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| Alex Soler-Roig winning the VI Premio de Ciudad Alcaniz in his Porsche 917 in 1970. Look at the spectators! |
This picture is surprising. The Mille Miglia "went under" in 1957 because it was too dangerous for spectators. The Targa Florio would go under in 1973 for the same reason. By 1970, all international races, including the Targa, had Armco guardrails between the spectators and the cars at "authorized viewing areas." Other pictures of Alcaniz show guardrails. But not here.
Although Alcaniz was part of the Spanish national championship series, the picture has the flavor of a local club race. Another picture of the start of this race, partially obscured, shows five cars including another 908 and two small GT's: a skimpy grid. A 917 at Alcaniz reminds me of the scene in Blazing Saddles when The Waco Kid asks Sheriff Bart "What's a dazzling urbanite like you doing in a rustic setting like this?" (Speaking of dazzling urbanites, Alex Soler-Roig was a wealthy Barcelonian who raced internationally with mixed results in sports cars and poor results in Grands Prix from the mid 1960's to the early 1970's.)
The map shows that (however it was laid out) the circuit was tight, and ran at least partially through the city. It's hard to imagine a car capable of 200 m.p.h., built for World Sports Car Championship events, in a more muscle-bound situation.
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| Google map of Alcaniz today: population 16,000, about 150 miles west of Barcelona. |
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