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MUSCLE BOYS, PART IV.
Sunday, February 11, 2024 at 08:21AM By Peter M. DeLorenzo
Detroit. Beginning in the late 50s and running through the mid-70s, sports car racing - particularly here in the U.S. - was captivated and dominated by V8-powered machines that barked their intent at race tracks all over the country. Sure, back in those days, SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) events were heavily populated by small-bore sports cars like Austin-Healeys, Triumphs, MGs, Minis, 356 Porsches and many other brands. And there was no question that they provided the backbone of SCCA racing back then. But starting in the late 50s with race-prepared Corvettes, and then fueled by the emergence of the Shelby American Cobra, and on to the USRRC, Trans-Am and Can-Am days, the real action was with the big-bore machines.
I vividly remember seeing the crowds gravitate to the fences when those V8s fired-up on the false grid. They couldn't really help it, because the sound was guttural, menacing and mesmerizing all at once. Standing among those cars on false grids all over the Midwest with our "A" Production Corvettes - Waterford Hills, Grattan, Mid-Ohio, Nelson Ledges, Milwaukee, Blackhawk Farms and, of course, Road America - was an in-period treat that I couldn't get enough of and will never forget. And besides the spectacular noise coming from those machines, the sheer speed was awesome to behold as they devoured every race track they visited.
And the legendary names that wheeled these machines were a mix of Hall of Famers and hard-scrabble drivers who wouldn't settle for anything less than the fastest, baddest V8s available. The legends were present and accounted for: Ken Miles, Dan Gurney, Roger Penske, Mario Andretti, Jim Hall, Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart, Peter Revson, John Surtees, Parnelli Jones, George Follmer, Mark Donohue, Swede Savage, Sam Posey, Milt Minter, Ed Leslie, Dr. Dick Thompson ("The Flying Dentist"), Allen Grant, Jerry Grant, et al. And, of course, my brother Tony and his teammate Jerry Thompson. This list of drivers - which I have affectionately dubbed "The Muscle Boys" - were just the tip of the iceberg. There were countless others who wheeled and manhandled their brutal machines at tracks all across the country. They were visceral, no-compromise machines that captivated the hearts and minds of racing enthusiasts, and if you've ever been to a vintage racing event, the same is true today, if not more so. I hope you enjoy the following images and recollections as much as I do.
And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Laguna Seca, May 9, 1965. The start of the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) GT race, with the Shelby American Cobra team - Ken Miles (No. 98), Ed Leslie (No. 96) and Bob Johnson (No. 97) - running at the front. Ernie Kesling is in the No. 1 privateer Shelby Cobra, Kurt Nuemann is in the No. 34 Porsche 904 GTS, Dave Jordan is in the No. 31 Otto Zipper Porsche 904 GTS, and Scooter Patrick is in the No. 32 Otto Zipper Porsche 904 GTS. Miles and Leslie finished 1-2 in their factory Cobras, followed by Patrick, Jordan and Nuemann.
Riverside International Raceway, October 26, 1969. Australian Frank Gardner wheeling the No. 2 Alan Mann Racing Ltd. Ford Open Sports 429 in the Can-Am. The machine was based on a Ford Mk IV chassis, and Gardner qualified it in 10th position, a full four seconds off of Denny Hulme's pole time in the No. 5 McLaren Cars/Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet. Gardner didn't finish due to a broken half-shaft. Hulme won, lapping the field, followed by Chuck Parsons (No. 10 Carl Haas Racing Lola T163 B Chevrolet) and Mario Andretti (No. 1 Holman & Moody McLaren M6B 429 Ford).
Laguna Seca, April 19, 1970. Parnelli Jones in his famous No. 15 Bud Moore Engineering Ford Mustang Boss 302 on the way to winning the Trans-Am. Jones stomped the field, winning by 40 seconds. Mark Donohue (No. 6 Penske Racing Sunoco AMC Javelin) was second, George Follmer (No. 16 Bud Moore Engineering Ford Mustang Boss 302) was third, and Swede Savage (No. 42 All-American Racers Plymouth Barracuda) finished fourth.
Lime Rock, Connecticut, May 9, 1970. Tony DeLorenzo in the No. 3 Owens/Corning Fiberglas Chevrolet Camaro during the Trans-Am. The car really wasn't ready, and it suffered a blown head gasket in the race. It was a long weekend, to say the least. Parnelli Jones (No. 15 Bud Moore Engineering Ford Mustang Boss 302) won that day, followed by Ed Leslie (No. 2 Chaparral Cars Chevrolet Camaro), and Sam Posey (No. 77 Autodynamics Dodge Challenger) finished third. Jones lapped the entire field.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Venice, California, early March 1963. Carroll Shelby with his factory Shelby American Cobras before they were loaded up for the trip to Sebring, Florida, for the 12 Hours. The cars were re-numbered for the race. The No. 98 became the No. 15, and was driven by Phil Hill and Dan Gurney. The No. 96 became the No. 12, and was driven by Ken Miles, Lew Spencer and Phil Hill. And the No. 97 became the No. 16, and was started by Ken Miles, who was to be joined by Lew Spencer, Dave MacDonald and Fireball Roberts. They didn't finish the race. The No. 15 car finished 29th, and the No. 12 car finished 11th overall and 1st in GT+4.0.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Sebring, Florida, March 23, 1963. The No. 15 Shelby American Cobra driven by Dan Gurney and Phil Hill in position on the starting grid. Note the changes made on the fly - typical for a race weekend - from the above picture, the most noticeable being moving the rearview mirror to the center of the car, as well as adding a second mirror.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Sebring, Florida, March 21, 1964. Ken Miles (No. 1 Shelby American Cobra 427 Prototype) leads A.J. Foyt (No. 2 John Mecom Racing Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport) up the pit straight during the 12 Hours. Miles' Cobra had to run in the Prototype class because the 427 Ford V8 hadn't been homologated by the FIA yet. The 427 Cobra was Miles' idea, and he developed it to be Shelby American's answer to the Corvette Grand Sport. The big block Cobra showed tremendous speed, but Miles suffered a heavy crash in practice, and he (along with co-driver John Morton) had to start the race dead last. The No. 2 Corvette Grand Sport started right near Miles, as the Foyt/John Cannon duo didn't record a qualifying time. Both cars had a furious duel during the race, but neither car finished.