The chequered flag dropped for the final leg of special ‘Coast to Coast’ edition of the Modena Cento Ore on the 12th June. The event crossed Italy from east to west, from the 7th -12th June, from the Adriatic to the Tyrrhenian Sea, featuring circuit races and special stages on closed roads.
The British, Belgian and German national anthems were played in Piazza Grande as the Modena Cento Ore organising crew crowned British driver Philip Walker & Nigel Redhouse in their 1962 Jaguar E-Type the winner in the competition section for cars built until 1965 for the third consecutive year. Crew No. 58, Van Riet-Cartenian in a 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RS, with first place among cars from periods G/H/I. First place in the Index of Performance classification went to crew No. 41 Otten-Billesfeld, in a 1939 BMW 328 Roadster. Crew No. 75, Maes-Pyck in a 1970 Porsche 914/6, were the winners of the regularity section.
German team Carolus Magnus from Aachen prevailed in the teams classification.
The Ladies’ Cup for the competition section went to crew No.27 Ellerbock-Rohwer, in a 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA, while No. 72 Van Roosbroeck-Peeters won the regularity section with a 1963 Jaguar E-Type conv.
British crews dominated the classic classes and it wasn’t just the Walker-Redhouse duo on the podium. Amongst them Clive Joy and Paul Halford finished 9th overall in their Porsche 911 2.7 RSL, Jeremy Cooke and Mike Dowd withdrew early in the week after a coming together with the roadside barrier left their Lotus Elan rather stricken. Robert Rawe and Xavier Sanz de Acedo did well to finish 1st in GTS7 category, unsupported, the duo successfully drove out to the Italy, competed, won and returned to London unscathed in Robert’s Aston Martin DB4. Ben Cussons and Jonathan Phillip were 2nd in GTS7 class in a stunning Ferrari 250 GT SWB. Martin and Andreas Halusa finished 6th in their Ferrari 212 Export, Adrian and Nicholas Beecroft were 7th in their Ferrari 250 GT SWB with Richard Wilson and Martin Stretton were 9th (Maserati 250S) with Joe Macari and Christian Hore rounding out the top ten in another Ferrari 250 GT SWB.
Modena Cento Ore 2016
The 2016 edition was a very special one: Scuderia Tricolore from Reggio Emilia planned a unique and spectacular ‘coast to coast’ route featuring locations in Emilia Romagna and Toscana. The crews travelled from the Adriatic to the Tyrrhenian Sea, facing each other in the most challenging racetracks in Italy and on the toughest mountain roads of the Apennines.
90 crews from 18 different countries represented by 180 competitors including Le Mans Jürgen Barth, took part in the event with vehicles from all periods and many collector’s items, for a total value of over 100 million euros.
Six intense days, four of which were spent driving, 1,300 km on evocative panoramic roads starting from Rimini and finishing in Modena, with stops in Firenze and Forte dei Marmi.
This year’s Modena Cento Ore was quite tough. The Competition section featured 22 time controls, 17 passage controls, 12 special stages on closed mountain roads and 3 spectacular races with starting grids in the famous racetracks of Imola, Misano and Mugello.
The Regularity section followed the same route as the Competition, with 12 average speed trials held on the same closed roads as the special stages and several laps at the 3 racetracks.
The route and its legs: a day-by-day report
Scrutineering and opening evening in Rimini
The 2016 edition of this prestigious event – which boasts a nomination to the International Historic Motoring Awards, the ‘Academy Awards’ of classic motoring – welcomed its participants with an evocative aperitif on the beach of the Grand Hotel, which Federico Fellini made famous with his movie ‘Amarcord’. After the briefing participants moved to the terrace of the Grand Hotel for the opening dinner in the dreamy atmosphere offered by the vast Italian garden.
Leg 1: Imola Racetrack and Romagna
The first ‘coast to coast’ edition of Modena Cento Ore started officially on Wednesday, June 8th with the circuit race at the ‘Enzo e Dino Ferrari’ racetrack. The cars were lined up at the starting grid as in F1 races.
The event continued with two special stages: Sambuca, on the ‘prince’ of the passes of Mugello, and Brisighella, each repeated once – before and after the lunch in the centre of Palazzuolo sul Senio. In the afternoon, a sudden change in weather challenged the wet driving skills of the competitors.
First leg ended in Rimini, where the cars remained on display in Piazza Cavour and Piazza Tre Martiri.
Leg 2: Misano racetrack and the road to Firenze
The race resumed on Thursday, June 9th with the meeting of the crews at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Once again, the racetrack didn’t let down those in search of excitement. A decidedly unique and tense atmosphere lingered in the paddock.
Afterwards, a passage control in the evocative San Marino, following by the start of the first special stage of the morning at the Spino Pass. A famous regularity hill climb, tough and demanding.
Lunch was held at the Sanctuary of Chiusi della Vernia, an old Franciscan monastery where the competitors enjoyed the calm atmosphere before the last special stage of the leg.
Croce ai Mori offered the drivers a succession of climbs and slopes that really tested their cars, and the undoubted protagonists of this challenge to the last hundredth of a second.
The route of this leg, which also went through the Foreste Casentinesi National Park and the Consuma Pass, was a triumph of green and incredible landscapes: the crews had fun on the hillsides, under the vigilant eye of the Polizia Stradale, and then reached Piazza Ognissanti in the heart of Firenze, where their cars remained on display until the following day.
Now it was time to get ready for the gala soirée. The event took place inside Palazzo Vecchio, in the amazing setting provided by Piazza della Signoria – two locations that have been veritable icons of Firenze since the 13th century. The elegantly dressed participants were lead through the Michelozzo Courtyard to the Pope’s quarters, and then to the vast Salone dei Cinquecento (‘Hall of the Five Hundred’), in a magical atmosphere. These landmarks and their history are the pride of the ‘Bel Paese’, and also parts of a unique and peerless experience that attracts crews from all over the world every year: the Modena Cento Ore.
Scuderia Tricolore’s President Luigi Orlandini presented the authorities, accompanied by the notes of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and then introduced the video of the first two legs.
Leg 3: Mugello Racetrack and Garfagnana
The third leg started on Friday, June 10th at the Mugello Racetrack, and the ‘coast to coast’ journey of the Modena Cento Ore was completed with the arrival in Versilia.
The cars revved their engines in Piazza Ognissanti before reaching the track, which spreads over 5,000 metres among the gentle slopes of the Tuscan hills.
After lining up at the starting grid, the competitors faced the 15 different turns with sportsmanship, but also quite competitively. After the over 1 kilometre-long uphill straight – one of the highlights of this racetrack – comes the first turn, where it’s important to brake as late as possible, then steep slope variations and fast, blind and tough turns.
Competitors reached the lunch location at the Ciocco Resort & Spa, a fascinating complex located inside a 600 hectares-wide park. Afterwards, Garfagnana’s three special stages: Tereglio, Renaio and Tereglio 2. These winding and technical stages were part of the Rally del Ciocco, a former Italian Championship race, making this a tribute by the Cento Ore to the Tuscan rallying tradition.
The cars arrived just before sunset in Piazza del Duomo in Pietrasanta, a city that has always attracted artists from all over the world, and then the leg ended with the time control in Piazza Marconi in Forte dei Marmi, the ‘queen’ of the Versilia.
Each arrival offered a new scenery, another precious memory to bring back home. A sunset with the unmistakable Versilian colours welcomed the crews to the Beach Party on the most glamour seaside resort of Forte dei Marmi, the Bambaissa.
Leg 4: Apuan Alps, Apennines and the arrival in Modena
The competitors, still delighted from the great evening in Forte dei Marmi, left the town for the fourth and last leg on Saturday, June 11th. As usual, the start was paced to one car per minute for the competition section, and two cars for the regularity. This parade of beautiful and fast ‘old ladies’ started the final race for the podium. The route wound through the Apuan Alps and, after the special stages of Careggine and Massa-Sassorosso, reached the Radici Pass. Given the wintery weather, the crews warmed up in front of the fireplace and enjoyed a typical mountain lunch at the Casone di Profecchia.
The final and longest special stage took place in the afternoon. The setting of this very technical stage was was the Castle of Carpineti, with 12 kilometres of narrow and steep roads surrounded by the ‘calanchi’ (badlands). After this last challenge, the ‘Amici dei Motori’ reserved a warm welcome in Carpineti for the participants, with people wearing traditional costumes and enjoying refreshments featuring local products.
As always, the race reached its conclusion in Modena with the arrival in Piazza Grande, where the public admired the splendid cars accompanied by the voice of Savina Confaloni. The famous host presented both vehicles and drivers, who were eagerly awaiting the final results. The podium ceremony and the champagne shower excited everybody, while the competitors congratulated the winners in a great display of sportsmanship. However, the challenge for 2017 is already on!
The event ended with the final evening and the awards ceremony at the Museo Enzo Ferrari, one of the most evocative locations in Modena, the birthplace of great car makers and of the Modena Cento Ore itself.
