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240Z at Spa Francorchamps
http://forums.ctzcc.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9556
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Author:  Frank T [ Sun Nov 25, 2018 3:14 pm ]
Post subject:  240Z at Spa Francorchamps

The racecourse in Spa Belgium's Ardennes forest used to be the deadliest in the world during the 1960s F-1 seasons. Of all the post-WWII racetracks, Spa Francorchamps was the last one to receive upgrades or safety improvements of any kind. It was run on common country backroads, thru heavy woods, with trees, stone walls and sometimes houses sticking right out to the road's edge, exactly like today's Isle of Man motorcycle Tourist Trophy. Any mistake was a guaranteed crash at 140mph in a lightweight aluminum cigar tube with open wheels at each corner. No seatbelts were used back then either, altho they would have been worthless in a crash. Many world-class F-1 race drivers lost their lives or careers at Spa, until Jackie Stewart (his own career destroyed there) started a drivers' boycott of the race until the course was made safe.

Today it is among the safest tracks in all of Europe, but history haunts the entire woods around the circuit and famous names continue to be whispered by everyone who visits.

Here's an early-1971 240Z hero running on the new track. Notice the runoff areas, the safety barriers, the wide 3 lane course and the absence of trees or sharp pointy objects along the racetrack sidelines.

https://youtu.be/dzh5c849jRY

Spa is one of Europe's racecourses which has scheduled celebrations of the Z's 50th anniversary in 2019.

Author:  jp260z [ Sun Nov 25, 2018 8:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 240Z at Spa Francorchamps

Cool video. Interesting history lesson too Frank.

I could listen to those engines zipping by all day.

Author:  johnnyZ [ Mon Nov 26, 2018 4:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 240Z at Spa Francorchamps

Great video and sound. Love to see the other vintage cars as well. :thumbs_up:

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