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| Press release of 15/05/03 The English CHILES/MOUNTFORD team in their Ford GT40 scooped victory in the Fourth Modena Cento Ore Classic. Just eight seconds separated the winning team from
fellow-Englishmen and runners-up, BELLM/LANZANTE, driving an identical
1965 Ford GT40, after four days of racing battling it out on the four
race tracks (Fiorano, Mugello, Misano, Imola). The classified results
were calculated exclusively by summing together the times of all the special
stages, which the winning team covered in an overall time of 1 hour 30'.
It was a fight to the end thanks to a narrow lead that got narrower each
day: a problem with the car's tuning on the first day meant Bellm gave
the rival team a 30" lead, but one special stage after another, this advantage
was pared down until by the end of the third day just 3" separated the
two teams. The predicted overtake failed to transpire on the last day
in the face of aggressive driving by the winner in the two Imola track
runs. The winning team managed to scrape the few seconds needed to face
the final special stage with greater confidence. Behind spouses FRANKLIN
(Ford Mustang Schelby 350), third overall, an interesting race by fourth
overall HART/GILLANDERS who with a small but feisty 1964 Lotus Elan made
up for inferior horsepower with sheer grit and an agile vehicle.
In the special race reserved for Periods G and H victory went respectively to the SYTNER-HADFIELD team with a beautiful Lola T 70 and to Swiss SENFT-DE- SIEBENTAHL at the wheel of a Porsche Carrera Rs. The title of unluckiest team went to Roberts/Baker in their 1969 Chevron B8, which suffered irreparable damage just 360 metres into the first special stage. Meanwhile the misfortune that struck the team of the Pantera De Tomaso, this year driven by Micangeli/Pietromarchi, must surely make the Guinness book of records: for the second year running the car lost a wheel mid-race. After time-consuming repairs, it rejoined the race and went on commendably to finish. Others finished as a matter of pride, like the Portuguese Albuquerque-Sousa team, after disastrously coming off the track and hitting a tree during the last special stage. Their Ferrari 275 GTB, although totally wrecked at the front, limped home to Modena all the same for some tender loving care from Modena restorers. Major work on the gears awaits the Porsche 904 of the German Frers, which after winning at the Misano track, miserably completed the last day's events (Imola and the road special stage) with only third gear left. Meanwhile the Patron Saint of Ferrari was also watching over the Daytona driven by Mason Styrron, Ferrari collectors, who broke down right in front of the entrance to the historical Scuderie Ferrari building in V.le Trento Trieste in Modena, where sympathetic hands tied a tow-rope to the front to allow the car to be towed the last kilometre of the race. Totally out of the first positions in the speed race, the Italians boosted their standing with their performance in the regularity race, with Marani-Colfi (BMW 507) outright winners in front of Greece's stalwart Katsaounis-Drouliscos team, winners of the 2001 edition, and fellow Italians Fumagalli-Novara. Tremendous joy for Fini-Fantini, the youngest team competing (40 years between them), who won the third group in their debut race. At the gala dinner held at Villa Quadra in Solara, near Bomporto, where the winners were presented with their prizes, competitors swapped stories, as tales of true grit alternated with carefree relaxation and generous helpings of automobile history, thanks to the hospitality offered to participants over the previous days by Panini Collection of Maserati cars and by Righini in Panzano, excellent places for a meal fit for true racing drivers. The fourth edition of Modena Cento Ore Classic was held from 10th to 13th May, over a route of about one thousand km through Emilia, Romagna and Tuscany. There were stopovers, 11 special stages and 4 track runs on the Fiorano, Mugello, Santa Monica and Imola racetracks totalling around one thousand kilometres. The MCOC is the only race existing in Italy for vintage cars that combines speed and regularity. |
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Press release of 05/05/03 Kristian Ghedina, the champion Italian skier, will be the forerunner of the Fourth Modena Cento Ore Classic. Prior to training for the next competition period and
just a few days after undergoing abdominal surgery, Kristian Ghedina has
decided to be here in Modena as the special forerunner onboard the Maserati
Coupé. His enthusiasm for motors is no secret and after having participated
in go-kart, enduro, supermotard events and the Mille Miglia, he couldn't
resist the temptation of the track and the special stages, a unique prerogative
in Italy for vintage car races. The 100 teams have confirmed their presence
with the most particular and desired cars made over the last 50 years.
As is the tradition, the start and finish points are in Modena, headquarters
for the organising committee, but the route is always different and is
kept secret until the week before. The first day features a "parade" in
Modena from Novi Sad Park to Piazza Grande (the main square in Modena),
then moving on for the first special stage on the slopes of the Apennines
(Torre Maina). The timed stage planned for the Fiorano track, a special
privilege for an automobile event, has been rescheduled for the next day
due to testing commitments for the new Ferrari F.1 2003 GA. Two track
events are the top attraction for the second day: Fiorano, that will still
bear the fresh traces left by the GA on the asphalt, and Mugello; between
the two special stages in Samone in the Modena Apennines and then the
special stages in Giogo and Le Terrazze. This will be the most exciting
and eventful day, with the first results as to the best driver-car combinations.
The third day moves us on as far as the Misano Adriatico track, following
the Barbotto and Montetiffi special stages, two times each. The last day
will wrap up the event with the Imola track and the last San Biagio special
stage, passing through valleys and mountains in the Bologna Apennines
to return to Modena where the Gala Dinner will represent the final event,
together with the award ceremony for the Fourth Modena Cento Ore Classic.
The event will take place from May 10th to May 13th, travelling over about
one thousand km through Emilia, Romagna and Tuscany. There will be stopovers,
11 special stages and 4 track runs on the Fiorano, Mugello, Santa Monica
and Imola racetracks. The MCOC is the only race existing in Italy for
vintage cars that combines speed and regularity.
Kristian Ghedina |
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| Press release of 28/04/03 The 100 teams in the IV edition of the Modena Cento Ore Classic are ready to go. A new kind of vintage car event: the Modena Cento Ore
Classic is not intended as simply a fashion parade for splendid cars driven
by owners of the same vintage: the Modena Cento Ore Classic will be a
real race, open only to the best cars in various categories, which have
appeared on the circuits where the history of motor-sports has been written.
The driving teams are equally impressive: in stark contrast with the tradition
in vintage car events, the average age is quite low (40), reflecting the
physical fitness needed to face a unique race, with rules tailored to
bring out the best performance.
40 may be the average age, but it is also the sum of the ages of the drivers in team n. 97 (Fini/Fantini), competing in a 1961 Alfa Romeo Giuletta Spider. Fini, of pure Modena pedigree, represents the latest generation in the famous family that has given its name to speciality foods from the region, as well as hotels and restaurants that have made Modena's cuisine world-famous. He is a true son of his father, Chairman of the Modena Industrialists' Association, who himself once took part in famous races such as the Mexican Carrera. The Bompani twins are just a little older (their ages total 46); for the third time, they will be racing in a 1956 Porsche 356 Speedster. They have also inherited the traditional Modena love of fast cars from their father Mauro, owner of the household appliance company that bears the family name. They will not be the only women competing; all-woman teams from Germany will be driving the Ferrari Dino 246 and the Shelby American Cobra 289. One feature of vintage car races is the enthusiasm which leads the owner-collectors to travel the world to savour their gems' competitive DNA: no-one could reflect this better than Mr and Mrs Mason Styrron, from England, collectors of unique Ferraris such as the 1946 166 Bachetta Touring, one of the very first cars built under the Ferrari name. They will be taking part in the MCOC in a 1972 365 Gtb Competition. They have been participating since the very first edition and the MCOC is a permanent item in their annual schedule, which includes 10/12 high-prestige races all over the world. Jean Sage is from a completely different background; motor-sports enthusiasts will remember him as Renault Formula 1 Racing Manager with Alain Prost and René Arnoux in the early '80s. He is one of the world's leading experts on vintage racing Ferraris, a real encyclopaedia of data, personalities and racing records of the firm's cars built before 1972. He will be taking part in a rare 1960 250 GT SWB. When you love your job, the outcome is unique: Lukas Huni is a Swiss dealer in rare vintage cars - only vehicles of the very highest lineage, which make his showroom an exclusive gem-store for the select few. He will be in Modena for the second time, in a magnificent 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0. The participation of the De Tomaso Gr. 4 Pantera, one of the five the firm built for the 1970 GT championship, entrusted to Micangeli and Pietromarchi for the occasion, is equally fascinating. This identical car has taken part in all the editions of the MCOC, but this year, for the first time, it will be racing with the same drivers as all those years ago, for a revival that underlines the spirit of the event. Perhaps there is no need to add any more aristocracy to our list, but Count Cowdray from England combines a noble tradition with a love of unique vehicles, like the 1971 Jaguar E Lightweight, known to Jaguar enthusiasts worldwide as the CUT 7, from the number-plate it has carried since its birth. The complete list of participants and photographs of their cars are available at: http://www.modenacentooreclassic.it/patecipanti_eng.htm. The fourth edition of the Modena Cento Ore Classic will be held from May 10th to 13th, over a route of about one thousand kilometres through the Emilia, Romagna and Tuscany regions. There will be transfer stages, 11 special races and 4 track stages on the permanent circuits at Fiorano, Mugello, Santa Monica and Imola. The MCOC is the only Italian vintage car race to combine speed and regularity. |
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Press release of 14/03/03 The 4th edition of Modena Cento Ore Classic will take place from 10 to 13 May it is the only one race for historic cars combining speed and regularity together. Thanks to the formula event and to the care that the
Organizing 's Committee have produced from the first edition, only drivers
and cars that will ensure an high rate of performance are going to take
part in.The close number of 90 crews was easy obtained, ensuring the presence
of really exclusive cars with a sporting history.Among them we can find
(I have to outline) the Ferrari 250 GTO, 365 GTB/4 and GT SWB, that are
absolutely real jewels of engineering that in the 60' and 70' have raced
everywhere and also against the Ford GT 40 , two samples of which will
be racing, coming from England.
Four Jaguar E-type, some Lotusess, many Porshes of different years, a few Maseratis and an Alfa Romeo 33, the queen of the category's world of Prototype Sport., have been entered. During the four days of the race competitors are going to cover one thousand kilometre and they are going to reach four permanent circuits (Fiorano, Mugello ,Misano and Imola) in which the cars may express the authentic potential through battery of race adequate at the respective categories: a real revival of the championship of years 50' 60' and 70' . Another aspect of the event is the origin of the people: 12 countries are represented. And even if the sporting part of the race is the first reason to join us, linked with the possibility to compete every days in different circuits, included the exclusive one of Fiorano , is also really important for us the suggestion of the landscape, the gastronomy and the people 's warmth that receive the competitors long the streets and really numerous at the finishing line. |
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