THE GREAT RACES, PART X.

Sunday

Mar262023

Sunday, March 26, 2023 at 08:55AM

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 memorable moments from those glory days that rivet us to this day. This week, we go back to the picturesque town of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, in the fall of 1964, for the Road America 500, which was Round 10 for the United States Road Racing Championship.

(Getty Images)
Sports car racing in the United States was on an upward trajectory, and the 1964 Road America 500 was one of the premier racing events of the season. Top drivers and cars came from all over the country to compete that weekend, including the No. 1 Lola Mk.6 GT Chevrolet (above, with Lola's Eric Broadley in the dark sweater) entered by John Mecom Jr., with American road racing star Augie Pabst listed as the driver. This particular Lola was a significant machine, because it would play a pivotal role in the development of the first Ford GT40. In fact, it was used as the initial testing mule for the Ford GT40 program, and much of the finished car that Ford ended up with was based on the underpinnings of the Lola Mk.6 GT. But there were plenty of other significant entries as well. Mecom also entered a No. 2 Ferrari 250 LM with Walt Hansgen and Augie Pabst listed as the drivers. It was clear that the team had no confidence in the Lola's durability, and it indeed didn't finish the race, which is why Pabst was also listed to drive the Ferrari. Ralph Salyer entered his popular No. 26 Cro-Sal Special Cheetah Chevrolet roadster, which he qualified an impressive 4th. Dick Doane entered his No. 59 McKee Chevette Mark 1 Chevrolet with Dr. Dick "The Flying Dentist" Thompson listed as co-driver. (Doane would later sell the rights to the Chevette name to GM.) The Doane/Thompson Chevette started 3rd. Doug Revson and Lake Underwood were entered in the No. 64 Elva Mk VII BMW. Jim Hall entered his No. 68 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet with Roger Penske and Hap Sharp listed as co-drivers. They started from the pole. Hall also entered the No. 67 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, which he, Penske and Sharp would also drive during the race. Bill Wuesthoff/Joe Buzzetta would be wheeling the No. 79 Elva Mk VII S Porsche, and George Wintersteen/Ed Lowther were in the No. 92 Cooper Monaco T61M Chevrolet. Watch a video here, here and here. (Getty Images)
It wouldn't be a major league sports car race in the U.S. back in 1964 without the Shelby American Cobra team, and Shelby's boys were there in full force at Road America that September weekend. The No. 97 Shelby American Cobra would be driven by Ken Miles/John Morton/Skip Scott, the No. 98 Shelby American Cobra would be driven by Miles/Ronnie Bucknum, and the No. 99 Shelby American Cobra would be wheeled by Bob Johnson/Ed Leslie.
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Ken Miles would drive two different Shelby American Cobras in the 1964 Road America 500 at Road America - the No. 97 and the No. 98. He would finish second overall and 1st in GT in the No. 97 Cobra with co-drivers John Morton and Skip Scott. The No. 98 Cobra would finish well down the field in 28th.(Getty Images)
Jim Hall accelerates his No. 68 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet ahead of the independently-entered No. 32 Shelby Cobra driven by John Everly. Note the skinny racing tires of that era; things would change dramatically by the '65 season.
(Getty Images)
Jim Hall accelerates out of Canada Corner (Turn 12) in his No. 67 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, which he shared with Roger Penske/Hap Sharp, with the No. 2 Mecom Racing Ferrari 250 LM driven by Augie Pabst/Walt Hansgen tucked-in close behind. Pabst and Hansgen would go on to win overall that day by 1 lap. The Miles/Morton/Scott No. 97 Shelby American Cobra was second, and the Hall/Penske/Sharp No. 67 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport finished 3rd.(Getty Images)
The Pabst/Hansgen No.2 Mecom Racing Ferrari 250 LM heads under the Bill Mitchell Bridge on its way to Turn 14. Yes, it was named after the GM Design legend. Mitchell was a big supporter of Road America and would often bring advanced styling concepts to the track to gauge enthusiast reaction. The bridge was removed many years ago for safety improvements.