Summit meeting of rally legends
11/18/2019
Time flies just as fast as the gentlemen in this story have always been on the road. It has been 30 years since our friend and public favorite Sepp Haider won the title of International German Rally Champion.
Together with co-driver Ferdi Hinterleitner and the first-class Opel team, they even left the top team Holzer/Wendel behind in their four-wheel drive Lancia Delta Intergrale in the 1989 season. Sepp and Ferdi had already been successful with the Kadett the years before (third in the DRM in 1988) and they developed the car into a winning vehicle. Always there: the Rüsselsheim team around Jochen Berger.
With regular places in the top three, Sepp and Ferdi took the lead in the championship over the course of the season. Sachs Winter 3rd, Sachs Franconia 2nd, Saarland 3rd, Hesse 1st, Hunsrück 2nd, etc. At the 3-city rally, the Opel team stood at the top of the podium and, despite finishing last in this rally, with a bottle of champagne on the hood of their Kadett.
What had happened? The Kadett needed new drive shafts. A supplier sent low-quality material and so the Opel team fell far behind. It was a good thing that the championship had already been decided in the previous race, as Haider/Hinterleitner were able to put technical problems behind them.
However, Sepp didn't want to finish tenth or twentieth, as last place would have been fun. And so Ferdi stamped his name at the end of the results list with the fastest times. At the finish in Straubing, the German Opel Rally Team celebrated the championship title.
30 years later, the protagonists meet again in Austria. Sepp has also invited old companions, co-drivers, competitors, mechanics and friends. They celebrated and reminisced at the Gasthof Kaiserin Elisabeth in Steyrling.
The host and hotelier Sigi Schwarz, himself a rally co-driver great in Austria, provided the right ambience. In the afternoon, an excursion was undertaken in private cars over beautiful gravel roads to the Steyrer Hütte. The host of the hut was waiting for the rally celebrities with a hearty snack.
This is where the first pictures of the group were taken against a fantastic backdrop. And because the boys have not yet lost interest in moving faster, there was the odd chase on the way back. There's just petrol in their blood and that's why they just can't stop.
On our return, Empress Elisabeth, alias Sigi Schwarz, invited us for coffee and cake. Sigi's brother Herbert served delicious cakes, which were cut by the jubilarian himself and distributed fairly.
Shortly before our cozy coffee klatch, we took a few pictures with the original Rally Kadett GSi, which was on display in front of the Empress in its Hessen Rally outfit. We had to hurry before dusk to get a picture of Sepp with Kadett, Sepp and Christian with Kadett, Sepp with the Opel Rallye Team mechanics Bernhard Zech, Andreas Mitzkat, Achim Stein and Andy Schulz, Sepp with his companions and friends. Ferdi Hinterleitner was sorely missed. And then a group photo with everyone: Sepp Haider, Jörg Pattermann, Franz Wittmann, Christian Geistdörfer, Rudi Stohl, Wilfried Wiedner, Helmut Entress, Stefan Eichhorner, Bruno Zehentner, Hinterleitner, Bernhard Zech, Andreas Mitzkat, Achim Stein, Andi Schulz, Helmut Lämmle, Horst Hausser, Martin Wagner, Silvano Carenini, Simon Wagner, Helmut Deimel, Alois Drexler.
Unfortunately, our rally world champion Walter Röhrl was unable to attend due to illness. After enjoying the delicious desserts, the group marched to the nearby fire station, where a specially prepared Deimel film was shown. Helmut congratulated Sepp with his words and the 20-minute rally film. The 1st and 2nd mayors of the municipality of Steyrling (Klaus an der Phyrnbahn) also took this unique opportunity to welcome the rally elite to their town.
After this entertaining excursion into Sepp's rally career, we made our way back through the now dark Steyrling to the Kaiserin Elisabeth, where a refreshing aperitif awaited us. With red chubby cheeks, we took our seats for dinner in Sigi Schwarz's restaurant.
Appetizer, main course, interesting conversations, frequent toasts and suddenly Sepp got up from his seat. All was quiet and Sepp began to talk about his active time, how it all came about, what he experienced and, above all, with whom. And because almost everyone was there, he brought everyone to the front. Sepp thanked everyone with a personal gift and a funny story.
There was a lot of laughter and the excursions into the past also brought up a lot of emotions. After the jubilarian gave out his last gift, it suddenly fell silent. After a very emotional break, Sepp tearfully thanked those who are no longer with us. He remembered his friend and co-driver Ferdi Hinterleitner, who died in tragic circumstances shortly after their '89 title in early 1990. And to Jochen Berger, Günther Irmscher, Gino Carenini, Eugen Weidner, Peter Diekmann, Dr. Klaus-Peter Bierlich. Many thanks dear Sepp. You really are a great person.
After dessert, the evening continued with beer and wine. In the next room, Sigi's sister celebrated her 50th birthday. With Greek wine and Fiesta Mexicana, the party went on until almost dawn. It was great fun.
After breakfast the next day, everyone set off in different directions. I also loaded up the Kadett again and made my way home. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to stop by and have a cup of health tea with our rally world champion, who had a bad cold.
I brought him the cake I had made especially for him, which we cut immediately. I gave him my best wishes and told him about our great time in Steyrling. Walter and Monika would have loved to have been there at our summit meeting of the rally legends, because we won't be getting together this young again!
