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24 h Spa-Francorchamps

Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

Date: 24/7/1976 to: 25/7/1976
Track length: 14.100 m
Attendance: 120.000
Entries accepted: unknown
Starters: 59
Finishers: 23

Pole position: Peltier/Carlier in 4.09,4
Fastest lap: de Fierlant, 4.11,9 = 201,794 kmh

Distance: 24 hours
Average speed: 170,329 kmh
Weather:
Ruleset: Group 2/76
Car info: 1976 Cars

Pictures

After two years self-chosen isolation with the "Group 1 Francorchamps" rules, Spa was back on the calendar. Some rules of 1976 group 2 were actually based on the Belgian set. The two years had brought Spa nice cars, good racing but yet more fatalities. Still, Spa was the crown jewel of the 1976 championship.

Favourites, who else, Luigi racing with three cars. But the front row of the grid was occupied by others. The fastest, by a big margin, was the Serge Power car of Carlier and reigning ETCC champion Alain Peltier. The car was prepared with Schnitzer parts (Luigi used Alpina parts). The second fastest was the Wisell Camaro, no surprise on a fast track like this, but unlikely to even finish the event. After the three Luigi cars, two other Belgian CSL's were lined up. The rest of the field consisted of five Autodelta Alfetta's, a bunch of GTV's, some group 1 or group 1.5 Commodores and Capris, the well known (for its noise) Mazda of Markey/Palmer who were partnered this time by Peter Ochs - who did not want to crash his precious Faltz 2002 on the Belgian roadcourse. Another attack on the ears was the Dutch Mazda, a car so far disappointing in the Dutch national championship. One of the Luigi cars was left behind - until Dieudonné found out that he needed to switch on both fuel pumps.

The lead was fought out between Carlier and De Fierlant, the first Alfetta was eight. Before the fourth hour, the Camaro came to a standstill (no oil pressure) and Corbisier damaged the front suspension: out for the Luigi #3 car. A few hours later, Peltier had to give up; his show for the home crowd had taken its toll by ruining the crankshaft. Now, Luigi was one and two, followed by another BMW and the Alfetta's. In the night, the second Luigi car of De Fierlant was out with defective piston rings. Only one Luigi car was left now. But it was four laps in front of the outsiders Demuth/Chavan/Detrin. Then disaster struck: the leading BMW had problems with the piston rings too: the Luigi team was out. It had started raining now, after 14 hours, with 10 still to go. When it stopped, the BMW #5 retook the lead that it had lost during the rain. After 24 hours, it still lead: an unexpected win, in front of three Alfa's, who took the King’s cup once again.

No fatalities this year - but Vermeulen came close, writing off the Mazda after a puncture at Stavelot in a terrible crash - but he escaped uninjured. Only days before the race, the roll cage was reinforced - otherwise it might have been a different story.

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 5 Ecurie Jemada / Assoc. Interim
BMW 3.0 CSL		 Jean-Marie Detrin, B
Charles Van Stalle ("Chavan"), B
Nico Demuth, L
 ca. 3200 L6 Div. 4 4088 km 7 4.28,6    
2 1 32 Autodelta S.p.A.
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV		 Jean-Claude Andruet, F
Spartaco Dini ("Paco"), I
 1985 L4 Div. 2 4060 km 9 4.34,5    
3 2 37 Lov'auto
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Roland Imbert, F
Bernard Béguin, F
 1962 L4 Div. 2 4018 km 22      
4 3 34 Autodelta S.p.A.
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV		 Claude Ballot-Léna, F
Guy Fréquelin, F
 1985 L4 Div. 2 3952 km 15      
5 1 21 Wisharts Garages
Ford Capri II 3.0		 Gordon Spice, GB
Pete Clark, GB
 2993 V6 Div. 3 3932 km 13      
6 4 31 Autodelta S.p.A.
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV		 Amerigo "Joe" Bigliazzi, I
Teodoro Zeccoli, I
Claude Crespin, B
 1985 L4 Div. 2 3927 km 21      
7 5 36 Lov'auto/Garage Mattozza
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Richard Mattozza, B
Jacques Berger, B
Dany Swyssen, B
 1962 L4 Div. 2 3860 km 20      
8 2 14 Opel Gosset Team
Opel Commodore GS/E		 Dany Wauters, B
Jean-Michel Martin, B
Tony Gillet, B
 2784 L6 Div. 3 3830 km 10      
9 3 11 Opel Gosset Team
Opel Commodore GS/E		 A. Guiot, B
Jean-Louis Dumont, B
Jacky Delhaes, B
 2784 L6 Div. 3 3770 km 23      
10 6 42 Ecurie Arc-en-Ciel
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Hub Nijsten, NL
Man Bergsteijn, NL
Kurt Ahrens, D
 1962 L4 Div. 2 3860 km 18 4.40,7    
11 7    
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Alas
Testut
Ferry
 1962 L4 Div. 2          
12 8    
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Rob Slotemaker, NL
Hans Maasland, NL
? Louis van Noort, NL
 1962 L4 Div. 2          
13 1 85  
Audi 80 1.3		 Michel Dinant, B
Franz Dubois, B
Gery Van Butsele, B
 1297 L4 Div. 1          
14   50  
Triumph Dolomite Sprint		 Julien Vernaeve, B
Guy Pirenne, B
René Metge, F
 1998 L4 Div. 2   24      
15   45  
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 G. Somekh, F
Gerard Cayeux, F
Raffaele Restivo, I
 1962 L4 Div. 2          
16 2 82  
Datsun Cherry 120A		 Pierre Jamin, B
Oscar Kessler, B
 1295 L4 Div. 1          
17 3 72  
Simca Rallye 2		 Philippe De Leener, B
Ugo Meloni, B
Jeff Legros
 1294 L4 Div. 1          
18 4 76  
Renault R 5		 Adriano Lasagni, B
A. de Beer
 1300?? L4 Div. 1?          
19 5?    
Subaru		 Alfred Abbenes, NL
Hans Deen, NL
Tony Merckx, B
 ca. 1300 B4 Div. 1   59      
20 (1) 60  
Toyota Celica GT		 Emmanuel Remion, B
Edgar Gillessen, B
? Leon Clohse, B
 1588 L4 Div. 2/1600          
21 (2) 57 Dutch National Racing Team
Toyota Celica GT		 Henny Hemmes, NL
Loek Vermeulen, NL
? Jim Vermeulen, NL
 1588 L4 Div. 2/1600          
22 (3) 58 GB Autocentre
Toyota Celica GT		 Cremer, B
Marcel Tarres, F
 1588 L4 Div. 2/1600          
    49 Garage Havaux
Triumph Dolomite Sprint		 D. Havaux, B
Roger Van Peteghem, B
 1998 L4 Div. 2          
      Abt
Audi 80 GT		 Hans-Joachim Nowak, D
Jean-Louis Hecq, B
Jean-Claude Toby, B
 1588 L4 Div. 2/1600          
    61? Ecurie Anjou
Audi 80 GT		 Lucien Guitteny, F
Jean-Claude Boucher, F
 1588 L4 Div. 2/1600          
    56  
Toyota Celica		 Holvoet, B
Raymond Van Hove, B
 1588 L4 Div. 2/1600          
    52?  
Alfa Romeo 1300 GT Junior		 Alphonse Boschi, B
Nello Brunetti, B
 1290 L4 Div. 1          
    51  
Alfa Romeo 1300 GT Junior		 Michel Chapel, B
Guy Ferette, B
 1290 L4 Div. 1          
    73 Ecurie Arc-en-Ciel
Simca Rallye 2		 Jeff Legros
"Speedy"
 1294 L4 Div. 1          
    74/75 Ecurie Arc-en-Ciel
Simca Rallye 2		 Carlo
Schramm
 1294 L4 Div. 1          
    77  
Zastava 1100 MTE		 René Laplume, B
M. Meyer, B
 1150? L4 Div. 1          
    78/79  
Zastava 1100 MTE		 Quirin Bovy, B
Jeannot Laurent, B
 1150? L4 Div. 1          
    55 Simca Racing Team Tissot
Sunbeam Avenger		 Marc Donner, B
John Vanderheyden, B
Jean-Marie Jacquemin, B
? Maurice Gaspard, B
 ca. 1300 L4 Div. 1          
    15? Opel Gosset Team
Opel Commodore GS/E Gr.2?		 Philippe Martin, B
Jean-Louis Ravenel, F
André Praillet, B
 2784 L6 Div. 3   11      
    26 Dealer Team Vauxhall
Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300		 Jean-Charles Goris, B
? Bernard De St. Hubert, B
? Pierre Rubens, B
 2279 L4 Div. 3          
    30  
BMW 2002		 Michel Delcourt, B
? Carlo Keller, L
Baert, B
 1990 L4 Div. 2          
    38 Lov’Auto
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Unknown
 1962 L4 Div. 2          
    39 Lov’Auto
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Jean-Claude Chamaillard, F
Eric Mandron, B
 1962 L4 Div. 2          
    40  
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Michel Lauria, B
Philippe Sougné, B
Mayer
 1962 L4 Div. 2          
    44 TEAC Looza
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV		 Marc Demol, B
 1985 L4 Div. 2          
    59?  
Toyota Celica		 Unknown
 1588 L4 Div. 2/1600          
    63  
BMW 1602		 ? Erwin Van den Broeck, B
Kurt Van Maldeghem, B
 1573 L4 Div. 2/1600          
    79/78  
Zastava 1100 MTE		 Unknown
 1150? L4 Div. 1          
    81  
Datsun Cherry 120A		 Henri Sonveau, B
? Francis Polak, B
Henri Sonveau, B
 1295 L4 Div. 1          
DNF   6 Juma
BMW 3.0 CSL		 Eddy Joosen, B
Pascal Witmeur, B
Roger Berndtson, B
 ca. 3200 L6 Div. 4   5     Blown engine
DNF   27 Dealer Team Vauxhall
Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300		 Gerry Marshall, GB
Tony Lanfranchi, GB
 2279 L4 Div. 3   26     Clutch
DSQ   16 Norman Reeves Ltd.
Ford Capri II 3.0 Gr. 2		 Brian Muir, AUS
Patrick Nève, B
? Jeremy Nightingale, GB
 2993 V6 Div. 3   16     DSQ: taking fuel from outside source
DNF   71 Ecurie Arc-en-Ciel
Simca Rallye 2		 Francis Polak, B
Jean Wansart, B
A. Mathieu, L
 1294 L4 Div. 1         Engine
DNF   84 East Belgian Racing Team
Fiat 128		 Leon Clohse, B
Alfons Taels, B
Emmanuel Remion, B
 1290 L4 Div. 1          
DNF   83 Scuderia Mille Miglia
Fiat 128		 Tony di Stefano, B
Charles Naveau, B
Jean-Daniel Raulet, F
 1290 L4 Div. 1          
DNF   33 Autodelta S.p.A.
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV		 Walter Dona, I
Vincenzo Cazzago ("Pooky"), I
 1985 L4 Div. 2   12     Head gasket
DNF   3 Luigi Racing
BMW 3.0 CSL		 Claude De Wael, B
Alain Corbisier, B
Willy Braillard, B
 3196 L6 Div. 4   6     Lost front wheel
DNF   4 Précision Liegeoise/Serge Power
BMW 3.0 CSL		 Alain Peltier, B
Bernard Carlier, B
 3196 L6 Div. 4   1 4.09,4   Crankshaft
DNF   2 Luigi Racing
BMW 3.0 CSL		 Hughes de Fierlant, B
Umberto Grano, I
 3196 L6 Div. 4   4 4.17,2   Piston ring
DNF   1 Luigi Racing
BMW 3.0 CSL		 Jean Xhenceval, B
Pierre Dieudonné, B
Martino Finotto, I
 3196 L6 Div. 4   3 4.14,8   Piston ring
DNF   7 Reine Wisell
Chevrolet Camaro		 Reine Wisell, S
Stuart Graham, GB
Yvette Fontaine, B
 5400 V8 Div. 4   2 4.12,5   Oil pressure
DNF   28  
BMW 3.0 CSi		 André Lierneux, B
Claude Bourgoignie, B
Jean-Francois Vaney, B
 2985 L6 Div. 4   14     Collision
DNF   18 KWS Autotechnik Team
Ford Capri II 3.0		 Aloyse Kridel, L
Alain Beauchef, L
Vic Mathieu, F
 2993 V6 Div. 3   25     Engine
DNF   17 Norman Reeves Ltd.
Ford Capri II 3.0 Gr. 2		 Holman “Les” Blackburn, GB
Mike Crabtree, GB
René Tricot, B
 2993 V6 Div. 3   8 4.31,0   Crankshaft
DNF   23 Smith Kendon Travel Sweets
Mazda Savanna RX-3		 John Markey, GB
David Palmer, GB
? Peter Ochs, D
 2 x 491 R2 Div. 3   19 4.40,7   Suspension
DNF   24 Dutch National Racing Team
Mazda Savanna RX-3		 Huub Vermeulen, NL
Fred Frankenhout, NL
Jim Vermeulen, NL
 2 x 491 R2 Div. 3   17 4.40,0   Blown tyre, accident
DNF   62  
Audi 80 GT		 André Gahinet ("Segolen"), F
Laveredes
 1588 L4 Div. 2         Engine
DNF   54 Simca Racing Team Tissot
Sunbeam Avenger		 Remy Marquet, B
Jean-Marie Jacquemin, B
Maurice Gaspard, B
 ca. 1300 L4 Div. 1         Engine
DNS   41 Ecurie Arc-en-Ciel
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV		 Duilio Ghislotti, I
Romeo Camathias, CH
Luigi Colzani, I
? Siegfried Müller Jr, D
 1962 L4 Div. 2         Accident in practice
DNS   25 Dealer Team Vauxhall
Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300		 Michel De Deyne, B
 2279 L4 Div. 3         Accident in practice
DNQ   12? Opel Gosset Team
Opel Commodore GS/E		 Unknown, F
Unknown, F
Unknown, F
 2784 L6 Div. 3          
DNQ   48  
Ford Escort RS 2000		 Ken Coffey, GB
Cyd Williams, GB
 1993 L4 Div. 2          

Remarks: King's cup: Alfa Romeo