Le Circuit de Gueux-Reims

[john.r.davies]

All,

Anyone heard of the Circuit de Gueux-Reims?

I only did by reading a bike mag (in fact 'Bike!' mag) and a feature about it.

This was a premiere Grand Prix circuit of France for many years, from the 1920's to the '60's (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reims-Gueux) It was a pure road circuit, like Le Mans and Spa, and as such proved too expensive to run in a modern era of safety, so it fell into disuse and disrepair.

 

Now, the track is still there as public roads and anyone can drive/ride them, though one hopes not at race speed. This place must be redolant of the days of classic F1. Just look at who won Grands Prix there: Fangio, Ascari, Hawthorne, Collins, Brookes, Brabham, Baghetti (who?), and even Jim Clark.

 

Now, some enthusiasts have formed Les Amis du Circuit de Gueux (http://www.amis-du-circuit-de-gueux.fr/1980) to restore and repair the old track buildings, the grandstand, the pits, the scoreboard that, extraordinarily, still stand beside the old circuit. The Friends also plan for this year a number of events at the Circuit, in the spirit, I think of the Goodwood Revival meeting:

 

30th June/1st July "The '12H' of the Friends of the Circuit of Gueux organises 2nd Gueux Historic legend. A Tourist Ride of Regularity for Vehicles of the Time around the mythical circuit of Rheims-Gueux. Navigation in the roadbook, the lettering and the cartography on approximatley 350kms, 3 stages of which a night. Opened to the historic vehicles of more than 25 years. Commitment: 150 Euros. (Meal banquet of Saturday evening and tray meal of Sunday included noon)"

AND

22-23 Setember Le 1ere Weekend de l'Excellence Automobile. See below. The latter includes, if you can read the picture, a special entry fee for a minimum of ten cars from a Club of again only Euros 150 (compare E1000 for an individual entry).

(See both of these on Les Amis' website)

 

The Aces may be interested in either of these, so please have a look and let us know.

 

John

[MadMarx]

Was a dangerous track.

Long straights leading to sharp hairpins.

 

Cheers

Chris

[MadMarx]

I just pointed out that there were some hairy out brake maneuvers and racing were stopped because of this.

Too fast approaching to a hairpin at high speeds and missing the brake point by a few meters and over it was.

 

But there were some very impressive races on this track.

 

Wasn't some shots of the movie Grand Prix taken there?