Heats
 
1975 Monza  Go 1977 Monza 
1976 Salzburg 
Back to index page

Trofeo Mario Angiolini

Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Italy

Date: 28/3/1976
Track length: 5.800 m
Attendance: unknown
Entries accepted: 40
Starters: 28
Finishers: 20, of which 8 with less than 70% distance covered

Pole position: Xhenceval/Dieudonné in 1.52,06
Fastest lap: Wisell in 1.51,65

Distance: 4 hours
Average speed: 176,595 kmh
Weather:
Ruleset: Group 2/76
Car info: 1976 Cars

 

It should have been the glorious start of a new era in touring car racing. Two-times Francorchamps winners Luigi racing brought a BMW 3.0 CSL to Monza, with the wet sump 2-valve engine (the 4-valve homologation no longer valid, just like the 2002's head), but with batmobile wings. The car was comparable with an early '73 car plus wings. Its only serious opposition was the Zakspeed Escort II, a 1.8 litre 4-valve car which should be quite competitive, not only in its own division.
That was about it; of Wisell's Camaros, only one was in full group 2 trim - and we all know how reliable a Camaro is for long-distance racing; the second 4-valve Escort was a lot slower than the Zakspeed car but did not seem to have the same oil starvation problems; the Autovama Alfetta too was outclassed by the Zakspeed Escort.
The new rules, which were supposed to make racing cheaper, proved to be a disaster for Zakspeed. Dry sump no longer being allowed, the team used two engines in practice, which were slaughtered by oil starvation problems.

The story of the race is best kept short. The Luigi BMW took the lead, and after Wisell had passed the Zakspeed Escort the Camaro passed the BMW, trying to build a gap for the necessary extra tank stop. After the first round of stops, Cochesa (Escort) lost the clutch. Finotto had a ... blown engine, and after two hours the Camaro was still in the lead, second the BMW, third the Alfetta, fourth the second Camaro. Finally, Wisell's Camaro became fuel feeding problems, leaving the race to Luigi, but the other Camaro moved into second.


Division 1-4
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 Luigi Racing
BMW 3.0 CSL		 Jean Xhenceval, B
Pierre Dieudonné, B
 3196 L6 Div. 4 123 1 1.52,06    
2 2   Reine Wisell
Chevrolet Camaro		 Rune Tobiasson, S
Rudy Host ("MacIntosh"), B
 5736 V8 Div. 4 117        
3 1 15  
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV		 Amerigo "Joe" Bigliazzi, I
Vittorio Ciardi, I
 1985 L4 Div. 2 117        
4 3    
Ford Mustang		 Josef Reiter, D
Alfons Reiter, D
   V8 Div. 4 110        
5 2    
Alfa Romeo 1600 GTV		 Angelo Chiapparini, I
Carlo Franchi ("Gimax"), I
 1570 L4 Div. 2 109        
6 1    
Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior		 Ruggero Premoli, I
Giampiero Chiapparini, I
Bonora, I
 1290 L4 Div. 1 108        
7 3    
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Tarcisio Fornera, CH
Ruedi Franz, CH
 1962 L4 Div. 2 107        
8 4    
BMW 1602		 Pellanda, I
Ubaldo Smittarello, I
 1600 L4 Div. 2 104        
9 2    
Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior		 ? Pietrino Tali, I
Luigi Pozzo, I
 1290 L4 Div. 1 102        
10 5    
Opel Ascona 16S		 Gianpaolo Toia, I
Paolo Pozzi, I
 1584 L4 Div. 2 96        
11 6    
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Duilio Ghislotti, I
Romeo Camathias, CH
 1962 L4 Div. 2 94        
12 7    
BMW 2002		 Cesare Garrone, I
Antonio Vallebona, I
 1990 L4 Div. 2 93        
NC     Smith Kendon Travel Sweets
Mazda Savanna RX-3		 David Palmer, GB
John Markey, GB
 2 x 491 R2 Div. 3         Gearbox casing
       
Opel Commodore GS/E		 Unknown
 2784 L6 Div. 3          
       
Alfa Romeo		 Unknown
                
       
Alfa Romeo		 Unknown
                
       
BMW 2800 CS		 Unknown
 2996 L6 Div. 3          
       
Alfa Romeo		 Unknown
                
       
Alfa Romeo		 Unknown
                
       
Alfa Romeo		 Unknown
                
       
Alfa Romeo		 Unknown
                
       
Alfa Romeo		 Unknown
                
DNF   26 Derek McMahon racing
Ford Escort II RS		 Alec Poole, IRL
Juan Cochesa, YV
 1840 L4 Div. 2 30 3/4     Clutch
DNF   59 Leinberger
Fiat 128 coupé 1300		 Henning Schmidt, D
Heinz Tubbesing, D
 1290 L4 Div. 1         Head gasket
DNF   3 Reine Wisell
Chevrolet Camaro		 Reine Wisell, S
Stuart Graham, GB
 5736 V8 Div. 4 ca. 90 3/4   1.51,65 Fuel pump
DNF   27 Zakspeed
Ford Escort II RS		 Siegfried Müller Jr, D
Martino Finotto, I
 1840 L4 Div. 2 30 2     Engine
DNF      
BMW 2002		 Wolfgang Dimmendaal, D
Jeroen van der Ploeg, NL
 1990 L4 Div. 2          
DNF     Faltz-Alpina Essen
BMW 2002		 Peter Ochs, D
Wolfgang Gunetsreiner, D
 1990 L4 Div. 2