La Grande Épreuve

Race :: Round 48 - Orsi Takes the Flag!

2011-01-03T10:56:00.000-08:00

His red scarf snapping in the icy wind, Italy's Sebi Orsi cruises smoothly through the checkered flag for fourth place, then cuts hard to the left as he slows his Maserati. Beside the track, a group of Swedish ladies cheer him on feverishly, realizing that he intends to stop his car beside them to commence his celebrations in true Italian style.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese driver, Pedro Gomes, artfully takes the final curve at Fiskekroken. With this, he leaves the Frenchman, Aristide La Fontaine, behind and falling short of a real challenge for position. It appears now that the Portuguese driver is nearly assured of a fifth place finish – his daring move overshooting the chicane in a skid has paid off great dividends. Once overtaken, the Frenchman has few chances to catch him before the flag. Aristide may have to settle for sixth place.

The Britisher, John Milk, drives his Amilcar deep in the chicane as the car darts through the narrow tree-lined lanes. He is carrying too much speed and so, reluctantly, he reaches for the gear lever. There is no other way than to shift down hard now, which will eliminate any chance he may have had to challenge for the next position up among finishers. His finish is now nearly certainly seventh place.

Back on the ice, the Finn, Tavho Myrsky, restarts his big Chrysler and spins the tires on the ice. His is a race against time now to get Rychly back to the pit area where the medical team awaits.

Race :: Round 47 - Portugal Conquers France!

2010-12-22T10:44:00.000-08:00

As Sebi Orsi slows his Maserati and prepares to take the checkered flag and stop. He will have taken an honored fourth position in a very difficult and challenging race. Godeschalk Hegkman, who has already taken in 3rd place, skids through the curve beyond the finish and spins out, narrowly avoiding the Belgian and Swiss cars. He comes to a stop at the edge of the snowbank at trackside. The German's white Bugatti may be facing in the wrong direction, but he has done it!! A podium showing for the German – and soon he is swamped with well-wishers.

Meanwhile, in a dangerous development, the Frenchman, Aristide La Fontaine, shifts down hard to 2nd gear and steers left in an effort to cut the Portuguese driver off and force him through the debris inside the narrow chicane. In response, the Portuguese ace, Pedro Gomes, instead cuts to the right – he shifts down only into 3rd gear. Driving recklessly through the debris, he takes damage to his underbody from the pieces of metal that litter the track, but still skids around the blue Salmson racer to take the lead. The race to Fiskekroken is on and the Portuguese driver is now better positioned – can Aristide even catch him? It will take luck and hard driving now....

At the pit lanes, the trespassing German Mercedes SSLK cuts hard to the left – he is trying to collide with the British driver! But John Milk cuts left hard also! Somehow, the two cars glance off each other – with heavy damage to both! That should have been a near certain collision! The Germans lose control! While nimble Amilcar speeds off northward toward the chicane, the heavy SSLK spins off the track and into the trees. Catching a tree on the right front tire, the car flips and rolls!! After three terrible crashes, it comes to a stop against a large tree, smoke and steam rising from the engine compartment. Clearly, nobody could have survived such a horrific crash!

Back on the ice, the Finn, Tavho Myrsky, lifts Vitez Rychly into his car. The stewards issue a judgment – when the great white Chrysler comes to the pit lane, the Finn will be flagged to a stop and credited with having completed the whole race, placing last amongst the remaining drivers on the circuit. The medical teams are already mobilizing to care for Rychly.

The Finn has demonstrated a willingness to risk his life despite gunfire and brave a stop aside the burning wreck of the orange Bugatti to save another driver – such sportsmanship will no doubt earn him front page coverage in the Laxforsen Dagbladet. He could finish the race at this point, if only in 1st gear, but it is more important to attend to the Czech driver's wounds – and so the race stewards have ruled. For the Finn, the race ends at the pit lanes.

Race :: Round 46 - Germany Takes Third!

2010-12-15T08:03:00.000-08:00

Crossing the finish line with Teutonic flair, Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman takes third place – a sorely needed podium showing for the white knight. In his joy, Hegkman forgets to shift down to 2nd gear, setting up a possible spinout at the next curve, yet the German is far from interested in such minor issues! He stands up in the cockpit and raises both arms to the sky! The crowd erupts into cheers seeing the audacity of the German!! Many more spill onto the track to surround the yellow racer.

Coming out of Fiskekroken onto the final straight, Sebi Orsi cannot seem to accelerate the little Italian Maserati. It fishtails on the ice, the rear tires spinning. There was no hope of challenging Germany for the final podium spot in any case, so it cannot matter. Orsi's gaze shifts to the crowd ahead at the finish line, where he spies several beautiful Swedish ladies waving cheerfully.

France and Portugal narrowly miss the oncoming German Mercedes SSLK driven by the German shooters. Both blast forward and by on the right side in 5th gear. The German takes a single shot with his pistol but misses widely. Both racers cut through the narrow tree-lined lane and take on the chicane at great speed. Aristide is in the lead, he reaches for his gear handle, preparing to shift down hard to avoid a spinout. It looks like it will be a tight race into the final curve after all! The race for fifth place is heating up and it could go either way!

Meanwhile, Britain's John Milk storms out of the hairpin and is shocked to see the big SSLK racing toward him. There is no chance now for the British driver to challenge the two cars ahead, so he is now certain of a seventh place showing, so long as he holds it together on the track. His shock turns to fear as the driver pulls out a gun and takes aim at the hapless Brit.

Back on the ice, Tavho Myrsky leaps from the cockpit of his big Chrysler and pulls the downed Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, toward his car. Stopping on the track may not have resulted in anything but a last place showing for the Finn, but it certainly deserves great recognition. The gunfire has subsided, yet the crackling flames lick the side of his white car. The Czech driver is sorely in need of medical attention and Myrsky's rescue now ensures that.

At the front of the race, the victorious Belgian brings his car to a stop – his eyes set upon the flaming wreck in the distance. There will be no victory lap. He leaps from the cockpit of the big yellow Duesenberg and lifts his goggles for a better look. The flames are angry and deep orange, black smoke towering in the air. What accident is this? Then the crowd overwhelms him and lifts him onto their shoulders, carrying him!

Race :: Round 45 - France Overhauls Portugal

2010-12-03T15:25:00.000-08:00

The Belgian, Victor Hugo Stéphane, is victorious and now shifts down to begin his victory lap. Suddenly, Norway's Teide Sorolla-Ledaal flashes past, out of control and running too fast to manage the curve just after the finish line! He spins off into the snow, wedging the car into a snow bank. The Volcán is done for the day. A cloud of steam erupts from the Bugatti's radiator as he stands up and waves jauntily to the crowd, which continues cheering him on. Yet more and more, the crowd recognizes the Belgian's victory. Many rush onto the track and wave their hats in a salute.

Vying for third place, Godeschalk Hegkman speeds out onto the final straight toward the finish line. He ducks down behind the windshield, leaning forward to get every inch out of the car's performance. As the curve looms ahead, a quick glance behind assures him that Italy's Sebi Orsi remains too far back to challenge for the last podium spot. He smiles and eases off – it has been a perfect race.

Coming out of the Hårnålskurva hairpin, Pedro Gomes shifts up to run the straight. Yet he cannot possibly hold off the Frenchman, Aristide La Fontaine, whose blue Salmson roars by in higher gear. Britain's John Milk takes into the hairpin conservatively, but is well-positioned for the challenge ahead. It is possible to catch the French and Portuguese cars up and the green Amilcar is in reasonable condition. The race for fourth place could well be decided here on this final straight as these last three cars, head toward the narrow forested chicane ahead.

Finally, Tavho Myrsky brings his great white Chrysler to a halt beside the downed Czech driver, Vitez Rychly. He reaches out and pulls the Czech's body around, preparing to lift him into the cockpit. No other car on the track (except perhaps the French Salmson) could take the Czech on board, but the Chrysler is a huge race car – a real American ice beast. The flames from Rychly's Bugatti singe the back tire of the Finn's car, but despite the heat and the risk of the gunfire – which has died down for the moment – Myrsky proves himself to be as daring as noble in his rescue.

Back on the straight up ahead, the big German Mercedes SSLK skids onto the track from around the corner of pit area. Heading south against the traffic, the driver grins as he realizes he is heading directly toward the Frenchman's Salmson racer – he guns the engine and shifts up to 3rd gear. Helvete! The two are on a collision course!! Is the German driver a veteran of the Great War? In the back of the Mercedes, the second German pulls himself into the car's rear seat. He fires another round from his Mauser pistol into the air.

Race :: Round 44 - Belgium Takes the Flag!

2010-11-20T11:14:00.001-08:00

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Shifting down to ease his car into the next corner, the Belgian driver, Victor Hugo Stéphane, smoothly glides across the finish line, waving jauntily to the crowd. Close behind, Norway's famed driver, Teide Sorolla-Ledaal, also known as the the Volcán, accelerates in a final bid to catch the Norwegian. He cannot do it. Just seconds behind, he crosses the finishing line, to take a second place flag. Still, the crowd erupts into cheering, “ Volcán, Volcán, Volcán!!! Despite being at the front, the yellow Duesenberg of the Belgian receives polite applause but otherwise goes almost unnoticed as the fans seemingly favor their Scandinavian neighbor.

Skidding deep into Fiskekroken, Godeschalk Hegkman maneuvers his white Bugatti forward toward what looks to be a dominant third place finish. Italy's Sebi Orsi shifts down and takes the beginning of the Fiskekroken curve with care, surrendering to an inevitable conclusion that he will place fourth in the race. Even with his low speed and gear, Orsi's red Maserati still takes a hard hit from the debris that litters the track just at the entry point of the curve. The Maserati soldiers on.

Racing into the Hårnålskurva hairpin, Pedro Gomes from Portugal gracefully rounds the corner in a tight skid. Directly behind, the Frenchman, Aristide La Fontaine, brakes late and takes the curve with incredible speed. His great blue Salmson racer nearly clips the little red and green Bugatti of the Portuguese team.

Bring up the rear, the British Amilcar cruises out of Lekböjen. Meanwhile, Vitez Rychly, shot gravely, passes out, perhaps for the final time. Alarms are sounded as the medical teams run to the report of an accident on the ice. Nearby, the body of the German shooter lays still on the snow. The Finnish driver, Tavho Myrsky, shifts down further and cruises up slowly to the scene of the flaming wreck. He enters the smoke as the big Chrysler skids on the ice.

Out of the woods, bursting into the gap behind the pit area, a big Mercedes SSLK speeds forward. It skids and turns south. The driver's face is cloaked by a pair of goggles – a second man clings precariously to the back of the car, one leg in the back seat and one leg dangling outside the car. He points a Mauser pistol into the air and fires off two shots to clear the crowds ahead of the car.

Race :: Round 43 - Belgium Dashes Forward

2010-09-06T06:13:00.001-07:00

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Victor Hugo Stéphane flies out of the final curve and shifts up, spinning the tires of the great yellow Duesenberg as he strains toward the finish line. Behind, in a last bid to catch the Belgian, Teide Sorolla-Ledaal presses around the curve in 3rd gear. His Bugatti skids through the curve. The Belgian has a dominating lead and it will be impossible for the Volcán to close the gap.

Meanwhile, coming out of the chicane, Hegkman suddenly accelerates away from Italy's Sebi Orsi and enters the final curve. The German's driving is precise and highly technical, while the Italian's car seems propelled forward only with the force of emotion. The Italian's attempt to force the German into difficulty has backfired and now the Teutonic knight has capitalized on the error. There is almost no way the Maserati can challenge the white Bugatti for third place at the finish.

Back at Lekböjen, Vitez Rychly, shot gravely, fades in and out of consciousness. Somehow, he pulls himself forward with one last heave toward the edge of the track just as the Portuguese driver cuts past the burning wreck of the orange Bugatti. The car misses Rychly's legs by inches as Gomes glances down and realizes his mistake – to have taken this side of the wreck was reckless.

To the right side of the wreck, the German gunman struggles up and lifts his pistol. He is bleeding, himself somehow shot from behind. He aims at Rychly as the Portuguese Bugatti speeds past, between the two. Suddenly, he hears a great roar from his left – there, bearing down on him is Aristide La Fountain in his the French blue Salmson. The huge racer cuts to the right, and slams into the German's arm, knocking the gun out of the shooter's hand. Another shot rings out from the wood line and the German gunman falls backward into the snowbank at the edge of the track, this time shot fatally.

Coming out of Storkurvan, the British driver, John Milk, accelerates forward, steering directly across the edge of the flames, nearly clipping the wreck of the Czech's Bugatti. His Amilcar races directly into the heat of the fire.

Farther back, the Finnish driver suddenly downshifts inexplicably. The momentum of the big Chrysler carries him forward at speed but it is clear that he will soon fall off the pace further as the tires skid slower. What is he up to? Perhaps he is slowing to ensure he can make it through the mess ahead.

Race :: Round 42 - Belgium Advances

2010-08-15T00:57:00.000-07:00

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Victor Hugo Stéphane shifts down hard to avoid skidding out of the final curve, showing his Belgian conservatism. The great yellow Duesenberg slides smoothly around, setting up a beautiful finish. Meanwhile, Teide Sorolla-Ledaal, in his Bugatti, struggles into the curve. The Volcán shifts down and prepares for a daring dash to catch the Belgian at the finish. It could work – but only with good luck and explosive driving. The true nature of the Volcán is about to put to test.

His red scarf snapping against the wind, Italy's Sebi Orsi glances back. The German's white Bugatti is closing fast. Unexpectedly, Orsi slams on his brakes. He skids the Maserati short within the chicane, forcing the German nearly into disaster. Hegkman dodges to the right and drive his white Bugatti through the debris that fills the track, barely holding the car in the chicane as the balding tires nearly skid out. He slams on the brakes to avoid spinning out. The Italian's move has burned the last of Hegkman's brakes – but it has also cost Orsi dearly. Both cars are now set for a final dash for third place, the German barely edging out Orsi for the run to the final curve.

At Lekböjen, beside the burning wreck of his Bugatti, Vitez Rychly struggles to pull himself off the track. He turns his head and sees the German gunman step to the edge of the track. The man raises his gun and fires. The bullet impacts the snow bank inches from Rychly's skull. The German smiles as Rychly makes a last desperate attempt to pull himself up the snowbank. He has nowhere to go. Another shot rings out – another bullet into the snowbank. From this distance, how can he miss? He must be toying with the downed Czech, as if enjoying it. In extreme pain, Rychly passes out just as one final shot is fired.

Meanwhile, coming toward the burning wreck, Aristide La Fontaine maneuvers his Salmson racer smoothly into the Lekböjen curve, cutting to the right edge of the track. Instantly, he spots a man standing beside the edge of the track – a gun raised in his hand, pointing across the track at something – or someone.... Momentarily, Aristide lifts his foot from the gas pedal, but then realizes there is no slowing down or stopping – he will have to drive past the shooter. Suddenly, to Aristide's surprise, the man crumples forward, as if shot from behind. His body falls across the snowbank at the edge of the track. What is all this?

Behind, Pedro Gomes skids out of Storkurvan and flashes past the French Salmson to take the position. He shifts up, hoping to gap the field now and take a confident lead – yet suddenly, a mess of fire and debris looms ahead – should he go left or right? He has but an instant to decide.... Farther back, the Britisher glides out of Storkurvan with the Finnish driver comfortably falling back. The cars are racing forward into what appears to be a gunfight.

Race :: Round 41 - Belgium Overtakes!

2010-07-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

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Suddenly, Victor Hugo Stéphane guns the engine of his great yellow Duesenberg – the American 8 cylinder responds with a throaty roar and leaps forward, closely rapidly on the Norwegian Bugatti. Trying to hold off the Beglian, Teide Sorolla-Ledaal presses forward toward the final curve, he stays to the left, in hopes of forcing the Belgian to the inside and slower. His tire chains, long an advantage in the race, hold him back as the little Bugatti is unable to make the curve. Nothing can stop the Belgian, who cuts inside and overtakes, entering the curve with incredible speed. It looks like the Belgian has it! This could the key moment of the race – can the Volcán place anything but second now without some sort of miracle?

Italy presses deep into the chicane with Germany hot behind. Hegkman's white Bugatti looks better positioned, but anything can happen on this section of the narrow, tree-lined raceway. The Italian must downshift hard to keep the Maserati from overshooting and piling into the trees, yet he does it with perfection. The driving prowess of Sebi Orsi shows clearly in this section of the course.

At Lekböjen, close to the flaming wreck of his car, Vitez Rychly tries to pull himself forward, but he cannot. The pain is too great. Suddenly, he hears the soft crunch of footsteps in the snow approaching from behind. The sound is still distant, but he recognizes it can only be one thing – the German gunman coming to deliver the coup de grace. For an instant, Rychly recalls the old days, when he still carried his Czech-made revolver. He left that behind in Prague, his days of scrapping among the lesser drivers in mountain racing long behind him. The footsteps stop and he hears a heavily accented voice calling to him. “Vitez!” The accent is that of the German gunman. He calls again, “Vitez – Auf Wiedersehen.” A single shot rings out.

Back at Storkurvan, Aristide La Fontaine skids out of the curve, making an incredibly adept slide to prevent a disastrous overshoot. With this, he is positioned to take the curve at Lekböjen. With caution, he eyes the flames, now a reddening glow – it is a gasoline fire. He wonders which driver it was and if the man had escaped the inferno somehow. No driver could survive that. Left or right? Which route will be best?

The Portuguese car, in the hands of Pedro Gomes, cuts to the inside in a bid to catch the Frenchman. Close by, the British and Finnish drivers vie for position, only inches apart as they come around Storkurvan. The Britisher has the advantage as the Finn has too much speed to hold to the curve on the inside line. He must slow and yield, giving Milk the lead for the moment. Once again, Myrsky falls into the all too familiar last place.... Yet, the race is far from over for these cars, a knot of four racers far off the pace of the leaders.

Race :: Round 40 - Explosion at Lekböjen!

2010-07-09T18:59:00.000-07:00

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The Norwegian driver, Teide Sorolla-Ledaal, shifts up and attempts to break away toward the final curve. Grinding his clutch, he sputters forward. The little Bugatti coasts out lamely onto the pine-lined straight, losing all momentum. Directly behind, the Belgian Duesenberg powers through the chicane and closes rapidly. Victor Hugo can smell the exhaust pipes of the fiery Volcán now – he looks likely to overtake for a victory! But will the Norwegian somehow hold on? This is going to be a close one!

Germany presses on staidly as Sebi Orsi's Italian Maserati leaps forward in high gear. Suddenly, the Italian's red hot nature takes hold and the Maserati burns past the German in 5th gear, carrying incredible speed. Hegkman falls back to 3rd position, as he watches the Italian's red scarf snapping in the breeze. The two cars are now in the narrowest part of the course as they approach the chicane.

Meanwhile, at Lekböjen, Vitez Rychly scrambles away from the growing pool of gasoline. Another gunshot rings out. The bullet could have easily hit him, but instead it appears that it was fired purposefully to miss. He glances up to see the bullet ricochet off the under body of his orange Bugatti, sparking brightly. In an instant, he realizes that the German is attempting to set fire to his racer! The gas ignites with a sudden whoosh and the the ice and car are aflame.... Had Rychly slipped again, he would have been in the inferno, but now the car blocks the track amidst the flames. Rychly scrambles toward the far snowbank, the smoke shielding him from the shooter's wrath. He hears another shot – suddenly his left leg gives out from under him and he falls to the ice. Looking down, he sees blood on his thigh.... Through the smoke, the German shooter took a lucky shot and somehow hit him. He turns to crawl toward the snowbank, the heat of the flames too close.

Meanwhile, back at Storkurvan, Aristide La Fontaine shifts down and yet still skids deep into the curve. The Frenchman cannot seem to time his entries into any of the curves today – perhaps it is because of the ice or perhaps the tuning of the great blue Salmson racer if off. Aristide curses – but then stops as he sees a fireball erupt directly ahead on the track. Are there any lanes open? Perhaps the rightmost side? Or perhaps through the smoke on the left? He cannot tell.... He reaches for the gear shift handle and wonders what has happened, remembering Nice. He can see nothing, but wonders – could it be Rychly's car in a wreck at the snowbanks?

Farther back, The Portuguese and British drivers cruise into the big curve with near perfection, while Finland again falls just short. Forced to the inside, he must now take the curve on the wrong racing line, though he has slight advantage on British car.

Race :: Round 39 - More Action at Lekböjen!

2010-06-05T05:53:00.001-07:00

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The Norwegian driver shifts down hard and gracefully cruises around the tight bends of the narrow chicane at Barrböjen. Suddenly, the explosive nature of the Volcán seems contained as he appears to enjoy some confidence of impending victory – why should he dare to press the car with abandon at this juncture of the race? The Belgian also shifts down hard and falls in behind with his big American Duesenberg, yet still he has the bending lanes ahead to contend with and by the time the Belgian is finished with the chicane, the Volcán will likely be into the final curve at Fiskekroken – the checkered flag looms.... Victor Hugo's only hope to overtake seems to be a miscalculation by the Norwegian driver.

Germany shifts up in a bid to overtake the Italian Maserati as the two cars race down the straight. He slides past, changing lanes to the left, yet Hegkman fumbles his gear lever and fails to make his breakaway stick. Sebi Orsi remains close behind and both cars will now vie for the lead going into the tight tree-lined chicane up ahead. It is a drag race past pit lane with the German car in the lead!

At Lekböjen, Vitez Rychly slips and nearly falls into the pool of gasoline that is rapidly growing under his car. He glances over his shoulder and sees the German take aim for another shot with his pistol. The bullet ricochets off the under body of the orange Bugatti, sparking as it does so. Somehow the gasoline surrounding the car does not ignite. His pant legs and shoes soaked in gasoline, Rychly knows now that he cannot hide behind the car – desperately, he looks around. He grabs the tire rim of his broken car and turns to make a dash toward the snowbank on the opposite side of the track. Rychly looks back again and sees VV held tightly by one of the men in the backseat of the Mercedes SSLK in the trees. Suddenly, she breaks free of her captor and hits him on the nose. He reels back and in an instant, she leaps out of the car! Slipping on the icy ground, VV falls onto the snow. She tries to pull herself away, crawling forward. In the backseat of the Mercedes, his nose bloodied, the man stands up and pulls a pistol from his jacket. Calmly, he points it at her back.

Meanwhile, racing out of Höksböjen, Aristide La Fontaine misjudges and slips his clutch, momentarily missing his gear selection. Knowing that he will fall short, he dodges to the right so as to set up an ideal racing line into Storkurvan – he rams the gear lever down and prepares to use the power of the big blue Salmson racer to his advantage. The Britisher, John Milk, also races down the straight, but cannot yet overtake the Frenchman. Finland's Tavho Myrsky cuts to the outside of the curve while the Portuguese driver, Pedro Gomes, shifts up and noses out the big Chrysler yet again, leaving Myrsky again in last place.

Race :: Round 38 - Gunfire at Lekböjen!

2010-06-01T18:22:00.000-07:00

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The Volcán presses on into the narrow chicane, creating a gap over the Belgian car. With this graceful curve, he takes a commanding lead over the yellow Duesenberg. The Belgian's gambit to shift to 5th gear did not pay off and he falls short. Now Victor Hugo must shift down as he enters the chicane.

Farther back, coming into the Hårnålskurva hairpin, Italy and Germany press closely together as both cars skid around the curve. The German taps his brakes to avoid a spin out – both cars are now set for a race down the straight, yet the German is higher gear! Is there nothing the Italian, Sebi Orsi, can do to catch Hegkman now?

At Lekböjen, the Czech Bugatti begins to drain fuel across the ice as Vitez Rychly turns and runs toward his car, hoping perhaps to take cover behind its tapered tail. He know that the German is already aiming to fire his pistol again! How long will it be that he misses? The man moves swiftly, stepping sideways toward the waiting Mercedes behind amongst the trees. He fires his pistol again, missing Rychly by inches as a second bullet impacts the Bugatti. Two other men force VV into the back seat of the SSLK – she screams out, “Vitez!!” Suddenly, Rychly sees the fuel spreading on the ice and realizes that the German must have purposefully missed him, hoping to set the car ablaze with him close by.... He tries to stop – but slips on the ice....

Back at Barrböjen, Aristide La Fontaine accelerates smoothly onto the straight. He comes out of the curve, setting up perfectly to take Storkurvan before the others. He will likely now assume a leading position among the cars in the last group. The Britisher, John Milk, slides in close by, hitting the apex of the curve with perfection, as the Finnish and Portuguese cars enter the curve behind.

Race :: Round 37 - Norway Breaks Away!

2010-05-29T19:55:00.000-07:00

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Teide “Volcán” Sorolla-Ledaal accelerates rapidly down the pit straight, maneuvering his Bugatti through the narrow tree-lined lane. He throws his head back and roars some sort of victory yell – is it Spanish? Is it Norwegian? Over the sound of the engines, none can tell, yet one thing is certain, the Norwegian is now solidly in the lead. Farther back, Belgium exits Hårnålskurva in lower gear. Victor Hugo Stéphane knows that it will be difficult to catch the little Bugatti up ahead. There remain but two more chances – one in the upcoming chicane and other at Fiskekroken where, if the Norwegian takes too much of a risk, he could fall “off the cliff” and skid too quickly onto the ice.... With his tires worn thin, there would be nothing to save him from a wreck.

Coming out of Lekböjen, the damaged Czech Bugatti skids sideways and flips onto its side. Vitez Rychly deftly leaps out and, without thought for himself, sidesteps as both the German and Italian cars flash past in high gear – the Italian is slipstreaming off the German car.... Sebi Orsi waves but Rychly takes no notice. His eyes are focused on the distant wood line where moments ago, he had spotted his missing fiancée, VV. At this section of the track, there are no spectators. The view to the wood's edge is clear and close. Rychly catches sight of VV through the trees, fighting the two men as they drag her toward a waiting car – a Mercedes SSLK. Without hesitating he leaps forward. Suddenly, a third figure steps out from behind a tree – he is closer and Rychly is surprised to see his features are distinctly German – blond hair, a thin face, a deep fencing scar on his chin.

The man lifts his hand.... What's this? He levels a pistol and fires. The bullet flies past Rychly, going wide and across the ice-covered lake behind. The Czech dives for the low protection of the snowbank at the side of the track. A second bullet flies past – it strikes the rear of the Bugatti, puncturing the fuel tank....

Meanwhile, back at Barrböjen, the French driver, Aristide La Fontaine, slides gracefully toward the apex of the curve, shifting down. Similarly, the British Amilcar pulls in tightly behind, taking the same line into the curve. The big Chrysler of Tavho Myrsky falls off the pace, short of the curve as the Portuguese Bugatti cruises out of Fiskekroken. Gomes hopes to close the gap from the rear as the cars head next toward Storkurvan – can he do it?

Race :: Round 36 - Hegkman Rams Rychly!

2010-05-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

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Teide “Volcán” Sorolla-Ledaal fumbles his gear handle as he exits Hårnålskurva. The breakaway was there for the taking, but now, it will likely turn into a race into the chicane against the Belgium. The door is now open for the yellow Duesenberg, which slides perfectly into the hairpin in close pursuit. The narrow lanes of the forested section of the track beckon as the two vie for the first spot on the podium. Yet the Norwegian is ahead – an advantage that might carry him through to the end.

Out on the ice, Vitez Rychly slides his orange Bugatti gracefully into the Lekböjen chicane – he shifts up into 5th gear, confident of a podium finish. Rychly glances back to see both the German car and the Italian in hot pursuit.... Suddenly, he realizes the Teutonic knight seems fixated.... Is he out of control?

No! The German slides, Rychly tries to cut to the side, but it is impossible – the white Bugatti of the German crashes into the already damaged Czech car, tearing the Czech's rear wheel from its axle. Over the roar of the engines, Rychly hears what sounds like the German's hard laugh – could he be imagining it? He suddenly remembers the Grand Prix d'Algiers at Staouéli.... There, at the embassy, he had struck Hegkman, his hatred of all things German taking him over the moment.... That was an insult never repaid. Now, it seems the tables are turned and the German is evening the score.E ven without looking, Rychly feels German's eyes burning through him – his car begins to skid toward the snow drift, out of control. Rychly's eyes focus on the distant wood line and he sees three figures emerge at the icy edge of the lake.... In a flash, he realizes the first is VV.... She is trying to run forward toward him – and there are two men.... They grab her and pull her back toward the trees.

Back at Barrböjen, the Swiss and Scottish cars separate and spin to a stop in the curve. Both Petrus de Salvion and Alastair MacDougall climb quickly out of the cockpit, battered but okay. The cars are damaged beyond immediate repair, all that is left to do is to get to the safety of the snowbank off the side of the track. Both drivers look back and see the French driver, Aristide La Fontaine, press past the big Chrysler of Tavho Myrsky.

Just behind, the British Amilcar skids dangerously out Fiskekroken, at the very edge of a spin out. Somehow, John Milk holds the car to the track as he nearly collides with the wreck of the Alfa Romeo Tipo B that rests directly in front of the stands along the finish line straight.

The Portuguese Bugatti follows, with Pedro Gomes in perfect control.

Race :: Round 35 - Two Cars Crash Out!

2010-05-17T18:30:00.001-07:00

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At the lead, the Volcán catapults into Hårnålskurva with perfection, while the Belgian falls off the pace slightly. With this, it looks like the Norwegian car may have set up for a first place finish against all odds! Yet his car is in terrible shape, the tires are shot and the brakes are nearly gone – can he hold on for a victory?

Farther back in Storkurvan, Vitez Rychly rounds the curve with amazing precision, shifting up to set up for the chicane ahead. Close by, the German Bugatti and the Italian Maserati close in, setting up to challenge the Czech for third place.

Suddenly, the crowd gasps! Usch... A crash!! A misjudgment and... oh, the Swiss driver and the Scot are both out! Petrus de Salvion had cut to the right to round the outside of the curve – it would have been alright, but that the Scottish driver entered the curve with such speed – he fishtailed left and right, but couldn't hold it. The blue Amilcar clipped the Bugatti from behind! Both cars, damaged from earlier collisions, are now out of the race!! The field has narrowed terribly as the last lap begins....

In Fiskekroken, France pulls alongside the Finnish driver, Tavho Myrsky. The big Chrysler roars to life as the Finn presses on the gas pedal in an attempt to outrun the great big blue Salmson racer! It is a classic battle that is developing – the two largest cars on the circuit, one of American make, the other of French design, will now be in a pitched battle for position as they both accelerate down the grandstand straight. Which will show the other mercy? Which car will prove its mettle?

Meanwhile, the British Amilcar slides onto the ice, still revving high in 3rd gear. Oh! He hits some debris!! Yet it looks like he is carrying too much speed as he exits the wood line onto the lake's frozen surface! He nearly clips the wreck of the Swedish Monza as that car slams backward into the snowbank, it is now out of the race, blocking the left lane. The Portuguese driver, Pedro Gomes, displays far more control than John Milk. He slows as he enters into the curve, setting up perfectly now to advance over the hapless British driver, who must now somehow avoid a crash in the coming moments....

For the two leaders, there is only half a lap left now – just a few more curves to the checkered flag....

Race :: Round 34 - Sweden Crashes Out!

2010-05-12T17:15:00.001-07:00

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The Volcán continues to press his lead, setting up perfectly for the upcoming hairpin. Meanwhile, the Belgian racer holds back, but wisely shifts up to prepare to capitalize on the potential of upcoming straight away. If all goes as planned, he will undoubtedly pass the Norwegian before the pit area. The Duesenberg's engine roars to life in a throaty blast as the car dances through the chicane.

Vitez Rychly slides smoothly into Storkurvan with the German Bugatti close behind. Meanwhile, the Italian, Sebi Orsi,sets up his Maserati with perfection to take the curve. All three cars are perfectly matched in speeds and capabilities as they vie for position in this, the last lap of the race. Coming down to Höksböjen, the Swiss and the Scottish drivers fall short as both fight for control down the icy straight.

Farther back, coming into the top of Fiskekroken, the Swedish car leads the pack. Without concern, the Swede shifts down hard and plows into the debris field that litters the entrance to the curve – the bottom of his car takes damage! With a rending tear, Rutger Hägglund's Alfa Romeo Monza loses a wheel. The Shark fights for control, but already knows it is hopeless.... He holds on as the car slides sideways toward the ice – there will be no stopping the Monza now as it slides toward the barriers. Directly behind, the French driver, Aristide La Fontaine, plows straight ahead in close pursuit. Like Hägglund, the Frenchman sustains damage to his great blue Salmson racer. Coming alongside at this late moment in the race, the Finnish driver, Tavho Myrsky, smiles as he flashes past the Frenchman to take the position. Amidst the chaos of the curve, the Finn's car is suddenly coming alive! The crowd roars in excitement!! This is what ice racing is all about!

Finally, John Milk of Britain passes the Portuguese Bugatti, leaving Pedro Gomes in last place.

Race :: Round 33 - Norway Pulls Away

2010-05-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

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At the front, the Volcán recovers his composure and smoothly slides into the chicane at Lekbojen. Still, the Norwegian's Bugatti is battered and in terrible shape – will Sorolla-Ledaal even finish the race? Behind, Belgium tries to close the gap but cannot as the big yellow Duesenberg comes out of Storkurvan belching black smoke.

Vitez Rychly fumbles his gear lever and fishtails out of Höksböjen, closely followed by the German's Bugatti T51A, which skids out of the curve and passes the Italian Maserati. Orsi stands on the brakes to hold the car from a spin out leaving Höksböjen. It is now going to be a close race into and through Storkurvan.

In Fiskekroken, the Swiss and Scottish cars round the top of the curve and prepare for the race down the grand stand straight away. Meanwhile, back in the Barrböjen chicane, the French driver, Aristide La Fontaine, leads, yet the Swedish shark pulls around at the last moment to overtake for position. The Finn cruises out of the chicane smoothly. Portugul's Pedro Gomes neatly cuts through the narrow chicane, while behind, the John Milk of Britain begins to close the gap.

Race :: Round 32 - Monaco Crashes Out!

2010-05-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

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At the edge of disaster, the Volcán skids through Storkurvan. The last ounces of his energy are consumed as he struggles to keep the car together. Somehow, he manages it and forges on, against all odds.... Yet behind, the Belgian's yellow Duesenberg closes the gap, confident in his ability to overtake the battered Norwegian Bugatti.

The Czech driver slides smoothly through Höksböjen, lining up for a dash to Storkurvan. Cutting through the field of debris there, his only mistake is to damage the under chassis. He shrugs it off. Hot on his trail, Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman enters the curve and sets up perfectly. The Italian, Sebi Orsi, instead guns his Maserati and overtakes the hapless Teutonic knight. Orsi cuts to the inside lane at the edge of control. Yet Orsi's skills are legendary and few expect him to spin out at this late stage in the race.

The crowd turns to see Monaco's Louis de Montignac shift up to take Fiskekroken. Roaring clear of the wooded shoreline, the famed driver presses on as the Alfa Romeo Tipo B leaps forward and skids out onto the ice. Too late, he realizes his error – the studs on his tires are too far gone to hold to the curve. He rams his foot onto the brakes, but, abused and worn, they offer no aid. As if in slow motion, the back end of the car breaks loose. Somehow, de Montignac momentarily holds the car on the line and rounds the top of the curve – yet it cannot be done. Out of Fiskekroken, the car spins right as he comes down the straight past the first grand stands! The tail end catches the snowbank at the edge and the car flips over onto its side and skids to a halt on the ice. Wrecked and twisted, it is a complete loss. De Montignac emerges, needing no help – he clambers swiftly over the snowbank at the edge of the track to safety. With one lap to go, he has made only one mistake – but it was one too many.

Behind, Switzerland and Scotland cut through the debris at the edge of Fiskekroken and prepare for the straight past the grand stand, unaware of the wreck of the Alfa just ahead. The Swiss car rumbles through the debris and takes some damage. The little Bugatti cannot take much more abuse before it will give out, but for now, Petrus de Salvion will take the risk and struggle on.

At Barrböjen, the French driver, Aristide La Fontaine, urges his blue Salmson forward. He is dogged closely by the Swede, Rutger Hägglund, whose blue and yellow Monza appears brilliant in the sunshine. Immediately behind, closing the gap, Tavho Myrsky's Chrysler looms. The Portuguese driver, meanwhile, shifts down and calmly navigates the chicane, setting up to overtake the Finn once again for position.

Finally back up to speed, the British Amilcar of John Milk rejoins the pack at the tail end. He hopes to yet catch those ahead before this, the last lap of the race, ends.

Race :: Round 31 - The Volcán Goes Hot!

2010-04-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

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Teide Sorolla-Ledaal, known as the Volcán, shifts down and presses deep into the curve still carrying too much speed. He is at the very edge of control. His tires and brakes shot, the Norwegian is risking everything now to hold the lead. It is an impulsive strategy, some would say demonstrating the hot-headed nature of his Spanish half. Even if his driving technique carries a lot of risk, the crowds erupt in cheers and applause! They simply love the Norwegian's daring!! Indeed, races are won and lost on split second decisions.

Immediately behind, on a more conservative note, Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane instead slides smoothly into the Storkurvan holding to the perfect racing line. He appears to be biding his time, awaiting the chance to overtake the Volcán when the moment is right.

At Höksböjen, the Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, rams down the gas pedal and takes the next curve with perfection. Once again, he demonstrates yet another example of relentless and pure driving skill. The orange Bugatti is handling brilliantly and Rychly is taking each curve as it comes, steadily closing on the leaders. Meanwhile, coming out of Fiskekroken, Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman and the Italian, Sebi Orsi, fall short. The Czech driver has now gapped them and appears primed to easily take a commanding lead.

Monaco's Louis de Montignac shifts up yet again and perfectly makes the Fiskekroken curve. The engine on his Tipo B purrs and this is the talent that the Prince of Monaco long ago saw in the man!

Behind, in the Barrböjen, the Scottish driver urges his Amilcar forward, only to see Switzerland's Petrus de Salvion Bernardus nose past him on the right side. Meanwhile, the Swedish shark, Rutger Hägglund, shifts down hard and edges his way into the curve. France's Aristide La Fontaine fishtails side to side and pulls alongside, barely nosing the Swede out for position. The Portuguese and Finnish drivers find themselves blocked in this, the narrowest point on the track. With nowhere to go, Gomes skids left and right to avoid colliding with the two cars ahead, who have slowed to take the chicane. It is desperate, but it pays off.

Finally, the British Amilcar of John Milk shifts up again to continue a slow acceleration hoping to rejoin the pack ahead. He will fall short of the chicane, but is far from out of the race. Whereas most other cars are running on balding tires and worn brake pads, the Britisher's car is now perfectly ready to press his advantage, sporting fresh tires and a repaired car. If he drives well, he will be assured of a mid-pack finish now.

Race :: Round 30 - Rychly Vaults to Third!

2010-04-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

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At the front of the pack, Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane rams on his brakes to hold on as the car skids through Höksböjen. Immediately behind, in higher gear, the Norwegian driver, Teide Sorolla-Ledaal, is forced to veer left to avoid a collision. He hammers through the center of the curve, running over debris and bits of tire. Barely in control, he skids dangerously out of the curve, using the last of his brakes to avoid a spin out! In seconds, the Volcán has gone from perfect positioning to barely hanging on – but he takes the lead as the Bugatti and Duesenberg vie for podium position in this, the final lap.

Coming out of Fiskekroken, Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman noses out the Italian, Sebi Orsi. Suddenly, both drivers are surprised to see the orange Bugatti of Vitez Rychly rocket past to lead them out of the curve. The Czech driver is simply relentless – curve after curve, he has advanced to now a promising podium finish. His driving has been textbook perfect, showing how to take risks and capitalizing on every bit of grace Lady Luck has through his way. The Czech could now instantly take the Höksböjen curve and thus a commanding lead over the other two stunned drivers – will the German yet defeat his nemesis, Vitez Rychly? Can Orsi challenge?

Meanwhile, struggling out of Barrböjen, Monaco's Louis de Montignac shifts up, accelerating to keep some semblance of position. Behind, an aggressive mass of drivers press toward the chicane, ready to take advantage of the Alfa Romeo Tipo B as it struggles to regain speed in the straight leading to Fiskekroken.

The Scottish driver is first into the curve, followed by the Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion Bernardus. Falling short, the French and Portuguese drivers prepare to assault the curve as well. Then, what's this? Roaring out of Hårnålskurva, the Finnish Chrysler shifts up to 6th gear! Could it be a late showing of the daring Finn's driving skill? Ahhh! No, yet once again, the most promising of circumstances result in little gain for Myrsky, who curses as the big V8 engine falters, somehow unable to propel his car forward with enough speed to overtake the cars ahead and regain his honor. No matter what he does, the Finn's luck seems to have run dry this race.

The British Amilcar of John Milk accelerates out of the pit stop, sporting fresh tires and other quick repairs. He is now in last place and must shift up to regain momentum to join the pack ahead. Perhaps his pit stop came too late in the race or perhaps his car will finish where others, barely limping along and nursing bald tires and overheated brakes, will fail in the final moments before the checkered flag. Only time will tell – yet one thing is certain, if he is to place, John Milk must now drive with the determination and daring of all Britain itself!

Race :: Round 29 - Belgium Struggles for Control!

2010-04-19T19:19:00.001-07:00

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Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane slides into Höksböjen, deep into the curve and carrying too much speed. Victor Hugo looks down and notes that his tires are near shot. In a flash, he realizes that disaster looms. He shifts down in hopes of holding on as the car skids across the outside line of the curve. Just behind, Norway enters the curve with greater control, calmly taking the outside line at perfect speed. The Volcán grins, knowing that in moments he will spring past the yellow Duesenberg for the lead.

At Fiskekroken, Italy presses ahead to nose out Germany as the two come onto the ice. Meanwhile, the Czech racer vaults out of the Barrböjen chicane and enters the Fiskekroken curve with perfection. His orange Bugatti T51A slices through the debris that litters the track, suffering no damage as the car makes yet another epic advance to continue in a relentless attack of the leaders. Rychly sets up perfectly to challenge as the German glances back. He realizes the threat of the Czech driver, whose goggled face leers dangerously close.

In Barrböjen, Monaco's Louis de Montignac rams the gear lever down and grinds the clutch as he struggles to slow the car. The maneuver works and despite his balding tires, he slows just enough to avoid a spin out.

The Scottish driver launches forward, pursued by the Swedish shark, the Swiss Bugatti and the great big blue French Salmson racer even as the Portuguese driver, Pedro Gomes, falls off the pace and drops back.

John Milk of Britain leaps into the cockpit of his Amilcar and yells to the mechanics to turn the crank and get the engine restarted. Sporting new tires, a tightening of the transmission nuts and some minor repairs, the British Racing Green race car is now ready to get back into the race.

Finally, back at Hårnålskurva, the Finnish Chrysler slides into view. With the right gear selection, he may yet overtake the Britisher down the straightaway and avoid a last place finish.

Race :: Round 28 - Skidding through the Hairpin!

2010-04-16T08:55:00.001-07:00

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In the lead, Belgium and Norway press on, clearly unchallenged as the final lap of the Isloppet begins. Hundreds of fans lean forward and cheer on the Norwegian driver, showing favoritism to Sweden's closest neighbor. Farther back, at Fiskekroken, Germany and Italy both fall short, sacrificing the lead to the two ahead as the gap widens. Sebi Orsi, in a rare moment, misjudges his gear handle and coasts out of Barrböjen, while Hegkman's Bugatti rockets ahead.

Meanwhile, in the chicane, Vitez Rychly cuts smoothly through the curve as Monaco skids forward alongside. Yet Louis de Montignac is only barely in control of his Tipo B, and he must now slow hard to avoid spinning out at the exit to the chicane. Clearly, Rychly will now again pull away as both cars will race toward Fiskekroken.

The British driver, John Milk, pulls into the pit stop and leaps out of the cockpit to help with the repairs. Cruising rapidly ahead to close the gap, the Scottish nationalist, Alastair MacDougall, presses on. He will now overtake the Britisher's car.

Back at Hårnålskurva, the four wolves jockey for position. Sweden skids out of the curve in a bid to set up for a rapid dash down the tree-lined lanes. He is closely followed by the Swiss driver, who skids out behind and slams on his brakes to avoid a collision. In the hairpin, France noses out the Portuguese driver for the lead, but only by inches. And at the tail end, the Finnish Chrysler continues to drive ahead ponderously toward a near certain last place showing.

Race :: Round 27 - Belgium and Norway Unchallenged Now!

2010-04-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

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At the front, Norway and Belgium continue to battle for position as the two race nearly side by side through Fiskekroken. Both are identically positioned now for the drive toward Höksböjen. Clearly the Belgian Duesenberg is a good match for Norway's Bugatti. Yet the Belgian's tires are shot, while the Volcán appears in better condition to press for advantage into the last part of the upcoming, final lap of the Isloppet.

At Barrböjen, Italy dodges left, forcing Hegkman's Bugatti into the field of debris lining the inside of the curve. The Teutonic knight, however, casually flicks the wheel left and right and avoids the danger, overtaking the Italian in the process. Hegkman's discipline is showing benefits now as the two position for Fiskekroken.

Vitez Rychly rams down the gears in his Bugatti T51A, skidding the tires and burning rubber as the car fishtails at the edge of control. From 6th gear, he drops to 3rd and takes the entrance to Barrböjen perfectly. Such driving is the Czech's signature here in Sweden. Conversely, Monaco's Louis de Montignac falls short of the chicane, losing his bid to close with the Czech in the tree-lined mid-section of the course.

The British driver, John Milk, continues to drag the car forward slowly in 2nd gear. Time is bleeding off the clock as he crawls the wounded Amilcar toward the pit stop. He glances back in time to see the the Scottish nationalist, Alastair MacDougall, skid aggressively around the hairpin at Hårnålskurva. Instantly, the Scot sees the Britisher's green Amilcar ahead – he throws his head back and howls a Scottish war cry.

From the sidelines, a Scottish fan bellows, “Remember Culloden, laddie!”

Meanwhile, the wolves fall short of Hårnålskurva, leaving it to Scotland alone. These four cars are now in a fateful match up to see who will make it through the hairpin. Even over the raw sounds of the engines, a collective gasp can be heard as it ripples through the crowds. All realize that an accident may be all but unavoidable now as the four cars will funnel into the hairpin with insufficient spacing.

Finally, the Finnish Chrysler powers out of Storkurvan yet somehow falls short of making the Lekböjen chicane. More advantage is lost as the Finn's hapless journey around the track continues to careen into a near certain last place finish among the field.

Race :: Round 26 - Rychly Moves Up!

2010-04-07T16:49:00.000-07:00

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As Norway and Belgium race ahead, they slide into Fiskekroken, running side by side. Neither driver will give quarter! The yellow Duesenberg inches past the Bugatti., but only by a hair The Volcán grits his teeth and prepares to fight for the position as both will momentarily come onto the ice.

At Barrböjen, Italy cruises into the chicane, closely followed by the German Bugatti. Hegkman looks to be enjoying himself, closing within inches of the already damaged Maserati. Both cars remain still cautious, neither wishing to burn too much tire at this point in the race.

Behind, the opposite is true for the Czech, Vitez Rychly. His orange Bugatti presses forward in 6th gear, all caution thrown to the icy winds that whip the car. Mere feet away, the trees lining the roadway flash past. Hundreds erupt into cheers, urging the Czech forward. Rychly is unfazed, the very picture of control. Despite the temptation to twist to look for his beloved Vilhelmina amidst the crowd back by the pits, he remains steadfast in his pursuit of the leaders. Falling short of the curve, he has no choice now but to ram the gears down hard, but he is well-positioned to challenge for the podium now....

Monaco's Louis de Montignac presses on, bypassing the pits. Meanwhile, the British driver, John Milk, shifts down to 2nd gear, obviously lining up to take a stop. Yet he fumbles the gear lever. The car barely crawls forward. He will sacrifice yet more time to take a pit stop as a result – it is a terrible turn of events for the Britisher.

Racing out of Lekböjen, the Scottish nationalist, Alastair MacDougall, presses his Amilcar forward with abandon, but misjudges the transition from the ice to the roadway. He falls short of the hairpin at Hårnålskurva and now must shift down hard, opening opportunities for those behind to close the gap and challenge him.

And indeed, like a pack of hungry winter wolves, those four cars form up for the assault on Hårnålskurva. Their sights are set on the blue saltire of the Scot's Amilcar. It will likely become very crowded in the hairpin – and will any yield?

At the tail end, Finland comes around the outside lane of Storkurvan, his engine complaining heavily as Tavho Myrsky seems unwilling to press ahead to regain advantage. The Belgian and Norwegian drivers look across the ice and both they realize that it might be possible to lap the hapless Finn before the end of the race. What an embarrassment for one of the world's greatest ice racing nations. The crowd begins to jeer at the Finn, urging him on to at least try to regain some honor....

Race :: Round 25 - Rychly Charges Forward

2010-04-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

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Norway and Belgium skid dangerously out of the Barrböjen chicane. The yellow Duesenberg's tires are shot but the Belgian drives on with abandon. Farther back, Italy shifts down and approaches the curve, glancing back to see the German, equally cautious, shifting down as well.

Coming out of Hårnålskurva, Monaco's Louis de Montignac and the British driver, John Milk, shift up and ram the throttle down, hoping to press ahead and hold on to the lead from the orange Bugatti of Czechoslovakia. Yet there is no chance – Vitez Rychly takes another curve with perfection. The Bugatti roars through the tree-lined hairpin curve, eating up the circuit now.

In a supreme sign of confidence, Rychly has already shifted up to 6th gear coming off the ice. This was an all or nothing play yet again, highlighting talents he learned on the mountain circuits of his homeland. There can be no holding back now as he cuts the corner in a cloud of gravel and dirt. With such speed, the Czech will soon even challenge Hegkman and Orsi up ahead as they come into the Barrböjen chicane.

The Scottish nationalist presses his Amilcar deep into Lekböjen, comfortable now that he has a clear track around him. He sets up to follow Rychly's line into the hairpin, hoping for good luck. Through the forest, he cannot see the British car any longer, but he knows it must be just ahead....

Meanwhile, back at Storkurvan, the Swiss and Portuguese Bugattis press ahead. The French Salmson and the Swedish car fall into a line abreast coming out of the great curve. Finally, still off the pace Finland slides left to the outside lane of Storkurvan. The great Chrysler closes the gap, but only a small bit.

Race :: Round 24 - Into Barrböjen!

2010-03-30T18:55:00.000-07:00

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Norway shifts down hard and takes the Barrböjen chicane, cutting across the narrow road between the tall pines. The Volcán glances over and is shocked to see the yellow Duesenberg of Belgium pull alongside! The Belgian driver, Victor Hugo Stéphane, waves his hand against the harsh and frigid wind, then reaches for the gear shift – his hands are nearly frozen with frost bite.

Meanwhile, Sebi Orsi lets the two leaders pull away, staying in 4th gear and biding his time. Perhaps he is too casual, for not far behind, the German, Godeschalk Hegkman, guns his little white Bugatti in a bid to catch the Italian's bright Maserati. Indeed, it will be a race into the Barrböjen chicane.

Back in Hårnålskurva, Monaco's Louis de Montignac presses around the outside of the curve, closely pursued by the British driver, John Milk. Both shift down hard to 2nd gear in a bid to avoid overrunning the curve, grinding their gearboxes against the over speed. Each driver manages to avoid a dangerous skid and both have lost momentum and slowed greatly.

The Britisher twists to look back, knowing who is closing in from behind. He sees the Czech Bugatti slide smoothly into Lekböjen. For Vitez Rychly, this was an all or nothing gambit – had he fumbled his gears just then, he would have likely undershot the curve. With that, he would have certainly wrecked the car into a snowbank nearby. Yet Rychly's touch on the gear handle remains sure. Once again, his driving is the epitome of control. Perhaps it is luck, perhaps it is fate, but without doubt, the Czech driver is now ready to challenge into the top five. He will likely overtake both the British and Monegasque cars before Barrböjen as they both struggle to build speed after the risky hairpin. But only if Rychly can also ace Hårnålskurva....

The Scot, Alastair MacDougall, rockets around the far lane of Storkurvan, perfectly positioned for the upcoming chicane. Farther back in the great curve, the Swiss Bugatti, the French Salmson, and the Portuguese Bugatti battle for position – they look over to the Monza driven by Sweden as it closes the gap and slides toward the apex, overtaking Gomes.

Finland skids out of the Höksböjen curve, setting up for Storkurvan. He has fallen off the pace but could once again challenge for the middle of the pack if he drives with abandon now. Perhaps the Finn's Chrysler is not performing well or perhaps Myrsky is merely biding his time – the race is only half way through and, with care, he stands a reasonable chance of finishing without too great a point penalty. He must choose now – a wild race or a careful one.

Race :: Round 23 - Mad Dash to Barrböjen!

2010-03-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

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Norway presses on, fighting against the drag of his tire chains as he struggles to set up for the upcoming Barrböjen chicane. Despite his high gear, he cannot quite break away from the others, who press on stoically.

Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane cuts to the right to avoid the debris that litters the track, closely followed by Sebi Orsi of Italy. The sound of the big American Duesenberg overpowers the red Maserati's more refined purr. Orsi seems content to sit for now in third place. Among the leaders, it appears that the top three are a near certainty for the podium, though only half the race is done. Will none other challenge?

Germany slides gracefully into the Hårnålskurva hairpin, while both the Monegasque and British drivers fall short, crowding one another for position. Both will now have to shift down hard if they are to survive the curve.

Farther back, in Storkurvan, Vitez Rychly guides his Bugatti around in preparation for the run into the upcoming Lekböjen chicane. He is all alone, safely nestled between the two packs of cars – one pack of leaders ahead and the other pack of trailing cars falling off rapidly now behind. Only the Scottish Amilcar can possibly catch him, if he makes a mistake in the upcoming curve. Rychly eyes the upcoming curves.... Yes, if he times his gear selections correctly, he may yet overtake the John Milk of Britain and Louis de Montignac of Monaco as they soon race down the straight toward Barrböjen.

The Swiss Bugatti, in the capable hands of Petrus de Salvion Bernardus, literally flies out of Höksböjen and overtakes the French Salmson. Yet now, both are short of taking Storkurvan and are badly positioned. Each will likely suffer as a result.

The Portuguese driver, Pedro Gomes, misjudges and skids desperately out of the curve, barely in control. Still, he has a fresh car and he can afford the tire burn. With a laugh, he overtakes the Swedish Alfa Romeo Monza of Rutger Hägglund.

Finland pulls to the right and gently eases the big Chrysler around the outside of the curve – it is looking almost hopeless for the Finnish ice racer and indeed, many of the fans from Helsinki are already cursing, shouting at him to press on with greater speed. Surely, Finland, the most renowned of the Scandinavian ice racers, will not hang in last place through the race!

Race :: Round 22 - The Volcán Erupts!

2010-03-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

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Norway's famed ice racer, Teide Sorolla-Ledaal, explodes out of the backfield in an aggressive launch to take the lead. This is why he is known as the “Volcán!” The Bugatti's engine screams as he shifts up into 6th gear for a dash down the straightaway toward the Barrböjen chicane. With this he may well establish a commanding lead over the others.

Meanwhile, Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane glances to the right to watch the Volcán pull ahead, but he is in lower gear – can he stay the course and keep in the running or will he shift down and take a pit stop? One and a half laps remain and most believe that this is realistically the last likely time for any of the cars to take a pit stop and repair.

Italy's Sebi Orsi is also in lower gear and now he cannot shift to 6th and try to stay the course with the Norwegian, despite the power and light weight of his Maserati. Yet Orsi seems pleased – his red scarf snaps in the breeze as he puts the pedal down, willing the damaged Maserati forward.

Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman overtakes Monaco. Britain is in trail and together they race toward the hairpin at Hårnålskurva. All three do not shift up, somehow willing to sacrifice the chance at the podium for the moment – although a long race is still ahead and anything can happen.

Back at Storkurvan, Vitez Rychly fishtails his car as he enters the curve. Immediately behind, falling just short, the Scottish Amilcar comes up, yet MacDougall has yet to close the gap much against the Czech Bugatti.

In Höksböjen, France and Switzerland both cut to the apex of the curve, still locked tightly together. Frances skids, but the Swiss car jams the back of the big Salmson racer, damaging both cars. At these speeds, real damage is done. Indeed, five of the remaining thirteen race cars are badly damaged now. How many will fail to complete the race? Will any take a pit stop to repair the damage? Will Aristide La Fontaine manage to make it into Storkurvan before the Swiss driver? If so, this will give him the breathing room he needs to advance against the Scot just ahead, and ensure that the Swiss car doesn't hound him as closely.

Portugal breaks ahead and closes the gap on Sweden into Höksböjen. Finland, however, falls off the back of the pack and finally loses the match with Portugal for last place – for the moment at least.

Race :: Round 21 - Germany Overtakes Britain!

2010-03-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

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At the lead, Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane continues to dominate, but is too slow to take the upcoming hairpin – is he planning a pit stop? It is hard to tell.

Behind, at Lekböjen, Norway, Italy, Monaco and Britain cruise into the chicane. Yet Germany surprises the field and leaps forward in a slingshot out of Storkurvan. Hegkman overtakes Milk's British Amilcar! The white Bugatti T51 is showing its merit!

Vitez Rychly presses forward, but falls just short of entering Storkurvan, while behind, Scotland tears through the debris field without sustaining any damage. MacDougall sets up to advance, hoping to close the gap on the Czech Bugatti as the two cars race through Storkurvan.

Farther back in Höksböjen, France's Aristide La Fontaine slides to the right and cuts off the Swiss Bugatti. The two cars are tightly spaced, the Swiss nearly touching the rear of the big blue Salmson. Petrus de Salvion Bernardus grits his teeth. If he is to overtake in the curve, he will have to cut to the left and run through the debris field – yet what other option will there be? Only the outside lane is free.... Or, no.... In a flash, he recognizes another option is available, even as he realizes that the tilt of the French driver's head means that he also sees it....

Sweden continues forward while behind, both the Finn and the Portuguese drivers race one another through the curve, still side-by-side after nearly a half lap running near neck and neck in a tie for last place.

Race :: Round 20 - Belgium Soars!

2010-03-15T18:30:00.001-07:00

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Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane presses ahead, suddenly putting a gap to the field. The great yellow Duesenberg claws forward across the ice-covered surface of Laxforsen. Norway presses out of Storkurvan but can't seem to get enough power out of the Bugatti to make it to Lekböjen.

Meanwhile, Italy and Monaco stay close and come around the outside of the curve, while the British racer cuts to the inside and lines up to overtake the two in the dash to the upcoming chicane.

Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman slows through Storkurvan, falling badly behind. Despite shifting up, the Bugatti does not advance. Hegkman's only advantage is that no other will likely put his single seat Bugatti T51 at risk of a collision. From this point, just in trail of the lead pack, he can sit on his perch, waiting for disaster to befall those ahead and then, perhaps in the third lap, press to rejoin the group and hammer out a podium finish. It is a hopeful plan, given the extraordinary performance of the Belgian's Duesenberg and Vitez Rychly's cunning advance from behind.

Farther back, the Czech racer continues to dominate the middle of the pack, now setting his sights on the white Bugatti ahead. Rychly is taking each curve with extraordinary precision, the very picture of driving art as he hits every apex, every curve, time after time with amazing accuracy.

The Scot, Alastair MacDougall, comes into the Höksböjen curve. He eyes the orange Bugatti and takes the racing line, despite the risk of damage from the debris that now litters the track.

France's Aristide La Fontaine presses past the Swiss Bugatti into the approaches to Höksböjen. Both cars steady themselves in preparation for the challenge of the icy turn.

At Fiskekroken, Sweden slows and gingerly takes the curve while both the Finn and the Portuguese drivers press into the entrance of the curve, side-by-side.

Race :: Round 19 - Sweden Suffers Badly

2010-03-11T15:55:00.000-08:00

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Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane continues to dominate in the lead position. The great American Duesenberg racer roars around Storkurvan with perfection. Norway, Italy and Monaco hold position, taking a conservative line, while the British racer overtakes Germany on the inside to come up alongside de Montignac.

Farther back, the Czech racer, Vitez Rychly, shifts down and brilliantly slides into the inside lane of the Höksböjen curve, neatly cutting past the Scot, Alastair MacDougall. The saltire-painted Amilcar falls short and MacDougall watches sadly as the orange Bugatti dashes past, continuing his climb back toward the lead pack. Over the past half lap, Rychly has steadily moved up, challenging and overtaking multiple cars as he continues to press forward, his tires and brakes fresh from the recent pit stop.

Back at Fiskekroken, Switzerland and France maneuver through the curve as they come back onto the ice. Both drivers shift up in hopes of pressing to the following curve, only inches separating their tires.

Meanwhile, the Swede, Rutger Hägglund, struggles forward on his tire chains, clattering into the entrance of the curve from behind. It is a daring move, however, given the amount of debris littering the track. Terrible luck befalls the Swede as his car takes extreme damage to the under body! In an instant, the race has now changed for the Hajen. Risking another run through more debris will likely spell disaster for the badly damaged Monza.

Finally, the Finn and the Portuguese continue their race for last place, finishing the chicane as they prepare for the dash to Fiskekroken.

Race :: Round 18 - Belgium Leaps Ahead!

2010-03-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

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Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane leaps past Norway to take the lead, driving deep into Storkurvan. Norway slides left to take the curve with perfection, while behind, Orsi calmly positions himself for third place, sacrificing the lead for the moment. Monaco skids dangerously out of the Höksböjen curve, barely in control, shredding his tire spikes and burning brakes as he struggles to avoid spinning out, such is the speed he carries. Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman smoothly exits the curve, with Britain tucked in close behind. Farther back, Scotland and the Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, storm out of Fiskekroken, vying with one another for the lead. Switzerland and France shift down hard and come into the center of the curve, back on the ice. The Swede steadily advances while the battle for last place continues between the Finnish racing hero, Tavho Myrsky, and Portugal's sheep-frenzied driver, Pedro Gomes.

Race :: Round 17 - Denmark Crashes!

2010-03-06T21:01:00.001-08:00

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Coming out of the Höksböjen curve, Diederik Olsen of Denmark struggles at the wheel. His Alfa Romeo Super Sport narrowly clips the snowbank to the right and slides toward the center of the track – the Dane corrects, but the front tire twists and the car spins to the left, out of control. Realizing it is hopeless, the Dane braces himself for a crash. The car flips onto its side as it spins. It skids to a stop at Storkurvan. The Dane is uninjured. He scrambles clear.

Behind, Norway's famed Volcán cuts across the apex of Höksböjen, overtaking Sebi Orsi for the lead. He cuts through the debris that litters the track, damaging the underside of his Bugatti in the press for advantage. Nonetheless, he skids out of the curve into the lead. The Volcán glances back to see Orsi's Maserati pull around.

The Belgian driver, Victor Hugo Stéphane, follows the Norwegian closely, cutting past Orsi into second place as the three cars line up. The yellow Duesenberg has run through the debris field as well, damaging to the car.

Germany and Monaco fall in behind, with the British driver, John Milk, taking the curve with great skill, his Amilcar perfectly positioned.

At Fiskekroken, the Scot cuts to the inside as Vitez Rychly, clearly back in the race after his pit stop, cuts left across the French car, blocking the way. With a laugh, Rychly tears off one of his gloves and flings it at Aristide. The French driver ducks and cuts in behind, but for an instant, he loses control of the great Salmson and it clips the Czech Bugatti from behind, damaging both. Finally, the Swiss driver cuts into the mix, crowding the corner dangerously.

Sweden's Rutger Hägglund maneuvers through the Barrböjen chicane, avoiding the debris that litters the track on the right side, all alone. Meanwhile, farther back, Portugal and Finland accelerate, positioning themselves for the upcoming Chicane in a race for last place.

Race :: Round 16 - Denmark on the Edge!

2010-03-02T13:27:00.001-08:00

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Sebi Orsi slides into the Höksböjen curve, willingly sacrificing his lead position to the two cars who follow. Denmark's Diederik Olsen realized too late his predicament and is now suddenly caught in too high gear and carrying too much speed into the curve. He struggles to hold the car as it skids forward. In a flash, he races past Orsi, who salutes Olsen as the Dane goes by. Olsen cuts left to take the apex of the curve, hoping that the Alfa Romeo Super Sport will live up to its reputation. He barely holds on as the car skids back to the right through debris on the track. He is far too fast! Olsen can feel the car sliding away as he comes to the edge – in a flash, he recognizes the inevitable. There is no escaping a crash now. A snowbank looms to the right. He must hold it onto the track. The long skid begins....

Norway's famed Volcán follows, watching the Dane's car in horror. Yet the Norwegian is in better control. He noses out Orsi for the position. Behind, the Belgian driver, Victor Hugo Stéphane, pulls into the curve in complete harmony with his great American car. The yellow Duesenberg purrs as it moves into position to soon challenge for the lead.

Behind, Monaco's Louis de Montignac skids and slides his way out of Fiskekroken, tearing the spikes and tread off of his tires. The Alfa Romeo Tipo B holds together – it is a desperate ploy, but it works, putting de Montignac back into the hunt. Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman presses ahead too, skidding his way down the start straight, his white single seat Bugatti blending in nicely with the snow and ice. Behind, John Milk takes his Amilcar through the rest of the curve. He glances over to nervously eye the Scottish nationalist, Alastair MacDougall, who presses in. Yet MacDougall has miscalculated. He fumbles his gear change and falls short of the curve, giving the Englishman some needed breathing room.

The French driver shifts down hard completes the chicane. He is surprised to see Vitez Rychly's orange Bugatti pull past to edge out the position, but the Salmson racer is not to be so easily overcome. Behind the pair, the Swiss driver comes forward in hot pursuit, while even further back Sweden's Rutger Hägglund shifts down and takes the Barrböjen chicane. His Alfa Romeo Monza is showing its dominance now as the Swede begins to close the gap on the middle of the pack.

Finally, roaring out of the pits, Portugal's Pedro Gomes slips his clutch and slows the Bugatti, despite an earlier near perfect restart. Tavho Myrsky instead shifts up and rams his foot to the floor, passing the Bugatti with aplomb. The huge Chrysler's engine strains and roars as Myrsky laughs, enjoying the pursuit. While these two cars are in last place, their tires are fresh and the damage is repaired – if they can drive well now, they know that they will end the race in good position.

Race :: Round 15 - Out of Fiskekroken!

2010-02-27T20:01:00.001-08:00

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Sebi Orsi maneuvers his red Maserati smoothly down the straight. He is the first to complete the initial lap of the three that compose this year's Isloppet. Immediately behind, Denmark's Diederik Olsen skids out of Fiskekroken, his tires smoking viciously, the studs and tread torn off.

Close by, Norway's famed Volcán smokes his way out of the curve with greater caution and control than the Dane. Both cars are positioned to challenge the Italian for the lead. Sebi Orsi's gambit to gap the field was short lived – now, once again, he will be in the melee as the cars stretch toward Höksböjen.

The closest to challenge Orsi is Denmark's Alfa Romeo Super Sport. However, the car is in desperate condition. Yet still Olsen races on! Ah, no!! It appears he has made a terrible mistake – Olsen is accelerating fast in high gear! As the upcoming curve looms, the Dane's ice racing skills will be put to the test. In his eyes, a flicker of recognition registers of the danger ahead. He glances at his front tires, running nearly bald, and realizing that it will take more than a little luck to survive the upcoming curve....

With greater care, the Belgian, Victor Hugo Stéphane, slides his way through Fiskekroken, with Germany easing in farther back on a conservative line. Both drivers are surprised to see Monaco's Louis de Montignac fly past and press deep into the curve. Likewise, the British Amilcar, with John Milk at the wheel, skids past, overtaking Germany with too much speed. On the ice, there is little they can do to shift down.

Farther back, the Scottish nationalist, Alastair MacDougall lightly slides his way out of the Barrböjen chicane. From behind, vaulting forward to overtake several cars in high gear, France's Aristide La Fontaine takes his great Salmson racer into the chicane. Yet like so many others, he carries too much speed. The only car to carry the Tricoleur in the Isloppet is barely in control!

The French fans gasp as suddenly, a puff of white smoke appears from under the car – pieces fall away as the engine sustains damage from the stresses put upon it by the daring racer. Debris and oil litters the right side of the curve, right at midpoint but the Salmson grinds onward.

Just behind, the Swiss racer hammers into the chicane, his little red and white Bugatti T51 snaking its way forward. Also, in mid-pack despite his pit stop, the Czech racer, Vitez Rychly, accelerates smoothly into the chicane. He takes it with a perfection that evidences his extraordinary driving talent – and perhaps a bit of luck as well. He waves a salute at the French racer, letting him pass by.

Sweden's Shark presses on, still short of the chicane, while Portugal and Finland trail the pack, coming out of their pits. Unlike almost all other cars in the race, their cars are refreshed. Both drivers feel secure now in the knowledge that they can press through the rest of the Isloppet. The great roar of Tavho Myrsky's Chrysler echos through the forests of Laxforsen, heralding the coming advance.

Race :: Round 14 - Germany Blocks Monaco!

2010-02-24T20:31:00.000-08:00

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Sebi Orsi smoothly rounds the Fiskekroken curve, confident of his lead. He turns and waves at the many fans lining the inside of the corner, much to the pleasure of the few Italians who have braved the cold to see the race. Most eyes are instead fixed upon the Norwegian and Danish drivers, who are closely behind. The roar of the crowd is deafening as they cheer on these two Scandinavian drivers, known well to those attending for past ice races across the region.

Close by, Belgium cuts into the left lane and takes the entry into the Fiskekroken curve with perfect grace. Germany is stymied by the Belgian's move. Now off his pace to enter the curve, Godeschalk Hegkman faces a sharp decision. He must either fall in behind Belgium or take the right lane. He does not hesitate – closely mirroring Orsi's Trick from moments before, he cuts to the right to block the way for any of the following cars. Together, these two cars now block the narrow roadway through the tall pines. Hegkman waves his fist at the Belgian, Victor Hugo Stéphane, who pays no heed.

Suddenly, the sound of skidding tires fills the air. Monaco flies up from behind, carrying too much speed. Louis de Montignac cuts left to avoid colliding with the German and then slams on his brakes, barely missing the white Bugatti before coming up behind the yellow Duesenberg of Belgium. De Montignac's aggressive driving technique was put to the test, but he survives the challenge by burning his brakes severely.

Both Germany and Monaco will likely shift down now to take Fiskekroken in lower gears – or will one dare a breakaway?

Also, the British Amilcar cruises smoothly out of the Barrböjen chicane. John Milk glances back casually as he accelerates the green racer. Yet he is stunned to see the blue of the Scottish Amilcar slide up from behind. Alastair MacDougall flies up into the chicane, rapidly closing the distance. It looks like it may be a close race into Fiskekroken for these two rivals.

Behind, Vitez Rychly presses ahead out of the track, shifting up into 2nd gear as he struggles to build speed and not be left too far off the pace. Once the leader of the race, he has sacrificed a commanding lead to take a pit stop and now ranks 10th in the pack. Sweden's famous Shark and the French racer pull in close, both will likely to overtake the Czech Bugatti shortly, despite his change of tires.

Portugal and Finland remain behind, both in pit stops as they finish up major work on their cars. The drivers leap into their cockpits and prepare to drive back onto the track. The Portuguese driver, Pedro Gomes, appears poised for a good start.

Race :: Round 13 - Orsi's Wicked Trick!

2010-02-21T19:16:00.000-08:00

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His red scarf snapping in the breeze, Italy's Sebi Orsi takes Fiskekroken and forces Norway to the right. The two cars nearly collide – only inches separating them as the Bugatti skids over to avoid the red Maserati. Because of the Italian's dastardly move, the Volcán is blocked and falls short of the curve!

Denmark's Olsen suddenly also finds the way ahead closed off. Despite having shifted up perfectly to overtake, now he must slam on his brakes and struggle to avoid a collision with the Italian! The Alfa Romeo Super Sport's brakes burn out in a cloud of smoke, the inside of his tire rims glowing red hot despite the freezing cold of the race.

The Dane curses as Orsi raise his fist in a salute. It was a wicked and very effective plan – Orsi will now accelerate smoothly away as the other two cars instead must now shift down to take Fiskekroken in lower gear.

In the Barrböjen chicane, Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane smokes by on the left, passing the British Amilcar. Germany's white knight, Godeschalk Hegkman, cuts left in the chicane, blocking Monaco's Louis de Montignac who now must cut back to the right to avoid colliding with the white Bugatti.

The Scottish racer, Alastair MacDougall, cruises forward toward Barrböjen, keeping reasonable position as he comes up to the chicane. Farther back, Vitez Rychly accelerates out of the pit onto the track. Behind, Portugal and Finland both skid into their pit stops and leap out to help the mechanics with some major work on the cars.

Racing out of Hårnålskurva, Sweden cuts around the French Salmson, while the Swiss racer accelerates forward, gapping the two cars in higher gear, his Bugatti engine straining to make the most of his lead.

The French racer will now find himself in a challenging and difficult position, his car in lower gears as the other two racers will soon accelerate away from him down the straight. Yet nobody will count out the French racer, who won at the Grand Prix in Nice, having “led the pack from behind” only to pass and take the checkered flag late in the race.

Race :: Round 12 - The Front Field Tightens

2010-02-19T21:12:00.000-08:00

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Rescuing himself from a looming disaster, Italy's Sebi Orsi shifts down hard. He expertly slides the little red Maserati forward and somehow skids smoothly out of the Barrböjen curve with only a little bit of tire wear as the result.

Yet Orsi is closely followed by Norway's famed Volcán and Denmark's Diederik Olsen. Both seem to be hounding him closely and unwilling to let go of any perceived advantage to take the lead. They are in the hunt, hoping to press the Italian into a mistake now and surprised that he has managed so well to survive the challenge of this last curve.

The next curve, ahead on the ice, looms wickedly for the three leaders.

Farther back, Britain's John Milk, Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane, and Germany's white knight, Godeschalk Hegkman, close on the lead group. Monaco's Louis de Montignac takes Barrböjen with astounding skill, positioning himself perfectly for the chicane.

Along pit row, Vitez Rychly takes a final glance across the track to search for VV. He cannot find her. There is nothing left to do but turn his attention back to his car. Rychly assists the maintenance crew as they work briskly on his orange Bugatti T51A. The mechanics quickly repair the oil pan and swap the front brake shoes. The other crew members swiftly replace the tires, switching to studs and leaving the chains behind. Rychly will soon rejoin the race, hoping to preserve his position with the final group of racers who are only now cutting into the hairpin of Hårnålskurva. He leaps back into the cockpit as the mechanics drop the car off the jacks.

Finland's Tavho Myrsky maneuvers toward his pit area while Portugal's Pedro Gomes cuts left with his Bugatti as he slows the car. Agonizingly, he fumbles his gear selection and falls short of entering the Portuguese pit stop. Pedro curses, his voice carrying across the pits – though few can understand the Portuguese terms he uses, it is clear that it has something to do with cursing a sheep.

The Scottish racer, Alastair MacDougall, presses forward down the straight in his Amilcar C6, hoping to catch the lead group as they cruise onto the ice. He is separated only by a few seconds from the lead pack in Barrböjen, so it is likely that he will soon make his move to close the gap.

Race :: Round 09 - Orsi Too Deep into Barrböjen

2010-02-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

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Carrying too much speed, Sebi Orsi skids his Maserati too deeply in the Barrböjen curve. With few good options, he must now shift down hard to hold on and avoid a spin out as the car slides left at the very edge of control. Both Norway's famed Volcán and Denmark's Diederik Olsen slide smoothly into perfect position in the chicane ready to overtake the hapless Italian.

Along pit row, Vitez Rychly pulls in and leaps out of his Bugatti to help speed his mechanics as they jack the car up for repairs. Meanwhile, Pedro Gomes of Portugal slows, apparently intending to take a pit and repair the damage from the previous collision.

Rocketing past, Belgium, Germany and Britain shoot down the straight in a bid to catch the lead group. Monaco's famous strategist, Louis de Montignac, who was the Épreuve winner in Algeria, wisely slipstreams off of the yellow Duesenberg of Belgium. He leaves Petrus de Salvion Bernardus in the dust.

Meanwhile, at the hairpin of Hårnålskurva, Finland's Tavho Myrsky skids through in the big Chrysler Special. The roar of its 8 cylinder engine is deafening. Yet the Finn is closely pursued by the Scot, Alastair MacDougall, in the blue and white Amilcar C6, which pulls in directly behind, inches from the rear exhaust pipe, very nearly in a collision. As usual, the Scot shows a marked aggressive streak – he throws his head back and laughs.

The French driver, Aristide La Fontaine, fumbles his gears and falls short of the hairpin. The big blue Salmson racer complains bitterly as the Frenchman falls back into the melee, trapped among trailing pack. Now, he will race the Swede and the Swiss driver for last place – what a travesty for the winner of the GP Nice to now fall so short at this critical juncture in the lap!

In the pits, Vitez Rychly frantically jacks the little Bugatti up so his mechanic can get to the damaged oil pan. Suddenly, a shiver runs up his spine. Rychly freezes. Still squatting, he looks up and across the track. Amidst the crowd of onlookers standing behind the Swiss pit, for a moment, he sees her.... A flash of disbelief hits him. No, it cannot be. Yet, he is sure. It was her.... VV was there, watching intently, her eyes burning into his heart.

More importantly, he had felt her presence – it was unmistakable. In an instant, his mind flashed back to recall the first time he had met her – how it was when she had walked into the room. A sudden hush had fallen over the others there, such was her overpowering nature. A woman like VV could not hide.

Yet what of this now? Where had she gone? Hadn't she perished in the conflagration at the GP Nice? He questioned himself – perhaps he was wrong. Maybe he had seen a ghost? He had seen the bodies himself. Yet there, in an instant, she had disappeared into the crush of people leaning over the back pit rail cheering as the other racers flew past at high speeds. He stood and looked across the track. She was gone.

No, he must have been mistaken. He looked down at his car. Then, suddenly the wind carried the scent of her perfume, so strong even over the smell of exhaust and car tires. His eyes narrowed and he knew now with certainty – she was alive. The shouts of his mechanic broke his trance. What was going on, he wondered....

Race :: Round 10 - The Volcán Explodes into the Lead!

2010-02-14T18:08:00.000-08:00

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Vitez Rychly shifts down and pulls toward his pit as Sebi Orsi flies by. The Italian turns briefly and salutes, his red scarf snapping in the breeze. Less than a second later, the Norwegian Bugatti flashes by in 6th gear, hot on Orsi's tail. Teide Sorolla-Ledaal is intent on pressing for the lead.

The Volcán's explosive nature is suddenly unleashed! He overtakes the Italian in a run toward Barrböjen. Both must now shift down hard to take the chicane. The Norwegian's Bugatti is in perfect condition, giving him an advantage over Orsi's Maserati that could well spell victory – yet it is far too early to talk of such things, with more laps to come!

Farther back, in a suddenly dominating advance, Diederik Olsen, the Danish driver, accelerates his Alfa Romeo Super Sport down the straight past the pits. Clearly, he will soon challenge for the lead position among the top three cars.

Behind, the Belgian and Portuguese drivers skid dangerously out of the hairpin at Hårnålskurva. The curve is crowded – and the British driver kicks in his benzine boost to skid forward and clear the curve, overtaking Monaco by storm. Monaco and Germany take the hairpin carefully.

Aristide La Fontaine, the winner at Nice, cruises beautifully out of the Lekböjen chicane as the Finnish driver, Tavho Myrsky, pulls alongside in the narrow portion of the course as the two cars come off the ice. Farther back, carrying a lot of speed, the Scot flies forward. He zigzags his way across the ice closing rapidly on the French and Finnish cars. A quick tap of his brakes and he keeps a safe distance, avoiding a possible collision.

Farther back, Switzerland and Sweden cut into the Lekböjen chicane, no longer far off the pace. Both could now challenge the French, Finnish and Scottish drivers, as they head toward Hårnålskurva – and surprisingly, it appears that only the Czech driver is willing to take a pit stop.

Race :: Round 09 - Orsi Takes Hårnålskurva!

2010-02-11T19:28:00.000-08:00

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In the lead, Vitez Rychly suddenly shifts down despite everyone's expectation that he would shift to 6th gear and storm down the straight to stretch his lead. Could it be that he is taking a pit stop? It must be, no? Or what?

Meanwhile, Sebi Orsi takes the hairpin turn of Hårnålskurva by storm, skidding out onto the straight in a commanding second place position. A puff of white smoke kicks out of the bottom of the Maserati! Orsi has over strained his Maserati's little 4 cylinder engine! Undaunted, he presses on.

Close behind, two other cars now fly into the hairpin, timing the curve perfectly. At the head is Diederik Olsen, the icy Dane. Immediately behind is the other Scandinavian driver, Teide Sorolla-Ledaal – known as the “Volcán”. The two are ready to pursue Orsi down the straightaway toward Barrböjen, the tight and deadly chicane, and neither will give quarter.

Coming out of the Lekböjen chicane, the field is pressing in upon each other, too close for comfort as they line up for the hairpin. They are on the land portion of the circuit now, with Belgium and Portugal in the lead but too fast. They must downshift hard if they are to make the hairpin curve, while Monaco, Britain and Germany are perfectly positioned.

Farther back, still on the ice, Finland, France and Scotland are pressing ahead through Lekböjen. They hope to take Hårnålskurva and close the gap with the middle pack. Certainly, they are contemplating a daring and dangerous risk.

The lanes are narrow and there are too many cars. Surely, someone will come to grief if they press each other like this, challenging for the lead. Yet it seems that all caution has been thrown to the wind. As we say in Sweden, everyone is holding their thumbs, hoping for the best.

Finally, at the tail end, the Swedish driver slides smoothly through Storkurvan, his pace unhurried as he watches those ahead racing one another toward disaster. Will there be a pile up as too many cars crush together into the hairpin at once?

Race :: Round 08 - Orsi Rockets Forward!

2010-02-06T18:57:00.000-08:00

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Continuing his dominating drive, Vitez Rychly presses ahead off the ice and hammers through the hairpin turn of Hårnålskurva. With great calculation, he skids out of the hairpin and sets up for a high speed dash down the straightway, shifting up into 6th gear! Yet the little Bugatti's engine cannot take such stress – and complains loudly. Suddenly, a puff of white smoke kicks out of the exhaust pipe! Engine debris scatters from the bottom of the car onto the ice – clearly some damage is done!! Can Rychly hold it together? Yes... he presses on, a metallic sound rippling from the under the hood.

Farther back, the pack follows suit. Most drivers shift up, knowing that they cannot catch the Czech, but hoping to gain some advantage against each other as they head into the narrowest portions of the circuit. As the cars press through the Lekböjen curve, from farther back, Italy's Sebi Orsi suddenly maneuvers his Maserati brilliantly ahead. He dodges right and left, weaving his way through the cars ahead and with a dramatic flick of the lightweight four cylinder car, he takes 2nd place. Surprisingly, he is closely pursued only by the Danish driver in his white and red Alfa Super Sport. Diederik Olsen rockets into the midst of the pack in a daring climb for position.

The others tear into Lekböjen, pressing through the chicane in a tight knot. Few appear to be willing to let up as the narrow track looms just ahead. Best positioned are the big American Duesenberg of Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane, and Norway's famous Bugatti racer, Teide Sorolla-Ledaal – known as the “Volcán”. Most shift up to 5th gear as they hope to take the hairpin and shift up like Rychly's Bugatti into high gear.

Behind in Storkurvan, the Scottish driver, Alastair MacDougall, smoothly navigates through the curve, his driving the very picture of precision. Concurrently, the Finnish driver, Tavho Myrsky, chances the inside lane in an attempt to seize the lead of the second group. He picks up some debris from the roadway, damaging the big Chrysler's under body – yet he shrugs it off and presses ahead.

Switzerland comes in behind pressing for some advantage. The French driver, Aristide La Fontaine, hangs back in his great Salmson, avoiding the debris and yet pushing as far forward as possible into the curve. The Salmson's engine purrs as he calmly prepares for the run into Lekböjen.

Finally, Sweden's famed Hajen accelerates into Storkurvan, at the tail end of the pack, confident that many of those ahead will come to grief early in the race as they jockey for position.

Race :: Round 07 - Scotland Rams Denmark!

2010-02-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

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At the front of the pack, far in the lead, the flying Czech takes the Lekböjen curve. Vitez Rychly widens his lead with an aggressive trait no doubt learned in the hill climb events in his native country. Yet that lead will soon be undercut by his decision to drive the circuit with tire chains rather than spikes. The chains perform admirably on the ice, but once the Czech Bugatti hits the roadway, Rychly will see his commanding position eroded as the other cars close the gap from behind. Yet still, his decision to start the race on chains is largely responsible for the lead he enjoys now. With luck, he will soon be at the hairpin curve that is Hårnålskurva.

Farther back, the pack screams around Storkurvan, presses together closely at the exit as the cars prepare for the dash down the straight toward Lekböjen. At the tail end of the pack, Denmark's famed ice racer gracefully takes the racing line through the curve.... Yet suddenly, the Scottish driver, Alastair MacDougall, races up from behind and collides with the Dane's Alfa Super Sport. The Scot comes away the worse for it as the Alfa shows greater strength of body. Glancing back, Olsen sees the white teeth of the Scottish driver as he curses, barely controlling the skidding Amilcar, his heavy woolen kilt blowing around in the cockpit. Now, Denmark is slated to accelerate away, while the blue Amilcar must still struggle within Storkurvan for position against the following three drivers, France, Finland and Switzerland, who are closely matched despite the different car types. The French Salmson moans mightly, while the heavy roar of the Finnish Chrysler nearly drowns out the high pitched whine of the Bugatti's refined engineering.

Only Sweden's famed Hajen is not yet into the Höksböjen curve, his Alfa Romeo Monza dragging behind short of Storkurvan. It appears that the Swede is purposefully hanging back to preserve his tires and to keep his car undamaged for the lap. He will undoubtedly see great turmoil on the upcoming narrow road portion of the circuit, as the lead pack presses for advantage in hopes of taking the lead.

Only Rychly will likely be free of the melee that is soon to come. As all know, a single misjudgment in the straight ahead will spell disaster for any car that does not drive with care.

Race :: Round 06 - Deep into Storkurvan

2010-01-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

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Vitez Rychly continues his commanding lead as several other cars storm into Storkurvan. Yet most carry too much speed as they fight for the elusive goal of holding position. The orange Bugatti continues to press ahead alone. Farther back, England, Portugal Italy and Monaco work into the curve, most cars holding to the racing line. John Milk and Godeschalk Hegkman hold the outside line to keep a reasonable separation from the pack, while behind, a picture of graceful driving technique, the Danish racer demonstrates his expertise on the ice, smoothly shifting up as he enters Storkurvan with precision.

All of the other racers are now finished with the Höksböjen curve, except Sweden's famed shark. The Finnish driver skids clear, nearly sideswiping the Swiss racer's Bugatti, the commanding thunder of the big 8 cylinder Chrysler motor an intimidating factor in the race.

As the drivers head toward Lekböjen, it is clear that planning and gear selection will reward the best, while those who didn't properly plan Storkurvan will now fall behind as they struggle to catch up in lower gear. Many of the drivers who tested the track noted that it was here that the winners would likely be separated from the losers – and so the Lekböjen curve will play and soon split the pack into a long line....

Race :: Round 05 - Collision at Höksböjen

2010-01-23T19:27:00.000-08:00

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Vitez Rychly's Bugatti presses forward in the lead and takes Storkurvan by storm while the rest of the pack struggles to catch up. Belgium's famed racer, Victor Hugo Stéphane, fumbles his gears and loses a perfect opportunity to catch the Czech as the cars press tightly into the lead up to take the curve. The Portuguese racer pulls forward onto the straight, followed by the Danish driver whose frantic effort at Höksböjen clears him back into the tail end of the lead pack, not far behind now.

England dashes clear of the threatening Scot, Alastair MacDougall, who shakes his fist at the green Amilcar and then skids sideways to hold on through the curve. Just then, Italy's famous driver, Sebi Orsi, races alongside. Helveta! They are too close!! Orsi misjudges the skidding Scottish car – the Scot's tires scrape into the left rear wheel hub of his Maserati, causing severe damage. A hard grimace is fixed on Orsi's face, he glances over just in time to see a group of Swedish lady fans swoon, several fainting at the sight of their beloved driver now at risk. For him, the next phase of the race is now transformed to a question of survival. Perhaps he will ease off to make it to the pits for a fast repair – yet Orsi is well known for his devil-may-care attitude, less suitable perhaps for the ice than for the warm Mediterranean circuits.

Through the pack, dodging across the debris littered track, comes Switzerland's Petrus de Salvion Bernardus. Ah, but he too takes damage to the under body of his Bugatti! Nonetheless, he pulls close behind Monaco as the second pack prepares to dash toward Storkurvan. Behind, Sweden and Finland are now the last two cars, yet perfectly positioned for the dance to come as they maneuver gracefully through Höksböjen, side by side, the Monza and the big Chrysler in a battle for last place.

Race :: Round 04 - Rychly Breaks Away!

2010-01-19T21:21:00.000-08:00

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Vitez Rychly's orange Bugatti surges forward to pass Germany and Portugal, skidding toward Storkurvan. The Czech dashes through the pack, dodging right and leaving bits of his tire chain on the course behind. Yet the gamble appears to have paid off – he takes the car into a fast breakaway, leaving the others stunned at his audacity. Germany, Belgium, Portugal and the rest had shifted down to carefully manage the curve, and therefore remain close together. Yet again, despite the tight press of the racers, there are no collisions! Only Rychly is now clear of the pack!

Meanwhile, Denmark's young ice racer, Diederik Olsen, quickly slides around the outside of the curve, coming in tightly behind the Belgian's bright yellow Duesenberg. Yet Olsen carries too much speed and everyone watches as he frantically brakes and shifts down. Clearly, he has misjudged the curve. The Scottish nationalist, Alastair MacDougall, flies forward to close the gap directly behind the British car driven by John Milk. Now, the two Amilcar's are scant inches apart! Even at these speeds, the Englishman can see behind the wild-eyed look of the Scot, his nostrils flaring as he looks all the part of a fighter ace descending on his prey....

At the rear, Sweden and Switzerland cruise forward, satisfied to hold some distance from the pack ahead, while Finland continues to drag, falling farther behind.

Race :: Round 03 - Portugal Rams Germany

2010-01-15T17:55:00.000-08:00

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At the lead is the immaculately dressed German driver, Godeschalk Hegkman. He is bedecked in a white, fur-lined and hooded coat, his crest embroidered on the left breast. To ward off the wind, he wears ski goggles and a white scarf wrapped around his lower face and chin.

He powers forward. There, he's done it.... Godeschalk Hegkman takes the curve first! With calculated hands on the steering wheel, he power slides the little Bugatti in a desperate attempt to break away from the pack.

Yet the German cannot yet gap the field! Pursuing closely, Pedro Gomes stays right on his heels. He misjudges! Gomes rams Hegkman from behind! Pieces of both Bugattis litter the track! Hegkman glances back to briefly catch the eye of the Portuguese driver. Gomes returns a sheepish look.

The other drivers press forward eagerly. The field splits into a lead and a trailing pack. In the lead group, beside the German and Portuguese drivers, Vitez Rychly is there. Daringly, he shifts up in an obvious attempt to seize the lead coming out of the curve. His tires spin and the sound of his engine reaches a shrill shriek. Close on, just scant inches apart, are England, Belgium, Switzerland and Denmark. Diederik barely hangs on in his Alfa Super Sport.

The second group is lead by Monaco and Italy. France makes a move up the inside line, while Switzerland, Sweden and Scotland slide and shift lanes to avoid colliding with those in front. In this group, it is almost too close to call – as the cars edge one another out for position, the curve ahead looming dangerously.

Trailing at the back, behind everyone, is Finland's famed ice racer, Tavho Myrsky. The big Chrysler, always a good performer, seems to be letting down the daring Finn. Undaunted, he shifts up in an attempt to catch the pack – certainly he can do it, since many are now slowing for the upcoming curve of Höksböjen.

Race :: Round 02 - A Tight Field Presses Ahead

2010-01-13T17:16:00.000-08:00

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The drivers all press forward, the field bunching up tightly as they jostle for position.

Only scant inches separate the racers, yet there are no collisions! Vitez Rychly heads to the far right lane, as Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman cuts to the left and passes him. It's Hegkman to take the lead! The German throws a fist up as he flies by, but the cool Czech does not respond, his eyes are focused on the curve coming up.

The Portuguese driver, Pedro Gomes, pulls forward to parallel the Czech driver, barely edging him out for 2nd place, but that is likely to be temporary. Over the next few moments, the lead will likely shift many times as the racers vie for position.

Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane presses in closely behind Portugal while John Milk of Britain skids forward, despite fumbling his gear lever. His Amilcar's benzine fuel additives kick in to give him at least an equivalent start as the others, an advantage his car enjoys, thanks to the influence of his countryman, Wing Commander Baits, some months ago in Algiers.

Norway, Denmark and Switzerland forge on in a tight knot. There is no room for error now.

Suddenly, vaulting forward along the side is Sebi Orsi, whose Maserati leaps forward like red stallion skirting the edge of the pack. He is clearly seeking clear track ahead and dares to chance the opportunity to maneuver through the field toward the front.

Farther back, Monaco and France skid forward as both drivers shift up, while Sweden dodges artfully around the stalled Finnish driver who, having gotten the car back into gear, is now spinning his tires. The Finn floors the gas pedal of the big Chrysler as the roar of its large engine drowns out the cheers of the crowd. Many Finnish race fans are here to see Tavho Myrsky show the world what Finns can do on the ice.

Finally, the Scottish nationalist, Alastair MacDougall, slides up the rear of the Swedish car. The Amilcar's white saltire on blue haunts the pack from behind, a dangerous portent of things to come.

Race :: Round 01 - And They're Off!

2010-01-10T16:40:00.001-08:00

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Hejsan! Välkommen till Laxforsen och Norrbottens Radio! The grid is laid out and it is a glorious day, if unseasonably cold. At the front, on the wide section of the Laxforsen track, the pole position is occupied by Vitez Rychly of Czechoslovakia, the current season leader of the Grande Épreuve. Immediately alongside are three other racers, including Pedro Gomes, the new entrant from Portugal, Godeschalk Hegkman of Germany and John Milk of Britain. The latter is racing one of only five remaining Amilcar C6s in the world – and another Amilcar is at the back of the pack driven by the well-known Scottish nationalist, Alastair MacDougall.

Between these leaders and the tail of the pack are cars representing every country in this year's Grande Épreuve. The Laxforsen Isloppet is the third race of the season and many say will be the most complex. Fast moving, with ice and land portions of the course, the Isloppet will certainly offer challenges to all.

It is a very crowded field with 14 cars on the grid. The ice-covered lake portion of the track is able to handle the racers four-wide, but once the racers sweep through Storkurvan and press on to the Lekböjen chicane, the track narrows to only two wide. A hairpin then looms ahead. During the trial race a few days ago, cars were suddenly pressed tightly. A few suffered collisions in the midst of the hairpin curve. The survivors from that all took a pit stop to make repairs.

A crowd of thousands is here from across Europe. Most are Swedes, Finns, Norwegians and Danes, who have a new driver in the race, Diederik Olsen, in his highly modified Alfa Romeo 6C Supersport. An experienced racer on ice, he is the only driver to have left the fenders on his car to protect from the ice chunks that spit up when you take the curves and accelerate. The other drivers wear goggles and face masks. The famed Italian warm weather driver, Eusebius “Sebi” Orsi, has already attracted quite a large contingent of Swedish ladies who follow him around. He is dressed in a full length jacket of heavy furs and wears a full rabbit fur hat and fur-lined goggles, plus mittens made of mink and a long red Italian silk scarf.

The ball has dropped and the racers are off! The crowd surges forward against the fences and hay bales lining the edge of the track! Wheels are spinning as everyone struggles to move forward in first gear! Only those racers with chains make any headway as the other cars spin, throwing ice chunks far and wide. But wait, Finland's Tavho Myrsky has apparently stalled the big Chrysler – perhaps the engine is simply too cold to give him a good start!

Right off pole position, Vitez Rychly of Czechoslovakia pulls forward. His tire chains bite into the ice and he glances over before cutting to right and directly in front of the Portuguese driver, who is blinded by the snow thrown back into his face by the Czech driver!

Alongside, Godeschalk Hegkman, whose Bugatti also sports chains on its tires, pulls alongside the Portuguese who turns and shakes his fist. Even over the roar of the engines, the crowd can hear him yelling a curse about sheep. Meanwhile, at the back of the field, Sweden's famed shark pulls forward, dangerously close to the Finnish car, which is stalled on the track! He reaches to swerve right, but can he get around?

Laxforsen Isloppet Grid Positions Announced!

2009-12-30T21:25:00.000-08:00

The grid positions for the Laxforsen Isloppet, held on the frozen, ice-covered waterways of Sweden, are as follows:

01 - Vitez Rychly, Czechoslovakia
02 - Pedro Gomes, Portugal

03 - Godeschalk Hegkman, Germany
04 - John Milk, Britain

05 - Victor Hugo Stéphane, Belgium
06 - Teide "Volcán" Sorolla-Ledaal, Norway

07 - Diederik Olsen, Denmark
08 - Petrus de Salvion, Switzerland

09 - Tavho Myrsky, Finland
10 - Eusebius "Sebi" Orsi, Italy

11 - Louis de Montignac, Monaco
12 - Aristide La Fontaine, France

13 - Rutger "Hajen" Hägglund, Sweden
14 - Alastair MacDougall, Scotland

Race :: Round 56 - Victory to La Belle France!

2009-08-27T19:42:00.000-07:00

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France's Aristide La Fontaine presses onward in his lone, unchallenged journey to the checkered flag. With Spain's famed Teide "Volcán" Sorolla now out, the French Salmson is a certain victor. Through the smoke and debris, La Fontaine catches the first glimpse of the crowd of French fans ahead as they lean over the wattle and hay bales and flood onto the track. Despite the smoke, they can now see their favored driver will indeed finish in first place this glorious day for La Belle France. Meanwhile, Vitez Rychly shifts up and heads toward the curve at Opéra. Unlike the previous lap, he positions the car perfectly to take on the hairpin. This maneuver now leaves him virtually unopposed for second place. Behind at Paillon, Petrus de Salvion shifts down to 1st gear, now recognizing the impossibility of challenging the Czech Bugatti for 2nd place. Indeed, nothing now stands between the last three cars and the podium. All that remains is for each to confidently finish the track, secure in the knowledge of their victory this day -- and their survival.

Other victories are also now apparent, amidst tragedy and injury. Many cars are broken and cast aside, their twisted hulks tipped and askew, some heaped to the sides of the track. Nine of the twelve that began fail to finish. Moreover, several of the drivers are injured, two even seriously hurt -- from Belgium and Germany. As well, some of the race cars are damaged beyond repair. Yet amidst the shattered dreams of the many, two drivers stand out despite their loss. A crowd of French and Spanish fans joyously carry Spain's "Volcán" upon their shoulders, lifting him up and marching together toward the finish line, singing and chanting his name. Tears stream down the Spaniard's cheeks. Farther back, a group of Italians push the Maserati of Sebi Orsi along and ahead. The left front wheel is bent but still turning -- and Orsi is smiling and shouting, as if he has won the day for all of Italy. And his moment seems all the more glorious as two beautiful Niçoise ladies sit with him atop the red car, laughing and enjoying their moment in the sun.

So now we begin the long celebration as these last three cars come home to the finish. The fires and smoke of the pit area harbinger a new mystery. Amidst the confusion, there are new questions yet to be asked, let alone answered. For the moment, however, we cannot take that time. The last instants of the race are upon us. Victory and glory is upon those who have taken the flag today. France now crosses the line, then the Czech driver, Vitez Rychly -- and finally, the Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion Bernardus.

Au revoir! I will see you in Monaco, but first, the season will go to Sweden and elsewhere. This has been Jacques Hévin from Radio Côte d'Azur. Ici le Poste de Radiodiffusion de Cannes, Nice et de Juan-les-Pins; émission Radio Côte d'Azur, broadcasting on 240,2 meters, 0,8 kW and brought to you by the Société du Casino de Juan-les-Pins. Radio Côte d'Azur also covers the Region de Nice, Monaco, et Corse.

Race :: Round 55 - A Terrible Turn of Events

2009-08-25T21:22:00.001-07:00

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The famed Teide "Volcán" Sorolla shifts up and rams his foot down on the accelerator. For an instant, the car seems to pause, but then the little black Bugatti leaps forward, fishtailing right and left through the bits of wreckage from the previous lap's collision at the exit of the hairpin. Ah, mon Dieu! The right front wheel of the car catches a piece of debris! The "Volcán" cannot hold it!! The front axle twists, the wheel nearly coming off the car! Desperately, Sorolla grips on as the car careens onto the straight, skidding forward. He can see the finish line a scant hundred meters ahead -- but alas, the car grinds to a halt, its axle twisted beyond use. In a moment, the glory that was to be his is snatched away. Aristide La Fontaine puts the hammer down and speeds by, holding to the edge of the track farthest from the source of the black smoke that continues to pour from the pits. Now, with the "Volcán" out, victory is assured to France!! Farther back, the Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, expertly navigates the last challenges of the debris-strewn curve at Paillon, his sights now set on the last hairpin ahead -- Opéra. The Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion, cruises into the Paillon curve, carefully negotiating the bits and pieces of so many previous accidents and collisions. Ahead is the torn hulk of the Swedish Monza, testimony to a race that has seemed more like a disaster than a proper circuit. Surely, this day will be forever remembered as the most deadly in the history of La Grande Épreuve. Testimony to this is unfolding at Place Masséna, where Sebi Orsi lifts the two French ladies into the cockpit of his Maserati. They smile and wave! With a few words of encouragement, Orsi summons the Italian fans onto the course to push his twisted red racer forward down the track toward the finish line. One way or another, Orsi intends to bring his car across the finish line, even if the rules committee will no doubt officially rule him out of the race. Still, Orsi is clearly enjoying the moment and the adulation of the crowd, "Sebi! Sebi! Sebi!"

Yet now we reflect. In a terrible moment, the Spanish hopes have been dashed. Yet wait, what is this? A hush has settled over the crowd down on the Quai des États-Unis as the Salmson speeds away toward the finish. Those attending the race cannot believe what has happened. A race as close as this should not end with a broken wheel! Incroyable! But such is racing!! The "Volcán" stands up in the cockpit and gazes at the blue Salmson as it pulls away toward the victory ahead. He nods and then salutes Aristide, who briefly glances back -- a returned wave of recognition is made as the reality of the impending triumph settles in. Sensing the nobility of the moment, the crowd surges forward onto the track and surrounds the black Bugatti…. As one, they lift the Spanish driver onto their shoulders and begin to carry him forward toward the finish line, through the smoke and past the fires of the pits. What a day to remember!!

Race :: Round 54 - The Final Hairpin Curve

2009-08-25T07:27:00.000-07:00

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France

's Aristide La Fontaine continues to hang closely behind the Spanish "Volcán" as they enter the curve at Opéra. Their cars are just inches apart as the two make their way around the final hairpin. It looks like it will be a race to the end with the two cars neck-and-neck. The French crowd is going wild, screaming “Aristide!! Aristide!!” Yet the Spanish race fans are here as well. Over the din, almost as one, they start to rhythmically stomp their feet, first a small group, then another. Over the screams of the French, the ground shakes with the thunder of a thousand shoes, boots and sandals upon the Quai des États-Unis! And from the masses, the low moan of the beginnings of a song begins to stir. The Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion, now flies into the curve at Jardin, his Bugatti giving one last run to catch the Czech, Vitez Rychly, who races into the Paillon curve. There, he hopes that his narrow lead will carry him to a podium finish. At Place Masséna, Sebi Orsi emerges from the crowd of cheering fans with two beautiful French ladies, one on each arm. He waves jauntily to the assembled masses and walks toward his bent Maserati, the crowd filtering in from behind…. He smiles and pumps his fist up and down, looking every bit like the winner of the race. The last cars on the course have disappeared into the black smoke that streams from the pit area. For those nearby at the northern edge of the track, who will have won and who will have lost is to be an unknown. So, caught up in the moment, the crowd begins to cheer, “Sebi! Sebi! Sebi!”

Race :: Round 53 - Racing into the Final Curve

2009-08-20T21:17:00.000-07:00

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Spain and France jockey for position as both cars race into the final curve at Opéra. The "Volcán" still retains the lead, but Aristide La Fontaine is pressing the Spaniard hard to set up for a pass, the cars mere inches apart in trail. Who will take the advantage out of the curve to the finish line is anyone's guess. Meanwhile, the Swiss driver misjudges the entry into the curve at Jardin and watches helplessly as Vitez Rychly races past in perfect position to take the next curve at Paillon. Behind, Sebi Orsi leaps upon the wattle and hay bales and scans the crowd quickly -- then, with a leap he dives into the crowd of well-wishers. Many of the French in the crowd welcome him and a few try to lift him upon their shoulders, but he will have none of it! He seems set upon something else….

Race :: Round 52 - The Press for Advantage

2009-08-15T22:16:00.000-07:00

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Spain makes a break down the straightaway toward the curve at Opéra as the French driver, Aristide La Fontaine, presses on in hot pursuit. The crowd thunders his name urging him on, "Aristide! Aristide!" Yet the "Volcán" is undeniably in the lead, at least for the moment. The respect of all here at Nice is apparent as many salute the Spaniard as he speeds down the straight. Farther back, the Swiss driver shifts up in a difficult run toward the curve at Jardin Albert 1er. For now, he holds onto a possible third place finish, even as Vitez Rychly of Czechoslovakia skids to the outside of the curve Place Masséna to set up for an upcoming attempt at overtaking in the next curve. Behind, the gasoline fire expands -- but the drivers are all safely clear. The rescue team gently takes the Belgian driver from Sebi Orsi who, without hesitation, looks back toward his stricken Maserati -- surely, it cannot drive, non? A grin spreads across his face -- but first he turns to the admiring throngs.

Race :: Round 51 - Spain Seizes the Advantage

2009-08-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

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The Spanish driver, Teide "Volcán" Sorolla, launches forward to take Paillon with abandon, leaving the French driver, Aristide La Fontaine, off pace and falling back. Both drivers struggle to see ahead as the black smoke from the fires of the pit area cloud their view, yet neither dares slow down despite the dangers involved.

Behind, the Swiss driver stays in 1st gear as he carefully navigates the curve at Place Masséna. He glances back hopefully, but sees the Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, rapidly close the gap and come up fast. Both cars narrowly miss the wreck of the Italian Maserati as they set up for the straight leading into the curve at Jardin Albert 1er.

There can be little doubt that the Swiss driver has slim hope now of holding off the challenge from Czechoslovakia. If Rychly now overtakes, it appears that Switzerland’s last dream of a podium finish will be that one of the cars ahead suffers a crash. Yet even finishing the race will be a victory for Petrus de Salvion Bernardus, who seems willing to push his car across the finish line if it comes to that. It may indeed, as the car's brakes, tires and gearbox are shredded from the harsh driving on today's circuit.

What is this? A roar!! Mon Dieu!! The gasoline there on the track now ignites in a massive fireball. Yet Sebi Orsi, carrying the Belgium driver, has already leapt clear! With the explosion, he is thrown from his feet. Both he and the Belgian racer crash to the ground, landing badly, as the fireball explodes overhead. The crowd now surges forward and drags the two away from the heat of the fires.

Ah! The cars are clearly a total loss, both the Amilcar and the Bugatti!! What shall they do for the next race in Sweden?

Race :: Round 50 - The Rescue

2009-08-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

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Spain's famed Volcán shifts up but fumbles the gears of his Bugatti, losing pace against the French Salmson. Yet even so, he holds the lead. Sensing momentary advantage, Aristide La Fontaine artfully slides to the outside of the curve to take a perfect racing line to set up an overtake at Paillon. The Spaniard can see it coming, but what can he do? In a flash he sees his options unfolding -- perhaps speed is not all that it will take to win this day, but rather something more. His eyes narrow as he starts the turn.

At the curve at Place Masséna, Petrus de Salvion Bernardus of Switzerland guns his engine and cuts to the inside lane in hot pursuit of the two leaders. His Bugatti narrowly misses the stern of the Italian Maserati. Now he is certain of rejoining the fray and perhaps holding to his third place positioning to the finish.

Yet Vitez Rychly of Czechoslovakia maneuvers through the curve at Avenue de la Victoire, closing the gap against the Swiss driver. The wrecks of the British Amilcar and the striken Belgian Bugatti will block the left lane straight ahead -- he will need to cut to the right side to get by. Rychly's challenge is whether he can catch and overtake the Swiss car ahead -- yet the advantage is his. The orange Bugatti's tires are very fresh, whereas the Swiss car's tires are on borrowed time, heavily grained and shredded from wear.

Gasoline pours onto the track just ahead, but still does not ignite. For an instant, Rychly’s eyes meet the glance of Sebi Orsi as the Italian pulls the Belgian driver from the wrecked car. Orsi hefts the unconscious man up on his shoulder and looks to the side of the track. It will be a leap to clear the wattle boarding that lines the edge. The crowd sees the look of determination in his eyes and knows -- they can sense it -- this is a man who has somehow done this before, sometime in his past, if perhaps years ago.

Orsi glances south at the billowing smoke, then turns to look toward the approaching Bugatti of the Czech racer as it rams rashly through the debris lining the exit of the curve, coming through undamaged. Suddenly, another gunshot rings out from the paddock area. For an instant, Orsi's mind flashes back to another time when, during the war, he was on the fields at the Battle of Piave River, the future of Italy hanging in the balance…. The smoke and the sound of gunfire bring back the memory of dragging a wounded soldier toward his half shattered ambulance that lay hidden in the rows of corn as the fighting raged nearby.

He shakes off the memory, then leaps toward the side.

Race :: Round 49 - A Tight Race for the Lead

2009-08-07T20:31:00.001-07:00

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Spain and France remain neck and neck in a tight race for the lead, their wheels nearly touching as they press onward together, seemingly connected as if by a string. The drivers are so close that if they were to desire it, they could shake hands from car to car -- but not at these speeds. The French Salmson presses around the right of the Swiss car suddenly in an attempt to overtake, yet the Volcán holds the lead, if only barely, his black Bugatti’s engine roaring a shrill note. The two drivers race their cars into the curve at Jardin Albert 1er together. In an instant, they are obscured in the black smoke ahead and disappear.

Back at Place Masséna, the Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion Bernardus, guns his engine and spins the car around to the left. Now, he positions himself to take the inside edge of the curve. With a final flick of his wrist, he lines up the car to proceed with the race by the inside lane of the curve -- the way ahead nearly blocked by the Norwegian and Italian wrecks. Despite his spinout moments ago, the Swiss Bugatti retains third place.

Behind, Vitez Rychly of Czechoslovakia slides gracefully into the curve at Avenue de la Victoire. Whatever advantage he may have thought to hold over the Swiss driver is now lost as he failed to make up the distance between the cars in time. Yet the race for third place is not decided -- a lot of action is yet to come in the sinuous and dangerous curves ahead before the finish line.

Meanwhile, despite his sprained ankle, Sebi Orsi leaps atop the Amilcar and peers down into the wrecked yellow Bugatti of Belgium. There he sees Victor Hugo Stéphane unconscious in the bottom of the cockpit. Orsi reaches in and tries to tug him out by the collar as more gasoline flows onto the track. Somehow, despite the hot exhaust pipes, sparks from passing cars and worse, the gasoline is yet to ignite. A silence falls over the crowd as they stare in shock over the scene. It is only Orsi who now is trying desperately to save the Belgian driver.

Amidst the mayhem, suddenly a gunshot rings out in the distance. The crowd turns to look toward the pit area where the fires continue to rage out of control, wondering what is happening.

Race :: Round 48 - Spinout for Switzerland

2009-08-05T22:34:00.000-07:00

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Spain carefully presses forward, holding off the French Salmson racer, which hounds him closely from behind. Both cars now make their way past the Italian and Norwegian wrecks. Farther back, the Swiss driver flashes out of the curve, carrying too much speed. His tires are shot and there is little he can do to hold the car. Ah! He spins out, the car sliding through a slick of gasoline. The red and white Bugatti nearly strikes the corner of the wreck of the English Amilcar, trailing a shower of sparks before finally skidding to a stop.

The crowd watches as Italy's Sebi Orsi vaults forward at a run. He leaves his little Maserati behind, a hopelessly broken wreck with its front wheel askew and caught on the rear undercarriage of the Norwegian Monza. Meeting the Swiss car halfway, Orsi leaps atop and over the rear as the Bugatti skids to a stop. He lands badly and twists his ankle. Grimacing in pain, he looks up and realizes that time is running out -- gasoline spreads menacingly across the track. It is only a miracle that no fire has yet ignited beside the Belgian car, whose driver is still unconscious and wedged in the bottom of the cockpit. The crowd draws back, sensing the danger even as Orsi now limps forward, seemingly oblivious to the pain in his leg and the danger he faces. A cameraman leans forward and Orsi waves -- perhaps he is waving him off to keep his distance!

Meanwhile, the Czech, Vitez Rychly slowly works his way toward the curve of Avenue de la Victoire. He is taking no risks at this late moment of the race. Rychly is very much aware of the drama unfolding just ahead. All it will take is one spark and a second conflagration will erupt on the track, blocking his path. Yet he knows he must persevere -- if just one of the other three cars ahead makes a mistake, the Czech driver knows that he too will end the day on the podium. But what a day it has been -- great, but terrible….

Race :: Round 47 - Navigating the Chaos

2009-08-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

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Attempting to avoid the final skidding twist of the Italian Maserati, Spain maneuvers to the inside lane, closely followed by the French car. Yet the Volcán misjudges and catches up on Orsi's car, damaging the black Bugatti's front axle. Even as the Maserati comes to a rest, Sebi Orsi, already clear of the cockpit, clambers over the top of the wrecked Norwegian Monza to assist Megane Omalie, who staggers to the side of the track, partly injured from her skid into the wattle barrier. Seeing her injuries to be minor, Orsi turns and looks up the track at the wrecks of the two racers, the Belgian Bugatti and the English Amilcar. What he sees there makes his blood run cold. The Belgian is trapped in the cockpit as gasoline slowly spreads across the track. With a flip of his red silk scarf, which he still wears, Orsi heads for the wreck. Farther back, the Swiss driver maneuvers through the debris that clogs the racing line of Avenue de la Victoire, looking ahead at a difficult run for the finish, while the Czech racer shifts down and throttles back, seemingly willing to sacrifice the position just to ensure that with enough care, he can navigate and finish the course.

Race :: Round 46 - Disaster Comes in Threes!

2009-07-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

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Sebi Orsi cuts to the left to dodge past the Norwegian Monza but catches the Maserati's front wheel on the wreck -- with a crash Orsi's car comes to grief. A gasp comes from the crowd as many recall the near tragedy of Staouéli, but now Orsi adroitly leaps clear, uninjured. Directly behind, England skids out of the curve and crashes into the wattle side walls on the left side of the track, his green Amilcar ending up on its side, another hapless wreck. And from behind, the Belgian's yellow Bugatti storms through the curve and collides with the British car, tearing apart as it too flips. The Belgian, Victor Hugo Stéphane, is injured, his body smashed into the bottom of the cockpit. Even as the crowd steps back in horror from the triple accident they've just witnessed, Spain's famed Teide Sorolla also skids daringly out of the curve right into the mess, seemingly barely in control. But the Volcán shifts down hard and holds to the center lane! He manages to pass both wrecks. As well, France's Aristide La Fontaine slides out of the curve, cutting over to come up behind the Spaniard. Farther back, Switzerland drives forward aggressively, seemingly unaware of the accidents just ahead. Vitez Rychly prudently shifts down and falls back from the leading pack. The Czech is safe now in the knowledge that it is suddenly a four car race.

Race :: Round 45 - The Volcán’s Moment!

2009-07-30T21:01:00.001-07:00

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Orsi slides smoothly into the Place Masséna curve, smiling as he waves to the crowd of cheering Italians, his red silk scarf snapping in the breeze behind. Yet the fickle attention of the crowd shifts. Yet all turn to look behind the Maserati. Ignoring the track ahead, Orsi twists to glance back at an astonishing sight! Immediately behind, skidding through the curve at Avenue de la Victoire, Britain's John Milk fights to control his Amilcar C6 -- holding on at the edge of now certain disaster! Afterward, the great blue Salmson of France's Aristide La Fontaine maneuvers into the curve, closely hounded by both Bugattis of Belgium and Switzerland. Yet what’s this? Through the mix, in a flash of black and in perfect command of his racer, Spain's Teide Sorolla explodes into the corner from behind. It is the Volcán’s moment!! As one, the crowd roars, joined even by the Italians in admiration of such an extraordinary attack on the lead! Moments before, Italy had seemed nearly assured of victory, but now it is once again an all-out race for the lead as both cars come within a few lengths of one another. And Spain has come up from the back of the pack! Still, Orsi remains in a commanding position, but the gauntlet has been thrown! It is a moment of driving brilliance every bit like Orsi's own stunning dash down the straight to Avenue de la Victoire, setting up the Spaniard for a clear challenge of the lead.

Race :: Round 44 - Orsi Hammers On!

2009-07-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

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Orsi jams his bright red Maserati 4CM into 2nd gear, straining the gearbox, brakes and engine into an extreme deceleration as he holds the car along the outside of the curve at Avenue de la Victoire. The high shriek of the Maserati's engine cannot overpower the screaming Italians lining the sides of the curve -- "Sebi! Sebi! Sebi!" Orsi's sudden mastery of the circuit is undisputable! England, France and Belgium press down the straight from behind, any hope of catching the corsa rosso seemingly a dream now -- yet the track is littered with debris and is treacherous, ready to take down even the finest driver; victory is far from assured. Vitez Rychly hammers into the curve at Hôtel Ruhl, closely followed by Spain. Yet Petrus de Salvion Bernardus of Switzerland slides by on the center line of the curve as all three drivers prepare for a hard race up the Jardin.

Race :: Round 43 - Norway Crashes; Italy Soars!

2009-07-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

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Norway slides, skidding and fishtailing out of the Avenue de la Victoire curve as Megane Omalie fights the wheel. But no!! The tires are too far gone to hold the car. Helplessly, she fights it but cannot. The car flips and only her grip on the steering wheel saves her from serious injury! A low moan arises from the Nordic portion of the crowd. In the course of a single lap, the Scandinavians have gone from dominating the top three positions to complete elimination. Their disappointment is palpable. Yet the attention of the crowd swiftly shifts as Italy powers out of the curve at Hôtel Ruhl, the Maserati's engine in a low roar. Orsi shifts up expertly and the car leaps forward, flying ahead into the Victoire curve! The Italians in the crowd -- and there are many -- suddenly go wild! From a 9th place start, Sebi Orsi has stalked and clawed his way into 1st place -- and is the unchallenged leader!! The Italians surge forward against the sides of the hay bales and wattle: "Sebi! Sebi! Sebi!" If Orsi holds his car together, with victory and the speed record, the jubilant Italians will paint the city red! Farther back, England, France and Belgium work their way forward, a distant second, while Vitez Rychly fumbles his gears and falls short of the curve. Both Spain and Switzerland jockey for position close behind. The final three positions seem well established -- but now, even the last on the track places seventh overall.

Race :: Round 42 - Norway on the Edge!

2009-07-17T17:41:00.000-07:00

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Norway is too hot heading into the curve at Avenue de la Victoire, suddenly finding that she cannot downshift enough to control the car! The crowd holds its breath as they watch her struggle into the first turn on the north side of the Jardin. The Monza fishtails left and right as she fights the wheel, braking in an attempt keep on line. It will take a lot of luck to hold to the track now and keep from spinning out! Norway's reign at the lead now comes down to a gamble -- it is here and now that she must hold it or spin out and lose pace, or worse. Behind, Britain's John Milk takes the curve at Hôtel Ruhl, hounded closely by Sebi Orsi of Italy, the engine of his red Maserati purring with confidence. The midfield falls short of the curve as Belgium overtakes France in high gear -- but now both of these cars too have a challenge and must downshift hard to make the left turn up the Jardin. At the back, Spain once again comes up on Switzerland. Sorolla edges out the red and white Bugatti for the lead once again! The crowd watches in awe as the two closely matched racers challenge one another, side by side, first one, then the other in the lead! But then all eyes turn to the Norwegian Monza -- her brakes shot, Omalie's future as the race leader hangs in the balance….

Race :: Round 41 - Norway Presses On!

2009-07-15T18:45:00.001-07:00

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Norway heads up toward Avenue de la Victoire with the hammer down, racing alone now in a commanding lead. Britain's John Milk misjudges the approaches to the curve at Hôtel Ruhl, falling back and away. Behind the rest of the survivors shift up in a vain hope of catching the leaders. They can see that the smoke over the pit area and finish line has thickened. Rychly glances quickly back one last time, the question hanging as to where his fiancée, VV, might be found. Perhaps she will greet him at the finish? Her absence is troubling. Italy pulls ahead of France and Belgium down the straight and presses up on Britain; it is suddenly apparent that Italy is poised to possibly take 2nd place from among the pack, an unexpected turn of events. Yet Orsi's Maserati is hard driven and needs care. Still, it is likely that he too will be one of the top contenders for a podium finish. A lot can happen, however, as the racers take on the curves around the Jardin Albert 1er. Looking ahead, Monaco's Alfa Tipo B has been moved off the track, but behind there is an oil slick at the inside of the curve. It is the first of the dangerous challenges they will face as they press ahead toward the finish.

Race :: Round 40 - Norway Extends her Lead

2009-07-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

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Norway navigates the curve at Hôtel Ruhl with perfection as Britain's John Milk presses on from behind. France extends past Belgium and Italy as Orsi cuts left and then back right to avoid Hegkman. Vitez Rychly of Czechoslovakia presses out of the curve at Hôtel Negresco and grins as he passes the wreck of the German. Switzerland and Spain once again are neck and neck as they round the remaining portion of the Negresco hairpin. Their wheels are nearly touching. Sorolla grits his teeth and presses the gas pedal as they start to make their run down the straight. He is quickly matched by Petrus de Salvion. Looking across the field of the remaining cars, many show a lot of wear from the race so far, with France and Spain well situated to finish strongly -- if only the gap against Norway could somehow be overcome. Clearly, the last few curves will be a hard fought experience and lot of tire rubber will be left on the track when it is all finished. A podium for Norway seems likely, but the risks of the last half of this lap could prove to be very dangerous indeed.

Race :: Round 39 - France Overtakes for 3rd!

2009-07-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

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"Aristide, Aristide, Aristide!" The shouts of the crowd nearly drown out the roar of the Salmson's powerful aircraft engine as Aristide La Fontaine flies out of the curve at Hôtel Negresco. The Frenchman dodges to the right and cuts around the German wreck. Then, he cuts back left and overtakes Sebi Orsi's Maserati to also edge out Belgium. It is a daring advance, moving the Frenchman ahead to 3rd position on the track. Orsi dodges right to curve around the German car and then heads down the straight, watching in shock as the French car pulls past, seemingly propelled by the adulation of the many Niçoise gathered at the circuit. In the lead, Norway continues to gap the field. Omalie leaves the Britisher's Amilcar in the dust as she roars toward Hôtel Ruhl, the unchallenged leader. The Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, navigates the hairpin with perfection and is positioned now in a tail chase with the mid-pack leaders ahead. Both Switzerland and Spain cut around the deadly Hôtel Negresco hairpin, side-by-side, their wheels nearly touching as the two Bugattis press one another for the position. Switzerland's more modern T51 seems to have a minor advantage, yet the balance of the greatest racing Bugatti design, the Bugatti T35B driven by Sorolla, holds its own. Both cars sport the same 2.3 liter engine, a straight 8 cylinder. Who would have considered that the race for last place would be so tightly fought between these two cars? They have chased one another for the position from the very start! This is Jacques Hévin reporting on the Grand Prix de Nice for Radio Côte d'Azur, broadcasting on 240,2 meters, 0,8 kW and brought to you by the Société du Casino de Juan-les-Pins. We are the voice of Nice, Cannes, Monaco, Corse et de Juan-les-Pins!

Race :: Round 38 - Hegkman Thrown Clear!

2009-07-11T20:29:00.001-07:00

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Out of the corner, Germany's white Bugatti T51A skids onto its side in a shower of sparks. It slides to a stop in the middle of the track as Hegkman is ejected from the cockpit! Belgium skids out of the corner, burning tires as Italy's Sebi Orsi presses in from behind -- everyone looking ahead at Hegkman, laid out on the track -- unconscious? Dead? There is no blood seen on his white racing tunic…. No time to know -- they must cut to the outside to avoid running him over! And Orsi is a gear up and ready to overtake Belgium down the straight toward Hôtel Ruhl. France's Aristide La Fontaine navigates through the corner at Hôtel Negresco in perfection. Then comes the Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, who shifts down further to carefully work around the hairpin curve. Ignoring the wreck of the German, the Czech looks upward with a penetrating eye -- it is now clear that VV, who in just the previous lap had been hanging over the balcony cheering on her fiancé, is nowhere to be seen. The concern on his face is evident. Meanwhile, farther back, Switzerland accelerates past Spain as Teide Sorolla cuts to the outside lane, all are now into Nice's most deadly hairpin curve. What an incredible race!! Four cars out!! Ah, but what of the Teutonic racer? How badly is he hurt?

Race :: Round 37 - Absolute Disaster for Hegkman!

2009-07-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

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In the lead, Norway accelerates down the straight toward Hôtel Ruhl even as Britain's John Milk follows in close pursuit. The green Amilcar has emerged as the best challenger of the remaining field against Norway's famed woman racer. Milk's face is a grimace as he presses ahead with the Amilcar, knowing that he has one last point of advantage remaining, a final press with the exotic benzine fuel mix that feeds his engine -- will it be enough? Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane slides smoothly around the hairpin. He glances back to see Orsi's Maserati cut across the turn in a bid to close the gap -- and another car -- a white Bugatti!! Ah!! It is Hegkman!! He shifts down, but his brakes fail him! Out of control, he careens into the hairpin. Rychly cuts left to avoid an impact. France too downshifts and holds to the outside. Together, they watch as Hegkman roars past, seemingly possessed with the thought of overtaking the Czech car. The German hammers through the debris-laden curve past the Italian Maserati, his tires shredding off tread -- still carrying far too much speed. Now, he realizes his danger…. He is desperate to hold on -- but cannot!! As he clears the Maserati, the Bugatti slides away and violently spins around. It almost flips, but the front end collides with the yellow Bugatti as Hegkman spins past…. Farther back, Switzerland accelerates as Spain closes the gap and overtakes to his right as they challenge one another for the deadly hairpin curve ahead….

Race :: Round 36 - Headlong into the Hairpin

2009-07-08T19:42:00.001-07:00

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Norway's Megane Omalie skids out of the hairpin at Hôtel Negresco, her Monza fishtailing as she holds the line and lead. Britain's John Milk slides through the curve, still carrying a lot of speed as he barely holds on. The Belgian, Victor Hugo Stéphane, cuts around the curve in an attempt to close the gap on the leaders, but he carries too much speed as he enters the hairpin. Meanwhile, the Italian, Sebi Orsi, smoothly shifts down and laughs as he cruises his Maserati around the hairpin, his driving skill nearly perfect. From behind, France shifts down hard and skids perfectly into position closing on Orsi as the crowd cheers for their hero, “Aristide, Aristide, Aristide!!” The Czech driver, Vitez Rychly cuts forward in his Bugatti, his eyes glancing upward toward the empty balcony where his fiancée, VV, had been before -- the concern of her absence is visible in his eyes, even through his goggles. Germany soars forward from behind, his desire to catch the Czech leading him perhaps into too much daring as he comes to the deadly hairpin at Negresco. At the back, the Spanish driver presses forward and is stunned to see Petrus de Salvion Bernardus of Switzerland overtake in the left lane. The wreck of the Finnish Chrysler lies upon its side, gasoline pouring onto the ground as Tavho Myrsky crawls free of the wreckage, seemingly unscathed despite the horrific crash. His car, however, this great American machine -- a Chrysler Special -- is a complete loss. Perhaps he can rebuild by the time of the next race which will be upon the ice in the northern reaches of Sweden. Or perhaps not. It will take a superhuman effort on the part of the mechanics….

Race :: Round 35 - Leading Deep into the Hairpin!

2009-06-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

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The Norwegian, Megane Omalie, holds tightly to the wheel as her Alfa Romeo Monza cuts around the hairpin -- she flicks right, then back left to avoid the tire shed by the Finnish Chrysler that lies there blocking the lane. The Finnish car has slammed through the wattle barrier and crashed into the side of a building, leaving a trail of debris behind. Most of the bystanders were able to leap aside. Somehow, from the wreck, Myrsky pulls himself free of the twisted cockpit. He is dazed, but not terribly injured, his hand slightly burned from the heat of a thrown exhaust pipe. The smell of gasoline fills the air….

Following next into the hairpin comes John Milk of Britain. He shifts down in his Amilcar and follows Omalie of Norway, carrying great speed and driving deep in the curve. Both Italy and the Belgium slide into the entry point to take the Hôtel Negresco hairpin as the Belgian, Victor Hugo Stéphane, noses out Orsi for the position.

The other drivers fly down the straight away of the Promenade, Germany trailing white smoke as Hegkman pushes his engine too hard. France fumbles a gear in the blue Salmson, a fact which goes unnoticed as the crowd of French fans cheers him on. You can hear them right over the radio… “Va! Va! Va!!”

Now Vitez Rychly of Czechoslovakia surges forward, closing rapidly on Aristide La Fontaine -- yet his eyes are fixed not upon the track ahead but upon the balcony of the Negresco by the hairpin. There, his boisterous fiancée, VV, had been before. Mais maintenant… Ah! The balcony appears empty!! What has become of her! Surely she should not miss her man's run down the Promenade into the hairpin?

At the back, the trailing cars, Spain and Switzerland, too press onward, with the Spanish car now sporting a fresh set of tires and more from a stop in the pits. Even Switzerland is now past the fires of the pit stop, where the scene remains one of confusion and chaos. Those who dared take a pit stop were served well by their teams, who endured choking smoke and the heat of the blazes to turn the racers back onto the track and into the fray. Surely the heroes of today are the oft-forgotten pit crewmen!!

Race :: Round 34 - Disaster for Myrsky!

2009-06-20T20:42:00.001-07:00

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In the lead position, John Milk of Britain shifts down hard into 4th Gear to set up for the curve, only to see Megane Omalie of Norway and Tavho Myrsky of Finland coming from far behind. They flash past into the curve ahead at Hôtel Negresco. Wisely, Megane cuts to the outside lane, shutting down options for the daring Fin, who presses into the debris-filled curve hoping to command the lead once again! Yet he is too fast to avoid the pieces left on the track from the damaging collisions of the last lap!! He catches first one, then another piece of another car -- a shower of sparks!! The front axle! Myrsky skids, there is no way to hold the car! For an instant, he has it, but then the front right wheel tears off! Out of control, he slides toward the bales and wattle! He is out! The ice racer is out!!!

There is no time to think as the other drivers press forward toward the hairpin curve at Hôtel Negresco. The Belgian, Victor Hugo Stéphane, advances from behind as Sebi Orsi comes on strong, shifting up perfectly into high gear. The Italian’s red Maserati surges forward! Incroyable! Orsi sets yet a new record for speed, surpassing even the amazing Englishman’s run down the Promenade! France rejoins the race, coming out of the pits into 6th place, but cannot possibly keep pace with the red Maserati, which flies past at extraordinary speed! Yet Orsi presses his machine too hard, past the limit of his RPM! The sound of tearing metal is heard! His engine suddenly kicks out a ragged stream of white smoke! He is done for!! Ah terrible! Mais… mais non! Non, non!! Orsi presses on -- even at this speed, the little Maserati is holding together! He closes in on the yellow Bugatti just ahead! Deftly, he pulls in behind, slipstreaming for a moment…. Then, ignoring the shrill note of his engine, he cuts hard left and around; his red scarf snaps wildly behind him! This is amazing driving!

Behind, Vitez Rychly of Czechoslovakia comes through the smoke and accelerates onto the Promenade des Anglais. To his right, the Czech glances over to see the German Bugatti coming out of the pits. Hegkman presses hard on the gas, hoping to rejoin at the middle of the pack. Clearly, the German car remains in some disrepair, yet now he stands a reasonable chance of finishing. Behind, the Spanish driver cuts right and dives into his pit area, disappearing from sight as he hopes for a quick change of tires and more. Yet he is completely shrouded by the chokingly vile, black smoke of the pit fire! Coming onto the Quai des États-Unis, the Swiss driver shifts up, but cannot find his gear. It is yet another mistake and he loses even more ground against the leaders ahead -- clearly the luck is not with the canton flag.

The field is still very spread out, and the deadly hairpin curve at Hôtel Negresco looms ahead. It is one of the most menacing challenges on the circuit and with the wreck of the Finnish Chrysler…. Littered with debris and bits of tire from the previous lap, it seems to await the onslaught of the remaining drivers in La Grande Épreuve -- almost as if welcoming them with a sinister grin.

Race :: Round 33 - Britain Sets a Speed Record!

2009-06-16T19:49:00.001-07:00

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Megane Omalie of Norway shifts into high gear and accelerates rapidly ahead on the straightaway of la Promenade des Anglais. John Milk of England falls in close behind, his Amilcar C6 catching a draft off the Norwegian Monza. Suddenly, Milk makes a daring overtake to assume the lead! Et mon Dieu! He has set a new record for speed at Nice! Incroyable!! Never before have I seen a car at such speed! Ah, non!! The engine suddenly spews white smoke! Clearly, some damage has been done! And just ahead lies the deadly hairpin curve at Hôtel Negresco -- it will take some amazing driving to achieve what is to come....

Behind the two leaders, others are now in hot pursuit. Coming back onto the track from the pits are two racers, Finland and Belgium. The Finnish driver, Tavho Myrsky, adroitly steers his modified Chrysler Special into the right lane, shifting up and hoping to keep some advantage over those cars that did not take a pit stop. Almost directly behind, Victor Hugo Stéphane's yellow Bugatti too is making excellent time. Together, they gap the field, with Italy's Maserati far behind, lost in the smoke of the disaster at the pit area.

France roars out of his garage and heads down the pit lane to the sound of the cheering throngs of well-wishers who line the course. A new set of tires and some transmission oil have been added to the blue Salmson. Yet Aristide sees the Italian race by, having forgone the pits and remained upon the track. Germany pulls into his garage, skidding to a stop as several German mechanics, stalwart in their mission to assist the Teutonic warrior, leap out of the smoke and begin to change the tires. Their white overalls remain untarnished despite the black smoke that has now completely overtaken the pit area.

Wisely, Vitez Rychly has also bypassed the pit lane and now continues down the straight -- briefly, he turns to look through the smoke at what has become of his garage, now almost completely consumed by fire. Finally, the Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion Bernardus, comes out of the final hairpin curve and begins to make his way down the straight away, falling even further behind as he shifts up in what may be a fruitless chase of the leaders.

The field is spread out over the entire breadth of the Nice circuit -- an amazing sight!

Race :: Round 32 - Roaring down the Promenade

2009-06-13T21:25:00.001-07:00

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Having started at pole position, Megane Omalie of Norway retakes the lead down the straight onto la Promenade des Anglais. England's Amilcar C6 thunders past the pit exit as the Fin, Tavho Myrsky, roars out of the pit lane, sporting a fresh set of tires and some additional work to his highly modified Chrysler Special. Moments ago, it had looked as if he was going to help his pit crew, but seeing things in order, he instead dropped back into the seat of the racer. On the signal, he pressed the gas pedal and rolled onward toward the exit of the pit lane. Also emerging from the black smoke of the fires, a fine technical pit stop perfectly completed, is the Belgian Bugatti T35B, driven by Victor Hugo Stéphane. Despite the fires and smoke, it now appears that the pit crews are at working well! France too darts into the pit lane and skids to a stop beside the French garage. Untouched by the fires, a cloud of smoke hangs overhead the French paddock, nearly obscuring the Tricoleur of La Belle France that flies above! Even as Aristide's blue Salmson pulls up, his pit crew rolls a fresh set of tires out of the garage, but they seem uneasy, as if looking toward the Czech pit. Another shot is heard! Then another!! Amidst the chaos, Sebi Orsi of Italy rockets past the pit entrance lane in his bright red Maserati, the polish reflecting the fires to his right. He overtakes the stricken German car as it takes to the pit lane -- Hegkman gripping the wheel and concentrating on the challenge ahead. Spain shifts up and heads down the straight as does the Czech driver who badly fumbles his gears leaving the hairpin at Opéra. Similarly, the Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion Bernardus, seems slow through the hairpin and misses a chance to close the distance on Rychly's orange Bugatti just ahead.

Race :: Round 31 - Diving into the Pits

2009-06-10T20:55:00.001-07:00

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Tavho Myrsky skids into his pit area amidst a cloud of choking black smoke. Closely behind, the Belgian driver also darts right and takes to his pit lane, neatly skidding into his garage in a hallmark case of perfect race driving. Behind, Norway and England seem to ease toward the pit lane for a second but then both make a break down the straight away, bypassing the pit entrance in a bid for the lead. Both drivers gear up and prepare for a duel as they accelerate down the Quai des États-Unis toward the Promenade des Anglais. Meanwhile, safely out of the hairpin, France's Aristide La Fontaine gears up. His big Salmson aircraft motor almost drowns out the sound of the cheering crowd of well-wishers who urge him on -- "Va! Va! Va!!" The Spanish driver skids out of the turn at the edge of control, closely followed by Sebi Orsi, whose Maserati sashays from side to side in the skilled hands of the Italian driver. Germany accelerates ahead toward the pits, pulling abreast of the Spanish driver momentarily for the position, but it is fleeting. Hegkman must take to the pits in hopes of repairing the damage to his car. Bringing up the rear, Czechoslovakia and Switzerland smoothly navigate the hairpin at Opéra, both demonstrating extraordinary cornering technique. Many of the drivers crane their heads forward to see what is happening in the pits -- except Rychly, who seems to look straight ahead now toward the other end of the straight…. Will the Belgian and Finnish cars be serviced amidst the fires and black, acrid smoke? Oui, it looks like it may be -- oui! There are men there and…. Mais…. Wait, is it the pit crew? It is someone else? Oui! It is…. Non…. I cannot tell. Non, je ne sais rien! Mais, it looks like Myrsky is climbing from his car! What is this?

Race :: Round 30 - Collision at Opéra

2009-06-05T21:52:00.001-07:00

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The famed Finnish ice racer, Tavho Myrsky, suddenly cuts right and into the pit lane, pressing onward and into the black smoke from the fires. Ahead, his pit stop garage remains a blur, nearly hidden from view by the darkness and by the shadows of figures running back and forth. Belgium too cuts right and appears to be angling toward the pits. Other racers fly out of the curve at Opéra, lead by Britain and Norway, both side by side heading down the Quai des États-Unis. France's Aristide La Fontaine too accelerates out of the hairpin, his tires skidding as dark smoke trails from the burning tire rubber. Spain's Teide Sorolla presses deeper into the hairpin as if abandoning himself to the fate of chance, now making his move and pressing into the mid field. He barely holds onto the steering wheel as the car fishtails right and left at the edge of control -- a masterful command of black Bugatti. Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman also gracefully slides through the hairpin, his driving in perfect form, his eyes glaring with determination behind the white edged fighter pilot goggles he wears. He must hold on and reach the pit stop area if he is to complete the race. But now Italy charges up too quickly -- and he misjudges! CRAC!! Sebi Orsi collides with the hapless white Bugatti! The damage is significant yet still not fatal! Momentarily locked together, they press onward, the front of the Maserati twisted and dented terribly and the white paint of the German racer scuffed with the rosso corsa of the Italian car, appearing like a streak of bright red blood upon a white shroud. Now perhaps even the Italian will have to dare a stop at the pits after all! Switzerland pulls into the hairpin and closely dogs the Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, who appears to be focused ahead. Rychly turns to look far into the distance and down the long straight as if seeking someone. Ahh, it is this -- what has become of his beautiful fiancée, VV? He is truly a man of courage and heart, to be so concerned now, even surrounded with the challenges of the race. And we too must wonder….

Race :: Round 29 - Finland Flies On!

2009-06-02T20:14:00.001-07:00

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Tavho Myrsky of Finland accelerates cleanly away down the straight toward the pits. The fires and smoke…. C'est incroyable! Black smoke clouds the question of what may happen to those who elect to try to make a pit stop -- but for many it is a must! Will Finland take to the pit lane? Crac! Was that more gunfire? At the curve by Opéra, the Belgian driver daringly skids through, fishtailing his yellow Bugatti back and forth to hold on as the car is closely dogged by the British Amilcar and the Norwegian Monza. With the straights of Quai des États-Unis beckoning, France's Aristide La Fontaine cuts tightly through the hairpin. “Aristide! Aristide! Aristide!!” the crowd chants, urging the blue Salmson forward. Incredibly, La Fontaine waves to the crowd, setting off even wilder cheers from many of us Niçoise. Yet Germany is there too, as Hegkman the Teutonic warrior shifts down and takes a cautious line into the curve. The Czech driver now finally eases his orange Bugatti T51 into the outside lane, only to see Sebi Orsi of Italy nose by to come close in behind the German. From far behind, suddenly the Spanish driver darts forward and takes the inside line. Steering deep into the curve, the black Bugatti shows its tires are still fresh from the easy pace Sorolla has kept until now. Yet in an instant, he overtakes three cars and nearly approaches the French Salmson! It is a daring move for the "Volcán" even still, yet great…. Truly great! At the rear, the Swiss Bugatti rushes forward in hopes of catching the field, but it cannot yet be….

Race :: Round 28 - Finland Gaps the Field

2009-05-29T21:17:00.000-07:00

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Tavho Myrsky of Finland shifts up and skids through the curve at Opéra, opening up a small gap on the field. Yet the Fin is barely under control as the big Chrysler Special fishtails back and forth onto the Quai des États-Unis. Gripping the wheel, Myrsky contemplates the smoke cloud obscuring much of the pit lane and the paddocks. Meanwhile, the Belgian, Norwegian and English drivers hold together in a tight knot, working through the curve close behind. Vitez Rychly shifts down yet again and coasts his orange Bugatti gingerly forward, losing more time and needlessly sacrificing position to France's Aristide La Fontaine and Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman. The sound of the car engines is nearly drowned out by the crowd as they cheer on Aristide La Fontaine. With the Monegasque out of the race, those from neighboring Monte Carlo now join the Frenchmen in cheering on the big blue Salmson racer. Both La Fontaine and the German hammer past the Czech Bugatti in a competitive assault on the hairpin curve ahead. They fall in line behind the British Amilcar as the pack jostles for position. Farther back, demonstrating true mastery of his machine, Sebi Orsi smoothly shifts up and races ahead of the Spanish driver, who cannot seem to keep pace with the red Maserati. The Swiss Bugatti, driven by Petrus de Salvion Bernardus, skids badly into the debris field as he struggles to go around the stricken Swedish Monza and hold on coming out of Paillon. His only hope is to make up lost ground as the black Bugatti pulls rapidly away.

Race :: Round 27 - Reaching for Opéra

2009-05-26T21:26:00.001-07:00

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Finland's Tavho Myrsky shifts down hard, desperately holding on as the big Chrysler Special roars its way around the curve at Opéra, still in the lead position. Norway's Megane Omalie pulls smoothly into the curve, taking the outside lane and slowing as the full weight of the challenge of the Opéra hairpin along the Quai des États-Unis becomes apparent. She glances over as the Belgian races past, intent on chasing Finland. The little yellow Bugatti runs deep into the curve in high gear as Victor Hugo Stéphane nervously glances over his shoulder, hoping to hold off the Englishman’s Amilcar. Yet John Milk holds steady and instead slides in beside the Norwegian car at the entrance to the curve.

Farther back, Vitez Rychly falls short as the Frenchman powers up from behind at high speed, the Salmson's large aircraft engine announcing the intentions of its race car pilot, Aristide La Fontaine. Even Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman comes onward now, despite being slightly off the pace set by France yet still positioning well despite the battered state of his white single seat Bugatti.

Italy's Sebi Orsi cuts right, skidding out of the curve, his red scarf snapping in the wind. Orsi is clearly seeking to hold off the Spanish driver, Teide Sorolla, who takes the corner at Paillon in textbook perfection. In last place, Switzerland slides into the Paillon curve as driver Petrus de Salvion notes the multiple skid marks and the field of debris leading to the wreck of the Swedish Monza -- all the ill-fated work of those who came before.

In the lead, Finland glances hopefully toward the pit lanes. Mon Dieu! The fires have spread! Smoke obscures much of the view down pit row. Only the first of the garages is in the clear, its roof graced by the red on white Cross of St. George marking out England's team. The flag flies strong before the tumult of menacing black smoke and flames beyond. Amidst the chaos, the British team's pit crew stands at attention, unfazed and ready to take the Amilcar if John Milk elects to make his stop. And through the dark smoke behind, there are but glimpses of other men running back and forth…. Mais… Voilà! On voit aussi la tricolore de la Belle France!

This is Jacques Hévin reporting on the Grand Prix de Nice for Radio Côte d'Azur, broadcasting on 240,2 meters, 0,8 kW and brought to you by the Société du Casino de Juan-les-Pins. We are the voice of Nice, Cannes, Monaco, Corse et de Juan-les-Pins.

Race :: Round 26 - Into the Straightaway

2009-05-23T09:44:00.001-07:00

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Pressing on, Megane Omalie of Norway shifts down and again fumbles her gear selection, failing to capitalize on the lead position as Finland speeds by, deep into the curve in 3rd Gear. Behind, Britain races past the Czech driver and Germany gears carefully up to head into the straight, dismayed to see France's Aristide La Fontaine pull alongside and ahead. Italy's Sebi Orsi cuts to the center and prosecutes the curve at Paillon, holding off Spain's pressure to overtake. Carrying a lot of speed, Orsi cannot avoid the debris now littering the length of the curve from so many previous mishaps. Farther back, Switzerland glides into Jardin Albert 1er and prepares to head toward Paillon. The bulk of the field is now on the straightaway at the Quai des États-Unis, with Finland's Tavho Myrsky now the undisputed leader of the pack after a daring pass of the Norwegian driver who seems mired in the approaches to the curve at Opéra.

Race :: Round 25 - Collision at Paillon!

2009-05-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

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Pressing on, Megane Omalie of Norway fumbles her gear selection and misses the opportunity to accelerate into the curve at at Opéra. From behind, racing up the straight of the Quai des États-Unis, Finland's Tavho Myrsky rapidly closes the gap once again. Belgium's ace, Victor Hugo Stéphane, presses in close pursuit. Back at the curve at Paillon, Vitez Rychly cuts to the outside of the curve, narrowly missing the stricken Swedish Monza, while Britain cuts around the Swede as Germany shifts down hard to 1st Gear in an attempt to avoid the traffic ahead -- mais non!! Vas ist das?? His tires and brakes shot, Godeschalk Hegkman's white Bugatti simply cannot stop and runs into the British Amilcar from behind! The impact nearly pushes the Britisher into the Czech car, but somehow yet another collision is avoided. Yet the damage is light to both the British and German cars. Behind, France's Aristide La Fontaine jockeys into the Paillon curve, skidding left and right and braking to avoid the German car just ahead -- ah, but he cannot avoid the debris in the roadway from the previous crash. Pieces cut into under body of the blue Salmson!. Farther back, Italy's Sebi Orsi shifts down and holds off, while Spain flies into the curve at Jardin Albert 1er and pulls close alongside the red Maserati, nearly clipping wheels as he challenges for position looking ahead to the curve over the old riverbed of Paillon. Switzerland's Petrus de Salvion Bernardus presses onward from behind but once again falls off pace. And what's this? Back at the pits, another explosion of fire erupts, filling the sky with black smoke, this time from Belgian garage.

Race :: Round 24 - Norway in a Breakaway!

2009-05-16T21:41:00.000-07:00

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Rutger Hägglund's Alfa Romeo Monza is a wreck against the boards and wattle at Paillon, blocking the outer lane of the curve. Yet Norway's Megane Omalie is already past the wreck in a full-on breakaway down the straight of the Quai des États-Unis, pressing onward to the intersection with Rue Sulzer, halfway to the curve by the Nice Opéra house. Finland's Tavho Myrsky must slow to maneuver safely around the Swedish wreck, while behind, Belgium's ace, Victor Hugo Stéphane, too finds the way ahead blocked. To avoid a collision with the Fin, he slams on the brakes -- which are now glowing red hot from the abuse!

The Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, cuts hard left to avoid the traffic and mess ahead, as Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman in his white Bugatti, shifts down and takes the center lane to avoid any further stress on his car. Not so for Britain's John Milk who storms into the curve in higher gear on the outside. But what's that? It looks like he has picked up debris from the track, a part of the under body from the Norway and Sweden collision. Sparks fly as the piece momentarily cuts into his rear axle. Seeing the Swedish Monza blocking the lane ahead, John Milk hits the brakes to join a tight knot of cars crowding into the curve. But what choice is there? Fully half of the remaining racers are now tightly jammed into the curve over the old riverbed of Paillon.

Holding off, Italy's Sebi Orsi smoothly takes the curve at Jardin Albert 1er, seemingly content to stay clear of the melée. He is joined again by France's Aristide La Fontaine as the two jockey for position. Meanwhile, bringing up the rear in a black cloud of tire rubber, Spain's Teide Sorolla skids terribly out of the curve at Place Masséna. He is seemingly hell bent on taking advantage of the sudden, if small lead he has pulled over the Swiss driver, whose red and white Bugatti takes the rest of the Masséna curve at a more restrained pace.

Race :: Round 23 - Sweden Hits the Boards

2009-05-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

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Sweden's Alfa Romeo Monza race car careens forward to the right as Rutger Hägglund struggles with the wheel. Despite his best effort, the car flips onto its side and slides into the wattle sideboards at Paillon. The Shark leaps clear, somehow uninjured amidst the debris and damage. Behind, Norway's Megane Omalie cuts left and shifts down to avoid the accident. Finland's Tavho Myrsky also cuts hard to the left to take the inside line, close on the heels of Omalie. Belgium flies forward to close the gap, taking the outside line as all watch the Swedish car come to grief against the wattle-backed sideboards, strangely still in the lead position, but only figuratively so as the Monza is clearly out of the race now.

Farther back, the Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, cruises smoothly into the curve at Jardin Albert 1er, while Britain and Germany fight for the lead into the curve. Hegkman's white Bugatti once again overtakes John Milk's Amilcar to come alongside the Czech driver! Yet the three take no notice of each other as they look to see what is happening at the pits.

They can see glimpses of the security man, Orlince Strazny, as he bypasses the fires at the Monaco garage and cuts to the rear of the buildings. Quickly maneuvering past trees and across the grass, he leaps from the red motorbike to slide feet first into the doorway of the flaming Czech garage. A flick of his wrist reveals a small gun suddenly in his hand. Mon Dieu!! A shot rings out!! The Czech pit crew dives aside as a second explosion takes the back of the garage area and Strazny disappears inside. What is happening in our beautiful race!!

But we must report the Grand Prix! There, at Place Masséna, France's Aristide La Fontaine shifts up as Italy's Sebi Orsi, in his red Maserati, presses forward. Both cars skid out of the curve with Italy barely in the lead. Coming out of Avenue de la Victoire at the rear, Switzerland presses forward into the curve yet is stunned to see Spain's Teide Sorolla explode once again out of the back to overtake, carrying speed deep into Place Masséna! Is this the return of the "Volcán legend", now suddenly taking his advantage to challenge those ahead?

And what will become of the pits -- are they even usable with all this damage? Our fair jardin! Our fair jardin all aflame!!

Race :: Round 22 - A Terrible Fate for Sweden!

2009-05-10T21:49:00.001-07:00

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Sweden and Norway, both in Alfa Romeo Monza racers, are now in a tight battle for 1st place. In a surprise move, Norway cuts across to the right to edge out the Swedish car. Omalie must expect the famed Shark, Rutger Hägglund, to slide to left as well -- but he stays the course on ahead!! Hägglund presses the accelerator to take the lead as the two cars come to the Paillon curve. Mon Dieu! A terrible collision!! Just there at Paillon by Rue Sainte-François de Paule, the tires touch first and Sweden spins around as the Monza nearly tumbles!

Omalie holds the wheel and keeps to the track despite the damage to her car -- she drives on. In an instant, it is almost as if the rest of the race is forgotten. The two historic Scandinavian ice racing rivals nearly both come to grief in this ill-begotten challenge for the lead!! But Sweden is out!

Farther back, Finland's ice racing champion, Tavho Myrsky, holds off and takes the curve at Jardin Albert 1er, assessing the situation ahead. Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane now closes in steadily from behind. Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman barely holds the curve at Place Messéna, exiting to the outside lane as he downshifts. The white warrior watches the Czech driver, Vitez Rychly, fly past him -- and then the Amilcar of Britain's John Milk too pulls alongside the white Bugatti.

France's Aristide La Fontaine shifts down to enter the curve at Place Messéna, his blue Salmson holding to the outside as Italy's Sebi Orsi slides into trail, very close now and clearly about to challenge for position. At Avenue de la Victoire, Switzerland also shifts down and holds the curve while Spain's Teide Sorolla presses forward and nearly overtakes, cutting to the inside. Once again, the Spaniard strikes some of the debris in the road from a previous collision by the leading cars.

Looking to the pit area, the fires continue to burn vigorously as the crowds hold back from the heat. The pit crew of the Czech team is boldly rushing equipment out from the garage, knowing full well that the fire at the back is out of control. There, Orlince Strazny races into the pit lane and skids Orsi's Benelli motorbike sideways past the fires at Monaco! It is an amazing show of handling and talent -- perhaps he should take up racing himself! But what can be done!! What can be done? The conflagration at the pits is simply too great!

Race :: Round 21 - Norway Falls Off the Pace

2009-05-06T20:06:00.000-07:00

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Racing ahead toward the Jardin Albert 1er, both Norway's Megane Omalie and Sweden's Rutger Hägglund take the curve beautifully and are now in a tight race for the lead. Tavho Myrsky of Finland, once the undisputed leader of the race, somehow fumbles his gears and cuts to the right lane, falling off the pace of the lead pack.

Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane shifts down and comes out of the curve at Place Messéna. For the Belgian, it is a near perfect exploitation of his previous overtake on the Czech driver, Vitez Rychly. His tires only skid slightly as he expertly maneuvers the yellow Bugatti T35B into position. It is clear to all that he will soon challenge the Finnish driver ahead for 3rd Place.

Vitez Rychly's continued hatred of the German again becomes evident as the Czech audaciously seizes an opportunity to force aside Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman, who is still carrying too much speed as his white Bugatti vaults toward Place Messéna. Gamely sacrificing the position to the Belgian Bugatti, Rychly instead cuts right and blocks the Teutonic ace, holding him to the inside lane. The German responds by cutting ahead of the Czech car, nearly skidding and at the edge of control, his tires clearly stripped of tread. There can be no doubt that shortly the Czech will cut back ahead of Hegkman, whose car is only barely holding to the line of curve.

Farther back, France's Aristide La Fontaine shifts up and heads toward Place Messéna, his powerful Salmson aircraft engine unsuccessfully straining to get the car back up to speed. John Milk of Britain now shifts up a gear, gunning his Amilcar to overtake. In a cloud of benzine, Milk uses the fuel boost feature of his car to vault ahead of France and come in behind Rychly. As he maneuvers past, his left hand flicks up into a smart British salute.

Meanwhile, Italy's Sebi Orsi maneuvers gracefully through the curve at Avenue de la Victoire, while Spain slams his car down to 1st Gear and carefully edges forward. Despite his slow speed, the Spaniard still manages to skid on a piece of debris in the roadway, damaging the under body of his all black Bugatti. Switzerland makes no attempt to slow and blazes past the Spanish driver to overtake for 10th place, cutting left to fall in behind the Italian, who does not even care to glance back.

Meanwhile, at the opposite side of the track by Hôtel Negresco, the Czech driver's security man, Orlince Strazny, races eastward along the Promenade des Anglais, his black suit flapping in the breeze as he leans forward and confidently shifts through the gears of Orsi's red Benelli motorbike, his eyes fixed upon the conflagration ahead at the pits.

Race :: Round 20 - The Nordic Duel

2009-05-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

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At the tight curve of Place Messéna, the action is swift. Norway's Megane Omalie cuts off the Finnish driver, Tavho Myrsky, who must slam on his brakes to avoid a collision. Behind, capitalizing on the ruthless maneuvering, Sweden's famed Shark cuts to the right and overtakes Finland in a deadly scissors -- it is the battle of some of the world's greatest Nordic drivers!! Coming out of Avenue de la Victoire, the Czech ace, Vitez Rychly, cruises smoothly into the next curve, his driving technical perfection. But Belgium's yellow Bugatti racer, Victor Hugo Stéphane, now again challenges the Czech! Unexpectedly, he shifts up to make a daring pass -- and succeeds!! Now, the Belgian is deep into the curve at Place Messéna, nearly into the lead group, to take 4th place.

Farther back, Aristide La Fontaine proves to be a dark trickster, shifting down suddenly -- his blue Salmson gingerly passing through the debris left from Rychly's collision with Belgium a moment ago. But Hegkman of Germany will have none of it -- he cuts past and pulls to the right, skidding out of the curve, his tires now nearly bald from abuse. Mais oui! It is Britain's John Milk who is suddenly caught off guard by the Frenchman's brilliant maneuver! Milk must shift his green Amilcar down hard and hit the brakes to avoid colliding with the huge blue Salmson. A cloud of black smoke surrounds him. Amidst the grinding of gears, Milk glances up to see La Fontaine looking back at him, a wide grin spreading on his face.

Italy's Sebi Orsi downshifts again and gracefully enters the curve at Avenue de la Victoire, his Maserati almost purring from his gentle touch upon the wheel. Meanwhile, the backfield makes a daring dash toward the curve from behind, closing the gap but not yet finding advantage.

Suddenly, a gasp comes up from the crowd waiting by Hôtel Negresco. Bursting through the front door onto the street, Vitez Rychly's security man, Orlince Strazny, dressed in his all black suit, flies out to the street atop Orsi's red Benelli motorbike. With a flick of the throttle, he launches the borrowed bike skillfully over the wattle fencing at the barrier onto the street. His eyes narrow as he looks up the Promenade des Anglais into the distance at the burning fires by the back of the paddocks. Without further pause, he guns the bike toward the fires!! Almost covered by the loud roar of the Benelli, a shriek is heard -- mais non!! Was that not the pale wail of Rychly's fiancée, VV? What terrible mischief must be afoot!!

Race :: Round 19 - The Press for Position

2009-05-01T20:29:00.000-07:00

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Somehow retaining control, Finland's Tavho Myrsky shifts down hard to rescue his big Chrysler Special from near disaster. As he settles into the curve at Place Messéna, both Norway's Omalie and Sweden's famed Shark press in from behind, rapidly closing the gap to take advantage of the Fin's error. Norway pulls alongside to edge out Myrsky for the lead while Sweden presses right up to the Chrysler's tail cone. Farther back, both the Czech ace and Belgium's top pilot, Victor Hugo Stéphane, crisscross through the curve at Avenue de la Victoire in a classic over and under. First Belgium seeks to overtake, almost succeeds, but is dismayed as Rychly slides back out front, both setting up for the upcoming challenges of Place Messéna. Ah! Belgian misjudges and grazes the Czech's rear tire! With too much speed, France downshifts yet again and must lock up his brakes to avoid another collision! Aristide La Fontaine skids to fall in behind Rychly at the curve, struggling to control the powerful Salmson racer, its aircraft engine protesting with a terrible noise. Behind, there is little room for Godeschalk Hegkman, the German pilot, who must cut left, then right to navigate the curve, shifting down hard to fall in behind Belgium. A piece of debris lodges into the left front suspension of the white Bugatti, but Hegkman presses on undeterred. Britain's John Milk also shifts down hard to 3rd Gear and falls in tightly behind France, closing the gap quickly.

It seems almost everyone is now in the curve at once even as from the backfield, Italy's Sebi Orsi downshifts to 3rd Gear and drives straight ahead toward the beginning of the curve, seemingly casual despite the traffic ahead. Orsi looks to be taking in the smell of burnt oil, tire rubber and transmission fluid just ahead, almost seeming to smile. It is as if he knows it is not his car that is coming apart from the abuses the pilots seem to so wantonly press upon the other noble race cars! All know that it is a two lap race, yet the battle seems relentless for position now so early on no matter how transitory or how much damage is sustained!! Indeed, to punctuate the thought, tearing up the straightaway in a desperate advance, Spain's Teide Sorolla flies toward the curve in a display of seemingly reckless abandon, followed distantly by the Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion de Bernardus, who must yield the position now to the Volcán's suddenly aggressive driving style.

And there is the fire at the pits! The smoke and flames ahead on the other side of the course seem to grow! This must be racing fuel burning, but how? Why? Everyone realizes that two fires at once is too much a coincidence….

Race :: Round 18 - A Daring Advance!

2009-04-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

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Finland presses on, his tires smoking black as he struggles to retain the lead. He is now carrying too much speed as the heavy weight of the Chrysler Special skids into the next curve at Place Messéna, only barely in Tavho Myrsky's control. Meanwhile, Megane Omalie of Norway cuts to the outside lane at the perfect speed to address the next curve. She glances back to see Sweden's Rutger Hägglund slide gracefully into position directly behind -- the Shark is moving in. It has become a race of three for the lead, yet the crowd is fixated upon the smoking wreck of Monaco's car as it grinds to a halt blocking the inside lane of Avenue de la Victoire. As the other racers bear down on the damaged Alfa, the Monegasque driver, Louis de Montignac, leaps from the cockpit seeking the shelter of the palms along the curve of the Jardin. He slips and falls as he jumps clear, hot oil spitting out from the bottom of the car. Struggling up, he staggers away, clutching his right leg tightly, clearly in pain. Belgium breaks left away from the stricken Alfa cutting to the outside of the curve and crossing paths as Czechoslovakia pulls in to overtake the yellow Bugatti via the center lane. No less daring, both France's Aristide La Fontaine and Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman press ahead to set up for the curve but find the way blocked ahead by the two Bugatti racers. Close behind, hurtling out from the curve at Hôtel Ruhl, Britain's John Milk makes a dash to try to rejoin the second group. Yet seeming to sense the futility of such chase, Italy's Sebi Orsi instead smoothly rolls onto the straight, his Maserati seeming to strain forward as if desiring a have a go against the Britisher -- yet he holds off to give the green Amilcar some space. What is this? Is that a smile on Orsi's face? At the back of the pack, Switzerland now rounds the curve at Hôtel Ruhl smoothly. Yet suddenly vaulting out last place, Spain's Teide Sorolla dashes forward to overtake the red and white Bugatti! Is this the famed trademark of the "Volcán" that we have heard so much about? Until now, it was as if we are watching a Sunday driver -- but now, the "Volcán" seems to be suddenly alive with speed…. He is like an explosion of power… [BOOM] What was that? Mon Dieu! Une explosion!! There by the back of the pits…. All eyes turn! What has happened? [BOOM] Une autre! A second one at the other end!! A fireball suddenly leaps up toward the sky!!!

Race :: Round 17 - Disaster for Monaco!!

2009-04-22T20:54:00.000-07:00

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Finland's Tavho Myrsky rams his gears down and skids into the curve at Avenue de la Victoire as Megane Omalie of Norway closes the gap, skidding and hitting the brakes as she takes the middle line. In a daring move, Sweden's Rutger Hägglund makes a hard break for the curve to a close third, his entry into the curve perfectly timed. His engine redlined, the Shark grits his teeth as white smoke curls behind from the exhaust and a part of his exhaust pipe breaks away onto the track. The damage is worth his move into the lead pack. Less daring, Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman shifts down. Coming out of Hôtel Ruhl, seeing the Swede making his break, Monaco's Louis de Montignac puts the hammer down and redlines his engine. He too races past, overtaking Germany. Yet what’s this? Oh! The engine! What calamity! An explosion under the hood of the Tipo B!! The right side panel breaks away onto the track. Monaco is out! The winner from the Grand Prix d'Algiers is out!! Terrible, terrible!!! What a terrible shock for all who came to Nice from nearby Monte Carlo to see their favorite driver, hoping for another victory. Oh, the humanity!! But now time to pause -- France too pulls past Hegkman, drafting off the German's modified Bugatti T51A, even as the Czech, Vitez Rychly, overtakes in the right lane. In the blink of an eye, Germany has fallen from 3rd place to 8th place! Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane is now also ahead. At Hôtel Ruhl, Italy's Sebi Orsi cleanly slides through the curve, his Maserati humming along in near perfect racing trim, and Britian's John Milk slides by to overtake in the right lane. At the back of the pack, Switzerland cuts to the right lane and sets up to enter the curve ahead by Hôtel Ruhl and the last racer of the Épreuve, Spain's Teide Sorolla, can only slightly close the gap, seemingly unable to coax the needed RPM from his Bugatti T35B's straight eight cylinder engine to make something of the race -- yet is it the driver or the car, or just bad luck that plagues the black racer?

Race :: Round 16 - Mêlée at Hôtel Ruhl

2009-04-19T20:44:00.001-07:00

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Finland's Tavho Myrsky misjudges setting up for the curve, his first error of the race. This opens the door a little for Norway's Megane Omalie, who is driving up Avenue de Verdun, hammering past the intersection of Rue Paradis. Behind, Monaco makes a perfect entry into the curve at Hôtel Ruhl, but then is stunned as first Germany's Teutonic knight, Godeschalk Hegkman, and then Sweden's famed Shark, Rutger Hägglund, both rocket past. The two cars remain in higher gear and skid out of the curve onto Avenue de Verdun, overtaking Louis de Montignac amidst a cloud of black tire smoke, both engines redlined. Close by, Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane and Czechoslovakia's Vitez Rychly round the turn, also with France's Aristide La Fontaine taking the inside lane. The racers now crowd the curve, jostling close to one another in a mêlée to gain position. Farther back, Italy's Sebi Orsi can no longer stay with the middle pack and now can be recognized as the lead racing pilot of the final group, which includes Britain's John Milk, Switzerland's Petrus de Salvion and, finally, Spain's Teide Sorolla. The field is spread out in a most dramatic fashion, with nearly half a lap separating the lead car from the 12th place racer.

Race :: Round 15 - Racing Down the Straight

2009-04-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

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Finland's Tavho Myrsky continues his powerful advance at the lead of the pack, with only Norway now potentially in reach. Farther back, Monaco's Louis de Montignac brings up the lead position of the second group, with France's own Aristide La Fontaine and Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman vying for position as they both close on the curve by Hôtel Ruhl. Sweden's famed Shark inches past Victor Hugo Stéphane of Belgium, but it is hard to guess who will fare best in the upcoming curve. Italy's Sebi Orsi shifts up and redlines his engine in an attempt to stay with the pack, despite being in a lower gear than the others -- but he cannot catch Czechoslovakia's Vitez Rychly, who presses on and now closes the gap with Sweden and Belgium. Britain too pushes his engine but cannot yet catch the Italian, who remains just barely ahead, out of reach. At the very back of the field, Switzerland's Petrus de Salvion gracefully exits the curve, while Spain's Teide Sorolla fumbles his gears and is unable to hold on at the tail end of the pack, falling back even further into near oblivion. Suddenly, as the car accelerates away from the hairpin, a shrill shriek is heard above the din of the crowd. All eyes turn toward the Negresco. The race is suddenly an afterthought -- and there only a glimpse can be seen of VV as she disappears from the balcony heading at a run back into the hotel room and out of sight. Still upon the balcony, only half standing and clearly recovering from some sort of an impact, the crowd watches as Rychly's security man, Orlince Strazny, turns too -- a surprised look on his face seems to show that he was taken off guard by the sudden departure of the Czech beauty. In a flash, he too turns and runs inside. Ah, what mischief or wild scene is about to unfold.... This is Jacques Hévin reporting on the Grand Prix de Nice for Radio Côte d'Azur, broadcasting on 240,2 meters, 0,8 kW and brought to you by the Société du Casino de Juan-les-Pins. We are the voice of Nice, Cannes, Monaco, Corse et de Juan-les-Pins!

Race :: Round 14 - Finland Gaps the Field!

2009-04-11T16:57:00.001-07:00

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Tavho Myrsky's dominating assault on the circuit here at the GP Nice continues without pause. Despite the potential risks at the curve by Hôtel Ruhl, he remains in high gear and seems to attack the curve with abandon. Perhaps it is his ice racing talents, or perhaps it is the weight of his huge Chrysler Special, or perhaps it is the roaring power of the his car’s 6.3 liter engine, but the driving is now perfection to behold as Myrsky simply puts the peddle to the floor and drives through the turn without even shifting down, the rear of the Chrysler holding its own as he takes it into the curve. Farther back, Norway's Megane Omalie struggles to keep pace, but falls away. And now the rest of the pack, headed up by a hopeful Monaco, speeds ahead in pursuit. There is much jostling for position as the rest of the racers accelerate. Belgium and France both dart past Sweden and come alongside Germany in a tight race for 4th place as they come up on the return leg along the Promenade des Anglais, just there at the intersection with Rue Meyerbeer. Italy's Sebi Orsi is now struggling as Czechoslovakia overtakes on the outside, with Britain’s John Milk close by on his heels. And at the back, by Hôtel Negresco, Switzerland skids out of the corner, seemingly barely in control as the car skids left, then right, then back to the left to nearly sideswipe the curb inches from a group of spectators. And Spain's Teide Sorolla seems to take the corner with too much conservatism and now must watch as the pack proceeds ahead and away into the distance.

Race :: Round 13 - Finland Presses On!

2009-04-08T21:39:00.001-07:00

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Finland's famed ice racer, Tavho Myrsky, now shifts up and speeds ahead, rapidly gapping the field and passing as far as Rue de Congrès. Behind Megane Omalie of Norway struggles to keep pace yet falls back inevitably as the Fin's powerful Chrysler Special with its 6.3 liter engine speeds ahead toward the curve at Hôtel Ruhl. Louis de Montignac of Monaco presses forward as Germany follows closely behind. Belgium, in the little yellow Bugatti T35B, shifts up crudely and cannot hold off Sweden's famed Shark, Rutger Hägglund, who sails past in the center lane to come alongside Hegkman of Germany, who also leaves Belgium down two places. Sebi Orsi, in his Maserati, painted in Italian rosso corsa, realizes he is too slow to hold off the advance of those behind. It will take a miracle in the Maserati not to fall perhaps even hopelessly back -- but isn’t that the true nature of the mark, to make miracles on the circuit? Orsi falls back first to France, who cruises by in the powerful Salmson, its aircraft engine howling. And next? You can see it now, as there comes skidding out of the Hôtel Negresco hairpin as if in a vengeance, Vitez Rychly of Czechoslovakia. He presses on while Britain expertly handles the last seconds in the hairpin curve close by. Rychly glances up to the balcony as VV blows a kiss from above, seemingly pleased to see that he will soon overtake the Italian. Farther back, Spain shifts down to 1st Gear, forcing the Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion, to cut to the center lane and pass by, still carrying too much speed deep into the curve. Incredibly, the field is now separated by a gap so wide that as Finland races toward Hôtel Ruhl, the last two cars in the field are struggling still through the hairpin at Hôtel Negresco. Yet it is a long race ahead and a lot can happen -- after all, who could have expected the last place driver off pole now to be dashing away, so far ahead, after only the first curve!

Race :: Round 12 - Finland Dashes Ahead!

2009-04-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

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Racing out of the curve at Hôtel Negresco, Finland's famed ice racer, Tavho Myrsky, makes a sudden break to take the lead, accelerating past Norway in a brilliant overtaking as they come back onto the Promenade des Anglais, this time heading east. Myrsky, having started at the very last position off pole, at the first curve has completed a simply astonishing run to take the lead. Nothing stands in the way ahead. It will come down to driver skill and luck as Myrsky will almost certainly now gap the following cars, the deep-throated roar of the Chrysler Special reaching a crescendo as he pulls away from Norway's Omalie in her Alfa Romeo Monza. Behind, Monaco flies out of the hairpin, holding to the inside lane in a cloud of burnt rubber. Nearly as daring, Belgium cuts to the outside and skids slightly as he exits the corner. Yet Sebi Orsi, the Italian normally known for his daring, instead downshifts and plays it safe. Perhaps he could have pressed the opportunity with the others out of the curve -- but he did not. Will it be a smart move? It seems doubtful as the other pilots have shifted up and are now pulling away in higher gears and will certainly leave him far behind by the time the pack reaches Hôtel Ruhl. Farther back, Sweden and France make a daring dash ahead, closely nipped by Germany, who presses around the curve with extraordinary Prussian precision, his white car gleaming in the sunlight reflecting off of the waters of the Côte de’Azur as he seems to almost casually overtake four cars on the inside lane. Britain holds on in the curve but watches as the Czech driver presses past, while both Spain and Switzerland head to the outside lane together and gently slide into the hairpin, far behind the pack.

Race :: Round 11 - Brakes and Tight Cornering

2009-03-31T21:16:00.000-07:00

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In a cloud of white smoke and to the sound of grinding gearboxes, Belgium downshifts hard to hold on in the hairpin, while behind, Italy's Sebi Orsi cuts over in hopes of passing, but now must slam on the brakes to fall in behind. Orsi's move left, however, cuts in front of Sweden's famous Rutger Hägglund, who now must also slam on his brakes -- so hard he comes to a complete stop in the center of the hairpin curve!! For the Shark, it is the only way to avoid a certain collision with the Italian driver, yet Orsi does not seem to notice, his red scarf snapping in the breeze behind him as he pilots his Maserati ahead with certain vengeance.

In a flash, Norway's Magane Omalie and Finland's famed ice racer, Tavho Myrsky, speed ahead overtaking the other cars around the outside of the curve to vault back into the lead! From farther back, Louis de Montignac of Monaco shifts down hard and cuts to the inside lane, brushing past the Italy in a move which clearly takes the Italian by surprise. The Monegasque flicks up his hand in a quick wave at the Italian as he goes by in a cloud of smoke, his front left wheel nearly nicking the rear tire of Finland's Myrsky up ahead, so closely is the fight within the curve now.

France and Germany hug the outside lane in hopes of making it through the curve at Hôtel Negresco intact, with the French driver glancing over his shoulder -- no doubt remembering his sudden position is alike to the horrific collision at Staouéli, which took him out of the race, Germany close on his heels. Yet Germany's pilot, Godeschalk Hegkman, is also looking back as his nemesis, the Czech driver Vitez Rychly, roars up from behind in the curve! Britain slides past Rychly in the middle lane, seemingly at ease as he enters the curve.

At the rear, another pair of the Bugattis, this time driven by the Spanish and Swiss drivers, eases forward, holding up short of the curve for safety. Cutting around to the inside, the Swiss driver, Petrus de Bernardus, also elects to steer clear of the mess ahead.

Race :: Round 10 - Crowding into Negresco

2009-03-28T09:26:00.001-07:00

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The rush into the curve at Hôtel Negresco reaches a fevered pitch as Norway and Finland ease around the outside lane. A traffic jam results behind, with Belgium taking a daring move to speed to the front, his tires skidding, Italy close behind. In the melee, Monaco slams into the back end of Sweden's famed Shark, while Germany and France fall in behind. Farther back, four cars elect to slow down and avoid the mess, including the Czech, British, Spanish and Swiss drivers. Over the din of the engines, the voice of VV is heard screaming in Czech, "Jít! Jít!!"

Race :: Round 09 - Entering the First Hairpin

2009-03-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

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Both Norway and Finland shift down with sudden force, skidding into the curve at Hôtel Negresco, with Norway's Megane Omalie still in the lead but Tavho Myrsky perfectly positioned to take the curve and, if he times it properly, to cleanly accelerate out onto the Promenade des Anglais, in the other direction toward Hôtel Ruhl. A second pack of racers are in a tight battle for 3rd place at the intersection of Rue de Rivoli. At the lead there, cheered by throngs of well-wishers from Nice, is France's Aristide la Fontaine who is advancing ahead of Germany's Teutonic pilot, Godeschalk Hegkman. Germany will have to give way as the three cars, including Sweden’s famed shark, Rutger Hägglund, are poised to assault the curve together. Farther back, another tight grouping of cars is fighting for position, with Monaco in the lead. On a second floor balcony of the Negresco, the Czech driver's fiancée, VV, is leaning over the railing and screaming down the track toward Vitez's car, yet the Czech's Bugatti is struggling in the midst of the pack in a tight battle with Italy’s Sebi Orsi for position. She might have fallen from the balcony if not for a dark stranger who steps forward from inside and grabs ahold of her shoulders. Belgium's pilot, Victor Hugo Stéphane, in his bright yellow Bugatti T35B, slipstreams from behind advances three positions in a daring move, threading the needle past Monaco's pilot, Orsi follows closely, also slipstreaming off the Czech to barely edge past. Finally, the Spanish driver, Teide Sorolla, falls back to 11th place as he downshifts to prepare for the heavy traffic entering the curve. At the tail end, the Swiss driver has fallen back further but even so may be the best positioned of all.

Race :: Round 08 - Finland Advances!

2009-03-15T17:41:00.001-07:00

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Norway's Omalie continues ahead, but miscalculates the entry into the curve at Hôtel Negresco, while Finland finally makes a daring breakaway to pull up alongside to 2nd place -- an amazing start, from the worst position 12th off pole, to challenging the 1st place car for the lead before the first curve! Both cars now are vying against each other to get into the hairpin curve on a good footing. Behind, the field suddenly opens up, Germany's Godeschalk Hegkman pressing forward along with France and Britain advancing as the pack races past the intersection at Rue Meyerbeer. Monaco advances too, but a cloud of white smoke follows him as he over-revs his engine, burning the piston rings. The Spanish driver, Teide Sorolla, explodes out of the backfield, demonstrating why he has earned the nickname, "Volcán". Italy holds position while Switzerland falls back to bring up the rear. Listeners might note that the trailing four cars were among the leaders going into the last curve of the Grand Prix d'Algiers at Staouéli. If memory serves, Monaco's Louis de Montignac followed the British tailpipes for virtually the entire race – I can only wonder if de Montignac is hoping for another British crash to again improve his finish. And now the Italian, Sebi Orsi has fallen from 9th to 11th place, where he started in Algeria. Possibly, he likes it back there, although I cannot imagine he is too thrilled to once again being stalked by the Spanish car. Possibly Sebi's crash has sapped his daring, as he appears to be shying away from the crowded field ahead. But can the new Spanish driver hope to repeat the previous spectacular finish? Today in Nice, we will learn if these drivers were merely lucky in their Algerian finishes or whether truly they are contenders. Rychly, second place in Algeria, has moved from fifth to third, showing that his previous race was no fluke. Ahead, no the balcony of the Hôtel Negresco, the beautiful VV is screaming and jumping up and down.... Ahhhh, bien sur…. Where were we? Oh, yes… the race!

Race :: Round 07 - Traffic at Rue de Congrès

2009-03-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

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Norway's Omalie continues onward in the lead, despite fumbling her gears. She slams it into 5th Gear as the car blazes past the intersection with Rue Meyerbeer. Sweden presses ahead and takes 2nd Place resoundingly fending off the challenge from Belgium, who is forced to fall back, only to drop four more places to other cars that now form a tight knot at the intersection with Rue de Congrès. The Czech car hangs onto 3rd Place while Finland and France both draft off of other cars to pass. Farther back, the Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion Bernardus, continues his advance -- relentless as he presses past a suddenly slowed Monaco and Britain. Behind, back by the intersection with Rue Halévy, the race’s only Maserati, driven by Sebi Orsi, and the Spanish driver, Teide Sorolla, both hang back, seemingly preparing for some sort of breakthrough once the traffic clears. Despite so many cars now jockeying for position, not a single driver has contacted another in what is proving to be a very clean race.

Race :: Round 06 - Norway in a Breakaway!

2009-03-09T19:00:00.000-07:00

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Norway's Megane Omalie shifts up and leaves the field in a cloud of black smoke, now completely unchallenged for the lead position, rocketing ahead past Rue de Congrès on the southern side of the Promenade des Anglais. Behind, Sweden and Belgium continue in a tight race for 2nd place with Sweden slowly increasing the gap. Godeschalk Hegkman in his white Bugatti T51 makes a daring pass of Vitez Rychly, the Czech driver, who is also in a T51A. Rychly turns and shakes his fist at the German driver, who seems too intent upon the track ahead to notice. Immediately behind, a knot of cars forms in the across the Promenade from the Hôtel Ruhl, as Finland's Tavho Myrsky tries desperately to break through, cutting right to pass France and nearly making it by Monaco. England daringly pulls up short and is forced to cut across to the outside lane, somehow barely missing a collision with the cars ahead. At the back of the field, the Swiss driver, Petrus de Salvion Bernardus, makes it past Italy, while Spain's Teide Sorolla continues to bide his time at the back, staying close to the pack but not yet making a move to advance. It is clear that Finland will now attempt a breakaway, but will the track be clear enough to truly pull ahead?