Classic Endurance Racing off to a start again
After a six month break, the first round of the 2011 Classic Endurance Racing season took place under the Spanish sun at the Navarra circuit on 2 and 3 April.
52 cars, built between 1966 and 1979, turned up for the occasion, their drivers visibly in a hurry to participate in the eighth season of this European championship supported by Motul.
In the midst of this dream set of cars, expert connoisseurs could admire the last three still existing Lola T280 DFVs which, if we refer to their chassis number, were grouped for the first time ever since they left the factory.
At the race, the finest battling techniques were used in the Proto 1 category (1966 – 1972) where there was a fierce fight to the chequered flag between the Lola T70 MKIII B driven by Pierre Alain France (winner of the category), Olivier Cazalière's Chevron B16 and the other Lola T70 MKIII B driven by Richard Mille. In the other categories, Jacques Nicolet (Gulf Mirage M3), Claude Nahum/Bernard Turner (Ford GT40) and Sean McInerney/Michael McInerney respectively won the Proto 2 (1973 – 1979), GT1 (1966 – 1974) and GT2 (1975 – 1979).
The next destination will be Spa-Francorchamps on 27, 28 & 29 May for the new Spa-Classic event where the Classic Endurance Racing line-up will be in two parts to take in nearly 100 cars!
Michel Quiniou - Lola T280 DFV 1971 © Photoclassicracing
