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1972 Brno 
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Grosser Preis der Tourenwagen

Nürburgring Nordschleife, BRD

Date: 9/7/1972
Track length: 22.835 m
Attendance: 90.000
Entries accepted: unknown
Starters: 96/93/85?
Finishers: 35

Pole position: Stuck in 8.41,1
Fastest lap: Mass in 8.51,0

Distance: 6 hours
Average speed: 149,8 kmh
Weather: Sunny and very hot
Ruleset: Group 2/70
Car info: 1972 Cars

Pictures

Had Zandvoort been the only straight defeat for Ford in 1971, this year’s Waterloo would be the home race of the ETCC for Ford. A fight was expected, but not a BMW victory in divisions 2 and 3.

Practice had shown Stuck as fastest in front of the other two works Capri’s; Schnitzer ran into handling problems despite the testing sessions earlier, experimenting even with a rear spoiler under the rear of the car. Still Stommelen managed 8.49,7, at the expense of a blown engine, just like the second car. Alpina had a trouble free run to 8.51,8 by the Dutch team of Hezemans/van Lennep. Division 2 saw Menzel in front, followed by Basche, Akersloot, Cramer and Finotto. Division 1 practice saw an Autodelta GTAJ up front, but second and third place were for the Filipinetti Fiats, rather encouraging. Not too fast but rather noisy were the Swiss rotary Mazda’s.
In the shadows of the big guns, a young man named Klaus Ludwig had to hurry back home, since he arrived with his private BMW 2002 all right, but forgot to take his driving suit and helmet. He rushed back home, 80 kilometres in an Alpine lent by a friend, grabbed his outfit, but had a massive accident on the way back, keeping him in hospital for a week. Still, his driving in practice had raised a few eyebrows.

Despite a few drops of rain, totally misplaced in the heat, everybody could start on slicks, apart from Kuhl who could not start at all, after destroying his car in practice at the Hohen Acht. The flag dropped on 11.00 in the morning, the field was lead by Hezemans, followed by Glemser, Soler-Roig, the order after lap 1 was still Hezemans in the lead, then Glemser, Mass and Stommelen, but Stommelen came in with a sticking throttle. Mineif’s Trivellato Fiat had retired with a broken half shaft.
Ford, full of optimism, they had not been defeated since Zandvoort 1971, but the smiles diminished a little when Soler-Roig went out on an oil trace. But the other two were leading now, followed closely by Hezemans and Stommelen. But after seven laps, Hezemans came in with oil loss. The car was topped up with oil and fuel, and van Lennep drove off, only to park the car after only one more lap. It was over. The remaining Munich cars were looked after by a full BMW management army, consisting of Neerpasch, rally boss Bein, Braungart and Staudenmaier, politically placed between the Schnitzer and Alpina pits.
But notwithstanding this, the Capri’s opened a gap. It became worse when Stommelen came in, with unpleasant noises. It continued until lap 18, when it had to give up with a blown head gasket.

But the race had not been run yet, the Nürburgring always full of surprises. First, Mass/Larrousse had a long stop (3.44 min) since the brakes had to be de-aerated; Stommelen, who had switched cars, now was second since he had been only one minute behind. Then disaster for the leading Stuck/Glemser car: oil loss, engine failure, out!

A nightmare scenario for Ford: BMW in the lead, only one surviving Capri, 2.14 minutes behind. The fight for the lead was still exciting, since division 2 had another BMW firmly in the lead, the GS car of Basche/Barth, who had taken over from Menzel/Matthews - they had a big off when the suspension broke. The Dutch Escort retired after a fascinating drive from the back of the field to 9th overall; another broken BDA for Jolly club, Finotto/Mohr retiring in 5th place. In division 1, the Autodelta team only lost one car (of the four), but all Fiat’s retired with problems like clutch, head gasket or an accident.
Ford signalled Larrousse to come in, so Mass could start the final attack, 2.48 minutes in arrears. Schnitzer would have to come in for fuel, so it might still be possible. Stommelen came in, Fitzpatrick too over and still had a lead of 1.45 min. Two laps from the end, the lead was 1.06 - it would be enough. A deserved victory for BMW, with 50.000 Deutschmarks moving from Munich to Freilassing.

Division 1, 2 and 3
Pos Pos in class # Team / Entrant
Car- Engine		 Drivers, Nationality Engine
vol. (cc)		 Engine
Type		 Group Distance,
time		 Qualifying position Qualifying time Fastest lap Reason out
1 1 1 Team Schnitzer Motul
BMW 2800 CS		 John Fitzpatrick, GB
Hans Heyer, D
Rolf Stommelen, D
 2996 L6 Div. 3 40 laps, 6:05.22,9 6 8.53,0    
2 2 14 Ford Köln
Ford Capri RS 2600		 Jochen Mass, D
Gérard Larrousse, F
 2940 V6 Div. 3 40 laps, 6:06.08,5 2 8.46,7    
3 3 17 Kent International Racing
Ford Capri RS 2600		 Klaus Fritzinger, D
Jean-Claude Franck, B
 2940 V6 Div. 3 38 laps, 6:06.08,5 8 9.14,1    
4 1 27 GS tuning
BMW 2002		 Dieter Basche, D
Jürgen Barth, D
 1990 L4 Div. 2 37 laps, 6:05.48,6 11 9.16,4    
5 1 83 Autodelta S.p.A.
Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior		 Gianluigi Picchi, I
Carlo Facetti, I
 1290 L4 Div. 1 37 laps, 6:09.38,7 15 9.27,4    
6 1 28 GS tuning
BMW 2002		 Jürgen Rapp, D
Werner Schruf, D
 1990 L4 Div. 2 37 laps, 6:13.53,4        
7 3 64 BMW Auto Tuning Wedel
BMW 1602		 Rainer Zweibäumer, D
Gerd Raschig, D
Helle Bein, D
 1600 L4 Div. 2 36        
8 4 33 Jockey Racing Gunnar Schütz
BMW 2002		 Gunnar Nordström, S
Rune Tobiasson, S
 1990 L4 Div. 2 36 16 9.28,3    
9 2 81 Autodelta S.p.A.
Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior		 Teodoro Zeccoli, I
Massimo Larini, I
 1290 L4 Div. 1 36        
10 3 99 Spiess Tuning
NSU 1200 TT		 Siegfried Spiess, D
Franz Waldhier, D
 1289 L4 Div. 1 35   10.06,7    
11 4 82 Autodelta S.p.A.
Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior		 Luigi Colzani, I
Vittorio Venturi, I
 1290 L4 Div. 1 35        
12 5    
BMW 2002		 Jean-Pierre Schild, CH
Walter Czadek, D
 1990 L4 Div. 2 35        
13 5 103 AZNP
Skoda 120 S		 Jaroslav Bobek, CS
Milan Zid, CS
 1299 L4 Div. 1 34   10.40,0    
  (1) 109 Fiat Sportcenter Reppekus
Fiat 128		 Friedhelm Przyklenk, D
 1148 L4 Div. 1          
  (1) 120  
Abarth 1000 TCR		 Horst Ranke, D
Dieter Machatius, D
 982 L4 Div. 1     10.36,3    
  (2) 122  
NSU 1000 TTS		 Willi Bergmeister, D
Peter Ernst, D
 996 L4 Div. 1          
  (3) 121  
NSU 1000 TTS		 Peter Wisskirchen, D
Hermann Cordes, D
 996 L4 Div. 1          
CL   73 Duckhams Saloon Car Racing
Ford Escort TC		 Bo Emanuelsson, S
Ulf Dahl, S
 1594 L4 Div. 2     10.05,4    
       
BMW 2800 CS		 Rolf Rummel, D
? Willi Nolte, D
 2996 L6 Div. 3   19 9.39,8?    
       
Ford Capri RS 2600		 Friedrich-Wilhelm Eckhardt, D
Bernd Blank, D
 2940? V6 Div. 3          
       
Vauxhall Viva		 Blyth
David Wansborough, GB
   L4            
    97/95? Trivellato-Mineif Racing
Fiat 128 coupé 1300		 Mario Radicella, I
Cosimo Turizio, I
 1290 L4 Div. 1          
       
BMC Mini Cooper S		 Chris Montague, GB
David Buckett, GB
 1293 L4 Div. 1          
       
BMW 2800 CS		 Ridder, D
Rigo Papczok
 2996 L6 Div. 3          
       
BMW 2002		 Christian Auer, D
Hervé Le Guellec, F
 1990 L4 Div. 2          
       
BMW 2002		 Hans-Werner Brohl, D
Manfred Verkühlen, D
 1990 L4 Div. 2          
    18 Ford Odenthal
Ford Capri RS 2600		 Waltraud Odenthal, D
Clemens Schickentanz, D
 2940 V6 Div. 3   9 9.14,3    
    65  
BMW 1602		 Hans Dittgen, D
Walter Becker, D
 1600 L4 Div. 2   (1) 9.52,7    
    70 GS tuning
BMW 1602		 Manfred Reeb, D
? Elmar Helmut Clever, D
 1600 L4 Div. 2   (2) 9.52,7    
    104  
Skoda 120 S		 Václav Bobek, CS
Oldrich Horsák, CS
 1299 L4 Div. 1     10.40,0/ 10.56,8    
    101  
NSU 1200 TT		 Rudi Walch, D
Johannes Wollstadt, D
 1289 L4 Div. 1          
    88  
Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior		 Dieter Kern, D
? Valerio Corti, I
 1290 L4 Div. 1          
    85  
Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior		 Peter Marx, D
Wolfgang Kirch, D
 1290 L4 Div. 1          
    57 Mazda Swiss Racing
Mazda Savanna RX-3		 Walter Brun, CH
Jörg Obermoser, D
 2 x 491 R2 Div. 2     9.52,6    
    58 Mazda Swiss Racing
Mazda Savanna RX-3		 Florian Vetsch, CH
Peter Mattli, CH
 2 x 491 R2 Div. 2          
    49 Jolly Club
Ford Escort RS 1600		 Martino Finotto, I
Manfred Mohr, D
 ca. 1800 L4 Div. 2 32 14 9.18,9    
    50 Wooding/Obermoser
Ford Escort RS 1600		 Peter Cramer, D
Roland Heiler, D
 ca. 1800 L4 Div. 2   13 9.17,4    
    59  
Saab 96 V4		 Sigvard Johansson, S
Per Eklund, S
 1498 V4 Div. 2          
    78  
VW 1302 S		 Dieter Götting, D
Frank Schneider, D
 1584 B4 Div. 2          
    118  
Abarth 1000 TCR		 Bernd Ziegler, D
Hans-Peter Ziegler, D
 982 L4 Div. 1          
    56  
Opel Ascona		 Heinrich Hirth, D
Ernst-Dieter Klotzeck, D
 1979 L4 Div. 2          
    52  
Opel Kadett		 Otto Kälberer, D
Klaus Assmuth, D
 ca. 2000 L4 Div. 2          
    53 Van Eupen
Opel Kadett coupé		 Horst Bonefeld, D
Joachim Knollmann, D
 1979 L4 Div. 2          
    106  
Daf 55		 Herbert Schuster, D
Werner Geller, D
 ca. 1150 L4 Div. 1          
    107 Fiat Sportcenter Reppekus
Fiat 128 Berlina		 Axel Houben, D
Heinz-Walter Reppekus, D
 1148 L4 Div. 1          
    110  
Fiat 128		 Heinz Winz, D
Heinz-D. Prüss, D
 1148 L4 Div. 1          
    129  
Sunbeam Imp Sport		 Detlef Hendricks, D
Freddy Toldo, D
 998 L4 Div. 1          
    130  
Sunbeam Imp		 H. Sauer, D
Helmut Gall, D
 998 L4 Div. 1          
    62 Speed-Man Racing
Volvo 142		 Alf-Tore Jideteg, S
Sven Erik Olsson, S
 1985 L4 Div. 2          
    61 Speed-Man Racing?
Volvo 122 S		 Ulf Andersson, S
Klaus Wunderlich, S
 1778 L4 Div. 2          
    47  
Ford Escort RS 1600		 Ernst Berg, NL
Mike Crabtree, GB
 ca. 2000 L4 Div. 2          
    7 Précision Liegeoise
BMW 2800 CS		 Alain Peltier, B
Jean Xhenceval, B
 2996 L6 Div. 3   10 9.16,2    
DNF   48 Sony Racing Team
Ford Escort RS 1600		 Han Akersloot, NL
Mike Franey, GB
 1950 L4 Div. 2 22 12 9.17,0   Head gasket
DNF   115  
Skoda 110 L		 Oldrich Brunclik, CS
Jaroslav Jelinek, CS
 ca. 1150 L4 Div. 1     11.02,3   Accident
DNF   92 Scuderia Filipinetti
Fiat 128 coupé 1300		 Walter Dona, I
Umberto Grano, I
 1290 L4 Div. 1   17 9.32,4    
DNF   93 Scuderia Filipinetti
Fiat 128 coupé 1300		 Jean-Louis Lafosse, F
Bernard Chenevière, CH
 1290 L4 Div. 1   18 9.35,2    
DNF   96 Trivellato-Mineif Racing
Fiat 128 coupé 1300		 Manfred Mineif, D
Jacopo "Pino" Trivellato, I
 1290 L4 Div. 1          
DNF   95/97? Trivellato-Mineif Racing
Fiat 128 coupé 1300		 Carlo Truci, I
Cosimo Turizio, I
 1290 L4 Div. 1          
DNF   108 Fiat Sportcenter Reppekus
Fiat 128 coupé 1100		 Michael Franz, D
Werner Horn, D
 1148 L4 Div. 1     10.29,0    
DNF   80 Autodelta S.p.A.
Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior		 Nino Vaccarella, I
Spartaco Dini ("Paco"), I
 1290 L4 Div. 1   20 9.40,6    
DNF   51 Zakspeed
Ford Escort RS 1600		 Harald Menzel, D
Dave Matthews, GB
 1786 L4 Div. 2 10 7 9.02,3   Lost wheel
DNF   12 Ford Köln
Ford Capri RS 2600		 Hans-Joachim Stuck, D
Dieter Glemser, D
 2940 V6 Div. 3   1 8.41,1   Conrod
DNF   15 Ford Köln
Ford Capri RS 2600		 Alex Soler-Roig, E
Claude Bourgoignie, B
Gerry Birrell, GB
 2940 V6 Div. 3 4 3 8.46,7   Accident
DNF   2 Team Schnitzer Motul
BMW 2800 CS		 Rolf Stommelen, D
Jean-Claude Andruet, F
 2996 L6 Div. 3 17 4 8.49,7   Engine
DNF   3 Alpina
BMW 2800 CS		 Toine Hezemans, NL
Gijs van Lennep, NL
 2996 L6 Div. 3 8 5 8.51,8   Head gasket
DNS   39 Koepchen BMW Tuning
BMW 2002		 Helmut Kuhl, D
Ernst Furtmayr, D
 1990 L4 Div. 2     9.18,0   Accident in practice
DNS   44  
BMW 2002		 Klaus Ludwig, D
Ulli Greis, D
 1990 L4 Div. 2         Ludwig injured because of an accident on the way home