Race :: Round 18 - A Daring Advance!

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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!!

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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

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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

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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.