It is certainly a coincidence that the 30th Emil Frey Oldtimer Grand Prix Safenwil took place at the same time as the Pebble Beach/Monterey Week in California. However, there are certainly parallels between the two events. For example, the appearance of beautiful classic cars in America is also accompanied by laps of the race track (Laguna Seca), and the aim at both locations is to offer something for the discerning public.
Nevertheless, the differences between Safenwil and Monterey are of course enormous. While in the USA it seems to be mainly about earning a lot of money and bringing the most diverse products to the most elite classic car enthusiasts possible, throwing superlatives around and celebrating record after record, in Aargau (between Olten and Zurich) it is more of a classic car grassroots democracy.
Virtually anyone with an old car or motorcycle can take part, and spectators don't have to pay to park or watch. They don't have to buy anything either, but they can of course afford a bratwurst and a drink at reasonable prices.
Cars and motorcycles
There was plenty to see on August 20, 2022. Four groups of motorcycles and four fields of cars lined up alternately at the pre-start before completing four or five laps of the circuit on the large Emil Frey company grounds.
At midday, the cars of the three rally classes "Royal", "Pleasure" and "Middle Ages", which had previously found their way to Safenwil via different routes, joined them.
The well over 100 vehicles were supplemented by a group of Suzuki Swifts from the Suzuki Swiss Racing Cup and the "Foxtail Trophy" group, which consisted of mopeds of various designs and engine outputs (!).
No race
Naturally, the demo riders took the race organizers' "safety first" rule to heart and did not overdo it on the sometimes damp circuit. With around 600 meters and a comparatively large number of bends and short straights, excesses of speed were prevented, as were the various road surfaces and a small uphill section with particularly tight turns ("petit Susten"). There was no need for the many "20 km/h" signs painted on the road ...
Nevertheless, the spectators, of whom there should certainly have been a few more, especially in the morning, got their money's worth. As a "moving museum", the diverse models from a wide range of manufacturers from Alfa Romeo to Wolseley were thoroughly impressive.
They were also allowed to stink a little without the visitors immediately turning up their noses. And the beautiful six-cylinder sound of the 1934 Wolseley Hornet Special 6, once again driven by Andy Siegenthaler, was worth the trip to Safenwil.
Rarities in motion
The fact that there were also exclusive rarities to admire in Safenwil is illustrated by a few examples.
You don't see a Bugatti T59 Monoposto from 1936 every day, just as you don't see a Humber Sceptre from 1964, a Datsun 510 from 1970 or a Glas 1300 GT Coupé from 1966.
A Fiat-Abarth Monomille from 1964 or a Saab 95 estate from 1962 with a two-stroke engine have also not been seen on the roads for many years.
And there were also many motorcycles, whether from AJS, BSA, Indian or Laverda, which can only be admired at such events.
Loyal participants
Some participants have taken part in almost all 30 Oldtimer Grand Prix Safenwil events to date, such as Andy Siegenthaler.
But one person has been there every time, Hans Bolliger. Although he was unable to bring his 1930 BMW-Kneeler sidecar with him this time, he showed that a motocross sidecar can also be driven swiftly around an asphalt circuit.
The permanent guest was celebrated accordingly by speaker Daniel Mauerhofer and also received applause from the audience.
Not too hot
The weather gods were not quite in line with the organizer's ambitions. But at least it only rained at off-peak times and over lunchtime, while most of the "races" were held in the dry.
The public stoically endured the rainfall and used the time to marvel at the new car exhibitions of around a dozen brands. In addition, there were many stands around the circuit offering a range of products for the classic car hobby. It was also possible to gain an insight into the various operations and the Emil Frey Classics museum.
At the end of the day, every visitor and participant had gathered many impressions that will certainly be remembered for a long time to come. Nevertheless, one or two observers commented that there had been more to see at previous events, not least due to the strong competition that the classic car Grand Prix had to face on August 20, 2022, including the Ollon-Villars hill climb and the historic Walzenhausen-Lachen hill climb, but also the Burn Out in Mollis and of course, as mentioned, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elégance.
P.S. If you would like to see more pictures of the Oldtimer Grand Prix Safenwil, please refer to the two picture galleries with cars and motorcycles .
