Historic racing cars of the Group C era will be featured in a support race run by Motor Racing Legends at next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, held Saturday 16 June 2012.
The Group C cars last ran at Le Mans in 2010, when a front row of all Silk Cut Jaguars led a mind-boggling grid that included Spice, Sauber Mercedes, Nissan R88C and Porsche 962 among the front-runners. While the 2011 Le Mans Legend saw a field of 61 cars from the 1949-65 era, such is the enthusiasm for Group C that they’ve been invited back for 2012.
The grid of Group C cars which will take to the track just a few hours before the start of the 2012 modern 24 Hours is being put together by Group C/GTP Racing. Says Bob Berridge of Group C/GTP, “We are committed to ensuring that Group C attends some of the major historic festivals held throughout Europe, and we are thrilled to be adding to this a support race for what is arguably the greatest race in the world, the Le Mans 24 Hours. Given the level of interest from ‘new’ Group C car owners, it looks certain that we will enjoy another significant increase in grid numbers for 2012.”
Meanwhile, Duncan Wiltshire of Motor Racing Legends, the company behind the Le Mans Legend, the annual historic support race at Le Mans, comments, “While we like to pick a different era for the Le Mans Legend each year, there is no doubt that Group C cars have a huge following, and provide some tremendously exciting on-track battles for the hundreds of thousands of Le Mans spectators. We have no doubt that June will see another race to remember.”
The precise entry criteria for the Le Mans 24 Hour Group C support race will be advised in due course but, in the meantime, potential competitors should contact Zoë Copas?at Group C Racing?on +44 (0) 7824 393839.
For further information see www.motorracinglegends.com or www.groupcracing.com.
[Source: Motor Racing Legends]
The blue and white Blaupunkt car number 8 featured in the photo. Is that Porsche from south Africa??