Series ‘Forgotten Airfield Races’ – Episode 7: Siegerland

The plan to organise races at the private Siegerland Airport near Burbach, on the border between North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, dates back to the 1970s. AMC Burbach wanted to hold a car slalom on the site to mark its 25th club anniversary. Whilst inspecting the site, those in charge came up with the idea that a proper airfield race could also be held there.

Negotiations with the operating company went well, and so in September 1978 the chequered flag was waved for the first time, marking the birth of the Siegerland Airfield Race. However, thick autumn mist almost scuppered the debut – at least nothing could take place on Saturday. A hastily put-together contingency programme on Sunday managed to save most of the scheduled races and, with them, the inaugural event.

A total of 23 events were held more or less without incident up until 2000. It was only the explosion of a World War II aerial bomb a few months after the last race in 2000 that heralded the end of one of the last remaining airfield races in Germany.

Diese detonierte Fliegerbombe trug zum Ende des Flugplatzrennens bei

Foto: Westfalenpost

The unexploded bomb, which had gone undetected until then, exploded right beneath the runway, of all places. The detonation tore a crater almost 15 metres deep into the tarmac. One really does not want to imagine what might have happened had this occurred during one of the previous race weekends or during take-offs and landings in private aviation.

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And so, the last Siegerland chequered flag was waved in the early summer of 2000. Once again, more than 15,000 spectators turned out for the 23rd and final edition of the race. Ultimately, however, the end of this popular event was not solely due to the bomb explosion; increased safety requirements and the significantly higher costs they entailed also played their part. As in many other cases, this shifted the economic balance, which had already prompted quite a few organisers to pull the plug.

Abgeräumt: Frank Stipplers Porsche landet unsanft im Reifenstapel

Foto: Bieler

Incidentally, the Siegerland Race is also closely linked to the career of my fellow commentator, Burkhard Bechtel. Much like Kalli Hufstadt in Faßberg, Bechtel was also completing his military service at the Siegerland barracks when they were looking for a track announcer for one of the first races. As he had previously provided commentary for his club’s slalom events as a stand-in, the choice was an easy one.

Bechtel subsequently rose quickly to become one of the later lead commentators for the Siegerland Airfield Race and embarked on his successful career as a commentator, TV presenter and film producer. Bechtel’s father is also one of the founding members of the organising club, AMC Burbach, and was head of track safety at the Siegerland race for many years. Bechtel’s colleague

and AMC Burbach journalist Dietmar Bieler have, thankfully, also contributed important information in words and pictures to supplement and complete the history covered in this report.

A great atmosphere and smooth organisation ensured that all of us track announcers thoroughly enjoyed doing our jobs at the Siegerland Airfield Race. And I was also fortunate enough, amongst other things, to be at the microphone in 1980 and 1981 alongside Stefan Bellof as he lined up on the starting grid for his beloved home race in Formula Ford and the Formula 3-DM. His performances were certainly among the highlights in the history of this race.

The only time in my 50 years as an announcer at a Siegerland race that my voice completely failed me, choked with tears, was in September 1985, when the Formula Ford cars were lined up on the grid, the engines were switched off and all the drivers had got out. I was supposed to announce a minute’s silence for Stefan following his death at Spa and accompany it with a tribute. I will never forget that moment, which moved me so deeply.

Over the years, all the major championship titles were contested at the Siegerland Airfield, from the Circuit Cup through the DTM to the Interserie, as well as a host of manufacturers’ cups, including all the junior formulae. I have very fond memories of that Formula Ford 1600 podium ceremony in the autumn of 1988, when three 18-year-old, as yet unknown young talents stood on the podium: Jörg Müller, Michael Schumacher and Michael Krumm. All three went on to make their mark, each in their own way.

Formel Ford-Jungstars Schumi, Müller und Krumm bei der Siegerland-Premiere

Foto: Ford

Over the years, other renowned drivers have graced the Siegerland race and its podium, including Marc Lieb, Olaf Manthey, Harald Grohs, Dirk Müller, Franz Konrad, Manuel Reuter, Bernd Schneider, John Winter, Bob Wollek, the ‘Ford-Kläuses’ Ludwig and Niedzwiedz, HJ Stuck, Volker Strycek, Frank Jelinski, Jockel Winkelhock, Wolfgang Land and all three Lechners – Walter, Robert and Walter Jr. Lechner Sr. is also regarded as the most successful of all Siegerland entrants in terms of victories.

Almost all manufacturer racing series also held points-scoring races at Siegerland, including the Ford Fiesta Ladies’ Cup in its debut season of 1982. Our colleague Bechtel has compiled a YouTube video entitled ‘Bewegte Zeiten’ (Eventful Times), which is available to view free of charge at any time, showcasing all the other marvellous things there were to see here, to mark the 70th anniversary of the AMC Burbach.