The first is over the weekend of 2/3 June at the ‘Temple of Speed’ in Northern Italy, Monza. Reprising the great 1000km races of the 60s and 70s, Jason Wright (who organises the annual Coppa Intereuropa retrospective) is behind the by-invitation two-day event.
On Saturday, cars of the type that raced in period will take to the track for a four-hour race. So you can expect to see pre-1972 prototypes (Porsche 917s and 908s, Lola T70s and Ferrari 512S and 312Ps) battle it out on the famously fast track. Joining them will be saloons and GT cars of the day, including Alfas, Fiat Abarths and Mustangs.
On the Sunday, the same cars will line up in reverse grid order for a five-lap shootout, the winner of which will receive “a big prize”. Sounds good.
Just two months later and the 40th AvD Oldtimer-Grand-Prix meeting at the Nürburgring (10-12 August) is the setting for a special, two-hour race on the famous Nordschleife for under-two-litre saloon cars conforming to the Historic Motor Racing News ‘U2TC’ series rules.
This will take place on Friday, 10 August. Due to the length of the circuit, and the possibility of putting together a really big grid, the organisers will also be accepting entries of small-capacity (no more than 2000cc) GTs. So, if you have an FIA-spec MGB or Alfa SZ or TZ, and fancy a really good race at the immortal 'Ring, this is the event for you.
“Think of the fun they could have on the Nordschleife, battling amongst themselves for their own class,” said Carol Spagg, of Historic Motor Racing News.
“We are excited to be able to offer this race, as there are so many smaller capacity cars that we don’t see so often that we are sure would enjoy the opportunity,” commented Hubertus Dönhoff, the original creator of the Oldtimer Grand Prix.
Photos: Historic Motor Racing News / Eric Sawyer