Dream realized: they traveled with two Torino to the Nürburgring for the 50 years of the Argentine mission

When, on August 23, 1969, the Torino number three finally crossed the goal burst of joy. The act ordered by Juan Manuel Fangio and Oreste Berta He had achieved his goal: to show the world that one Argentine car He could compete on an equal footing with the Europeans.

For those days High grace, in the province of Córdoba, is the epicenter of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of this "Marathon of the Road", better known as 84 hours of the Nürburgring. And precisely there, in the mythical Green Hell, four Argentineans and two Torino have recently shot as tribute way.

"The Torino for us is childhood in ArgentinaFangio, Berta, Di Palma, Franco and many other drivers of the golden age of the Argentine car race are driving their cars. Share this adventure with friends it's something we appreciate and we waited a long time, account at TN Cars Maximiliano Pallocchini.

He has in Berlin one of the two cars that arrived after a trip through the autobahn German highways, famous for not having speed limits. "There were sections of 170 km / h and almost 200 km / h"he counted. The unit: a 1979 TSX Cup Green delta, with seven bench motor.

The second copy was another cut but a TS of 1971, red carousel and Tornado engine. Its owner, Ignacio Pérez Prat, has arrived to hell green from Switzerlandwhere he lives

Both are part of the Club del Amigos del Torino and the pbadion for this car is goes back to childhood. Maximiliano is from Boedo and is 9 years old learned to drive in his father's Torino TSX coupe; Ignacio, from Buenos Aires but from the Pampas family, learned in his grandfather's ZX at 12.

On the adventure to go – one from Berlin and the other from Switzerland – with both cars at Nürburgring to celebrate half a century of 84 hours, two other friends joined: Pablo Yanella and Hernán Lojoya. With all the team, there was only to enjoy.

The memory of an epic

The "Road Marathon" is a competition that has developed between August 19 and 23, 1969. The idea to participate was "cooked" between Fangio and Berta, who led a team bringing together best drivers and mechanics of the time, usually rivals on local courts.

The act became known as the "Argentine Mission", because the goal was show the national potential before the world of motor racing. The selected "iron" was three Torino 380W coupe made in Córdoba and prepared by "The magician of Alta Gracia" for the occasion.

The experience was not without difficulties, with regulatory changes that the team discovered on the fly and last minute adjustments. Also the penalties that have tested – again – the the trick of Fangio and the genius of Berta.

Torino number 1 was in charge of the pilots Rubén Luis Di Palma, Oscar "Cacho" Fangio and Carmelo Galbato; the number 2 of Gastón Perkins, Eduardo Rodríguez Canedo and Jorge Cupeiro; and number 3 of Eduardo Copello, Oscar "Cacho" Franco and Alberto Rodríguez Larreta (Larry).

The latter was the only member of the trio finish the competition. And although he led and it was the car that has completed the most laps on the German circuit, a sporting sanction has relegated to the rank of driver. fourth place in the final standings (there was a Lancia, a second BMW and a third Triumph). This did not overshadow the party: the goal has been achieved.

An unforgettable afternoon

"It was amazing to be there with both cars"summed up Maximiliano. As a bonus, after working with the designer and visual artist Jorge Ferreyra Bbado they have two Torino were exposed in one of the playones of the Nurburgring Oldtimer Grand Prix taking place.

The surprise was even greater when we saw the public interest in cars. "They appeared Germans who knew Turin Without having been in Argentina. It was a whole show "they badured.

Then came the best: a visit to the mythical Nordschleifeas the members of the Argentine Mission had done half a century ago. One of the clues that, despite the changes he has undergone over the years, is one of the most difficult, dangerous and complex of the world.

"There are not many opportunities to shoot in the Norschleife with two Torino coupes and on that date. The enthusiasm was of course very big, almost as much as the consumption of Turin that does not fall below 6 kilometers per liter travel slowly and speed up with a dancer's foot ", remembers the drivers jokingly.

On the behavior of cars, they pointed out that they hear very well at high speedand that the difference with the rest of the "big" Argentines is remarkable. "It's fun driving on the fast stretches, the third speed falde Arriving at the Nürburgring is a pleasure ».

For the characters involved and the prominent role of the machines during the competition, the 84 Hours of the Nürburgring are a glorious chapter from the history of the Argentine car race. It was also a joint effort that did not try again.

It happened half a century ago. In the fortress of Oreste Berta, in Cordoba, it is celebrated. In hell green too.