HISTORIC TOUR NOGARO| Meeting Presentation

HISTORIC TOUR NOGARO (6 to 8 September)

It's that time of year again!

After a two-month summer break, the French Historic Circuit Championship is back in action at Nogaro. It's a long-awaited return, as part of the 64th local Grand Prix, on a track it hasn't visited since 2020. A total of 21 races are on the programme to ensure a ‘back to school’ experience.

THE 64th GP DE NOGARO IN THE BACKGROUND

For its back-to-school meeting, the fourth of the five events that make up its 2024 calendar, the French Historic Track Championship returns to one of its old destinations, setting course for Nogaro. A return to the famous circuit in the Gers, which has already hosted the event in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020. Four years after that last event, the drivers will surely have no trouble finding their feet on the 3.6km track, which has recently been resurfaced and has been so closely linked to the history of French motor sport since the early 1960s.  

As on previous occasions when the French Historic Circuit Championship has visited the track initiated by Paul Armagnac, this Historic Tour meeting will also serve as the Grand Prix of Nogaro, which will be celebrating its 64th edition.

21 STARTS OVER THE WEEKEND

Two months after the Magny-Cours Historic Tour, where the ‘oldtimers’ shared the weekend with the behemoths of the French Truck Championship, the Nogaro Historic Tour is shaping up to be a much more classic affair. Divided between 11 grids, the various historic trophies and challenges will give rise to 21 races over the weekend, i.e. two ‘sprint’ meetings (of 25 or 30 minutes) per grid, to which will be added the famous 200km endurance race.

According to the latest count, some 235 cars in all categories will be entered: single-seaters in F3, Formula Renault and Formula Ford, Sport-Protos, GTs and Touring cars, all of which have one thing in common: they were designed between the 1950s and the end of the 1990s. Enough to delight the enthusiastic and very knowledgeable Nogaro public!

The Lotus Trophy (with 35 Seven cars announced!), the 200km endurance race and the Roadster Pro Cup, where the first Mazda MX-5s will be the stars of the show, are all expected to feature on the starting grid. At Nogaro, the latter and the 2L SuperBerlines will be run on home soil, on the premises of their joint organisers. Nearly fifty Formula Ford single-seaters will also be divided between the two grids dedicated to this essential category. Finally, in F3 Classic, we can look forward to the return to single-seater racing of former pro Philippe Gache. A champion (also leader of the endurance championship) capable of upsetting the usual hierarchy of the discipline!

FRANCE CHAMPIONSHIP: FOUR TITLES IN THEIR SIGHTS

The contenders for the four French championship titles and the other podium places at the end of the season are all in the running in the Gers. In the Single-Seater/Proto championship, François Belle (Lola T540E) will once again be in action in the Formula Ford Historic Challenge as he attempts to maintain his lead over Jean-Charles Monnet (Martini MK48 in Formula Renault Classic) and Gislain Genecand (Van Diemen RF92 in Formula Ford Kent and Crosslé 25F in Formula Ford Historic). 

In the pre-1990 GT/Touring category, leader Emmanuel Brigand (Porsche 911 RSR) will be aiming to continue his series of Racing Over 2L victories in order to maintain his advantage over Monegasque Jean-Pierre Richelmi (Lotus Elan in the Maxi 2L Classic) and Philippe Gandini (Cooper S in the Maxi 1300 Series), Mathieu Rigoulet (Mazda MX-5 in the Roadster Pro Cup) in the GT/Tourisme post-1900 category will have the same objective, facing Augustin Moreau (Honda Civic in the Youngtimers GTI Cup) and Sébastien Mathieu (BMW M3 GTR in the GT Classic). Finally, in the French Endurance Championship, the stage could prove decisive in the battle between Jean-Pierre Richelmi/Philippe Gache (Porsche 934), Gislain Genecand/Xavier Michel (Chevron B19) and Jean-François Besson (Chevron B16).

WHICH GRIDS?

FRANCE SINGLE-SEATER/BIKE, GT/TOURING PRE 90 AND GT/TOURING POST 90 CHAMPIONSHIPS

F3 Classic Trophy + Formula Renault Classic Trophy 

Races: Saturday 3.20pm and Sunday 2.50pm (2 x 30 mins). 

Cars entered: 18

The cars: F3 single-seaters from before 1985 and Formula Renault cars (atmo and turbo) from before 1995.

Prominent drivers: F3 Classic: Lajoux, Gache, Vaglio Giors, Lacour, Bayers (March), Gerbout, Merche (Ralt), Martin, Eynard-Machet (Martini), Michel (Chevron), etc. 

Formula Renault Classic: Monnet, Remy-Spire, Tomsen, Bagur (Martini), Rimbert, (Orion), etc.

Formula Ford Kent Trophy 

Races: Saturday 10.00 am and Sunday 11.20 am (2 x 25 minutes).

Cars entered: 22

The cars: Pre-1993 Formula Ford Kent single-seaters. 

Prominent drivers: Midy, Dousse, Genecand, Sanjuan, Beloou, ‘Nelson’, Monteiro (Van Diemen), Kozyreff, Deridder, Bouquet (Reynard), Castillou, Weiss (Ray), etc.

Formula Ford Historic Challenge 

Races: Saturday 11.20am and Sunday 10.00am (2 x 25 minutes).

Cars entered: 25

The cars: Pre-1982 Formula Ford single-seaters.

Prominent drivers: Belle, Fresnais (Lola), Genecand, Michel, McMorran, Eynard Machet (Crosslé), ‘Nelson’, Ogier, Laissac (Van Diemen), Ghio, Sanjuan (Merlyn), Rollet, Mangold (March), Lecluse (Lotus), Prévost (McNamara), Crocker (Ray), etc.

Lotus Trophy

Races: Saturday 4.35pm and Sunday 2.05pm, preceded by a Grid Walk (2 x 30 mins).

Cars entered: 35

The cars: Lotus Seven and old Caterham cars.

Prominent drivers: Vulliez, Delhaye, X.Jacquet, C.Jacquet, N.Beloou, Cazalot, Berrezai, Bouchetal, Odin, Szyndelman, Vacher, Garcia Imaz, Koenig, Thiry, Peinetti, Nguyen, G.Jan, Legeleux, Vest, Cerny (Lotus Seven), C.Jan (Caterham), etc.

Racing Over 2L + Proto Historic

Races: Saturday 10.40 am and Sunday 10.40 am (2 x 25 minutes).

Cars entered: 14

The cars: GT/Touring cars over 2000 cm3 (and those under 2000 cm3 with over 200 bhp) from before 1981 (Racing Over 2L) + Protos up to 89 (Proto Historic).Protos Classic: Morel (Toj SC206), Kolly (Lola T292), Besson (Chevron B16), Ferrier (Chevron B61), Garsou (ACE), etc. Racing Over 2L: Brigand (Porsche 911 RSR), Langin (Porsche 930), Regnier (Porsche 910), Dusailly, Calas, Dupuy (Ford Escort RS), Dauxerre (Porsche 911 3L), etc.

GT Classic Trophy + Proto Classic

Races: Sunday 8.40 am and 4.55 pm (2 x 25 minutes).

Cars entered: 8

The cars: GT + Protos up to 2000 (Proto Classic). 

Prominent drivers: Proto Classic: Nguyen (Lucchini), De Murard (Giada), Amoros (Martini). Etc. GT Classic: Danne (Porsche 996), Delannoy (Le Flem (Porsche 964), Mathieu (BMW M3 GTR), Besson (Venturi 400 Trophy).

Maxi 2L Classic + Maxi 1300 Series

Races: Saturday 2.45pm and Sunday 3.35pm (2 x 25 mins). The cars: First-generation Mazda MX-5s.

Prominent drivers: Rigoulet, Laborie, Visentin, Bouchet, Allard, Durville, Carreno, Nougaret, Martin, Benjamin, Leboulenger, Bourget, Turbot, Sauvadet, Reitz, Gaudelus, Genottin (all on Mazda MX-5s), etc.

Youngtimers GTI Cup + SuperBerline 2L

Races: Saturday 4.00pm and Sunday 9.20am (2 x 25 mins). 

Cars entered: 18

The cars: Youngtimers: pre-1998 GTIs under 2 litres. SuperBerlines: evocations of the Supertourism cars of the 90s.

The drivers: Youngtimers: Chaulan, Grandpierre, Codet, Moreau, Aumard/Aumard (Honda Civic), etc. SuperBerlines: Pozzobon (Alfa 156), Hebette (Renault Laguna), Grand (Honda Accord), Santos, Giraud, D'Esparbes, Crasson, Ferry (BMW 318/320), Meynard (Opel Vectra), Boury (Peugeot 406), Barizza (Mazda), etc.

FRENCH HISTORIC ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

200 km Historic Tour

The race: Saturday 5.25pm (90 mins).

Cars entered: 28

The cars: Protos/GTs/berliners eligible for Historic Tour grids.Drivers in the spotlight : Besson (Chevron B16), Michel (Chevron B19), Richelmi/Gache (Porsche 934), Châteaux/Ceci/Lacour (Tiga), Danne/Grenet (Porsche 911SC), Berrezai (Merlin), Delarche/Trichet (Caterham), Pargamin (Lotus Seven), Peinetti/Cerny/Lauber (Porsche 996), Quagliozzi/Piau (Honda Civic), Debrus/Delon/Debreczeny (Chevrolet Corvette), Allemang (BMW Z3), Lagache/Lagache (Porsche 944), Visentin, Allard/Durville, Leboulanger (Mazda MX-5), Santos (BMW 320), Pozzobon (Alfa 156), etc.

SUPPORT GRID

Saloon Cars Trophy 

Races: Saturday 12.00 noon and Sunday 12.00 noon (2 x 25 minutes). 

Cars entered: 24

The cars: GT/Touring cars from before 2000.

Notable drivers: Lefebvre (Audi Quattro), Grenet (Dodge Viper), Mathieu (Porsche 997), Delarche, Cairat, Faurie, Vulin (Caterham), Lortal, Guigues, Trichet (Lotus Elise), Grué (Chevrolet Monza), Verney (R5 GT), Wilders (Honda Integra), Fachinetti (Chevrolet Camaro), Texier (Alpine GTA), Bellina, Chollet (Porsche 944) etc.

ON THE PADDOCK

In the paddock, the Historic Tour partners' village includes Oreca (sale of racing parts), Sodipneu/Sodifuel (supply of tyres and fuel), Stand 21 (made-to-measure and safety equipment for drivers), as well as stands selling derivative products, clothing, miniatures, “automobilia”, and so on. In addition, the traditional Kennol Awards will honour a deserving driver at the end of each of the weekend's races. THE RECAP 

Friday 6 September: Private practice from 8.30am to 1pm. Qualifying from 2.05pm to 6.25pm. Saturday 7 September: Practice from 8.30am to 9.50am. Races (10) from 10.00am to 12.25pm and from 2.05pm to 6.55pm. Sunday 8 September: Races (11) from 8.40am to 12.25pm and from 2.05pm to 5.20pm. 

General admission: 25 Euros. Reduced rates for children. www.circuit-nogaro.com

Media contact: presse@hvmracing.fr