24 replies to this topic

[Chris Townsend]

Does anyone have any memories or documentation of the F5000 race on
the tiny Jyllandsringen circuit in Denmark in 1973?

Below is a summary of the information I currently have:

1 Ian Ashley #6 Lola T330 [HU17]-Chevrolet V8 [1.09.12.1]
2 Teddy Pilette #33 Chevron B24 [24.73.04]-Chevrolet V8 [1.09.40.1]
3 Gijs van Lennep #1 Lola T330 [HU18]-Chevrolet V8 [83 laps]
4 Tom Belsø #208 Lola T330 [HU2]-Chevrolet V8 83
5 Keith Holland #25 Trojan T101 [101]-Chevrolet V8 83
6 Jac Nelleman McLaren M18 [500-04]-Chevrolet V8 82
7 Brett Lunger #2 Trojan T101 [102]-Chevrolet V8 82
8 Clive Santo Lola T330 [HU21]-Chevrolet V8 79
9 Guy Edwards #4 Lola T330 [HU16]-Chevrolet V8 71
10 Chris Featherstone Lola T190 [F1/14]-Chevrolet V8 70

Also entered:
Tony Dean Chevron B24 [24.73.01]-Chevrolet V8
Steve Thompson Chevron B24 [24.73.06]-Chevrolet V8
Chris Craft Chevron B24 [24.73.07]-Chevrolet V8
Brian Robinson McLaren M19C [2]-Chevrolet V8
Bob Evans Trojan T101 [104]-Chevrolet V8
Graham McRae McRae GM1 [015]-Chevrolet V8
Richard Knight McLaren M10B [400-05]-Chevrolet V8
Trevor Twaites Lola T330 [HU6]-Chevrolet V8

I have qualifying times down to 9th and grid order, but crucially have very
poor heat results so can't get a grip on lower order finishers.

This is rather a blot on the 1973 results for oldracingcars.com
for whom I'm working on F5000 in Britain and Europe and
I'd really value ANY help here.

[Roger Clark]

Do you have the Autosport report?

[Jeremy Jackson]

Chris,

Sheldon's F5000 books show the finishers and laps in the heats, if you trust the data, although retiree's laps aren't shown.

I have the Autosport report, but from what you have, I guess you've exhausted that info. already!

[Chris Townsend]

Roger, Jeremy

Thanks. I've used Autosport and Motoring News reports. The finisher's laps from the heats
would be a help. I'm as sceptical about F1R as everyone else these days, but they
are at least something to go on.

Chris

[Jeremy Jackson]

Chris,

From F1R:

Heat 1:
1 Ashley 42
2 Pilette 42
3 Thompson 42
4 van Lennep 42
5 Nelleman 41
6 Belso 41
7 Holland 41
8 Lunger 40
9 Evans 40
10 Santo 39
11 Craft 39
12 Knight 38
NC
Edwards 31
Featherstone 31

Heat 2:
1 Pilette 42
2 Ashley 42
3 Belso 42
4 Lunger 42
5 Holland 42
6 Nelleman 41
7 van Lennep 41
8 Santo 40
9 Edwards 40
10 Featherstone 39

Only DNF in heat 2 given any laps (or not, as you can see) is Knight (0 laps!)

[Allen Brown]

Chris

I just thought of Autocourse. It matches your top ten except it has Pilette's time as 1h 9m 24.6s. Santo is listed as the last classified finisher in eighth followed by:

Still running, not classified
Edwards 71 laps
Featherstone 70 laps
McRae 65 laps
Dean 50 laps

It also lists the top 6 in each Heat (agreeing with Jeremy's list) but doesn't give laps completed for them.

Does anyone have Autosprint or Sport Auto for 1973? The exact race date was 23 Sep 1973.

Allen

[Marcor]

Moteurs Course (French magazine) gave the 9th first. Pilette (Chevron Chevy) + 12 s 5/10, so his time = 1 h 9m 24s 6/10.

[Rainer Nyberg]

6 Jac Nelleman McLaren M18 [500-04]-Chevrolet V8 82

It should be Nellemann with double 'n'.

Since we also have Allen involved, I wonder if he can confirm that the Penske PC3 that Nellemann bought for intended use in 1977, was chassis 01?

He had planned to do the Swedish GP and a couple more Grand Prix during 1977, but his sponsorship fell through due to an industrial action.

[humphries]

With regard to the Coca-Cola em Formel 5000 held at Jyllands Ringen I can tell you that there is only a brief report or no report whatsoever in Autosprint, Sport Auto (French or German) or any other Continental magazine I have come across. The Autosport and MN reports are about as good as you will get. The report from Motoren Journal 1973 No 11, a Danish mag that was translated for me by Morten Alstrup provides very little except Nellemann's car was #10 (photo). The report was more concerned that Belso, following a puncture, had to use a Goodyear tyre with his three other Firestones thus ruining his chances.

If possible you will need to acquire a copy of the programme entry list ( usually from somebody who watched the race) and the official results, like the F1R folk always tried to do. With the advent of the internet and forums such as this, it should be very much easier now.

[Allen Brown]

Originally posted by Rainer Nyberg


It should be Nellemann with double 'n'.

Since we also have Allen involved, I wonder if he can confirm that the Penske PC3 that Nellemann bought for intended use in 1977, was chassis 01?

He had planned to do the Swedish GP and a couple more Grand Prix during 1977, but his sponsorship fell through due to an industrial action.

Yup - PC3/01 bought from Paul Michaels and sold many years later to Roger Cowman. It was being raced by Doug Mockett in historics last I heard.

Allen

[Jesper O. Hansen]

Hi all

This is what I have to add. I contacted the current time keeper (since 1977) at the track, Mr. Torben Lund, who provided med with fastest lap set by Teddy Pilette in 45.5. Since the 1.475 km lay-out used back then is still in use today, I think it's interesting to note that a current Formula Ford Zetec is just as fast!: http://www.datapower.dk/racing/ click on motorsport, click on Banerekorder Jyllands Ringen.

The only other info I have to add is that Tom Belsø was somewhat involved in bringing the series to the track, and that Jac. Nellemann's car #10 was entered by Sheridan Thynne. 18 cars started the first heat in pouring rain, while it had dried up for the second.

Originally posted by Rainer Nyberg


It should be Nellemann with double 'n'.

Since we also have Allen involved, I wonder if he can confirm that the Penske PC3 that Nellemann bought for intended use in 1977, was chassis 01?

He had planned to do the Swedish GP and a couple more Grand Prix during 1977, but his sponsorship fell through due to an industrial action.

..and Jac. with '.' (short for Jacques I guess). The team was named Grand Prix Racing Denmark, and 4 starts at nearby GPs were planned. Unfortunately the lauch happened during a four month news paper strike!

Regards
Jesper O. Hansen

[island]

Jesper,

do you know someone who may have photos of the 1973 Jyllandsringen Formula 5000 race ?

[Jesper O. Hansen]

Island

No, unfortunately I don't.

Jesper O. Hansen

[Morten Alstrup]

Hallo Jesper O. Hansen

'Jac' is actually short for Jacob Vilhelm Nellemann. His father's name was Vilhelm Nellemann jr., and there of course also was a Vilhelm Nellemann senior, who founded the industrial impire bearing the name of Nellemann.

[Jesper O. Hansen]

Ahh, should anybody bee in the know of Danish motor racing it's you off course!

Thank you, Morten, for bringing us the full name of Jac. Nellemann.

Jesper

[Spaceframe]

Originally posted by Morten Alstrup
Hallo Jesper O. Hansen

'Jac' is actually short for Jacob Vilhelm Nellemann. His father's name was Vilhelm Nellemann jr., and there of course also was a Vilhelm Nellemann senior, who founded the industrial impire bearing the name of Nellemann.

Nellemann Sr. used to race as well - MGs in the 1950s.

[Spaceframe]

Originally posted by Jesper O. Hansen
The team was named Grand Prix Racing Denmark, and 4 starts at nearby GPs were planned. Unfortunately the lauch happened during a four month news paper strike!

Regards
Jesper O. Hansen

The 141 days conflict at Berlingske, right?

[Morten Alstrup]

Originally posted by Spaceframe

Nellemann Sr. used to race as well - MGs in the 1950s.

I will just clarify:

Vilhelm Nellemann jr. - the father of Jac Nellemann - raced in the 50s and a bit into the 60s in MGs, Morris Minor, Formula 3 and Formula Junior. The MGs and Morris Minors were natural choices as the family company had the import into Denmark, while Vilhelm Nellemann jr. was instrumental in constructing the Alfa Dana F3s and Formula Juniors with Uno Jensen.

Vilhelm Nellemann sr. - the father of Vilhelm Nellemann jr. and grand father of Jac Nellemann - did also do some racing, but on two wheels. It was on a Minerva, where he suffered one of the first crashes recorded in Danish racing in his hometown of Randers.

[Spaceframe]

Originally posted by Morten Alstrup


I will just clarify:

Vilhelm Nellemann jr. - the father of Jac Nellemann - raced in the 50s and a bit into the 60s in MGs, Morris Minor, Formula 3 and Formula Junior. The MGs and Morris Minors were natural choices as the family company had the import into Denmark, while Vilhelm Nellemann jr. was instrumental in constructing the Alfa Dana F3s and Formula Juniors with Uno Jensen.

Vilhelm Nellemann sr. - the father of Vilhelm Nellemann jr. and grand father of Jac Nellemann - did also do some racing, but on two wheels. It was on a Minerva, where he suffered one of the first crashes recorded in Danish racing in his hometown of Randers.

Thank you!

A true racing dynasty this one.

[Morten Alstrup]

Originally posted by Spaceframe

Thank you!

A true racing dynasty this one.

It doesn't end there though ;)

Jac Nellemann's uncle - brother of Vilhelm Nellemann jr. - was Robert Nellemann, who was one of Denmark's most successful racing and rallying driver in the 40s and 50s, taking 14 Danish championships from 1950 till 1965, and being the first Dane to win a major international rally, the 1959 Rally Niedersachen, co-driven by Mogens Skarring.

[Andretti Fan]

Thanks for the great background information on a driver I've never heard much background on before. The story of mixing the tire brands has to be pretty unique. Anyone else have any similiar stories? ( imagine someone trying it today.. hahaha)

[Huw Jadvantich]

Might have been a good fix for Indy GP 2005

[Spaceframe]

Originally posted by Morten Alstrup


It doesn't end there though ;)

Jac Nellemann's uncle - brother of Vilhelm Nellemann jr. - was Robert Nellemann, who was one of Denmark's most successful racing and rallying driver in the 40s and 50s, taking 14 Danish championships from 1950 till 1965, and being the first Dane to win a major international rally, the 1959 Rally Niedersachen, co-driven by Mogens Skarring.

Ah, yes - Robert Nellemann.

I seem to remember a picture of him in a Ford (Zephyr?) during a Monte Carlo Rally - I think I saw the picture in Georgano's Encyclopedia of Motorsport, but it's 25 years or so since I last had the pleasure of having that wonderful book in my hands.

[Morten Alstrup]

Originally posted by Spaceframe

Ah, yes - Robert Nellemann.

I seem to remember a picture of him in a Ford (Zephyr?) during a Monte Carlo Rally - I think I saw the picture in Georgano's Encyclopedia of Motorsport, but it's 25 years or so since I last had the pleasure of having that wonderful book in my hands.

Spaceframe, you are not only so right. You are quite right.

The picture is on page 457, the caption says 1956, but in fact the picture is from 1958, when Robert Nellemann finished tenth in the rally in a Ford Zephyr. It was the best ever result of a Danish driver in the Monte Carlo Rally until Henrik Lundgaard took sixth in 1997!

If you see the Georgano book again (try the local library, I experienced it there the first time 20 odd years ago), you will notice that the smaller triangular windows are open. The reason was that Robert Nellemann's co-driver, Mogens Skarring, had a habit of smoking cigarettes during the rally, and as Robert Nellemann did not like the smoke coming from the fags, the windows had to be open. After the rally Mogens Skarring thus had to stay in bed for several days with a heavy 'bout of flu before they could return (see page 42 in Dansk Bilsport i 50 år for the story).

To all other TNF'ers. Sorry for taking the thread away from the Formula 5000 race at Jyllands-Ringen - or FDM Jyllandsringen as the official name of the circuit is these days......

[nexfast]

It doesn't end there though ;)

Jac Nellemann's uncle - brother of Vilhelm Nellemann jr. - was Robert Nellemann, who was one of Denmark's most successful racing and rallying driver in the 40s and 50s, taking 14 Danish championships from 1950 till 1965, and being the first Dane to win a major international rally, the 1959 Rally Niedersachen, co-driven by Mogens Skarring

 

Morten Alstrup is an authority in danish car racing but in this case I wonder if he is not slightly off mark about the Nellemann family. According to other sources, Robert Nellemann is the son of Sofus Nellemann and the nephew of Villhelm Nellemann Sr. VIllhelm Nellemann Jr. is thus his cousin, not his brother and Jac Nellemann consequently is not Robert's nephew but a second-degree cousin.