Mustangs, racing history and Champagne (long & many pics) http://perso.wanadoo.fr/sacr/images/...pmcouleurs.jpg http://mustang66.demon.nl/Marc/pict0793_std.jpg
I'm standing on the Route Departementale 27 between the city of Reims (France; Champagne capital of the world) and the village of Gueux. A very normal country road where the occasional Renault or Peugeot passes. And yet, there’s history in the air. I can see decayed grandstands, pits, scoreboard and other ruins of a former motorracing circuit. The RD 27 was the start/finish line of the once famous and extremely fast Circuit du Reims-Gueux. Nuvolari in his Alfa Romeo, Fangio in his Mercedes, Peter Collins and Mike Hawthorn in their Ferrari’s, Stirling Moss in his Jaguar and Jim Clark in his Lotus have all won here. Like Jo Schlesser and Guy Ligier in their Ford GT 40 in the 12 heures du Reims.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/ferrarissime.../reims1958.jpg
Europe has more once famous circuits that have now been forgotten. This circuit, which has always used normal public roads, is unique in the way it remains today, some 35 years after the last race was run. It’s in decay for sure, but the remains still have such presence that you can imagine and almost see the race cars coming down the Route Nationale 31 leading from Soissons to Reims and braking hard at the Virage de Thillois, just before entering the start/finish line. With its triangular shape it was one of the fastest circuits of its time. The first race being held in 1926, the speed record is owned by Sir Jack Brabham, who achieved an average speed of 220.315 kilometres per hour (137 mph) during the French Grand Prix of 1966.
What’s the big deal whith this story here, you might ask?
Well: the Dutch Mustang & Ford Forum (
DM&FF) and MustangPassion (
MustangPassion), a French-spoken Mustang Forum, have organised an international meeting there.
http://www.mustang.marsdesigns.com/F.../DSCF0031x.JPG http://www.mustang.marsdesigns.com/F.../DSCF0037x.JPG
Saturday, 4th of June 2005. On the Dutch/Belgian border 16 Mustangs gather very early in the morning for a trip to France. The road leads past Antwerp and Brussels to the Belgian/French border, were another 6 Mustangs are waiting. We take no more freeway after entering France, but scenic two lane roads instead. That also means crossing towns with traffic lights and roundabouts, so there are some tricks needed to keep the convoy complete. Tricks like taking a roundabout twice and blocking it a little for all Mustangs to join in again.
http://mustang66.demon.nl/marc/tourrit/stop.jpg http://mustang66.demon.nl/marc/tourrit/cora.jpg
After some 250 miles our convoy arrives in Reims, France. Meeting point is the practical but far from romantic parking lot of the CORA Hypermarche (very large grocery store). Several French Mustangs are awaiting us there. Shaking hands, eating, inspecting each others cars and more and more Mustangs arrive. With 40 cars we leave the parking lot and head for our goal for this afternoon: the historic circuit de Reims-Gueux. On the small country roads we leave people staring at us with open mouth – a Mustang is very rare sight in the French countryside, but some 40 Mustangs in a row….
http://mustang66.demon.nl/marc/tourrit/merfy.jpg
An incredible scene unrolls upon arriving at the remains the old circuit. Driving upfront I am one of the first to get out of the car and be able to photograph the traffic jam of Mustangs. Three more Mustangs had been waiting for us and Patrick, of the Ecurie Mustang France, goes to great lengths to stop normal traffic and guide each Mustang to its place in front of the pits. Fantastic, this spectacle of 40 Mustangs taking their spot in this historic environment. Not something I’m likely to see again. For a couple of hours everyone is exploring the remains of the circuit, and everyone can more or less imagine the old days when there were real races held here.
http://mustang66.demon.nl/marc/tourrit/file.jpg http://mustang66.demon.nl/marc/tourrit/val.jpg http://www.mustangpassion.com/Forum/...cf1429_243.jpg http://www.mustangpassion.com/Forum/...cf1446_601.jpg
Next is The Route Touristique du Champagne, with romantic small towns crowded with Champagne growers and merchants, after which our Hotel in Epernay awaits us. A real haven for thirsty and hungry Mustangdrivers from Holland, Belgium and France.
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Sunday, 5th of June 2005. After breakfast we are on our way to the famous Champagne cellars of Mercier. With even more cars, as 6 Mustangs from Paris who were unable to attend yesterdays program, join in. Mercier has 15 million bottles of Champagne stored in their enormous cellars carved out of the limestone. Visits are organized using an electric tram; the visit ends with a glass of Champagne from a special “Cuvée”. Even at 11.00 AM it tastes wonderfully.
http://www.mustangpassion.com/Forum/...cf1458_405.jpg http://www.mustangpassion.com/Forum/...cf1470_575.jpg
While the French Mustangs, with the new arrivals, take another tour to the circuit, the Dutch group starts the long run home over some more beautiful country roads.
http://www.mustangpassion.com/Forum/...t_aa10_680.jpg
Lunch is at … McDonalds! Everyone returns home safe: in 550 to 600 miles we have experienced not the slightest mechanical problem with any of the cars. A weekend to remember for a very long time….
Thanks for reading...
http://mustang66.demon.nl/marc/tourrit/groep.jpg Mustang Passion and Dutch Mustang & Ford Forum.
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To get another impression, here’s a link to some videos .
http://www.mustangpassion.com/Forum/...ip0004_792.avi http://www.mustangpassion.com/Dossie...S/MVI_1180.AVI http://home.tiscali.nl/noordinkmustang/Movies/Reims.wmv (30MB)
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Full story & Many other pics (in french) :
http://www.mustangpassion.com/Forum/...=asc&start=330
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rem: For newspapers, highdef pictures a available on demand. Please, mail :
exxodus@mustangpassion.be 
Mustangs, racing history and Champagne (long & many pics) 
