By Peter M. DeLorenzo
Detroit. The sport of motor racing is filled with memorable races marked by both triumph and tragedy. It's the nature of the sport that these two extremes have left such an indelible impression that they live on for decades, leaving a legacy that is part and parcel of our collective memories. The many heroic individuals - and individual efforts - that have carved out their place in motorsport history are too often luridly offset by gut-wrenching tragedies that have torn us apart along the way. It is an unfortunate consequence of a sport that consumes everything and everyone in its path, a fevered, relentless pursuit marked by unbridled elation and devastating, soul-crushing disappointment. In this series I will try to avoid dwelling on the tragic stories, because as enthusiasts of this sport we are all too familiar with them. If, in the course of talking about a particular race mentioning a tragic event is unavoidable that will have to be, but this series will mainly focus on those glorious moments from those glory days that rivet us to this day. Since the 12 Hours of Sebring is coming up this week, I thought we'd go back to one of the most famous races in the long history of America's oldest endurance race. The 1965 12 Hours of Sebring will always be known for "The Deluge," when a ferocious late afternoon storm hit the circuit and dumped five inches of rain in just 30 minutes, and yes, you read that correctly.
(Getty Images)
Sebring, Florida, March 27, 1965. The assembled field for the 12 Hours of Sebring that year was indeed impressive, featuring most of the best road racers in the world. This pic of the last running start for the race shows the No. 3 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet driven by Jim Hall/Hap Sharp; the No. 4 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet driven by Ronnie Hissom/Bruce Jennings; the No. 11 Shelby American Ford GT40 driven by Ken Miles/Bruce McLaren; the No. 10 Shelby American Ford GT40 driven by Richie Ginther/Phil Hill; the No. 23 All American Racers Lotus 19 J Ford driven by Dan Gurney/Jerry Grant; the No. 22 Mecom Racing Team Lola T70 Mk.1 Ford driven by John Cannon/Jack Saunders; the No. 30 Mecom Racing Team Ferrari 330 P driven by Pedro Rodriguez/Graham Hill; the No. 26 Ferrari 330 P driven by Bob Grossman/Skip Hudson; the No. 29 Mecom Racing Team Ferrari 250 LM driven by Walt Hansgen/Mark Donohue; the No. 31 Ferrari 250 LM driven by David Piper/Tony Maggs; the No. 81 Ferrari 275 P driven by Willy Mairesse/Mauro Bianchi; the No. 27 Ferrari 330 P driven by Charlie Kolb/John Fulp; the No. 16 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Lew Spencer/Jim Adams/Phil Hill; the No. 12 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Ed Leslie/Allen Grant and the No. 15 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Bob Bondurant/Jo Schlesser. Other notables? The No. 32 Ferrari 275 P driven by Hugus/O'Brien/Hayes/Richards; the No. 14 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Bob Johnson/Tom Payne; the No. 33 Ferrari 275 P driven by Umberto Maglioli/Giancarlo Baghetti; the factory-entered No. 38 Porsche 904/8 driven by Gerhard Mitter/Herbert Linge; the No. 2 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport #005 driven by George Wintersteen/Peter Goetz/Ed Diehl; and the No. 1 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport #003 driven by Delmo Johnson/Dave Morgan.
Detroit. The sport of motor racing is filled with memorable races marked by both triumph and tragedy. It's the nature of the sport that these two extremes have left such an indelible impression that they live on for decades, leaving a legacy that is part and parcel of our collective memories. The many heroic individuals - and individual efforts - that have carved out their place in motorsport history are too often luridly offset by gut-wrenching tragedies that have torn us apart along the way. It is an unfortunate consequence of a sport that consumes everything and everyone in its path, a fevered, relentless pursuit marked by unbridled elation and devastating, soul-crushing disappointment. In this series I will try to avoid dwelling on the tragic stories, because as enthusiasts of this sport we are all too familiar with them. If, in the course of talking about a particular race mentioning a tragic event is unavoidable that will have to be, but this series will mainly focus on those glorious moments from those glory days that rivet us to this day. Since the 12 Hours of Sebring is coming up this week, I thought we'd go back to one of the most famous races in the long history of America's oldest endurance race. The 1965 12 Hours of Sebring will always be known for "The Deluge," when a ferocious late afternoon storm hit the circuit and dumped five inches of rain in just 30 minutes, and yes, you read that correctly.
(Getty Images)Sebring, Florida, March 27, 1965. The assembled field for the 12 Hours of Sebring that year was indeed impressive, featuring most of the best road racers in the world. This pic of the last running start for the race shows the No. 3 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet driven by Jim Hall/Hap Sharp; the No. 4 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet driven by Ronnie Hissom/Bruce Jennings; the No. 11 Shelby American Ford GT40 driven by Ken Miles/Bruce McLaren; the No. 10 Shelby American Ford GT40 driven by Richie Ginther/Phil Hill; the No. 23 All American Racers Lotus 19 J Ford driven by Dan Gurney/Jerry Grant; the No. 22 Mecom Racing Team Lola T70 Mk.1 Ford driven by John Cannon/Jack Saunders; the No. 30 Mecom Racing Team Ferrari 330 P driven by Pedro Rodriguez/Graham Hill; the No. 26 Ferrari 330 P driven by Bob Grossman/Skip Hudson; the No. 29 Mecom Racing Team Ferrari 250 LM driven by Walt Hansgen/Mark Donohue; the No. 31 Ferrari 250 LM driven by David Piper/Tony Maggs; the No. 81 Ferrari 275 P driven by Willy Mairesse/Mauro Bianchi; the No. 27 Ferrari 330 P driven by Charlie Kolb/John Fulp; the No. 16 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Lew Spencer/Jim Adams/Phil Hill; the No. 12 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Ed Leslie/Allen Grant and the No. 15 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Bob Bondurant/Jo Schlesser. Other notables? The No. 32 Ferrari 275 P driven by Hugus/O'Brien/Hayes/Richards; the No. 14 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Bob Johnson/Tom Payne; the No. 33 Ferrari 275 P driven by Umberto Maglioli/Giancarlo Baghetti; the factory-entered No. 38 Porsche 904/8 driven by Gerhard Mitter/Herbert Linge; the No. 2 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport #005 driven by George Wintersteen/Peter Goetz/Ed Diehl; and the No. 1 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport #003 driven by Delmo Johnson/Dave Morgan.
(Getty Images)
Jim Hall gets into his No. 3 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet at the start of the 1965 12 Hours of Sebring.
Jim Hall gets into his No. 3 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet at the start of the 1965 12 Hours of Sebring.
(SportsCarDigest)
Dan Gurney in his extensively modified - and gorgeous - No. 23 All American Racers Lotus 19 J Ford. He qualified fifth for the race, but he and co-driver Jerry Grant did not finish due to a problem with the oil pump.
Dan Gurney in his extensively modified - and gorgeous - No. 23 All American Racers Lotus 19 J Ford. He qualified fifth for the race, but he and co-driver Jerry Grant did not finish due to a problem with the oil pump.
(Getty Images)
Jim Hall's beautiful Chaparral 2A Chevrolet was stunning in its presentation and execution. It would prove to be the winning combination in the very challenging 1965 12 Hours of Sebring.
Jim Hall's beautiful Chaparral 2A Chevrolet was stunning in its presentation and execution. It would prove to be the winning combination in the very challenging 1965 12 Hours of Sebring.
(Getty Images)
A great shot of Dan Gurney leaping into his No. 23 All American Racers Lotus 19 J Ford at the start.
A great shot of Dan Gurney leaping into his No. 23 All American Racers Lotus 19 J Ford at the start.
(Getty Images)
Jim Hall's Chaparral Cars racing team was prepared for the Sebring grind. Jim took the lead right from the start in his pole-winning No. 3 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet.
Jim Hall's Chaparral Cars racing team was prepared for the Sebring grind. Jim took the lead right from the start in his pole-winning No. 3 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet.
(Getty Images)
When "The Deluge" hit, the teams weren't prepared for the ferocity of the storm. Five inches of rain in just 30 minutes was a lot of water, especially on the old WW II bomber training facility, which is as flat as a pancake. The water overwhelmed the circuit, slowing lap times to ten minutes in some cases. The pit lane had a foot of water in it at one point, with unattended wheels/tires floating away. It was perilous conditions for all concerned. Here is the No. 1 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport driven by Delmo Johnson/Dave Morgan trying its best to get down the pit straight in the midst of the storm.
When "The Deluge" hit, the teams weren't prepared for the ferocity of the storm. Five inches of rain in just 30 minutes was a lot of water, especially on the old WW II bomber training facility, which is as flat as a pancake. The water overwhelmed the circuit, slowing lap times to ten minutes in some cases. The pit lane had a foot of water in it at one point, with unattended wheels/tires floating away. It was perilous conditions for all concerned. Here is the No. 1 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport driven by Delmo Johnson/Dave Morgan trying its best to get down the pit straight in the midst of the storm.
(Getty Images)
Dan Gurney's No. 23 Lotus 19 J Ford was heavily-modified by his All American Racers crew. The four headlight conversion was just one of many changes done to the machine in preparation for the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Dan Gurney's No. 23 Lotus 19 J Ford was heavily-modified by his All American Racers crew. The four headlight conversion was just one of many changes done to the machine in preparation for the 12 Hours of Sebring.
(Getty Images)
How bad was "The Deluge" at the 1965 12 Hours of Sebring? Here's the Shelby American crew getting ready to service the No. 16 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Lew Spencer/Jim Adams/Phil Hill in the totally flooded pit lane.
How bad was "The Deluge" at the 1965 12 Hours of Sebring? Here's the Shelby American crew getting ready to service the No. 16 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Lew Spencer/Jim Adams/Phil Hill in the totally flooded pit lane.
(Getty Images)
The No. 11 Shelby American Ford GT40 driven by Ken Miles/Bruce McLaren makes its way around the flooded Sebring circuit.
The No. 11 Shelby American Ford GT40 driven by Ken Miles/Bruce McLaren makes its way around the flooded Sebring circuit.
(Dave Nicholas/SportsCarDigest)
As the storm started to ease up, Hap Sharp wheels the No. 3 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet.
(Getty Images)
The No. 12 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Ed Leslie/Allen Grant at the peak of "The Deluge." They finished thirteenth.
(Getty Images)
Jim Hall and his Chaparral Cars team celebrated their first major international win at the 1965 12 Hours of Sebring. Hall and co-driver Hap Sharp won that day, winning America's oldest - and most prestigious - endurance race by four laps. The Ken Miles/Bruce McLaren No. 11 Shelby American Ford GT40 was second, and David Piper/Tony Maggs finished third in the No. 31 Ferrari 250 LM. The No. 15 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe driven by Bob Bondurant/Jo Schlesser started fifteenth and finished fourth overall (1st in GT5.0). And the No. 40 Porsche 904 GTS driven by Lake Underwood/Gunther Klass finished fifth (1st in GT2.0) after starting 28th. It was certainly a most memorable race in the long, illustrious history of the 12 Hours of Sebring. Watch several videos from the 1965 12 Hours of Sebring here, here, here, here and here.
Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG