The external conditions could not have been better, as the two MSC Sprockhövel Oldtimer teams Dr. Rolf Tiggemann/Michael Leyhe and Hans-Jürgen/Max Kirschbaum against 7.30 o'clock after the long journey in Stemwede-Levern arrived. Blue sky, sun, light wind, pleasant temperature. The large number of car transport trailers is an indication of the spatial origin of many participants. We, d.H. Michael and I, were curious, what would expect us after several years of participation in touring now in the touring-sportive area.
After handing out the logbook there were 30 minutes left until the start, which Michael uses to work through at least a large part of the route. And this is always the same and important ritual: I stay close to the car, give it the necessary concentration. Shortly before approaching the starting grid his comment: "Everything solvable!" We start at 10.23 o'clock, already after 15 minutes driving time the first regularity test (GLP); a circuit outside in the field, which we know from earlier, to drive through twice, total length 3.8 km. Five more following spread throughout the day. The special navigation task, which I classified with a higher degree of difficulty, Michael solves with meticulousness, guides me with safe driving instructions through the maze of asphalted farm roads. At the end of this stage I know what I have done without steering aid and brake booster. And once we reach the limit in a GLP: due to a measuring error we miss a turnoff, have to turn after a piece of track and then the time becomes short! 50 seconds before the end of the target time we stop at the yellow sign, take a deep breath and then to the light barrier.
At Katharina Countess von Schwerin-Krukemeyer at Hüffe Castle we enjoy the Westphalian buffet in the open air in bright spring weather. After that just before 15.00 o'clock again on the track, where the organizer challenges us still with some smaller navigation surprises and two further GLP's. Against 18.00 o'clock then finish in Stemwede-Haldem on the Wilhelmshöhe at the hotel-restaurant of the same name. Immediately after handing in the boarding pass, we continue back to Stemwede-Levern and load the Daimler onto the transport trailer, then back to Wilhelmshöhe.
After program is scheduled from 20.00 o'clock the dinner is served, only the award ceremony does not start punctually at 22.00 o'clock. In the result lists posted around this time we find ourselves on the 2nd place. Place (of three participants!) in our class and on the 3. Place in the overall ranking (with 17 participants) again. We managed the entire orientation without any errors, 2.9 penalty points are the result of the GLP's, 0.1 point we had to accept at a cut monitoring control, so 3.0 penalty points in total. The average deviation in the six GLP's is 0.48 sec. Very neat.
Hans-Jürgen and Max Kirschbaum got the BMW Isetta through the labyrinth of tracks in such a way that they ended up with 2nd place. Place in their class in the "tourism" category and because of some mistakes in the orientation the 8. The following artists were able to take first place in the overall ranking. In addition, there is the team cup in the tourism for the MSC Sprockhövel.
Conclusion: "The degree of difficulty of the event was considerably reduced in comparison to past events, so that newcomers to classic car events can get started more easily" – according to the organizer in the foreword to the program booklet. Who here in he category "Touristik debuted as a newcomer, so the unanimous opinion of numerous participants will certainly not find the way into the classic car sport. For this, apart from the lower cut, the differences in the task of navigation were far too small. The task was already above average in touring but solvable, nevertheless, according to the opinion of some experienced participants, it was quite close to the category "sport approach. The required target times between the time controls were feasible, provided one stayed on the ideal course. Annoying: after more than 20 hours on the legs, a mastered rally route length of 211 km (including a length for special stages of 36.5 km) brings the 2. Place in the class (with only three participants) plus a handicap bonus for older cars just 5.25 points for the Classic Revival Pokal. A thorough reconsideration of the evaluation mode would be advisable here …