Fumes

Sunday

Oct012023

FAMOUS FRONT ROWS, PART III.

Sunday, October 1, 2023 at 08:58AM

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. These photographs of front-row qualifiers capture a moment in time, or rather, a moment in speed. We get a glimpse for a fleeting moment of the best of the best at the particular track, on that particular day. Is it too much wallowing in nostalgia? I have been roundly criticized for that, but I disagree. In order to appreciate what we have now, or where we want the sport to go, we have to appreciate where we've been. I hope you enjoy it, because even though these are historic photos - they never get old.

Circuit Park Zandvoort, North Holland, Netherlands, July 18, 1965. F1 Legends: Graham Hill (No. 10 Owen Racing Organization BRM P261 V8); Jim Clark (No. 6 Lotus 33 Climax V8); Richie Ginther (No. 22 Honda R&D Company Honda RA272 V12) on the Front Row. Others in the shot: John Surtees (No. 2 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC Ferrari 158 V8); Dan Gurney (No. 16 Brabham Racing Organization Brabham BT11 Climax V8) and Mike Spence (No. 8 Team Lotus/Lotus 25 Climax V8). Clark won that day, followed by Jackie Stewart (No. 12 Owen Racing Organization BRM P261 V8) and Gurney.
Nassau Speed Weeks, Bahamas, November 29, 1964. The Front Row for the start of the Nassau TT for GT+2.0 cars: Ken Miles (No. 98 Shelby American 427 Cobra prototype); Jack Saunders (No. 00 Mecom Racing Team Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport) and a partially obscured Roger Penske (No. 82 Mecom Racing Team Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport). Penske won, followed by Walt Hansgen (No. 3 Mecom Racing Team Ferrari 250 LM) and Bob Grossman (No. 90 Scuderia Bear Ferrari 250 LM).
Watkins Glen, New York, July 23, 1972. Denny Hulme (No. 5 Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. GULF/Boyd Jefferies McLaren M20 Chevrolet) and Peter Revson (No. 4 Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. GULF/Boyd Jefferies McLaren M20 Chevrolet) on the Front Row during the pace lap for the Can-Am. Hulme and Revson finished 1-2. It was the last Can-Am win for McLaren as Roger Penske 's L&M Porsche 917/10 Turbo driven by George Follmer would dominate the series from that point on. Francois Cevert (No. 22 Young American Racing McLaren M8F Chevrolet) finished third.
(Pete Lyons Photo)
Laguna Seca, October 15, 1972. George Follmer (No. 7 Roger Penske Enterprises, Inc. L&M Porsche+Audi Porsche 917/10 Turbo) and Mark Donohue (No. 6 Roger Penske Enterprises, Inc. L&M Porsche+Audi Porsche 917/10 Turbo) on the Front Row for the Can-Am. Mark had returned after his early-season injury two weeks before at Edmonton and promptly won. This race was about Follmer sealing the Can-Am championship, so George and Mark ran 1-2. Francois Cevert (No. 22 Young American Racing Mclaren M8F Chevrolet) finished third. The factory McLaren M20 Chevrolets driven by Hulme and Revson didn't finish.
(Pete Lyons Photo)
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 3, 1967. The Front Row for the start of the Can-Am: Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren Cars Ltd. McLaren M6A Chevrolet) and Danny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren Cars Ltd. McLaren M6A Chevrolet) lead the field. Other notables? Dan Gurney (No. 36 All American Racers Lola T70 Mk.3B Ford); George Follmer (No. 16 Roger Penske Racing Ent. Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); Mark Donohue (No. 6 Roger Penske Racing Ent. Lola T70 Mk.3B Chevrolet); Chuck Parsons (No. 26 Carl Haas Automobile Imports Inc. McLaren Elva Mark III Chevrolet); John Surtees (No. 7 Team Surtees Ltd. Lola T70 Mk.3B Chevrolet); Peter Revson (No. 52 Peyton Cramer/Dana Chevrolet Lola T70 Mk.3 Chevrolet) and Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral Cars Chaparral 2G Chevrolet). How dominant were the McLarens? McLaren qualified at 2:12.600; Hulme at 2:12.700. Gurney was two seconds back at 2:14.400. The rest of the field fell away sharply after that. Oh, by the way, that's Stirling Moss driving the Camaro pace car.