In their centenary year the folks at Indy are to be congratulated on their project to digitise their photo archive to ensure its longivity.
Read more about it here:
and take a look through some of what they have to offer.
Filed under: Circuits, Indycar, Retro Moments | Tagged: autoracing, Indy500, Indycar, motorsport, racecar | Leave a comment »
No F1 or NASCAR Sprint Cup this weekend (apologies to the truck series), so just a preview of a couple of things that I am working on in my Setting the Record Straight series.
The first one will be on the notorious James Hunt and Dave Morgan incident on the 3rd October 1970. I’m prompted to this one because of Tom Rubython’s book on the former where, in amongst a whole series of things that should never have appeared in a serious book, he raised the last corner crash at Crystal Palace. I was there and saw the whole thing, so I’ve got something fairly well advanced that will talk about the 1970 F3 season in general and that race in particular.
Also in production is something on the record of the Ford GT40 at Le Mans. This one comes from the erroneous utterings of one Jeremy Clarkson who has claimed that the GT40 won the Sarthe classic 4 years running, when it plainly did not.
Both of these are taking a lot of research to make sure that what I write will be as factually accurate as I can make them; that’s what setting the record straight is all about.
Thanks to all of the people that have read my posts here over the months. I hope that I can keep you entertained. Both of the above articles should be posted here before the end of April. Feel free to challenge me on any racing incident that you would like to know more about.
Filed under: Cars, Circuits, Drivers, Retro Moments, Setting the Record Straight | Tagged: 1960s, 1970, autoracing, bookreviews, Dave Morgan, F3, GT40, James Hunt, lemans, NASCAR, racecar | Leave a comment »
#F1 – Very pleased that Narain Karthikeyan is back on the F1 grid and that Karun Chandhok has, at least, got a test role. These guys can drive and deserve their places.
Sorry to hear about Derek Gardner passing on. He created some good cars and wasn’t afraid to go out on a limb, the Tyrrell six wheeler being a classic example.
Good to hear that thoughts of moving the Italian Grand Prix away from Monza have fallen through, and also good to hear a gracious response from the Rome GP promoter. I too would have supported a second GP in Italy because the fans have such passion, and maybe we only have Ferrari now, but where would grand prix racing be without Maserati and Alfa Romeo in its blood?
#NASCAR – Just a month to go until the Daytona 500. I shan’t be bothering with the clash, but will be looking out for qualifying and the twin 125s on the run into the big race, and also the truck race on the 18th.
Good luck to Todd Bodine running in all three classes.
It doesn’t now look as though I can get there in person, but I’ll be there in spirit.
Filed under: Cars, Drivers, F1, NASCAR, Retro Moments | Tagged: autoracing, F1, formula one, motorsport, NASCAR, obituaries, racecar | Leave a comment »
I seem to be writing a few RIPs lately, but maybe it is because of my own age.
DG was a key man at Ferguson working on 4wd systems and got involved in F1 through the work Fergusons did on the various Indy and F1 4wd projects that cropped up in the late 1960s. Through that he had met Ken Tyrrell and, when Ken needed a decent car for Jackie Stewart, he hired DG to produce it in secret, the Tyrrell 001 appearing at the Oulton Park Gold Cup in the late summer of 1970 and, in developed form, as 003 giving JYS a second title in 1971, the basic design remaining competitive through into early ’73.
He later designed boats and microlights amongst other things in a long and distinguished career.
DG left us last week, but the record of his designs, and their success, will live on.
RIP
Filed under: F1, Indycar, Retro Moments | Tagged: autoracing, formula one, Indycar, motorsport, obituaries, racecar | Leave a comment »
A great video short from the 1961 Indy 500 with contemporary comments. Watch it here.
AJ had a great car and looked to have the upper hand in his duel with Eddie Sachs, but fueling problems on what should have been his last stop meant that he would have to come in for a splash and dash. That gave Eddie Sachs about a thirty second lead and his best shot at winning the race he loved so much, but he didn’t back his pace off and the wear strip became visible on his right front.
To stay out and risk a crash or come in for tyres and bank second place money? He pitted for tyres and took the runner up spot. Three years later he would lose his life on the first lap of the 1964 race and the Clown Prince of Auto Racing was gone.
Read Sid Collins eulogy for Eddie Sachs.
Filed under: Indycar, Retro Moments | Tagged: autoracing, Indy500, Indycar, motorsport, racecar | Leave a comment »
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