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're going back to Brands Hatch, England, for the 6-Hour FIA International Manufacturers Championship race for sports cars, aka the BOAC International 500.
(Getty Images)
The Front Row of the BOAC 500 consisted of the pole-winning No. 4 Sidney Taylor Lola T70 Mk.3 GT Chevrolet driven by Denny Hulme/Jack Brabham (obscured in the shot), the No. 2 Lola T70 Mk.3 GT driven by John Surtees/David Hobbs and the No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet driven by Mike Spence/Phil Hill. Other entries of note? The factory Ferrari team consisted of the No. 6 Ferrari 330 P4 driven by Chris Amon/Jackie Stewart, the No. 7 Ferrari 330 P4 for Ludovico Scarfiotti/Peter Sutcliffe and the No. 8 Ferrari 330 P4 for Paul Hawkins/Jonathan Williams. The Porsche factory team - entered by "Porsche Systems Engineering" - was out in force, consisting of the No. 10 Porsche 910 driven by Graham Hill/Jochen Rindt, the No. 11 Porsche 910 for Jo Siffert/Bruce McLaren, the No. 12 Porsche 907 LH for Hans Hermann/Jochen Neerpasch, the No. 24 Porsche 910 for Vic Elford/Lucien Bianchi and the No. 25 Porsche 910 for Udo Schutz/Jochen Rindt. Jochen would be driving multiple cars that day. Two other entries of interest were the No. 3 J. W. Automotive Engineering Ltd. Mirage M1 Ford for Pedro Rodriguez/Dr. Dick Thompson and the No. 9 Maranello Concessionaires Ltd. Ferrari 412 P for Richard Attwood/David Piper. Needless to say, it was going to be an all-out battle.
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're going back to Brands Hatch, England, for the 6-Hour FIA International Manufacturers Championship race for sports cars, aka the BOAC International 500.
(Getty Images)The Front Row of the BOAC 500 consisted of the pole-winning No. 4 Sidney Taylor Lola T70 Mk.3 GT Chevrolet driven by Denny Hulme/Jack Brabham (obscured in the shot), the No. 2 Lola T70 Mk.3 GT driven by John Surtees/David Hobbs and the No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet driven by Mike Spence/Phil Hill. Other entries of note? The factory Ferrari team consisted of the No. 6 Ferrari 330 P4 driven by Chris Amon/Jackie Stewart, the No. 7 Ferrari 330 P4 for Ludovico Scarfiotti/Peter Sutcliffe and the No. 8 Ferrari 330 P4 for Paul Hawkins/Jonathan Williams. The Porsche factory team - entered by "Porsche Systems Engineering" - was out in force, consisting of the No. 10 Porsche 910 driven by Graham Hill/Jochen Rindt, the No. 11 Porsche 910 for Jo Siffert/Bruce McLaren, the No. 12 Porsche 907 LH for Hans Hermann/Jochen Neerpasch, the No. 24 Porsche 910 for Vic Elford/Lucien Bianchi and the No. 25 Porsche 910 for Udo Schutz/Jochen Rindt. Jochen would be driving multiple cars that day. Two other entries of interest were the No. 3 J. W. Automotive Engineering Ltd. Mirage M1 Ford for Pedro Rodriguez/Dr. Dick Thompson and the No. 9 Maranello Concessionaires Ltd. Ferrari 412 P for Richard Attwood/David Piper. Needless to say, it was going to be an all-out battle.
(Getty Images)
Brand Hatch, July 30, 1967. A classic, defining image from the 1967 BOAC 500: Phil Hill on the gas in the No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet.
Brand Hatch, July 30, 1967. A classic, defining image from the 1967 BOAC 500: Phil Hill on the gas in the No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet.
(Getty Images)
The Mike Spence/Phil Hill No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet chases the No. 7 Ferrari 330 P4 of Ludovico Scarfiotti/Peter Sutcliffe during the BOAC 500. The Chaparral's license plate? When Jim Hall raced his cars in Europe he always put Texas license plates on them.
The Mike Spence/Phil Hill No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet chases the No. 7 Ferrari 330 P4 of Ludovico Scarfiotti/Peter Sutcliffe during the BOAC 500. The Chaparral's license plate? When Jim Hall raced his cars in Europe he always put Texas license plates on them.
(Getty Images)
The Mike Spence/Phil Hill Chaparral 2F Chevrolet runs ahead of the No. 7 Ferrari 330 P4 driven by Ludovico Scarfiotti/Peter Sutcliffe during the 1967 BOAC 500.
The Mike Spence/Phil Hill Chaparral 2F Chevrolet runs ahead of the No. 7 Ferrari 330 P4 driven by Ludovico Scarfiotti/Peter Sutcliffe during the 1967 BOAC 500.
(Getty Images)
The Mike Spence/Phil Hill No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet won the BOAC 500 by just 58 seconds over the No. 6 Ferrari 330 P4 driven by Chris Amon/Jackie Stewart - after six hours of racing!
The Mike Spence/Phil Hill No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet won the BOAC 500 by just 58 seconds over the No. 6 Ferrari 330 P4 driven by Chris Amon/Jackie Stewart - after six hours of racing!
(Getty Images)
The stirring Mike Spence/Phil Hill win in the 1967 BOAC 500 was a milestone victory for a couple of reasons: First, it was the last major international sports car victory for Jim Hall's Chaparral Cars team; Hall would go on to focus on the Can-Am Series and eventually Indianapolis. Secondly, it marked the end of Phil Hill's driving career. He retired after the race.
The stirring Mike Spence/Phil Hill win in the 1967 BOAC 500 was a milestone victory for a couple of reasons: First, it was the last major international sports car victory for Jim Hall's Chaparral Cars team; Hall would go on to focus on the Can-Am Series and eventually Indianapolis. Secondly, it marked the end of Phil Hill's driving career. He retired after the race.
(Getty Images)
The radical look of the Chaparral and the sound of its big, booming 427-cu. in. Chevrolet V8 mesmerized racing enthusiasts throughout Europe, particularity in England. The Chaparral victory at Brands Hatch was extremely popular.
The radical look of the Chaparral and the sound of its big, booming 427-cu. in. Chevrolet V8 mesmerized racing enthusiasts throughout Europe, particularity in England. The Chaparral victory at Brands Hatch was extremely popular.
(Pinterest)
Jackie Stewart in the No. 6 Ferrari 330 P4 that he shared with Chris Amon to finish second in the Brands Hatch 6-hours, aka the BOAC International 500.
Jackie Stewart in the No. 6 Ferrari 330 P4 that he shared with Chris Amon to finish second in the Brands Hatch 6-hours, aka the BOAC International 500.
(SlotForum)
Mike Spence wheels the winning No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet in the 1967 BOAC International 500.
Mike Spence wheels the winning No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet in the 1967 BOAC International 500.
(Mike Hayward photo)
The pole-winning No. 4 Sidney Taylor Lola T70 Mk.3 GT Chevrolet driven by Denny Hulme/Jack Brabham in the BOAC International 500.
The pole-winning No. 4 Sidney Taylor Lola T70 Mk.3 GT Chevrolet driven by Denny Hulme/Jack Brabham in the BOAC International 500.
(Motorsport Images)
Chris Amon at speed in the No. 6 Ferrari 330 P4 that he shared with Jackie Stewart to finish second at Brands Hatch.
Chris Amon at speed in the No. 6 Ferrari 330 P4 that he shared with Jackie Stewart to finish second at Brands Hatch.
(Mike Hayward)
The final finishing order for the 1967 BOAC 500: 1. Mike Spence/Phil Hill (No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet). 2. Chris Amon/Jackie Stewart (No. 6 Ferrari 330 P4). 3. Jo Siffert/Bruce McLaren (No. 11 Porsche 910). 4. Hans Herrmann/Jochen Neerpasch (No. 12 Porsche 907 LH). 5. Ludovico Scarfiotti/Peter Sutcliffe (No. 7 Ferrari 330 P4). 6. Paul Hawkins/Jonathan Williams (No. 8 Ferrari 330 P4). 7. Richard Attwood/David Piper (No. 9 Maranello Concessionaires Ferrari 412 P) and 8. Tony Dean/Ben Pon (No. 72 Porsche 906).
The final finishing order for the 1967 BOAC 500: 1. Mike Spence/Phil Hill (No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet). 2. Chris Amon/Jackie Stewart (No. 6 Ferrari 330 P4). 3. Jo Siffert/Bruce McLaren (No. 11 Porsche 910). 4. Hans Herrmann/Jochen Neerpasch (No. 12 Porsche 907 LH). 5. Ludovico Scarfiotti/Peter Sutcliffe (No. 7 Ferrari 330 P4). 6. Paul Hawkins/Jonathan Williams (No. 8 Ferrari 330 P4). 7. Richard Attwood/David Piper (No. 9 Maranello Concessionaires Ferrari 412 P) and 8. Tony Dean/Ben Pon (No. 72 Porsche 906).
Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG