Something special

Classic Endurance Racing – there’s something special about it. Sometimes, somehow, we feel like we’ve missed something, you know, a couple of generations of harsh voiced, insanely muscled and fast, ferocious and sensual endurance racing cars – physical racing cars. 917s, GT40s, T70s, MS670s, 512s & Co – and I’m not even thinking of the extreme Can-Am series’ M8s and 917s. Those days are gone. Fortunately, some of those legendary machines are still with us and some of their owners feel brave enough to return them back to where they belong – on the race track. That’s why the Classic Endurance Racing is so special – it allows you to feel these legendary machines breathing, roaring and competing on some of the best European race tracks – in 2011, Navarra, Spa, Imola, Silverstone, Estoril and Paul Ricard. The Classic Endurance Racing is an experience not to be missed. If you are used to modern digital racing cars you’ll notice the difference – eyes closed.

At Estoril (4,182 km), on September 24, 2011, there were 29 entries – two Fords, a Ferrari, five Porsches, a good selection of Lolas and Chevrons, a Sauber, a McLaren, a Ligier and a Toj. The afternoon was sunny and on the race track Carlos Barbot chased victory in his red 1972 Lola T 280 (33 laps – 1:00:20.420 h – 137,2 km/h) until suffering gearbox problems, being passed during the last lap by the golden 1977 Toj SC 302 DFV from Kevin Wilkins/Mike Catlow (33 laps – 1:00:19.485 h – 137,3 km/h). Overall, far from being a parade of expensive machinery, the race produced interesting fights, with occasional battle scars. Overall, a great experience, a time machine leading us back to the tough sixties and seventies endurance racing scene. Those days are gone – but thanks to the Classic Endurance Racing part of their magic lingers on.

Lola T70 MkIII B - Carlos Barbot

Circuito Vasco Sameiro 13 de Setembro 2009

Lola T70 MkIII B - Carlos Barbot

Acreditem ou não .... foi um pedido aceite.

Momentos

Braga 13 de Setembro de 2009

PTCC, CPCC e Classicos 1300

Carlos Barbot pinta duas vitórias em Braga

Braga assistiu a uma magnífica exibição de Carlos Barbot em Lola T70 MKIII B. O SL76-136 está em muito boa forma, bem como o seu piloto. Embora a presença do Porsche 930 de Ribeirinho Soares fizesse prever uma disputa animada, cedo se desvaneceu com um toque dado com a traseira ficando sem roda do lado direito. Assim, Carlos Barbot somou o primeiro lugar nas duas corridas no circuito Vasco Sameiro em Braga a contar para o campeonato de CPCC - Campeonato Português de Clássicos de Circuito, resultado idêntico ao que obteve em outras sete de dez possíveis este ano.

Lola T70 MKIII B - Carlos Barbot

Carlos Barbot nos treinos livres da manhã de 13 de Setembro no Circuito Vasco Sameiro a contar para o CPCC - Campeonato Português de Clássicos de Circuito ao volante do seu Lola T70 MKIII B.