The Ostbelgien Classic 2021 is in the starting blocks… and it’s promising!
In less than a month, on Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th December, the 2nd edition of the Ostbelgien Classic will be in full swing! And, it must be said, things are looking good for Michael Bartholemy and his team from Eupen. “In fact, everything is ready and we are looking forward to welcoming once again the contestants in both categories, ‘Classic’ and ‘Light’,” comments the organiser. “For this eagerly awaited event, we have pulled out all the stops and the route of almost 800 kilometres – which will pay a visit to no less than four countries – will include no less than 8 tests on private land! With Worriken, Kelmis/La Calamine, Spa, the EMA, but also several attractive new features, I think that everyone will be able to enjoy themselves. Which is clearly the objective of such a set-up...”.
Although it will still be possible to register until midnight on 15th November, the list of participants is already looking very good. In the ‘Classic’ category, the majority of the key players in regularity events for classic cars, a discipline that originated in Belgium, responded to the call. Some of them were already present at the first edition in 2019, and others showed up after hearing the praise of their colleagues and friends. Praise about the sportive, varied and selective nature of the event, of course, but also about the festive atmosphere in the heart of Eupen, for what is somehow the official launch of the end-of-year festivities in Ostbelgien…
They are almost all here!
On Friday 3rd December, the following will be among the favourites: Yves Delfandre and Christophe Hayez (Porsche 911), Tony Kevers and Didier Gathy (Porsche 911), Frenchman Christophe Berteloot with Baptiste Gengoux (Porsche 911), Jean-Jacques Martens and Aswin Pyck (Volvo PV 544), Patrick Lambert and Yves Noelanders (BMW 2002 Ti), Michel Decremer and Yannick Albert (Opel Ascona B), Jacques Evrard and Christian Bernard (Porsche 911), Etienne Baugnée and Benoît Remion (MG B Roadster), Raymond Venier and André Lys (Lancia Fulvia Monte-Carlo), Lucien Letocart and Bernhard Lutterbeck (Opel Manta GSi), Guy Moerenhout and Filip De Munck (Fiat 131 Abarth)… and, of course, the winners of the first edition, Daniel Reuter and Robert Vandevorst (Porsche 944 S2)!
To challenge this group of experts, we must commend the enthusiasm of Jean and Caroline Vincent, who will enter a Hupmobile, an American car dating from… 1931! We also note the presence of the superb Alfa Romeo Giulia of the Heck-Kaulmann and Wiesemes-Maraite teams, the Lancia Delta Integrale Evo1 of the German-Belgian duo Scheck-Kauth, the R8 Gordini of Bertrand-Van den Eynde, the Peugeot 104 ZS of Lenglaert-Pirot and the Citroën Dyane of Quirijnen-Trullemans, the very regional APAL Coupé of Van Remoortel-Dupont, or the Lada 1500S Gr.2 of the ….Latvian Stanevics-Hmielevskis! Who can do better?
Eclecticism is also a feature of the ‘Light’ category, which brings together teams who wish above all to put less pressure on themselves by avoiding direct confrontations with the regularity experts! The public will be able to appreciate cars as different and interesting as the Mercedes 190 2.3 16S (Pecinova-Chantraine), the Fiat 124 Sport Coupé (Schauer-Wolff), the Saab Sonett III (Schunck-Schunck), the Saab V4 (Schoch-Seitz), the Lancia Beta Monte Carlo (Comouth-Schmitz & Heck-Thyssen), the Citroën Traction (Denis-Denis), the Volkswagen Beetle (Jacobs-Gillissen), the Porsche 356 (Dahmen-Widdra), the DAF 55 Coupé (Moonen-Hoens), the Austin Healey 3000 Mk3 (Cacclin-Claudy), etc. This is a highly varied but non-exhaustive list, which also includes the Lancia Fulvia of Lamotte-Polet, which will no doubt serve as a benchmark!
As you can see, the Ostbelgien Classic 2021 will be able to count on a four-star line-up (bound to be further enriched in the coming days…), which will enhance its status as a Qualifying Event for the FIA Trophy for Historic Regularity Rallies!
The latest information and possibilities to register can be found on the official website ostbelgien-classic.be. The final countdown has clearly started…