April 29/30: Loud and proud at Hockenheim

Jim Clark Meeting, Hockenheim
Gläsel boosts TGP title defence as Piper and Hoffmann split Supersports glory

Defending champion Christian Gläsel’s FIA Thoroughbred Grand Prix victory gave German historic racing fans plenty to cheer at the second Jim Clark meeting, on Hockenheim’s challenging F1 circuit on April 29/30.

Driving his ex-Patrese Brabham BT49D, polesitter Gläsel shook off the Williams duo of Richard Eyre (FW08) and inspired Arrows graduate Peter Sowerby (FW07C) to bag maximum points.

Having dominated Saturday’s disc-braked Shell Ferrari Historic Challenge opener in his 512 Berlinetta Boxer Le Mans car, Dutch ace John Bosch drove his ex-Gilles Villeneuve 312T3 like the wind to beat strong DFV opposition for a TGP Pre-76 class win the following day.

Best of the drum-braked set were Max Werner and David Franklin in Maserati 300Ss. They took a race apiece, although Gary Pearson rode a prancing horse superbly, chasing Franklin all the way in Carlos Monteverde’s Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa on Sunday after leader Werner’s differential failed.

Two thunderous Anglo-German Orwell Supersports Cup battles between the 850bhp McLaren M8Fs of Richard Piper and Peter Hoffmann and Marches of Peter Schleifer and Frank Bradley were redolent of the glory days of Interserie. Top honours were deservedly shared by defending champion Piper and Hoffmann.

Formula Two action was particularly poignant in the 1600cc class, with Martin Stretton (March 712) and Bob Juggins (Lola T240) flashing past the resited Clark Memorial ahead of Philip Harper’s 2-litre Ralt-BMW RT1, until power told.

There were few surprises in the FIA GT and Touring Car races, with victories for Leo Voyazides (Ford GT40), Chevrolet Corvette tamers Hans-Jürgen Malsbenden and Patrick Gerling. Reinhold Gropper rumbled his Ford Mustang to TC65 honours after poleman Dieter Karl Anton spun his screaming Alfa Romeo GTA.

Demos by Ferrari’s F1 Clienti in their GP cars, fashion shows and a cavalcade of no fewer than 633 classic cars added to the flavour of this friendly event.

Results
Hockenheim, April 29/30
Thoroughbred Grand Prix
1 Christian Gläsel (Brabham BT49D); 2 Richard Eyre (Williams FW08); 3 Peter Sowerby (Williams FWO7C); 4 Janine Payne (Arrows A5); 5 Nico Bindels (Lotus 87B); 6 John Bosch (Ferrari 31213). Fastest lap: Gläsel 1m 37.770s (104.650mph).

Lurani Trophy Formula Junior
1 Urs Eberhardt (Lotus 27);2 Emanuele Benedini (Lotus 22); 3 Bruno Schaffner (Lotus 20); 4 Mark Woodhouse (Lotus 20). Fastest lap: Eberhardt 2m 01.357s (84.31mph).

FIA GT Pre-65
Race One:
1 Leo Voyazides (Ford GT40); 2 Hans-Jürgen Malsbenden (Corvette); 3 Bo Warmenius (Lotus Elan). Fastest lap: Voyazides 2m 03.795s (82.65mph).

Race Two:
1 Malsbenden; 2 Warmenius; 3 Wolfgang Schachinger (Corvette). Fastest lap: Rolf Nilsson (Elan) 2m 04.682s (82.06mph).

FIA Touring Cars Pre-65
1 Reinhold Gropper (Ford Mustang): 2 Dieter Karl Anton (Alfa Romeo GTA); 3 Dirk Waaijenberg (Mustang). Fastest lap: Gropper 2m 10 145s (78.61mph).

Orwell Supersports Cup
Race One:
1 Richard Piper (McLaren M8F); 2 Peter Hoffmann (M8F); 3 Peter Schleifer (March 707); 4 Frank Bradley (March 717). Fastest lap: Hoffmann 1m 40.731s (101.57mph).

Race Two:
1 Hoffmann; 2 Piper; 3 Schleifer; 4 Silvio Kalb (March 76S). Fastest lap: Piper 1m 41.175s (101.12mph).

European Formula Two Club
Race One:
1 Philip Harper (Ralt RT1); 2 Martin Stretton (March 712); 3 Bob Juggins (Lola T240); 4 Walter Hoffmann (March 712). Fastest lap: Harper 2m 11,669s (75.60mph).

Race Two:
1 Harper; 2 Stretton; 3Christian Million (Ralt RT1); 4 Juggins. Fastest lap: Harper 1m 43.530s (98.82mph).