2004 is another turning point in the Tour Auto history. The rally gains "Tour Auto Lissac" as a new title name with the arrival of the prestigious Lissac Opticiens, a major optician network. The change is significant as this partnership introduces two daily bulletins broadcast by French TV Channel TF1. The organisers have just announced a full entry list as well as details of the route.

The participants of the 2004 Tour Auto will come from five continents and 20 different countries. On 19th April they will converge on the Fountains of the Trocadéro in Paris to start the five-day adventure that is the Tour Auto.

The route will be exciting as usual, including the famous mix of special stages and circuits spiced with running on spectacular secondary roads. Brand new for 2004, the road ‘special stages’ will be only be unveiled on the eve of the event.

Good news for the competitors: this year the route allows everyone a daily circuit session. In actual fact there are not so many racetracks approved for competition, and their location does not always match up with a Tour Auto route that varies every year. Everything will start at Le Mans, on the permanent Bugatti circuit built along a part of the full 24 Hour-racetrack, it will then be Le Vigeant, with its famous triple straight, followed by Nogaro, and then Albi will be the fourth circuit created in December 1927 when a handful of bikers decided to create a circuit. The final circuit - Lédenon - built by Claude and Sylvie Bondurand in 1970, was approved on June 16th 1973. This splendid circuit is reputed as the hilliest, the most sinuous, and the most technical in France. Around 38 changes of gear are necessary along one lap and its anti-clockwise direction makes it unique.

The Tour Auto is of course sports, but it is also…

Lunch - typical locations for lunch off the beaten track include the colourful “Chateau de Mauriac”, built in 14C, or the typical “Manade Saint Laurent” in Camargue between the sea and lakes...

...and scenic roads lined with architectural marvels like Angles sur Anglin, a village with 12 centuries of history, the Chateau du Lude, a real little Renaissance gem, the Termes d’Armagnac, a village which offers a splendid view over the Adour Valley, Sauveterre de Rouergue and its splendid walled town, the 700 years old Saint Nicolas de Campagnac ‘s bridge.

Five towns with five stop-offs

Every night, the Tour Auto makes a stop-off in a city, offering a nice rest and a dinner in an outstanding location for the competitors, and making a unique show for the local residents. This year, the five cities will be Tours, Bordeaux, Carcassonne, Montpellier and Saint Tropez.

The full list of cars and drivers can be seen below but of course Sir Stirling Moss will be one of the leading stars of this 2004 Tour, and Jean Ragnotti, France’s most popular driver who has won everything (rally, circuit, rally cross or ice) as well as the Tour Auto in 2003 (G/H/I), will be putting his title at stake. He will have to face the Entremont crew (in 2003 second in the same category), former F1-driver, Eric Comas, American Danny Sullivan (two victories at Indianapolis and one third place at the 1994 Le Mans 24H), Pierre de Thoisy (6 scratch victories at the Carrera Panamericana Mexico). Due to a change in the regulations overall winner of the 2003 Tour Auto, Chris Chiles, will only have to aim at G/H/I category.

Editor's note; A few words of explanation may be of use to those not completely au fait with the nuances of International Historic Racing. The 'Competition' section is for those cars entitled to actually win the event as pre-1966 FIA sports cars. The 'G/H/I' class is still a competitive class (very much so!), but is for later cars of a type that competed in the Tour in its later incarnations, for example a Ferrari 512M or 'Daytona', or Matra 670 Prototype. It is from this class that the fastest stage and racing times will come. The 'Regularity' section is for those participants who do not wish to actively compete, merely follow the route in a suitable car. No competition licence is therefore required. With grateful thanks to regular competitor Jon Gross for this explanation.

Liste provisoire / Provisional entry List N°7

Please note:
The vehicle names/details below are as given by the organisers, Peter Auto.

Competition -

Class G/H/I -

Regularity -

Photos by Classic Driver; from the 2003 event that we covered in full. To read more please click HERE