Rallye Report – Südsteiermark Classic 2018 – Our Premiere Start
At the end we finished on the respectable but also unloved 4th place with our 1936-er Caddy Coupé!
By end of April 2018 we took the opportunity to start at the famous and challenging SÜDSTEIERMARK CLASSIC for the first time.
My co-pilot, Norbert Walk, and myself, Otto Kames, brought our rallye-proven 1936-er Cadillac Series 60 Sport Coupé to the starting grid.
THE SÜDSTEIERMARK CLASSIC
SINCE 2001 – SYNONYMOUS WITH SPORTSMANSHIP, UNIQUENESS OF THE COUNTRYSIDE, SOCIABILITY AND CULINARY PLEASURE.
Classics and nostalgia associated with sporting ambition, exclusivity and enthusiasm: these are the ingredients of Südsteiermark-Classic with start and goal in Gamlitz, the heart of South Styria.
As one of the three most important events in Austria, Südsteiermark-Classic opens the vintage car season in Austria every year on the last weekend of April.
More than 200 teams try year after year to get one of the coveted starting places, but the topography, coupled with the operators’ understanding of quality, limits the starting field.
“VIPS” are the cars – they are at the centre, they have past, they tell stories. For all models built prior to 1950, the Südsteiermark-Classic guarantees not only a fixed starting point, but it also adjusts the target times and the averages in special stages to the years of manufacture – this explains also why the Südsteiermark-Classic has been the number 1 in Austria in this sector for years.
The route
After starting on Friday early in the morning, the route goes through the closed Rechberg (ST) to the largest contiguous alpine area in Europe: the Teichalm – these views of the East Styria are simply gorgeous. Back in the valley, the blooming apple street will be a delight for the participants. After a fantastic lunch buffet at the wedding castle Obermayerhofen, the route – partly with special tests on closed tracks – goes over the Schlösserstraße and the Vulkanland with its distinctive Riegersburg back in Southern Styria, where in the midst of fuel conversation the first winners will be announced at the “Steirerabend”.
The Saturday can be described as the ultimate travel guide to the vineyards of Southern Styria:small winding streets across the vineyards, passage controls at internationally renowned wineries – culminating in the Welsh Grand Prix in the centre of Gamlitz – 1 day in one of the most beautiful landscapes of Austria.
The periods and the overall winner (pre-war / post-war) are determined in uniformity tests with GPS measurement as well as in special tests on closed routes (8 special tests) with photoelectric or tube measurement (Timekeeping: Firma Cart-Data).
Culinary Art – Wine
But what would the Südsteiermark-Classic be without the culinary accompaniment. Already at the accreditation you will get a little hint of what you might expect in the next few days: Vulkano ham, Styrian wines of the highest class… More than approx. 30 top winemakers of Southern Styria accompany all events with their top products: Muscatel, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Zweigelt Barrique … – there is something for everyone, a wine tasting for over 3 days.
Indulging in wine without fantastic food: not possible with Südsteiermark-Classic.
You will experience a 3-day pleasure trip, athletically garnished with special tests, and at the end of the gala evening you will be able to say only one thing: “one should have been there at least once, in order to know what an operator can provide, because here you can get everything!”
(OT Dr. Simak).
Enjoyment and sportiness are not mutually exclusive – they form a perfect symbiosis in Südsteiermark-Classic.
Our 1936 Cadillac performed excellent on the overall 500 miles run without any technical issues.
At the end we finished on the respectable but also unloved 4th place with our 1936-er Caddy Coupé and received the silver medal for the second place in the Saturday final “Welsh Grand Prix“.
Not too bad for a premiere run.
One thing is for sure: We will be back at the Südsteiermark Classic in 2019!
Congratulations and many thanks to the Organizers for a perfect event!
Fotocredit: Südsteiermark-Classic