<center><img src="http://www.italiancar.com.au/images/Alfa_Romeo_GTA_RacingCar_14_lg.jpg"></center><p>Whew! Hot and heavy going! 9 lap races at Monza this week. The first race saw the rwd BMWs get a good launch and take the first two spots. By the 6th lap though, three of the fwd Alfa 156 had jumped to the lead and managed to hold onto the lead to the end, despite heavy pressure from the BMWs. An independent Seat managed to get 8th place, and several more got 10th and 11th. The winning Alfa was driven by a young man named Farfus, for whom this was his first touring car race (later disqualified - see link)!

The race leaders were placed back in 8th spot for the start of the 2nd race. The Seat was up near the front. Early in the race, two of the Alfas took each other out in side by side late braking for a turn, leaving only one factory car to carry on from 8th place. The Seat hung on grimly in the top 5, getting as high as 2nd place, but unable to keep that spot in the scrum of BMWs in the lead. Simply incredible effort by a privateer! At one point he braked too late while entering a corner - the BMW beside him saw that the Seat wasn't going to make the turn, and shot straight across the chicane, leaving room for the Seat to shorten the corner without coming into contact with the BMW. Young Farfus in the Alfa managed to place his car in 3rd spot by race end.

Good racing! Look up your local cable site, and tune into Speed for more touring car races.<ul><li><a href="http://www.crash.net/uk/en/news_view.asp?cid=26&amp;nid=89563">wOOt!</a></li></ul>

 

one of those m3s was on ebay a couple weeks ago