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Last Thursday my Winter Trial Co-Driver Joost Cohen and I attended a small get together at the home of publisher Frank Kloppert (a.o. Carros Magazine). The occasion was the launch of a gorgeous new Dutch/English collectors trilogy about the lives and careers of Carel Godin de Beaufort, Ben Pon and TwinSpark friend Gijs van Lennep. Pon-Porsche Import had sponsored the publication of this work, written by three Dutch motoring journalists.

The three men honored in these books have stimulated the imagination of several generations of boys and men, with their skill and daring behind the wheel of, mostly, Porsche race and rally cars. Carel Godin died many years ago behind the wheel and but his sister, Ben Pon and Gijs van Lennep were in attendance to receive the first copies of this unique document.

The event was presented by Carlo Brantsen of Carros magazine and presenter of a popular car show on national radio. Ray [...]

With our first races behind us it’s time to start focussing on the BergMeister Tour 2012. It’s hard to describe what the BergMeister is all about, but I’ll try.

I have regularly spent time in the South of France, visiting my sister, who lives and works there and I became enamored with the landscape of the Alpes Maritimes. During day trips my wife and I would criss cross the landscape in rental cars, looking for vantage points for photo’s, and at some stage I decided we needed to take the R Gruppe down here.

I gauged the interest among friends in the USA and at R Gruppe Treffen in 2009 the BergMeister Tour was born. TwinSpark partner John Glynn was there and the pals of Zuffenhaus and Steven Harris. Although in the end out of that group onlyJohn and Steven joined us on the first Tour [...]

Lex Proper drove The Hulk, our 1974 Porsche 911 RSR to 2 consecutive P2s in the first round of the Dutch Historic GT & Touring Car Championship! The races were driven in mild spring weather with a threat of a thunderstorm, but a dry track in the end.

Doing battle mainly with a similar car, which is running electronic fuel injection (?), Lex pressed out a fastest lap of just below 2 minutes, a 0,75 second improvement over The Hulk’s performance in the last season. So our modifications over the winter have paid dividends and Lex’ experience does the rest!

I drive Woodstock, the 1973 RSR, this year, because we want to see what Lex, with all his track experience, can achieve with the car. At the same time I believe you benefit from sitting in the middle of the field, so you don’t forget how close-racing works. So it was great to be back [...]