OPC Challenge: Goodbye, Opel drivers!
FORCED BREAK After 13 seasons, the last closing ceremony took place with the best of the OPC Challenge. It is uncertain whether there will be a successor series for the once popular Opel Slalom Cup. There were times when the Opel OPC Challenge was quantitatively the strongest one-make cup in national mass sport. Fields with up to 50 drivers in identical Astra or [...]
There were times when the Opel OPC Challenge was quantitatively the strongest one-make cup in national mass sport. Fields of up to 50 drivers in identical Astra or Corsa OPC cars, some as double starters in one car, were not uncommon.
Start of the flood of titles from Martin Bürki
The first champion was Martin Bürki in the Opel Astra H OPC in 2006. It was his first ever national title, which was followed by six SM titles in slalom and three in the Mountain Cup to date. Bürki, who doubled up in the new Astra J OPC in 2013, was followed by other slalom luminaries such as Jakob Morgenegg, Daniel Kammer, Marcel Muzzarelli, Fabian Eggenberger, Fabio Gubitosi and Thierry Kilchenmann.
According to statistics from Christian Mettler, President of the Opel Sports Commission of the dealer association, a total of 934 starts - from single or multiple participants - were recorded up to 2018. Impressive.
Uncertainty
After the 13th and weakest season with only eight teams and 21 different drivers (ten of whom were classified) on the new Opel Adam S, it's over. Uncertainty among dealers about the future of the financially strapped brand, which is part of the PSA Group, prompted many dealers to stop their sporting activities.
René Zogg will go down in history as the last OPC champion. The 63-year-old from Aargau was consistently fast in his employer Auto Germann's car, but unfortunately for him, he did not win any of the nine races in 2018.
To his satisfaction, runner-up Rolf Tremp, driving instructor from Ebnat-Kappel, managed at least one direct hit. Three victories each went to Stephan Tschaggelar and Marcel Muzzarelli, who successfully competed in the Team Cup for Garage Metropol Amriswil, and one to Christian Zimmermann in the Online print for you Racing car.
Various scenarios
Christian Mettler and his sporting association colleagues had hoped until the very end that "the story with the three sacred letters", or OPC, would continue in 2019. After realistically assessing the current situation, they had to decide to end the OPC Challenge. Perhaps it will return in a different form.
Christian Mettler: "We simply no longer have an OPC model. But we don't want to bury the Challenge, we want to refocus it. We want to get back into it with Opel products. The only question is how and where."
Electric Cup, trackdays, something else or nothing at all?
They are excited about new models. For example, the upcoming E-Corsa. The first Electric Cup in Switzerland would be conceivable. However, the sports authority would have to play along. Pure Opel sports driving courses or trackdays are also worth considering. Although this would no longer be a sporting challenge of broad interest.
But nothing will happen before 2020. At worst, the loyal Opel sports cars will just drive for themselves and compete for championships. Just as was the case before 1970, when the Biel-based garage owner Engelbert Möll launched the Opel Sports Cup. The OPC Challenge emerged from this 35 years later.
Reunion gives pleasure
Nevertheless, fans of Swiss racing will not have to do without one or two top drivers. Mettler is also aware of their intentions. That's why he couldn't help but smile at the farewell ceremony at autobau Romanshorn.
Christian Mettler: "If a former OPC champion is at the top elsewhere in the future, for example in the new Emil Frey Cup, we can say that he came from our school..."
