Classic: Indy feeling in Zurich

The ambience is incomparable, which is due to the exotic concept of this unique event. Once a year, the 333.3-meter-long and up to 40° banked concrete oval mutates into a witch's cauldron when rattling racing engines and the smell of burnt castor oil dominate the scene in the over 100-year-old open cycle racing track in the heart of Zurich. Around 60 hand-picked historic racing vehicles with two, three and four wheels will give the spectators goose bumps with their loud demo laps in addition to the bicycle races.

The 14th edition of "Indianapolis in Oerlikon" is packed with goodies that fans can inspect up close in the open paddock. The racing field of special Indianapolis race cars from the 1930s, predestined for the steep slope, is unique. Among the rarities is the 1971 Brabham F2 driven by Luciano Arnold, which Silvio Moser once drove in the Formula 2 European Championship. As a treat, Kurt Hasler will be chasing his Maserati 8 CM from 1933 around the steep oval. They will be joined by sidecar teams and many adventurous racing motorcycles from legendary brands.

From insider tip to cult event
"The event has developed from an insider tip to a real cult event," says a delighted organizer and race driver Georg Kaufmann. "A racing atmosphere almost in the middle of Zurich: that's unique and a real need, as the crowds show. At the same time, we are not organizing a race. Safety has top priority and has been greatly improved again for this year. That's why we only invite experienced and prudent pilots. But they will still give a good throttle and provide goose bumps."

The event with catering will be held on Tuesday, July 26, from 4 to 10 pm. The demo laps of the nine racing fields are scheduled from 17:50 to 18:30, 19:30 to 20 and 20:30 to 21. Substitute date in case of bad weather (information via Internet) is the next Thursday, July 28. The entrance fee is 20 francs.

www.rennbahn-oerlikon.ch
Photos: Archive