“Our goal was to bring motorsport back to the way it used to be.“

The Background Story of the Ennstal-Classic
by Helmut Zwickl

It was a foggy evening in the desolate Ardennes village of Hockey, not far from the Belgian Grand Prix circuit of Spa-Francorchamps. Michael Glöckner, who accompanied me as a photographer to the Formula 1 races, strolled with me through the fog on that September day in 1992. We had once again endured a frustrating day in what Niki Lauda had called the “small world of circus monkeys,” as he referred to Formula 1 at the time. Michael complained about the increasing number of restricted zones for photographers. I was fed up with the whole system: electronic barriers, ridiculous secrecy, drivers who could or would say nothing. I sensed where Formula 1 was heading in the coming years—away from its fans, a politically controlled money-burning machine of ruthless egos battling under absurd regulations and doomed to total stagnation by the so-called Concorde Agreement. That evening, we made a decision: we wanted to do motorsport like in the old days—tangible, real. With the cars of back then, on the roads of today. And immediately, the name was born: “Ennstal-Classic.”

The starting point would be Gröbming, where Michael Glöckner was the head of tourism. By then, the Ennstal had become my second home since 1974, when I had set up my gliding headquarters at Niederöblarn airfield.
Then came the conversation with Walter Röhrl: “We’re organizing the Ennstal-Classic, and we want you. We can’t pay any entry fee.” The great Walter smiled mildly: “If at my age I had to rely on an entry fee, I would have done something wrong in my career…” And since he never does anything wrong, he won the first Ennstal-Classic in 1993, in his private Austin Healey, with his wife Monika by his side.

At the start were 35 cars, including Karl Wendlinger, Dieter Quester, a certain Dietrich Mateschitz, and Austria’s most successful rally driver, Franz Wittmann.
In 1994, the second year of the Ennstal-Classic, Sir Stirling Moss appeared in Gröbming with his wife Susie for the first time. We were all in awe of him; he would become the iconic figure of the Ennstal-Classic, and both swore: “The Ennstal is the most beautiful rally in the world for us.” When Stirling aquaplaned with a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupé on the rain-soaked Österreichring during his debut, old memories resurfaced: just three kilometers away, 34 years earlier, he had won his last race in Styria on the Zeltweg military airfield, driving a Porsche for Rob Walker in the big Formula 2 race, ahead of Hans Herrmann, who would drive a Porsche 550 Spyder in the second Ennstal.

The 2nd Ennstal-Classic in 1994 ended with the only victory of a female team to date: Jutta Roschmann/Nicole Neukunft won in a BMW 507 ahead of Franz Wittmann/Jörg Pattermann in my Lamborghini Islero, while Stirling and Susie Moss finished ninth. Ing. Peter Falk, the legendary Porsche racing director, was a valuable advisor in the early years.

In 1996, the “Alfred Neubauer Trophy” was awarded for the first time to the overall winner, an award personally given by the famous Mercedes-Benz racing director during his lifetime to people like John Surtees, Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Jochen Rindt, and Niki Lauda.
While the Mille Miglia repeatedly races against city traffic, the beautiful sightseeing tours through every tiny town often put participants permanently behind schedule, necessitating a street race tolerated only in Italy, where tolerance has decreased in recent years. At the Ennstal, we took a different approach: the route goes through the last low-traffic areas of the Alps. And it is more athletic to push the brakes to their limit on the Nockalm descent than to overheat old engines in Rome traffic.

In 1996, the variety of car types was greater than ever, and we accepted 94 starters. Demand far exceeded supply. Our philosophy became the foundation of the Ennstal’s success: we are advocates of pure, sporty driving without shortcutting or computer assistance. It is not a scenic drive, a math test, or a skill contest. A general average of 50 km/h applies, which must be maintained in special stages between secretly positioned light gates to the hundredth of a second.
The Ennstal-Classic tests the limits of what is possible with cars of the past on today’s roads. Brand variety is essential to us, shaped by exceptional cars that set technical and sporting standards in their time and are now cult objects.

From the first Ennstal in 1993 to the 20th edition in 2012, the build date of the eligible cars was effectively “frozen”: they must be from before 31 December 1972.
And before the Ennstal risked turning into a computer game—we were close—we made a decisive cut: only mechanical watches/stopwatches/analog wristwatches are allowed, and all devices using electronic sensors are prohibited.

In 1997, Walter Röhrl won the Ennstal for the second time with Peter Falk in a Porsche 356. In 1998, the overall winner was Rauno Aaltonen with Mike Höll as co-driver in a BMW 2002Ti. In the following years, the late Rudolf Schraml left his mark on the Ennstal, winning in 2000, 2001, 2004, and 2005.

By 2001, 145 teams from ten nations started. The Ennstal became a significant economic factor for the entire region. The economic impact rose to around 10 million euros, and annually 20,000 additional overnight stays were generated. Over 190 media representatives are accredited in Gröbming, and from more than 300 entries, 220 teams are selected. TV coverage on ORF, ATV, ZDF, 3Sat, Sat1, n-tv, and SF2 expanded.

In 2008, Chopard, the top watchmaker in the classic car scene, joined. At the Chopard Grand Prix in Gröbming, stars relive their youth behind the wheel of their old winning cars.

Klaus Bischof, head of the traveling Porsche Museum, has brought the family silver to Gröbming since the beginning. Mercedes-Benz sent legendary pre-war Silver Arrows to the demo Grand Prix. In 2001, John Surtees drove the legendary Mercedes 300SLR #722, with which Stirling Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia, over the entire Ennstal route.

The factory museums of Alfa Romeo, Auto Union, BMW, Jaguar, Opel, and Lamborghini have repeatedly showcased their treasures, under the motto: “Tradition is the preservation of the fire, not the ashes.”
The Ennstal-Classic mobilizes the “who’s who” of international racing, rallying, sports, TV, and management. Nowhere else is the density of legends higher: Niki Lauda, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mario Andretti, John Surtees, Sir Stirling and Lady Susie Moss, Sebastian Vettel, Nigel Mansell, David Coulthard, Tony Brooks, Jochen Mass, Gerhard Berger, Derek Bell, Nino Vaccarella, Nanni Galli, Maria Teresa de Filippis, Hans Herrmann, Marc Surer, Dieter Quester, Reine Wisell, Michele Alboreto, Eddie Irvine, Christian Klien, Mike Thackwell, Dr. Helmut Marko, Hans Stuck, Herbert Linge, Paul Ernst Strähle, Roland Asch, Rolf Biland, Erik Carlsson, Walter Röhrl, Christian Geistdörfer, Michele Mouton, Björn Waldegard, Rauno Aaltonen, Hannu Mikkola, Ove Andersson, Arne Hertz, Tony Fall, Franz Wittmann, Rudi Stohl, Ernst Harrach, Jutta Kleinschmidt, Adrian Newey, Peter Sauber, Jean Sage, Mario Illien, Dr. Mario Theissen, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Ernst Piech, Dr. Franz Josef Paefgen, Dr. Hartmut Warkuss, Dr. Jürgen Stockmar, Dr. Ulrich Bez, Jo Ramirez, Franz Klammer, Michael von Grüningen, Markus Wasmeier, Thomas Muster, Tobias Moretti, Peter Kraus, Klaus Wildbolz, Roland Düringer, Rudi Roubinek, Christian Clerici, Robert Palfrader, Gerald Friedle aka DJ Ötzi, and “Mr. Bean” Rowan Atkinson.

2008 marked a unique gathering. The “Club International des Anciens Pilotes de Grand Prix F.1” held its annual meeting with us, presenting the largest Formula 1 starting field ever in Austria.
It was a long journey from 35 cars in 1993 to 2012. We spent years explaining to authorities, sponsors, and media what the Ennstal-Classic is and what it should be. Today, the print media value, according to Observer, is nearly 2 million euros.

Again this year, the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg serves as a stage finish and special stage, and the historic town of Steyr features the Ennstal’s cult cars in a time control.

A few years ago, a construction company wanted to close the Sölk Pass for paving just two days before the start. Thanks to our intervention, we prevented it at the last moment. What we could not prevent was the following: “Mr. Bean”, aka Rowan Atkinson, the world star who drove his private Jaguar Mark VII in 2004 and caused an unprecedented wave of enthusiasm, wanted a private, quiet coffee break on Saturday afternoon after the rally ended.

The Schlosswirt in Moosheim recommended the quiet spot of Pürgg, a gem of Styria. But when Rowan arrived, a large firefighting festival was in full swing. He was immediately recognized and overwhelmed. Mr. Bean had to sign countless autographs before finally enjoying a quiet moment in the garden of Gasthaus Krenn.
“Gerhard Berger warned me,” Rowan said. “In Austria, your fans will crush you.” He was right…