09-2015 The final round of the National Historic Championship took place over the weekend of 5th and 6th September at Turckheim in Alsace. This is the longest-standing championship round, having been inaugurated in 1956 by a local entrepreneur, Jacques Schwindenhammer, who actually won the event.
It's geographical location makes it easily accessible to Swiss and German participants as well as French. It's nearly 6 km course is very fast, winding through heavily-forested terrain with plenty of blind bends. Although the course itself has not been changed, for safety reasons several artificial chicanes were installed after some of the fastest bends,nowhere cars are ' on the limit'.
The organisers have a major task on their hands, with 220 entrants in the 'modern' section and a further 50 Historics. With the paddocks within the village of Turckheim itself, the ambience is very convivial.
The only Marcadier to make the journey was Vincent Lagache's. He has a particular liking for Turckheim. In practice he was second, behind Jean Marc Debeaune's Van Diemen. In the timed runs, he managed to get to within two seconds of Debeaune, but was pressed hard by Toupence's F2Martini, whom he beat by only 3/10ths secs. Vincent has had a splendid return to competition, after a 3 year absence ...
