By Peter M. DeLorenzo
Detroit. They can be testaments to brilliant, visionary thinking, or they can be ideas that never panned out. They can be magnificent beasts that ruled the day, or they can be evil-handling failures that slunk away into motorsports history. But many of the machines that have been raced over the decades brought something significant to the sport, and even more important, etched into our memories a time and a place that will never be forgotten. Anyone who has grown up in and around the sport has developed a list of favorite racing cars from the time they were kids. It usually started along the way with model building kits or slot car sets, but we all developed our favorites, which we've all added to over the years. I am no exception. As a matter of fact, my list is extensive and at times convoluted. But by no means is it meant to be some sort of be-all and end-all. They're just significant to me.
(Getty Images)
Watkins Glen, New York, July 1973. Mike Hailwood in the No. 2 Gulf Research Racing Co. Mirage M6 Ford Cosworth DFV during practice for the Watkins Glen 6-Hour. Mike and co-driver John Watson finished fifth overall.
(Getty Images)
Riverside International Raceway, January 26, 1974. David Pearson in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Purolator Mercury on his way to finishing third in the Winston Western 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race. David qualified on the pole but finished behind winner Cale Yarborough (No. 11 Kar-Kare Chevrolet) and Richard Petty (No. 43 Petty Enterprises STP Dodge). The race took a whopping 4 hours and 56 minutes to complete with a winning average speed of 101.14 mph.
(Fred Lewis photo)
12 Hours of Sebring, March 24, 1973. Tony DeLorenzo put the No. 11 Budd Corvette on pole for the all-GT race by a full 3 seconds. Tony and co-driver Steve Durst led for the first four hours, but the car succumbed to overheating issues and was retired. 
(Dave Friedman)
12 Hours of Sebring, March 23, 1963. The No. 24 Mecom Racing Team Ferrari 250 GTO driven by Roger Penske and Augie Pabst finished 4th overall and 1st in GT3.0.
(Photo by Tom Bigelow)
Dan Gurney in his factory-supported No. 16 Bud Moore Engineering Mercury Cougar running in the 1967 4-Hour Trans Am race at Sebring. Gurney and teammate Parnelli Jones (No. 15 Bud Moore Engineering Mercury Cougar) qualified 4th and 2nd respectively but did not finish the race. Jerry Titus (No. 17 Terlingua Racing Team Ford Mustang) won that day.
(GM)
The Chevrolet Corvette SS racer made its debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March 1957. The beautiful machine was woefully under-developed and encountered serious problems from the moment it was unloaded. It made the start - with drivers John Fitch and Piero Taruffi - but didn't finish the race.
(Pete Lyons photo)
Riverside International Raceway, November 11, 1970. Chris Amon in the No. 77 March Engineering Ltd. STP Oil Treatment March 707 Chevrolet. He qualified fifth for the Can-Am and finished fourth behind Denny Hulme (No. 5 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8D Chevrolet), Jackie Oliver (No. 22 Norris Industries Titanium Ti 22 Mk II Chevrolet) and Pedro Rodriguez (No. 1 British Racing Motors Castrol BRM P154 Chevrolet).
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