IS Trophy 2018: Everything went for Rolf Burri
SURPRISE The 2018 Interswiss Trophy ended with a champion that no one had expected before the start of the season. Rolf Burri is the first overall winner with a two-valve engine under the hood in his Opel Kadett. Not only the slalom of Ambri next Sunday, but of Drognens on September 23 counted for the first time as the final round of the Interswiss Trophy, the private [...]
Not only the slalom of Ambri next Sunday, but of Drognens on September 23 counted for the first time as the final run of the Interswiss Trophy, the private and strongly occupied championship for registered drivers from the IS group. This has existed since 2008 and ended in 2018 with a real surprise.
Diligent participation pays off
Rolf Burri was the first driver with a two-valve engine to win the title. With his Opel Kadett GT/E 8V, he defeated his opponents in the class up to three liters only three times. In St. Ursanne, he benefited from the technical defect of the clear leader Urs Banz (Opel Ascona B 16V) and the absence of all Kadett colleagues.
Banz's potential success was thwarted by further defects. The racing break of his brother Armin and the few starts of last year's champion Roman Marty and Josef Koch with their 16V-Kadett also played into the cards of the Ruswil native.
Winning extra points
The three additional points each for two-valve engines - except in the case of victory - put Rolf Burri four points ahead of Christoph Mattmüller in the self-tuned VW Scirocco 16V in the final standings.
If, after Chamblon, Burri had not also won the final race in Drognens over slalom specialist Michael Zbinden in another Kadett C and four competitors with other makes, the title would have gone to Mattmüller.
The Bernese had the title win in his hands towards the end of the season. However, Mattmüller would have had to win a sixth time in Les Paccots or Drognens in the 1600cc class after five class victories.
However, after a series of technical defects on his VW Polo 16V, Stephan Burri found himself back on track. As a result, Mattmüller had to settle for second place in the final two races and in the championship.
Neff lacked a single opponent
The title, which he had never set his sights on, was just around the corner for Frédéric Neff. Of the five slaloms in the IS calendar, the now two-time Swiss touring car mountain champion only contested the one in Bière, more or less in preparation for the mountain races.
On the mountain, Neff won eight times, five of them in group record time. Unfortunately, he lacked a second opponent in the over-three-liter class at the finale in Les Paccots to collect 21 points there as well instead of just eleven. Full points are only awarded per class if there are three competitors.
Otherwise, the road builder from Moutier (specializing in paving stones) would also have become the 2018 IS Trophy winner with a one-point lead over Rolf Burri.
To become a champion, you often have to rely not only on your own skills, but also on your luck and the bad luck of your opponents.
And the old adage that it's always added up at the end was confirmed in exemplary fashion in the 2018 Interswiss Trophy.
