Audi Tradition at the Donau Ring in 2004

Audi is celebrating its return to the DTM (German Touring Car Championship) – and the Donau Ring (Danube Ring) event in Ingolstadt on May 1 and 2, 2004 is one such occasion. Visitors will be able to see rarities from motorcycle racing history and incomparable GTC classics from Audi on the 1.6-kilometre race track bordering the old city centre. The historic race in Ingolstadt recalls the motorcycle races from 1949 to 1954 and this new edition will take place for the fifth time this year. Audi Tradition is again the main sponsor for this event.

On the Donau Ring 2004, AUDI AG’s historic division will present two Audi V8 quattro DTM cars with which many victories were obtained: In 1990, Hans Joachim Stuck became German Touring Car champion in the Audi V8. In 1991 Audi was the first manufacturer in the German Touring Car Championship’s history to defend the title successfully. Frank Biela was the champion driver in that year. Another car that will be seen is the Audi A4 quattro Supertouring, with which Audi won races all over the world in 1996 – a total of seven victories from Australia to South Africa. The competition cars from the 1990s will make two special runs this year on the Donau Ring, with Audi drivers Rinaldo Capello, Pierre Kaffer and Marco Werner at the wheel. As in the previous year, Audi Tradition has invited Mercedes-Benz Classic to participate; they will start with a former rival DTM car, the Mercedes Benz MB 190 E 2.5-16 EVO II DTM driven by ex-Formula One star Jochen Mass.

The 2004 Donau Ring remains primarily an event for motorcycles, however. More than 250 racing machines and sidecar outfits built between 1928 and 1958 have registered this time. For the NSU Sportmax’s 50th anniversary, two special NSU runs comprising some 40 legendary NSU racing motorcycles will be held this year on the first weekend in May. Participants from Audi Tradition’s historic collection are the 1953 NSU Rennfox ridden by Timo Schiemer, the 1954 NSU Rennmax Blauwal (Blue Whale) with Wolfgang Schneider in the saddle and the 1953 NSU Rennmax with Jürgen Nöll as its rider. These motorcycles recall NSU’s double championship win 50 years ago. Spectators can also look forward to seeing the two former DKW factory riders Gustl Hobl (DKW 350 RM) and Heinz Klingenschmidt (DKW 250 RM): Just as they did in previous years, they will participate in this city race on these DKW racing motorcycles with their usual skill this year.

A visit to the paddock will be worthwhile: in the exhibition tent, visitors will be able to see Audi Tradition’s special “50th NSU World Championship Anniversary” exhibition. Other exhibits include the 1936 Auto Union Type C racing car and, for the first time in Ingolstadt, the reconstructed 1939 Wanderer `Streamline Special’. In the Audi tent, the 2nd DTM practice session and race will be broadcast live from Estoril, Portugal for Touring Car race fans.

The event starts at 8.30 a.m. on both days and the last presentation runs will be held at 4.45 pm. The event will end with a veteran car parade at 5.20 p.m. on both days. The one-day track ticket costs 10 Euro (17 Euro for the weekend ticket) and entitles the holder to paddock access, the Audi Tradition exhibition tent and free entry to the Audi museum mobile on Saturday, May 1, 2004 (the museum will be closed on Sunday, May 2, 2004). A free shuttle bus will bring visitors from the parking lots at the Audi Forum and West Park to the racetrack. This event is organized by Classic Globus GmbH; for more information please visit www.classic-globus.de and www.donauring.de.

The four rings of the Audi badge symbolise the brands Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer, which were later combined under the umbrella of Auto Union. Auto Union and NSU, which merged in 1969, made many significant contributions towards the development of the car. AUDI AG was formed from Audi NSU Auto Union AG in 1985. Together with the two traditional companies Auto Union GmbH and NSU GmbH, Audi Tradition nurtures and presents the deep and diverse history of Audi. The Audi museum mobile at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt is open from Monday to Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.