The regularity rally leaders in FIA mode at the starting line of the Ostbelgien Classic and the Göhltal Classic 2021!

A few weeks ago, ‘The Event’, the organisers of the Ostbelgien Classic and the Göhltal Classic, announced that the December event had been awarded the title of Qualifying Event for the 2022 FIA Trophy for Historic Regularity Rallies. This was enough to further boost registrations for an event showcasing and honouring East Belgium, a region which is an ideal setting for a regularity contest worthy of its name given that the housing density is lower than anywhere else in the country.

That’s all it took for the top names in the sport to sign up, and not the least important ones. Born in Belgium, regularity rallying for vintage cars has indeed crowned two teams from our country during the last edition of the Alpine Challenge, in Switzerland, which was a final, FIA labelled competition. Together with Patrick Lienne, Michel Decremer won with his famous Opel Ascona 2000, while Jean-Jacques Martens, assisted by the formidable Aswin Pyck, put a Mini Cooper S in second place.

Great news: both Michel Decremer and Jean-Jacques Martens have confirmed their participation in the Ostbelgien Classic (3-4-5/12)… as well as in the inaugural edition of the Göhltal Classic (15-16/5)!

“The decision to bid for the 2022 FIA Trophy for Historic Regularity Rallies was a good one,” commented Michael Bartholemy, CEO of ‘The Event’. “Not only does the involvement of Decremer and Martens demonstrate the credibility of our events, but it will also encourage other Regularity champions to come and challenge these experts of the discipline at the starting lines in Eupen and La Calamine. Reuter, Kevers, Gengoux, Langlaert, Simon, Baugnée and others have already signed up. They are determined to win… ”

And that’s not all! Michel Decremer’s and Jean-Jacques Martens’ commitment to the two events has prompted Michael Bartholemy to reward those who would like to do the same. They are already numerous, as the spring Göhltal Classic is the perfect teaser for the winter Ostbelgien Classic.

“Whether in the ‘Classic’ or ‘Classic Light’ category, the number of entrants promises to be significant for both events,” Michael Bartholemy continues. “Hence the idea of rewarding them and encouraging others to do the same. It has already been decided to celebrate the best performing teams, but we won’t stop at that! Discussions with partners are ongoing, and there will be many pleasant surprises…” 

The final countdown to the first of the two events, the Göhltal Classic, has begun and the participants are eager to discover the route that Joseph Lambert, assisted by Eric Chapa and Frank Frankenberg, has designed. No doubt things are going well for ‘The Event’ and its projects in the eastern part of the country…