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

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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!

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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!

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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

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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

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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

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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!

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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….