A PICTURE IS WORTH 1000 WORDS, PART VI.
By Peter M. DeLorenzo
Detroit. The history of racing is filled with memorable moments, incandescent triumphs and yes, unspeakable tragedies. A kaleidoscope of images has captured these moments since racing's inception, and I plan to continue presenting a few of them in this column and in future columns in the coming weeks. I hope you enjoy it.
(Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch/Getty Images)
The Nürburgring Nordschleife, Nürburg, Germany, August 5, 1962. Phil Hill at the moment he is about to retire from the German Grand Prix. The 1961 World Champion had a miserable weekend, qualifying poorly and ultimately dropping out of the race. Graham Hill (No. 11 Owen Racing Organization BRM P57 V8) won that day, followed by John Surtees (No. 14 Yeoman Credit Racing Team Lola Mk4 Climax) and Dan Gurney (No. 7 Porsche System Engineering Porsche 804).
Pacific Raceways, Kent, Washington, August 1, 1965. Jim Hall debuted the Chaparral 2C Chevrolet at the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) race in Kent, Washington. The 2C was a radical development of the 2A. The 2C had an all-aluminum chassis designed by Chevrolet engineers and it was smaller in every dimension than the various iterations of the 2A. Its most notable feature was the innovative, movable rear wing that could be operated from the cockpit. Because the Chaparral also was equipped with the infamous clutchless, semi-automatic gearbox; the driver could operate the rear wing with their left foot, laying it flat on the straights and tilting it up under hard braking. But the 2C also had another name. Because of its stiffer aluminum chassis and its brutal, non-compliant ride characteristics, Hall dubbed the 2C the "EBJ" - for "eyeball juggler." But it was ultra-quick, with Hall winning the first time out that weekend.
(Porsche AG)
April 20, 1969. Quite a photograph. 25 Porsche 917s lined up for the Commission Sportive Internationale representatives (then the independent competition arm of the FIA) for homologation to race in the 1969 season. Porsche tried to get the 917 approved before having the 25 cars finished but the CSI refused. So they were summoned back to the factory by Ferdinand Piech, who offered the opportunity to drive any one of them to see that they were indeed real. The CSI representatives declined and the 917 was approved.
Lexington, Ohio, August 22, 1971. Denny Hulme and Jackie Stewart chat before the start of the Mid-Ohio Can-Am. Stewart would win that day in the No. 1 Carl Haas Racing L&M Lola T260 Chevrolet. Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M8F Chevrolet) did not finish, Jo Siffert (No. 20 STP Porsche 917/10) was second, and Tony Adamowicz (No. 54 Auto World McLaren M8B Chevrolet) finished second.
Watkins Glen, New York, August 10, 1969. Parnelli Jones (No. 15 Bud Moore Engineering Ford Mustang Boss 302) on his way to a second-place finish in the Trans-Am. Mark Donohue (No. 6 Penske-Hilton Racing Sunoco Chevrolet Camaro) won that day.