This year I brought an assistant to take pictures from different spots and in the hairpin were I was at approx. 1,570 meters, I saw several cars really spinning through it like it should !! There also were some “normal” cars like a Morris Mini Cooper (no…, not with Rowin Atkinson behind the wheel) or a VW Beatle and I’ll never forget the roaring of other participants coming up-hill, but just at the beginning of the first serious climb. Late in the afternoon, after all cars passed the finish they came down close together... That could mean a nice shot or no shots at all if there were some bunglers who hadn’t have the dignity to wait until all participants had left/passed… 

 

The night-prologue and ...

There was no fee for the event, but in Gröbming you had to stay behind the fences once the first car started for the night prologue which happened at 18:00 and it would end in Schladming at (I think) the Planai Olympic Stadion. The first cars I photographed at the start, slowly walking along the route the cars had to take, always looking for a nice background and heehhh…, in Austria those are hard to choose !! At a certain time it was far too dark to shoot photos, even with a flash and that was for me the sign to return to the centre of Gröbming, where it all started. There I could –just before ordering a beer- take a shot of the last Ferraris and the last participant the VW Beatle. This first day of action had been quite an exciting one to my assistant and me and I can tell you I felt my legs as never before….

 

It looked like I had participated in the hill-climb, walking that is… Fortunately I was sure of a warm bed in a Hotel right along the track were Saturday the demonstration and finals would be held. There isn’t a better place to stay I think… 

The “Tauernrunde”…

The next day was a day of much exertion for the participants, because they drove a heavy track but… there were also some efforts expected of the photographers who had to find the right spots and had to search right through "Steiermarken" and the "Tauern", the "Rockies" of this part of Austria. As a Ferrari enthusiast I couldn’t complain. Last year there were 6 Ferrari or so, this year there where 18 Ferraris in the provisional starterslist. Unfortunately the Roschmanns weren’t there… This day’s tour was over 570 km long and at the first stop at the Sölkpass (1.798 meters)

 

I met another photographer and friends. We were expecting some nice weather but here in the mountains of Austria you could expect really all kinds of weather from bright sunshine to heavy rain, fog, snow etc. Now upstairs is was very very cold but the sun was shining and in the valleys it became warm already and my assistant went down… After a short while the first cars arrived and I must say that I didn’t notice the time until I saw a VW Beatle… The last car was there and we had to search for a new spot somewhere along the track to wait for the cars again. But first we all had a very good handmade Austrian lunch (Brette Jause) which all kind a meat and bread. Next we drove to Rottenmann region and found there a nice place to wait for the cars. There too we waited for the last car to pass before we returned to Gröbming to have diner. It was by now 21:30…

Final day of the T-Mobile Ennstal Classic…

At Saturday the final took place and started after the brunch with a starters line-up of the classic cars in the middle of Gröbming, watched in the sun by hundreds of spectators. It really was something special such a spectacle in a village like this. Unthinkable for any town in Holland !! All the important guests -the stars, like Fittipaldi, Atkinson, Moss, Surtees, Stewart, etc.- were walking between the two fences on the main road, were interviewed, were asked to put an autograph on a photo, a cap or a shirt or just were talking to other celebrities. The demonstration of the classic race cars was something special. It attracted many spectators and just a few of them realized how special is was to see the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR with Sir Moss or the Porsche 908/02 with Gerhard Berger and all in the center of Gröbming. Other special cars in the demonstration were “Wanderer Stromlinie Spezial” and an Alfa Romeo P3, a beautiful Maserati A6 GCS Coupe and a tipo 63 and what about the AWE 1500 RS of Auto Union from 1956. 

After  the  demonstration of the classic racers  the final of the Ennstal Classic started at approx. 13:30. It meant, that al the cars were lined up in the main street, far back to the outside of the village, which was completely closed for all traffic that afternoon. At the start a journalist had the opportunity to interview the participants, especially the celebrities like Sir Stirling Moss and Fittipaldi. After the start the cars turned right, between the fences on both side of the road that kept the spectators on a save distance. There were some curves to be taken and I must say, many were doing it drifting like they were on a race track. Applause felt to their lot and they (everybody) loved it. Then the cars turned sharp left and passed by the first timing checkpoint, entered a roundabout and drove along the demonstration- and VIP tent and turned again, now into the centre of Gröbming in the direction of the church, where also many particpants drank their beer (and ate a “Käse Krainer mit semmel” or “Bratwürstler mit Sauerkraut”) Gröbming in the direction ofthe church, where also many particpants drank their beer (and ate a “Käse Krainer mit semmel”.

 

 

or “Bratwürstler mit Sauerkraut”) on a terrace or just on the road - behind a fence though…. At apporx. 16:00 in the afternoon the last car finished and the points were counted. The result after three days of fun and excitement…: 

The excellent organized Ennstal Classic had practically come to an end and for me it was the right time to put away my photo-equipment. We had decided to stay until Sunday and that was a very good plan indeed !! We ended the day with an outstanding diner and started the evening and night with a cool glass of beer together with some friends. I was exhausted and completely dried up but it certainly was worth it again. As soon as I’m home I’ll make the necessary reservation for next year... I began my 7 hours night sleep thinking of the Daytona coming down from the Stöderzinken…, preceded by some SWB’s and I can assure you… thinking of that makes time fly !!

          
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