2005 was the 13th edition of the Ennstal Classic and as usual everything happened in Gröbming, in the magnificent Steiermark region. The organizers, Michael Glöckner and Helmut Zwickl and their assistants again did a marvelous job. All in all, the Ennstal has become an event that earned its place with the other great classic events like the Mille Miglia and Tour Auto.

All those classic cars brought many celebrities to Gröbming. Most famous are Sir Stirling Moss and Lady Susie Moss, Emerson Fittipaldi, GT racer Philipp Peter, Jochen Mass, Mike Thackwell (again with his awesome Chrysler 300), Peter Kraus, Thomas Muster, Austria's race legend Dieter Quester and Rauno Aaltonen. I would also like to mention Rolf Biland and Kurt Waltisperg, two guys I admired on the circuits of Assen and Spa-Francorchamps in the early days, before they became seven times world sidecar champions . Many of the other drivers who weren't motoring celebrities originally are by now well known and beloved by the spectators and are applauded in every village they drive through.

The event really begins the day before the start, because many spectators and participants and their helpers arrive on Tuesday. They lay the foundation of the relaxed atmosphere which is characteristic for the whole event. All this is for me the reason to go to this incredible event every year, to take photos and write articles, to make it even more famous. As I write it makes me smile, remembering the cars with their driver and co-driver - all lined up and kids trying to get their autographs before they start in case they don't get another opportunity. Great ! “Grüss Gott” (the Austrian “Hi” or "Whassup Bro’”), the Ennstal Classic has begun!

Stoderzinken
The real thing starts with the hillclimb on Thursday. Last year, only "up" was a special stage but this year they went down as well. Access to the mountain was minimized so not too many spectators could go up with their cars but exceptions were made for press an television crews. It all worked quite well and it looked good on the photos - classic cars free of spectators, but an event like this without people just isn't any good.

Once at the finish on top of the mountain I met other photographers from Germany and France and I had plenty of time to have coffee and talk my guests, there for the first time, through the day. My keen assistant was filming the scenery in spite of the cold, mist and raindrops! The start was exactly at 11:00 and we walked down from the mountaintop to to find somewhere to start watching. After a while, deep down in the valley we heard the first roar of unleashed horses and we knew that now The Ennstal had really started!

Fortunately the rain kept off and at last the first classic cars were coming through and I can assure you that nobody who drives a Cadillac 57 (the eldest car in this event) or a Bentley 4½ Brooklands Racer drifts round a hairpin at an altitude of approx. 1,500 mtr. Other drivers had it much easier and Kris Rosenberger showed the most spectacular style of all in his Mini Cooper, drifting, spinning wheels and scattering gravel with the engine roaring and gears whining; it was a sensation to experience his way of driving up the mountain.

Before I was aware of it the first special stage of the Ennstal Classic was over and I was just wondering why it was taking so long for the next car to pass when Helmut Zwickl drove his Porsche down to Gröbming between the two stages, followed in a hurry by others who had to be elsewhere. The road was closed again and the second special stage started. My cameras were working overtime between the breakneck stunts I had to perform to avoid a collision with some very enthusiastic drivers. Nothing happened, hence this report...

The Night Prologue and…
In Gröbming there were all kind of tents for beer or snacks and just outside the village was a huge tent for the special car show. Also all participants, VIPs and other guests of the event would be having dinner there. Similar arrangements were made for press and other guests, but in the end I preferred the marketplace in the centre of Gröbming with friends, amongst the locals. The start of the night prologue was at 17:00. The cars would drive approx. 190 kms to finish in Schladming at the end of that evening. The “Prolog rund um den Dachstein” had started but I had had enough, every muscle in my body ached and I only had the strength left for dinner and a few beers, whilst watching the cars start. Fortunately I had reserved a room in Sporthotel Dirninger and after this exciting day - and after putting my cameras to bed and having a night-cap I soon followed them - there was no better place to be.

The “Tauernrunde”…
The next day quickly became a day asking the utmost of all participants, the press, TV crews, organizers, marshals, etc. The day started promisingly enough with even a little sunshine breaking through the heavy clouds, but after a short while the sun was gone and the first raindrops made circles in the puddles. One hour later it was raining cats and dogs as we drove along the course to the Söllkpass.

For the participants this day meant a constant exertion in this weather for 585 km, in an open Ferrari Mondial, Mercedes Gullwing or Porsche Spider. Several times I had to take out my poncho to keep everything a dry… sort of. This change in weather dampened our mood too and after all cars passed we returned to Gröbming, wondering how the weather was at the other side of the Söllkpass. We noticed that the weather was much better in that part of the region but in spite of that my companions and I decided to quit. Once we returned in Gröbming we watched some participants finishing, cold, tired but all in good humour. For them, it was all part of the fun.

The last day of the Ennstal Classic…
Saturday morning we discussed the forthcoming day as usual, so we wouldn't miss any part of it. I knew what to expect but my companions didn’t so I told them were the action was. Right in the middle of the village was the start podium where the celebs were interviewed for television; the demonstration started there with drivers like Sir Stirling Moss and Emerson Fittipaldi.

There also was the VIP tribune and in the main street ahead of the tribune the demonstration cars lined up to drive their six laps. They were awesome - the Mercedes W196 Silberpfeil, the Formula 1 car from ’54/’55 in which Juan Fangio became World Champion in both years. Next, there was the Lotus 49 in which Jochen Rindt won the 1970 Monaco Grand Prix, driven by Emerson Fittipaldi, who made his F1 debut in the same Type at Brands Hatch that same year. Then there was Corrado Cuppelini with his Ferrari 246/F1 (s/n 0011), which which revived memories of many famous names like Gendebien, Musso, von Trips, Hawthorn and Hill.

I must also mention the Porsche 804/F1 - an underachiever of a car, the Lotus 69 F2, the Williams Cosworth FW08C/09 and Wolf Cosworth WR8, the BMW M1 Procar - a sight for sore eyes and ears, the Iso Bizarrini A3C, an Audi Rallye Quattro A2 and ending with the Alfa Romeo 8C2300 Le Mans - beautiful to look at and a delight to listen to.

While we enjoyed some good old music like the Middle of the Road (yeah Dutch!!), the Tea Set, Rolling Stones and so on, the cars started with the demonstration and the crowd went nuts. Vigilance was essential because it was an open track right through the village, where children were watching but also playing without any protection except (perhaps) their parents who were also watching. All credits to the organizers, guards and marshals - they did a good job!

At 13:30 the starting shot was fired for the Tag Heuer Grand Prix. All the participants - starting with No.1 - had to drive the track from the flight of steps to the right, into the “Mitterberger Straße”, then to the left into the “Wiesackstraße”, with the first checkpoint, until they reached the roundabout. Next into the “Haupstraße” until the “Kirchplatz” and after that to the right into the “Stoderstraße”, where the last time checkpoint was situated (you might want to check this route on your navigation machine). Several participants passed this last checkpoint with spinning wheels and smoking rubber. Still in the hot sun, participants who had finished, as well as spectators, drank large jugs of local beer or the very tasteful “Hefe Weizen” and ate a “Käsekrainer mit Semmel” or a “Bratwürstl mit Sauerkraut” (no translation possible, you just have to experience it!) on a terrace or somewhere along the track.

At approx. 15:00 the last participants finished and I had captured them all - my camera was red hot. The winners were announced and honoured with champagne and I was pleased to hear that Dr. Rudolf Schraml won the Ennstal Classic (for the fourth time) in his Ferrari 275 GTS (s/n 7945), in front of Rauno Aaltonen in a Porsche 911S and Walter Wrawonek in a Maserati Mistral. The very well organized and smoothly run 13th Ennstal Classic had come to an end. I was pleased to see that Emerson Fittipaldi and Jean-Christophe Babin (Tag-Heuer) were the first to congratulate the winners.

My sister and assistant Annalies and my two guests Hugo, Paul and I celebrated the finale of this great Ennstal in our hotel in the best possible way with a good glass and a terrific dinner. My night’s rest began with replaying in my mind a red Ferrari 250GT SWB roaring to the top of the Stoderzinken, pursued by a black Daytona Spider… and I can assure you that the alarm went off before they reached the top! Thanks to Annalies, Hugo and Paul for making a great event even better - classic cars, fantastic scenery, good food, good wine and convivial company, who could want for more!

A comprehensive list of participants, cars and results is to be found on the event website. You might also want to look at the photos in their gallery and of course everybody is welcome on my site with photographs of many events in Europe.

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