6TH RALLY LEGEND 2008

28.09.2008 THE LEGENDARY LANCIA RALLY TEAM TO REFORM FOR RALLYLEGEND 2008

LANCIA 037 RALLY
LANCIA STRATOS
LANCIA DELTA S4
LANCIA 037 RALLY
LANCIA DELTA INTEGRALE

Action from last year's edition of RallyLegend 9abov), which as usual attracted the very cream of Lancia machines with a historical winning pedigree, including the 037 Rally, Stratos, Integrale and Delta S4.

Three Lancia Delta, crews Fiorio/Brambilla, Cerrato/Cerri and Peluffo/Cantoni, more than 25 mechanics, two trucks, one service van and three service cars, will assist the Delta Integrales of Juha Kankkunen and Miki Biasion and the Stratos of Sandro Munari with the logistic support of Delt1on...Lancia Squadra Corse is back for 6th RallyLegend 2008 which will take place in San Marino next month (10-11 October).

“Forty golden men”, as the monthly Tutto Rally defined them on the Monte Carlo Rally in 1987, are taking out overalls and gloves from mothballed wardrobes. The unceasing work of Christian Peluffo led the biggest rally service team of all times to reunite. From Rino Buschiazzo to Alessandro Pillon, from Gerard Herivel to Antonio Giannelli “Scintilla” (Spark), together with many others.

With the technical support of “Artemio”, of the Delt1one, modelling club and of “Friends of the Delta”, and in co-operation with the Organisation of Rallylegend, a theatre of the Lancia Service will be recreated at the Multieventi Sport Domus of San Marino, where spectators will have the chance to see all Lancia champions taking the start, assisted by the 11-times World Rally Champion Team. A true show into the show.

This will be the highlight of the 6th RallyLegend 2008, which will see a plethora of Lancias and other famous rally cars in the entry list. From Stig Blomqvist, with the fearsome Audi Quattro S1, from Juha Kankkunen and Alex Fiorio, in the Lancia Delta Integrale (among the entry requests there were 35 Lancia Delta, of which around 15 will be allowed to start), from the German Uwe Nittel, with his Mercedes 190 in the Republic of San Marino and Rallylegend colours, together with another two German champions as Michael Gerber (Opel Manta 400) and Michael Stoschek (with a rare Porsche 911 SC/RS).

But the show will start already from the “luxury” forerunners, around ten, among which Miki Biasion, on the red Delta Integrale of the Sanremo world victory of 1989 and Sandro Munari, on the Lancia Stratos, two legends of the home rally. Among the 205 entry requests, about 25 come from abroad, from all over Europe (Finland, Great Britain, many from Germany, Spain, France, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium). More in detail, two wonderful Ford RS 200 will come from Great Britain and one Metro 6R4 group B, that will join the three Audi Quattro and the even seven Lancia Delta S4.

High-quality as usual also among the Italian champions’ patrol at Rallylegend. On the top of the list “Tony” Fassina (Lancia Stratos), Dario Cerrato and Geppi Cerri (Lancia Delta), Federico Ormezzano with Claudio Berro (Talbot Lotus), Franco Cunico and Gigi Pirollo (Ford Escort Cosworth), Bruno Bentivogli (Alfetta Gtv6), Franco Ceccato (Fiat 131 Abarth), Gianni Del Zoppo (Alfasud TI), Fabrizio Colombi (Opel Manta 400), Franco Corradin (Toyota Celica Safari), Giovanni Galleni (Opel Ascona 400), and Italo Ferrara (Lancia Delta).

Appreciated and now traditional is the presence of female rally champions. The Swiss Micky Martinelli comes back to “Legend” (Opel Kadett Gsi), this year with the daughter Giada Todisco Grande, whereas there will be Fiorenza Soave’s debut, the “pink” Padua driver. Other prominent names such as Graziano Rossi, prestigious constant presence at Legend, who inspired the super champion son Valentino with the passion for motorbikes and rally, or the technical expert Orlando Redolfi, skilful driver of the Porsche, and some other “modern” drivers Paolo Ciuffi, Simone Campedelli, Denis Colombini, “Dedo” De Dominicis. From the “speed” sector come the national “Hill” Gramenzi (Lancia Delta S4) and Di Giuseppe (Delta Integrale).

The first runner that will open Rallylegend 2008 will be the Fiat Ritmo 75 Quattro Rombi that belonged to the recently passed-away “Sour”, alias Giorgio Moritsch, rally and humanitarian champion, a supporter of the San Marino event since the beginning. On the car there will be two big friends of Moritsch: Giorgio Facca at the steering wheel, with Fabio Viel at his side, the co-driver “Tweet” and mate of many races driven by “Gatto Silvestro”. So to say, “Gatto Silvestro” is still among us.
 

© 2008 Interfuture Media/Italiaspeed