![]() “We’re doing serious competitive sport here, just like everyone else,” Volker Strycek clarifies. If you’re not in top shape, you don’t stand a chance in the MantaĪnyone who thinks that the Beckmann Manta is only a mascot on the Ring among all the ultra-modern 600 hp cars in the GT3 class, as a curiosity, is very much mistaken. Strycek: “No self-respecting sports photographer would take a picture of our car before the antenna with the foxtail is attached.” A request that unfortunately cannot be granted because the antenna of this Manta has had its own foxtail for years, it is an essential part of the cult. “Many bring their own foxtail and ask us to pin it to our antenna during the race,” grins the Ring veteran. The Manta friends then also always drop by the paddock. Many of them arrive a week before the race. ![]() In normal times, up to 200,000 spectators camp out at the Nordschleife. Only 10,000 grandstand tickets went on sale. I have no idea how they got my contact details.“Īnd that was despite the fact that the corona pandemic allowed hardly any spectators at the Ring in 2021 and the fans were only able to follow the live stream or the broadcast on “rtl Nitro”. “Weeks before the race, I started receiving ‘good luck and best wishes’ emails and text messages, even from people I didn’t know. That made the fan community all the more eager for the comeback in 2021. “We were unable to get some spare parts that we urgently needed in time,” says the former Opel Motorsport boss. Wherever the iconic car appears, it stirs up emotions. The recent euphoric reactions to the electrified Manta GSe ElektroMOD also show that the Manta still moves people. “These are moments that are just as moving as a victory,” says Volker Strycek. And when it drove over the finish line, not only the spectators in the stands rose from their seats, but the teams in the pit lanes also stood, forming a ‘guard of honour’, and applauded. The crew fixed it up in no time at all so that it was able to drive at least one last lap. After a crash, the race was over for the Manta, but the team wanted to show the fans of the classic model that they did not need to worry about their star. The team experienced just how much it is respected in the paddock during the 24-hour race in 2019. The Beckmann Manta has now covered more than 100,000 kilometres on the Ring. Its kerb weight of only 930 kilogrammes, sophisticated brake balance as well as very special features such as an individually designed front axle, rear wing from Porsche and mudguards from BMW – which, like the bonnet and doors, are made of carbon fibre – make the racing ray a unique specimen that has always felt right at home in the tight corners of the Nordschleife. The Nordschleife – the natural habitat of the racing ray The naturally aspirated engine delivers 255 hp. The cylinder head with 16 valves comes from an Opel Kadett E GSi. Since then, its heart has been an 1800cc Opel four-cylinder engine, which was re-bored to two-litre displacement. In the early 1990s, the renowned Opel tuner Kissling Motorsport converted it into a long-distance racer as commissioned by Olaf Beckmann. The Manta actually used to be a rally car. In fact, it passed the age limit for participation 17 years ago, but its fan community managed to get a special registration for the racing ray, which is still valid today. The classic car has been taking part in Germany’s best-known endurance race since 1994 and has long since achieved iconic status. At the 49 th edition of the legendary 24-hour race on the Nürburgring, the Hamburg businessman had his no less legendary Opel Manta on the grid. The former Opel Motorsport boss is part of Olaf Beckmann’s team. “Of course, this puts a real damper on things,” says Volker Strycek. The planned restart was announced several times, and then cancelled again. Now there was nothing to do but wait, all night long. It got more and more dense until it was impossible to continue the race.Īt 9:30 p.m., the race organisers raised the red flag, and the race was halted. Not ideal, but there was still plenty of time to catch up. And so, lap after lap, valuable seconds were lost. And the team realised that they had not chosen the best tyres for this weather. About an iconic car that sparks emotions like no other, receives Thai homage and still competes to win.Īt first, everything went as planned: a punctual start on Saturday afternoon, five and a half hours of driving, but in pouring rain – no one really needs that at the beginning of June. The racing ray with the foxtail celebrated its comeback at the Nürburgring.
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