javier romagosa
VIDEO: ENGINE MANAGE / PHOTOS: UNAI ONA / TEXT: JAVIER ROMAGOSA
Jarama Classic 2017, series of high-level classics races run at the Jarama circuit, took place between March 31 and April 2. Was expected a great show And, in the modest opinion of the one who signs this chronicle, the event responded to expectations with exceptional cars plying the track of the legendary Madrid track at full speed.
Organized by the French PeterAuto and the RACE, Jarama Classic 2017 brought around 180 of the best racing cars from central Europe with the aim of competing in the races of the 8 categories that made up the program. According to the organization, and despite the limited diffusion of the event, around 10.000 spectators were able to enjoy the excellent launches of passenger cars, sport prototypes and Group C that thundered the circuit.
In addition, it was possible to move freely through a paddock and boxes packed with the best machinery; And the thing is that seeing the cars «in minor cloths», the mechanics working and the drivers preparing to go out on the track - always having the possibility of chatting with them - were as many attractions of the second edition of Jarama Classic.
Click on the photos to enlarge them ...
Jarama Classic 2017: Racing in style
Specifically, the races comprised the series designed by PeterAuto, French event organizer for classics who has to his credit appointments like le mans classic, Classic Spa, el Chantilly Contest of Elegance or the rally Auto Tour.
These respond to the names of Legend Trophy, for prewar classics; Nastro Rosso Trophy, dedicated mainly to Italian GT's from 1950 to 1965; Sixties Endurance, for cars before 1966; Classic Endurance, for machines manufactured between 1966 and 1981; Heritage Touring Cup, with cars from the golden age of the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) (1966-1984) and Group C, from 1982 onwards. The Iberian Historic Endurance, series contested by Spanish and Portuguese pilots who decided to join the event.
As you can see in the photos, there were exciting moments and also some other "pineapple", inevitable in competition. To see the list of races and winners, click here.
Some protagonists, among many others
There were cars really exceptional, as was the case with a Ford that looked like a GT40 MK4 but was not; It was the 3 Le Mans F68L P1968 prototype, a unique example that was not successful due to its dangerous aerodynamic design. I was not the only one proto of Le Mans that stood out above the rest: Without a doubt the Porsche 917 it took my breath away. On the other hand, the Mercedes C11 is a Group C that changed the rules of the game back in 1989.
Descending back to earth, it was inevitable to notice the around 10 original Shelby Cobra 289s present (one of them a Cobra Daytona!), In the beautiful barchetta 300 Maserati 1957S or in the Ferrari 250 GT of the Nastro Rosso Trophy, which ran accompanied by a Maserati T60 Birdcage, an Alfa-Romeo TZ1 or two Porsche 550. All of them, without exception, weights heavyweight motorsport history.
There was also a Ford GT40, two Lancia Beta Montecarlo, a BMW M1, an Alfa-Romeo T33 / 3 or Lolas and Chevron of all types and conditions, just to name a few more examples of the exceptional classics that could be seen in this second edition of Jarama Classic.
New races: Legend Trophy
Last year we were missing something and we knew exactly what: prewar classics. For this second edition of Jarama Classic Peterauto heard our prayers and we were able to see a large selection of machines parade on the track from the four main competing countries of the time: France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.
The king of the category was undoubtedly the Alfa-Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato from 1932, a whole rolling work of art that the Bugatti 35 and 51 'in their sauce' followed very closely. So did two BMW 328s and a scruffy Riley Dobbs that, like its rivals, showed no qualms about hitting the ground running.
Until next year Jarama Classic! We will wait for you impatiently ... 😉
