Czechoslovakia

Invincible · 6 Aug 2001, 20:21 (Ref:126750)

With Tomas Enge up-and-coming could he become the first ever Czech to race in F1?, Now I can't remember of any Czech racing in a championship race but I remember in the 1950's there was a Non-championship CzechGp held at the old Brno street track it was won by a local driver called Valcav Horovka, can anyone give me any info on Horovka i'd be very grateful?

Regards
invincible Age:14

sat · 6 Aug 2001, 21:32 (Ref:126776)

Only true post war "Formula 1" race was held in 1949. In practice was killed Vaclav Uher in 1939 Maserati 6CM. This car is that in 1950 Vaclav Hovorka win race in 1950. Car was later raced by some others (Jan Tenora)
Vaclav Hovorka was multiple Czechoslovakian champion in sport category (cars: HMV,Strela). Then he was a chief of army auto sport club.

Vitesse · 6 Aug 2001, 22:04 (Ref:126786)

Probably the most successful pre-war Czech driver was Bruno Sojka, who scored one second and four third places in the Masaryk Voiturette GP between 1931 and 1935. Postwar, he came second behind Hovorka in the very wet 1950 Czech GP, driving a 2.6 litre Tatraplan T607. In the 1949 race he had driven a 2-litre Tatra sports car which he placed either 7th or 9th (depending on your source!)

BTW Invincible, Brno was hardly a street circuit. Pre-war it was over 18 miles long and in 1949 it was shortened to just over 10 miles!!

Ray Bell · 6 Aug 2001, 22:12 (Ref:126790)

Brno? What a shame we only see pictures of Brno circuit where it passes through the town! Just what excitement did it really create as it spread itself through the countryside, over hill and dale and past the farmers' cottages?

While on the subject of Czechoslovakian drivers, we have one quite well known in Australia, Tomas Mezera, who began competing in a Skoda in hillclimbs before finding his way here and running Formula Ford.

I believe he wanted to pursue a course that would take him back to Europe and fame and fortune in F1, but he finished up in our tin tops... kind of a poor second prize.

Rob29 · 7 Aug 2001, 07:10 (Ref:126973)

Best ever female racer was Czech Elizebeta Junek.Lead Targa Florio in front of Nuvalari 1928.

sat · 7 Aug 2001, 19:38 (Ref:127254)

I never see the pictures of Brno passes through the TOWN. Ostrovacice, Zebetin, Kohoutovice, Novy Liskovec, Bosonohy, Veselka all are villages near to Brno. But I agree to ray best place are in forest areas between.

Ray Bell · 7 Aug 2001, 23:46 (Ref:127362)

So don't let us down, sat...

Post some pictures of the better stretches!

Ray Bell · 8 Aug 2001, 05:51 (Ref:127427)

In the meantime, a modern day picture someone sent me of the run through (what I am now assured is) one of the towns:

Now, please somebody post pics from the rural stretches.... sorry this is so modern.

Ray Bell · 9 Aug 2001, 04:30 (Ref:127936)

Delightful news... sat has asked me to post some pictures from out in the countryside... and from the distant past! The first one looks interesting, I'll leave it to sat to explain it to you all:

sat · 9 Aug 2001, 20:24 (Ref:128212)

It is in 1934 Ernst-Gunther Burggaler on Bugatti go try resistance of stone-markers in Ostrovacice area. He finished second in "smaller class".

Vitesse · 9 Aug 2001, 20:35 (Ref:128220)

Quote:

Originally posted by sat
It is in 1934 Ernst-Gunther Burggaler on Bugatti go try resistance of stone-markers in Ostrovacice area. He finished second in "smaller class".

Rather untidy parking by Mr Burgaller - now why does that remind me of my ex-wife's driving??

Ray Bell · 9 Aug 2001, 23:11 (Ref:128290)

sat has come through big time now... learned a little about scanning for the web and here they are:

Now, let's see what sat has to tell us about these... and let's all express our gratitude to him for supplying us with such gems.

sat · 10 Aug 2001, 03:28 (Ref:128357)

1. The same Burggaler, year unknown.
2. Varzi and Carraciola between Zebetin and Ostrovacice - 1934
3. Vaclav Hovorka (Maserati 6CM)winner of GP 1950 in very nasty conditions.
4. 1966 - 6 hour race for touring cars - Tatra T603 of Vermirovsky/Hajdusek prior to Farina's corner.
5. Farina's corner - fisrst lap of ETC race in 1976. Reine Wisell, Jean Xhencéval and Hugh de Fierlant.
6. Early morning before race in early sixties.

Ray Bell · 10 Aug 2001, 05:38 (Ref:128367)

Apparently sat is so happy to see his pictures on the thread he sent me some more... so I'll happily post them and await his descriptions!

...and I believe there are some lurkers out there enjoying the pics too. Come on, chaps, don't be afraid, make a comment about sat's contribution!

sat · 10 Aug 2001, 18:47 (Ref:128605)

Picture 3 is from national GT! race from 1963, with n. 32 Rosicky, later raced with Alfa Romeo in ETC (Zetor Racing Team). Motocycles from year 1955. Last picture is from updating public road Brno-Jihlava to make it racing circuit. Sorry no more...

Ray Bell · 10 Aug 2001, 23:28 (Ref:128715)

That straight downhill run with the openwheelers, look like circa 1966 F3, where is that, sat?

sat · 10 Aug 2001, 23:38 (Ref:128724)

It is F3, but in source no mention about year...

Ray Bell · 11 Aug 2001, 00:04 (Ref:128732)

That sweeper they're headed for would be a corker in a 3-litre F1 car! And I wonder if my friends Barry Collerson, Jim Sullivan and Wal Donnelly are in the pic? I'm sure all of them raced there as they trekked around Europe living off starting money...

Another era long dead...

sat · 11 Aug 2001, 06:23 (Ref:128777)

Australians in F3 Brno (as I can quickly find - without claim of completeness):

1966 Barry Collerson - Cooper
Kurt Keller - Cooper ?

1967 Kurt Keller - Merlyn

1968 Wal Donnelly - Brabham

none in 1964, 1965 and 1970

Ray Bell · 11 Aug 2001, 13:21 (Ref:128889)

Thank you sat, I will be sure to talk to Wal Donnelly as soon as I see him again... unfortunately he is in Austria rather than Australia at the moment, having married a lady from those parts and having the time to spend away from our shores.

He races again these days, by the way, with a Sports 2000 car in Historic events.

Ray Bell · 19 Aug 2001, 14:44 (Ref:132471)

Some more pics from sat...

sat · 19 Aug 2001, 15:45 (Ref:132507)

1. 1985
2. 1972 - Niki Lauda in BMW Alpina, when Walter Brun go some auto-cross training.
3. 1972 - Jochen Mass in Ford Capri RS take 3rd place overall.
4. F3 start in 1968, who is the man with flag?

zealot · 20 Aug 2001, 14:21 (Ref:133053)

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

These are great sat, memories of a better (albeit less safe) period of racing.

And thanks to you Ray Bell, for giving a helping hand in the posting of these historic photos.

Ray Bell · 20 Aug 2001, 15:22 (Ref:133074)

Anything to be a help...

eugen · 21 Aug 2001, 09:07 (Ref:133598)

A prewar Masaryk circuit winner.