The AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014 was held 8-10 August at the Nurburgring Circuit in Germany. This year’s Oldtimer featured the FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship, a series for Le Mans-style sports cars and ‘Group 4′ period cars from 1962 up to 1974. FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars make for a superb sight, with the big-bangers battling with the smaller-engined sports prototypes and GT cars.
Martin O’Connell capped a superb weekend at the Nürburgring by winning the second FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship race of the weekend at the wheel of his Chevron B19.
From pole, O’Connell headed Jason Wright’s Lola T70 Mk.3B to the first corner but couldn’t shake off the Lola, which attacked at the end of the opening lap. Wright powered past the Chevron B19 and once ahead used his guile to keep O’Connell at bay.
“He was clever!” laughed O’Connell. “He was really slow in the corners and I couldn’t go round the outside and then on the straights he would pull away so I had no chance.”
However, Wright soon started to suffer from understeer and struggled to turn through the Schumacher S bends, allowing O’Connell to nip ahead. The gap then opened up as Wright’s understeer prevented a proper attack and O’Connell ran out an easy winner.
“It’s good to have a weekend with no problems. When the car is so good, it looks easy,” said O’Connell.
Behind Wright came Tim Cousins’ Chevron B19 for his second podium of the weekend, inheriting third after Manfredo Rossi’s Abarth-Osella pitted with mechanical gremlins, while Graham Adelman’s Lola T210 batted past the Chevron B16 of Mike Wrigley for fourth. Local circuit ace Andy Gülden took sixth in Stefan Oberdoerster’s KMW Porsche SP30.
Pre-66 honours fell to Keith Ahlers’ Cooper Monaco who bagged ninth overall, while Joaquin Folch battled from last on the grid to second in the Pre-66 battle ahead of Howard Jones’ Lola T70 Spyder who lost time with a spin.
There was drama, through, for the Chevron B8 of championship leader Andy Newall. A mystery ignition drama, that Newall felt was heat related, caused the car to cut out on the warming up lap. Newall fell to last at the start but the car picked up and he stormed into contention, only for it to cut out again at the final corner of the third lap and pitch him into a spin. He tried again but the car finally stopped as he crossed the line after five laps. His retirement gives Jason Wright the championship lead.
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In addition to Julien Mahiels’ gallery, photographer Jurrie Vanhalle also documented the Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014, offering the following excellent pictures from the FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship feature race. We split up Jurrie’s photos into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite images, all displayed in the full-width view of Sports Car Digest, while the second gallery and race results can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all the photographs. To see more from Jurrie, visit vjimages.500px.com.
Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014 – Masters Historic Sports Car Featured Photo Gallery
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Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014 – Masters Historic Sports Car Featured Photo Gallery Page Two
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Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014 – Masters Historic Sports Car Featured Photo Gallery Page Three
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Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014 – Masters Historic Sports Car Featured Photo Gallery Page Four
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Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014 – Masters Historic Sports Car Featured Photo Gallery Page Five
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Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014 – Masters Historic Sports Car Featured Photo Gallery Page Six
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Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014 – Masters Historic Sports Car Featured Photo Gallery Page Seven
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Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014 – Masters Historic Sports Car Main Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture)
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Oldtimer Grand Prix 2014 – FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship Race Results
FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars – Race One Result:
Overall
1. Martin O’Connell, Chevron B19
2. Jason Wright, Lola T70 Mk3B
3. Tim Cousins, Chevron B19
Pre-66 Podium
1. Billy Bellinger, Cooper Monaco King Cobra
2. Howard Jones, Lola T70 Spyder
3. Harms Winter, McLaren M1A
FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars – Race Two Result:
Overall
1. Martin O’Connell, Chevron B19
2. Jason Wright, Lola T70 Mk3B
3. Tim Cousins, Chevron B19
Pre-66 Podium
1. Keith Ahlers, Cooper Monaco King Cobra
2. Joaquin Folch, Ford GT40
3. Howard Jones, Lola T70 Spyder
Combined Class Winners:
Martin O’Connell (Chevron B19), Graham Wilson (Chevron B8), Keith Ahlers and Billy Bellinger (Cooper Monaco King Cobra), Mike Wrigley (Chevron B19), Jason Wright (Lola T70 Mk3B), Arthur Bruckner (Lotus 23B), Mark Bates (Porsche 911 RSR)
[Source: Masters Historic Racing; photos: Jurrie Vanhalle]
