Automobile: festive curtain-raiser in Beaucaire

Lionel Di Bérardino (Shubel BMW) from Gard will be competing in single-seaters, a dense category. MIDI LIBRE – ALAIN LAURET

On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September, the national slalom final will take place in Beaucaire. A guaranteed and assured spectacle in the Gard town, which will celebrate the event as it should.

Starting this Friday, Beaucaire will be living in time for the national final of automobile slaloms, in the very specific setting of the quays, close to the Rhône.

All season long, the best specialists fight like rag-pickers to be able to be at this great slalom festival, with the latest single-seaters or the car of ''Mr. Everyman'' (in the Leisure category). Each Regional Committee sends its maximum quota of qualifiers, the best young rider (under 21) and the best female.

Gard has already experienced a final. It was in Alès, in 2012. At that time, the southerner Gérald Urreizti won ahead of Morel and Laurent Lugardon, the latter 2 being present.
In 2012, few Languedoc residents took part in this final, and for good reason. This type of event had disappeared from our League since the 80s. It has been about ten years since the discipline reappeared, mainly in the Gard, with the ASA Gard Cévennes and Cigaloise.

The Gard Cévennes association at the helm

The ASA Gard Cévennes, led by Jo Dardanelli and his assistant Patrick Maurin, was asked to organize the final, it has been 4 years: ''The Beaucaire site, popular with the drivers who have been participating in the event for several years, was chosen and The organization is our responsibility, in partnership with our League.''
The track, completely new, is set on the fairground. 121 drivers will be at the start. Friday, during the checks, the cars will be able to be approached closely, then, on Saturday, two test rounds and a non-stop race will take place.
The next day, after the morning warm-up, three rounds of racing are on the program, with the ranking established by adding the two best times.
The special feature here is that each League has a stand with its gastronomic specialties.

A totally free show

It's party time, often until late in the evening, on Saturday. This show is free, the stewards ensuring security ''are experienced…'', specifies Maurin.
To play for the final podium, knowing the setting, often slippery and dusty as soon as the mistral gets involved, will be a plus. In single-seaters, an unknown track for the Toulousain Lugardon, D and E Michel, Fierro, Roy, the Alésien Di Bérardino.

In the Production category, Hérold (106 S 16) would not be at his first success. Elodie Maurin from Gard, Just (205 Rallye), K. and P. Martin (Saxo), Pascal (Clio), Vellay (R5 GT) from Gard are to be followed.

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