The dozen is full

On 28 May 2000 the starting signal was given for the 1st Zirbelnuss Oldtimer Rallye. The total distance at that time was 75 km long and led into the region of the western forests. From Horgau railroad station 18 vehicles went on the route Dinkelscherben - Waldberg - Oberschönenfeld and back to Horgau. The main task of the rally was a picture search and to make sure that the variety was not too short, crossroads were counted eagerly. You wouldn't believe how many of them are along our country roads. This rally was no blessing for our club's treasury. On the contrary! It was badly affected, which did not particularly please our then chairman Willibald Spiegl.

We did not want to give up however immediately after the first attempt already again and convinced the hard core of our members at that time that the sheet can change in the course of the years nevertheless still. Our conviction at that time was rooted in the fact that we as Motorsport Abteilung Augsburg e.V. actually launched the only classic car rally in the Augsburg area. Consequently, the 2nd Zirbelnuss Oldtimer Rallye took place on May 1, 2001, this time already with 29 vehicles at the start. However, it did not really deserve to be called an oldtimer rallye, because we allowed, as in the previous year, club members to take part with their everyday cars to fill up the still sparsely populated field of participants. Otherwise the financial debacle would have been even more terrible for us as a club. Fortunately, we were able to win my long-time friend Eberhard Tierhold from Mazda Tierhold as well as Herbert Lenz from the General Agency of the Württembergische Versicherung in Gersthofen as sponsors. Their support had an extremely soothing effect on our sore spot. It is gratifying to read that some of the names of the participants at that time can now be found in the list of members of our association. This time we started in Horgau at the Flairhotel Platzer and started right there and then with a questionnaire for the driving school exam. As a result, one of the participants, even before he had covered even a single meter of distance, felt compelled to leave the event, which had just begun, in indignation and to leave the field. I call this "a special kind of humor". The teams had a whole series of pictures waiting for them, which had to be written down in the correct order on the boarding card, and there was also a whole series of additional tasks and questions to keep the vehicle crews busy. The route led via Zusmarshausen to Neuburg / Kammel for lunch at the castle, the afternoon stage then via Thannhausen and Dinkelscherben back to Horgau for the award ceremony. Financially it was no disaster this time, but that was all. But we got the green light from the board for 2002.

The date was April 28, 2002, and it had rained all the days before. It had been raining the whole days after that, too. Only on our Sunday the sun was shining. We were allowed to welcome 35 vehicles and this time only oldtimers. The start was from the town hall square in Gersthofen. The main focus of our Zirbelnuss Rallye was still a picture search drive with lots of additional tasks. The distance was 95 km, the lunch break was in Wertingen. Back it went over Meitingen - Thierhaupten - Aindling and Mühlhausen finally again to Gersthofen. The focus of the tasks still consisted of pictures, but the additional tasks became more substantial. For the first time our Zirbelnuss Rallye was also mentioned in the Augsburg press. Even Augsburg TV dedicated a few seconds of broadcasting time to us. And for the first time our club's cash box had to register a modest profit after deduction of all preproduction costs, whereby the old debts of the past years could be balanced again.

In 2003 we could assume that we were over the worst. 58 entries were received, 53 vehicles were finally found at the start at the Wellnhofer expert office in Bobingen. We are writing the 25th of May 2003 and experienced additional support by Mazda Frey from Gersthofen. From Bobingen, the 100 km long route led via Mering to Kaltenberg for a lunch break. For the first time we dared to approach a cutting test as a task. Even if this did not work out as planned, the first step in this direction had been taken. In the afternoon we went via Moorenweis and Ried to Kissing to the Paartalhalle for the award ceremony, where Mayor Wolf also honored us. As a success through our constant work we could register that through almost 15 press reports our oldtimer rallye slowly but surely became known in the district. At the same time, this 4th Zirbelnuss Oldtimer Rallye generated a surplus worth mentioning for the first time, which now enabled us to think about the acquisition of necessary equipment for future rallies.

On 16 May 2004 we were able to register 73 vehicles at the start, whereby it was undeniably helpful that our valuation class exotics and convertibles up to year of construction 2004 was occupied with 32 vehicles. The City - Galerie Augsburg could be won as main sponsor, so that from a financial point of view the high wire act could take place on the ground this time, which not only calmed our treasurer but also our nerves in advance. Breakfast, start as well as the award ceremony took place in the City - Galerie. This time our Rallye Augsburg TV was worth about 30 seconds of transmission. The route specification led the teams to Western City in Dasing, where the electric rider was used as a special stage. Afterwards we went to the region of Aichach for lunch break in Oberwittelsbach. The afternoon stage led through the Aichach district and finally back to Augsburg.

On 11 June 2005 the City - Gallery Augsburg was again on board. This year for the first time ever we were confronted with additional rain, but thank God only temporarily from the start. 69 vehicles took to the track, thanks to the abundant press reports in the run-up, which meant a full starting field for us again. The road book led the teams via Aindling to Pöttmes, where we used our newly purchased Kettcar as a special stage. This was by no means a normal Kettcar. Our Kettcar had the ability to drive left to right when the steering wheel was turned and of course the other way around. Via Thierhaupten - Rehling and Mühlhausen we went back to Augsburg to the City - Gallery for the award ceremony.

At the 7th Augsburger Zirbelnuss Oldtimer Rallye on 28 May 2006 the City - Galerie Augsburg was unfortunately no longer part of the team. Fortunately, Automobile Tierhold from Haunstetten took over this budget gap and stepped in as main sponsor. What a luck! Bad luck on the other hand we had with the weather. It wasn't raining, no, it was pouring like buckets. Breakfast and start was in our clubhouse at the Neuer Hubertushof in the Firnhaberau. Right at the start we used our Kettcar again with the opposite steering. One participant was not afraid to tackle this course only with underwear due to the constant rain. So at least the rest of his clothes stayed dry. This time we were able to send 77 vehicles onto the track and this time a recording team from Augsburg TV was also on board, at least in the morning. The evening television broadcast was accordingly extensive, no less than 5 minutes long. The route led via Gablingen - Osterbuch to Thierhaupten for lunch. In the afternoon we went back via Affing - Dasing. At least the rain in the second half of the day was no longer our constant companion and when it went to the quad test, even the sun came out. For the award ceremony everyone met at Fred Rai in the Western City.

The 8th edition took place on 24 June 2007 with 62 starters. In contrast to the previous year, the weather was fine. And we were able to win back the City - Galerie Augsburg as main sponsor. After the successful start at 8:30 a.m., we went straight to the historic railroad park, where the participants were awaited not only by a special stage but also by a joint breakfast. The road book continued on to Fischach in the direction of the Western Woods. With the picture motives to be found we came up with something special this time. The pictures in the driving documents were taken in the deepest winter with plenty of snow. Therefore a rethinking to summerly conditions was necessary, which contained an additional attraction. In Mickhausen on the mountain route to the Mickhauser mountain race, a light barrier test came up to the participants. The mountain was to be driven through with a cut of 45 km/h, which two teams managed exactly. The race continued to Untermeitingen, and then to Bad Wörishofen in the Skyline Park for the last special stage. Here was also the finish and the award ceremony took place.

On Sunday, June 15, 2008, the participants of the 9th Augsburg Zirbelnuss Rallye met in the morning for breakfast in the historic Bahnpark, which this time was represented as main sponsor. After the first special stage with a trolley, 69 vehicles went on the route via Gersthofen - Lützelburg - Wertingen, where the lunch break at the car dealership Opel Rudhart was completed parallel to a special stage with our Kettcar. In the afternoon we drove in the best weather via Blindheim - Bissingen to Fronhofen for the light barrier test with cut driving. This time the finish was in Harburg. Here we had a slightly delayed award ceremony - we apologize again - and enjoyed excellent food and drinks.

The year 2009 was extremely important for us in two respects. On the one hand, we were able to win Hasenbräu Augsburg as main sponsor and on the other hand, we had in the meantime purchased a VW Beetle, whose steering was converted to counter-rotating, just like our Kettcar. 83 entries were received for the 10th edition of the Zirbelnuss Rallye on June 21, 2009, i.e. "full house". 79 vehicles finally took to the track. Meeting point, breakfast and start was at the Hasenbräu logistics center in Haunstetten. And this is where our VW Beetle was used on the first special stage. Afterwards we drove to the historic railroad park for special stage 2 and then the convoy of vehicles moved south to Königsbrunn - Dünzelbach - Geltendorf - St. Ottilien and Hofstetten for lunch. In the afternoon the way back led via Penzing - Prittriching and Königsbrunn again to Hasenbräu for the last special stage with a Segway. Here the award ceremony finally took place.

At the 11th Augsburger Zirbelnuss Rallye it was indeed the first time that we literally had the rain as a loyal companion throughout the day. This was anything but in our sense, but we couldn't change that anyway. Meeting point for the 83 teams was in Augsburg's city center on Maximilianstraße. After the Weißwurst breakfast and the first special stage on site, they went to the logistics center of Hasenbräu, where the VW Beetle was waiting for the participants. In Mickhausen in the Western Woods, a radar check awaited the teams as a special stage. The lunch break was then held in Fischach. The afternoon route led via Langenneufnach - Muttershofen - Scherstetten to Mittelneufnach for the subsequent award ceremony.

More detailed information from the 12th edition onwards can be found in the follow-up reports under Zirbelnuss Rallye 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 etc.