematic if one has to work with a couple of racers not respecting their given word.
For the two other cars the situation is less dramatic. It are non-sponsored cars, so anyone who wishes so can send us a mail to drive one of those cars at the 20th IMCA Worlds.
Thus, if someone likes to drive one of the 4 cars on the pic a simple e-mail, followed by a swift of 100 euros within the two weeks is sufficient. We keep you informed about it.

[JPVR]

2008 WORLDS: WE ARE 60, INCL. PHILIPP KREMER!

Bad Boys were so busy with DPM that they forgot to fine their €100

April 20, 2008 - With only 10 days left to do the prepayment of € 100.00 entry fee for the upcoming 20th IMCA World Championship, only 29 out of 64 racers already did their prepayment. It could thus be a very quiet world championship. Indeed without prepayment nobody will be allowed at the start. Meanwhile already 3 racers announced by mail that they'll not show. It concerns Marko Salomaa (SF), Arttu Salomaa (SF) and Herman James (USA). Three racers asked postponement of payment for economic reasons, and the postponement was accepted.
April 25, 2008 - Racers have thus still 5 days to do the necessary. We'll not contact racers individually that they didn't their prepayment. Everybody can read and knows the situation.
We absolutely need a substitute who can made the #2 Ferrari F430 Challenge of Michael Cullen (normally scheduled for Herman James). It concerns the winner of the 2007 Ferrari Challenge series from who we received sponsoring. Anyone can make that car. Please contact us by email at jppro@pandora.be if you wish to make that car PS. I decided to drive the #2 Ferrari F430 myself. For the moment the following cars are free: #11 F430 (for an expert), #15 F430 (for an expert), #155 F430 (for an amateur) and #71 F430 for a kid. Mail me if you want to drive one of those cars.
April 27, 2008 - I am informed that American banks ask up to $ 95.00 US to do a swift to Europe. So I decided that Americans are free of prepayment and that the € 100 will be deduced from their travelling incentive. Number of regular entrants is now, with only 3 days to go, as low as 31 out of 64. If things doesn't change quickly, that'll be a tremendous problem, since several Ferraris F430, having been good for €1000 sponsoring money will be missed at the start. It proves once more how difficult it is to organise a well sponsored world championship if several racers don't respect their given word. Meanwhile the problems with the EEC 2008 have been resolved. Tamar Nelwan accepts Jean-Marie Tillen as race director. I'll do my best that I can be in Alsdorf for the prize giving on Sunday May 25. Since Youri has the same week-end an important soccer tournament in Nantes (France) it will be not easy for me to combine the two.
[JPVR]
April 29 - Number of regular entrants at the upcoming Worlds is now up to 59 out of 64. Especially among the experts payments come in slowly. Most surprisingly is that the defending world champion Philipp Kremer is still not regular, just as the Italians Pieraldo Giumelli and Mimo Martinez. Other subscribers still not regular are Michael Niemas, Christoph Kremer, and  Henri van Gool. If Philipp Kremer should not pay in time it should be already the third time that the defending world champion is absent. Earlier it happened with Salvatore Noviello in 2006 and with Dani "Giesse" Gonzalez in 2008. Tomorrow the definitive subscriptions are definitively over. If your name is NOT on the list and if you already paid, please mail, us. If you paid the last days mail us too, because on May 3 we'll publish the definitive list of entrants to the press and to our sponsors.
EXPERTS: 21 out of 24 (missing are: Dennis Vogel, Henri van Gool and Herman James)
AMATEURS: 23 out of 24 (missing is Mimo Martinez)
KIDS: 16 out of 16 (nobody is missing)

May 2 - April 30 was the expiration date for payment of the €100 fee advance for the 20th IMCA Worlds. Of the 64 racers who subscribed 60 paid their advance (or confirmed that the payment is underway as for the Bad Boys). Eventually only five subscribers proved that for them a given word has not the smallest value. It are Herman James (USA), Dennis Vogel (NL), Henri van Gool (NL), Mimmo Martinez (I) and Pieraldo Giumelli (I). We'll still wait Monday - when our bank is again open, if one of those five didn't a last minute payment. If this is NOT the case I see no reason why we should invite them any longer at major IMCA events. Pieraldo Giumelli has been replaced by Gerry de Roeck (B). Oscar Hernandez cannot show, but will be replaced by Gorm Norgaard (DK). We fully appreciate that Oscar did the necessary to find a substitute driver in his place. That's the correct way to do. Unfortunately that was NOT the case for the five named before. They even never answered our mail.  [JPVR]

INDEPENDENT RACE DIRECTION NEEDED FOR ALSDORF

Worlds Ferrari GT2s made by Mark Huys, not by Al Paterson

Concerning the 20th IMCA Worlds, I note that up to now we received only 12 prepayments of the €100 fee (including Nick de Wachter, Ralph Seif, Christian Schnitzler, Caroline Schnizler, Alexander Ortmann, Björn van Campenhout). There are still 10 days to do the prepayments. There will be no entries without prepayment. Should some racers have financial problems to pay already now, I am always open to listen their arguments. If those arguments are strong enough, I'll accept that prepayment can be postponed.
On Tamar's web site too Al Paterson writes that he'll not make the 5 Ferraris GT2. That's true. Untrue is that the entrants have to make this bodies themselves. The job will be done by Mark Huys who is still assembling the five bodies (Al Paterson has his own). [JPVR]

AFTER IMCA'S WITHDRAW: EEC 2008 IS EUROCUP 2008

No hard feelings - No earth quake - For the racers nothing has changed

Since the term "European Championship", as used in slot-racing was patented end 1985 before notary Van Tricht, and since IMCA wants no longer to support Tamar's series, thezname "EEC 2008" was converted into EuroCup 2008.  An official Endurance European Championship for 2008 (IMCA's EEC 2008) will thus be organised with 2008 FIA GT cars, as raced at the 2008 Worlds, will be organised towards the end of the year. For the racers nothing changes, they will have their round #3 ofd the EuroCup at Alsdorf and the winners will receive their free entrance tickets for the Publiaplic pagoda upon arrival at the Herentals Worlds.
The fact that IMCA supports no longer Tamar's series doesn't imply that I should hard feelings for Tamar. But we commonly agreed that it's better to introduce a cooling period. Tamar's merits for model car racing are too high for any hard feelings.
For the 2008 Endurance World Championship I replaced Tamar's complicated rule by the old article 7 as it was published earlier, before Tamar started to change it. If I compare IMCA's art. 7 with Tamar's, main difference is that the weight calculator will no longer be applied, that maximum spur in front and in rear is 87 mm. The E.Jan model of the Maserati MC12, e.g., is not at a good scale, normally it should be 21.43 cm x 8.73 cm x 5.02 cm instead of 21.6 cm x 9.0 cm x 4.5 cm. For the height that's a difference of 11.6 per cent whilst the Tamar rules speak about a maximum tolerance of 4 per cent! Where under Tamar rules such car should be forbidden at the start, under IMCA's art. 7.2.b the car is allowed to race, but with extra ballast glued under the highest point of the bonnet.
The old article 7 of the IMCA Rule Book ensures fair racing, is less complicated than the EEC technical rule, and should never having be replaced. Concerning the handout motors, they will be sealed and will come with the pinion already on the shaft. Fitting the motor to the chassis can be done upon arrival, avoiding the stressing and boring old procedure. [JPVR]

2009 TORONTO WORLDS: MARK CAMPBELL DOES IT

Full house!  Endurance Worlds with actual Le Mans cars.

April 5, 2008 - The success of the 2009 Toronto Worlds is already now ensured. No less than 10 former world champions subscribed. More than one year before the start only four places are still free, exclusively for Canadian, American and Japanese KIDS. There are no more free places for EXPERTS or AMATEURS, We even had to increase number of AMATEURS allowed at the start from 16 to 24, in order to guarantee the entry of so many European demands.
Organiser Mark Campbell will be the very first ro bring racers from the five continents at the start. At the DPM he'll negotiate with Nori Ono of PlaFit to find the two best Japanese KIDS at the start. That implies that only two places are still free for American or Canadian kids. Campbell hopes that he can bring America's Joe "Chubbie" Salzmann, the famous young wing car racer - in 2007 winner of the USRA G7 Pro USRA Nats! - at the start. Last free place could go to one of the successful Canadian wing car racers: Brad Friesner and Greg Mills (who stopped active racing).
Most spectacular subscriptions came from Greg Gilbert (USA) and Chuck Ingram (CDN). Greg Gilbert was no more seen in model car racing since the 2001 IMCA Worlds at Die-penbeek. There he finished fourth overall, heading such top racers as Vladimir Horky (the #1 on the IOC-list) and Paul Ciccarello (USA), the double G7 world champion and triple USRA Nats G7 winner.  Chuck Igram is the legendary Canadian racer who, in 1986, made that Willy Heerweg (B) won the 1/1 Ferrari 308 GTB instead of Italy's wonder boy Sergio Maresca. Indeed, Ingram won after superb driving the real last round of the 1985-1986 Pinky Point Series in Antwerp!

ENDURANCE WORLDS WITH LE MANS CARS
The Toronto Worlds will go in two parts. The 1/24 Sprint Races will be contested with Ferrari F430 Challenge cars, whilst the Endurance World Championship will go with 2008 Le Mans cars (instead of FIA GT cars). So the famous Audi-Peugeot and Aston-Corvette battle - impossible at Paris this year - will be seen next year in Toronto. It dates from January 2001 that IMCA still organised an important international race with actual Le Mans cars. Two other Le Mans 24 hour model car races were contested with classic cars in 2004 and 2005 [More...]. It's only the 8th time in its history that IMCA organises a true model car endurance race with Le Mans cars.  The real first dates from Antwerp 1985 and was won by the Americans Csaba Szekelyhidi/John Strachan (with 1966 LM cars). The second was contested at the end of the same year 1985 at Uden with the best American and European ... wing car racers at the start. Although Jon Laster/JPVR were leading the largest part of the race Willy Heerwegh/Chantal Aerts won the second edition (again with LM 1966 cars). Then we had to wait Chicago 1988 to see a third edition with 1987 C1 and C2 cars; Winners were "Gugu" Bernardino/Clithio Backx van Buggenhout and Dieter Jens. Only in 1994 IMCA organised a fourth model car edition of the Le Mans 24 hours, now for 1964 LM cars. The race went at Rouen in France and was won by Vladimir Horky and Jozef Hensl. Then we had to wait January 2001 to find 1998 LM cars contesting the Race of the Century. After a merciless battle among Josef Korec/Vladimir Horky/Franky Poledna and Jan Limpach/JPVR/Geert Mertens, the last trio won with only a handful of laps. The five first editions went all five over 12 hours of non-interrupted racing. Two later editions with 1970 Le Mans cars were "false" endurance races going over less hours. The 2004 version was won by Josef Korec/Antónin Vojtik ahead over Nick de Wachter/Tamar Nelwan. The 2005 went to "Piki" van Rossem/Salvatore Noviello, finishing ahead over Nick de Wachter and Youri van Rossem.
The Toronto Le Mans 24 hours returns to the tradition of racing 16 cars in two heats of 12 full hours with a night section at both heats. There will be three Audis R10, three Peugeots 908 and three Pescarolo LMP1s at the start, together with two Porsches RS Spyder, a Courage LC70 and the new Lola B06/80 Aston Martin. Apart from those prototypes two Corvettes C6-R will be involved in a combat with an Aston Martin DBR9. The last one will be (of course) an Afolabi Fola creation. One of the drivers of this car will be JPVR, the lonely one among the 48 starters having entered all 8 former Le Mans model car races. Other former top-3 finishers at the start will be Jozef Miskolci (3rd in 1994), Nick de Wachter (2nd in 2004, 2nd in 2005), Tamar Nelwan (2nd in 2004), Kai Kivekäs (3rd in 2004), "Piki" van Rossem (winner in 2005), and Youri van Rossem (2nd in 2005).  And of course some of the famous Hawaiian Tropic girls may be expected for the prize giving ceremonial on July 26.

STRONG ENTRY FIELD AT TORONTO
Among the 56 racers having subscribed for the Toronto Worlds we find no less than 10 former world champions: "Piki" van Rossem (5 wins), Nick de Wachter (5 wins), Dani Gonzalez (2 wins), Philipp Kremer (2 wins), Gabriel Inäbnit (2 wins), JPVR (2 wins), Jozef Miskolci (1 win), Tamar Nelwan (1 win), Antonio Ortega (1 win), and Afolabi Osu (1 win). The best German, Dutch, Spanish, Belgian, and Slovak racers will be find at the start, together with the Australian champion and racers from Nigeria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, France, Finland, Norway, New Zealand, USA and Japan. Canada will be present with at least 11 racers, among them such legends as Chuck Ingram and Ernie Mosetti. It's a bit strange that among the American racers we miss Herman James, Lee Gilbert, Alicia Gilbert, Matt Zenovitch and Ron Hershman. Should they decide to show we can add still 8 more Ferrari Challenges F430, to reach the maximum of 64 racers (more is not allowed by the IMCA Rule Book). Missing too are former world champions Giovanni Montiglio from Italy, "Gugu" Bernardino from Brazil and the Czech aces Vladimir Horky and Josef Korec. The last named stopped model car racing after a disastrous Worlds in Mechelen where they had to race undriveable cars assembled in a hurry by Geert Mertens. It should be great if organiser Mark Campbell could convince PlaFit's Nori Ono at his meeting in Germany to prepare four works chassis for Horky, Korec, Bernardino and Montiglio. Only then we could say that the entry field is also qualitatively as complete as possible. It should give us 4 extra world champions at the start, having won among them another twelve world championships. The bodies of the works PlaFits could be professionally assembled in Canada, South-Africa or Europe.
There can be no doubt that the 2009 Toronto Worlds will be better than the best Worlds I ever organised. Indeed Mark Campbell prepares a unique event putting model car racing in North-America definitively on the map.

LES DÉFIS POUR MARK CAMPBELL
I don't think that our good old Bob Demeyer will be still available for the Toronto Worlds. He is undoubtedly the best race director we ever had, completely independent from outer influences. At the Ostend Worlds in 2002 he had not the smallest problems to oblige "Piki" to glue ... 20 grams of ballast under the roof of his Nascar car. There is no better race director available on earth than Bob. I know that organiser Mark Campbell is extremely motivated, but I don't think that even he can convince Bob to show once more.
So Mark Campbell is in front of of four challenges. (1) Can he convince Horky, Korec, Gugu and Montiglio to show in extremis? (2) Can he convince Bob to be a last time race director? (3) Can he bring America's young wonder racer Joe "Chubbie" Salzman at the start? (4) Can he find some Hawaiian Tropic girls, in their typical outfit, to do the prize giving? Perfection is not from this World, but should this quadruple miracle happen, we should have the absolute perfect Model Car World Championship which nobody wiill can improve in all years to come. And even if Mark fails to realise this quadruple challenge, he will be among the real best organisers in the long history of international slot-racing!  [JPVR]

HOTELS AT HERENTALS FOR THE 2008 IMCA WORLDS

ATTENTION: Racers have to do the Reservations themselves

April 8, 2008 - The 2008 IMCA Worlds will be contested at Herentals, a municipality with 26,000 inhabitants, at 20 miles from Antwerp. The IMCA MTT track is installed at Niewstraat 31, where JPVR runs it as a private club for autosport freaks. Initially we believed that we could host the racers at the Aldhem Hotel, in 1990 built by JPVR as the famous Moneytron Hotel. The inconvenience is that this hotel is located at the exit of the main way E313, but at 4 miles from the race location. That implies that it's not the best located hotel for all those racers who came by plane or train. Two hotels, however, are at walking distance from the Nieuwstraat: Hotel "De Swaen" at the Belgiëlaan 1 with 38 rooms + bistro + restaurant and Hotel "De Zalm" at the Grote Markt 21 with 24 rooms + bistro. Both hotels have at each room Wifi connection with the internet.
IMCA does no longer the reservations on behalf of the racers after the bad experience at Mechelen last year, where 8 racers let us reserve 4 rooms for 4 or 5 days, without showing, even without the smallest phone call. So IMCA had to pay for the rooms whilst other racers found no more place in the racer's hotel. Thus racers have now to do the reservations themselves.
PRICES - On Friday, Saturday and Sunday one night in Hotel "De Zalm" for a double room is € 85.00 and € 127.50 for a triple room (i.e. € 42.50 per racer). On other days one has to pay for the same rooms € 95.00 (double room) and € 142.50 (triple), which is € 47.50 per racer.
In Hotel "De Swaen" one finds 15 double rooms at € 95.00 per night and 4 double rooms at € 90.00 per room (thus res. € 47.50 per racer and € 45.00 per racer).
Racers coming by car can always opt for Hotel "Aldhem", at the exit of the main way E313 at Herentals West. Here prices are € 99.00 for a double room during the week-end and €137.00 during the week. It's a four stars hotel with a multitude of facilities. Address is Jagersdreef 1, Grobbendonk.  Grobbendonk is at 3.6 miles from Herentals. There is a bus to Herentals.

BAD NEWS FOR YOURI & PIKI : WILLEM NOT ALLOWED TO START

Sealed ProSlot + pinion for the 2008 Worlds - Will Just Me be Just in Time?

April 5, 2008 - Yesterday I received several unpleasant mails from racers asking me why I give my own kids a preferential treatment. I could not believe my proper eyes. Everybody knows that as an organiser and race director I am always extremely severe for my own kids. At the 2001 Race of the Century I gave Youri a 100 lap sanction for a small fault which for he never deserved such severe sanction. At the 2002 Ostend Worlds Piki was obliged to race with 20 grams led glued to the room of his NASCAR car since there was some doubt if yes or no he dremeled out his rear wheel arches. At the 2007 Mechelen Worlds I forbid Youri to race his best car since I let it fall in my ashtray, and since I discovered that when I asked Francesc Reyes (the builder of the car) to clean the tyres, he did it with a kind of tyre glue. So, what the fuck, some racers found now to accuse me of preferential treatment of my own children?
I was informed by three several mails that I had not the right to let race Piki and Youri at the Endurance Worlds with Willem Kloppenburg (NL) as team mate. I opted for Willem (a) because he's a very good racer, (b) since he is a splendid anarchist and (c) since we share the same opinion on some people. And here - I have to admit - I made a mistake. A German racer remembered me that Willem Kloppenburg could not start, since that brought the number of Dutch racers upon 11 whilst art. 1.1.b of the IMCA Rule Book states that no nation can have more than 10 racers at the start. I answered that this was not a problem, that we could take out Remco van Waaij from the Dutch team, especially since he wrote that I was such a poor race director and that he could do it so much better than me, he - the specialist in track call handling. I received promptly the answer, now from two German racers together, that even then Kloppenburg couldn't start. Why? Since he never completed an entry form for the 2008 Worlds and since art 1.1.b also states that "Racers having omitted to submit their entry form before the expiration date of the subscriptions, can never be allowed at the start of those [i.e. World Championships] races."   Immediately I inspected the subscription list and I discovered at my own stupefaction that Willem was not in it, even not as a substitute driver. THere was confusion with 2007 when he subscribed, but couldn't show at the last moment.

So I had no longer any valid counter-argument. Exit Willem Kloppenburg, exit the anarchist team sharing similar opinions on some people. So I decided to choose Kai Kivekäs as team mate for Piki and Youri. Both have a great admiration for him, since they saw him making a superb race at the 2006 Barcelona Worlds. But Kai is no anarchist, so that they'll have to change the name of their team. Exit Les Anars. They'll let Kai choose another, more appropriated, name.

SEALED PROSLOT PS4000-IMCA MOTORS AT THE F430 SPRINT RACES
One thing hurt me terribly at the EEC #2, it's the time which 19 model car racers need to fix one motor and two tyres. Wing car racers do it in a couple of seconds. At Merlijn 19 model car racers needed 136 minutes for it. But at the Worlds 64 racers have to fit motor and tyres, at such low speed we could expect to loose half a day for such simple thing. I thus contacted ProSlot's Dan Debella and asked him to deliver 100 perfectly sealed PS4000-IMCA motors, with a M50 9T steel pinion already fixed to the shaft. So I'll no longer see guys destroying motors on putting a pinion on ... with a hammer. The sealed motors will allow a handout upon registration, so that no valuable time is lost [Only at the Endurance Worlds we'll use Tamar's system of fixing motors and tyres under the eyes of the race direction.]

WILL "JUST ME" BE JUST IN TIME (AND A BIT LESS HAUGHTY?)
Recently Nick de Wachter started a commercial slot-racing business. He makes splendid things (e.g. his superb Porsche 997 GT3-RSR), but once more the car was not "just in time" to be raced. Here nothing has changed, all rests like it always was. But if Nick continues as he does, he'll ruin his proper business even before it has started. Look at his reaction on the LMS site when someone asked him which tricks to use for good laminating of bodies. Nick's answer? "Every material I use is just availeble in the shops, and if you are to busy time-wise, don't want to spend time and money to learn, or just incapable Phil, just order them at NickdeWachterParts. If these options are not desirable for you, then either build it or shut up." If you taake yourself that high, you can be sure to make no longer friends. [JPVR]

2008 ENDURANCE WORLDS WITH NEW SPONSORS

[press release]

2008 WORLDS: HERENTALS INSTEAD OF MECHELEN

When subscriptions are totally unreliable serious work becomes impossible

March 24, 2008 - It's no longer possible to organise the 20th IMCA Worlds in Mechelen. The reason is quite simple: after having lost the € 6,500 sponsoring for the EEC 2008, I don't wish take any longer financial risks now that racer's subscriptions are totally unreliable since they are hardly more than a joke.  You want figures? For the 20th Worlds no less than 19 racers, having subscribed, cancelled their subscription since December 31, 2008. Among them: Paul Gawronski (USA), Gustav Heymann (RSA), Paul "Split" Heath (NZ), Lee Gilbert (USA), Alicia Gilbert (USA), Raymond Kühn (B), Patrick Blondiau (B), Chris Burström (S), etc. For the EEC 2008 things are not better. The following racers, having subscribed, cancelled their subscription: Hugo Dekker (NL), Desmond Dekker (NL), Chris Burström (S), Leif Nilsson (S), Michael Heuniche (DK), Per Christiansen (DK), Raymond Kühn (B), Patrick Blondiau (B), André Colson (B), Armin Reichelt (B), etc. Especially those last withdrawals were a serious financial blow. The last year I try to give racers an open view on the existing sponsoring deals. All racers who subscribed for the EEC 2008 knew perfectly well that there was a sponsoring contract stipulating that the 24 most spectacular FIA GT cars, having entered the 2007 Spa 24 hours, should be present at scale 1/24th at the three rounds of the EEC 2008. For Tamar Nelwan, responsible for the EEC 2008, it became completely impossible to respect the sponsoring deal, after all kind of pure clowns, retired for obscure reasons. This week end we realised that the €6,500 sponsoring deal for the EEC is definitively lost. Next week, at round #2, there will be even NO racers at the Car Sport Holland Corvette C6R having won the Spa 2007 race [Indeed; Francesc Reyes will not show at Merlijn.] [PS. Michael Heuniche and Per Christiansen informed me by mail that already in November they cancelled their entry, so that they are NOT responsible for the €6,500 sponsoring loss.]

For an organiser any serious work is impossible if he cannot trust the subscriptions having been made months earlier. During 40 years I tried to promote slot-racing with all possible means. My last trial was Zolder 2008. We could reach a deal with the owners of the Zolder circuit to organise a promotion race during the FIA GT meeting of October 18-19, 2008. We could have an excellent location at the Paddock (cost € 2000) where we could place a marquee (rent: € 6,200) to host IMCA's MTT track (transport costs: € 1,300). That means that I was supposed to take a personal financial risk of € 9,500. And what we see? Only 11 racers subscribed. If one considers that 1 on 3 subscriptions is unreliable, I should be crazy to look after any further sponsoring for the Zolder meeting. All those things let me decide that it's no longer worth making financial efforts for racers even not respecting their given word. So it's excluded that I'll move any longer the MTT track from Herentals to Mechelen. My last IMCA Worlds will thus be organised at Herentals where the track is definitively installed. A good and cheap hotel is no problem, since I let build the famous Moneytron Hotel at the exit of Herentals West of the main way. That hotel is now the famous Aldhem Hotel where all racers can be lodged. I don't believe any longer that there will be 64 racers as scheduled. Indeed, no subscription is definitive as long as we received not an advance of € 100.00 on the entry fees (ultimate limit: April 30, 2008). Up to now only 5 racers out of 64 paid that advance of € 100.00. 
So, let's things thus be clear: (1) The 20th IMCA Worlds will be contested at Herentals, not at Mechelen. (2) Any racer having not paid an advance of € 100 on his entry fees will be not allowed to start. (3) There will be NO demonstration race at Zolder on October 18, since there is no interest from the racers. [JPVR]

20th IMCA WORLDS: STRONGEST ENTRY FIELD EVER

Christian Schnitzler, Caroline Schnitzler & Alexander Ortmann join

March 12, 2008 - As could be expected the cancellation of the Ultimate ES24 Race resulted in the retirement of several scale racers having earlier subscribed for both the 20th IMCA Model Car Worlds and the ES24 Race. This week we received the retirements of Paul Gawronski (USA), Alicia Gilbert (USA), Gustav Heymann (RSA) and Brian Saunders (GB). Good news is that we could replace them by Alex Ortmann (D) and Caroline Schnitzler (D) - winners of the 2007 DPM and the 2008 DKPM, and by Christian Schnitzler (D) - 2005 European IMCA champion and winner of the 2006 DPM. Moreover, after intervention of Mike Wagner (LUX) the problems of Ralph Seif (D) - third at the 2007 IMCA Worlds, winner of the DPM 2007 and winner of the DPKM 2008 - have been solved. That means that except for Andreas Laufenberg (D) all winners of the five last editions of the prestigious DPM will be found at the start of the 20th Worlds. I still hope that or Mike Wagner, or Tamar Nelwan can convince Andreas to join the field. If that happens we have the nearly PERFECT entry field for the 20th IMCA Worlds. Then Andreas can take my place.
The venue of the Schnitzlers and Ortmann - three youngsters - resulted in the fact that not 16 but 18 excellent youngsters come at the start (indeed, with the retirement of Alicia Gilbert number of youngsters came from 16 - 1 + 3 = 18). We moved Desmond Dekker (NL) to the experts in order to replace Gustav Heymann (whilst Ralph Seif replaces Paul Gawronski among the experts). Matt Bartlett (RSA, another youngster, moves to the Amateurs where he replaces Andy Flick (D), who was no official subscriber for the Worlds.
Never before such a strong field of youngsters was found together in an IMCA World Championship. My prognosis is that at least 12 of those youngsters will finish among the top-16 at the 20th Worlds. Concerning the 11th Mello Yello Juniors World Championship we decided that not the 8 best but the 16 best out of 16 can enter the bi-final (2 heats of 8 x 3 minutes). 
For the Endurance Worlds some puzzling was necessary after the withdrawals of the scale racers. On the Belgian Corvette C5R (Tamar & Cie have such car available) Herman James (USA) will receive Christian Schnitzler (D) as team mate in place of Gawronski. On the #23 BMS Italia Aston Martin DBR9 - initially scheduled for Oscar Hernandez and Andy Flitz, thge EEC 2008 racers - we'll find Ralph Seif (D) and Alexander Ortmann (D). Oscar Hernandez (COL) moves to Afolabi Osu's Jetalliance Aston Martin DBR9 where he can replace myself. On the #51 AF Corse Motorola Ferrari F430 GT2 Big Al Paterson (RSA) has to replace Gustav Heymann (RSA). Al's place on the SRT Corvette of Günther Riehl (D) van be taken by Björn Riehl (D). On the PK Car Sport Corvette C6R of Francesc Reyes (E), all-rounder Giovanni Montiglio (I) can replace Brian Saunders (GB) so that he is replaced on the Easy Call Ferrari F430 GT of Emily Kuipers (NL) by Caroline Schnitzler (D). That's a very strong ladies team. Since GT1 and GT2 cars have equal chances at the Endurance Worlds (where ranking goes on points won after the Qualifications, the Day Section, the Night Section and the Final Ranking) it should be a real stir if our two ladies could win the 2nd Endurance Worlds!
The web pages for the 20th IMCA Worlds, the 2nd Endurance Worlds and the List of Subscribers have all been - O0NCE MORE! - updated.

TOBLERONE 24 HOURS WITH FERRARIS F430 CHALLENGE
Not all racers who subscribed for the Toblerone 24 hours could find 1/24th copies of their car. Especially the Mirage M6A and the correct Matras MS670B are hard to find. Should there have been more time the entry field (32 cars) could have been completed but for several racers time was too short. Moreover there was a problem to find handout rear tyres in the correct dimensions at a reasonable price. I hope that my successor Mark Campbell or my good friend Tamar Nelwan will find in 2009 time to organise a 24 hour race with 1973 Le Mans cars. Meanwhile I decided that the 2008 Toblerone 24 hours will be contested with Ferrari F430 Challenge cars. For more info click here.

WORLDS TOP-3 TO PANAMERICAN PLAFIT?
The first Panamerican Plafit is a splendid project by Mark Campbell. I personally will be present at that event. I hope that Nori Ono will cover the plane tickets of the top-3 at the 20th IMCA Worlds, so that they can be present too to form a team of 3 top-racers. If not - what should be rather a shame on behalf of Plafit - I'll search a budget so that they can make the trip.

EEC 2008 ROUND #2: WHAT'S WRONG WITH TAMAR's WEIGHT CALCULATOR?
At Oslo the Maseratis MC12 had a clear advantage over the rest of the GT1 cars. It's obvious that Tamar's weight calculator - a most honourable initiative - doesn't function as it should. Indeed, the calculator doesn't respect the laws of physics. I made a theoretically correct formula and discovered (1) that the spur of the Maseratis should be at least reduced to 86.5 mm if one wishes to avoid a weight handicap of ... more than 25 grams, and (2) that the new motors were raced at Oslo at 14.7 Volt, not at 14.2 Volt as stipulated in art. 2.1.a of IMCA's rule book. At round #2 the 14.2 Volt rule will be respected.
Moreover racers should take in consideration that art. 3.3.d of the rule book, concerning the extra ballast for top-3 finishers from Oslo (in GT1 and in GT2) will be respected.
There remains a serious problem with the technical rules for FIA GT cars. Rules should be universal and not be dependent from track to track. Now tests will be done at the Merlijn track to correct the tech rules. And I guess that the same will be done for the last round in Alsdorf. I agree that it's an emergency solution, but for 2009 rules should be universal for ALL tracks. Especially the fact that less than 16 days before the start of round #2 nobody knows how the tech rules for GT1 cars will be changed, is not very serious. We should avoid that for the future. Now that the IMCA MTT is fully operational at Herentals, I hope that stable tech rules for the Endurance Worlds can be published at least 3 full months before the start, and that those rules will be stable for the 2009 FIA GT 124 season. It's not good to modify those rules continuously as actually is be done. But there is one serious excuse: this is our first year of FIA GT racing. So there were child diseases and it's fully logical that some fine tuning of the tech rules was necessary. But after tests on the MTT track I may expected that stable and universal rules can be published [JPVR]