I.S.C. 1999 at Zandvoort: Introduction

The International Supersports Cup returned to Zandvoort as support races to the 1999 Masters of Formula 3 on the new 4.3 kilometer track. Both on Saturday August 7 and Sunday August 8 there was a 10 lap race. The weather was very changeable and race 1 late Saturday afternoon was almost rained out. Race 2 on Sunday saw continuous light drizzle which made conditions treacherous.
Some 21 cars were entered, most of them light 2-litre cars. If that was because of the conditions, which seemed to suit lighter cars better, or because the ungainly and expensive but far more spectacular V8 CanAm sportscars are becoming unpopular with the Supersports Cup contenders, I don't know. It certainly was a bit of a disappointment to me. All cars however were driven in anger and certainly after race 2, in which just 13 cars finished, some of the drivers may have scratched their heads looking at their damaged cars.

The drawback to historic race classes. and especially to the I.S.C., is that there's little (visible) evolvement. The same cars race year after year and not unless some "new blood" (meaning new cars and drivers) is entered into the class, races can lead to a kind of "deja-vu" sensation after the first time you've seen it. Maybe you'll experience that also when watching the pictures that follow. But don't get me wrong: I.S.C. races are still exciting and the deep roaring sound these cars make is sadly missed in current day racing. It would be nice though if the I.S.C. gathered some momentum and Ferrari, Porsche, Alfa and so on sportscars from the same era would also be entered for the whole season, don't you think?

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