Racetrack Classics: CCs Encountered Inside And Around Salzburgring, Part 2

After spending a very enjoyable first day at the racetrack, I returned for the second (and final) day, which was Sunday – an all racing day. Read on for impressions from the Mozart Preis Histo-Cup at Salzburgring, 24-26 May 2019.

 

I arrived at the track with a bus, which was really easy – it leaves every hour (on a Sunday) just in front of the central train station and drops you off on the main road to St. Gilgen, about 1km above the track. Continuing on foot, I arrived at the track seeing what you see in the photo at the top of this post.

When entering Salzburgring’s perimeter, this was coming out:

Don’t ask – I don’t know who was such an important celebrity that he needed a limo to carry him \ herself inside. If there’s one thing that was out of place in such a homey, friendly event is a stretched limo. Meanwhile, in the paddock they had other ideas:

Tire warming device? Perhaps. I assume it’s a form of grill, ready to cook the sheep. Sheep? you’ll meet them down this post. I wandered off into the pits area again. Here are some photos:

This was an immaculate 911, I believe from 1975. I have not seen it on track, so I guess it never went anywhere.

Plainfelder Bach is a stream that cuts through the valley on which Salzburgring was built. It goes through the track’s perimeter and in the pits area, enters right under the pit boxes (you’ll see it coming out underneath them in a video below).

Pan to the left and you’ll see the line of cars arriving from the paddock towards the pits – right above the stream. I continued down the line of cars waiting to participate in the next session:

As you can see, one of the drivers was a cartoon hero. And in the next photo, note the very important mascot (or maybe, sponsor-induced mascot) on the Cosworth Sierra:

The next two sessions on track were my most favorite of the meeting – 1960s and 1970s Touring Cars and GTs. Off to the central tribune I went for more photos:

I was always a fan of these Group 5 “Special Production Cars” that participated in the World Championship for Makes series (and also in the DTM) from the mid-1970s through the early-1980s. Even though the race program marks it as a 935, that Porsche looks more like a 911 with a 935 body-kit, rather than the real thing. The BMWs, however, certainly are.

I just love this photo, in which the Barracuda looks GIGANTIC next to the tiny Elan. It looks ready to swallow rather than overtake it.

Down to the paddock I went (from the grandstand in the background) and drank coffee. A LOT of coffee. Or should I say, Wiener Melange, which is essentially an Austrian cappuccino. You can tell this mobile coffee shop was a success by the amount of people surrounding the Vespa Ape.

And just next to it, I happen to catch the mid-day shipment of pastries arriving from Salzburg to the racetrack’s restaurant. And all this was right next to the trophys, just sitting there not really being looked after:

I mean, who’s going to steal them? I just love this event.

Not far from the trophies was this interesting booth \ tent of a company selling racing equipment and tools by Kraftwerk. Look at the brochure; I would have liked to catch the event on 29th June, but sadly my quota has been filled this year…

A true classic was parked nearby. Hard to believe this glorious Integrale evolved from the unassuming family hatchback Delta. Now for some more images from the paddock:

There was even an sketch artist at the event, moving between cars and drawing them. It’s all here.

It’s always a good idea to have a guard dog present, in case you’d like to stroll away from your racing car. Now off to the inner parking area for more classics:

Obviously the BMW 2002 and E30 are very popular in Germany / Austria, so seeing more of these parked at the track was no surprise. Decide for yourself if you like racer’s looks with no bumpers and widened wings.

Now that was special. US cars, especially muscle-cars (or Corvettes such as the above) are common in such meetings, but seeing a 1940s Chevy isn’t. Of course this Special Deluxe is modified, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this car was imported like that from America to Europe.

One last visit to the paddock proved useful in particular, as it’s where I found PN’s RAM Promaster Camper’s forefather:

Based on a Fiat Ducato, this was considerably more classic than the racing cars surrounding it. Meanwhile, the Suzuki Cup Race was about to start, and a contestant was fueling up:

Here’s a photo taken during the race. After it finished, I climbed up to the Wonnenbauer Pension tribune for the last time, for this batch of photos:

Another one of my favorite photos is this, showing two different fords, fighting it out all the way.

Remember the sheep mentioned before? They’re part of Salzburgring’s maintenance, as they mow the steep grass no mower can reach.

Here’s another example of the vast variety this event holds; someone managed to include a Monte Carlo NASCAR veteran in the Young-Timer race.

And that was it – the race finished and I started walking up to the bus station that’s on the main road back to Salzburg. Here’s a video from the second day:

And of course, a lot more pictures from that day are here.

I hope it won’t take me another five years to return here, especially once arriving to the bus station, I found this on the other side of the main road:

As it turns out, the Manro Classic Auto & Music Museum is conveniently placed right above Salzburgring. Sadly, I had to return back to Salzburg as my flight was very early the next day, but I did manage to snap a few photos outside the building:

Obviously this Opel Olympia Rekord Wagon is in need of restoration, and had it not been for the museum’s sign I might have thought it had no relation to the place. I’ve seen a few of these in my day, but I can’t remember ever crossing paths with this:

I have met before the 130 Sedan, but never the Coupe. Close up this is a very impressive car – and very 1970s, all angular and pointy. Last car for the day was this:

Sorry, no sign. But interesting that this Peugeot 504 Coupe is parked next to the big Fiat, so you can compare between two Coupe styles. I think it’s actually the Peugeot that looks Italian while the Fiat is more… German?

All in all another enjoyable day was coming to an end, and what better way to end it with a dinner at my favorite restaurant in Salzburg I discovered way back in 1994 when coming to see races at Salzburgring for the first time:

Potato cream soup

Escalope of veal, “Vienna style” with parsley potatoes

Mousse au Chocolat with berry sauce

I’ve been at that place some five times in 25 years, and it never failed me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m getting hungry…