Ring Djursland ? The story of Denmark?s challenging circuit

Posted 12 February 2006 - 22:14

Hallo all followers of TNF

I’m starting this tread as I hope – and know – that some of you will probably be able to help me with my latest project, which is a book on Ring Djursland, telling the story of Denmark’s most challenging circuit.

For those of you who only know a little about it, I will give you a short resume. It was built as a short 0.5 mile circuit by Danish F3 driver Jens Christian Legarth in 1965. The next year it was extended to 1.1 miles and staged numerous international F3 events with drivers like Derek Bell, Jean-Jierre Jabouille, Reine Wisell and Ronnie Peterson being among the participants. Alas, the owner was killed with Doug Revson (brother of Peter) in a freak accident in 1967, and the circuit then started its turbulent history with changing owners, years of closure and chaos.



In the mid-70s F3 cars returned to the circuit, and in 1975 Terry Perkins won a round of the FIA European F3 Cup, while brother Larry only finished ninth, having suffered a puncture.



In 1978 saw the introduction of rally cross racing at the circuit, and it got hugely popular, staging rounds of the European Chamapionship in 1980 and 1981 with Martin Schancke, the works Volvo team et al visiting.



The eighties, however, were years of trouble and on-off activities, but since 1994 racing has resumed at the circuit, and with the introduction of the Danish Touringcar Championship in 1999, crowds of some sort have also come back.

Enough of the story here – there also have to be something left for the book.

What I am searching for are persons who have driven, spectated or just been at the circuit, and who may possess:

Photographs
Official race programmes
Official race results
Or just plain good memories of the circuit
The latter part is very important, as I have an ambition to make the book a mixture of factual story telling with personal recollection.

I do hope – and believe – that some of you out there will be able to help me.

• Back to top

Posted 07 November 2007 - 19:11

So, finally, the work is nearing completion. On Saturday the last part of the book was layouted and sent to the printers and on Saturday November 17th 2007, I will be able to present the book in the right surroundings ... Ring Djursland that is.

click for large picture of the front click for large picture of the rear

Alas for most of you TNFers, the book is in Danish

• Back to top

Posted 07 November 2007 - 21:29

Tillykke! Congratulations!

I look forward to my copy ;)

• Back to top

Posted 07 November 2007 - 22:38

Well done, Morten!

Been on Ring Djursland twice for rounds of the FIA European Championship for Rallycross Drivers. On June 8 1980 and on July 12 1981. The Rallycross track there was quite good, but somewhat bumpy at some places. Remember very well to fix a deal between your by then Danish Hot Rod superstar with NSU TTs Åge Mathiassen and the flamboyant and vociferous daddy of former Formula One driver Christijan Albers, big fat André Albers. Mathiassen took a Rent-a-Porsche from André – and was for many a year upset about the poor state of the spare Albers’ Carrera in which he finished sixth and last of the GT Division 'A' final. Lucky enough ever so angry Åge never put the blame on me…

• Back to top

Posted 08 November 2007 - 07:14

Originally posted by rx-guru
Åge Mathiassen .... was for many a year upset about the poor state of the spare Albers’ Carrera in which he finished sixth and last of the GT Division 'A' final. Lucky enough ever so angry Åge never put the blame on me…

Well, I won't say that Åge is still upset, but he very clearly remembers the episode, which is of course recounted in the book.

Incidently, Åge was not a Hot Rod superstar. The only driver in the field, who had been doing some Hot Rod racing in the UK was Carl Erik Kristensen, father of Tom Kristensen, who also on this occasion raced a hired foreign car, which broke down

• Back to top

Posted 08 November 2007 - 09:48

Originally posted by Morten Alstrup
Incidently, Åge was not a Hot Rod superstar. The only driver in the field, who had been doing some Hot Rod racing in the UK was Carl Erik Kristensen, father of Tom Kristensen, who also on this occasion raced a hired foreign car, which broke down

AFAIR Åge did a lot of different races. I saw him for the first time during the 1970s while he did a Hot Rod race, but they actually called it "Speedway", at Baarlo, Holland. (BTW: It was my one and only visit ever at a so-called "Speedway" and I left the venue quite early…) Åge had to start his races from the last position of the grid and was leading the whole field of about 40 to 50 cars within a very few laps on the oval. He was the undisputed hero of the crowd with his tiny NSU there – if bloody Loisl Alzheimer is not already on my heels…

• Back to top

Posted 08 November 2007 - 10:41

Originally posted by rx-guru
Been on Ring Djursland twice for rounds of the FIA European Championship for Rallycross Drivers. On June 8 1980 and on July 12 1981.

Well, here is some evidence ...


Click for large photo

• Back to top

Posted 08 November 2007 - 11:39

Originally posted by Morten Alstrup


Well, here is some evidence ...


Click for large photo

Blimey, that was the reason for your email and the question about that pic some weeks ago. Must try to get a copy of the book, reading Norwegian (as well as Swedish) was never a problem for me. Therefore Danish cannot be a problem either – as long as it is written… By the way: You’ve lost one 'n' for my name and changed a 'h' into a 'k' for Martin’s. Did you know that I was the one who put the brand "Mister Rallycross" on Martin? AFAIR it was for my RX Yearbook ’82 (which shows a 1981 pic of Martin and his RS1800 airborn over the most bumpy spot of Ring Djursland on its cover) the first time.

• Back to top

Posted 08 November 2007 - 14:37

• Back to top

Posted 10 November 2007 - 08:02

• Back to top

Posted 10 November 2007 - 08:46

• Back to top

Posted 10 November 2007 - 10:03

• Back to top

Posted 10 November 2007 - 11:50

• Back to top

Posted 10 November 2007 - 16:12

• Back to top

Posted 17 November 2007 - 20:46

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 07:30

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 10:19

Ta, Bjørn!

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 12:01

Originally posted by Bjørn Kjer
6th Toyota engine

... this is the third different engine make I get from three sources... Ford, Lancia or Toyota?

It's also interesting to see five Ralts listed, as I have it that only four F3 were manufactured in 1975, and the fourth is about to appear for the first time two weeks later... more

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 14:39

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 15:14

So we're back to three Ralts, that's better. I have it that Marazzi took over s/n 1 in the end, but perhaps Grassi was given one more race with it, or he had a sort of test outing in s/n 4 before it was send to Germany for Bertram Schäfer (Grassi had already driven one of the 'works' cars at Monza in June).

A few spelling corrections are maybe in order: the Lancia tuner is "Repetto" if I'm not mistaken, it's "Gaudenzio" Mantova (unless his girlfriend was driving...), Fridolin "Wettstein", Gianni "Savoia" and Guido "Cappellotto" (I think). And Tenani is the family name, Piergiovanni the personal one!;)

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 15:29

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 15:36

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 15:43

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 15:50

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 16:17

• Back to top

Posted 18 November 2007 - 16:18

• Back to top