Modena Cento Ore Classic

11 –15 June 2010

Mauro Bompani’s Modena Cento Ore rally returned in 2010 after a year’s absence from the classic rally calendar. The previous editions of the rally were always heavily oversubscribed so it was a surprise to see the paucity of entries for the tenth running of the event. The programme featured just 31 cars in competition section and 25 in regularity.

With a route of ten special stages, many new for 2010, but all shorter than before, the total stage mileage was less than sixty kilometres so it was the three races that decided the winners.

Seeded number one in competition was the ex-Ecurie Belge Ford GT40 of Christopher Stahl and Gerd Ottenburger. With the emphasis on circuits this car had to be the favourite. Number two was the Ford Shelby Mustang 350GT of Thomas Studer and Patrick Waspe. Waiting to be outgunned by the big American V8s were the winners of the last Modena Cento Ore, John and Lesley Sheldon driving their Lotus Elan, while previous two-time winner Chris Chiles and David ‘Monty’ Mountford also had to be considered serious contenders for overall honours in their AC Cobra. Also Cobra mounted were US veteran Doug Allen sharing with his regular British co-driver Richard Lugg, and Mark Freeman with Mike Ellis. Allen’s car was freshly built by Gary Spencer and finished just before the event, while Freeman had the advantage of local knowledge, as his holiday home is situated on one of the stages regularly used by the rally. Making an Italian odyssey were the Lancia Aurelias of Tim and Jane Burrett and Jason and Louise Kennedy, who had taken part in the Coppa Inter Europa Storica event at Monza held on the previous weekend.

Leading contenders in regularity were Sally and Dudley Mason Styrron who selected a pretty Ferrari Dino from their eclectic Italian collection. The pair has taken part in every edition of the Modena Cento Ore. Also competing in regularity instead of competition, by virtue of failing to acquire his competition licence in time, was the AC Cobra of Malcolm Young and Bernard Pekr. Drama for Mark Freeman started before the event when the gearbox on his Cobra seized on the Autostrada en route to Modena. He would rejoin the rally on day two.

Circuit stages were at Perugia’s Autodromo di Magione, the Autodromo di Mugello and the emotive Imola track.

The Tenth Edition of Modena Cento Ore clearly struggled in certain areas. Mauro Bompani admitted that each year gaining authorization for the road closures necessary for the stages becomes ever more time consuming and difficult. Nevertheless the event has unique charisma and charm. The driving experience of the Tuscan and Umbrian countryside in perfect weather is hard to beat. With all the hard work that Mauro and his wife Laura put into the event it deserves our support.

For a full report and results see our August issue