In the classic car scene, there are many events that everyone knows about, others you may have heard of in passing. And then there are events that you don't know about at all. However, some of these unknowns in the calendar have been around for several years or even decades and yet even fans from the region sometimes don't know about them! This makes it all the more exciting to discover and report on such an event, such as the 24-hour race for ducks (Citroën 2CV) at Spa-Francorchamps.
The duck race at Spa every October
October 16, 2016 - Anyone driving in the vicinity of Spa this weekend was certainly surprised by the high density of ducks on the road - we are of course talking about Citroën 2CV vehicles. The license plates also showed a Europe-wide presence: in addition to Belgians, there were many from England, France and Holland, with the occasional license plate from Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland and even Sweden and Norway!
This year, 75 teams entered the race in five categories - "hybrid cars" with BMW engines, "prototypes", tuned and original ducks and experimental exotics such as the 2CV from Burton. All vehicles must be equipped with roll bars for safety. Each team has three to four drivers and a well-coordinated pit team to ensure that all technical procedures run smoothly. The drivers take turns every three to four hours during the race.
The rattling of 75 duck engines is in the air, the race is in full swing and the supporting program is also underway. Despite this full and varied schedule, the spectator stands remain almost empty. The spectators all seem to know one of the drivers or helpers and have come across the event. And if this is not the case, they are real "deux chevaux" fans and have most likely come with their own duck.
When a vehicle rolls into the pit lane, there is a flurry of activity. All the processes seem well-rehearsed. Refueling, changing tires, quick repairs to the polyester bodywork: everything seems to be rehearsed a hundred times over, just like you see in modern endurance races. If you don't have a well-rehearsed team behind you, you lose valuable time and risk penalty points, because every step is supervised in the pit lane, so there's no question of an amateur race here!
The ducks do their laps at an average speed of 100 km/h in wind and rain, sunshine and at night. Repairs, refueling and driver changes are also carried out at night.
The many pit stops and the precision of the pit teams were also reflected in the result: 73 of 75 teams successfully reached the finish line after 24 hours and the two best-placed teams crossed the finish line with an incredibly narrow gap of just twelve seconds!
The teams CGS Racing Team, La Botte and GT Racing BNLL climbed onto the podium.
And just 23 seconds after the times, the third-placed team also crossed the finish line after 24 hours. Team 2CV Passion Trapanelle drove the fastest lap in 3 minutes and 19.597 seconds.
For comparison: at the Spa Six Hours 2016, the fastest AC Cobra Daytona Coupe took 3:10.929, not much faster than the fastest duck, the fastest Ford Mustang 3:00.697, a GT40 then took 2:45.704 and the fastest historic Formula 1 car (Williams FW07C) just 2:15.402. Compared to other events, things may be a little slower, but that didn't diminish the excitement of the duck race at all.
A long tradition since 1985
The 2CV race in Spa has been running for 31 years. Based on a crazy idea, the Santa Fe Motor Club organized the first duck race in 1985 with factory support from Citroën. The event was very well received by both the public and the drivers and was repeated year after year.
The vehicles were modified more and more over the years and soon the participants who kept their ducks as true to the original as possible were at a disadvantage. The event lost some of its appeal.
In 2007, the organization called "2CV Racing Teams" took over responsibility and introduced four categories, one of which ("Classic") was reserved for 2CVs in their original configuration. The event is now professionally anchored and complies with the official FIA rules of international sporting law, which is why the local organizing team is backed by the RACB (Royal Automobile Club Belgium).
The 2CV Racing Cup
Throughout the year, 2CV races are held, all of which are part of the 2CV Racing Cup. The main venues are in France (Croix en Ternois, Chambley) and Belgium (Spa), with one race traditionally also taking place in England (Anglesey in Wales). Participants in this cup can choose between two championships, which differ only in the number of races per season. Within the 2CV Racing Team Championship, the 24-hour race in Spa is already the season finale. Participants in the RACB championship then meet again at the end of the year at the 6-hour race on the Chambley circuit.
In Spa there is always an extensive supporting program, a large 2CV meeting and a market for 2CV spare parts. Those arriving on Friday even have the opportunity to drive around the circuit in their own 2CV before the race begins!
Clear regulations for participating classes
The majority of the starting field consists of the classic duck. These, with unmodified bodywork, may be either a 2CV or a Dyane with chassis type A and start in the "Classic" category. The suspension, braking system and electrical equipment must also correspond to the original. The regulations also require an absolutely unchanged gearbox and only allow the original engines.
In the other categories, modifications and tinkering are permitted - at least as long as they remain within the 30-page regulations and a type A chassis is present under the hood (2CV, Dyane, Ami 8).
For example, the category "Ameliorée " (translated "improved") states that the camshaft, ignition and cooling may be freely modified, but no changes may be made to the engine block or cylinders.
With the "prototypes" there are many more degrees of freedom, here the camshaft, crankshaft, pistons, rings, ignition, lubrication and cooling may be freely modified as long as original Citroën components are used that were installed at the time.
In the "Hybrid" category, prototype vehicles with a BMW engine (R850 GS, R850 RT or R850 C) and clearly visibly modified bodywork compete.
There are almost no limits in the "Experimental" class, where an oversized diffuser is allowed.
For all duck fans or those who want to experience such a race live, it is best to visit the official website of the organizer or follow the news on Facebook. The 24-hour race takes place in the second half of October. The date for 2017 has not yet been set.
