By Peter M. DeLorenzo
Detroit. Racing a car, motorcycle or anything with some sort of power is a pursuit like no other. It is a passionate endeavor requiring an obsessive single-mindedness that consumes the people involved to a degree that outsiders find hard to understand. Ask any driver who has competed at the top level, and they will tell you that there is nothing half-assed about what they do, because the focus required is almost incomprehensible. Drivers talk about being in "the zone" - a strange state of mind that takes over their entire being while they're racing - when the faster they go the more things seem to slow down for them. They're aware of everything around them, but at the same time their focus on the task at hand is impenetrable, because anything less can result in a mistake that will likely have severe consequences. Racers are indeed a rare breed, willing to sacrifice everything for the pursuit of what they love to do, to the detriment of everything else. These racers have left an indelible mark on the sport. Drivers who were fierce competitors, flawed heroes and incredible, gifted talents. Their legacies are what make the sport of motor racing so fascinating. In the last few issues of "Fumes" I have been recalling some of my favorites. This week, we remember Peter Revson.
(Getty Images)Peter Jeffrey Revson was born in New York City on February 27, 1939. He was the son of Martin Revson and Julie Hall. Martin was a founding partner - along with his brother Charles - of Revlon Cosmetics. But the two parted ways in 1958 as Martin went on to become chairman of Del Laboratories in 1963. Peter spent his childhood in White Plains, New York, in Westchester County, attended prep schools and living off the luxuries gained from his father’s million-dollar empire. He had two sisters, Jennifer and Julie Ann, as well as a younger brother Doug, who would be killed in a race in Denmark in 1967. Though considered well educated, Revson never finished his college education after attending Columbia, Cornell and the University of Hawaii. While attending the University of Hawaii in 1960, Revson bought a Morgan and began a foray into sports car racing. In his first race, Revson placed second, but he won his next race. To the dismay of his family, Revson began to turn his attention to competitive racing full time. Teaming with Cornell classmate Timmy Mayer and friend Bill Smith, and managed by Teddy Mayer under the Rev-Em Racing banner, Revson competed in formula junior in 1962, losing the financial aid of the Revson family as a consequence. Without support from his family, Revson embraced his independence and generated funds through his savings and education funds. Things would get very interesting from there. (Thank you to Wikipedia and various other sources.)
After limited successes and with Formula 1 aspirations, Revson took the remaining money he had in 1963 - around $12,000 (equivalent to $106,213 in 2021) - and moved to the UK. There he was able to buy a Formula Junior Cooper and a Ford Thames van dubbed "Gilbert." He then barnstormed around mainland Europe competing and winning against the likes of future formula stars Denny Hulme and Jochen Rindt. Sleeping in his van and earning a living from prize money he earned from races, Revson soon caught the attention of Reg Parnell (with Revson, above), from whom Revson rented workshop space, and Peter was offered a spot on Parnell’s planned F1 team for the 1964 season. Revson made his initial Formula 1 debut late in the 1963 season in an exhibition race at the Gold Cup in Oulton Park, England, finishing ninth. Revson teamed with fellow drivers Chris Amon and Mike Hailwood, referred to as the "Ditton Road Flyers," and received more attention due to their antics and wild parties than their performances on the track. Due to a number of factors, including the sudden death of Reg Parnell, financial troubles and a noncompetitive car in the Lotus 24, Reg Parnell/Revson Racing was doomed before it even began. After racing in four Grands Prix and five non-championship races that season, Revson's best results came at Monza, finishing 13th, as well as a fourth-place finish at Solitude during a non-championship race.
With his disappointing results in Europe due to his limited Formula 1 success, Revson accepted an offer to race back in the United States in 1965. Focusing mainly on sports car racing, including the Can-Am and Trans-Am series, Revson was able to rebound from his Formula 1 woes and quickly rebuild his reputation as a capable driver. In 1969, Revson competed in his first Indianapolis 500, finishing an impressive 5th place after starting last. To make the feat even more impressive, Revson was racing in an under-powered No. 92 Brabham BT25-Repco.
12 Hours of Sebring, March 21, 1970. Peter Revson shared the No. 48 Solar Productions Inc. Porsche 908/02 with actor Steve McQueen, who was severely hobbled with a broken ankle. Revson carried the car for the majority of the race, finishing second to Mario Andretti, who, in an inspired drive, took over the No. 21 Ferrari 512 S from Ignazio Giunti/Nino Vacarrella and stormed to the win. Mario was furious with the press, who he felt touted McQueen's role over Peter's tremendous effort.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 1971. Revson gained major exposure and entrance to a top team when Team McLaren asked him to drive in the Indy 500 following the release of Chris Amon. Peter qualified on the pole in the No. 86 McLaren/Offy with a four lap average speed of 178.816 mph. Mark Donohue (No. 66 Penske Racing Sunoco McLaren/Offy) qualified second at 177.087 mph, and Bobby Unser was third at 175.816 mph in the No. 2 AAR Olsonite Eagle/Offy. Al Unser (No. 1 Vel Miletich Johnny Lightning 500 Colt/Ford) won that day, Peter was second and A,J. Foyt (No. 9 ITT/Thompson Coyote/Ford) finished third.
Peter was quick at The Speedway.
Revson delivered several good results in Trans-Am. In 1968 Peter finished 3rd at Lime Rock and Mid-Ohio, 2nd at Meadowdale (above), 4th at Watkins Glen and 2nd at Riverside - all in the factory No. 3 AMC Javelin.
Over and above his exploits at The Speedway and in Trans-Am, Peter Revson solidified his reputation in the U.S. with his impressive runs in the Can-Am Series. In the 1971 Can-Am, driving the No. 7 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8F Chevrolet, Peter won at Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen, Road America (above), Donnybrooke and Laguna Seca to win the championship. His teammate Denny Hulme (No. 5 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum Mclaren M8F Chevrolet) won at Mosport, Edmonton and Riverside and finished second. Jackie Stewart, driving brilliantly in the No. 1 Carl Haas Racing L&M Lola T260 Chevrolet, won twice at Mont-Tremblant and Mid-Ohio to finish third in the overall standings.
Mid-Ohio Can-Am, August 22, 1971. Denny Hulme (No. 5 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8F Chevrolet), Peter Revson (No. 7 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8F Chevrolet), Jackie Stewart (No. 1 Carl Haas Racing L&M Lola T260 Chevrolet) and Jo Siffert (No. 20 STP/Porsche Audi/Marlboro Porsche 917/10) make up the first two rows of the grid. Stewart won that day, followed by Siffert. Both McLarens DNF with broken drive shafts.
Watkins Glen, New York, July 1972. Denny Hulme (No. 5 Gulf McLaren M20 Chevrolet) and Peter Revson (No. 4 Gulf McLaren M20 Chevrolet, above) led the charge against the Team Penske Porsche 917/10 Turbo driven by George Follmer. Mark Donohue suffered injuries that would sideline him for most of the season, but Follmer substituted for Mark and proceeded to win the 1972 Can-Am championship. Peter qualified on the pole at Watkins Glen and finished second to Hulme that day. Hulme also won the season opener at Mosport, but Follmer won at Road Atlanta, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Laguna Seca and Riverside. Donohue came back to win at Edmonton, and Francois Cevert won the race at Donneybrooke. Revson didn't win a race that season.
Peter Revson's first year with McLaren in F1 was during the 1972 season at the age of 33. Revson (shown above in his McLaren M19A-Ford at the Grand Prix of Spain) was able to finish 5th in the championship standings, competing in 9 out of the 12 races. Revson finished on the podium four times with three third-place finishes and a second-place finish.
(Getty Images)
British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit, July 14, 1973. Peter Revson (No. 8 Yardley Team McLaren M23-Ford Cosworth) captured his first Grand Prix in a chaotic race at Silverstone. The race was marred by a first lap accident triggered by Jody Scheckter (No. 30 Yardley Team McLaren M23-Ford Cosworth) which effectively knocked nine cars out of the race, including those driven by Jean-Pierre Beltoise (No. 20 Marlboro BRM), George Follmer (No. 16 Shadow DN1-Ford Cosworth), Mike Hailwood (No. 23 Surtees TS14A-Ford Cosworth), Carlos Pace (No. 24 Surtees TS14A-Ford Cosworth), Jochen Mass (No. 31 Surtees TS14A-Ford Cosworth), Graham Hill (No. 12 Shadow DN1-Ford Cosworth), Roger Williamson (No. 14 March 731-Ford Cosworth) and Andrea de Adamich (No. 9 Brabham BT42-Ford Cosworth). Hill would rejoin the field after the race restart was delayed for 90-minutes, but de Adamich broke his leg, which would effectively end his career. Revson qualified 3rd behind Ronnie Peterson (No. 2 Lotus 72E-Ford Cosworth) and teammate Denny Hulme (No. 7 Yardley Team McLaren M23-Ford Cosworth). After an action-packed race with several different leaders, Revson took the win by three seconds, followed by Peterson and Hulme. A great day for the American.
(Photo by Bernard Cahier/Getty Images)
Silverstone, July 14, 1973. Peter Revson and Ronnie Peterson (and Joan Cahier) celebrate after Peter's huge first F1 win in the British Grand Prix.
(Photo by Dick Darrell/Toronto Star/Getty Images)
Mosport, September 23, 1973. Peter Revson holds the Labatt's Trophy after winning the Canadian Grand Prix in his No. 8 Yardley Team McLaren M23-Ford Cosworth. He was declared the winner after a huge mix-up and survived protests by Emerson Fittipaldi (No. 1 Team Lotus 72E-Ford Cosworth) and Jackie Oliver (No. 17 Shadow DN1-Ford Cosworth). This was another chaotic race marking the first use of a safety car in F1, which duly screwed-up the race at one point. It took race officials three hours to sort out the mess, with Revson finally declared the winner ahead of Fittipaldi and Oliver. It was Peter's second and final Grand Prix win.
(Photo by Bernard Cahier/Getty Images)
Interlagos, Brazil, January 27, 1974. After Teddy Mayer hired Emerson Fittipaldi for Team McLaren for the 1974 F1 season, Peter signed with the UOP Shadow Racing Team. Driving the No. 16 Shadow DN3-Ford Cosworth, Revson retired from the first two races of the season. Despite this, Revson liked the car and had high hopes for the new season. Alas, it was not to be.
(Getty Images)
One of the finest books ever written about a racing driver, Speed With Style, the autobiography of Peter Revson written by Peter with Leon Mandel, was published posthumously in 1974 by Doubleday & Company. It is well worth the read.
(Getty Images)
Peter Revson was killed during a test session on March 22, 1974, in Kyalami before that year's South African Grand Prix while driving his No. 16 Shadow DN3-Ford Cosworth. His car suffered a front suspension failure and crashed heavily into the Armco barrier on the outside of "Barbecue Bend." The car stood on its nose, wrapped itself around the barrier and caught fire, and although safety workers and other drivers managed to pull Revson from the wreckage, he was already dead. In fact, the photos from the accident scene are so gruesome that they're better off not repeated here. In Motorsport Magazine, June, 2012, Tony Southgate, the designer of the Shadow DN3 recalled Peter this way: "Revvie was a fabulous easy-going guy, fitted in well, and a very good driver. But tragically he wasn't with us for long. He qualified on row 2 for Argentina and row 3 for Brazil. Then he and I, our chief mechanic Pete Kerr and two other mechanics went down to Kyalami for testing before the South African GP. Revvie was going very well, very happy with the car, and then he didn't come around. We rushed out to the back of the circuit and found the car buried under the Armco on the outside of a quick corner. Peter was already in the ambulance and gone. I phoned the hospital, and they told me I had to go to the morgue and identify him. When the news got out all hell let loose, journalists banging on my hotel door, then the Revson family lawyer arrived and took over. We were using titanium quite a lot on the DN3, which was quite a new material then. Titanium is finicky, it has to be machined smooth and the surface polished, and a ball joint which had some coarse machining on it had failed. There was only one layer of Armco and the car, instead of being deflected or stopped, had gone right under as far as the cockpit. I felt personally responsible. It was a very difficult time. The glamour of Formula 1 had gone, replaced by a sort of loneliness. You just had to work on. Of course I replaced all the titanium components with steel before the next race. He was the second Revson to lose his life racing; his brother Douglas was killed in a crash in Denmark in 1967." Peter and Douglas Revson are interred together in a crypt in the community mausoleum at Ferncliff Cemetary in Hartsdale, New York.
Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG