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The official book about the first 10 editions of the Eifel Rally Festival is not only a chronicle: With the stars of the scene from the past and present and with the most beautiful original cars and replicas from rally history, it is a Who's Who of the sport, so to speak. Experience the highlights from ten years of the festival with cars that are otherwise never seen, such as the Group S Audi, the rebuilt Safari Stratos or exotics from the Jidé to the Clan Crusader. A unique cross-section of rally history with the classics from Mini and Volvo PV544 to Group 4 legends like Stratos and Ascona 400, with the unforgotten Group B monsters, the stars of Group A from Lancia to Subaru as well as with the spectacular World Rally Cars.



Permanent guests at the Eifel Rally Festival


Over the past 15 days, we have presented the drivers who have taken part in all the festivals held so far. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them once again for their loyalty and look forward to seeing them again!

Peter Zima has been in the Eifel since 2007 and never misses an opportunity to drive his Delta. This festival in Daun is extremely important for historic sport. For many other organisers, this event is virtually the 'blueprint' for their activities. And where else can you move your oldie on such a gigantic stage. It is impressive how large the audience is. There is a great atmosphere among the participants, everyone helps each other and everyone helps so that everyone can roll over the finish ramp.



For Fred Walter, the Eifel in July has been a fixed part of his annual programme since 2002. The fan of the Lehwald stage has a particularly newsworthy event: "That was in 2018, when we had driver Jayant Shah and co-driver Aslam Khan - the original crew of my ex-Safari Nissan 240RS at the 1983 East African Safari Rally - as guests and the two of them drove your ex-car again on some special stages.



Markus Trapp: "My first participation in the Eifel Rally Festival was inspired by my visit to the Eifel Rally, when it was not yet a purely historical event. When I watched the Slowlys, I always said: I'm going to start here soon, too. My colleagues always smiled at me. But my ambition was aroused. And at the festival I experienced all the ups and downs. But the highs far outweighed the lows.



Götz Pfauders first participation was already at the 2003 Eifel Rally with the Slowly Sideways: "A Dutch sports comrade brought it to my attention." And then he reports the following: "Reinhard Klein came once and asked if Björn Waldegard could drive a special stage in my Mercedes SLC with a minister.



Enzo Michelini and his Fiat 131 were included by Tobias Mattner and Uwe Materlik (+2016) in their Italo Rally Car series and both encouraged him to take part in the Eifel. "It was precisely this 131 Abarth that Walter Röhrl and Christian Geistdörfer drove in 2013 for filming in Portugal (Aganil). My personal highlight in the Vulkaneifel in 2018 was the start with the Stratos Gr.4 (replica San Remo Winner 1979)!"



Joachim Lütticken has been in the Eifel since 2006, but this year he will be missing from the 'Rally Party with Friends'. "That makes me a little sad, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a great event!" For the Audi driver, the rally centre in Daun's city centre is an important part: "It leads to a family atmosphere, everyone gets close to the drivers and the cars. However, I miss a bit of the more recent rally history. There are relatively few early WRCs, which could be improved."



After 10 years as sporting director at the service areas of the Eifel Rally (without ever having seen a car on a special stage), Achim Loth wanted to experience the perspective of a participant and has fulfilled this wish several times. He describes his personal highlight as follows: "In 2004, I met a very special lady from Switzerland at the Eifel Rallye and fell in love with her very quickly...



Dave Kedward is also one of the pilots who were already actively involved in the supporting programme of the Eifel Rally before the festival was founded. At that time, he was approached by Reinhard Klein. But first, the Briton raves about the East African Safari Rally. "The competitions in the EASR are my personal highlights!" Referring to the Eifel, Dave mentions the service area in Daun town centre, "packed with enthusiastic people and with quite a few opportunities to meet old friends and make new ones.



Wolf-Dieter Ihle lives Festival lives and makes many things possible in the background. For him, "the focus is on the vehicles, not the drivers." On the starting list, his name is only on the driver's side for six editions. Nevertheless, he was at the start of all 10 festival editions - and how! He uses his seemingly inexhaustible pool of original bolides again and again - also as a co-pilot. In 2013, Harri Toivonen piloted his 1983 Group B Opel Manta 400 in Safari spec. John Buffum got back into his original 1983 Pikes Peak winning car, an Audi Quattro A2, in 2016.



When the historic rally world gathers again in Daun on the last weekend of July (July 27th/29th, 2023), the fans can certainly look forward to watching a first-class entry. Just two weeks after the opening of the application list for this year's ADAC Eifel Rally Festival, it was not just the maximum available one hundred and fifty starting places that had been reached – there were more than two hundred crews wanting to participate. "We will close the entry portal on April 10th otherwise the waiting list will be too long," explained organisation manager Otmar Anschütz with one laughing and one crying eye



Andreas Hoppe has been a permanent guest in the Eifel since 2007. Until 1998, he was on the road at best-time rallies. "Due to the responsibility for my company, I then gave up the active sport and looked for another opportunity. After a tip-off, I took a look at the Slowlys in the Eifel. Then it was clear to me very quickly: this is it. I understood the spirit in the Eifel around the preservation of rally history.



Olivier Hermans from Belgium also had his first Eifel experience before the festival in the Slowly Sideways supporting programme. "The tracks are beautiful, everything is perfectly organised and runs on time. The spectators are motor sport enthusiasts and last but not least, the "Trabi" is a German car. I am always thrilled when I see how many people from all over the world come to Daun, as participants or as fans.



Ralf Fischer was taken to the Eifel Rally by a friend as a spectator. "I was immediately enthusiastic about the "old" rally cars. Since I had driven a Lancia Delta Integrale HF 8V in the slalom, I decided to drive an "original" rally car there as well. No sooner said than done, and now he is a permanent guest in Daun.




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