My visit at the Copenhagen Classic Grand Prix

[Amazombi]

Copenhagen Classic Grand Prix

Everything started with the announcement from a zclub member who given an advice for the Copenhagen Classic Car Grand Prix at the www.zclub.net Website.

It was just an idea to join it but it grow and after a view weeks it looks like a big adventure for me will come true.

The Z-club member who gives the advice is named Stefan Winquist and he does not just go there and watch the cars driven on the track, no he drives a 240Z Race car! Sorry, that isn’t correct, he is flying around the circuit. I saw him, I can say this.

But lets start at the beginning.

First of all I have to say that my health was in a very bad shape these days but there was no chance for me, I had to go to Copenhagen!

Saturday at the Raceway.

It is a circuit, in the Main city from Denmark. A little like Monte Carlo. It’s very nice prepared and all the people, drivers, mechanics and visitors are common and helpful.

And friend of mine, Reinhard is owning a summerhouse in DK, I stayed by him and at Saturday the 2nd of August he dropped me right of at the Pit lane.

At around 10am I come right into the pit of Stefan Winquist. and watched the mechanics where working hard. The Gearbox lies under the car, the exhaust right beside.

What happened? The clutch was broken and now they did everything to repair it but as everybody can imagine, it is a Race car and nothing is like stock parts. So it become a challenge to get the car as soon as possible out of the pit back at the track course, the qualifying is being started for all the classes.

I walked around and looked at the other beautiful and very good prepared Race Cars. Hey there was another 240Z! Driven by Lars Feldskov. So many Cars, and classes(11!!!).

Have I seen a real profi race driver now, or did I dream a little bit? No, there was Tom Kristensen, Johnny Herbert, David Brabham, and so on. Absolutely Unbelievable. So I walked around and saw some really big and hard fights at the track. When I came back to the Datsuns Z pit there where both cars. Silver and Black the Z from Lars Feldskov in very hot shape! His 1st Driver? I couldn’t believe what I saw! Jan Magnussen drove with Lars! Men, what a great day. I changed to the other place in the Z-pit, to the 240 from Stefan. His on is designed and painted in the famous BRE-DATSUN red-white colours which one was driven in the 70th by Mr. John Morton. John Morton, the famous Z-driver from US who has won the National Championship in 1970. Suddenly Stefan was around and said to me: Joachim, may I introduce Mr. John Morton to you? I couldn’t even speak. He was it! He was it on his own. John Morton did shake my hand, and taking to me about Stefan`s „Z“! Man, am I still in bed and dreaming or what’s going on here?

This seems so absolutely unreal to me. I mean whenever you open a book about Z-Cars and the History explain about racing with them, John Morton is named every- and anywhere, and now I am talking to him.

After a view minutes I realized what has happened and that I am really alive and awake.

I got a Polo shirt and a Baseball cap from Stefan with the famous Nr.46 on it.

The idea from me was: I took those two small iron plates with me from my Z in Austria to get a auto gram from Stefan Winquiste to remember for all days that I was here. Now I asked Mr. John Morton too. And he signed one! The other one signed Stefan Winquist! Before I came to Denmark I talked to Stefan about an Air-Box for my triple Weber Set up at my „Z“ and he could help. A friend of him Lars Feldskov, yes the other 240Z driver has one which he doesn’t really need. So I was very happy and asked Lars to sign for me the Air box for a date to remember for all times. He took it a went away!? Did I something wrong? No, he was just going to Jan Magnussen and let him sign my Air-Box! Lars meant, Magnussen ist the famous driver and he should sign it. Now, both have done their Auto gram on it and the only thing what I can say is that all of these guys where so great and nice.

This is for sure one of the days which I will always remember for the rest of my life.

The qualification has started to run and all the different Classes where running they’re hard fights across the track.

A view minutes before Stefan wanted to start his mechanics where still working on the car. A short interview with Stefan was to hear for everybody around the circuit. He explained that they are still working and it doesn’t look good for his first race. But then I saw Stefan sitting in his 240 with the helmet on and when he saw me he suddenly turned up his dump. He will drive! They got it! Out of the pits lane but at least he could race.

What happened after the started you can explain as earth-earth rocket. He started from the last place from 21st, cause he had no qualification and became 9th, in his first heat!

What a race. What a car. What a driver!!!

As I said in the beginning my health was very bad and I choose to leave the race. With one sad eye and one happy eye. But you cant win against you’re body.

What I would like to say to everybody who is classic motor sport fan: Go there to Copenhagen next Year and join this event. You wouldn’t be disappointed! There will be driven a real race, for honest fans.

And watch those fast Z-drivers!

Sorry if I went to far by telling this story and I became boring but it was so Great.

The HP from the Event is: www.chgp.dk

There is also a video from last year.

I put all my Photos from the Event at my HP, everybody cn look at them at: www.amazombi.at/album/thumbnails.php?album=6

Also feel free to leave a note at my Guestbook (Gästebuch) if you like to:

www.amazombi.at

Best regards.

Joachim

[NissanMaster]

Great event pictures,Thanks for sharing!

[Ron Carter]

I had heard John was going to be there! Nice looking car, looks a lot like my replica, nicely done.

R