2023-09-02 18:20:40
“Come on Louloutte, alleeeeez!” At the edge of the circuit circled with straw bales, Bastien’s parents and friends make more noise than the roaring diesel engines. On the dirt track set up within the Barotte agricultural high school in Chatillon-sur-Seine, no overpriced rally cars, but modest C15s transformed into racing cars who clash in a cloud of dust, pilots foot to the floor.
Rear of a van, elongated nose, big bumpers and square headlights, the Citroën C15 is probably not the sexiest car from the famous brand with chevrons, but it is undeniably the most beloved of the agricultural and rural world. “I had three” smiles Daniel, a former mason from Pouilly-en-Auxois. “It’s light with a big engine torque, with good tires it goes everywhere. Perfect for hunting in fields or dirt roads. It’s the agricultural vehicle par excellence”
Attack and skids © Radio France – Olivier Estran
A first in Côte-d’Or
The production of this car stopped 17 years ago, but it seems indestructible and we still see it regularly in our countryside. “We wanted to pay tribute to him by setting up these races, it’s the first time we’ve done this” emphasizes Anthony Guinot, field crop producer in Verdonnet, who drives the C15 of the Young Farmers of Chatillon-sur-Seine.
Anthony Guinot at the wheel of the C15 “JA Chatillon” © Radio France – Olivier Estran
Roll bars and rally seat
“We took a wrecked car. We redid it by transforming it. We replaced the side windows with protective nets. We put in roll bars, a bucket seat with a harness if ever the The car turns over. We didn’t modify the engine, the regulations forbid it, but we pushed it a little. We hope it will hold up all weekend.” smiled the young man.
Anthony finishes first in the first heat © Radio France – Olivier Estran
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The goal of the game: hold on for 10 minutes flat out on a circuit full of winding turns. Finish first of course, and if necessary push the others, contact is not prohibited, quite the contrary.
“Louloutte” in operation “remontada” © Radio France – Olivier Estran
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A sledgehammer and it starts again
Clouds of dust, slipping turns, wheels plowing the track, “Louloutte” Bastien’s brave car went from penultimate place to third position on the last lap of the circuit. “It’s greasy and not easy to control” soberly comments Bastien who learned to drive on a C15. His car comes out with a door kicked in, “no big deal, I brought my mace, we’ll straighten it out” adds this big fellow not impressed for two pennies.
Ask for the program © Radio France – Olivier Estran
14 crews are engaged for this weekend of competition, with farmers who come from all over the department. There are C15 races this Sunday, September 3 at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and the grand finale at 5 p.m.
There are also C15s pampered and exhibited to the public like vintage cars. Of course there is lots of other activities to discover the agriculture of Côte-d’Or and lots of good products to taste.
These live a life of collectible models © Radio France – Olivier Estran Laurent, from Auxerre is a fan of this legendary car © Radio France – Olivier Estran
Read also
The 01/09/2023
The Adventures of Jade, a podcast proposed by the Young Farmers of Bourgogne Franche-Comté
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