During the 1950’s in Flanders, faith still held a strong positon in local societes. So strong, that vicar’s lead a very busy life, and regularly required the help of so-called “coöperating vicar’s”. In the small town of Wildert Hubert Van Geen – born in 1889 – took on that role. As a former missionary and […]
Nowadays he sells Seat’s in the Belgian city of Tournai. In the early 1990’s though, Philippe Adams was a hero on racetracks. In his Audi 80 he dominated the Belgian Procar-series, but his dream was Formula 1. During two weekends in 1994, he got to live that dream. In legendary Ketteringham Hall, Adams signed a […]
This story is about what Chevrolet urged it’s clients to do in the 1950’s: “Pick your favourite model of America’s favourite car”. Rockstar Seasick Steve wouldn’t find it hard to choose. During his guest appearance in Top Gear he confessed to having owned hundreds of cars. Asked by presenter Jeremy Clarkson which of those had […]
They describe themselves as “siamese twins”. Their grandfathers and fathers already were members of Huijbergens Cycling Committee, Jan Maas and Ruud Broosus joined it themselves in 1996. Together they nurtured what has become known as “the most beautiful circuit in the world”. And that circuit, Broosus and Maas think, “deserved a European Championship.” “Circuit manager” […]
“What will you be dreaming about?” Every night my father asked me the same question when he tucked me in as a small boy. My answer was the same every night. “About your car.” Like many petrolheads it all started for me with my fathers car. At the time my mind became concious of “cars” […]
From a small boy impressed by organ music, to organist, to organ builder. Many things can happen, and they did for Loek van Nes (73). As the organist in the church of Divine Providence in Bergen op Zoom, Van Nes had to make do with a “fake organ”. Dozens of times he pleaded the priest […]
Possibly, it is the most beautiful Ferrari ever to grace the start of a Grand Prix. It made Phil Hill World Champion and cost Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips his life. The Ferrari 156 “Sharknose” is a legend. During the Belgian Grand Prix at spa, the Belgian Olivier Gendebien raced it to one of his […]
On September 1, 1985 a loud thud was heard in Eau Rouge. Just before that, the German Stefan Bellof tried to overtake Jacky Ickx around the outside to take the lead of the Spa 1000 Kilometres in his Porsche 956. It didn’t work. Bellof, the man who was destined to race for Ferrari in the […]
Vaztaztic. That’s how a drunk would sound, trying to pronounce “fantastic”. It’s a nice reference to AvtoVAZ. That stands for Avtomobilny Vozhsky Avtomobilny Zavod, but it’s a little too complicated. Plus, it is something of a pleonasm, because when you translate it you get “Automobile Wolga Automobile Factory”. Right. Apparently them in Togliatti, Russia, found […]
Barbecue is more than roasting a sausage or cooking a burger. It’s more than an hour of fun in a summery backyard. For the Mountain High Smokers the barbecue represents not only a lifestyle, but also a sport they practice at a high level and in which they strive for perfection. Barbecue is an elite […]
