- published: 05 Aug 2010
- views: 26198
- author: RoadandTrack
Vimeo results:
Youtube results:
More Videos
Loading...
Open Collage in a new Window
Email the Collage
- Loading...
Loading suggestions ...
- 1961 Aintree 200
- 1961 Coppa Italia
- 1961 Flugplatzrennen
- 1961 Glover Trophy
- 1961 Kanonloppet
- 1961 Lombank Trophy
- 1961 London Trophy
- 1961 Pau Grand Prix
- 1961 Rand Grand Prix
- 1962 Aintree 200
- 1962 Cape Grand Prix
- 1962 Glover Trophy
- 1962 in NASCAR
- 1962 Kanonloppet
- 1962 Lavant Cup
- 1962 Lombank Trophy
- 1962 Pau Grand Prix
- 1962 Rand Grand Prix
- 1963 Aintree 200
- 1963 Glover Trophy
- 1963 in NASCAR
- 1963 Kanonloppet
- 1963 Lombank Trophy
- 1963 Pau Grand Prix
- 1963 Rand Grand Prix
- 1963 Rome Grand Prix
- 1964 Aintree 200
- 1964 Rand Grand Prix
- 1965 Rand Grand Prix
- 1967 Spring Cup
- 1968 in NASCAR
- 1980 in NASCAR
- 24 Hours of Daytona
- 24 hours of Le Mans
- 24 Hours of Le Mans
- A. J. Allmendinger
- A. J. Foyt
- A.J. Foyt
- Al Holbert
- Al Unser
- Al Unser, Jr.
- Alex Gurney
- Alexander Wurz
- All American Racers
- Allan McNish
- Allan Moffat
- André Lagache
- André Lotterer
- André Rossignol
- Andy Pilgrim
- Anthony Davidson
- Arie Luyendyk
- Belgian Grand Prix
- Benoît Tréluyer
- Bernard Rubin
- Bertrand Gachot
- Bill Whittington
- Bob Akin
- Bob Earl
- Bob Garretson
- Bob Wollek
- Bobby Rahal
- Bobby Unser
- Bonneville Speedway
- Brabham
- Brabham BT11
- Brabham BT24
- Brabham BT7
- Brad Frisselle
- Brian Redman
- BRM
- BRM P48
- Bruce Kessler
- Bruce Leven
- Bruce McLaren
- Buddy Rice
- Buick
- Butch Leitzinger
- California
- Can-Am
- Canadian Grand Prix
- CanAm
- Carroll Shelby
- Casey Mears
- Castle Solitude
- Champ Car
- Champagne (wine)
- Champcars
- Championship Car
- Charles Mendez
- Chip Robinson
- Chris Amon
- Chris Kneifel
- Christian Fittipaldi
- Christian Pescatori
- Christophe Bouchut
- Chuck Daigh
- Chuck Parsons
- Claude Ballot-Léna
- Cosworth DFV
- Coventry Climax
- Dan Gurney
- Dan Wheldon
- Danny Ongais
- Dario Franchitti
- Darren Law
- Dave Helmick
- David Brabham
- David Donohue
- Daytona Qualifier
- Derek Daly
- Derek Warwick
- Dick Barbour
- Didier Pironi
- Didier Theys
- Dominique Dupuy
- Don Whittington
- Drag racing
- Dudley Benjafield
- Eagle Mk1
- Eagle T2G
- Emanuele Pirro
- Emmanuel Collard
- Eric Hélary
- Eric van de Poele
- Eugenio Castellotti
- Eugène Chaboud
- Evi Butz
- Fastest lap
- Fermín Vélez
- Ferrari Dino 246
- FIA Super Licence
- Flat-four engine
- Ford
- Ford GT40
- Ford Motor Company
- Forest Barber
- Formula One
- Franck Fréon
- Frank Biela
- Frank Jelinski
- Fredy Lienhard
- Fritz Riess
- Gary Brabham
- Geoff Brabham
- Giampiero Moretti
- Gijs van Lennep
- Giovanni Lavaggi
- Glen Kidston
- Graham Duxbury
- Graham Hill
- Graham Rahal
- Grand American
- Gurney flap
- Guy Smith
- Gérard de Courcelles
- Gérard Larrousse
- Hans Herrmann
- Hans Heyer
- Hans-Joachim Stuck
- Hap Sharp
- Helmut Marko
- Henri Pescarolo
- Hermann Lang
- Hurley Haywood
- Ignazio Giunti
- Indianapolis 500
- Inline-four engine
- Ivor Bueb
- Jack Brabham
- Jackie Oliver
- Jackie Stewart
- Jacky Ickx
- Jan Lammers
- Jean Behra
- Jean Guichet
- Jean Rondeau
- Jean Trémoulet
- Jean-Louis Rosier
- Jean-Pierre Jaussaud
- Jean-Pierre Wimille
- Jim Clark
- JJ Lehto
- Jo Bonnier
- Jo Gartner
- Jo Siffert
- Joachim Winkelhock
- Joakim Bonnier
- Jochen Mass
- Jochen Neerpasch
- Jochen Rindt
- Joey Hand
- John Andretti
- John Crosthwaite
- John Duff
- John Paul, Jr.
- John Paul, Sr.
- John Pew
- John Surtees
- Johnny Herbert
- Johnny O'Connell
- João Barbosa
- Juan Manuel Fangio
- Juan Pablo Montoya
- Jörg Bergmeister
- Jörg Müller
- Jürgen Barth
- Jürgen Lässig
- Karl Wendlinger
- Kazuyoshi Hoshino
- Kees Nierop
- Ken Miles
- Kevin Buckler
- Klaus Ludwig
- Korean War
- Larry Kulok
- Laurent Aïello
- Leo Kinnunen
- Les Richter
- Lloyd Ruby
- Lorenzo Bandini
- Lotus 18
- Lotus 24
- Louis Krages
- Louis Rosier
- Loïc Duval
- Lucien Bianchi
- Ludovico Scarfiotti
- Luigi Chinetti
- Luis Fontés
- Manuel Reuter
- Marc Gené
- Marco Werner
- Mario Andretti
- Mark Blundell
- Mark Dismore
- Mark Donohue
- Martin Brundle
- Masahiro Hasemi
- Masanori Sekiya
- Masten Gregory
- Maurice Trintignant
- Mauricio de Narvaez
- Mauro Baldi
- Max Angelelli
- Max Papis
- McLaren (racing)
- McLaren M14A
- McLaren M7A
- Memo Rojas
- Metropolitan Opera
- Michael Schrom
- Michele Alboreto
- Mickey Thompson
- Microplas
- Mike Hawthorn
- Mike Keyser
- Mike Parkes
- Mike Rockenfeller
- Mike Spence
- Motor Trend 500
- NASCAR
- Nicolas Lapierre
- Ninian Sanderson
- Nino Vaccarella
- Nürburgring
- Offy
- Olivier Beretta
- Olivier Gendebien
- Olivier Panis
- Oswaldo Negri
- P. J. Jones
- Paolo Barilla
- Parnelli Jones
- Paul Frère
- Paul Gentilozzi
- Phil Hill
- Phil Walters
- Philipp Peter
- Philippe Étancelin
- Pierluigi Martini
- Pierre Kaffer
- Pierre Veyron
- Plymouth Barracuda
- Pole position
- Pony car
- Porsche 718
- Porsche 787
- Porsche 804
- Preston Henn
- Price Cobb
- Raul Boesel
- Raymond Sommer
- Reinhold Joest
- René Léonard
- Repco
- Rex Mays
- Richard Attwood
- Rinaldo Capello
- Riverside 500
- Rob Dyson
- Rob McFarlin
- Robert Benoist
- Rocky Moran
- Roger Penske
- Rolf Stommelen
- Romain Dumas
- Ron Fellows
- Rouen-Les-Essarts
- Roy Salvadori
- Roy Woods
- Ryan Dalziel
- Salvador Durán
- Sarel van der Merwe
- Scott Dixon
- Scott Pruett
- Scott Sharp
- Scuderia Ferrari
- Seiji Ara
- Sports car racing
- Sprint Cup Series
- Stanley Dickens
- Stefan Johansson
- Steve Millen
- Stirling Moss
- Stuttgart
- Stéphane Ortelli
- Swede Savage
- Tazio Nuvolari
- Team Lotus
- Team McLaren
- Ted Field
- Terry Borcheller
- Thierry Boutsen
- Tim Birkin
- Timo Bernhard
- Toine Hezemans
- Tom Kristensen
- Tony Rolt
- Toyota
- Toyota Atlantic
- Trans-Am Series
- U. E. Patrick
- Umberto Maglioli
- United States
- United States Army
- V12 engine
- V8 engine
- Vern Schuppan
- Vic Elford
- Volker Weidler
- Volkert Merl
- Walt Hansgen
- Wayne Baker
- Wayne Taylor
- Weslake
- Wikipedia Persondata
- Winston Western 500
- Wolfgang Seidel
- Wood Brothers Racing
- Woolf Barnato
- Yannick Dalmas
-
24 hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans (French: 24 Heures du Mans) is the world's oldest active sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining mechanical damage to the car and manage the cars' consumables, primarily fuel, tyres and braking materials. The endurance of the drivers is likewise tested as drivers frequently spend stints of over two hours behind the wheel before stopping in the pits and allowing a relief driver to take over the driving duties. Drivers then grab what food and rest they can before returning to drive another stint. Today it is mandated that three drivers share each competing vehicle.
The race is organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and runs on the Circuit de la Sarthe, a circuit containing a mix of closed public roads and specialist motor racing circuit that are meant not only to test a car and driver's ability to be quick, but also to last over a 24 hour period. The competing teams will race in groups called classes for cars of similar specification while at the same time competing for outright placing amongst all of the classes. Originally the race was held for cars as they were sold to the general public which were then called Sports Cars compared to the specialist racing cars used in Grands Prix. Over time the competing vehicles evolved away from their publicly-available road car roots and today the race is made of two classes specialised enclosed-bodywork two-seat Prototype sports cars and two classes of Grand Touring cars which bear much closer resemblance to high performance sports cars as sold to the public.
wn.com/24_hours_of_Le_Mans -
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans (French: 24 Heures du Mans) is the world's oldest active sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining mechanical damage to the car and manage the cars' consumables, primarily fuel, tyres and braking materials. The endurance of the drivers is likewise tested as drivers frequently spend stints of over two hours behind the wheel before stopping in the pits and allowing a relief driver to take over the driving duties. Drivers then grab what food and rest they can before returning to drive another stint. Today it is mandated that three drivers share each competing vehicle.
The race is organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and runs on the Circuit de la Sarthe, a circuit containing a mix of closed public roads and specialist motor racing circuit that are meant not only to test a car and driver's ability to be quick, but also to last over a 24 hour period. The competing teams will race in groups called classes for cars of similar specification while at the same time competing for outright placing amongst all of the classes. Originally the race was held for cars as they were sold to the general public which were then called Sports Cars compared to the specialist racing cars used in Grands Prix. Over time the competing vehicles evolved away from their publicly-available road car roots and today the race is made of two classes specialised enclosed-bodywork two-seat Prototype sports cars and two classes of Grand Touring cars which bear much closer resemblance to high performance sports cars as sold to the public.
wn.com/24_Hours_of_Le_Mans -
Belgian Grand Prix
The Belgian Grand Prix (Dutch: Grote Prijs van België, French: Grand Prix de Belgique, German: Großer Preis von Belgien) is an automobile race, part of the Formula One World Championship. The first national race of Belgium was held in 1925 at the Spa region's race course, an area of the country that had been associated with motor sport since the very early years of racing. To accommodate Grand Prix motor racing, the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps race course was built in 1921 but it was only used for motorcycle racing until 1924. After the 1923 success of the new 24 hours of Le Mans in France, the Spa 24 Hours, a similar 24 hour endurance race, was run at the Spa track.
Since inception, Spa-Francorchamps has been known for its unpredictable weather. At one stage in its history it had rained at the Belgian Grand Prix for twenty years in a row. Frequently drivers confront a part of the course that is clear and bright while another stretch is rainy and slippery.
The Belgian Grand Prix was designated the European Grand Prix six times between 1925 and 1973, when this title was an honorary designation given each year to one grand prix race in Europe.
wn.com/Belgian_Grand_Prix -
Bonneville Speedway
Coordinates: 40°45′45″N 113°53′44″W / 40.762522°N 113.895520°W / 40.762522; -113.895520
Bonneville Speedway is an area of the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah, that is marked out for motor sports. It is particularly noted as the venue for numerous land speed records.
The salt flats were first used for motor sports in 1912, but didn't become truly popular until the 1930s when Ab Jenkins and Sir Malcolm Campbell competed to set land speed records.
Historically, the speedway was marked out by the Utah Department of Transportation at the start of each summer. Originally, two tracks were prepared; a 10 mile long straightway for speed trials and an oval or circular track for distance runs, which was typically between 10 and 12 miles (16 and 19 km) long depending on the condition of the salt surface.
Since at least the 1990s, track preparations have been the responsibility of the event organizers. Days or weeks in advance, the track preparers identify an area best suited for their track layouts and begin grading the tracks. Surveyors are brought in to survey the timing trap distances. A day before racing begins, the track markers are added.
wn.com/Bonneville_Speedway -
California
California (pronounced
i/kælɨˈfɔrnjə/) is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third most extensive (after Alaska and Texas). It is home to the nation's second- and sixth-largest census statistical areas (Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and San Francisco Bay Area), and eight of the nation's fifty most populated cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach and Oakland). The capital city is Sacramento.
California's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west, to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east – from the Redwood–Douglas-fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in the southeast. The center of the state is dominated by Central Valley, a major agricultural area. California contains both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States (Mount Whitney and Death Valley), and has the third-longest coastline of all states (after Alaska and Florida). Earthquakes are a common occurrence due to the state's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire: about 37,000 are recorded annually.
wn.com/California -
Canadian Grand Prix
The Canadian Grand Prix (known in French as the Grand Prix du Canada), abbreviated as gpc, is an annual auto race held in Canada starting in 1961. It has been part of the Formula One World Championship since 1967. It was first staged at Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario as a sports car event before it alternated between Mosport and Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Quebec after Formula One took over the event. After 1971 safety concerns led to the Grand Prix moving permanently to Mosport. In 1978, after similar safety concerns with Mosport the Canadian Grand Prix moved to its current home on Île Notre-Dame in Montreal.
In 2005, the Canadian Grand Prix was the most watched Formula One GP in the world. The race was also the third most watched sporting event worldwide, behind the first place Super Bowl XXXIX and the UEFA Champions League Final.
The Canadian Grand Prix was not included in the 2009 Formula 1 calendar. On 27 November 2009 it was reported the race could return in 2010 and the 2010 race then took place on June 13.
wn.com/Canadian_Grand_Prix -
Castle Solitude
Castle Solitude in Stuttgart, Germany (German: Schloss Solitude), was built as a hunting lodge between 1764 and 1769 under Duke Karl Eugen of Württemberg. It is not a true castle, but rather a rococo palace. Since 1956 the area is part of the urban district of Stuttgart-West. The castle is located on a high plain between the towns of Leonberg, Gerlingen and Stuttgart. The castle offers views to the north over Weilimdorf, Korntal and Ludwigsburg.
Schloss Solitude was originally designed to act as a refugium, a place of quiet, reflection and solitude (thus the name). Construction of the castle was plagued by political and financial difficulties. Karl Eugen had taken Württemberg into the Seven Years' War on the losing side against Prussia. The building exceeded the budget allocated by the duchy of Württemberg. Further, political wrangling between the duke and influential Stuttgart land barons led to the duke moving temporarily from Stuttgart to Ludwigsburg. In the long run, the castle was prohibitively expensive to keep just as a temporary residence. In 1770 it housed a high school founded by Duke Eugen. In 1775, the Karlsschule academy moved to Castle Solitude. It served as an academy of arts, a military academy, and later a general university for children of the elite. Eventually, maintenance costs led to its closure as a school after the Duke's death late in the 18th century. Between 1972 and 1983, the Federal Republic of Germany restored the castle.
wn.com/Castle_Solitude -
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is held annually, typically on the last weekend in May (specifically over the Memorial Day weekend) at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The event lends its name to the IndyCar class, or formula, of open-wheel race cars that have competed in it.
The event, billed as The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, is considered one of the three most significant motorsports events in the world. The official attendance is not disclosed by Speedway management, but the permanent seating capacity is more than 257,000 people, and infield seating raises capacity to an approximate 400,000.
The Indianapolis 500 is held annually at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.5 mile oval circuit. The race consists of 200 laps, run counterclockwise around the circuit, for a distance of 500 miles.
Traditionally, the field consists of 33 starters, aligned in a starting grid of eleven rows of three cars apiece. The event is contested by "Indy cars", a formula of professional-level, single-seat, open cockpit, open-wheel, purpose-built race cars. As of 2012, all entrants utilize 2.2 L V6 turbocharged engines, tuned to produce a range of 550–700 horsepower (410–520 kW).
wn.com/Indianapolis_500 -
Nürburgring
Coordinates: 50°20′08″N 6°56′51″E / 50.33556°N 6.9475°E / 50.33556; 6.9475
The Nürburgring is a motorsports complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about 70 km (43 mi) south of Cologne, and 120 km (75 mi) northwest of Frankfurt. The old track was nicknamed "The Green Hell" by Jackie Stewart and is widely considered one of the most demanding purpose-built racing circuits in the world.
Originally, the track featured four configurations: the 28.265 km (17.563 mi)-long Gesamtstrecke ("Whole Course"), which in turn consisted of the 22.810 km (14.173 mi) Nordschleife ("Northern Loop"), and the 7.747 km (4.814 mi) Südschleife ("Southern Loop"). There also was a 2.281 km (1.417 mi) warm-up loop called Zielschleife ("Finish Loop") or better known as Betonschleife, around the pit area.
wn.com/Nürburgring -
United States
The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
wn.com/United_States
-
Al Holbert
Alvah Robert "Al" Holbert (November 11, 1946 at Abington, Pennsylvania – September 30, 1988) was an American automobile racing driver who was a five-time champion of the IMSA Camel GT series.
The son of racecar driver Bob Holbert, who also ran a Volkswagen-Porsche dealership in Warrington, PA, near Philadelphia, Holbert worked for Roger Penske while studying at Lehigh University. In 1971, Holbert scored his first race win in a Porsche and would turn professional in 1974. He would score his first of his two IMSA titles in 1976 and 1977 in a Chevrolet Monza. Being a Porsche supporter, Holbert allowed Porsche technicians to inspect his Monza, which would eventually lead to Porsche entering the series with turbocharged cars such as the 934 that led to a Porsche dominance for the following years. During that time Holbert jumped ship to the Stuttgart marque.
From 1976-1979 Holbert raced 19 career races in NASCAR. In those 19 races, in which he drove primarily for James Hylton, Holbert scored 4 top ten finishes.
wn.com/Al_Holbert -
Al Unser
Alfred "Al" Unser (born May 29, 1939) is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser, Jr.. He is the second of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times, the fourth of five to have won the race in consecutive years, and won in American Championship Car Racing in 1970, 1983, and 1985. He is the only person to have both a sibling (Bobby) and child (Al Jr.) as fellow Indy 500 winners. Al's nephews Johnny and Robby Unser have also competed in that race.
After his son Al Jr. joined the top circuit in 1983, Unser has generally been known by the retronymic name of "Al Unser, Sr."
Unser was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His father Jerry Unser and two uncles, Louis and Joe, were also drivers. Beginning in 1926 they competed in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, an annual road race held in Colorado.
Joe Unser became the first member of the Unser clan to lose his life to the sport, killed while test-driving an FWD Coleman Special on the Denver highway in 1929.
wn.com/Al_Unser -
Alex Gurney
Alex Gurney (born September 4, 1974 in Newport Beach, California) is an American professional auto racing driver, currently driving for GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. Gurney drives the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Pontiac Riley, pairing with Jon Fogarty. He and Fogarty won the 2007 Grand-Am Rolex Series Daytona Prototype drivers' championship.
Alex Gurney showed well in his first Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2007, and won his first Grand-Am race, the 2007 Mexico City 400k, in March 2007. Along with co-driver Jon Fogarty, the pair went on to capture seven wins and 10 poles, setting a new series record for most victories in a single season en route to the driver and team championships. Among his most spectacular drives to victory were an hour-long, wheel-to-wheel duel with Colin Braun at Barber Motorsports Park, and a textbook penultimate-lap pass on David Donohue for the win at Infineon Raceway.
The youngest son of 1968 Indianapolis 500 runner-up and Formula One driver Dan Gurney, Alex previously competed in the Midwest Skip Barber Formula Dodge Series, Barber Dodge Pro Series, Toyota Atlantic Championship, and British Formula Three Championship. He is happily married to his wife, Colleen, with whom he welcomed his first child, a girl named Natalie, in 2007.
wn.com/Alex_Gurney -
Alexander Wurz
Alexander Wurz (born 15 February 1974 in Waidhofen an der Thaya, Lower Austria) is an Austrian racing driver. He competed in Formula One from 1997 until 2007, and is also a two-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours.
He was a test driver for the Brawn GP team for the 2009 Formula One season. Since then he is still active in Formula 1 as a consultant, expert for TV and media and has established himself as a road safety expert.
From 2008 - 2011 he competed for Peugeot Sport in various races of the International Le Mans Cup Series. In 2012 he will compete in the FIA - WEC (FIA World Endurance Championship) with the Toyota factory team.
He is the second son of former rallycross driver Franz Wurz, who won the European Rallycross Championship in 1974, 1976 and 1982.
Wurz first tasted competition in the BMX World Championship, which he won in 1986 at the age of 12. This gave him an underlying physical fitness suitable for motor racing. In 2000, Wurz returned somewhat to his cycling roots, starting an MTB team with countryman Markus Rainer. The team, Rainer-Wurz.com, is currently sponsored by sponsors McLaren, Siemens, and Cannondale amongst others. They are multiple World Cup winners.
wn.com/Alexander_Wurz -
Allan McNish
Allan McNish (born 29 December 1969) is a Scottish racing driver. He is a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, most recently in 2008, and three-time American Le Mans Series champion.
McNish who was born in Dumfries, Scotland played football while at school. He was a fan of Nottingham Forest and also supported his local club Queen of the South. It wasn't until McNish began in karting that he found something at which he excelled.
McNish began his career in karting like fellow Dumfries and Galloway driver David Coulthard. McNish credited the start given to both of them and Dario Franchitti as being largely down to David Leslie senior and junior.
McNish and Coulthard both were recognised with a McLaren/Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year award having moved up to car racing. In 1988 he won the Formula Vauxhall Lotus championship and in 1989 finished runner up to David Brabham in a close fought British Formula Three Championship. During the late 1980s McNish shared a house with team mate Mika Häkkinen.
wn.com/Allan_McNish -
Allan Moffat
Allan George Moffat, OBE (born 10 November 1939 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada) is an Australian racing driver known for his four wins in the Australian Touring Car Championship, six wins in the Sandown 500 and his four wins in the Bathurst 1000. Moffat was inducted into the V8 Supercar Hall of Fame in 1999.
Born in Canada, Moffat moved to Australia as a college student with his parents in the early 1960s when his father was transferred to Melbourne for work and in the early 1960s embarked on his record-setting motor racing career. He started his racing career at the wheel of a Triumph TR3.
Moffat first entered the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) in 1965, driving a Lotus Cortina. By 1969 he had become a regular competitor and his bright red Coca-Cola-sponsored Ford Boss 302 Mustang, which was supplied brand-new to Moffat from Ford's American 'in-house' race car fabrication and engineering facility "Kar Kraft", was unmistakable at circuits around Australia. With the help of Tom Hamilton, he would go on to win 101 touring car races (from 151 starts) in this car between 1969 and 1972, yet his dream of winning the ATCC in the Mustang eluded him.
wn.com/Allan_Moffat -
André Lagache
André Lagache (21 January 1885 – 2 October 1938) was a French racing driver who, along with René Léonard, won the very first 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1923. Lagache was an engineer at automobile manufacturer Chenard et Walcker, and was chosen to drive their "Sport" model in the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans. The duo drove a distance of 2,209 km (1,373 mi) over 24 hours and beat another Chenard-Walcker by a four lap margin. Lagache continued to run Le Mans for Chenard et Walcker for the next two years, but was unable to finish the event again. Lagache and Léonard however went on to win the Spa 24 Hours in 1925, the second running of that endurance event.
He was one of the founders of and supplier of the A in FAR.
wn.com/André_Lagache -
André Lotterer
André Lotterer (born 19 November 1981 in Duisburg) is a German auto racing driver.
Lotterer succeeded in both German and British Formula 3 championships en route to being named Jaguar Racing's Formula One test driver in 2002. He was passed up for a race seat in 2003 with Eddie Irvine retiring and Pedro de la Rosa leaving, as the team chose Mark Webber and Antônio Pizzonia instead.
Lotterer contested a one-off Champ Car event at the end of 2002 for Dale Coyne and scored a point. Since then he moved to Japan doing very well in both Formula Nippon and the Japanese Super GT Championship for Lexus, winning the latter in 2006 and 2009. He had also tested Toyota TF108 in 2009.
Lotterer also made his debut in the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans, as a race week fill-in driver for the Kolles privateer Audi team. Lotterer and co-driver Charles Zwolsman, also a Le Mans rookie, drove the entire race themselves after third driver Narain Karthikeyan dislocated his shoulder in a non-racing related injury. Driving an Audi R10, the car that won the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Le Mans races, Lotterer and Zwolsman finished 7th overall and in the LMP1 class.
wn.com/André_Lotterer -
André Rossignol
André Rossignol was a French racing driver who became the first driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, winning in consecutive years. Rossignol was a driver for the French Lorraine-Dietrich automobile company, and had been on their driving team since the inaugural Le Mans in 1923. After having finished eighth and third the first two years, Rossignol and teammate Gérard de Courcelles won the event overall in 1925. The following year, Robert Bloch was assigned to drive with Rossignol, and the race was won once again, with all three Lorraine-Dietrichs finishing on the podium.
After Lorraine-Dietrich chose not to enter cars in the 1927 event, Rossignol was hired by Chrysler and partnered with Henri Stoffel. The two finished the race in third place. Rossignol did not participate at Le Mans again.
wn.com/André_Rossignol -
Andy Pilgrim
Andy Pilgrim (born 18 August 1956 in Nottingham) is a British-born racing driver, who became a United States citizen in 1998. He began racing an IMSA Renault Cup (a semi-pro entry level series) Renault Alliance in the 80's. His serious professional racing began in 1996 when he made his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut. He joined the Chevrolet Corvette factory team in 1999. In 2001 he was selected as Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s teammate in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the team finished second in class. He left the Corvette program in 2004 but stayed with General Motors, driving for the winning team at the Daytona 24 in a Doran-Pontiac and spending the rest of the season driving for the new Cadillac CTS-V factory team in the SPEED World Challenge GT Series. The following year Pilgrim won the driver's championship in that series in his CTS-V. Staying with the team, he finished 3rd and 2nd in the series in 2006 and 2007. He also made his NASCAR Busch Series debut, driving two road course races for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s JR Motorsports team. In 2008 he continued to drive the SPEED World Challenge CTS-V, although it is now a privateer team rather than a factory program, sponsored by Remington.
wn.com/Andy_Pilgrim -
Anthony Davidson
Anthony Denis Davidson (born 18 April 1979) is a British former Formula One racing driver from England, born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. He has raced for Minardi, Super Aguri and been a test and/or reserve driver for the British American Racing, Honda and Brawn GP teams. He failed to score a single World Championship point during his Formula One career. He is currently an analyst for the new Sky Sports F1 HD channel, factory driver for the Peugeot Le Mans team and simulator driver for Mercedes GP.
Davidson began kart racing in 1987, competing in various British, European and North American championships. He won three British championships (93, 94, 95), one Italian championship and was runner-up in the Formula A European championship in 1996. In 1999, he moved to single seater cars, racing Formula Fords and winning the 1600 cc Kent engine class of the British Formula Ford festival that year. The following season, he was runner-up in the British Formula Ford championship but did win the blue riband Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and scooped the McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award.
wn.com/Anthony_Davidson -
Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk, anglicised form of Arie Luijendijk (born September 21, 1953 in Sommelsdijk) is a Dutch auto racing driver, twice winner of the Indianapolis 500.
Luyendyk started racing in the early 1970s, winning a number of Dutch national titles. In 1977, he won the European Super Vee championship, and switched to Formula Three. Success continued to elude him until he moved to the United States in 1984, where he immediately won the Super Vee championship.
With the help of sponsor Provimi Veal, Luyendyk ran his first full Champ Car season in 1985, winning the rookie of the year title both for the season and the Indianapolis 500. His first win in the series came five years later in 1990, but it was at the most important race of the series. With a record average speed of 185.981 mph (299.307 km/h) that still stands to this day, Luyendyk won the 1990 Indianapolis 500 for Doug Shierson Racing.
Luyendyk continued to perform well at Indianapolis, scoring pole positions in 1993, 1997 and 1999, and retiring from the race while leading on three occasions. In 1996, he set the qualifying lap record at 237.498 mph (382.216 km/h), although he did not start on the pole since he qualified on the second day of time trials. He won the 1997 Indianapolis 500 from the pole over Treadway Racing teammate Scott Goodyear. Luyendyk also was selected to participate in the 1992, 1993, and 1998 editions of the International Race of Champions.
wn.com/Arie_Luyendyk -
Benoît Tréluyer
Benoît Tréluyer (born 7 December 1976 in Alençon, France) is a French race car driver. He is currently competing in the Super GT racing series.
He was the champion of the European Formula Three Cup 1999 at the Pau Circuit.
He won the All-Japan Formula Three Championship in 2001, with 16 wins in 20 races.
He also won the Formula Nippon series in 2006, with 4 wins in 9 races.
In 2008, Tréluyer, along with Satoshi Motoyama, won the Japanese Super GT championship with the Xanavi Nismo GT-R team. Tréluyer and Motoyama won the championship with 3 wins in 9 races.
During the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans, Tréluyer was involved in an accident in his Pescarolo Sport Peugeot 908 HDi FAP. Tréluyer was transported to the infield care centre at the Circuit de la Sarthe, where he was treated and released.
wn.com/Benoît_Tréluyer -
Bernard Rubin
Bernard Rubin (6 December 1896 – 27 June 1936) was a British racing driver and pilot who was a member of the "Bentley Boys" team at the Bentley Motor Company and winner of the 1928 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The son of Australian pearl salesman Mark Rubin (1867 – 1919), Bernard was born in Carlton, Victoria, before he eventually moved to London with his family in 1908. His mother was the former Rebecca de Vahl Davis, who came from a notable Jewish Melbourne family. He had a brother, well-known grazier, art collector and philanthropist Harold de Vahl Rubin (1899–1964). His uncle, wealthy entrepreneur Abraham de Vahl Davis (1864 – 1912), went down with the steamship SS Koombana after having purchased the legendary – and presumably cursed – Roseate Pearl. On 29 March 1935, in Paris, Rubin married Audrey Mary Simpson, daughter of Charles Ringham Simpson.
Rubin served in the Royal Garrison Artillery in World War I where he was badly injured and required three years of treatment before he could walk again. Following his father's death in 1919, Rubin began purchasing properties in the Northern Territory, before his interest in auto racing developed in 1928.
wn.com/Bernard_Rubin -
Bertrand Gachot
Bertrand Gachot (born 23 December 1962) is a French former racing driver.
Gachot was born in Luxembourg, the son of a French European Commission official. He began karting at the age of 15. In 1983 he attended Winfield School, a well-known racing-driving school in France. After this, he focused on his racing career, competing first in the Formula Ford 1600 series. By 1986, he had won the British Formula Ford championship.
In 1987, Gachot joined the British Formula 3 series, finishing second in the championship for the West Surrey Racing team. In 1988, he switched to the Formula 3000 series, but met some success. In 1989, he entered the storied world of Formula One, driving for the newly-formed Onyx team. Although his performances were promising, after making statements in the press which raised the ire of his erratic team boss, Gachot lost his drive before the season's end. Instead, he switched in 1990 to the Subaru-powered Coloni team with little success.
In 1991, he joined the Jordan Grand Prix racing team, helping them to fifth in the constructor championship. However, his season was cut short by a two-month prison stint, received for spraying CS gas on a London taxicab driver after a traffic altercation (his race seat was filled temporarily by then-unknown Michael Schumacher, making his Formula One debut). When he was finally released from prison after two months, he had missed four Grands Prix (including his home Grand Prix in Belgium). The Jordan Grand Prix racing team was not interested in returning his seat (which was given to Alessandro Zanardi) for the last two races of the season, in Japan and Australia. Finally, he was able to compete in the last Grand Prix of that season with Larrousse, replacing Éric Bernard, but he failed to qualify. Gachot then spent the complete 1992 season with the Larrousse team, scoring 1 point in the Monaco Grand Prix where he finished in 6th place.
wn.com/Bertrand_Gachot -
Bill Whittington
William Marvin "Bill " Whittington (born September 11, 1949) is an American racing driver from Lubbock, Texas who won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans together with his brother Don Whittington and Klaus Ludwig in a Porsche 935. The German professional Klaus Ludwig, multiple winner at Le Mans and elsewhere, did most of the driving in the heavy rain. Bill's brother Dale also competed in open wheel racing
Together with Randy Lanier they owned the Blue Thunder Racing Team in 1984, with Marty Hinze. Bill also raced in 5 Indianapolis 500s with a best finish of 14th.
Whittington made two NASCAR Winston Cup starts in 1980, earning an 8th in his debut at Riverside International Raceway (besting brother Don by one spot) and then 32nd in the Daytona 500.
The Whittingtons raced aircraft prior to cars, Bill having won races at Reno between 1978 and 1983, and were the owners of the Road Atlanta circuit.
wn.com/Bill_Whittington -
Bob Akin
Robert Macomber "Bob" Akin, III was a successful business executive, journalist, television commentator and champion sports car racing driver.
Bob Akin was born March 6, 1936, in North Tarrytown, N.Y., and was raised in Sleepy Hollow Manor. He was educated at Hackley School in Tarrytown and later served on its board for 30 years and as president from 1980 to 1990. At Columbia University, he earned a bachelor's degree in engineering and a master's degree in business administration. He spent 40 years with the Hudson Wire Company in Ossining, N.Y., which was founded by his grandfather in 1901, and was president from 1974 until he retired in 1995. In 1989 the company was dominating the worldwide aircraft and aerospace wiring market when it was sold to the Phelps Dodge Corporation.
Akin began his racing career in 1957, competing in outboard boat racing and in drag racing in 1957 and 1958. He switched to road racing, acquiring his amateur SCCA national racing license in 1959 and hired legendary sports car racer John Fitch as his driving coach. Proving a quick study, he piloted an Alfa Veloce Spider to his first win in only his third race at Bridgehampton. He drove a front engine Volpini Formula Junior in 1960, then switched to a 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC for several races during the early part of the 1961 season, before retiring in July of that year, to concentrate on the family business.
wn.com/Bob_Akin -
Bob Earl
Bob Earl (born January 13, 1950) is an American former racing driver from Claremont, California. He began racing in Formula Ford in 1972 and was the 1973 national champion. In 1979 he made his professional debut in Formula Atlantic and won the 1981 Macau Grand Prix (which at the time was contested using Atlantic cars), becoming the only American to do so.
He moved to sports cars in 1985 and drove a Pontiac Fiero for Huffaker Racing in the IMSA GTU series for two years. He moved up to the GTP cars in 1986 driving for a prototype for Spice Engineering. Earl and the Spice team earned a class victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1987. He continued with Spice in GTP class in 1988, but in 1989 moved to Roush Racing's Lincoln-Mercury effort in the GTO class, capturing class honors at Daytona. He moved to the Nissan GTP factory team in 1990 and captured victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Miami and Watkins Glen. He stayed with Nissan until they left the series in 1993. For the 1993 season he competed in the Camel Lights prototype class in a Acura powered Spice.
wn.com/Bob_Earl -
Bob Garretson
Bob Garretson (born April 8, 1933) is a retired American racing driver.
Garretson was the owner-driver of a Porsche 935 sports car team named Garretson Developments in the early 1980s that competed part-time in both the World Sportscar Championship and IMSA GT Championship. In 1981 along with veteran Brian Redman and Bobby Rahal Garretson won the 24 Hours of Daytona. Despite not winning another race that season, Garretson won the 1981 World Endurance Championship for Drivers title. He sold the team and retired from racing shortly thereafter.
wn.com/Bob_Garretson -
Bob Wollek
Bob Wollek (4 November 1943–March 16, 2001), nicknamed "Brilliant Bob", was a race car driver from Strasbourg, France. He was killed on March 16, 2001 at age 57 in a road accident in Florida while riding a bicycle back to his accommodation after the day's practice sessions for the following day's race, the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Prior to his racing days as a university student, Wollek was also a member of the French National Skiing Team between 1966-1968 competing in the Winter Universiade, he won three gold and two silver medals altogether (see table on the right)
His skiing career came to an end when he was injured during preparations for the Winter Olympics.
Prior to a skiing accident which ended his skiing career, Wollek began racing cars when he entered the Mont-Blanc Rally in 1967 driving a Renault 8 Gordini and won. The following year, when his career ended, he started his career when he entered a Volant Shell scholarship taking place at Le Mans' Bugatti Circuit, finishing runner up to François Migault. Wollek later entered the Alpine Trophy Le Mans which he was the winner, earning himself a place for the 24 hour race where he finished 11th on his debut.
wn.com/Bob_Wollek -
Bobby Rahal
Robert "Bobby" Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953 in Medina, Ohio) is an American auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver, he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 Indianapolis 500 as a team owner for the winning driver, Buddy Rice.
After retiring as a driver, Rahal held managerial positions with the Jaguar Formula 1 team and also was an interim president of the CART series. Rahal was also a sports car driver during the 1980s, and made one NASCAR start for the Wood Brothers.
Rahal began his career in SCCA feeder categories, eventually finishing second to Gilles Villeneuve in the 1977 Formula Atlantic championship. The following year, he competed in European Formula Three with Wolf Racing. Near the end of the season, Rahal raced for the Wolf Formula 1 team in the 1978 United States Grand Prix and the 1978 Canadian Grand Prix. The deal with Wolf did not continue into the 1979 season, as Wolf signed up James Hunt for the one and only car available. Rahal began the 1979 racing a Chevron in Formula Two, but returned to America mid-season and raced in the Can-Am series. During the next few seasons, he competed in various sports car events, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the IMSA GT Championship.
wn.com/Bobby_Rahal -
Bobby Unser
Robert William "Bobby" Unser (born February 20, 1934 in Colorado Springs, Colorado) is a retired U.S. automobile racer. He is the brother of Al Unser, Jerry Unser and Louie Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser. He is one of seven drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 three times, and one of only two to have won the 500 in three different decades (1968, 75, 81). Bobby has also been a spokesman and advocate of many commercial products.
Bobby was part of one of the most controversial finishes in Indy 500 history at the 1981 Indianapolis 500. On lap 149, during a caution period, Bobby and Mario Andretti made their pit stop and headed back to the race. Bobby passed eight cars during the caution, while Mario passed two cars. Unser won the race, but was stripped of it the following morning in favor of second place finisher Mario Andretti. Unser was awarded the win in October 1981, but the controversy and financial impact (Unser once estimated that the commercial endorsements he lost because of the delayed result cost him $1 million) caused him to retire from racing at the end of the year.
wn.com/Bobby_Unser -
Brian Redman
Brian Herman Thomas Redman (born 9 March 1937 in Colne, Lancashire and educated at Rossall School, Fleetwood, Lancashire,) is a British racing driver from England.
He was very successful in sportscar racing and the World Sportscar Championship, winning the 1970 Targa Florio with a Porsche 908 and the 12 Hours of Sebring twice, in 1975 with a BMW Coupé and in 1978 with a Porsche 935. He was for many years associated with the Chevron marque, founded by fellow-Lancastrian Derek Bennett.
Redman drove for Shadow Racing Cars both in CanAm and in Formula One. He also appeared in McLaren, Cooper and Alfa Romeo cars.
He participated in 15 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 1 January 1968. He achieved 1 podium in the 1968 Spanish Grand Prix in third place behind Graham Hill and Denny Hulme in a Cooper BRM. He then had an accident at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, crashing his Cooper-BRM at Malmedy corner; he survived with a broken arm. He scored a total of 8 championship points with two 5th places in 1972, at the Monaco Grand Prix and the German Grand Prix driving a Yardley McLaren.
wn.com/Brian_Redman -
Bruce Kessler
Bruce Kessler (born March 23, 1936) is a retired American racing driver and film director. He entered one World Championship Formula One Grand Prix (Monaco 1958) with a Connaught owned by Bernie Ecclestone, but failed to qualify, although he posted the 21st fastest time of the 28 entrants.
Kessler grew up in Beverly Hills, California. He was the son of a clothing designer. In the early 1950s he started racing his mother's Jaguar XK120 in the Sports Car Club of America races at sixteen years old. He raced the road race courses at Paramount Ranch and Willow Springs in California. He was a team driver along with Chuck Daigh for the Scarab race cars built by his good friend Lance Reventlow in the late 1950s.
Kessler and Reventlow, driving Reventlow's Mercedes-Benz SL aluminum coupe had stopped at Blackwells Corner on CA Rt. 466/133 on September 30, 1955 on their way to the Salinas Road Races when James Dean and his mechanic, Rolf Wutherich pulled in with Dean's Porsche Spyder. They all agreed to meet for dinner at Paso Robles, about 60 miles away that evening. Reventlow and Kessler took off 10 minutes earlier. Dean never made it as he was involved in a fatal two-car crash at Rt. 466/41 near Cholame 30 miles away. Kessler, today, remains the last person alive who spoke with James Dean before his death.
wn.com/Bruce_Kessler -
Bruce McLaren
Bruce Leslie McLaren (30 August 1937 – 2 June 1970), born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor.
His name lives on in the McLaren team which has been one of the most successful in Formula One championship history, with McLaren cars and drivers winning a total of 20 world championships. McLaren cars totally dominated CanAm sports car racing with 56 wins, a considerable number of them with him behind the wheel, between 1967 and 1972 (and five constructors’ championships), and have won three Indianapolis 500 races, as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 12 Hours of Sebring.
McLaren attended Meadowbank Primary School. As a nine year old, he contracted Perthes disease in his hip which left his left leg shorter than the right. He spent two years in traction, but later often had a slight limp.
His parents, Les and Ruth McLaren, owned a service station and workshop in Upland Road, Remuera, Auckland. Bruce spent all of his free hours hanging around the workshop.
wn.com/Bruce_McLaren -
Buddy Rice
Buddy Rice (born January 31, 1976) is an American racecar driver. He is best known for winning the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona for Brumos Racing.
Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Buddy Rice is the son of a former drag racer. Rice's grandfather was from Indianapolis and passed on his interest in racing to Rice's father. Rice saw his first race when he was six years old. He started racing in go-karts when he was 11. Rice played baseball in high school in Phoenix, Arizona, and attracted the attention of college and professional scouts. However, both Rice and his father decided he would pursue a career in racing instead.
Rice's professional career began in 1996, when he drove in one U.S. F2000 event; he finished eighth after starting second. He also drove in the Dodge Shelby Pro Series, winning from the pole at Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 1997, Rice drove in F2000 for Lynx Racing/DSTP Motorsports, finishing fourth in points and winning at Phoenix. He also won the 1997 Valvoline Team USA Scholarship, where he represented the United States in Europe’s Nations Cup.
wn.com/Buddy_Rice -
Butch Leitzinger
Robert Franklin "Butch" Leitzinger (born February 28, 1969 in Homestead, Pennsylvania, USA) is a professional racecar driver. He is best known as an ALMS driver with Dyson Racing, but he has also driven for a variety of other teams and race series.
Butch has driven for the Bentley factory team at Le Mans in 2001 and 2002, for the Cadillac team at Le Mans in 2000 and for Panoz at Le Mans in 1999. Leitzinger has also driven in the GT classification for Risi Competizione at Le Mans in 2003. Butch was also named 2002 Rookie of the Year in the Trans-Am Series. Butch drove the Alex Job Racing (AJR) # 81 Porsche GT3 car in the first four events in the American Le Mans Series GTC class for the 2010 season with Juan Gonzales earning victories at the 2010 12 Hours of Sebring as well as at Long Beach and a podium finish at Laguna Seca resulting in the duo achieving a healthy lead in the points standings before unfortunate circumstances forced Alex Job Racing to down size to a single car effort with the #23 car for the remainder of the season.
wn.com/Butch_Leitzinger -
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby (January 11, 1923 – May 10, 2012) was an American automotive designer, racing driver and entrepreneur. He was most well known for making the AC Motors-based Shelby American Cobra and later the Mustang-based performance cars for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965. His company, Shelby American Inc., founded in 1962, currently sells modified Ford vehicles, as well as performance parts.
Carroll Shelby was born on January 11, 1923 in Leesburg, Texas, to Warren Hall Shelby, a rural mail carrier, and his wife Eloise Lawrence Shelby. Shelby suffered heart valve leakage problems by age 7 and spent most of his childhood in bed. By age 14, Shelby's health improved and he was subsequently declared to have "outgrown" his health problems. Shelby's first wife was Jeanne Fields; they married on December 18, 1943. Their daughter Sharon Anne Shelby was born a year later on September 27, 1944. They had two more children — sons named Michael Hall (born November 2, 1946) and Patrick Burt (born October 23, 1947). Shelby and Fields later separated and divorced in February 1960.
wn.com/Carroll_Shelby -
Casey Mears
Casey James Mears (born March 12, 1978) is the driver of the #13 GEICO Ford for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a former winner of the Coca-Cola 600.
Mears is the nephew of four time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears and the son of IndyCar and off-road veteran Roger Mears.
After racing in go-karts for a season in 1991, Mears began competing in the SuperLites Off-Road Series in 1992 where he posted several top-three finishes. He moved to sprint cars in 1994 and finished third in the Jim Russell USAC Triple Crown Championship, with a win at Mesa Marin Raceway. The next season, he won the championship in the USAC series.
In 1996, Mears made his CART's Indy Lights championship series debut at the Cleveland Grand Prix and finished eighth. The following year, he competed full-time in the Indy Lights championship and in 1999 finished second, losing by 14 points. He was also just the fourth driver in Indy Lights series history to complete every lap in a single season. Mears continued to compete in the Indy Lights in 2000 and won his first race at the Grand Prix of Houston meeting in October.
wn.com/Casey_Mears -
Chip Robinson
Chip Robinson (born March 29, 1954 in Philadelphia, PA) is a retired race car driver. He drove in the IMSA Camel GT series and won the 1987 24 Hours of Daytona (with Al Holbert, Derek Bell, and Al Unser, Jr. in a Porsche and the 1989 12 Hours of Sebring (with Arie Luyendyk and Geoff Brabham) in a Nissan. He made five CART starts in 1986 and 1987 with a best finish of 6th at the 1987 Long Beach Grand Prix. He is currently a contractor residing in Augusta, Georgia with his wife and one son who aspires to drive as well.
Chip Robinson was invited to the International Race of Champions in 1988. During this time his best finish was second place, at Riverside International Raceway.
wn.com/Chip_Robinson -
Chris Amon
Christopher Arthur Amon MBE (born 20 July 1943 in Bulls, New Zealand) is a former motor racing driver. He was active in Formula One - racing in the 1960s and 1970s - and is widely regarded to be one of the best F1 drivers never to win a championship Grand Prix. His reputation for bad luck was such that fellow driver Mario Andretti once joked that "if he became an undertaker, people would stop dying". Apart from driving, Chris Amon also ran his own F1 team for a short period in 1974. Away from F1, Amon had some success in sports car racing, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1966.
Amon was born as the only child of wealthy sheep-owner Ngaio Amon. On leaving school, he persuaded his father to buy him an Austin A40 Special, which he entered in some minor local races and hillclimbs. He progressed to a 1.5 litre Cooper and then an old 2.5L Maserati 250F, but only began to draw attention when he drove the Cooper-Climax T51 which Bruce McLaren had used to win his maiden Grand Prix.
In 1962 Amon entered the Cooper for the New Zealand winter series, but was hampered by mechanical problems. However, Scuderia Veloce entered him in a similar car, and, in the rain at Lakeside, he performed well. One of the spectators there was the English racing driver Reg Parnell who persuaded Amon to come to England and race for his team. In a test at Goodwood Amon continued to impress and was on the pace in the Goodwood International Trophy and Aintree 200 pre-season races.
wn.com/Chris_Amon -
Chris Kneifel
Chris Kneifel (born April 23, 1961 in Chicago, Illinois), is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1982-1984 seasons with 19 career starts, including the 1983 and 1984 Indianapolis 500, and finished in the top ten 6 times. He holds the distinction of being the last driver to start the Indianapolis 500 with a qualifying speed under 200 miles per hour (320 km/h). In 1984, Jacques Villeneuve originally qualified for the final starting position at just over 200 mph (320 km/h), but was forced to withdraw after being injured in a practice crash. Kneifel, the next fastest car at just under 200 mph (320 km/h), started in his place.
Earlier in his career, Kneifel raced in the Formula Ford and Formula Atlantic Series. After CART, he was the 1985 Trans-Am Rookie of the Year. Later he transitioned to American Le Mans Series endurance racing. He capped his career by teaming with Ron Fellows, Frank Freon, and Johnny O'Connell to win the 2001 24 Hours of Daytona. From 2001-2004, he served as the Chief Steward (Race Director) for CART.
wn.com/Chris_Kneifel -
Christian Fittipaldi
Christian Fittipaldi (born January 18, 1971 in São Paulo, Brazil) is a Brazilian racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR. Named after the less known Brazilian driver Christian "Bino" Heinz (killed at Le Mans in 1963), he was a highly rated young racing driver in the early 1990s, and participated in 43 Formula One Grand Prix for Minardi and Footwork between 1992 and 1994.
He is the son of former Grand Prix driver and team owner Wilson Fittipaldi, and the nephew of two-time Formula One Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi.
Fittipaldi graduated to Formula One following a Formula 3000 championship winning season in 1991. Opportunities to test and impress were limited at Minardi though, and despite a number of points scoring positions early in 1993, Christian fell out with the team management and was dropped with two GPs to go. He had a final attempt at F1 in the 1994 season driving for the Footwork team, scoring two 4th places. Disillusioned with GP racing however, Fittipaldi moved to America to race where he has been ever since. He scored a total of 12 F1 championship points.
wn.com/Christian_Fittipaldi -
Christian Pescatori
Christian Pescatori is a professional racecar driver from Italy. He was born in Brescia, in 1 December 1971.
Pescatori started his career in single-seater racing, becoming Italian Formula 3 Champion in 1993, before moving up to Formula 3000.
He later moved on to sports car racing, where he had more success. Pescatori won the Sports Racing World Cup in 2000, and the FIA GT Championship's N-GT class in 2001, both for JMB Racing. In 2002, he became an Audi works driver, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring. In 2001 and 2002 he was also second overall in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2005 he was GTS Champion in the Le Mans Endurance Series.
wn.com/Christian_Pescatori -
Christophe Bouchut
Christophe Bouchut (born 24 September 1966 in Voiron, Isère) is a French race driver. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1993. He currently drives in the American Le Mans Series for Level 5 Motorsports. He was named as the first driver for the F1 Larrousse team for the 1995 season, but the team withdrew before the first race.
In his 30 years of racing, Bouchut has earned 105 victories, 85 pole positions, four overall wins in 24-hour races (1993 Le Mans, 1995 Daytona, 2000 and 2001 Spa), three FIA GT titles (2000-2002) and the 2011 American Le Mans Series LMP2 championship.
wn.com/Christophe_Bouchut -
Chuck Daigh
Chuck Daigh (November 29, 1923 – April 29, 2008) was an American racing car driver. He broke into Grand Prix racing through Lance Reventlow's Scarab team, through the virtue of being one of the resident engineers. Born in Long Beach, California, he participated in six World Championship Formula One races, debuting on May 29, 1960 and scoring no championship points. He also participated in one non-Championship Formula One race.
Following the 1960 season, Chuck Daigh went on to contest races in the International Formula league in Europe, driving the previous year's front-engined Scarab. He finished eighth at Goodwood contesting the Lavant Cup, and finished seventh in an attempt at the International Trophy. He went on to crash out of the British Empire Trophy at Silverstone.
He was also a successful sportscar driver in America, winning the 1959 Sebring endurance classic & also tried to qualify twice for the Indianapolis 500, but without success. He also won the 1958 United States Sports Car Grand Prix at Riverside, California, driving a Scarab. This event was largely credited with launching professional sports car racing in the United States.
wn.com/Chuck_Daigh -
Chuck Parsons
Charles W. "Chuck" Parsons (born February 6, 1924, died January 3, 1999) was an American sports car racing driver. Parsons drove in SCCA and USSRC competition, then became a driver in the Can Am series. Like many drivers of the era, he participated in multiple venues, such as the 24 Hours of Daytona and 24 hours of LeMans endurance races while driving the same year in the Can Am series.
wn.com/Chuck_Parsons -
Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney (born April 13, 1931) is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.
The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager. He has been a driver, a car manufacturer, and a team owner at racing's highest levels since 1958.
Gurney also won races in the Indy Car, NASCAR, Can-Am, and Trans-Am Series. Gurney was the first driver to win races in Sports Cars (1958), Formula One (1962), NASCAR (1963), and Indy Car (1967) (the other two being Mario Andretti and Juan Pablo Montoya). In 1967, after winning the 24 hours of Le Mans together with A.J. Foyt, he spontaneously sprayed champagne while celebrating on the podium. Apart from starting this tradition, he also was the first to put a simple right-angle extension on the upper trailing edge of the rear wing. This device, called a Gurney flap, increases downforce and, if well designed, imposes only a relatively small increase in aerodynamic drag. At the 1968 German Grand Prix he became the first driver ever to use a full face helmet in Grand Prix racing.
wn.com/Dan_Gurney -
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon (22 June 1978 – 16 October 2011) was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011. Wheldon died from injuries shortly after a collision at the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on 16 October 2011, at the age of 33. His last tweet, at 12:48 pm, only a few minutes before the crash that ended his life, was "Green!"
Wheldon, who was born in Emberton, near Olney, Buckinghamshire, England, took up karting at the age of four with funding from his father. He progressed through the junior ranks of motor racing during his school years. Attending Bedford School until he completed his GCSEs at age 16, he frequently took time off to race. During his early career in open wheel racing, he developed a rivalry with Jenson Button before ultimately leaving the United Kingdom to race in America. The reasoning behind the move was that the level of investment needed to fund his racing career in the UK was beyond his family's resources. Moving to the United States in 1999, he spent several years in lower open-wheeled circuits like the U.S. F2000 Championship Series, the Toyota Atlantic series and the Indy Lights series.
wn.com/Dan_Wheldon -
Danny Ongais
Danny Ongais (born May 21, 1942 in Kahului, Maui Island, Hawaii) is a former racecar driver from the United States.
He is the only native Hawaiian to compete at the Indianapolis 500. A motorcycle, sports car, Formula One, and drag racing competitor, in 1963 and 1964 Ongais won the American Hot Rod Association AA Gas Dragster Championship and in 1965 he added the National Hot Rod Association AA Dragster championship title.
A flamboyant figure on the racing circuit, Danny's nickname was "On-Gas" for his 'balls to the wall' driving style. He was also known as the "Flyin'-Hawaiian".
He was a Formula One driver who participated in six Grands Prix, debuting on October 2, 1977, and recorded a best result of seventh. In 1996 at the age of 54, Ongais agreed to be the substitute driver for Scott Brayton in the Indy 500 who had died in a practice crash shortly before the race. Starting last, Danny finished 7th in what was his final 500.
In 1981 he had a severe accident in the Indy 500, which almost cost his life. Several arm and leg fractures as well as internal injuries were the result. Then in 1985 at the Michigan 500, he spun on the exit of turn two and barrel-rolled down the back straight, during a race which had several crashes throughout its duration.
wn.com/Danny_Ongais -
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti (born 19 May 1973) is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing until mid-2008 when his team shut down. Franchitti returned to the IndyCar Series for the 2009 season, driving the #10 Target Honda/Dallara for Target Chip Ganassi Racing. He is the current, four-time IndyCar Series champion after claiming a third title in 2010 and fourth title in 2011 in addition to his 2007 and 2009 titles. On 30 May 2010, he won his second Indianapolis 500 race. He is the second driver in IndyCar Series history to take four titles in four consecutive series of racing, after Sébastien Bourdais, after accounting for his 2008 absence from the series. On 27 May 2012, he won his third Indianapolis 500 race.
He also competed in the American Le Mans Series for Andretti Green Racing with his brother Marino and former IndyCar Series teammate Bryan Herta. He won the 2007 BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year award. Franchitti was born in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland.
wn.com/Dario_Franchitti -
Darren Law
Darren Law (born April 4, 1968 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian-born American racing driver.
At age 14 Law was the International Kart Federation national champion, and shortly thereafter began racing cars in various amateur classes on the west coast of the United States. In 1991 he was a factory driver for Elden Racing Cars' factory team in Formula Renault competition. In 1996 and 1997 he competed in the North American Touring Car Championship for the privateer Hartong Racing BMW outfit and finished 8th in points in the series' two years of operation. In 1999 he made a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Heartland Park Topeka, but crashed 34 laps in. He joined the Grand American Road Racing Association's Rolex Sports Car Series in 2000 and finished 2nd in GTU class points. The following year he was the GT class champion. In 2002 he moved from production cars to prototypes and raced in the Rolex Series' SRPII class and was second in points. In 2003 he finished 4th in the new Daytona Prototype class, the series top category. In 2004 he competed in both the Daytona Prototypes where he finished 14th and the American Le Mans Series GT2 class where he finished runner up in the GT2 class driver's championship. 2005 saw Law continue to split his time between DP, where he finished 12th for the Brumos Porsche team, and ALMS GT2 where he finished 13th in points for Flying Lizard Motorsports and Alex Job Racing. He continued with the same teams and series in 2006 and finished 14th in Grand Am DP and 10th in ALMS GT2. Driving for the same teams again in 2007, he improved to 6th in points in both series. In 2008, still with the same teams, he improved to 4th in the Daytona Prototype championship but dropped back to 7th in ALMS GT2.
wn.com/Darren_Law -
Dave Helmick
Dr. Dave Helmick is a former American sports car racer and owner.
Helmick, John Graves, and noted professional Porsche factory driver Hurley Haywood won the 1977 24 Hours of Daytona in a two-year-old Porsche Carrera RSR entered as "Ecurie Escargot." Haywood would have normally driven for a factory-supported team but was wary of the reliability the new turbocharged Porsche 934 and Porsche 935 entries they were fielding. He elected to drive with the underfunded Escargot team with their naturally aspirated Carrera. Helmick drove in other notable sports car races of the day such as the 12 Hours of Sebring in the World Championship of Makes.
Helmick was a radiologist by trade and has since retired from both his practice and racing and lives in Phoenix, Arizona.
wn.com/Dave_Helmick -
David Brabham
David Brabham (born 5 September 1965) is an Australian racing driver and one of the most successful and experienced specialists in sports car racing. He has won three international Sports Car series and is one of four Australians to have won the Le Mans 24 Hour sports car race, winning the event in 2009. Brabham is the reigning American Le Mans Series champion and also won the title in 2009. He also competed in Formula One, racing for the Brabham and Simtek teams in 1990 and 1994 respectively. David is the youngest son of three-time Formula One world champion Sir Jack Brabham.
Brabham, who was born in Wimbledon, London, spent his childhood in Australia. Despite his father's motor racing fame he took little interest in motor racing until after he left school. As a child he played the more accessible sport of soccer up until the age of twelve and then took up Australian rules football when the family moved to Sydney. Growing up, Sir Jack did not force David into racing, and it was only after discovering go-karts at 17, that he became enthusiastic enough to purchase a second-hand go-kart with his next-door neighbour and begin racing.
wn.com/David_Brabham -
David Donohue
David Donohue (born January 5, 1967 in Morristown, New Jersey) is an American race car driver currently active in the Grand-Am's Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class for Brumos Porsche.He also managed to beat St Brendans in his senior year of high school, captaining the Emmaus flames to their first ever A grade secondry schools premiership.
The son of racing legend Mark Donohue, David Donohue has accomplished much in a wide variety of auto racing series and classes, including NASCAR's Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series, as well as winning the GT2 class at the 1998 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Almost exactly 40 years after his father won the 24 Hours of Daytona, David won the 2009 event driving a Brumos-entered Riley-Porsche teamed with Antonio García, Darren Law and Buddy Rice. After starting the race from pole position, Donohue's 0.167-second margin of victory over Juan Pablo Montoya was the closest in the race's history by over a minute, and the closest finish in the history of major international 24-hour motorsports events.
wn.com/David_Donohue -
Derek Daly
Derek Daly (born March 11, 1953 in Ballinteer, Dublin) is a former racing driver from Ireland. He won the 1977 British Formula Three Championship, and competed as a professional racing driver for 17 years participating in 64 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on April 2, 1978. He scored a total of 15 championship points. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races. Daly later became a US citizen and now resides in Noblesville, Indiana with his third wife, Rhonda, and three children from his second marriage.
In 1982, Daly began driving in the CART series and continued through 1989. He started 66 CART races, including each Indianapolis 500 from 1983–1989, except for 1986. He finished in the top ten a total of 21 times, including one podium finish, 3rd position, at Milwaukee in 1987.
In 1990, Daly had the unusual result of finish both first and second at the 12 Hours of Sebring, driving for Nissan.
Daly is known in motor sports circles around the world as a driver, writer, broadcaster, racing advisor, and businessman. He runs a professional services company called MotorVation, and had been a commentator for American broadcasts of the Champ Car series, as well as a public speaker. One of the agencies that represents him is the National Speakers Bureau.
wn.com/Derek_Daly -
Derek Warwick
Derek Stanley Arthur Warwick (born 27 August 1954) is a British former racing driver from England. He raced for many years in Formula One, but never won a Grand Prix. During the early 1980s he was thought more likely to achieve World Championship success than his contemporary Nigel Mansell, but a series of wrong career choices held him back. In 2005 and 2006 he raced in the inaugural season of the Grand Prix Masters formula for retired Formula One drivers. In 2010, Warwick served as the fourth steward for the Spanish and Hungarian Grands Prix. In 2011, Warwick served as the fourth steward for the 2011 Turkish Grand Prix. This role is given only to former racing drivers, who advise the stewards panel on incidents from a driver perspective. He is president of the British Racing Drivers Club, succeeding Damon Hill.
Warwick was born in Alresford, Hampshire, England. He began his career in British stock car racing under the Spedeworth organisation at tracks such as his local Aldershot Stadium. He won the Superstox English Championship in 1971 (at the age of 16) and the World Championship at Wimbledon Stadium in 1973. His younger brother Paul also raced with some success in Superstox before progressing to Formula 3000, in which he was racing when killed in an accident in 1991.
wn.com/Derek_Warwick -
Didier Pironi
Didier Joseph Louis Pironi (26 March 1952 – 23 August 1987) was a racing driver from France. During his career he competed in 72 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, driving for Tyrrell (1978–79), Ligier (1980) and Ferrari (1981–1982). He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1978 driving a Renault Alpine A442B.
Pironi was born in Villecresnes, Val-de-Marne.
Initially Pironi began studying as an engineer and earned a degree in science, but entering the family construction business fell by the wayside following his enrollment at the Paul Ricard driving school.
He was awarded the Pilot Elf sponsorship bursary in 1972, with the French national oil company funding his early career, mostly in Renault-powered vehicles. Benefiting from this same Elf sponsorship, to promote young French motorsport talent, that bequeathed the likes of Patrick Tambay and Alain Prost to Formula One, Didier Pironi made his top-flight debut on 15 January 1978. This was with Ken Tyrrell's team which, despite being British, had a strong working relationship with Elf, dating back to the late 1960s. In the same year, Pironi was part of the massive Renault squad tasked with winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Partnering Jean-Pierre Jaussaud in the team's second car, the unusual "bubble roof" A442B, he won the race by four laps from the rival Porsche 936s.
wn.com/Didier_Pironi -
Didier Theys
Didier Theys (born 19 October 1956) is a Belgian sports car driver. He is a two-time overall winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona (1998 and 2002); a winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring (1998); the Sports Racing Prototype driver champion of the Grand-American Road Racing Association (2002) and the winner of the 24 Hours of Spa (1987 in a factory BMW). He was also the polesitter (1996) and a podium finisher at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1997, 1998 and 1999). The podium finish in 1999 was a third overall in the factory Audi R8R with co-drivers Emanuele Pirro and Frank Biela. Theys’ first appearance at Le Mans was in 1982, while his last start in the world’s most famous endurance sports car race came 20 years later in 2002.
Theys’ 1998 victories at Daytona and Sebring came in the Kevin Doran-prepared MOMO Ferrari with co-drivers Mauro Baldi, Arie Luyendyk and Giampiero Moretti. His 2002 Daytona victory came in the Doran Lista Dallara Judd with co-drivers Baldi, Fredy Lienhard and Max Papis.
His 1998 season was a record-setter, as in addition to winning Daytona and Sebring, Theys also won the Six Hours of Watkins Glen. He also finished second overall in the F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship that year, winning at Paul Ricard, France.
wn.com/Didier_Theys -
Dominique Dupuy
Dominique Dupuy (born August 26, 1957) is a French racing driver.
Dupuy began racing professionally in 1983 in Championnat de France Formule Renault Turbo finishing 4th. He moved to the French Formula Three Championship the following year and raced there until 1988. After that, he moved to the semi-professional French Porsche 944 cup series and moved to the French Porsche Carrera Cup in 1991 where he would race until 1999. He won the series championship in 1993 and 1994 and would move onto the fully professional Porsche Supercup in 1995, winning 3rd place honors in Supercup in 1997. He moved to the French GT Championship in 1999 driving his customary Porsche, but signed on to drive a Chrysler Viper GTS-R in the series in 2000. Prior to the season beginning Dupuy and his Oreca teammates Olivier Beretta and Karl Wendlinger were the surprise overall winners of the 24 Hours of Daytona in their Viper. The race was the first sanctioned by the Grand American Road Racing Association Rolex Sports Car Series. Dupuy and the Oreca team were also the GTS champions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in both 1999 and 2000. Dupuy and his teammate François Fiat would go on to win the French GT Championship that year and repeated the feat in 2001. He retired from full-time competition in 2005 and has not driven in French GT since 2007. He is now part of First Racing team with 2 Lamborghini Gallardo in FFSA Gt3
wn.com/Dominique_Dupuy -
Don Whittington
Reginald Donald "Don" Whittington (born January 23, 1946) is a former American racing driver from Lubbock, Texas who won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans together with his brother Bill Whittington and Klaus Ludwig on a Porsche 935, although Ludwig, a multiple winner at Le Mans and elsewhere, did most of the driving in the heavy rain. Don's brother Dale also competed in open wheel racing.
Whittington also raced in five Indianapolis 500's, with a best finish of sixth. He also made 10 NASCAR Winston Cup starts in 1980 and 1981. He earned a top-ten in the sport in his debut at Riverside. He also participated in the 1980 International Race of Champions.
In 1979 the brothers purchased and operated the Road Atlanta road-racing circuit (reportedly utilizing the secluded backstretch of the course as a landing strip for aircraft).
In 1984, Whittington co-owned, with Randy Lanier and Marty Hinze, the Blue Thunder Racing Team.
The Whittington brothers also raced aircraft at the Reno National Championship Air Races, including the highly modified P-51D "Precious Metal", which set a qualifying record of 438.018 mph (704.922 km/h) in 1976. Between 1976 and 1995, they raced four different P-51 Mustangs (including a rare H model, and a Rolls-Royce Griffon powered P-51D), an F8F Bearcat, and a P-63 King Cobra. While they never scored a victory, Don in "Precious Metal" earned three podium finishes, and was top qualifier twice.
wn.com/Don_Whittington -
Dudley Benjafield
Joseph Dudley Benjafield, MD was born on 6 August 1887, in Edmonton, London, UK. He attended the University of London and received his MD from University College Hospital in 1912. Specializing in bacteriology, he served in Egypt during World War I and later used his expertise combating the great flu epidemic of 1918-1919.
Benjafield had a passion for motorsports which started with boating, but moved on to automobiles in the 1920s, following the accidental destruction of his beloved motor launch. Upon purchasing a Bentley 3-litre, he started racing in 1924 and 1925. Benjafield's success led to him being offered to drive a company racer at the behest of Bentley founder W.O. Bentley. He competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans seven times, and won the event in 1927 with co-driver and fellow "Bentley Boy" S. C. H. "Sammy" Davis; while their car was badly damaged, they frantically made on-the-spot repairs and wound up winning the race.
Benjafield later created the British Racing Drivers' Club, and continued racing until 1936. He died in 1957.
wn.com/Dudley_Benjafield -
Emanuele Pirro
Emanuele Pirro (born January 12, 1962 in Rome, Italy) is an Italian former Formula One driver and five time Le Mans 24 hour winner.
Pirro started his racing career in karts at the age of 11. At 18, he raced with the Formula Fiat Abarth, then moving on to F300, F2, F3. From 1989 to 1991, he was a Formula One driver and participated in 40 grands prix, first for Benetton and later for Scuderia Italia. He scored a total of 3 championship points.
After leaving Formula One, Pirro became involved in touring car winning the Macau Guia race twice in 1991 and 1992 at the wheel of a BMW M3 Evolution and the Italian Touring car championship in 1994 and 1995 driving for Audi.
Further success followed in sports car racing, with three wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in three consecutive years (2000 to 2002) partnered with Frank Biela and Tom Kristensen for Audi Sport Team Joest.
Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Marco Werner made history by becoming the first drivers to win the Le Mans 24-hour race in a diesel-powered car. Pirro was driving the Audi R10 Diesel when it completed a record 380 laps of the La Sarthe circuit. The team repeated the feat the following year.
wn.com/Emanuele_Pirro -
Emmanuel Collard
Emmanuel Collard (born April 3, 1971 in Arpajon, Essonne) is a French racing driver. He is a member of the Porsche Junioren factory team, but drives also for other marques.
He is the winner of the Le Mans Series for Pescarolo Sport in 2005 and 2006 with Jean-Christophe Boullion and in 2011 for Pescarolo Team with Julien Jousse. He co-drove the overall winner of the 2008 12 Hours of Sebring.
He also was the Formula One test driver for Prost Grand Prix in 1997, Benetton in the late 1990s and Ligier-Ford in 1990.
wn.com/Emmanuel_Collard -
Eric Hélary
Eric Hélary is a racing driver from Paris. His career has encompassed single seater formulae, endurance sports car racing, and touring cars. He won the French Formula Three Championship in 1990 and is best known for his win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1993.
Hélary's racing career began in a conventional way, with a period of karting between 1981 and 1984. He progressed to French Formula Ford in 1987 and won the title in the following year, then progressed to French Formula Three in 1989 and won that title in his second year. His single seater career ended in International Formula 3000.
Hélary first participated in sports car racing in the Peugeot Spyder Cup one-make championship in 1992 and secured the drivers' title in 1993. In the same year, he made his 24 Hours of Le Mans début in the factory Peugeot 905 alongside Christophe Bouchut and Geoff Brabham. He had previously driven this car with Bouchut in 1992.
After a period in touring cars, Hélary returned to endurance racing in the FIA GT Championship in 1996, driving a Chrysler Viper. He did not compete again in sports cars until a one-off return to FIA GTs in 2001. His next participation in endurance racing was another single race, this time in the FIA Sportscar Championship in 2003, driving a Pescarolo Courage-Peugeot alongside Nicolas Minassian. He made another one-off appearance with Pescarolo in the 2004 Le Mans Endurance Series and returned to the series for a full season in 2006. He is currently employed by Peugeot as its official test driver for the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP.
wn.com/Eric_Hélary -
Eric van de Poele
Eric van de Poele (born 30 September 1961 in Verviers) is a Belgian racing driver and former Formula One driver. He participated in 29 Grands Prix, debuting on 10 March 1991. He scored no championship points.
After a difficult 1984 season in French Formula 3, van de Poele then won the Belgian and Benelux Formula Ford titles, also racing in the Belgian Touring Car Championship. He subsequently raced in German Touring Cars Championships, winning the 1987 championship despite not winning a race all season. He also won the 1987 Spa 24 Hours, sharing a car with Didier Theys and Jean-Michel Martin. He also dabbled in British Formula 3. For 1989, he moved up to Formula 3000, placing fourth, and then finishing runner-up in 1990.
After this, he signed for the Modena Formula One team for 1991, driving their Lamborghini cars thanks to backing from long-time sponsors Lease Plan. He was unsuccessful in the first two races, failing to pre-qualify, but made it onto the grid for the 1991 San Marino Grand Prix. There he impressed in the rain, running 5th close to the end before the car ran out of oil, dropping him to 9th. The team, in financial difficulties, failed to build on this success, and van de Poele would not race again that year.
wn.com/Eric_van_de_Poele -
Eugenio Castellotti
Eugenio Castellotti (10 October 1930 – 14 March 1957) was a Formula One driver from Italy.
Castellotti was born in Lodi. After being signed by Scuderia Ferrari, Eugenio Castellotti participated in 14 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 16 January 1955. He secured one pole position, achieved 3 podiums, and scored a total of 19.5 championship points.
He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races. Castellotti won the March 1956 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring, Florida. He followed this triumph by winning the Mille Miglia race in Brescia and the Grand Prix for sports cars in Rouen, France. Castellotti's Ferrari achieved a time over the 210-mile (338 km) Essarts Circuit of 2 hours 10 minutes 31.1 seconds.
Born to a wealthy northern Italian family, he acquired a Ferrari at the age of twenty and began racing sports cars in 1952 He was known for his manner and tailored clothes, gaining publicity for his relationship with ballerina and actress, Delia Scala.
He was killed at only 26 years old during a private Ferrari test session at the Modena Autodrome. Castellotti was testing a new Ferrari Grand Prix car for the 1957 season. He crashed against a curve of the Autodrome and his body was hurled 100 yards (91.4 m). He had just been told to accelerate his speed so that he could average 85.127 miles per hour (136.999 km/h). The car turned over several times and finished up in the members stand. No one else was injured. Doctors said Castellotti died instantly from a fractured skull.
wn.com/Eugenio_Castellotti -
Eugène Chaboud
Marius Eugène Chaboud (12 April 1907 in Lyon - 28 December 1983 in Montfermeil, Seine-Saint-Denis) was a racing driver from France. He participated in three Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, scoring one championship point. He also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula One races.
Chaboud won the 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans, and retired from the sport after crashing at Le Mans during the 1952 event.
(key)
wn.com/Eugène_Chaboud -
Fermín Vélez
Fermín Vélez (April 3, 1959 – March 31, 2003) was a Spanish sports car racing driver, two-time winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring and two-time World Sportscar Championship Group C2 champion.
Born in Barcelona, Spain, Vélez died there as well, following a long battle with cancer. He was also a driver in the Indy Racing League, racing in the 1996-1997 seasons with 6 career starts, including 2 at the Indianapolis 500.
Vélez is honoured by the 24 hour sportscar race at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmélo, where the race is called the Fermin Vélez Trophy.
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key)
wn.com/Fermín_Vélez -
Forest Barber
Forest Barber (born October 3, 1952) is an American racing driver from Fort Worth, Texas.
Barber began his racing career on a motorcycle, participating in motocross and enduro riding. He later won five national and world championships in offshore powerboat racing from 1997 to 1999. He moved to sports car racing shortly thereafter and was a winning car owner and co-driver of the Bell Motorsports Doran-Chevrolet in the 2004 24 Hours of Daytona. He began racing part-time in 2005 and 2006 and has since retired from racing.
wn.com/Forest_Barber -
Franck Fréon
Franck Fréon (born March 16, 1964 in Paris) is a French race car driver. He began his career in the French Renault 5 Turbo Championship in 1986 and 1987 then competed in French Formula Three from 1988 to 1989. In 1990 he competed in International Formula 3000 and failed to qualify for four of his first five race attempts, but was credited with 5th place in his first successful start although he did not finish the race. He subsequently left his team and joined another for the final two races of the year where he qualified but failed to point. His fifth place was good enough for 19th in the championship. He moved to the United States and participated in Indy Lights from 1991 to 1993 capturing 4 wins and finishing runner up in both the 1992 and 1993 standings, behind Robbie Buhl and Bryan Herta respectively. However, he had trouble finding a good team in CART, making 4 starts (and 1 DNF) for 3 different teams in the 1994 season with a best finish of 12th in his CART debut at the Long Beach Grand Prix. 1995 wasn't much better as Fréon finished 15th in the Long Beach season opener, then failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in a 3 year old Lola chassis and returned 5 months later only to fail to make the show at Laguna Seca.
wn.com/Franck_Fréon -
Frank Biela
Frank Biela (born 2 August 1964 in Neuss, Germany) is an auto racing driver, mainly competing in touring cars and sportscar racing. He has raced exclusively in cars manufactured by the Audi marque since 1990.
Biela started his career in 1983 in karting before joining the Ford Youngster Team programme in 1987 alongside Manuel Reuter and Bernd Schneider. He drove for the team in Formula Ford and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (the German touring car championship), where he won the race at AVUS in 1987. Biela continued to compete in the DTM in 1988, and also raced a limited season in German Formula Three, scoring two wins.
In 1990, he moved to Audi, winning the DTM race at the Nürburgring and the DTM championship in 1991 before Audi left the DTM in mid-season of 1992. Biela stayed with the company, and with the rise of the two-litre Class 2 (Super Touring) rules in other series across Europe, he was entered in various European touring car series over the following few seasons such as the French Supertouring Championship in 1993 driving the Audi 80 (in which he won the championship in) entered by Audi into the championship pairing alongside Marc Sourd. Since his French Supertouring Championship victory in 1993, he is the only standing non-French driver to win it. In 1995, he won the Touring Car World Cup race at Paul Ricard in the new Audi A4, which quickly became one of the dominant touring cars of the mid-1990s.
wn.com/Frank_Biela -
Frank Jelinski
Frank Jelinski (born May 23, 1958) is a retired German racing driver.
After karting, Jelinski moved to the German Formula Three Championship in 1978 and European Formula Super Vee in 1979 finishing 4th. In 1980 he won the German F3 championship and finished 13th in the European championship. He repeated his German F3 championship in 1981. He moved to Formula Two in 1982 and finished 12th. In 1983 he made 4 F2 starts and began a transition to sports cars that would last the rest of his career. In 1984 he made 6 World Sportscar Championship starts and two DTM starts. He captured his first World Sportscar Championship win in 1986 driving for Brun Motorsport and moved to Joest Racing in 1987. He continued with Joest until the 1991 24 Hours of Daytona, which he won with teammates Hurley Haywood, "John Winter", Henri Pescarolo, and Bob Wollek. He moved to DTM full-time that year driving an AZR Audi to 10th in points. He retired from full-time racing in 1992, but returned for the 24 Hours of Le Mans every year until 1995, and has since occasionally come out of retirement for one-off appearances.
wn.com/Frank_Jelinski -
Fredy Lienhard
Fredy Lienhard, Sr. (born 14 September 1947 in Herisau) is a Swiss racing driver.
In 1968 Lienhard founded Lista Racing and throughout the 1970s and 1980s he competed in Formula Vee and Formula Two. In 1993 and 1994 he moved to sports car racing competing in a Lola Can-Am car in Interserie division 2. In 1995 he acquired a Ferrari 333 SP and began racing in the European Sportscar Championship and IMSA GT Championship with teammate Didier Theys, winning the 24 Hours of Zolder in 1997. He moved to the American Le Mans Series in 1999. In 2002 he moved to the Rolex Sports Car Series SRP class with a new Judd powered Dallara SP1 and won the 2002 24 Hours of Daytona with teammates Theys, Mauro Baldi and Max Papis. In 2003 he competed in only two races due to a busy business schedule but began racing more regularly again in 2006 and 2007 competing in select ALMS and Le Mans Series races and continued to do so in 2008.
Lienhard resides in Niederteufen and is the owner of Lista Office LO and Alid Finanz AG, a manufacturer of office furniture. His son Fredy Lienhard, Jr. is also a racing driver. He sponsors the Formula Lista Junior and Formula Renault 2.0 Switzerland single-seater series.
wn.com/Fredy_Lienhard -
Fritz Riess
Fritz Riess or Rieß (11 July 1922 in Nuremberg – 15 May 1991 in Samedan, Switzerland ) was a racing driver from Germany. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, on 3 August 1952. He finished 7th, scoring no championship points as only the first five finishers scored points at that time.
Riess also won the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans for Mercedes-Benz, sharing the drive with Hermann Lang.
(key)
wn.com/Fritz_Riess -
Gary Brabham
Gary Brabham (born 29 March 1961 in Wimbledon, London) is a former professional racing driver from Australia and a British Formula 3000 champion.
Brabham raced in Australian Formula Ford (1982), two seasons in British Formula Ford 2000, three seasons in British Formula Three (runner-up in 1988 with four wins) and won the first season of British Formula 3000 in 1989. He also entered odd races in other categories including the 1987 Bathurst 1000 in a BMW. In 1988 he won the Scottish Superprix.
He failed to qualify for two Formula One grands prix with the troubled Life project, before he quit the team. He later raced in sportscars winning the 1991 12 Hours of Sebring with brother Geoff in a factory prepared Nissan sports car. Brabham became a regular in the Australian Touring Car endurance scene, particularly at the Bathurst 1000 racing Fords for Tony Longhurst Racing and Allan Moffat Racing. He later raced in CART, becoming the first Australian driver to race the Gold Coast Indycar street race before retiring from racing in 1995 to teach advanced driver training.
wn.com/Gary_Brabham -
Geoff Brabham
Geoff Brabham (born 20 March 1952) is an Australian racing driver. He is the son of three-time Formula One World Champion Jack Brabham. Brabham spent the majority of his racing career in the United States. He raced successfully in CART early in his career. In ten appearances in the Indianapolis 500, with a best result of fourth in 1983. His greatest source of success was in various forms of sports cars, winning four IMSA GTP titles (1988 - 1991) when racing for Nissan, and one Can-Am championship (1981). He also won the 1993 Le Mans 24 hours, took two race victories in the International Race of Champions (1992 and 1993), both at Michigan. Brabham made his only NASCAR Winston Cup Series start at the first ever Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis in 1994, driving for Michael Kranefuss. Brabham crashed in the second half of the race. He has two younger brothers; Gary and David. Brabham teamed with David to win the 1997 Bathurst 1000 in a BMW. Although the most successful of the second generation of racing Brabhams, unlike his siblings he did not compete in World Championship Formula One.
wn.com/Geoff_Brabham -
Giampiero Moretti
Giampiero Moretti (March 20, 1940 – January 14, 2012) was a racing driver and the founder of the MOMO company in the 1960s. He was born in Milan.
Moretti won the 24 Hours of Daytona, in 1998, driving a Ferrari 333SP with co-drivers Mauro Baldi, Arie Luyendyk and Didier Theys. Morette died on January 14, 2012 in Milan of cancer. He was 71.
wn.com/Giampiero_Moretti -
Gijs van Lennep
Jonkheer Gijsbert van Lennep (born March 16, 1942, Aerdenhout, North Holland) is a Dutch esquire and former racing driver who gave a good account for himself in his eight Formula One drives. However his main achievements were at the wheel of a sports car.
Van Lennep drove for the Porsche sportscar team from 1967 and won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1971 with Helmut Marko driving the number 22 Martini sponsored Porsche 917K. They set a distance record, covering 5335 km which remained unbeaten until the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans .
That year the Stichting Autoraces Nederland (Foundation for Car races in the Netherlands), hired a Surtees TS7 for him to make his F1 debut in his home GP where he finished a creditable eighth in a very wet GP. The following year Van Lennep won the British F5000 Championship in a Surtees TS11 and drove twice for the Williams GP team, winning his first championship point with 6th place in the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix. With Ensign he scored a second point in the 1975 German Grand Prix, making him the second most successful Dutch Formula 1 driver, until the emergence of Jos Verstappen.
wn.com/Gijs_van_Lennep -
Giovanni Lavaggi
Giovanni Lavaggi (born February 18, 1958 in Augusta, Sicily) is a racing driver from Italy.
A nobleman by background, Lavaggi raised the money to buy ten Formula One Grand Prix drives, for Pacific and Minardi, debuting on July 30, 1995. In 1995 he was the only driver not to finish any of the F1 races that they started. He scored no championship points and was never close to the car's performance limits, being described as "desperately slow" by Jonathan Palmer, although he did well in his forays in sportscar racing.
His F1 career started in 1992, where he tested for the March team.
Lavaggi was 1993 Interserie champion and won the 1995 Daytona 24 Hours, as well as scoring two wins in the FIA Sportscar Championship. Prior to Formula One Lavaggi made two starts and failed to qualify for two additional races in CART for Euromotorsport and Leader Cards Racing.
Lavaggi races under the banner of his own Lavaggi Sport (formerly known as GLV Brums) sportscar racing team, which in 2007 started building and racing its own Le Mans Prototype in the Le Mans Series.
wn.com/Giovanni_Lavaggi -
Glen Kidston
George Pearson Glen Kidston (23 January 1899 – 5 May 1931, Natal, South Africa) was a record-breaking aviator and motor racing driver from Britain. He was a member of the well known Bentley Boys of the late 1920s, and possibly the wealthiest of that already wealthy set. His father, A.G. Kidston, was a grandson of the original A.G. Kidston who was a metal and machinery merchant in Glasgow with interests in the Clyde Shipping Co., local solicitors, accountants and banking interests amalgamated into the Clydesdale Bank. Andrew Bonar Law MP was a Kidston and Chancellor of the Exchequer during World War I, being briefly Tory Prime Minister in the year of his death 1923 ("The Forgotten Prime Minister, the life and times of Andrew Bonar Law, 1858-1923 (1955) "). Kidston was one of the four, core Grosvenor Square-based Bentley team drivers, whose day-long parties passed into contemporary legend.
A former Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy, he was torpedoed thrice ( with a loss 1,459 lives in the sinkings of HMS Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue) in the same morning during the action of 22 September 1914 against German submarine U-9 under the command of Commander Otto Weddigen as the fleet manoeuvered. Following repatriation he served in the dreadnought, HMS Orion, with the British Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland, running gunnery orders on open deck under direct enemy fire. Kidston grasped submarine tactics and served on several leading edge British submarines, including the notorious X1, that he served on (Source: Family) in North Sea trials. During the trials the X1 embedded itself in the seabed as its gauges were faulty, but was freed after a dangerous period on the sea bed. In December 1926 he received his command of the H-class submarine, the Beardmore-built H24, built at Portsmouth. Away from his duties as a submariner he was an early pioneer of naval flight (Source: Family).
wn.com/Glen_Kidston -
Graham Duxbury
Graham Duxbury is a South African racing driver, business man, and motorsport commentator. Duxbury won the South African National Drivers Championship in 1982 engineered by Ken Howes driving initially a March 78B before taking delivery of a ground effect March 822. He won the Daytona 24 Hours in 1984 driving for Kreepy Krauly Racing, an all-South African team in a March 83G-Porsche again engineered by Howes. He shared the win with Sarel van der Merwe and Tony Martin.
He is the Chief Executive Officer of Duxbury Networking, a South African based Specialist Networking Distributor.
wn.com/Graham_Duxbury -
Graham Hill
Norman Graham Hill (15 February 1929 – 29 November 1975) was a British racing driver and team owner from England, who was twice Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.
Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to have won the Formula One World Championship. Graham's grandson Josh, Damon's son, is also a racing driver.
Graham Hill died when the aeroplane he was piloting crashed in foggy conditions near Arkley golf course in North London. Hill and five members of his racing team were returning from car testing at Circuit Paul Ricard in France and due to land at Elstree Airfield. All six were killed.
Hill, who was born in Hampstead, London, served in the Royal Navy as an Engine Room Artificer. After leaving the Navy he re-joined Smiths Instruments. Hill did not pass his driving test until he was 24 years old, and he himself described his first car as "A wreck. A budding racing driver should own such a car, as it teaches delicacy, poise and anticipation, mostly the latter I think!"[citation needed] He had been interested in motorcycles but in 1954 he saw an advertisement for the Universal Motor Racing Club at Brands Hatch offering laps for 5 shillings. He made his debut in a Cooper 500 Formula 3 car and was committed to racing thereafter. Hill joined Team Lotus as a mechanic soon after but quickly talked his way into the cockpit. The Lotus presence in Formula One allowed him to make his debut at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix, retiring with a halfshaft failure.
wn.com/Graham_Hill -
Graham Rahal
Graham Rahal (born January 4, 1989 in Columbus, Ohio) is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.
In 2005, he won the Formula Atlantic class at the SCCA Runoffs and finished fourth in Star Mazda Series standings. He drove in the last two rounds of the 2005–2006 A1 Grand Prix season for A1 Team Lebanon as he is of Lebanese descent. He moved to a full-time ride in the Champ Car Atlantic Series in 2006, where he won five races and finished second in the season standings. He also drove in the Indy Pro Series event on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in conjunction with the United States Grand Prix and finished second. SpeedTV reported in August 2006 that Graham would drive for Newman/Haas Racing in the Champ Car World Series in 2007.
On January 27 Rahal drove in the 24 Hours of Daytona. One of four drivers of the Southard Motorsports Lexus Riley, the car ran into early troubles and finished 62nd out of 70 entries. On March 18, he drove in the 12 Hours of Sebring American LeMans Series race for his father's Rahal Letterman Racing team. He drove a Porsche 911 GT3-RSR with two other drivers, finishing 6th in the GT2 class and 15th overall.
wn.com/Graham_Rahal -
Guy Smith
Guy Smith (born 12 September 1974 in Beverley, England, UK) is a motor racing driver who has competed in various levels of motorsport.
Smith started racing karts in 1987, winning the British Championship, and in 1991 finished second in the Senior World Championship. In 1992 he moved into auto racing, winning the British Formula Renault Championship in 1995 and tested a Williams Formula 1 car. He went on to win his first Formula 3 race from pole position. In 1998 he moved to America to contest the Indy Lights series finishing 3rd in the Championship and been crowned 'Rookie of the Year'.
Since then he has raced primarily in the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am series, posting an overall win at the 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans with co-drivers Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello driving a Bentley Speed 8. In 2004 he made his Champ Car debut the second half of the season for Paul Gentilozzi's Rocketsports team.
Smith raced for Dyson Racing in the American Le Mans Series between 2006 and 2009.
It was announced on 15 February 2010 that Smith would be competing in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Rebellion Racing Team driving a Lola B10/60 in the LMP1 class.
wn.com/Guy_Smith -
Gérard de Courcelles
Gérard de Courcelles was a French racing driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the French Lorraine-Dietrich automobile company, along with teammate André Rossignol. Previously, De Courcelles had driven cyclecars in Grands Prix, but was eventually hired by Lorraine-Dietrich to enter the inaugural 24 Hours. The two drivers ran together for the next two editions of the endurance event until they succeeded in 1925. The following year the two drove separate cars, with De Courcelles assigned to Marcel Mongin. Rossignol however, and new teammate Robert Bloch, went on to win the event once again, with De Courcelles and Mongin in second.
De Courcelles died on 3 July 1927 due to an accident during a Grand Prix event in France.
wn.com/Gérard_de_Courcelles -
Gérard Larrousse
Gérard Larrousse (born 23 May 1940 in Lyon) is a former sports car racing, rallying and Formula One driver from France.
He participated in two Grands Prix, debuting on 12 May 1974, scoring no championship points. He drove Brabham BT42s for Scuderia Finotto.
Before focusing on circuit racing, Larrousse won the French Rally Championship with an Alpine A110. His biggest successes in international rallies came in a Porsche 911. He won the Tour de Corse in 1969, and placed second at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1969, 1970 and 1972. On gravel, he achieved a sixth place at the 1970 RAC Rally.
In a team with Vic Elford in 1971, Larrousse won the 12 Hours of Sebring with a Porsche 917K and the 1000km Nürburgring in a Porsche 908/03. He would follow this with victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1973 and 1974 alongside Henri Pescarolo for Matra-Simca.
Following his sports car career, he moved into racing management, running the Elf Switzerland operation in the European Formula Two Championship. From there, Larrousse went on to run the original factory Renault Formula One team during its final days as a full fledged factory team in 1984 and 1985.
wn.com/Gérard_Larrousse -
Hans Herrmann
Hans Herrmann (born February 23, 1928) is a former Formula One and Sports car racing driver from Stuttgart, Germany.
In F1, he participated in 19 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on August 2, 1953. He achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 10 championship points.
In Sports car racing, he also scored the first overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Porsche in 1970, on a Porsche 917.
The racing career of Herrmann, who is a baker by trade, spans from cooperation with pre-war legends like Alfred Neubauer to the beginning of the dominance of Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He took part in now legendary road races like Mille Miglia, Targa Florio and Carrera Panamericana and is one of the few remaining witnesses of this era. Hans im Glück (lucky John) escaped from several spectacular incidents or accidents.
Herrmann had a remarkable Mille Miglia race in 1954, when the gates of a railroad crossing were lowered in the last moment before the fast train to Rome passed. Driving a very low Porsche 550 Spyder, Herrmann decided it was too late for a brake attempt anyway, knocked on the back of the helmet of his navigator Herbert Linge to make him duck, and they barely passed below the gates and before the train, to the surprise of the spectators.
wn.com/Hans_Herrmann -
Hans Heyer
Hans Heyer (born March 16, 1943 in Mönchengladbach, Germany) is a racing driver from Wegberg, the site of the Grenzlandring, a former high speed race track oval. He mainly raced touring cars, being popular with the fans for his rather funny style.
Very unusual for his Western German origin, Heyer's sign is his so-called Tirolerhut, a hat from Tyrol or Bavaria which would fit better to drivers from these Alpine regions, like Hans-Joachim Stuck or Niki Lauda.
Living close to the Netherlands and not yet allowed to race in Germany at the age of 16, he started his career there in 1959 with Karts and won the 1962 Dutch Championship.
For many years, Heyer was associated with Zakspeed, racing their Group 2 Ford Escorts in the European Touring Car Championship (champion 1974) and the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft (champion 1975 and 1976). Heyer attempted two European F2 races in 1976, finishing sixth at Hockenheim, but non-qualifying the race after.
In 1980 he won the DRM again, this time for Lancia in a Group 5 Lancia Monte Carlo Turbo, a car he also helped developing. He crashed his 480 hp car badly at the Norisring in Nuremberg, rolling several times. He escaped unhurt, but returned immediately to the wreck to recover his famous hat. In the following medical exam, the doctor was said to have been more nervous than Hans was.
wn.com/Hans_Heyer -
Hap Sharp
James "Hap" Sharp (January 1, 1928 in Tulsa, Oklahoma – May 7, 1993) was an American race car driver who drove in six Formula One grands prix. But he was best known as co-owner and driver of the revolutionary Chaparral sports racing cars built by Jim Hall and Sharp in Midland, Texas. In 1962 Jim Hall and Hap Sharp formed Chaparral Cars, Inc. and immediately began the design and construction of Chaparral 2, a mid-engined car with an aerospace inspired semi-monocoque fiberglass chassis.
Sharp's record while driving for Chaparral:
1962 Road America 500, Hall and Sharp 1st - Chaparral 1
1964 USRRC Kent, Sharp 2nd - Chaparral 2 USRRC Greenwood, Sharp fastest lap - Chaparral 2 USRRC Mid-Ohio, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2 Nassau Speed Week, Sharp/Penske 1st - Chaparral 2
1965 Sebring, Hall/Sharp fastest lap and 1st - Chaparral 2 USRRC Riverside, Sharp fastest lap and 2nd - Chaparral 2 Bridgehampton, Sharp 2nd - Chaparral 2 USRRC Watkins Glen, Sharp 2nd - Chaparral 2 FIA Mr. Tremblant, Canada, Sharp 3rd - Chaparral 2 USRRC Kent, Sharp fastest lap and 2nd - Chaparral 2 USRRC Continental Divide, CO, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2 USRRC Mid-Ohio, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2 Road America 500 Hall/Sharp/Hissom 1st, Hall/Sharp/Jennigs 2nd - Chaparral 2 Bridgehampton, Sharp fastest lap and 1st - Chaparral 2 Kent WA, Sharp 2nd - Chaparral 2C Laguna Seca, Sharp fastest lap and 2nd - Chaparral 2 Riverside, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2 Las Vegas, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2 Nassau, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2C
wn.com/Hap_Sharp -
Helmut Marko
Dr. Helmut Marko (born April 27, 1943 in Graz, Austria) is advisor to the Red Bull Racing Formula One Team and a former racing driver.
He was a school friend of Jochen Rindt, who was to become Formula One world champion in 1970. Marko competed in several race series, including in 10 Formula One Grands Prix in 1971 and 1972, but scored no World Championship points.
He had more success in endurance racing, winning the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving a Martini-Porsche 917K with Gijs van Lennep. During that year, they set a distance record which remained unbeaten until the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans (5,335.313 km, at an average of 222.304 km/h).
Despite being concerned about the lack of safety at the Targa Florio, he drove the fastest laps around the Sicilian mountain circuit in order to catch up several minutes, eventually losing by mere seconds. On 21 May 1972, Helmut Marko set the all-time race lap record of the 72 km event in an Alfa Romeo 33 at 33 min 41 sec, at an average of 128.253 km/h.
wn.com/Helmut_Marko -
Henri Pescarolo
Henri Pescarolo (born 25 September 1942) is a former racing driver from France. He participated in 64 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 22 September 1968. He achieved one podium, and scored a total of 12 championship points. He wore a distinctive green helmet, and still has a full face beard, that partially covers burns suffered in a crash.
Henri Pescarolo to this day drives in the yearly Dakar Rally.
After Pescarolo's retirement from Formula 1, he went on to start his own team which now competes in the Le Mans Endurance Series, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which he won as a driver in 1972 in a Matra, co-driven by Graham Hill. His team, Pescarolo Sport, is notably sponsored by Sony's PlayStation 2 and by Gran Turismo 4. During the five years that Pescarolo has campaigned Courage C60 prototypes, so many modifications have been made to the model that Courage allowed the team to name the car after themselves, such was the differences between their model and the standard C60. In 2005, it was developed further still to meet the "hybrid" regulations, before the change to LMP1/2 format. It is unknown whether Pescarolo will use the newer Courage C70 in the future.
wn.com/Henri_Pescarolo -
Hermann Lang
Hermann Lang (April 6, 1909 – October 19, 1987) was a German champion race car driver.
Born in the Cannstatt district of Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, at age fourteen Hermann Lang had to go to work to help support his family following the death of his father. Young Lang found a job as a motorcycle mechanic, eventually buying his own used bike with which he began amateur racing. He won the very first race he entered and before long decided to compete in the sidecar class. At age twenty-two, he won the German sidecar mountain race championship.
Lang's big break came when he landed a job at the Mercedes factory where he became part of their Grand Prix motor racing team. He was made head mechanic for the Mercedes-Benz W25A model to be driven by the Italian star Luigi Fagioli who had left Alfa Romeo to create a powerhouse Mercedes factory team that also included Rudolf Caracciola. Following a very successful season in which Fagioli won both the Italian and Spanish Grand Prix, Hermann Lang was given a chance to drive for the Mercedes team. He proved to be most capable on high-speed racetracks, capturing his first win in the 1937 Tripoli Grand Prix at the Mellaha Lake course in Libya which was then the fastest racetrack in the world. Lang dominated the event, winning it for three straight years. That year he won his second major race at the AVUS extravaganza.
wn.com/Hermann_Lang -
Hurley Haywood
Hurley Haywood (born May 4, 1948 in Chicago) is an American race-car driver,perhaps the world's most accomplished endurance-racing driver.Hurley has amassed an astounding number of wins in this most intense form of motorsport - five overall victories at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, three at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and two at the 12 Hours of Sebring. He also has the 1988 Trans-Am title to his credit, as well as two IMSA GT championship, three Norelco Cup championships, a SuperCar title and 18 IndyCar starts. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1977 (Porsche 936), 1983 (Porsche 956) and 1994 (Dauer 962 Le Mans) and is the most successful driver at the 24 Hours of Daytona with 5 wins (1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, and 1991). He won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1973 and 1981. He also drove in the 1980 Indianapolis 500 finishing 18th. He also represented IMSA four times in the International Race of Champions (1986, 1989, 1992, 1995). In 1970, he was drafted into the Vietnam War where he served as Specialist 4. By the time he returned from his tour of duty, he returned to his winning ways with his first IMSA GT title in 1971.
wn.com/Hurley_Haywood -
Ignazio Giunti
Ignazio Giunti (30 August 1941 - 10 January 1971) was an Italian racing driver who made his name in saloon and Sports Car Racing in the late 1960s.
Giunti was born in Rome. In 1968, driving for Alfa Romeo, he was 2nd in the Targa Florio and 4th in the Le Mans 24 Hours race co-driving with Nanni Galli.
In 1970, Giunti was signed by Ferrari primarily for their sports-car team and won the Sebring 12hrs and the Targa Florio as well as achieving several other high placings. His success earned him a Formula One chance and he did splendidly to finish 4th on his debut in the Belgian GP at Spa and raced three more times that year.
Ferrari were also trialling the Swiss driver Clay Regazzoni and he put in some excellent drives to restrict Giunti's chances though he was re-signed by Ferrari for 1971.
Tragedy struck in his first drive in 1971 whilst racing in the 1000 km Buenos Aires race, when his Ferrari 312PB prototype ploughed into the back of the Matra 660 of Jean-Pierre Beltoise, who was pushing the car along the track after it had run out of fuel. The impact and the subsequent fire gave the popular Italian no chance of survival.
wn.com/Ignazio_Giunti -
Ivor Bueb
Ivor Léon John Bueb (6 June 1923, East Ham, London – 1 August 1959, Clermont-Ferrand, France) was a sports car racing and Formula One driver from England.
Bueb started racing seriously in a Formula 3 500cc Cooper in 1953, graduating to the Cooper works team in 1955 when he finished second in the British championship. He made occasional starts in Grands Prix in 1957 with a Connaught and a Maserati run by Gilby Engineering. The following year he raced Bernie Ecclestone's Connaught at Monaco, and drove a Formula Two Lotus at the German Grand Prix. In 1959 he had two outings for BRP, firstly a non-qualification at Monaco, then another Formula Two entry at the British Grand Prix. He participated in 6 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix in all, but scored no championship points. He also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula One races.
He is best known for sharing the winning works Jaguar D-type with Mike Hawthorn in the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans; a success he repeated with Ron Flockhart in the ex-works Ecurie Ecosse car in 1957.
wn.com/Ivor_Bueb -
Jack Brabham
Sir John Arthur "Jack" Brabham, AO, OBE (born 2 April 1926) is an Australian former racing driver who was Formula One champion in 1959, 1960 and 1966. He was a founder of the Brabham racing team and race car constructor that bore his name.
Brabham was a Royal Australian Air Force flight mechanic and ran a small engineering workshop before he started racing midget cars in 1948. His successes in midgets and Australian and New Zealand road racing events led to him going to the United Kingdom to further his racing career. There he became part of the Cooper Car Company's racing team, building as well as racing cars. He contributed to the design of the mid-engined cars that Cooper introduced to Formula One and the Indianapolis 500, and won the Formula One world championship in 1959 and 1960. In 1962 he established his own Brabham marque with fellow Australian Ron Tauranac, which became the largest manufacturer of customer racing cars in the world in the 1960s. In 1966 Brabham became the first - and still the only - man to win the Formula One world championship driving one of his own cars.
wn.com/Jack_Brabham -
Jackie Oliver
Keith Jack Oliver, better known as Jackie Oliver, (born 14 August 1942 in Chadwell Heath, Essex) is a British former Formula One driver and team-owner from England. He is perhaps better known now as the founder of the Arrows team rather than as a racing driver, although during his driving career he won both the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and the Can-Am championship.
Oliver began a long career in motorsport in 1961, driving a Mini in British club saloon racing. He then upgraded to a Lotus Elan and entered GT racing, scoring some excellent results, and then having a difficult time in Formula Three, where his natural speed was blighted by mechanical failures.
Nevertheless, for 1967 he was drafted into the Team Lotus Formula Two team, which also saw him making his Grand Prix debut in the F2 class at the German Grand Prix, where he came 5th overall and won the F2 class. In 1968 he was called up by Colin Chapman to take over the works F1 seat for Team Lotus after the death of Jim Clark. His contract did not include an F2 drive. In discussions with Tony Rudlin, a failed racing driver, at that time responsible for running the Herts and Essex Aero Club for ex-world motor cycling champion, Roger Frogley, a deal was struck to run in the club's colours. Lotus supplied and ran the car, supplied the mechanics and generally acted as competition managers while Rudlin was team manager. The F2 team was reasonably successful although not running full Team Lotus spec. At the end of the year the team was invited to compete in the four races making up the Argentine Temporada. The Herts and Essex Team finished third overall in the series. The F1 season would turn out to be difficult, with Oliver struggling for finishes. He led the British Grand Prix until an engine failure, and would only finish twice, his best result being 3rd place at the season-closing Mexican Grand Prix.
wn.com/Jackie_Oliver -
Jackie Stewart
Sir John Young 'Jackie' Stewart, OBE (born 11 June 1939) is a Scottish former racing driver. Nicknamed the 'Flying Scot', he competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am. He is well known in the United States as a color commentator (pundit) of racing television broadcasts, and as a spokesman for Ford, where his Scottish accent has made him a distinctive presence. Between 1997 and 1999, in partnership with his son, Paul, he was team principal of the Stewart Grand Prix Formula One racing team. In 2009 he was ranked fifth of the fifty greatest Formula One drivers of all time by journalist Kevin Eason who wrote: "He has not only emerged as a great driver, but one of the greatest figures of motor racing."
Stewart's family were Austin, later Jaguar, car dealers and had built up a successful business, Dumbuck Garage, in Milton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland where Stewart was born and was educated at Dumbarton Academy. His father had been an amateurmotorcycle racer, and his brother Jimmy was a racing driver with a growing local reputation who drove for Ecurie Ecosse and competed in the 1953 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, until he went off at Copse Corner in the wet.
wn.com/Jackie_Stewart -
Jacky Ickx
Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx (last name pronounced "Ix" or "Icks") (born 1 January 1945 in Brussels) is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.
Jacky Ickx was introduced to the sport when he was taken by his father, motoring journalist Jacques Ickx, to races which he covered. Despite this family background, Jacky had limited interest in the sport until his father bought him a 50 cc Zundapp motorcycle. Soon afterwards, Ickx won 8 of 13 races at the first season and the European 50 cc trials title. He took another two titles before he moved to racing a Lotus Cortina in touring car racing, taking his national saloon car championship in 1965. He also competed in sports car races where he had already significant experience from taking part in the 1000 km races at the Nürburgring.
Ickx entered his first Grand Prix at the Nürburgring in 1967, driving a Matra Formula Two (F2) car. Despite the greater power of the Formula One (F1) cars, only two F1 drivers qualified with a faster time than he did: Denny Hulme and Jim Clark. As Ickx was racing in the separate F2 class, he started the race behind all of the F1 cars, but within four laps of the 28 km circuit he was up to fifth place, having overtaken 12 F1 cars. His front suspension broke and he was forced to retire after 12 laps, but he had made a strong impression on the F1 team managers.[citation needed]
wn.com/Jacky_Ickx -
Jan Lammers
Johannes "Jan" Lammers, (born June 2, 1956 in Zandvoort), is a racing driver and team principal from the Netherlands. He participated in 41 Formula One Grand Prix races, debuting on January 21, 1979. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1988 and later participated in the race with his own team Racing for Holland. Also, Jan Lammers was the seatholder of the Dutch A1 Grand Prix team.
Lammers starts in 1977 in the European Formula 3 Championship, but he didn't get good results with his Hawke. Lammers won the 1978 European Formula 3 Championship with Racing Team Holland.
Lammers began his Formula One with Shadow in 1979 with Elio de Angelis as his teammate. He didn't have a great debut as de Angelis was the team's number one driver. His best result was a ninth place in Canada. In 1980 he moved to Günther Schmidt's ATS team. In the first three races he failed to qualify but in Long Beach he qualified a very strong fourth. This would be the highlight of his F1 career. Later that year he moved to the Ensign Team but there he only managed to qualify three times. In 1981 he returned to ATS but only raced the first four races of the year. For 1982, he moved to Theodore but his season was something of a disaster. He did manage to start in his home race. He scored no championship points during his F1 career, and tried IndyCar racing before turning to sports car racing. In 1992, Lammers made a two-race comeback in F1 for March, his first F1 appearance since 1982, which is the longest gap between successive Grands Prix in the history of Formula One. He was signed for the team in 1993 as well, but they went bankrupt before the season started.
wn.com/Jan_Lammers -
Jean Behra
Jean Marie Behra (born in Nice, France, 16 February 1921 – died in Berlin, Germany, 1 August 1959) was a Formula One driver who raced for the Gordini, Maserati, BRM, Ferrari and Porsche teams.
Behra was small in stature, stocky, and weighed 178 pounds. Behra had big shoulders and was scarred from 12 crashes. In 1955 he had an ear torn off from a collision. He sometimes drove magnificently and at others he drove with a lack of enthusiasm.
He raced motorcycles for Moto-Guzzi prior to changing to sports cars and Grand Prix racing. Behra began driving cars competitively in 1952. Joakim Bonnier claimed that he learned the majority of his racing skill from Behra. Although he never achieved victory in a World Championship Formula One race, he managed an unquenchable thirst for motorsport, being considered a formidable competitor to the day he died. He hit the headlines when he won the non-title 1952 Reims Grand Prix. Between then and 1959 he scored many victories, but none in Formula One championship races.
wn.com/Jean_Behra -
Jean Guichet
Jean Guichet (born 10 August 1927) won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1964.
A racing car originally owned by Guichet sold at auction recently for over 15 million dollars. He previously owned one of only thirty-six Ferrari 250GTO Ferrarissima cars ever produced, originally created by Enzo Ferrari in 1966. The price he got for the car when it was sold in 1967 was $4500.
wn.com/Jean_Guichet -
Jean Rondeau
Jean Rondeau (Le Mans, France, 13 May 1946 - Champagné, France, 27 December 1985) was a French race car driver and constructor, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1980, in a car bearing his own name, an achievement which remains unique in the history of the race.
Rondeau drove briefly in Formula Renault before moving to saloon cars. He raced a handful of Le Mans events as a guest driver before forming the Inaltera team in 1976. After the wallpaper company withdrew its sponsorship, Rondeau went alone with his Ford-powered GTP cars in 1978, scoring a coup by hiring Henri Pescarolo for his team in 1979.
Rondeau and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud took victory in the 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans after fighting hard against the Porsche 908/80 of Jacky Ickx and Reinhold Joest. Rondeau remains the only man to win the race in a car bearing his own name and design. After teammates Pescarolo and Jean Ragnotti retired with engine problems during the night, Rondeau and Jaussaud took overall victory by a margin of two laps.
wn.com/Jean_Rondeau -
Jean Trémoulet
Jean Trémoulet (12 April 1909 – 13 October 1944) was a French racecar driver who won the 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans with Eugène Chaboud. He died at 35 years old, during the French War Resistance.
wn.com/Jean_Trémoulet -
Jim Clark
James "Jim" (or "Jimmy") Clark, Jr OBE (4 March 1936 – 7 April 1968) was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965.
Clark was a versatile driver who competed in sports cars, touring cars and in the Indianapolis 500, which he won in 1965. He was particularly associated with the Lotus marque.
He was killed in a Formula Two motor racing accident in Hockenheim, Germany in 1968. At the time of his death, he had won more Grand Prix races (25) and achieved more Grand Prix pole positions (33) than any other driver. The Times recently placed Clark at the top of a list of the greatest Formula One drivers.
James Clark Jr was born into a farming family at Kilmany House Farm, Fife, the youngest child of five, and the only boy. In 1942 the family moved to Edington Mains Farm, near Duns, Berwickshire, in the Borders. He was educated at primary schools, first in Kilmany and then in Chirnside, and then following three years of preparatory schooling at Clifton Hall School near Edinburgh he was sent to Loretto School in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh.
wn.com/Jim_Clark -
JJ Lehto
Jyrki Juhani Järvilehto (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈjyrki ˈjærvilehto]), better known as "JJ Lehto", (born January 31, 1966 in Espoo), is a racing driver from Finland. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, in 1995 and 2005. He is also a former Formula One driver.
He was a protégé of Finnish 1982 Formula One World Champion Keke Rosberg, who first suggested that Jyrki Järvilehto would abbreviate his name to the more manageable JJ Lehto, much as Rosberg had done before him ("Keke" being derived from Keijo, his own given name).
Like many racing drivers he began in karts at age 8, winning numerous events, before graduating to Formula Ford at the early age of 15. A switch to single seaters saw him dominate the Scandinavian Formula Ford. He then won the British and European Formula 2000 championship in 1987 and went on to win the coveted British Formula 3 title in 1988. He was driving for Pacific Racing. In 1989 Järvilehto drove in Formula 3000, again for Pacific Racing. The season wasn't successful and he didn't score any podium finishes. Järvilehto didn't participate in the last race which was held in Dijon-Prenois.
wn.com/JJ_Lehto -
Jo Gartner
Jo Gartner (24 January 1954 in Vienna – 1 June 1986) was a Formula One and sports car endurance driver from Austria. After a successful junior formula career, including wins in Formula 2. He participated in eight Formula One Grands Prix for Osella, debuting on 6 May 1984, scoring no points. Despite finishing fifth at the 1984 Italian Grand Prix, he was awarded no points because Osella had officially entered only one car for the season, and Gartner was driving a second car. He came fourth in the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 962C along with teammates David Hobbs and Guy Edwards, finishing on three wheels. He caused quite a stir after winning the 1986 12 Hours of Sebring, along with teammates Bob Akin and Hans-Joachim Stuck.
Whilst contesting the 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans at 2:10 am on the Sunday, Gartner's car suffered a mechanical failure and turned hard left into the barriers on the Mulsanne Straight at 160 mph (260 km/h). The car somersaulted down the track and caught fire resting on the barriers on the opposite side of the track. Gartner was killed on impact.
wn.com/Jo_Gartner -
Jo Siffert
Joseph Siffert (July 7, 1936 – October 24, 1971) was a Swiss racing driver.
Affectionately known as "Seppi" to his family and close friends, Siffert was born in Fribourg, Switzerland, the son of a dairy owner. He initially made his name in racing on two wheels, powering his way to the Swiss 350 cc motorcycle championship in 1959, before switching to four wheels with a Formula Junior Stanguellini. Siffert graduated to Formula One as a privateer in 1962, with a four-cylinder Lotus-Climax. He later moved to Swiss team Scuderia Filipinetti, and in 1964 joined Rob Walker's private British Rob Walker Racing Team. Early successes included victories in the non-Championship 1964 and 1965 Mediterranean Grands Prix, both times beating Jim Clark by a very narrow margin. Siffert was married twice and to his second wife Simone during the height of his career in the late 1960s and at the time of his death in 1971. They had two children together, Véronique and Philippe.
In 1968, Siffert drove into the F1 history books by winning the 1968 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch in Rob Walker Racing Team's Lotus 49B, beating Chris Amon's Ferrari into second place after a race-long battle. This is regarded as the last GP victory by a genuine privateer.
wn.com/Jo_Siffert -
Joachim Winkelhock
Joachim Winkelhock (born 24 October 1960), is a German motor racing driver.
The younger brother of the late Manfred Winkelhock, Winkelhock was born in Waiblingen, near Stuttgart. The youngest brother, Thomas Winkelhock, and Manfred's son Markus Winkelhock are also racing drivers.
After the death of his brother interrupted his career in 1985, he resumed later on, winning the 1988 German Formula Three Championship as well as that year's European Cup, at the unusually late age of 28. The next year was less successful, as he tried Formula One with the small AGS team. Failing to pre-qualify on 7 occasions, Winkelhock then linked up with BMW Motorsport in touring car racing and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft.
He won the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 1990 and 1991 with a BMW M3 entered by Schnitzer Motorsport.
His first title was the 1993 British Touring Car Championship. There, he was also commonly known as Smokin' Jo, for his cigarette smoking habit.
Winkelhock's next win was the 1994 Asia Pacific Touring Car Championship, and in 1995 he won the German Supertouring Championship (STW). He also triumphed in the 1995 Spa 24 Hours, and the 1994 and 1998 Macau Grand Prix's Guia touring car races. His last success for BMW came at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans, which he won driving the BMW V12 LMR prototype run by Schnitzer Motorsport.
wn.com/Joachim_Winkelhock -
Joakim Bonnier
Joakim "Jo" Bonnier (January 31, 1930 – June 11, 1972) was a Swedish sportscar racing and Formula One driver who raced for various teams.
Jo Bonnier was born in Djurgården, Stockholm, to the wealthy Bonnier family. He spoke six languages. His parents hoped that he would become a doctor. His father, Gert, was a professor of genetics at the University of Stockholm. Many members of his large family were in the publishing business, and it was his aspiration to join them for a while. He attended Oxford University for a year, studying languages. He then went to Paris, France planning to learn about publishing.
Bonnier began competitive racing in Sweden at 17, on an old Harley-Davidson motorcycle. He returned home to Sweden in 1951 after his Paris trip. He took part in several rallies as the proud owner of a Simca.
Bonnier entered Formula One in 1956 with a Maserati. Bonnier's racing career almost ended in September 1958 at a race at Imola, near Modena. He debuted a 1,500 Maserati and moved up through the field following a bad start. Bonnier passed Luigi Musso and was gaining on leader Eugenio Castellotti at around two seconds per lap. Bonnier lost control when another car pulled directly into him while negotiating a fast corner. His Maserati struck a large rock at the edge of the road and catapulted. The other driver went underneath him as he turned over and over in the air. While he was upside down the crash helmet of his competitor made contact with his. Bonnier's Maserati landed on its side before skidding 75 feet and heading into a ditch where it came to a stop against a pole. Bonnier was thrown out of the car. He suffered a concussion, several cracked ribs, and a broken vertebra. Nothing remained of his car aside from a pile of smoking junk.
wn.com/Joakim_Bonnier -
Jochen Mass
Jochen Richard Mass (born September 30, 1946 in Dorfen, Bavaria) is a former race car driver from Germany.
He participated in 114 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on July 14, 1973 at the British Grand Prix. He won one GP race (1975 Spanish Grand Prix), secured no pole positions, achieved 8 podiums, and scored a total of 71 championship points.
Mass is perhaps best known for his blameless part in the death of Gilles Villeneuve. On May 8, 1982, with only 10 minutes left until the end of the qualifying session for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder, Villeneuve collided with Mass while attempting to overtake him. Just as the pair rounded a super-fast left turn, (Mass ahead, Villeneuve behind) Jochen moved to the right hand side of the track to let Villeneuve through. Unfortunately, Villeneuve had already committed to the right hand side, and the two cars touched wheels, launching the helpless Canadian skyward. Villeneuve's car hit the ground violently and nose-first. His seat was dislodged and he was flung from his car, landing heavily among the catch fencing at the opposite side of the track. Villeneuve was taken off life-support later that evening.
wn.com/Jochen_Mass -
Jochen Neerpasch
Jochen Neerpasch (born 1946 in Krefeld, Germany) is a former German racecar driver and motorsports manager.
His racing career began in the 1960s, first on Borgward touring car, then with the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans as a first major event. Racing a Porsche 907, he won the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona.
In the 1970s, he became a successful manager in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and the European Touring Car Championship. First he managed Ford, then he took the 1972 champion Hans Joachim Stuck with him to BMW, to found the successful BMW M team and company.
In the 1980s, Neerpasch was in charge of Sauber-Mercedes sports car racing team, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989. He also discovered and taught talents like Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger, and Heinz-Harald Frentzen[citation needed].
wn.com/Jochen_Neerpasch -
Jochen Rindt
Karl Jochen Rindt (April 18, 1942 Mainz, Germany - September 5, 1970 Monza, Italy) was a German racing driver who represented Austria during his career. He is the only driver to posthumously win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship (in 1970), after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix. Away from Formula One, Rindt was highly successful in other single-seater formulae, as well as sports car racing. In 1965 he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, driving a Ferrari 250LM in partnership with Masten Gregory from the United States of America. He was a close friend to Jackie Stewart, and was a neighbour to the Scotsman in Switzerland.
Jochen Rindt was born in Mainz, Germany, but after his parents were killed in a bombing raid in Hamburg during the Second World War, he was raised by his grandparents in Graz, Austria, where he grew up and started motor racing. Although Rindt never became an Austrian citizen, he did drive his entire career under an Austrian racing licence.
Despite being very successful in Formula 2 (by winning for instance the 1964 London Trophy), Rindt kept on choosing the wrong F1 cars. Rindt made his Formula One debut for the Rob Walker Racing Team in the 1964 Austrian Grand Prix. It was to be his only Grand Prix of the year. From 1965 to 1967, Rindt raced for the Cooper Car Company, scoring 32 points in 29 races. In 1968, Rindt raced for Brabham, but his season wasn't what he had hoped for because of technical problems. He also raced in the Indianapolis 500 in both 1967 and 1968, but finished no better than 24th.
wn.com/Jochen_Rindt -
Joey Hand
Joey Hand is an American professional race car driver. A former champion of the Star Mazda Series, Hand is best known as a sports car driver, and is co-winner of the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Born in 1979 in Sacramento, California, Hand is married to Natalie and has two children.
Hand began his career in kart racing, starting at the age of 12. Moving up to the Star Mazda Series in 1998, Hand won nine races in the series, winning the rookie of the year award in 1998 and the series championship in 1999.
Following an injury that sidelined him for most of the 1999 season, Hand moved up to the Toyota Atlantic series in 2001, scoring two wins in three years spent in the series, with a best championship finish of third in 2001.
Beginning with the 2004 season, Hand has raced in the Grand American Road Racing Association's Rolex Sports Car Series, racing in both the Grand Touring and Daytona Prototype classes, winning five times in the GT category while driving BMWs. Hand has also raced sporadically in the American LeMans Series; in 2006, Hand was involved in a spectacular end-over-end crash at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, while in 2009, he won the first pole position for a BMW in eight years in the ALMS at Road America.
wn.com/Joey_Hand -
John Andretti
John Andretti (born March 12, 1963) is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.
Andretti's father, Aldo Andretti, had his racing career cut short due to a racing accident. He also has a younger brother named Adam Andretti who has also competed in several racing series; they are both nephews of IndyCar racing legend Mario Andretti (Aldo's twin), cousin of Mario's sons Michael and Jeff. Andretti is the godson of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt. The Andretti family became the first family to have four relatives (Michael, Mario, Jeff, and John) compete in the same series (CART). In 1990, 1991 and 1992, they had four family members competing in the Indy 500.
In May 2011, John's son Jarett won his first USAC-sanctioned event competing in the Eastern Ford Focus Midget Championship at Hickory Motor Speedway. Jarett had only been racing since the summer of 2010.
wn.com/John_Andretti -
John Crosthwaite
John Crosthwaite (1925–2010) was an English race car designer and engineer, active in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
Crosthwaite worked with Cooper Cars, Colin Chapman at Team Lotus, and Mickey Thompson as well as drivers Graham Hill, Dan Gurney, and Jackie Stewart. He designed and built cars for Formula Junior and the 1962 and 1963 Indianapolis 500. A chassis specialist, he worked at Formula 1 team BRM and later drew up chassis for the Intermeccanica Italia and Reliant Scimitar GTE road cars.
John Crosthwaite was born at Thornaby Hall, Thornaby-on-Tees, Yorkshire on 9 October 1925. He was godson to Harold Macmillan, a family friend and local MP. He had three older sisters and a younger brother. His father, Cedric, was in the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and raced cars and motorcycles. Crosthwaite had a fascination with cars, motorbikes and aeroplanes from an early age.
During World War II he worked at A.V. Roe & Co (Avro) doing final assembly of Lancaster Bombers. Despite being in a reserved occupation he tried to join the RAF but during the medical discovered he was colour blind. He continued to volunteer for other services until AV Roe finally released him in 1943 to join the Royal Marines. In 1944 he was accepted in the Royal Marine Commandos the 'Green Berets'.
wn.com/John_Crosthwaite -
John Duff
John Francis Duff (January 17, 1895 – January 8, 1958) was a Canadian racecar driver who won many races and has been inducted in the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. He was one of only two Canadians who raced and won on England’s famous Brooklands Motor Course. The other, Kay Petre, is already an honoured member of the CMHF. Duff was the first Canadian to race in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. To date, he is the only Canadian to win the overall classification at Le Mans.
Duff also held over fifty world records for speed and endurance. Those records were sanctioned by the AIACR, the forerunner of today’s FIA. They included both class and absolute records. His achievements helped make the name of the Bentley car company. Duff scored a top-ten finish in his first Indianapolis 500 and a top-three in his first board track race. Those achievements make him one of the preeminent Canadian automobile racers of the first half of the twentieth century.
John Duff was born in Kiukiang, China. His parents were Canadians from Hamilton, Ontario who established a commercial outpost in nearby Kuling. As a boy, the rambunctious young Duff was sent to Hamilton for a good Victorian education. He lived there until he was sixteen. In 1912, Duff was back in Kuling. When war was declared in 1914, he travelled across Russia to England, where he joined the army. Gravely wounded at the Third Battle of Ypres, Duff was sent to a hospital in England where he met and married his nurse. In 1919, John Duff learned how to drive a car and became a dealer. In 1920, he started racing.
wn.com/John_Duff -
John Pew
John Pew (born April 1, 1956 in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American racing driver, who competes in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. He was a co-driver of the winning car in the 2012 24 Hours of Daytona.
Pew is married, to Stephanie. He is an avid recreational sailor who has sailed over 100,000 miles across the world's oceans and currently resides in North Palm Beach, Florida.
Pew began racing in 2000 in the Skip Barber Racing School. He made his professional debut in 2004 when he competed in 24 Hours of Daytona in a Baughman Racing Chevrolet Corvette. In 2005 he won the Star Mazda Championship Masters championship for drivers over 45 years old. He returned to the Star Mazda Masters series in 2006 but only managed sixth in points, but was the highest-finishing Masters driver in two races. In 2006 he also competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona in a Synergy Racing Porsche 911, finishing 17th. In 2007 Pew moved full-time to sports car racing in Grand-Am's Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class with Michael Shank Racing co-driving their car with Ian James. Pew finished 25th in drivers points in the DP class. In 2008 he, James, and Raphael Matos captured his first win at Miller Motorsports Park, and Pew improved to ninth in DP class points. In 2009 he returned to Michael Shank Racing, this time teaming with Michael Valiante and finished 12th in DP driver points.
wn.com/John_Pew -
John Surtees
John Surtees, OBE (born 11 February 1934, Tatsfield, Surrey) is a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver from England. He was 500cc motorcycle World Champion in 1956 and 1958–60, Formula One World Champion in 1964, and remains the only person to have won World Championships on both two and four wheels. He is also the ambassador of the Racing Steps Foundation.
Surtees is the son of a south London motorcycle dealer. He had his first professional outing in the sidecar of his father's Vincent, which they won. However, when race officials discovered Surtees's age, they were disqualified. He entered his first race at 15 in a grasstrack competition. In 1950, at the age of 16, he went to work for the Vincent factory as an apprentice. He made his first headlines in 1951 when he gave Norton star Geoff Duke a strong challenge in an ACU race at the Thruxton Circuit.
In 1955, Norton race chief Joe Craig gave Surtees his first factory sponsored ride aboard the Nortons. He finished the year by beating reigning world champion Duke at Silverstone and then at Brands Hatch. However, with Norton in financial trouble and uncertain about their racing plans, Surtees accepted an offer to race for the MV Agusta factory racing team.
wn.com/John_Surtees -
Johnny Herbert
John Paul Herbert (born 25 June 1964 in Brentwood, Essex, England) is a British racing driver from England. He competed in Formula One, winning three races, and also in sports cars winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1991 driving a Mazda 787B. He enjoyed much success in lower-level motor racing but never managed to achieve the same level of performance at the top level of motorsport.
During the mid-1980s, Johnny Herbert was widely regarded as a coming man of motor racing, comparable to the Scot Jim Clark. Winning the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in 1985, Herbert caught Eddie Jordan's attention, and together they won the 1987 British Formula Three title. Disaster struck in 1988, though, as Herbert, then a championship hopeful in International Formula 3000 was caught up in a major accident at Brands Hatch, badly breaking his legs in a fearsome impact with the barriers. It was an act of huge bravery that saw him back in a racing car at the beginning of 1989, despite the fact he could barely walk. Even more remarkably, he was now in Formula 1, scoring points on his debut in Brazil driving for the Benetton team, then managed by his long time mentor and friend Peter Collins.
wn.com/Johnny_Herbert -
João Barbosa
João Barbosa (born March 11, 1975 in Porto, Portugal) is a Portuguese auto racing driver. He currently competes in the Rolex Sports Car Series for Action Express Racing alongside Terry Borcheller and J.C. France. Along with Borcheller, Ryan Dalziel, and Mike Rockenfeller, he won the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
He began racing in karts and was the Portuguese kart racing champion for the 1988 and 1989 seasons. In 1994 he won the Portuguese Formula Ford championship; in 1995 he won the Italian Formula Alfa Boxster championship. and later drove in the Atlantic Championship.
Barbosa joined Level 5 Motorsports in 2011 for its Intercontinental Le Mans Cup program, which included a LMP2 class win at the 2011 Petit Le Mans and third place finishes at the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours and 2011 Six Hours of Imola. Barbosa will return to Level 5 Motorsports for select American Le Mans Series rounds in 2012, alongside a full-season Rolex Sports Car Series campaign with Action Express Racing.
wn.com/João_Barbosa -
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio (Italian pronunciation: [ˈfandʒo]; June 24, 1911 – July 17, 1995), nicknamed El Chueco ("knock-kneed") or El Maestro ("The Master"), was a racing car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing. He won five Formula One World Drivers' Championships — a record which stood for 46 years until bested by Michael Schumacher — with four different teams (Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Maserati), a feat that has not been repeated.
A member of the Formula 1 Hall of Fame, he is regarded by many as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time and holds the highest winning percentage in Formula One, 47.06%.
Fangio is the only Argentine driver to have won the Argentine Grand Prix, having won it four times in his career.
Fangio was born on San Juan's day in 1911 in Balcarce, a city in Buenos Aires Province of (Argentina). His father Loreto, immigrated to Argentina from the small, central Italian town of Castiglione Messer Marino. His mother Erminia Dérano from Tornareccio.[citation needed] Both parents are from the Chieti province, of the Abruzzo region.
wn.com/Juan_Manuel_Fangio -
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán (born September 20, 1975) is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating in and winning Formula One and CART race competitions. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He and wife Connie have three children: son Sebastian and daughters Paulina and Manuela.
The highlights of his career include winning the International F3000 championship in 1998, and the CART Championship Series in 1999, as well as victories in some of the most prestigious races in the world. He is the only driver to have won the premier North American open-wheel CART title, the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona, all at the first attempt. Montoya is one of two drivers to have won the CART title in his rookie year, the first being Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell in 1993. He has also equalled Graham Hill's feat of being a Monaco Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 race winner; Montoya is currently one of only two active drivers (along with Jacques Villeneuve) who has won two legs of the Triple Crown of Motorsport.
wn.com/Juan_Pablo_Montoya -
Jörg Bergmeister
Jörg Bergmeister (born February 13, 1976 in Leverkusen) is a race car driver from Germany.
His father, Willi Bergmeister, owns a workshop and dealership where Michael Schumacher learned his trade as a car mechanic in the 1980s.
Since 1996, Jörg has raced in the Porsche Carrera Cup. In 2006 he won the Grand-American Rolex Series Championship. He also won the 2003 24 Hours of Daytona overall in a Porsche 911 GT3-RS. His most recent achievement is 1st place at the 24 Hours of Daytona in the GT Class with TRG.
He also won the Porsche Supercup in 2001, and the German Cup in 2000. He is one of the tallest sport car drivers at 6'4" He also has a degree in economics. As of 2010, Jörg drives for Flying Lizard Motorsports in the American Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24 Hours and BMS Scuderia Italia in the FIA GT2 European Championship.
For 2012, Bergmeister will return with Flying Lizard Motorsports and co-driver Patrick Long.
wn.com/Jörg_Bergmeister -
Jörg Müller
Jörg Müller (born September 3, 1969 in Kerkrade, Netherlands) is a Dutch-born German race driver.
In 1989 Müller won the titles in German Formula Opel Lotus Challenge and in European Formula Ford 1600.
The 1994 German Formula Three Champion won a Supertouring car race for BMW in 1995 and the 1995-1996 Spa 24 Hours as well as the 1996 Formula 3000 Championship for team RSM Helmut Marko Lola-Zytek). He also won the prestigious Macau Grand Prix in 1993.
From 1997 to 1998, Müller was a Formula One testdriver for Arrows and Sauber-Petronas, before joining the BMW-WilliamsF1 project to do tests for engines and Michelin tyres from 1999 to 2001. He never managed to race in Formula 1 though.
From 1997 to 2000 he was also busy in sportscar racing, with drives for Nissan (and Porsche in the FIA GT Championship, 1998). He was part of the team that were winning the 24 Hours of Daytona in a Porsche 911 GT1 and leading the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans for 18 hours in a BMW V12 LMR.
In 2000 (BMW V12 LMR) and 2001 (BMW M3 GTR V8), Müller was successful in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) for BMW and Schnitzer Motorsport.
wn.com/Jörg_Müller -
Jürgen Barth
Jürgen Barth (born December 10, 1947 in Thum, Saxony) is a German engineer and a former racecar driver. He is the son of Formula One driver and sports car racer Edgar Barth.
Barth started out as an engineer but became one of the most successful drivers in sports car racing. He won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1977 in a Porsche 936, with Jacky Ickx and Hurley Haywood, and in 1980 he won the 1000km Nürburgring with Rolf Stommelen.
Barth is co-author of the book about Porsche's racing history, Das große Buch der Porschetypen, and later would help in the creation of the BPR Global GT Series.
wn.com/Jürgen_Barth -
Jürgen Lässig
Jürgen Lässig (born February 25, 1943 in Tuttlingen) is a German former racing driver.
Lässig began competing in endurance sports car racing, often World Sportscar Championship races in the early 1980s for Obermaier Racing and drove in several 24 Hours of Le Mans races. He and the Kremer Racing team were the winners of the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona. He retired after the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans driving for Kremer.
wn.com/Jürgen_Lässig -
Karl Wendlinger
Karl Wendlinger (born 20 December 1968 in Kufstein) is an Austrian sportscar racing and former Formula One driver.
Wendlinger started his career in karting and in Formula Ford before entering the German Formula 3 Championship in 1988. After managing tenth place in that inaugural season, Wendlinger won the crown in 1989, which earned him also a drive in the Mercedes-Benz sportscar team for 1990.
Driving the Sauber-Mercedes C11 - alongside Michael Schumacher, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Mauro Baldi and Jean-Louis Schlesser - the quintet managed to achieve fifth place in the 1990 World Sportscar Championship standings.
In 1991, he continued to race with Mercedes sportscars - alongside a Formula 3000 programme with the Helmut Marko team. Towards the end of the year, Mercedes' team boss Jochen Neerpasch placed two of his protégés in Formula One. Schumacher went to the Jordan team before signing for Benetton, whilst Wendlinger made a low key Formula One debut with the Leyton House outfit for the final two Grand Prix.
wn.com/Karl_Wendlinger -
Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Kazuyoshi Hoshino (Shinjitai: 星野 一義, Hoshino Kazuyoshi?, born in Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, 1 July 1947) is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.
Hoshino's nickname was "the fastest man/guy in Japan" (日本一速い男, Nippon ichi hayai otoko?). He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969.
Hoshino participated in two Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 24 October 1976 at the Japanese Grand Prix. Driving a Tyrrell-Ford for Heros Racing, he retired having used up his tyre supply. He returned in 1977 and once again entered the Japanese Grand Prix driving for Heros Racing. He finished in eleventh place driving a year-old Kojima-Ford. He scored no championship points in his Formula 1 career.
Hoshino won the Japanese Formula 2000 championship in 1975 and 1977, before winning the Japanese Formula Two championship in 1978. His only major world championship win was in the 1985 World Sportscar Championship round at the Fuji 1000 race, which was boycotted by many competing teams due to torrential rain. He then competed in the Japanese Formula 3000 championship, winning that title in 1987, 1990 and 1993. Like his compatriot, Masahiro Hasemi, he continued his career racing for Nissan, driving a Skyline GT-R to win the Japanese Touring Car Championship in 1990. Hoshino drove a Nissan R90C with Toshio Suzuki to win the 1990 Suzuka 1000 race. Hoshino and Suzuki also won the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship in 1991 and 1992. Along with Nissan Motorsports teammates Aguri Suzuki and Masahiko Kageyama, Hoshino drove a Nissan R390 GT1 to a third place finish at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans.
wn.com/Kazuyoshi_Hoshino -
Ken Miles
Ken Miles (born 1 November 1918 in Sutton Coldfield near Birmingham, England; died 17 August 1966 in Riverside, California, United States) was a sports car racing engineer and driver best known for his career in the USA and with American teams on the international scene.
Miles raced motorcycles before he served as a tank sergeant in the British Army in World War II.
After the war he raced Bugattis, Alfa Romeos and Alvises with the Vintage Sports Car Club. He then turned to a Ford V-8 Frazer-Nash.
Ken then moved from England to the Los Angeles, California area. In 1953 he won 14 straight victories in SCCA racing in an MG-based special of his own design and construction.
For the 1955 season, he designed, constructed and campaigned a second special based on MG components that was known as the "Flying Shingle". It was very successful in the SCCA F modified class on the west coast. Miles raced the "Flying Shingle" at Palm Springs in late March, finishing first overall against veteran driver Cy Yedor, also in a MG Special, and novice driver, actor James Dean in a Porsche 356 Speedster. Miles was later disqualified on a technical infraction because his fenders were too wide,thus allowing Yedor and Dean to get 'bumped up' to first and second. During 1956, Miles raced Johnny von Neumann's Porsche 550 Spyder at most of the Cal Club and SCCA events.
wn.com/Ken_Miles -
Kevin Buckler
Kevin Buckler (born c. 1959) is an American racecar driver and entrepreuener. He founded Adobe Road Winery and currently owns The Racer's Group, a professional sports car racing team, and a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, TRG Motorsports. Kevin's 2005 Adobe Road Cabernet Sauvignon won a 93 in Wine Spectator, as well as winning over 80 prizes both worldwide and locally.
Kevin Buckler is the founder and CEO of TRG (The Racer's Group) and TRG Motorsports, and is a professional race car driver and team owner. He has more than 100 professional starts with numerous pole positions and podium finishes. He has many notable finishes to his belt, including wins at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona in 2002 in the GT class and a historic overall win in 2003, which had not been done in over 25 years. He also won the 2002 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GT class. He was also a recipient of the famous Porsche World Cup. In 2005 and 2006, Kevin led TRG to back-to-back Grand American Rolex GT Championships, including the 2006 Triple Crown (Drivers, Team and Manufacturers Championships). In 2009, The Racer's Group finished 1-2 in the Rolex 24 in 2009. In 2010, the team won second and third. After much success at the head of The Racer's Group, Kevin founded TRG Motorsports, a NASCAR team currently in the 29th position in Owners and Driver's Points in the Sprint Cup series.
wn.com/Kevin_Buckler -
Klaus Ludwig
Klaus Ludwig (born 5 October 1949 in Bonn) is a German race driver.
Unlike Hans-Joachim Stuck, Rolf Stommelen, Harald Ertl, Hans Heyer and Jochen Mass, he has never raced in single seaters (just doing a few test drives). He is called König Ludwig for his success with touring cars and in sports car racing.
In the 1970s, Ludwig drove for Ford in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft, winning in 1979 with a Kremer-Porsche 935. With this car, based on the then 15 year old Porsche 911 road car design, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall in the wet, an unprecedented and never repeated win against the faster pure sports car racing prototypes.
In 1984 and 1985, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Joest Racing in their #7 Porsche 956. Considering Le Mans and sportcars too dangerous after the deaths of Manfred Winkelhock and Stefan Bellof, he was recruited for the 1987 World Touring Car Championship for Ford only to finish runner-up by a single point to BMW driver Roberto Ravaglia after a post-season disqualification. He then moved to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM), and became champion in 1988 in a Ford Sierra RS500. Ludwig also represented IMSA in the 1986 International Race of Champions, finishing 8th.
wn.com/Klaus_Ludwig -
Korean War
The Korean War (Korean: 한국전쟁 or 조선전쟁, Hanja: 韓國戰爭 or 朝鮮戰爭; 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was a war between the Republic of Korea (supported primarily by the United States of America, with contributions from allied nations under the aegis of the United Nations) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (supported by the People's Republic of China, with military and material aid from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). The Korean War was primarily the result of the political division of Korea by an agreement of the victorious Allies at the conclusion of the Pacific War at the end of World War II. The Korean Peninsula was ruled by the Empire of Japan from 1910 until the end of World War II. Following the surrender of the Empire of Japan in September 1945, American administrators divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel, with U.S. military forces occupying the southern half and Soviet military forces occupying the northern half.
wn.com/Korean_War -
Laurent Aïello
Laurent Aïello (born 23 May 1969 in Fontenay-aux-Roses) is a French race car driver.
In 1990 Aïello won the Monaco Grand Prix Formula Three support race. His two seasons in International Formula 3000 were not successful however, and though he won the French Formula Three Championship. 2005 was his final competitive season. In 1992 he switched to tin-tops the next year, never racing a single seater again.
He has won four touring car championships during his career – French Supertouring Championship in 1994, followed by the German Super Tourenwagen Cup in 1997. In his debut and only year in the British Touring Car Championship in 1999, he won the championship in a works Nissan Primera. He won his fourth title in 2002, in Germany's premier touring car event, the DTM. In 1998 he also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in a Porsche 911 GT1.
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position - 1 point awarded all races) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (* signifies that driver lead feature race for at least one lap - 1 point given)
wn.com/Laurent_Aïello -
Leo Kinnunen
Leo Juhani "Leksa" Kinnunen (born August 5, 1943 in Tampere) is a Finnish former car racer, the first Formula One driver from his country. He is also remembered for his success in sportscar racing and rallying.
Kinnunen won the Nordic Challenge Cup in 1969, the Interserie from 1971–1973, and helped Porsche to take the World Sportscar Championship for manufacturers in 1970 (drivers championships were not awarded until 1981). In 1974, he switched to Formula One, but in addition to the problems with the underpowered Surtees TS16, his team soon ran into financial problems. He was the last driver to compete in Formula One using an open-face helmet.
Kinnunen started his racing career on motorcycles, but switched to four wheels after receiving his driver's license in the early 1960s. He quickly gained success in rallying, autocross and ice racing. He finished runner-up in the Finnish Rally Championship and matched the points total of the winner Simo Lampinen. Kinnunen also participated in the Finnish F3 Championship with an outdated Brabham in 1967, and a Titan which he drove to several victories in 1968, including one at Ahvenisto Race Circuit in which he managed to beat Swedish future Formula One star Ronnie Peterson.
wn.com/Leo_Kinnunen -
Les Richter
Leslie Alan Richter (October 26, 1930 – June 12, 2010) was a Los Angeles Rams National Football League football player, former head of operations for NASCAR and president of the Riverside International Raceway. He played in 8 Pro Bowls as a linebacker. Richter was born in Fresno, California. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
After graduating from the University of California in 1952, where he played guard and linebacker, he served in the U.S. Army for two years. He was a first-round draft choice of the NFL's New York Yanks, the 2nd pick overall, in the 1952 NFL Draft. The Yanks folded before the 1952 season, and the Dallas Texans (NFL) assumed the rights to Richter. They traded him to the Los Angeles Rams for eleven players, the 2nd largest deal ever made for a single player. The largest was in 1953, when Cleveland and Baltimore made a 15-player trade. One of the Browns traveling to Baltimore was defensive back Don Shula. (1)
During his 9 years with the Rams, Richter intercepted 16 passes and scored 193 points which included 1 touchdown, 106 extra points, and 29 field goals. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982. On August 25, 2010 he was nominated as a senior candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2011 along with former Washington Redskins linebacker Chris Hanburger
wn.com/Les_Richter -
Lloyd Ruby
Lloyd Ruby (January 12, 1928 – March 23, 2009) was an American racecar driver.
Ruby raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1958-1977 seasons, with 177 career starts, including every Indianapolis 500 race during 1960-1977. He finished in the top ten 88 times, with 7 victories. His best Indy finish was 3rd in 1964. In 1966 he led the Indy 500 for 68 laps.
Ruby won seven times on the USAC Championship Car Series in his career and also had endurance racing victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the United States Grand Prix. He was booked to drive in the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hour Race, however did not start as he suffered spinal injuries in a plane crash after taking off from Indianapolis Motor Speed Way Airport.
However, he is best known for the race he didn’t win. His biography, written by Ted Buss in 2000, was titled: "Lloyd Ruby: The Greatest Driver Never to Win the Indy 500." Ruby led five of them for a total of 126 laps, however his best finish at Indianapolis was third in 1964. His only other top five finish at the 500 came in 1968. Five other times he placed in the top 10. In 1991, he was inducted into the Indianapolis 500 Hall of Fame.
wn.com/Lloyd_Ruby -
Lorenzo Bandini
Lorenzo Bandini (21 December 1935 – 10 May 1967) was an Italian motor racing driver who raced in Formula One for the Scuderia Centro Sud and Ferrari teams.
Bandini was born in Barce,Cyrenaica,Libya, then an Italian colony. The family returned to Italy in 1939 and resided near Florence, Italy. When he was 15 his father died. Bandini left home and found a job as an apprentice mechanic in the Freddi workshop in Milan.
He made his way into auto racing from competing on motorcycles. He started racing cars in 1957 in a borrowed Fiat 1100. The wealthy and kindhearted Freddi moulded Bandini's career and assisted him from the start of it.
He achieved a first class victory at the Mille Miglia, in a Lancia Appia Zagato, in 1958, and a class win the same year in the 500cc Berkeley in the 12-hour race at Monza. He then raced in Formula Junior until 1961. Bandini purchased a Volpini Formula Junior car and placed third in his first race in Sicily. In 1959 and 1960 he drove a Formula Junior Stanguellini. In 1960 he placed fourth in the Formula Junior World Championship.
wn.com/Lorenzo_Bandini -
Louis Krages
Louis Krages, more commonly known by his pseudonym John Winter, (12 August 1949 in Bremen – 11 January 2001 in Atlanta, Georgia) was a German racing driver and businessman.
He used the pseudonym to prevent his family, mainly his mother, from learning about his "hobby".
As John Winter, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1985 with the Porsche 956 of Joest Racing, with Klaus Ludwig and Paolo Barilla. Winter drove a single stint in the early hours of Sunday in support of his teammates. After the success and the publicity involved, his alter ego was revealed to his family when, the next day, his mother picked up a newspaper, with a picture of Louis in the rostrum.
Winter spent many seasons competing in the German Interserie series, usually racing privately entered Porsches, taking the title in 1986. Winter was also a regular entrant at Le Mans, competing 10 times at the race. Apart from his victory, his best finish was third in a Joest Racing Porsche 962 in 1988. He would also won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1991 for Joest in the same car and also drove in the IMSA GTP until 1993 when the series ended, making the car obsolete.
wn.com/Louis_Krages -
Louis Rosier
Louis Rosier (born in Chapdes-Beaufort, 5 November 1905 – died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, 29 October 1956 ) was a racing driver from France.
He participated in 38 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 13 May 1950. He achieved 2 podiums, and scored a total of 18 championship points. He won the Dutch Grand Prix twice in consecutive years between 1950 and 1951, the Circuit d'Albi, Grand-Prix de l'Albigeois and the 24 Hours of Le Mans with his son Jean-Louis Rosier. Rosier owned the Renault dealership of Clermont-Ferrand.
wn.com/Louis_Rosier -
Loïc Duval
Loïc Duval (born 12 June 1982 in Chartres) is a French race car driver.
He began his career in karting and in 2002 was the French Formula Campus champion. In 2003 he was the French Formula Renault champion. In 2004 he placed eleventh with two podiums in the Formula Three Euroseries and tested for Renault F1. The next year he finished sixth in F3 Euroseries and won a pole at the Macau Grand Prix. He then moved to Japan where he began racing in Formula Nippon and Super GT. In 2007 he continued in Formula Nippon and made two starts for A1 Team France in the A1 Grand Prix series in Australia and New Zealand. He won the 2009 Formula Nippon Championship with four wins driving for Nakajima Racing after finishing second in 2008.
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
wn.com/Loïc_Duval -
Lucien Bianchi
Lucien Bianchi (10 November 1934 – 30 March 1969), born Luciano Bianchi, was a Belgian racing driver who raced for the Cooper, ENB, UDT Laystall and Scuderia Centro Sud teams in Formula One. He entered a total of 19 Formula One World Championship races, scoring six points and had a best finish of third at the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix.
Bianchi was born in Milan, Italy, but moved to Belgium in 1946 when he was still a child, with his father who was a race mechanic working, before the Second World War, in the Alfa Romeo competition department. His grandnephew, Jules Bianchi, is currently racing in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, competing under a French sporting licence.
Lucien Bianchi's first race event was at the Alpine Rally in 1951. He won the 1957, 1958 and 1959 Tour de France as well as the Paris 1000 sports car race in the latter two years.
He entered Formula One in 1959, although only with sporadic appearances at first. He drove various cars under the banner of the ENB team, including a Cooper T51, a Lotus 18 and an Emeryson. After a couple of races for the UDT Laystall team in 1961, driving another Lotus, he returned to ENB for whom he drove their ENB-Maserati. He finally secured a more regular drive in Formula One in 1968, with the Cooper-BRM team, although success was elusive despite a bright start. Bianchi managed his best Formula One performance, finishing third at the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix, in his first race for Cooper.
wn.com/Lucien_Bianchi -
Ludovico Scarfiotti
Ludovico Scarfiotti (18 October 1933 - 8 June 1968) was a Formula One and sports car driver from Italy. Just prior to entering Formula One, he won the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans for Ferrari. He later participated in 12 World Championship Formula One grands prix, and many non-championship races. He won one World Championship race, and scored a total of 17 championship points. A motor sports competitor for a decade, Scarfiotti won the 1962 European mountain driving title. He was proclaimed Italy's best driver in both 1962 and 1965.
Scarfiotti was born in Turin. Scarfiotti was associated with cars from his youth. His grandfather was the first president and one of the nine founders of the Fiat automobile company.
Scarfiotti competed in the 1,000 Kilometres de Paris sports car race in October 1962. He finished third with teammate Colin Davis. The event was won by Pedro Rodríguez and Ricardo Rodríguez driving a Ferrari. Partnered with Lorenzo Bandini, Scarfiotti was victorious in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 1963. Their factory Ferrari achieved an average speed of 117.99 miles per hour over a distance of 2,832 miles (4,558 km). The victory was worth almost $20,000 in various prize money along with prestige, and gave Ferrari its fourth consecutive Le Mans victory.
wn.com/Ludovico_Scarfiotti -
Luigi Chinetti
Luigi Chinetti (July 17, 1901 – August 17, 1994) was an Italian-born racecar driver, who emigrated to the United States during World War II and became an American citizen.
Born in Jerago con Orago in the north of Milan, he began work for Alfa Romeo as a mechanic in 1917 at the age of sixteen. The rise of fascism in his native country prompted his move to Paris where he worked for Alfa Romeo as an automobile salesman and became a sports car driver.
Driving an Alfa Romeo race car entered by his co-driver Raymond Sommer, Chinetti won at his very first 24 hours of Le Mans race in 1932. The following year, with Louis Chiron as co-driver, he won the SPA 24 Hours endurance race in Belgium. He teamed up with Philippe Étancelin in 1934 to win his second 24 hours of Le Mans.
Following the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Chinetti initially went to the United States of America with Dreyfus from the Ferrari team, for the 1940 Indy 500. He remained in the U.S. during the war, working for the Italian dealer, importer, and master mechanic, Alfred Momo. [1] Luigi Chinetti became an American citizen in 1946.
wn.com/Luigi_Chinetti -
Luis Fontés
Luis Fontés (born 26 December 1912 in London, died 12 October 1940 at Llandow) was a British racing driver of Brazilian parentage who, along with John Stuart Hindmarsh, won the 1935 24 Hours of Le Mans for the Lagonda automobile company. He also held a pilot's licence after learning to fly at Reading Aerodrome, Berkshire, UK, and entered his own Miles Hawk Speed Six racing aeroplane (registered G-ADGP) in the prestigious King's Cup Air Race in 1935. Fontés later briefly served as an Air Transport Auxiliary ferry pilot during World War II but was killed on 12 October 1940 while delivering a Vickers Wellington Mk1C bomber to an RAF Aircraft Storage Unit at Llandow in South Wales. The Le Mans Lagonda M45R ('BPK 202') survives in the Dutch National Automobile Museum at Raamsdonksveer and the aeroplane was owned and raced for many years postwar by the late Ron Paine but is now owned by retired Concorde pilot Roger Mills and flies from White Waltham airfield, Berkshire, UK.
wn.com/Luis_Fontés -
Manuel Reuter
Manuel Reuter (born 6 December 1961 in Mainz) is a German former race car driver.
He has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice:
He also won the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft/ITC in 1996 for Opel in a Opel Calibra V6.
Reuter continued to race in the Super Tourenwagen Cup for Opel.
When Opel retired from the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters after 2005, he also retired.
wn.com/Manuel_Reuter -
Marc Gené
Marc Gené i Guerrero (born March 29, 1974 in Sabadell, Spain) is a motor racing driver, from Catalonia, Spain. He is best known as a tester for Williams and Ferrari in Formula One, Minardi Formula One driver and factory driver for Peugeot's Le Mans team, with which he won the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans. His brother Jordi is also a racing driver, competing in the WTCC for SEAT.
He had 36 starts in Formula One, mostly through two seasons with the Minardi team, with which he scored a sixth place finish at the attrition-filled 1999 European Grand Prix.
From 2010 season, Marc Gené comments the F1 races for Spain's TV broadcaster LaSexta.
Gené finished runner-up in the 1987 Catalan Kart Championship (National Class) at the age of 13; he would win both this and the National Class Spanish Kart Championship in 1988. In 1989 he competed in both the European and World championships. Gene won the Senior Class of the 1990 Spanish Kart Championship, making him the youngest driver to do so. He competed again in the World Championship in 1991, placing 13th.
wn.com/Marc_Gené -
Marco Werner
Marco Werner (born April 27, 1966 in Dortmund) is a professional racer from Germany.
In his early career, Werner was Formula Opel vice-champion in 1990 (behind Mika Häkkinen) and German F3 vice-champion in 1991 (behind Pedro Lamy).
Having failed to graduate to Formula One, Werner switched to sports car racing and touring car racing. Werner was a regular driver in the STW and Porsche Supercup during the 1990s, but he found more success in the 24 Hours of Daytona, which he won in 1995 in a Kremer-Porsche.
In 2001 he joined Audi Sport Team Joest, becoming a regular driver in the American Le Mans Series. Werner won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2005 with an Audi R8, and in 2006 and 2007 with an Audi R10.
In 2008, he co-drove the Audi R10 in the American Le Mans Series with Lucas Luhr to six overall victories and eight class wins, taking the LMP1 drivers title.
wn.com/Marco_Werner -
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR (the other being Dan Gurney). He also won races in midget cars, and sprint cars. During his career, Andretti won the 1978 Formula One World Championship, four IndyCar titles (three under USAC-sanctioning, one under CART), and IROC VI. To date, he remains the only driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500 (1969), Daytona 500 (1967) and the Formula One World Championship, and, along with Juan Pablo Montoya, the only driver to have won a race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Formula One, and an Indianapolis 500. No American has won a Formula One race since Andretti's victory at the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix. Andretti had 109 career wins on major circuits.
Andretti had a long career in racing. He was the only person to be named United States Driver of the Year in three decades (1967, 1978, and 1984). He was also one of only three drivers to win races on road courses, paved ovals, and dirt tracks in one season, a feat that he accomplished four times. With his final IndyCar win in April 1993, Andretti became the first driver to win IndyCar races in four different decades and the first to win automobile races of any kind in five.
wn.com/Mario_Andretti -
Mark Blundell
Mark Blundell (born Barnet, London, 8 April 1966) is a Formula One, sports car, and CART racing driver. He was a Formula One presenter for the British broadcaster ITV until the end of the 2008 season when the TV broadcasting rights switched to the BBC.
He first dabbled in motor racing at the age of 14, racing motocross bikes across England. He was an immediate success, eventually becoming one of the top-ranked riders in Britain, winning a few championships. At the age of 17 he made the switch to four wheels in Britain's Formula Ford. Again, he was rewarded with instant success, and in his first season he placed second in both British Junior Formula Ford Championships (despite 25 wins and 24 poles). The following year, Mark won both the Esso British and Snetterton FF1600 crowns. The next year, he upgraded his ride to the more powerful FF2000 category, and promptly won the BBC Grandstand series. He even returned to FF1600 for the European Championship racing, taking pole, and finishing fourth overall. With 1986 came another championship in FF2000, this time the European title.
wn.com/Mark_Blundell -
Mark Dismore
Mark Dismore (born October 12, 1956 in Greenfield, Indiana) is a former driver in the Indy Racing League and the 1990 Toyota Pacific champion as well as the winner of the 1993 24 Hours of Daytona with Dan Gurney's All American Racers in a Toyota GTP car with co-drivers Rocky Moran and P. J. Jones. He made 3 CART starts in 1991 but was badly injured in a practice crash for the Indianapolis 500, when his car veered sharply towards the entrance of pit road at the exit of Turn 4 and back-ended the fence, only to careen across the pit lane and smash virtually head on at sizeable speed against the edge of pit wall; this later impact virtually ripping the car in two pieces. Amongst the injuries he suffered, the most severe was a broken neck. He was largely out of open wheel racing until the 1996 Indy 500 where he drove for Team Menard though he did try to qualify in the 1992 Indianapolis 500 for Concept Motorsports in an outdated Lola/Buick. In 1997 he drove a second car at the Indy 500 for Kelley Racing and would become a full-time fixture there until the 2001 season. He returned to Menard for a partial season in 2002. Dismore has a single IRL win coming in the fall 1999 Texas Motor Speedway race and also finished a career-best third in points that season. Among his 62 career IRL starts he won four poles. He also represented the IRL in the International Race of Champions in 2000 and 2001. He now owns and operates a Karting facility in New Castle, Indiana as well as Comet Kart Sales in Greenfield, Indiana. He is married with two children.
wn.com/Mark_Dismore -
Mark Donohue
Mark Neary Donohue, Jr. (March 18, 1937 – August 19, 1975), nicknamed "Captain Nice", was an American racecar driver known for his ability to set up his own race car as well as driving it to victories. Donohue is probably best known as the driver of the 1500+ bhp “Can-Am Killer” Porsche 917-30 and as the winner of the 1972 Indianapolis 500. Cars that Donohue raced include: AMC Javelin, AMC Matador, Chevrolet Camaro, Eagle-Offy, Elva Courier, Ford GT-40 MK IV, Ferrari 250LM, Ferrari 512, Lola T70, Lola T330, Lotus 20, McLaren M16, Porsche 911, Porsche 917/10, Porsche 917/30, Shelby Cobra, and Shelby Mustang GT350R.
Donohue was born in Haddon Township, New Jersey and grew up in Summit, New Jersey. He attended the Pingry School in Hillside, New Jersey and upon graduation, he entered Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Donohue was graduated in 1959 with a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering and began racing his 1957 Corvette casually at the age of twenty-two. He won his first event, a Belknap County, New Hampshire hillclimb, in that car. Eventually, through networking with various SCCA drivers, he was introduced to a well-known retired race driver and as-yet unsuccessful race team owner named Roger Penske.
wn.com/Mark_Donohue -
Martin Brundle
Martin John Brundle (born 1 June 1959 in King's Lynn, Norfolk) is a British racing driver from England, known as a Formula One driver and as an F1 commentator for ITV Sport from 1997 to 2008, the BBC from 2009 to 2011 and Sky Sports from 2012.
Brundle contested the British Formula Three Championship with Ayrton Senna in 1983, finishing a close second, and the two progressed to Formula One the next year. Brundle failed to score a victory at the top level of single seaters, but he has been very successful in other disciplines. He was the 1988 World Sportscar Champion, with a record points haul, and won the 1990 Le Mans 24 hour Race for Jaguar in an XJR-12.
Brundle had an unorthodox route to Formula One. He began his racing career at the age of 12, competing in grass track racing, in the Norfolk village of Pott Row. In 1975, he moved to Hot Rod racing and received 'Star grade' status. In 1979, he started single seaters with Formula Ford. During this time, he also raced Tom Walkinshaw's BMW race cars, achieving second against a field of international drivers at Snetterton. He won the BMW championship in 1980 and partnered Sir Stirling Moss in the BP/Audi team of 1981. In 1982, he moved up to Formula 3 achieving five poles and two wins in his debut season. He won the Grovewood Award as the most promising Commonwealth driver. The next year, he battled Ayrton Senna for the F3 championship, which Brundle eventually lost on the final laps of the last race. In 1984, he was promoted to Formula One.
wn.com/Martin_Brundle -
Masahiro Hasemi
Masahiro Hasemi (Shinjitai: 長谷見 昌弘, Hasemi Masahiro?, born Tokyo, 13 November 1945) is a former racing driver and team owner from Japan. He started racing motocross when he was 15 years old. In 1964 he signed to drive for Nissan. After establishing himself in saloon car and GT races in Japan, he participated in his only Formula One race at the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix for Kojima on 24 October 1976. He qualified 10th after an error which cost him his chance of a pole position and finished 11th, seven laps behind the winner. Notably, however, he also set the fastest lap of the race.
Hasemi became the Japanese Formula 2 champion in 1980, after that he reverted to racing Skylines, which he became heavily synonymous with in Group 5, touring cars and JGTC. He won the Japanese Touring Car Championship in 1989, 1991 and 1992. He also won the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship in 1990, with the controversial win at the Guia Touring Car race at the Macau Grand Prix in 1990 and Daytona 24 hour in 1992. Hasemi retired from driving in 2001 and now runs Hasemi Sport, a JGTC racing team and Nissan aftermarket parts company.
wn.com/Masahiro_Hasemi -
Masanori Sekiya
Masanori Sekiya (関谷 正徳, Sekiya Masanori?, born 27 November 1949) is a racing car driver from Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, most famous for being the first Japanese driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1995.
Sekiya drove in single-seaters in his early career, contesting the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship and Formula Nippon from 1987 to 1993, mostly for the Leyton House team. He never achieved any victories, but finished 4th in the standings in 1988 and 1989, scoring three and four podiums, respectively.
A long-time works Toyota driver, Sekiya drove in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship, All Japan Grand Touring Championship and Japanese Touring Car Championship, a series which he won in 1994, driving a Toyota Chaser for the Tom's team. He was also runner-up the following year.
As Sekiya is rather fond of Le Mans, in 1987, he got married in the town prior to the race. His best result in international sports car racing was winning the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, at the wheel of a McLaren F1 GTR for Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing. He became the first Japanese-born driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was also fourth in the 1993 edition. He competed in the JGTC until the 2000 season and now works as team manager for the Super GT division of the Toyota Team TOM'S and also runs a racing school at Fuji Speedway. In 1998, Sekiya also appeared in a TV commercial in Japan driving a JZA80 Supra promoting its handling package.
wn.com/Masanori_Sekiya -
Masten Gregory
Masten Gregory (February 29, 1932 – November 8, 1985) was a racing driver from the United States. He raced in Formula One between 1957 and 1965, participating in 43 World Championship races, and numerous non-Championship races.
Known as the "Kansas City Flash", Masten Gregory was born in Kansas City, Missouri as the youngest of three children (brother Riddelle L. Gregory Jr, sister Nancy James) and heir to an insurance company fortune. Gregory was well known for his youngish looks and thick eyeglasses, due to his "terrible" eyesight. Although he attended the Pembroke-Country Day School in Kansas City, he left school before completing his senior year, and married Luella Hewitt at the age of 19. His father died when he was 3 years old, and Gregory used his inheritance to buy a Mercury-powered Allard, which he drove in his first race, the 50-mile (80 km) SCCA race in Caddo Mills, Texas in November 1952. He retired from that race due to head gasket failure, but installed a new engine in his car to race at Sebring in 1953, where he again retired, this time due to a rear suspension failure. Gregory's first win came in just his third race, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Changing to a Jaguar, Gregory won several races in America, including the Guardsmans Trophy in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco and a race at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. At the end of 1953, Gregory was invited to his first international sports car race - the 1000 km Buenos Aires in Argentina, which he finished in 14th due to water pump problems.
wn.com/Masten_Gregory -
Maurice Trintignant
Maurice Bienvenu Jean Paul Trintignant (30 October 1917, Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes, Vaucluse – 13 February 2005, Nîmes) was a motor racing driver and vintner from France. He competed in the Formula One World Championship for fourteen years, between 1950 and 1964, one of the longest careers in the early years of F1. During this time he also competed in sports car racing, including winning the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Following his retirement from the track Trintignant concentrated on the wine trade.
Maurice Trintignant was the brother of Bugatti race car driver Louis Trintignant — who was killed in 1933, in practice, at Péronne, Picardie — and the uncle of renowned French film actor Jean-Louis Trintignant.
He began racing in 1938, and won the 1939 Grand Prix des Frontières, but his career was interrupted by World War II, during which his own Bugatti was stored in a barn. When he rebuilt it for a 1945 event, the Coupé de la Liberation, he overlooked a clogged fuel filter, which caused him to drop out of the event. It transpired that the filter was plugged with rat droppings, earning him the unenviable nickname Le Petoulet, "the rat-droppings".
wn.com/Maurice_Trintignant -
Mauro Baldi
Mauro Baldi (born January 31, 1954 in Reggio Emilia) is an Italian former Formula One driver who raced for the Arrows, Alfa Romeo and Spirit teams.
He started his career in rallying in 1972 and turned to circuit racing in 1975 with the Italian Renault 5 Cup. By 1980 he had become a top Formula 3 driver, winning the Monaco F3 Grand Prix and the 1981 European Formula 3 Championship with eight victories. In 1982 he signed to drive for Arrows before moving to Alfa Romeo in 1983, scoring a fifth place in Zandvoort. When Benetton became Alfa Romeo's team sponsor in 1984, Baldi lost his drive, and joined the underfunded Spirit team until 1985.
After retiring from Formula One he went to enjoy a successful career in sports car racing, driving for the works Martini-Lancia team in 1984 and 1985. In 1986, he switched to a Porsche 956 from Richard Lloyd Racing's outfit, returning to a works drive in 1988 with the Sauber-Mercedes team, with whom Baldi won the 1990 FIA World Sports Prototype Championship for Drivers, sharing the car with Jean-Louis Schlesser. In 1991 and 1992 he was a driver for Peugeot. He had a brief return to F1, doing most of the test driving for the Modena Lambo project.
wn.com/Mauro_Baldi -
Max Angelelli
Massimiliano Angelelli (born 15 December 1966 in Bologna) is an Italian race car driver.
His career begun in Italian Formula Alfa Boxer in 1987 and continued for 15 years. His only championship win as the 1992 Italian Formula Three title. Following that win he also raced German Formula Three (1993–1995), Macau Grand Prix for Formula 3 (1996), FIA GT Championship (1997–1998) and American Le Mans Series (1999–2002).
Angelelli is nicknamed the Axe because he has a knack of closing up and "chopping" off seconds behind the leader quickly in a race to set himself up to make a clean pass for the win.
Angelelli had a banner year in 2005. Angelelli and teammate Wayne Taylor won the 24 Hours of Daytona and captured the 2005 Grand American Daytona Prototype championship.
Angelelli was selected to run in the 2006 IROC series in America, along with teammate Wayne Taylor, becoming the first tandem in IROC history.
Angelelli is also known for being the safety car driver in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Ayrton Senna followed Angelelli's safety car for 5 laps before his fatal accident.
wn.com/Max_Angelelli -
Max Papis
Massimiliano "Max" Papis (born October 3, 1969 in Como, Italy) is a racing driver who has competed in several top-level motorsports events such as Le Mans 24 Hours, Formula One and Champ Car. He has three Champ Car victories. He is the son-in-law of Emerson Fittipaldi. His son's godfather is fellow Italian Alex Zanardi. He currently drives the #9 Geico Toyota Tundra for Germain Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
After a spell as the Lotus team's test driver in 1994, Papis replaced Gianni Morbidelli in the Footwork team for seven races in the middle of the 1995 Formula One season, as he brought valuable sponsorship to the cash-strapped outfit. Despite being a race-winner in Formula 3000, he often struggled with the unfamiliar car, and was occasionally outpaced by his much-maligned team-mate, Taki Inoue. He also proved to be an unlucky driver, suffering a spectacular puncture and suspension failure on his début race at Silverstone due to clipping the pit lane wall after a tire change, being left on the grid at Hockenheim due to a transmission failure, and spinning on dust and oil kicked up by David Coulthard at the Ascari Chicane on the first lap of the Italian GP, causing a pile-up and a restart. However, he only missed out on a point in the restarted race when he was overtaken by Jean-Christophe Bouillon's Sauber on the last lap. When Morbidelli returned, Papis was out of a drive and headed to America for 1996.
wn.com/Max_Papis -
Memo Rojas
Guillermo "Memo" Rojas, Jr. (born August 18, 1981) is a Mexican professional race car driver. Successful in American sports car racing, Rojas is a two-time series champion in the Rolex Sports Car Series and a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona. He is the first Mexican driver to win a major American racing championship.
Rojas was born in 1981 in Mexico City, Mexico.
Rojas began his racing career in 1993, racing karts; in 1996 he moved up to professional racing in the Mexican Formula Two series. Heading to the United States in 1997, he joined the Barber Dodge series, before returning to Mexico in 1998 to race for two years in the national Formula Three series.
Returning to the United States in 2000, he spent two years racing in the American Formula Ford 2000 series, before moving up to the Barber Dodge Pro Series for the 2002 and 2003 seasons, claiming two wins during his time in the series, and finishing second in the series championship in 2003. He then graduated to the European Formula Renault series with DAMS Racing in 2004, scoring two top-five finishes over the course of the year. In 2005 he returned to the United States, racing in the Toyota Atlantic championship series for a single race at the Fundidora Park circuit in Monterrey.
wn.com/Memo_Rojas -
Michael Schrom
Michael Schrom is an American racing driver from Ghent, New York.
Schrom was a full-time competitor in Porsche Cup series who also drove a Porsche 911 in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003. In 2003, the The Racer's Group Porsche driven by Schrom, team owner Kevin Buckler, Timo Bernhard, and Jorg Bergmeister was the surprise overall winner of the race. In 2002, Schrom and Buckler were honored as the two most successful private Porsche racing drivers in the world for finishing 1st and 2nd in the Porsche Cup.
Michael Schrom is also owner of Michael Schrom and Company. He has shot over 1600 television commercials for a diverse, wide ranging client roster which includes, but not exclusively, such prominent companies as Wendy's International, Carlson Food Group (owner of the T.G. I. Friday's restaurant chain), McDonald's, Maybelline, Stouffers, L'Oreal, and Lean Cuisine. Michael Schrom has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Film from The Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
wn.com/Michael_Schrom -
Michele Alboreto
Michele Alboreto (born 23 December 1956 in Milan, Italy; died 25 April 2001 in Klettwitz, Brandenburg, Germany) was an Italian racing driver. He is famous for finishing runner up to Alain Prost in the 1985 Formula One World Championship, as well as winning the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans and 2001 12 Hours of Sebring sports car races. Alboreto competed in Formula One from 1981 until 1994, racing for a number of teams, most notably his five seasons (1984-88) driving for Ferrari.
The Italian's career in motorsport began in 1976, racing a car he and a number of his friends had built in the Formula Monza series. The car, however, achieved very little success and two years later Alboreto moved up to Formula Three. Wins in the Italian Formula Three championship and a European Formula Three Championship crown in 1980 paved the way for the Italian's entrance into Formula One with the Tyrrell team.
Two wins, the first in the final round of the 1982 season in Las Vegas, and the second a year later in Detroit, earned him a place with the Ferrari team. Alboreto took three wins for the Italian team and challenged Alain Prost for the 1985 Championship, eventually losing out by 20 points. Following a poor 1988 campaign, the Italian left Ferrari and re-signed with his former employers Tyrrell, where he stayed until joining Larrousse mid-way through 1989.
wn.com/Michele_Alboreto -
Mickey Thompson
Marion Lee "Mickey" Thompson (December 7, 1928 - March 16, 1988) was an American off-road racing legend. He won many championships as a racer, and later formed sanctioning bodies SCORE International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG). He also raced in dragsters and land speed record automobiles.
Thompson was born in Alhambra, California. He was known universally as "Mickey." In his early twenties, he worked for the Los Angeles Times newspaper while becoming involved in the new sport of drag racing. He developed a brilliant career as both a driver and an innovative automotive technician; later as a designer, manufacturer and seller of racing and performance equipment. In addition to being a drag racing champion, Mickey Thompson set more speed and endurance records than any other man in automotive history. He is credited with designing and building the first slingshot dragster in 1954, moving the seat behind the rear axle to improve traction when the existing racing tires proved unsuitable. A change so momentous would not happened again until Don Garlits introduced the rear-engined digger in 1971. Thompson also was noted for being the first manager of Lions Drag Strip near Long Beach, California in 1955.
wn.com/Mickey_Thompson -
Mike Hawthorn
John Michael Hawthorn (10 April 1929 – 22 January 1959) was a racing driver, born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, and educated at Ardingly College, West Sussex.
Mike Hawthorn made his competition debut driving his 1934 Riley Ulster Imp, KV 9475, winning the 1,100 c.c. sports car class at the Brighton Speed Trials on 2 September 1950. In 1951, driving a 1½-litre T.T. Riley, he entered the Motor Sport Brooklands Memorial Trophy, a season-long contest run at Goodwood, winning it by one point. He also won the Ulster Trophy Handicap at Dundrod and the Leinster Trophy at Wicklow that year.
With the Drivers' World Championship being run for two litre Formula Two cars in 1952, due to the shortage of competitive 4.5 litre F1 cars, Hawthorn was able to enter the sport at the highest level, when a friend obtained the agreement of John Cooper to provide Hawthorn with a competitive lightweight Cooper-Bristol. His debut at Silverstone was sensational, he won his heat and finished second in the final, outclassing much of the best British and International talent.
wn.com/Mike_Hawthorn -
Mike Parkes
Michael Johnson Parkes (born September 24, 1931 in Richmond, Surrey; died August 28, 1977 near Turin, Italy) was an English racing driver.
He participated in 7 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on July 18, 1959. He achieved two podiums, and scored a total of 14 championship points. He also secured one pole position. When not racing cars, Parkes worked as an automotive engineer.
Willy Mairesse and Parkes came in second in the 1000km Nürburgring race in May 1962. Their Ferrari placed after the winning car of the same marque driven by Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien. The race was 44 laps. Parkes finished a mere car length behind Graham Hill in the 28th Royal Automobile Club tourist trophy race in August 1963.Umberto Maglioli and Parkes drove one of the Ferraris which claimed the top five qualifying positions for the 1964 12 Hours of Sebring. The Ferraris were stocked with new power plants. Parkes was clocked at 3:10.4. In the race Parkes established a speed record and completed the most miles ever for a winner.
wn.com/Mike_Parkes -
Mike Rockenfeller
Mike Rockenfeller (born October 31, 1983 in Neuwied), nicknamed "Rocky", is a German race car driver, currently an Audi factory driver competing in the Le Mans Series and DTM.
Rockenfeller began racing karts in 1995 at age of 11, winning the Bambini North state championship. He competed in various local and national karting series in the 1990s. In 2002, he won the Jörg van Ommen Kart Cup Super Series.
In 2001, Rockenfeller moved to cars, and finished 4th in the Formula König championship, winning one race. In 2002, he joined the Porsche Junior team and raced in the German Carrera Cup, finishing 10th, and in a partial Porsche Supercup season. In 2003, he finished 2nd in the German Carrera Cup championship, and made his American Le Mans Series debut at Petit Le Mans, finishing 10th in GT2 class. In 2004, Rockenfeller won the German Carrera Cup and also won two races in Porsche Supercup. At that year he also raced at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 1000km of Nürburgring, and Petit Le Mans.
2005 became Rockenfeller's breakthrough year. He became a full Porsche factory driver and won the GT2 class driver championship title in the FIA GT Championship driving with Marc Lieb for GruppeM Racing. He collected 6 class wins, including the Spa 24 Hours. Rockenfeller also won the GT2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving with Lieb and Leo Hindrey for Alex Job Racing. 2006 saw him race again in the ALMS and Grand-Am series for Alex Job. He won in the ALMS at Houston and finished second in LMP2 class at Petit Le Mans, driving a Porsche RS Spyder for Penske Racing. He also took two Grand-Am wins.
wn.com/Mike_Rockenfeller -
Mike Spence
Michael "Mike" Spence (30 December 1936, Croydon, Surrey – 7 May 1968, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA) was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 37 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on September 8, 1963. He achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 27 championship points. He also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula One races, as well as sports car racing.
Mike Spence began his motor sport career through involvement with his family's garage business in Maidenhead, Berkshire. After early outings in 1958, driving his father's Turner and an AC Ace sports car, Spence moved into open wheel racing in Formula Junior in 1959. Immediate success at the wheel of his Emeryson earned Spence the opportunity to drive the car in the non-Championship 1961 Solitude Grand Prix less than two years later, although his gearbox failed after only six laps. However, later that year he finished an astonishing second in the Lewis-Evans Trophy race at Brands Hatch. These results prompted moves to the privateer Ian Walker Racing FJ team for 1962, driving a Lotus 22, and then to the works Lotus Formula Junior squad in 1963.
wn.com/Mike_Spence -
Nicolas Lapierre
Nicolas Lapierre (born 2 April 1984) is a French race car driver born in Thonon-les-Bains, France. He raced in the first three seasons of the GP2 Series.
Lapierre started his career in 1993 in karting, finishing 3rd in the French championship in 1996, 6th in the European Championships in 1997 and reaching the finals of the European Junior Championship in 1998 before moving to French Formula Renault in 1999. He stayed there for 2000 and 2001, 2001 also seeing two races in Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup. He again raced in French Formula Renault in 2002, also driving a full season of 2000 Eurocup and some races of French Formula Three (most of them being in the main class, although he drove two races in the B-Class also).
2003 saw Lapierre's real break, though, with a move to Formula Three Euroseries with the Signature team, but more notably a win in the Macau Grand Prix. He stayed in the Euroseries for 2004, also driving two races of British Formula Three.
With his reputuation increasing and his talent proven, Lapierre was rewarded for his Euroseries performances with a drive in GP2 Series for current champions Arden Motorsport. He partnered with Heikki Kovalainen.
wn.com/Nicolas_Lapierre -
Ninian Sanderson
Ninian Sanderson (14 May 1925, Glasgow, Scotland – 1 October 1985) was a car dealer, sports car racing driver, and winner of the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In common with many drivers of his era, Sanderson cut his racing teeth in the highly competitive 500cc Formula 3 class in the early 1950s. He is best known for winning the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans for the Ecurie Ecosse team, together with Ron Flockhart in an ex-works Jaguar D-Type. The following year Sanderson again competed for Ecurie Ecosse, finishing second with co-driver John "Jock" Lawrence, only beaten by the other Ecurie Ecosse D-Type driven by Flockhart and Ivor Bueb.
Although reputedly not the easiest of men to get along with, Ninian Sanderson was well known in racing circles for his lively sense of humour. Fond of practical jokes he was not averse to putting firecrackers up exhaust pipes and ribbing members of the public with his race-bred black humour.[1] The contrast in personalities within the Ecurie Ecosse team was stark; down-to-Earth, Glaswegian Sanderson, and refined, Edinburgh-born Flockhart were "like chalk and cheese"[2].
wn.com/Ninian_Sanderson -
Nino Vaccarella
Nino Vaccarella (born 4 March 1933) is an Italian former sports car racing and Formula One driver, born in Palermo, Sicily.
After winning the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, the former headmaster of a nearby school became the local hero of the Targa Florio race after winning in 1965, then repeating in 1971 and again in 1975, when it was no more a World Sportscar Championship event. He also drove the big V12-powered Ferrari 512S in a heroic yet ultimately losing effort in 1970, damaging the car in the final stages.
Vaccarella participated in five World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 10 September 1961. He scored no championship points. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.
wn.com/Nino_Vaccarella -
Olivier Beretta
Olivier Beretta (born November 23, 1969 in Monte Carlo) is a racing driver from Monaco who raced in Formula One in 1994 for the Larrousse team, partnering Érik Comas. He participated in 10 grands prix, debuting on March 27, 1994. He scored no championship points, and was replaced when his sponsorship money ran out. During 2003 and 2004, he tested for the Williams team.
Beretta has seen more success in sportscar racing, taking class wins at the 24 Heures du Mans with Viper GTS-Rs in 1999 (10th overall) and 2000 (7th overall), Corvettes in 2004 (C5-R, 6th overall), 2005 (C5-R, 5th overall) and 2006 (C6-R, 4th overall) and driving LMP900 class cars to 6th (2001), 4th (2002) and 3rd (2003) place class finishes.
He made a single NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Heartland Park Topeka in 1999 for Bobby Hamilton Racing, qualifying 10th and finishing 17th.
For 2012, Beretta has made the move from Corvette to Ferrari and started the season at the 2012 Daytona 24 Hours with Risi Competizione's Ferrari F458 Italia Grand Am. He will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship in a GTE-Pro class Ferrari F458 Italia for AF Corse.
wn.com/Olivier_Beretta -
Olivier Gendebien
Olivier Gendebien (12 January 1924, Brussels, Belgium – 2 October 1998, Les Baux de Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, France) was a war hero and race car driver. He has been cited as "one of the greatest sportscar racers of all time".
Born into a wealthy family, an heir to the industrial holdings of the Solvay family, Olivier Gendebien studied engineering at university. When World War II erupted and the Nazis occupied Belgium, he joined the Belgian resistance movement. Fluent in the English language, he served as the liaison with the British agents being parachuted into Belgium. Later in the War he went to England, serving with the British army as part of a Belgian paratrooper unit. When the war ended Gendebien switched to the study of agriculture, spending several years working in forestry in the Belgian Congo where he met a rally driver named Charles Fraikin.
On his return to Belgium, Gendebien entered a Veritas sports car in the 1955 Grand Prix des Frontières at Chimay. However, following this race he switched his focus, and teamed up with Fraikin to compete in rally racing using a Jaguar sports car. Together with Pierre Stasse, Gendebien won the sixth running of the Tulip Rally in Zandvoort in April 1954. Their car was an Alfa Romeo 1900 TI. The Gendebien and Fraiken partnership gained the nickname "the eternal bridesmaids", owing to their number of second-place finishes, but after two previous attempts they triumphed in the Liège-Rome-Liège Rally and the Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti in 1955, driving a Mercedes-Benz 300SL.
wn.com/Olivier_Gendebien -
Olivier Panis
Olivier Panis (born 2 September 1966 in Oullins, Lyon) is a French racing driver. Panis drove in Formula One for ten seasons, scoring one win at the eventful Monaco Grand Prix in 1996 for the Ligier team after starting 14th. To date, he is the last French driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix.
Panis, like most drivers, raced karts early in his career. After graduating from karts, Olivier raced several years in a number of "junior" series before racing in French Formula 3. He won a championship in that series in 1991. He eventually found himself in Formula 3000, and he won the series' championship there in 1993.
The 27-year old Panis earned an F1 drive in 1994 for the French-based Ligier team. He made his debut at Brazil, finishing eleventh. He earned a surprise second place that season at Hockenheim ahead of teammate Éric Bernard, and finished 11th in the standings for the marque. He finished every race except France. He was however disqualified in Portugal for illegal skid block wear.
The following year in 1995, he earned another surprise second place at the Australian Grand Prix, in spite of being two laps behind the leader Damon Hill, and he also added a handful of fourths to his resume, giving him an 8th place finish in the championship.
wn.com/Olivier_Panis -
Oswaldo Negri
Osvaldo Negri, Jr. (born May 29, 1964) is a Brazilian racing driver from São Paulo.
He raced part time in the British Formula Three Championship from 1987 to 1989 with few good results. He returned to his native Brazil in 1990 to race in Formula Three Brazil, where he won the championship, and Formula Three Sudamericana where he finished 9th. With newfound confidence he returned to British F3 in 1992 and finished 4th. In 1993 he went to the Mexican Formula Three Championship and raced there until 1996. In 1997 he raced in Indy Lights part time for Genoa Racing and finished 20th. In 1998 he won the Mexican version of Indy Lights Indy Lights Panamericana. He made one Indy Lights start in 1999 and finished 3rd in Indy Lights Panamericana in 2000.
Negri moved to sports car racing in 2003 racing in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. He joined Michael Shank Racing and raced full-time in the series in 2004 and finished 12th in points, winning the league's rising star award which he shared with Max Angelelli. He captured his first victory in 2006 at Miller Motorsports Park and finished second in the 24 Hours of Daytona. He finished 8th in points in both 2006 and 2007. In 2008 he finished 10th, winning in the first race held at the New Jersey Motorsports Park. He stayed with the team in 2009 and finished 8th in points. In 2010 he finished 10th in points and in 2011 improved to a career-best sixth. He won the 24 Hours at Daytona in 2012 for Michael Shank Racing with teammates A. J. Allmendinger, John Pew, and Justin Wilson. It was his first Rolex Sports Car Series win since 2008.
wn.com/Oswaldo_Negri -
Paolo Barilla
Paolo Barilla (born 20 April 1961 in Milan, Italy) is a former Formula One driver who raced for the Minardi team. Paolo is one of the heirs of the vast Barilla pasta empire.
Barilla started racing in 1975 and won the Italian 100cc karting title in 1976. In 1980 he entered Formula Fiat Abarth, and moved up to Formula 3 in 1981, where he won some races and finished third in the Italian Championship. Barilla then entered Formula 2 in 1982 with Minardi, but between 1983 and 1988 he concentrated in sports car racing, winning 24 Hours of Le Mans by a three lap margin in 1985, among other victories, in the Joest Racing Porsche 956, co-driven at times with Klaus Ludwig, Paul Belmondo, Marc Duez, and Louis Krages (also known at the time as John Winter).
In 1987 Barilla returned to single-seaters and raced in the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship, before returning to Minardi in 1989 for a test. This test gave him the chance to replace Pierluigi Martini at Suzuka that year and afterwards was signed to drive for the team in 1990. Barilla wasn't quick enough to qualify regularly, and was replaced before the end of the year by Gianni Morbidelli.
wn.com/Paolo_Barilla -
Parnelli Jones
Rufus Parnell "Parnelli" Jones (born August 12, 1933 in Texarkana, Arkansas), is a retired American racing driver and racecar owner. He is most remembered for his 1963 Indianapolis 500 win, and almost winning the 1967 Indy 500 in a turbine car. He is also remembered for bringing the stock block engine to USAC Sprint car racing as one of the "Chevy Twins" with Jim Hurtubise.
In his career, Parnelli Jones won races in many types of vehicles: sports cars, IndyCars, sprint cars, midget cars, off-road vehicles, and stock cars. He is associated with the famous Boss 302 Mustang with his wins using the engine in the 1970s. Jones' son P. J. Jones was also a diverse driver, with IndyCar and NASCAR starts and a championship in IMSA prototype sports cars. His other son Page Jones was an up-and-coming driver before suffering career ending (and life-threatening) injuries in a sprint car at the 4-Crown Nationals, and has been in rehabilitation, working with his father-in-law. Following the death of 1960 Indianapolis 500 winner Jim Rathmann, Jones is now the oldest living "500" winner.
wn.com/Parnelli_Jones -
Paul Frère
Paul Frère (30 January 1917 – 23 February 2008) was a racing driver and journalist from Belgium, born in Le Havre (France). He participated in eleven World Championship Formula One Grands Prix debuting on 22 June 1952 and achieving one podium finish with a total of eleven championship points. He drove in several non-Championship Formula One races.
He also won the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving for Ferrari with fellow Belgian teammate Olivier Gendebien.
After retiring from active racing in 1960, he worked as an automotive journalist based in Europe (he was the European Editor for Road & Track magazine). He had numerous acquaintances amongst vehicle design engineers, especially in Japan at Honda and Mazda and also worked as a consultant to automobile manufacturers.
Frère, along with Piero Taruffi and Denis Jenkinson, was one of the first writers to treat motor racing as a skill that could be analyzed, explained, and taught. His 1963 book, Sports Car and Competition Driving is still a standard reference in the field. It influenced the development of competition driving schools, such as those founded by Jim Russell, Bob Bondurant, and many others.
wn.com/Paul_Frère -
Paul Gentilozzi
Paul Gentilozzi (born February 6, 1950 in Lansing, Michigan) is a race car driver and businessman. His non-racing business interests are real estate development, principally developing store sites for big box retailers.
Prior to his involvement in motor racing, he received his MBA from Michigan State University. In 1985 he founded the successful Rocketsports Racing team that has competed in the Trans-Am series and Champ Car World Series. As a driver he has won a number of championships and 31 races, the most in series history, eclipsing the record held by Mark Donohue. He has run a number of different manufacturers including Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Ford and more recently Jaguar. Previous to this he was involved in NHRA Drag Racing, successfully driving many Plymouth and Dodge vehicles.
He teamed up with three other drivers to win the 1994 24 Hours of Daytona, his biggest win as a driver. In 2005 he fielded Champ Cars for rookie of the year Timo Glock and 2004 Star Mazda series champion Michael McDowell, while running three Trans-Am cars for himself, Hollywood advertising executive/racer Tomy Drissi and that year's series champion Klaus Graf of Germany.
wn.com/Paul_Gentilozzi -
Phil Hill
Philip Toll Hill, Jr. (April 20, 1927 – August 28, 2008) was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero. I'm a peace-loving man, basically."
Born in Miami, Florida, Hill was raised in Santa Monica, California, where he lived until his death. He studied business administration at the University of Southern California from 1945-47 where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Hill left early to pursue auto racing, working as a mechanic on other drivers' cars. Hill began racing cars at an early age, going to England as a Jaguar trainee in 1949 and signing with Enzo Ferrari’s team in 1956. He made his debut in the French Grand Prix at Reims France in 1958 driving a Maserati. That same year, paired with Belgian teammate Olivier Gendebien, Hill became the first American-born winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Hill driving most of the night in horrific rainy conditions. He and Gendebien would go on to win the famous endurance race again in 1961 and 1962.
wn.com/Phil_Hill -
Philipp Peter
Philipp Peter (born 6 April 1969 in Vienna) is a race car driver from Austria.
He started in junior formula cars with the highlight winning the Austria Formula 3 Cup in 1992. He represented Austria in the 1990 EFDA Nations Cup and also raced in Indy Lights finishing third in the Championship in 1999.
In 2003 he won the 12 Hours of Sebring in a Team Joest Audi R8 with teammates Marco Werner and Frank Biela. He previously competed in Indy Lights in 1998 and 1999, capturing victories in 1999 at Long Beach, Portland and Michigan and finishing 11th and 3rd in series points in his two years, respectively.
In 2006 Peter raced in the FIA GT Championship for RaceAlliance Motorsport in a Aston Martin DBR9 with Karl Wendlinger, scoring one win in Mugello. For 2007 he remained in the FIA GT Championship, but this time for PSI Experience driving a Chevrolet Corvette C6.R with Luke Hines and scoring a second place in Zhuhai. He also ran for JMB Racing in a Maserati MC12 with Joe Macari, Ben Aucott, and Marino Franchitti in the Spa 24 Hours, finishing seventh. He later switched to the GT2 class at Nogaro, running an Advanced Engineering Ferrari F430 with Rui Águas and finishing seventh in class. For the last race of the 2007 season, Peter teamed once again with Luke Hines in an Aston Martin DBR9 for Gigaware Motorsport, but was unable to finish the event. Peter finished 26th in the GT1 Drivers Championship standings and 39th in the GT2 Drivers Championship Standings.
wn.com/Philipp_Peter -
Philippe Étancelin
Philippe Étancelin (28 December 1896 - 13 October 1981) was a French Grand Prix motor racing driver who joined the new Formula One circuit at its inception.
Born in Rouen, Seine-Maritime, in Normandy, he worked as a merchant in the winter and raced cars during the summer.
His wife, Suzanne, served as his crew chief. Their three children were placed in a school in Rouen while she traveled with her husband to races around the world. She communicated with Étancelin through French sign language as he raced around the speedway.[citation needed] Suzanne told a reporter Étancelin bought a racing car to celebrate the birth of their second child, Jeanne Alice. He did not intend to race the car but merely use it for pleasure driving around the countryside. The couple once drove it up to a speed of 125 mph (201 km/h). After two years of recreational motoring, Étancelin decided to enter a race.
He began racing a privateer Bugatti in 1926, entering local events and hillclimbs. His first victory was the Grand Prix de la Marne at Reims in 1927, the same year he recorded a third at the Coppa Florio in Saint-Brieuc. He repeated his victory at Reims in 1929, ahead of Zenelli and friend Marcel Lehoux, making a Bugatti sweep of the podium. Étancelin took a victory at the Grand Prix de la Baule and the Antibes Prix de Conseil General.
wn.com/Philippe_Étancelin -
Pierluigi Martini
Pierluigi Martini (born April 23, 1961 in Lugo) is an Italian former racing driver.
Martini's uncle, Giancarlo, raced during the 1970s, including some non-championship races in a Ferrari 312T entered by Scuderia Everest, a team owned by Giancarlo Minardi. Pierluigi's younger brother, Oliver, is also a racing driver.
Martini participated in 124 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on September 9, 1984 substituting for Ayrton Senna at the Toleman team. He scored a total of 18 championship points and was synonymous with the Minardi team (run by the same Giancarlo Minardi who had previously owned Scuderia Everest). Indeed, aside from a single outing with Toleman and a one-season dalliance with Scuderia Italia, Martini's entire career was spent with the Italian outfit. He raced with the minnow team in three different stints, drove for them on their debut in 1985, scored their first point in the 1988 Detroit Grand Prix, their only front-row start at the 1990 United States Grand Prix (aided by special Pirelli tyres; several of their other drivers had surprise qualifying results that day), their only lap leading a race in the 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix, and their joint-best F1 result of 4th.
wn.com/Pierluigi_Martini -
Pierre Kaffer
Pierre Kaffer (born 7 November 1976 in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate) is a race driver from Germany, currently living in Switzerland.
In, 1990 Kaffer started in Karting, moving in 1994 to Formula Ford, later Formula Opel and then from 1997 to 2001 in the German Formula 3 Championship.
His biggest success was in 2004, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in an Audi R8.
For 2005 and 2006 he competed for Audi Sport Team Joest in the DTM series.
In 2009 Kaffer will pilot a Ferrari F430GT for Risi Competizione in the American Le Mans Series.
For 2012, Kaffer will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series in a Pecom Racing Oreca 03-Nissan.
wn.com/Pierre_Kaffer -
Pierre Veyron
Pierre Veyron (1 October 1903 – 1970) was a Grand Prix motor racing driver active from 1933 through until 1953. He enrolled at university to study engineering but was convinced to take up racing by a friend; Henri Labataille, a mechanical engineer from Pau, was very active in motor car racing and flying and supported his countrymen. He is best remembered for his 1939 win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving a Bugatti Type 57 with Jean-Pierre Wimille. He died in Èze in 1970.
Today, Bugatti Automobiles SAS' revival of the marque uses Veyron's name on its first car, the Bugatti Veyron.
wn.com/Pierre_Veyron -
Preston Henn
Preston Henn (born January 20, 1931 in North Carolina) is an American entrepreneur from Fort Lauderdale, Florida who founded the Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop in 1963.
Henn opened what became the Swap Shop as a drive-in movie theater in 1963. He shortly thereafter decided to add a flea market. Through shrewd business practices and somewhat extravagant promotion, Henn was able to grow the Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop into one of the region's most popular tourist attractions. In 2005 Henn began making unusual decisions such as firing the facility's trademark circus act, and it was rumored he was selling the facility. Later that year he was involved in a violent altercation with a vendor he was trying to evict. Police used a taser to subdue him. Henn was subsequently sent to a mental hospital for again attempting to assault the vendor.
In 1983 Henn, along with co-drivers A. J. Foyt, Bob Wollek, and Claude Ballot-Lena drove his Porsche 935 to victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona. The following year Henn's Porsche 956 driven by John Paul, Jr. and Jean Rondeau placed second in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Henn himself made five starts at Le Mans with a best finish of 10th in 1983. His Porsche 962 driven by Foyt and Wollek won the 1985 12 Hours of Sebring.
wn.com/Preston_Henn -
Price Cobb
Price Cobb (born December 10, 1954) won the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans together with John Nielsen and Martin Brundle in a Jaguar XJR-12. He also owned an Indy Racing League team in 1998 and 1999 for Roberto Guerrero and Jim Guthrie. He also has authored a number of books on auto racing.
Price is currently working in Madison, Wisconsin with Kelly Moss Motorsports http://www.kellymoss.com/ as production manager
wn.com/Price_Cobb -
Raul Boesel
Raul de Mesquita Boesel (Portuguese pronunciation: [raˈuw boˈɛzew], born 4 December 1957 in Curitiba, Brazil) is a former racing driver who raced for the March and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.
He won the 1987 World Sportscar Championship and the 1988 24 Hours of Daytona.
Although an outstanding participant in equestrian show jumping, he studied engineering, gave up his degree and went on to motor racing. He entered into first ever season of the Brazilian Stock Car championship in 1979.
He moved to Britain in 1980 to race in Formula Ford 1600 and in 1981 entered Formula 3 and finished third in the championship. In November 1981 he tested for McLaren and entered the March team, only to switch in 1983 to Ligier. At the end of the year he went to the United States to race in CART.
In 1987 he switched to World Sportscar Championship with Jaguar and won the title with five victories. In 1988 he won the 24 Hours of Daytona in a Jaguar XJR-9, along with Martin Brundle and John Nielsen. That year he also returned to CART and finished third at Indianapolis in 1989. In 1991 he finished second in Le Mans 24 Hours with Jaguar and returned to CART, finishing fifth in the 1993 series, although never winning a race. He raced in CART until 1998, when he went to Indy Racing League. Because of this, he has multiple starts in the Indy 500. His last race in CART was at the 1999 Marlboro 500 at Fontana.
wn.com/Raul_Boesel -
Raymond Sommer
Raymond Sommer (August 31, 1906, Mouzon, in the Ardennes département of France - September 10, 1950) was a Grand Prix motor racing driver.
Sommer was born into a wealthy Sedan, France carpet making family. His father, Roger, broke the Wright Brothers record for the longest flight in 1909. It was not until 1931 that Raymond started to display daredevil tendencies of his own, entering motor races in a privateer Chrysler Imperial. The following year, he won the 24 hours of Le Mans, despite having to drive over 20 hours solo after his teammate Luigi Chinetti retired ill. During the 1930s, Sommer was to dominate the French endurance classic, winning again in 1933 driving an Alfa Romeo alongside Tazio Nuvolari. He also led every race up until 1938, only to suffer a mechanical failure, once when 12 laps in the lead. Sommer traveled to Long Island, New York to compete in the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup where he finished 4th to the winner, Tazio Nuvolari.
However, his tendency to run in privately entered cars did him no favours on the Grand Prix scene, winning just one major international race, the 1936 French Grand Prix. At the time, the German manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union were the dominant force in GP racing, together with the French Bugatti team. Sommer turned to sports cars once more, winning the Spa 24 Hours endurance race with co-driver Francesco Severi. More wins came his way including at the "Marseilles Three Hours" at Miramas, the Grand Prix de Tunisie and La Turbie hill climb competition in 1938 and 1939 with Alfa Romeo 308 until the outbreak of World War II, where he played an active part in the French Resistance movement.
wn.com/Raymond_Sommer -
Reinhold Joest
Reinhold Joest (also spelt Reinhold Jöst, born 24 April 1937) is a former German race car driver and current team owner. During the last 25 years, Joest Racing has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans nine times.
Joest's driving career began in 1962 in a local hillclimb race in the Odenwald mountains. He had won two German championships in that category by 1967. Since 1966, he raced successfully on the Nürburgring, scoring a class win at the 1000 km Nürburgring. He won the race overall twice, in 1970 and 1980, and a total five class wins.
Joest's first entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans was in 1968, with a Ford GT40 co-driven by Helmut Kelleners and sponsored by a German car magazine. His first remarkable result came in 1972, after the dominating Porsche 917 and similar cars were not allowed anymore. Without any modern cars available, Joest borrowed an outdated 3.0 L Porsche 908/02 Langheck Coupé from the Jo Siffert Museum. He and his two co-drivers finished third with the 1969 model car. Despite being part of factory Porsche teams on several occasions, he never managed to be in their winning car. He came close in 1980, finishing second together with Jacky Ickx in his privately-entered Porsche 936 that was called a "Porsche 908/80" as Porsche did not officially sell the 936.
wn.com/Reinhold_Joest -
René Léonard
René Léonard was a French racing driver who, along with André Lagache, won the inaugural running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1923. Lagache and Léonard were both engineers for the Chenard et Walcker automobile company, and were chosen to drive one of the three entries in the endurance event. Their "Sport" model finished by a four lap margin over another Chenard et Walcker.
The two drivers drove together the next two years, but failed to finish either time. After their third Le Mans attempt, the two won the Spa 24 Hours before Chenard et Walcker withdrew from competition.
wn.com/René_Léonard -
Rex Mays
Rex Mays (March 10, 1913 – November 6, 1949) is a former AAA Championship Car race driver from Riverside, California. He made his Indianapolis 500 debut in 1934 and won the pole in 1935, 1936, and again in 1940 and finished second, he returned the next year and finished second again. Mays won the AAA National Championship in 1940 and 1941. However, World War II suspended racing until 1946, denying Mays of what likely would have been the peak of his career. After the war Mays again won the Indy pole in 1948 but was knocked out by a mechanical problem. He was killed in a crash during the only Champ Car race held at Del Mar Fairgrounds race track in Del Mar, California in November 1949.
wn.com/Rex_Mays -
Richard Attwood
Richard James David "Dickie" Attwood (born 4 April 1940, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire) is a British former motor racing driver. During his career he raced for the BRM, Lotus and Cooper Formula One teams. In his whole F1 career he achieved one podium and scored a total of 11 championship points. He was also a successful sports car racing driver and won the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans race, driving a Porsche 917.
Richard Attwood got into the motor industry as an apprentice at sports car manufacturer Jaguar. He started racing in 1960 at the wheel of a Triumph TR3. For 1961 he joined the Midlands Racing Partnership to drive for them in club-level Formula Junior events, and continued in this role until the end of 1962. In 1963 the team expanded into the international arena, and Attwood immediately grabbed motorsport headlines when he won the Monaco Grand Prix FJ support race, in a Lola Mk5a. This and other performances during the year earned him the inaugural Grovewood Award, voted for by a Guild of Motoring Writers panel.
wn.com/Richard_Attwood -
Rinaldo Capello
Rinaldo Capello (born 17 June 1964 in Asti, Italy), also known as Dindo Capello, is an Italian endurance racing driver.
Dindo started his racing career in 1976, driving go-karts, but didn't move into single-seaters until 1983, starting in Formula Fiat Abarth. 1990 saw Dindo's first major championship victory, winning the Italian Supertourismo Championship in a Volkswagen Golf. He won the championship again in 1996, but in an Audi A4 this time.
1997 saw Capello's first major endurance victory, at Vallelunga, in the Vallelunga 6 Hours, driving a Volkswagen Golf again. Capello was selected for the 2000 Le Mans race by the Audi Sport Joest team, driving the Audi R8 - the team finished in third place.
Capello was on the winning team in both the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2003 and 2004, driving a Bentley Speed 8 and an Audi R8 respectively, and has also finished on the podium on three other occasions.
Capello also won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2002 and 2012. He holds the record of most Petit Le Mans victories, having won in 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
wn.com/Rinaldo_Capello -
Rob Dyson
Rob Dyson (born June 21, 1946) is a retired American sports car racing driver and current team owner.
Dyson began competing in amateur SCCA competition in 1974 and began racing professionally in IMSA GTO and the Trans-Am Series in 1982. In 1985 be purchased a Porsche 962 from Bruce Leven and began racing in IMSA GTP. In 1995 his team was the first to run the new Riley & Scott Mk III, refusing to run the Ferrari 333 SP, as he felt it would make the World Sportscar Championship a "spec series" if all major teams were running the car. Rob and his team with its R&S Mk III won the 1997 24 Hours of Daytona with an "all star" squad of seven drivers including sports car legends James Weaver, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, and Butch Leitzinger. The team later purchased Lola chassis and began racing in the American Le Mans Series, where it currently competes. Dyson retired from full-time racing in 2003 but continued to drive part-time until 2007. Rob's son Chris Dyson currently drives for the team.
wn.com/Rob_Dyson -
Robert Benoist
Robert Marcel Charles Benoist (20 March 1895 – 9 September 1944) was a French Grand Prix motor racing driver and war hero.
Born near Rambouillet, Île-de-France, France, Robert Benoist was the son of Baron Henri de Rothschild's gamekeeper. As a young man, Benoist served during World War I in the French infantry, then as a fighter pilot in the new Armée de l'Air and ultimately as a flying instructor.
Looking for excitement in the post-war world, Benoist joined the de Marçay car company as a test driver. He then moved on to Salmson and was very successful in cyclecar races before being signed to drive for Delage in 1924. The next year, teamed with Albert Divo, he won the French Grand Prix in the race that claimed the life of Italian racing star Antonio Ascari.
In 1927, driving a Delage 15-S-8, he won the French, Spanish, Italian and British Grand Prix races, earning the season championship title for the French manufacturer.
When the Delage company dropped out of racing, Robert Benoist was without a job and was appointed manager of the Banville Garage in Paris. He did occasional races for the Bugatti team, finishing second in the 1928 San Sebastián Grand Prix in Spain. The following year he teamed up with Attilio Marinoni to win the Spa 24 Hours race in Belgium, driving an Alfa Romeo. At the end of the season he retired until 1934, when he made a comeback with the Bugatti team. He was soon made head of the competition department and masterminded the company's Le Mans programme. In 1937 he partnered with Jean-Pierre Wimille to win the 24 hours of Le Mans endurance race. Following that victory, Benoist retired permanently, but continued to run Bugatti's racing department until called up into the French Air Force.
wn.com/Robert_Benoist -
Rocky Moran
Rocky Moran, Sr. (born February 3, 1950 in Pasadena, California) is a retired American race car driver. Moran, Sr. started three Indianapolis 500-mile (800 km) races (1988, 1989, and 1990 Indianapolis 500) with a best finish of 14th in 1989.
Moran also teamed with P. J. Jones and Mark Dismore to win the 1993 24 Hours of Daytona event.
Moran is the father of racer Rocky Moran, Jr.. With his son, Moran, Sr. opened the Moran Raceway kart track in Beaumont, California. In 2007, the track was closed.
wn.com/Rocky_Moran -
Roger Penske
Roger S. Penske (born February 20, 1937, in Shaker Heights, Ohio) is the owner of the automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive-related businesses. A winning racer in the late 1950s, Penske was named 1961's Sports Car Club of America Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated. After retiring from driving a few years later, he created one of the most successful teams in IndyCar Series and NASCAR racing.
He also is one of the corporate directors at General Electric and was chairman of Super Bowl XL in Detroit, Michigan. He was previously on the board of Home Depot and Delphi Automotive before resigning to chair the Detroit Super Bowl Committee. He has an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion. He is a 1959 graduate of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, where he was also a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
Penske's father was a corporate executive for a metal fabrication company and encouraged his son to become an entrepreneur. As a teenager he bought older cars, repaired them and sold them at a profit from his family's home in Cleveland, Ohio. In 10 years, Penske raced and sold about 32 cars.
wn.com/Roger_Penske -
Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Johann Stommelen (11 July 1943 - 24 April 1983) was a racing driver from Siegen, Germany. He participated in 63 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scored a total of 14 championship points. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.
One of the best Sports Car Endurance race car drivers of the '60s and '70s, Stommelen won the 24 Hours of Daytona 4 times; in 1968, 1978, 1980 and 1982. He won the pole position for the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 917 a year after finishing third in a Porsche 908. In this year, he became the first man to reach speeds exceeding 350 km/h (217 mph) on the Mulsanne Straight in his Porsche 917 LH. In 1970, he made his Formula One debut with Brabham with sponsorship obtained from the German magazine "Auto Motor und Sport" and raced both sportscars (Toj and Porsche works teams) and Formula 1 throughout the 1970s.
Unfortunately, he would play a role in the end of the Spanish Grand Prix's tenure at Montjuich Park in Barcelona when he crashed there in the 1975 race after the rear wing of his Embassy-Hill- Lola broke, resulting in the deaths of four spectators.
wn.com/Rolf_Stommelen -
Romain Dumas
Romain Dumas (born 14 December 1977 in Alès) is a French racing driver.
Dumas started karting in 1992, in 1996 he competed in the French Formula Renault Championship. In 1998, he joined the French Formula 3 Championship.
He tested a Formula 3000 car for Oreca in 1999 and a Renault F1 in 2002. In 2004 he tested a Conquest Racing Champ Car, but he never raced in any of these formulas.
In 2001 and 2002 he competed in Euro Formula 3000.
Since 2001 he has participated in every 24 Hours of Le Mans race and since 2004 he has competed in American Le Mans Series. He is currently a Porsche factory driver for Penske Racing, and also driven in the FIA GT Championship.
In 2007 he won first overall in the 24 Hours Nürburgring, 1st American Le Mans Series (LMP2 Class - Penske Porsche RS Spyder with 8 wins, 4 pole positions), 3rd Le Mans 24 Hours (LMP1 Class - Pescarolo Sport, 5th 1000 km Valencia LMS (LMP1 Class - Pescarolo Sport ), 4 races VLN championship with Manthey Racing (2 wins, 1 pole position), 18th Daytona 24H (12th DP)
wn.com/Romain_Dumas -
Ron Fellows
Ron Fellows (born September 28, 1959 in Windsor, Ontario) is an accomplished Canadian SCCA Trans-Am, IMSA, and American Le Mans Series driver, and a NASCAR Road course ringer.
He began his career in Karts, which lead to Formula Ford 1600 and Formula Ford 2000. When funds for these projects ran low, he left racing for a 9 year stint as gas pipeline worker. Fellows returned to the track in the 1980s with help from driving school instructor Richard Spenard. He made his professional debut in 1986 in the Player's GM Challenge, driving a showroom stock Chevrolet Camaro.
He had a dominant 1989 season, capturing both the title at Mosport Park and his first SCCA Trans-Am Series race during the same weekend. His career skyrocketed as he became one of the most successful drivers in the history of Trans Am, with 19 wins in 95 starts.
Fellows then had 2 starts in the legendary Ferrari 333SP, including a 1997 win at Mosport Park in the Professional Sports Car Series.
In 1998, Ron Fellows began his long association with GM's Corvette Racing program, with the historic Chevrolet Corvette C5.R. He was also briefly involved with the development of the Cadillac LMP program. At the 2000 Rolex 24 at Daytona, he made history by setting the closest margin of victory in the history of the event, 31 seconds behind the winning Dodge Viper GTS-R of Olivier Beretta, Dominique Dupuy and Karl Wendlinger. Ron Fellows and Corvette Racing fared better the next year, winning overall with Chris Kneifel, Johnny O'Connell, and Franck Freon. Later that year in June, Corvette Racing achieved its ultimate goal, a GTS class win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Scott Pruett and Johnny O'Connell. Corvette Racing also captured the American Le Mans Series GTS title that same year.
wn.com/Ron_Fellows -
Roy Salvadori
Roy Francesco Salvadori (born 12 May 1922) is a former motor racing driver and manager from England. He participated in 50 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 12 July 1952, and achieved two podiums, scoring a total of 19 Championship points. He was born in Dovercourt, Essex.
During a varied career he also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959, driving for Aston Martin and teamed with Carroll Shelby. After retiring from driving he returned to running his car dealership, but was tempted back to Formula One to manage the Cooper racing team in 1966 and 1967.
(key)
wn.com/Roy_Salvadori -
Ryan Dalziel
Ryan Dalziel (i/diːˈɛl/ DEE-el; born 12 April 1982 in Glasgow), is a Scottish race car driver. Dalziel has seen the most success in his career in the United States, racing in the American Le Mans Series GT1 class and the Champ Car World Series, and winning the 2010 24 Hours of Daytona.
Dalziel began his car racing career in 1999 in Formula Vauxhall. He drove in British Formula Renault and British Formula 3, before moving to the United States. From 2002 until 2004, he spent three years in the Toyota Atlantic Championship, finishing runner-up twice, before moving to the American Le Mans Series in 2005. He also contested one Champ Car race for Dale Coyne Racing at Toronto, finishing 9th. In 2006, he drove a Daytona Prototype in the Rolex Sports Car Series. From 2007-2009, he drove part time with various teams in the Daytona Prototype class, then returned full time in 2010.
Dalziel returned to the Champ Car World Series in 2007 as driver of one of the two Pacific Coast Motorsports cars. He was dropped by the team and replaced by Mario Domínguez in September 2007, with two races of the season remaining. His best Champ Car finish was 7th place in the Toronto Grand Prix, at the only track he raced a Champ Car at more than once. In 2008 he piloted SAMAX Motorsport's Riley-BMW Daytona Prototype alongside teammate Henri Zogaib. He also competed in the inaugural season of Superleague Formula.
wn.com/Ryan_Dalziel -
Salvador Durán
Salvador Durán Sánchez (born 6 May 1985 in Mexico City) is a Mexican race car driver currently racing in the NACAR Corona Series and formerly Formula Renault 3.5 Series championship with the Interwetten.com team.
Salvador started his career in 2002 with a 2nd place in the Skip Barber National and winning the Midwestern Champion trophy. In 2003 he finished 8th in Italian Formula Renault and 15th in the Formula Renault Eurocup. In 2004 and 2005, he drove in the British F3 International Series National Class with P1 Motorsport, becoming class winner in 2005.
On the back of this success, he signed up for the 2005-06 A1 Grand Prix season, contesting some of the race weekends for Team Mexico, winning both races of the USA round at Laguna Seca.
For the 2006 British F3 International Series, Salvador moved up to the Championship Class, with Hitech Racing, finishing tenth in the championship, scoring 54 points, with his best result a fourth place at Silverstone.
He then went on to commit to the second season of A1 Grand Prix. He also was a member of the winning team for Chip Ganassi Racing in the 2007 24 Hours of Daytona, along with teammates Juan Pablo Montoya and Scott Pruett.
wn.com/Salvador_Durán -
Sarel van der Merwe
Sarel Daniel van der Merwe (born December 5, 1946) is a South African former rally driver, who was a multiple South African Rally Drivers Champion. He is sometimes referred to as "Supervan".
Van der Merwe won the South African Rally Drivers Championship a record eleven times in 1975, from 1977 to 1985 and in 1988. Van Der Merwe also drove one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen for Hendrick Motorsports #17 Tide Chevrolet Lumina team in 1990 while the team's regular driver, Darrell Waltrip, was recuperating from a severe leg injury a month earlier, where he finished 24th. He also held the SA Saloon Car Championship (1994), SA modified Saloon Car Championship (1994 & 2001), and won the 1996 Castrol International Rally in Swaziland. He received his Springbok Colours in 1976 and his South African National Colours in 1997. In 2002, van der Merwe was awarded the Motorsport South African (MSA) Lifetime Achievement award.
Van der Merwe began his racing career in 1967 racing saloon cars. His international career took off in 1983 in the IMSA series in the USA, with his most notable win in the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona race driving for Kreepy Krauly Racing, an all-South African team in a March 83G-Porsche. He shared the win with Graham Duxbury and Tony Martin. Van der Merwe did exceptionally well in the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans where he finished 3rd on debut. In the 1986 Le Mans race, Sarel pulled in a lap early and Jo Gartner took over. A lap later the suspension broke and the car veered off the Mulsanne Straight in the middle of the night and Gartner was killed.
wn.com/Sarel_van_der_Merwe -
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM (born 22 July 1980) is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League (IRL) championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins. Competing for Chip Ganassi Racing since joining IndyCar, Dixon has won the championship twice, 2003 and 2008, and he won the 92nd Indianapolis 500 in 2008 from pole position.
At Kentucky in August that year he equalled the record for six wins in a season. Known as a consistent race finisher, Dixon has twice in his IndyCar career set the record for finishing the highest number of consecutive races, 28, at Watkins Glen in 2005, and again at Mid-Ohio in 2007 He has been on the podium 48 times from the 90 races he has completed, and his ratio of wins to career starts is the best of all-time regular drivers in the IRL.
Among notable awards won by Dixon are the Jim Clark Trophy (1999, 2001, 2004) and the Bruce McLaren Trophy (2003, 2008). In 2012 he was appointed Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
wn.com/Scott_Dixon -
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett (born March 24, 1960 in Roseville, California) is an American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children, and are children's book authors.
Pruett started racing go karts at the age of eight, and went on to win ten professional karting championships. In the 1980s, he established himself as a top American sports car racer, eventually winning two IMSA GTO Championships and three Trans-Am Series Championships.
In the 1990s, Pruett was a regular in the CART series. From 1988 to 1999, he made 145 starts with two wins, five poles and fifteen podiums (top three finishes). In a pre-season testing in 1990, Pruett was involved in a serious crash at West Palm Beach, Florida, where he seriously injured both his legs. Pruett spent the 1990 season recovering & on certain occasions calling ESPN Indycar telecasts as color commentator with Paul Page doing the play by play.
In 1994 he joined the reformed Pat Patrick team in CART series testing Firestone tires. Later that same year he won the Trans-Am Series Championship. In 1995 he drove full time for Patrick racing using Firestone tires in Firestone's return to the CART series & finally won his first race in a thrilling last lap duel with Al Unser Jr. at the Michigan 500. In 1997 he won his final CART series race at Surfers Paradise Australia (Nikon Indy 300).
wn.com/Scott_Pruett -
Scott Sharp
Scott Sharp (born February 14, 1968 in Norwalk, Connecticut) is an American race car driver in the American Le Mans Series. He is the son of six-time SCCA champion Bob Sharp. Scott Sharp is best known for his years as a competitor in the Indy Racing League.
Sharp starting racing karts when he was only 8 years old, winning 50 out of 75 races. Sharp came from a road-racing background, earning several championships including: 1986 SCCA GT-2, 1987 and 1988 SCCA GT-1, and 1991 and 1993 SCCA Trans-Am. Sharp competed in one NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now Sprint Cup) event, coming in 1992 at Watkins Glen. In 1993, Sharp made his CART debut with Bettenhausen Motorsports and became a full-time competitor in the series in 1994 with PacWest Racing. His first Indianapolis 500 start also came in 1994. In 1996, Sharp was part of Doyle Racing’s 24 Hours of Daytona winning team.
Scott Sharp is one of only two drivers (the other being Buddy Lazier) to have driven in at least one race in each of the first 12 seasons of IndyCar competition. His impressive IRL career has resulted in numerous records including: most career IndyCar Series starts (147); most consecutive IndyCar Series race starts (138); most races running at finish (110) and previously held the records for most top-ten finishes (82) and most consecutive seasons with at least one race win (7) (now both held by Hélio Castroneves).
wn.com/Scott_Sharp -
Seiji Ara
Seiji Ara (荒 聖治; Ara Seiji) (born May 5, 1974 in Chiba, Japan) is a race car driver.
He was the winner of the 24 hour Le Mans race in 2004, driving an Audi R8. In the same year he also raced in the Le Mans Endurance Series and Japanese GT Championship.
In earlier years he had competed in Formula Nippon (2001–2002), Japanese Formula 3 (1997–2000) and the Barber Dodge Pro Series (1995).
He made his World Touring Car Championship debut with Wiechers-Sport at the 2009 FIA WTCC Race of Japan.
wn.com/Seiji_Ara -
Stanley Dickens
Stanley Dickens (born 7 May 1952 in Färila) is a Swedish race car driver who won the Le Mans 24 hours in 1989 driving a Sauber C9-Mercedes.
wn.com/Stanley_Dickens -
Stefan Johansson
Stefan Nils Edwin Johansson (born 8 September 1956 in Växjö, Sweden) is a former Formula One driver from who drove for among others both Ferrari and McLaren during his Grand Prix career. Since leaving Formula One he has raced in a number of categories, including CART, various kinds of Sports car racing, and Grand Prix Masters. He is also the manager of New Zealander Scott Dixon, winner of the 2008 Indianapolis 500.
Johansson's route to Formula One was via the British Formula 3 Championship, which he won in 1980 driving for future McLaren team boss Ron Dennis' Project Four team. In Formula One he participated in 103 grands prix, debuting on 13 January 1980 for the Shadow Racing Team at the 1980 Argentine Grand Prix when he was still a Formula 3 regular. He failed to qualify for the race and the next race in Brazil and he was not seen in F1 again until 1983 after spending 1982 in the European Formula Two Championship with Spirit Racing where he finished 8th overall, his best finish being 3rd at Mugello in Italy.
wn.com/Stefan_Johansson -
Steve Millen
Steve Millen (born 17 February 1953) was a New Zealand IMSA racecar driver. In the 1970s and 1980s, Millen raced in hillclimbing and Formula Ford before doing stadium off-road racing in the United States in the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG). He then began sports car racing, winning numerous championships in IMSA Camel GT. Millen won 20 races in the series, including the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Millen began his racing career in hillclimbing in 1969. He then moved to the Formula Ford series. He started competing in rally cars in the mid 1970s. He switched to off-road racing in the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG) stadium series in the early 1980s. He won the 1986, 1988, and 1989 Mickey Thompson Off-Road Grand Prix Grand National Sports Truck Championships. He also won two Indy Lights races in the series' inaugural 1986 season.
Millen switched to the IMSA Camel GT series in 1990. He was the 1990 24 Hours of LeMans Rookie of the Year. He won three races and took five pole positions in 1990. He had seven poles and five wins in 1991. He also drove for Allan Moffat Racing in the 1991 Tooheys 1000 at Bathurst, partnering Gary Brabham in a Ford Sierra RS500 but the car did not finish the race. Millen expressed interest in returning by no offer was forthcoming with the Moffat team seeing the return of the cars builder Reudi Eggenberger in 1992 along with his ace driver Klaus Niedzwiedz.
wn.com/Steve_Millen -
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE (Fellow of the Institute of Engineers) (born 17 September 1929 in London) is a former racing driver from England. His success in a variety of categories placed him among the world's elite—he is often called "the greatest driver never to win the World Championship".
Moss was educated at two independent schools: at Clewer Manor Junior School, a preparatory school linked to the senior school Haileybury and Imperial Service College, and then to the senior school, both of which were for boys (but are now co-educational), and located at Hertford Heath, near Hertford in Hertfordshire.
Moss, who raced from 1948 to 1962, won 212 of the 529 races he entered, including 16 Formula One Grands Prix. He would compete in as many as 62 races in a single year and drove 84 different makes of car over the course of his racing career, including Lotus, Vanwall, Maserati, Jaguar, Ferrari and Porsche. Like many drivers of the era, he competed in several formulae—very often on the same day.
wn.com/Stirling_Moss -
Stéphane Ortelli
Stéphane Ortelli (born 30 March 1970, Hyères, Var, France) is a Monagasque motor racing driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1998. He also won the GT1 Class at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2005, driving for Aston Martin.
On April 27, 2008, during a Le Mans Series race at the Monza circuit, Ortelli lost control of his Courage car under braking which caused him to slide onto the grass. This in turn instigated a cartwheeling motion upon the vehicle, which resulted in most of the car's bodywork and all but one wheel being torn off before it came to rest on the opposite side of the track. It narrowly missed the tail of Allan McNish's Audi R10 which was in front. Ortelli sustained a broken ankle as a result.
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
* Season in progress.
wn.com/Stéphane_Ortelli -
Swede Savage
David Earl "Swede" Savage, Jr. (August 26, 1946 - July 2, 1973) was an American race car driver.
Born in San Bernardino, California, Savage began Soap Box Derby racing at the age of five. He moved up to racing quarter midget cars then at age twelve to Go-Kart racing. By his mid-teens he was racing motorcycles competitively. He was honored as an all-state high school football player at San Bernardino's Pacific High School as a junior, but was ruled ineligible for his senior year because he had accepted prize money racing motorcycles and was therefore ruled a professional athlete.
In January 1967, Savage made a point of showing up at a Ford Motor Company test session at Riverside International Raceway attended by, among others, racing legend Dan Gurney. Also in attendance was a Ford public relations executive named Monte Roberts, who watched Savage calmly wheelie a motorcycle for the better part of a mile and, struck by Savage's "racy" name and obvious talent, encouraged Ford officials to take Savage under their wing. After a partial season driving NASCAR stock cars in the South for the Ford factory-backed racing team Holman-Moody, Savage received a telephone call from Gurney inviting him back to Southern California to try his hand at sports car racing.
wn.com/Swede_Savage -
Tazio Nuvolari
Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari (16 November 1892 – 11 August 1953) was an Italian motorcycle and racecar driver, known as Il Mantovano Volante (The Flying Mantuan) or Nivola. He was the 1932 European Champion in Grand Prix motor racing. Dr Ferdinand Porsche called Nuvolari "The greatest driver of the past, the present, and the future.".
Tazio Nuvolari started out in motorcycle racing in 1920 at the age of 27. In 1925 he captured the 350cc European Championship. From then until the end of 1930, he competed both in motorcycle racing and in automobile racing. For 1931, he decided to concentrate fully on racing cars and agreed to race for Alfa Romeo's factory team, Alfa Corse. In 1932 he took two wins and a second place in the three European Championship Grands Prix, winning him the title. He won four other Grands Prix including a second Targa Florio and the Monaco Grand Prix.
After Alfa Romeo officially left Grand Prix racing, Nuvolari stayed on with Scuderia Ferrari who ran the Alfa Romeo cars semi-officially. During 1933, Nuvolari left the team for Maserati after becoming frustrated with the Alfa Romeo's performance. At the end of 1934, Maserati pulled out of Grand Prix racing and Nuvolari returned to Ferrari, who were reluctant to take him back, but were persuaded by Mussolini, the Italian prime minister.
wn.com/Tazio_Nuvolari -
Ted Field
Frederick Woodruff "Ted" Field (born 1953) is an American media mogul and entrepreneur and film producer.
Field was born in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, the son of Katherine Woodruff Fanning, an editor of the Christian Science Monitor, and Marshall Field IV, who owned the Chicago Sun-Times. He is an heir to the Field family fortune. At $1.2 billion, Field is #236 on the Forbes list of the 400 richest people.
Field well known by motor racing enthusiasts for being the boss of Interscope Racing, a successful team that fielded cars in many different categories including Indy, CanAm, Sportscars and even F1. Danny Ongais was the main pilot of the team, Ted Field himself occasionally took the wheel in some occasions including at 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Interscope Racing started off entering Ongais in Formula 5000 in 1975, graduating to USAC racing and the Indianapolis 500 in Parnelli chassis. Field also funded Ongais to make occasional Formula One outings in a Penske. Field also backed the construction in 1980 of an Interscope chassis designed by Roman Slobodinskij for the Indianapolis 500. This was intended to take a turbocharged six-cylinder Porsche engine (similar to the one Ongais and Field were using in their Porsche 935) but a dispute with USAC over turbo boost meant the program was abandoned.
wn.com/Ted_Field -
Terry Borcheller
Terry Borcheller (born March 22, 1966 in Hialeah, Florida) is an American professional racing driver who races in the Grand American Road Racing Association Rolex Sports Car Series and American Le Mans Series.
As a teenager, Borcheller was the World Karting Association national champion in 1983. He began his professional career in the Barber Saab Pro Series in 1991. In 1998 he won the IMSA Speedvision cup in the GS class and the SPEED World Challenge T-1 class championship in a Saleen Mustang. In 2000 he captured the Rolex Sports Car Series GTO class championship in a Saleen Mustang. The following year he drove a Saleen S7R in the American Le Mans Series and won the GTS class championship. The following year he returned to the Rolex series and captured SRP II class honors in a Lola-Nissan. Following the realignment of that series class structure the following year, Borcheller was the champion of that series top class, Daytona Prototype in a Chevrolet powered Doran. The following year he won the 24 Hours of Daytona with teammates Christian Fittipaldi, Forest Barber, and Andy Pilgrim in a Pontiac powered Doran and finished 9th in the championship. He stayed with the Doran team through the 2006 season as the team began to fall behind the teams using the more heavily developed and popular Riley and Crawford chassis.
wn.com/Terry_Borcheller -
Thierry Boutsen
Thierry Marc Boutsen (born 13 July 1957 in Brussels, Belgium) is a former racing driver who raced for the Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan teams in Formula One.
After winning the "Volant V" in 1977 at the André Pilette Racing School, Zolder, Boutsen entered the Belgian Formula Ford 1600 championship and won it in 1978 with 15 victories in 18 races. He also entered the 1978 Spa 24 Hours race, the very last auto race on the old 14 km (8.7 mi) Spa-Francorchamps circuit- driving a Toyota Trueno. For 1979 he moved to Formula 3, winning three races in 1980 and second place in the European title race, behind Michele Alboreto. In 1981 he moved to Formula 2 and was again second in the European championship, including winning at the 14-mile Nürburgring- this time behind Geoff Lees. He also entered the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race started at 3pm – one hour earlier than usual due to the Parliamentary elections held on the same weekend.
At 4:06pm Boutsen suffered a massive accident just after the Hunaudières kink, some 400 metres (0.25 mi) before the Mulsanne bosse (the "hump") when his WM P81-Peugeot was travelling at some 350 km/h (217 mph). A suspension piece had failed and the car hit the guard-rail losing the entire rear end. Boutsen was untouched, but the debris field of hurled parts and bodywork was spread over 150 metres (490 ft). Three marshals were struck by the debris. One of them, Thierry Mabillat was killed, struck in the chest by a detached piece of the guard rail. Two of his colleagues, Claude Hertault and Serge David (who lost an arm), were seriously injured.
wn.com/Thierry_Boutsen -
Tim Birkin
Sir Henry Ralph Stanley "Tim" Birkin, 3rd Baronet (26 July 1896 – 22 June 1933) was a British racing driver, one of the "Bentley Boys" of the 1920s.
He was born into a wealthy Nottingham family in 1896. He was the son of Sir Thomas Stanley Birkin, 2nd Bt. and Hon. Margaret Diana Hopetoun Chetwynd. In childhood, Henry Birkin gained the nickname "Tim", after the children's comic book character Tiger Tim, created by Julius Stafford Baker, who was extremely popular at the time. The nickname stuck right up to Birkin's death.
He married Audrey Clara Lilian Latham, daughter of Sir Thomas Paul Latham, 1st Bt. and Florence Clara Walley, on 12 July 1921. They were divorced in 1928.
He and Audrey had two daughters, Pamela and Sara, both of whom married and had issue. The elder daughter Pamela (d. 1983) married two Buxton cousins in succession, and her second husband was the Life Peer Baron Buxton of Alsa, KCVO, MC. She had seven children including wildlife film-maker Cindy Buxton. The younger daughter Sara (d. 1976) married twice, and had two sons by her first husband..
wn.com/Tim_Birkin -
Timo Bernhard
Timo Bernhard (born February 24, 1981 in Homburg, Saarland, Germany) is a sports car racer. He is currently a Porsche factory driver, but has been seconded to Audi for selected events in 2009 and 2010. He has also raced for the CytoSport in the 2010 American Le Mans Series season (ALMS) and is a winner of the Triple Crown in endurance racing.
Bernhard debuted in karting in 1991. He finished 5th at the CIK/FIA Junior World Championship y was crowned German junior champion. The next two years, Bernhard was 6th and 3rd at the German Karting Championship. In 1998 he moved to formula cars as he join the Formula Ford, finishing 6th in both the German series and the Eurocup en 1998. In his last hear in open-wheelers, 1999, Bernhard finished 3rd at the German Formula Ford.
For 2000, Bernhard drove in Porsche Supercup as a UPS Porsche Junior driver, finishing 3rd in the championship. In 2001, he made his American Le Mans Series debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring, where he finished 2nd in the GT class with Randy Pobst and Christian Menzel, driving for Alex Job Racing. He also made four other ALMS starts, and won the Porsche Carrera Cup championship.
wn.com/Timo_Bernhard -
Toine Hezemans
Toine Hezemans (born 14 April 1943 in Eindhoven) was an active Dutch touring and prototype racing car driver in 1960s and 1970s, nowadays one of principals of Phoenix Carsport. Hezemans won the European Touring Car Championship in 1970 with Alfa Romeo GTAm and in 1973 with BMW 3.0 CSL and 1975 Euro GT class with Porsche 934. In the 1970s Hezemans drove also Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 prototype racers, winning the 1971 Targa Florio with Nino Vaccarella in an Alfa Romeo 33/3.
His son Mike Hezemans is one of the Phoenix Carsport team drivers.
wn.com/Toine_Hezemans -
Tom Kristensen
Tom Kristensen (born 7 July 1967 in Hobro) is a Danish racing driver. He has won many championships in auto racing but his most famous achievement is being the only person to win the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times, six of which were consecutive (from 2000-2005). In 1997, he won the race with the Joest Racing team, driving a Tom Walkinshaw Racing-designed and Porsche-powered WSC95, after being a late inclusion in the team following Davy Jones' accident that eventually ruled him out of the race. All of his wins since then have come driving an Audi prototype, except in 2003, when he drove a Bentley prototype. In both 1999 and 2007 Kristensen's team crashed out of a comfortable lead in the closing hours of the race.
Tom's career began in 1984, winning several karting titles. He raced in Japan in the early 90s, concurrently in Formula 3 and Touring Cars. He was German Formula 3 Champion in 1991,Japanese Formula 3 champion in 1993, and runner-up in the Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC) in 1992 and 1994. He was 6th in Formula 3000 in both 1996 and 1997, and test driver for Tyrrell in their final Formula One season in 1998, and for Michelin as they prepared their F1 tyres using an older Williams car in 2000. He was 3rd in the STW Cup in Germany in 1999, 7th in the British Touring Car Championship in 2000, and winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring in both those years.
wn.com/Tom_Kristensen -
Tony Rolt
Major Anthony Peter Roylance "Tony" Rolt, MC & Bar, (16 October 1918 – 6 February 2008) was a British racing driver, soldier and engineer. He won the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans and participated in three Formula One World Championship Grands Prix without scoring a championship point. He was the longest surviving participant of the first ever World Championship Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1950.
Rolt was born in Bordon, Hampshire, the fourth child of Brigadier Stuart Rolt, and educated at Eton College. After a brief pre-war career as a racing driver, he entered the Sandhurst Military Academy and in 1939 received a commission in the Rifle Brigade.
During the Second World War, Rolt was a lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade and in 1940 was awarded the Military Cross during the defence of Calais. He was then taken prisoner of war during the fall of France, and after persistent escape attempts was sent to Oflag IV-C in Colditz Castle, where he was involved in the audacious glider escape plan. For his determined escape attempts, Rolt was awarded a Bar to his Military Cross.
wn.com/Tony_Rolt -
Umberto Maglioli
Umberto Maglioli (born in Bioglio, Vercelli, 5 June 1928 – died in Monza, 7 February 1999) was a racing driver from Italy. He participated in 10 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 13 September 1953. He achieved 2 podiums, and scored a total of 3 1⁄3 championship points. Maglioli also won the gruelling Carrera Panamericana in 1954.
(key)
wn.com/Umberto_Maglioli -
Vern Schuppan
Vernon "Vern" Schuppan (born 19 March 1943) is a racing driver from Whyalla, South Australia. Schuppan drove in various categories, participating in Formula One, the Indianapolis 500 and most successfully in sports car racing.
After a successful karting career, Schuppan went to Great Britain to participate in the British Formula Atlantic Championship, which he won, leading to a test with BRM. As BRM's test driver he tried to qualify for the 1972 Belgian Grand Prix, but he didn't start the race because Helmut Marko drove his car. He did compete in some non-championship races with BRM. In 1974 Schuppan went to Team Ensign, debuting again in the Belgian Grand Prix where he finished in 15th position. In Monaco he retired on lap four because of an accident. Schuppan was disqualified in both Sweden and the Netherlands; in Sweden because he started illegally from 26th place on the grid and in Holland for receiving a tyre change outside of the pits. Schuppan didn't qualify in France or Britain. He retired in Germany on lap 4 because of gearbox problems. In 1975 he raced in one race in Sweden for Graham Hill's Embassy team, retiring from the race with transmission problems. In 1977 Schuppan raced for Surtees, finishing 12th in Britain and a career best 7th in Germany. He finished 16th in Austria, but failed to qualify for his final F1 race in Holland.
wn.com/Vern_Schuppan -
Vic Elford
Victor Henry Elford (born in London, 10 June 1935) is a former sportscar racing, rallying and Formula One driver from England. He participated in 13 World Championship F1 Grands Prix, debuting on 7 July 1968. He scored a total of 8 championship points.
Nicknamed "Quick Vic" by his peers Elford was mainly a famous sports car competitor as well as a successful rally driver, associated often with Porsche.
Elford started as a co-driver, partnering David Seigle-Morris in a Triumph TR3A. By 1961 he had acquired the confidence to see himself as a potential driver in his own right: the confidence was not shared by team manager Marcus Chambers, and Elford purchased a race-tuned Mini which he rallied as a privateer with limited success before selling it at the end of the season. 1962 found him achieving success in several UK rallies driving a factory sponsored DKW Junior. The next year saw a return to Triumph and Elford achieved impressively fast times with the Triumph TR4s, although reliability of the cars in Elford's hands was disappointing, and the following year Elford switched to Ford: this was the beginning of a successful three year rallying stint with the Ford Cortinas.
wn.com/Vic_Elford -
Volker Weidler
Volker Weidler (born March 18, 1962 in Heidelberg) is a former racing driver from Germany, best known for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991.
In 1985, he became German Formula Three champion.
In the 1989 Formula One season, Weidler entered 10 Formula One Grands Prix racing for the Rial team, but failed to qualify the uncompetitive car on every occasion.
After Formula One, he moved to Japan and raced in the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship and the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship. He often fought over the title with Kazuyoshi Hoshino, Ross Cheever and others in the Japanese Formula 3000, and took popularity in Japan.
In 1991, Weidler teamed with Johnny Herbert and Bertrand Gachot to win Le Mans behind the wheel of the Wankel engine-powered Mazda 787B, marking also the first and only win of the legendary French race by both a Japanese manufacturer and engine supplier. This Wankel engine-powered car was noted for being very loud. From 1992, 3.5L F1 engines were promoted by the FISA while rotary engines were banned, rendering the 787B ineligible after the season which saw its maiden win at Le Mans.
wn.com/Volker_Weidler -
Volkert Merl
Volkert Merl (born February 10, 1940) is a retired German racing driver.
Merl primarily competed for Joest Racing throughout his career in the early 1980s competing in the World Sportscar Championship and Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft (DRM). He won the 1980 24 Hours of Daytona with Rolf Stommelen and Reinhold Joest in a Porsche 935 and placed second in 1983 DRM championship points in a Porsche 956. That same year he also finished 4th in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
wn.com/Volkert_Merl -
Walt Hansgen
Walt Hansgen (Westfield, New Jersey, October 28, 1919 - Orléans, France, April 7, 1966) was a racecar driver from the United States. His racing career began as a road racing driver. He was aged forty-one at the time of his Grand Prix debut and forty-six when he was killed during a raceway crash.
A four-time SCCA Road Racing Champ, Hansgen participated in two Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on October 8, 1961, at Watkins Glen, New York. He scored a total of two championship points. In 1964 he raced the MG Liquid Suspension Special, an Offenhauser-powered car, for Kjell Qvale, at the Indianapolis 500. He finished 13th in that race. He raced there again in 1965, in the MG-Huffaker-Offenhauser, when he finished 14th.
In addition to Formula One, Walt Hansgen was a dominant road racer from the early 1950s and 1960s, winning numerous races at VIR (Virginia International Raceway), the famed course at Bridgehampton, and Watkins Glen through to his death at Le Mans in France in 1966.
He drove for Briggs Cunningham and John Mecom. Hansgen won the Formula Junior race at the inaugural United States Grand Prix meeting at Sebring, Florida, on December 12, 1959, driving a Stanguellini. Hansgen won the Monterey Grand Prix, at Laguna Seca, on October 17, 1965, driving John Mecom's Lola T70-Ford. He participated in several races of the 24 hours of Daytona and Le Mans as well as the 12 hours of Sebring endurance races. He also was notable for introducing Mark Donohue to professional road racing.
wn.com/Walt_Hansgen -
Wayne Baker
Dr. Wayne E. Baker is an American author and sociologist on the senior faculty of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. His teaching and research interests are in the fields of values, American society, social capital, social networks and economic sociology. Baker is best known both for his research in economic sociology, where he demonstrated that financial markets operate as social networks, and his survey research on values, where he documented Americans’ core values. His data show Americans share more core values than news media and political campaigns will admit. These core values include patriotism, belief in God, individualism, success, equal opportunities, freedom and liberty, respect and the free market. He writes in both academic and popular media on this theme and is often invited to present his findings across the U.S
Baker earned his M.A. in sociology and a B.S. in finance, summa cum laude, from Northern Illinois University. From there he earned his doctorate in sociology from Northwestern University and held a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard University.
wn.com/Wayne_Baker -
Wayne Taylor
For the bluegrass musician of the same name, see Blue Highway
Wayne Taylor (born 15 July 1956 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa) is a South African sports car racer. He won the 1996 and 2005 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 2005 Rolex Series. He co-drives for SunTrust Racing with Max Angelelli. He co-drove in the 2006 International Race of Champions in the United States with Angelelli.
He won the 1986 South African National Drivers Championship. In 1987 he finished fourth in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He moved to the FIA World Sportscar Championship. He competed in the C2 class in 1988, and moved to the C1 class in 1989. He also competed in the IMSA GT Camel series in 1989, 1990, and 1991. He moved to IMSA's Camel Lights series in 1992, and the Camel GTP series in 1993.
He won the IMSA WSC class in 1994, with second place finishes in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
He was once more IMSA WSC champion in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998. In 1998 he won the Petit Le Mans and the prototype class in the 24 Hours of Daytona.
wn.com/Wayne_Taylor -
Wikipedia Persondata
wn.com/Wikipedia_Persondata -
Wolfgang Seidel
Wolfgang Seidel (4 July 1926 in Dresden – 1 March 1987 in Munich) was a racing driver from Germany. He participated in 12 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 2 August 1953. He scored no championship points.
Seidel often entered cars under his own name, or under the Scuderia Colonia banner.
(key)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
wn.com/Wolfgang_Seidel -
Woolf Barnato
Joel Woolf Barnato (27 September 1895 – 27 July 1948) was a British financier and racing driver, one of the "Bentley Boys" of the 1920s. He achieved three consecutive wins out of three entries in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
The youngest son of Fanny Bees and Barney Barnato, who had made a fortune as a "Randlord" in South African diamond and gold mining, he was a relative of the Joel family of entrepreneurs.
Born at Spencer House, 27 St James Place, London, he had a sister Leah Primrose (died 1933) and brother Isaac "Jack" Henry (died 1918 of bronchial pneumonia). The family divided their time between London, Brighton, Colwyn Bay and South Africa.
In 1897 aged two, his father died near Madeira during a sea crossing from South Africa to London. The official verdict was suicide ('death by drowning while temporarily insane'). Woolf hence inherited his fathers fortune at the time, but with the monies placed in trust, he only inherited his first instalment of £250,000, in 1914 aged 19. In addition, Woolf also benefited from a further inheritance after the murder of Woolf Barnato Joel in Johannesburg in 1898.
wn.com/Woolf_Barnato -
Yannick Dalmas
Yannick Dalmas (born 28 July 1961 in Le Beausset, Var) is a former racing driver from France. He participated in 49 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 18 October 1987, but qualified for only 24 of them. His best result in F1 was a 5th place at the 1987 Australian Grand Prix, but he was not eligible for World Championship points at that race. His F1 career was blighted by his health issues, towards the end of 1988, Dalmas was diagnosed with Legionellosis which understandably caused him to miss the final two races. He recovered before the start of 1989 but his illness had clearly affected him.
After the 1990 Formula One Season, Dalmas left the series and began racing in Le Mans Prototypes. There he found much more success, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times (in 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1999), each with different teams.
In 1994, Dalmas made a brief return to Formula One with Larrousse, but only entered two races. He crashed in Italy, and finished two laps off the lead in Portugal.
Dalmas was French Formula Three champion in 1986.
wn.com/Yannick_Dalmas
Send this Playlist by SMS
Email this Page
Dan Gurney and the Eagle at Spa
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:37
- Updated: 10 Dec 2012
Dan Gurney drives his Eagle Formula 1 car to win the Belgian Grand Prix.
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney_and_the_Eagle_at_Spa
Dan Gurney drives his Eagle Formula 1 car to win the Belgian Grand Prix.
Dan Gurney "The Original Ringer" on TNT Pride of NASCAR
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:50
- Updated: 24 Dec 2012
Dan Gurney feature on TNT's Pride of NASCAR segment NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Save Mart 350 Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California.
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney_The_Original_Ringer_on_TNT_Pride_of_NASCAR
Dan Gurney feature on TNT's Pride of NASCAR segment NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Save Mart 350 Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California.
- published: 25 Jun 2009
- views: 2841
- author: 64ORD
Dan Gurney, LA Auto Show
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 22:37
- Updated: 18 Nov 2012
Legendary racer, racecar manufacturer and team owner. One of the most popular F1 Grand Prix drivers ever. The first driver to win races in the four major categories of motorsports: Grand Prix, Indy Car, NASCAR and Sports Car. Episode 7005
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney,_LA_Auto_Show
Legendary racer, racecar manufacturer and team owner. One of the most popular F1 Grand Prix drivers ever. The first driver to win races in the four major categories of motorsports: Grand Prix, Indy Car, NASCAR and Sports Car. Episode 7005
- published: 09 Jul 2009
- views: 1633
- author: CarCrazyCentral
Centennial Moment - Dan Gurney
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:55
- Updated: 03 May 2012
Today we look at Dan Gurney and his career at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway...
http://wn.com/Centennial_Moment_Dan_Gurney
Today we look at Dan Gurney and his career at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway...
- published: 08 Apr 2011
- views: 3090
- author: IndyMotorSpeedway33
Dan Gurney Tribute Parade, Goodwood Revival 2012
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:06
- Updated: 16 Dec 2012
To celebrate the incredible life and career of the hugely charismatic Dan Gurney, the 2012 Goodwood Revival featured a re-birth of the "Dan Gurney for President" campaign and a tribute parade of some of his most famous race cars. Ranging from a Lotus Cortina to his own AAR Eagle-Weslake, one of the most beautiful open wheel racers ever built it was truly a fitting way to thank the great man for the entertainment his passion for motor-racing has given us.
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney_Tribute_Parade,_Goodwood_Revival_2012
To celebrate the incredible life and career of the hugely charismatic Dan Gurney, the 2012 Goodwood Revival featured a re-birth of the "Dan Gurney for President" campaign and a tribute parade of some of his most famous race cars. Ranging from a Lotus Cortina to his own AAR Eagle-Weslake, one of the most beautiful open wheel racers ever built it was truly a fitting way to thank the great man for the entertainment his passion for motor-racing has given us.
- published: 17 Sep 2012
- views: 1445
- author: GoodwoodRRClub
Dan Gurney introduces the 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:27
- Updated: 11 Sep 2012
MuscleCarFilms.com
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney_introduces_the_1970_Plymouth_'Cuda
US F1 Team - Thoughts from Dan Gurney
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:53
- Updated: 24 Sep 2012
http://wn.com/US_F1_Team_Thoughts_from_Dan_Gurney
Dan Gurney & the DeltaWing - Autoweek One 2 One
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:19
- Updated: 29 May 2012
Autoweek's own Mark Vaughn sits down with the legendary racer and designer, Dan Gurney. For more on the testing of the DeltaWing, click www.autoweek.com
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney_the_DeltaWing_Autoweek_One_2_One
Autoweek's own Mark Vaughn sits down with the legendary racer and designer, Dan Gurney. For more on the testing of the DeltaWing, click www.autoweek.com
- published: 24 Apr 2012
- views: 231
- author: AutoweekUSA
1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II Dan Gurney Special
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:56
- Updated: 29 Dec 2012
The Cyclone Spoiler II design featured a stretched, tapered nose and flush-mounted grille. It also had re-rolled rocker panels that allowed the car to be lowered without violating NASCAR's ride-height requirements. Two trim packages were available: the Dan Gurney Special in Wimbledon White and Presidential Blue and the Cale Yarborough Specials (as seen on this car) in Candy Apple Red over Wimbledon White. Both were named after Mercury's best NASCAR drivers of the time.
http://wn.com/1969_Mercury_Cyclone_Spoiler_II_Dan_Gurney_Special
The Cyclone Spoiler II design featured a stretched, tapered nose and flush-mounted grille. It also had re-rolled rocker panels that allowed the car to be lowered without violating NASCAR's ride-height requirements. Two trim packages were available: the Dan Gurney Special in Wimbledon White and Presidential Blue and the Cale Yarborough Specials (as seen on this car) in Candy Apple Red over Wimbledon White. Both were named after Mercury's best NASCAR drivers of the time.
- published: 09 Dec 2011
- views: 2453
- author: ScottieDTV
1/32 Slot car Dan Gurney Eagle - Artin track
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:27
- Updated: 26 Nov 2012
Scalextric - Dan Gurney Eagle - with no magnet - what a blast to drive.
http://wn.com/1_32_Slot_car_Dan_Gurney_Eagle_Artin_track
Scalextric - Dan Gurney Eagle - with no magnet - what a blast to drive.
- published: 21 Feb 2010
- views: 8309
- author: SV1Bricklin
Andy Boone In Dan Gurney's AAR Cuda At Road America
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:07
- Updated: 29 Sep 2012
http://wn.com/Andy_Boone_In_Dan_Gurney's_AAR_Cuda_At_Road_America
Dan Gurney
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:16
- Updated: 31 Dec 2012
November 12th,2012 saw Dan arrive into the shop on his way to the airport after partaking in the hedonism that is the Ennis Trad. Festival. He was press-ganged into the hotseat and performed admirably. Mile buíochas, Dan!
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney
November 12th,2012 saw Dan arrive into the shop on his way to the airport after partaking in the hedonism that is the Ennis Trad. Festival. He was press-ganged into the hotseat and performed admirably. Mile buíochas, Dan!
- published: 16 Nov 2012
- views: 593
- author: CustysMusic
Isaac Alderson, Dylan Foley, Dan Gurney, Sean Earnest - part 1
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:45
- Updated: 17 Aug 2012
at Club Passim, Boston, MA - April 10, 2011 originally broadcast on www.concertwindow.com
http://wn.com/Isaac_Alderson,_Dylan_Foley,_Dan_Gurney,_Sean_Earnest_part_1
at Club Passim, Boston, MA - April 10, 2011 originally broadcast on www.concertwindow.com
- published: 12 Apr 2011
- views: 1745
- author: Dan Gurney
Dan Gurney's Lotus 19
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:54
- Updated: 14 Jun 2012
In 1964, American racer Dan Gurney had a Lotus 19 built with a Ford 289 engine. This is the car today at Sears Point Raceway.
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney's_Lotus_19
In 1964, American racer Dan Gurney had a Lotus 19 built with a Ford 289 engine. This is the car today at Sears Point Raceway.
- published: 25 Sep 2006
- views: 6508
- author: Peter Reynolds
Dan Gurney 1964 Ford Commercial
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:00
- Updated: 21 Aug 2012
Dan Gurney in a short 1964 Ford Commercial
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney_1964_Ford_Commercial
Isaac Alderson, Dylan Foley, Dan Gurney, Sean Earnest - part 2
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 14:49
- Updated: 30 Oct 2012
with special guest Bridget Fitzgerald at Club Passim, Boston, MA - April 10, 2011 originally broadcast on www.concertwindow.com
http://wn.com/Isaac_Alderson,_Dylan_Foley,_Dan_Gurney,_Sean_Earnest_part_2
with special guest Bridget Fitzgerald at Club Passim, Boston, MA - April 10, 2011 originally broadcast on www.concertwindow.com
- published: 12 Apr 2011
- views: 958
- author: Dan Gurney
Ford Dan Gurney Nascar Replica 427
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:25
- Updated: 17 Nov 2012
Dan Gurney #28 Nascar Replica 427
http://wn.com/Ford_Dan_Gurney_Nascar_Replica_427
Dan Gurney from www.tunesinthechurch.com
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:29
- Updated: 17 Nov 2012
This video was recorded in 2011 aspart of an annual summer concert series at St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church, Galway city, Ireland. Concerts are held in two other church venues; St. Mary's Church, Killarney, Co. Kerry, and the 'Holy Trinity Church', Westport, Co. Mayo. For more information about this summers' series please visit www.tunesinthechurch.com or or you can find us on facebook by searching 'Tunes in Church'. (www.tunesinthechurch.com)
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney_from_wwwtunesinthechurchcom
This video was recorded in 2011 aspart of an annual summer concert series at St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church, Galway city, Ireland. Concerts are held in two other church venues; St. Mary's Church, Killarney, Co. Kerry, and the 'Holy Trinity Church', Westport, Co. Mayo. For more information about this summers' series please visit www.tunesinthechurch.com or or you can find us on facebook by searching 'Tunes in Church'. (www.tunesinthechurch.com)
- published: 26 Nov 2011
- views: 354
- author: TunesintheChurch
2008 Saleen Dan Gurney Edition H281SC Mustang Video
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:26
- Updated: 14 Apr 2012
Photo shoot of the 2008 Saleen Dan Gurney Edition H281SC Mustang with photographer Peter Linney and model Lisa Angeline.
http://wn.com/2008_Saleen_Dan_Gurney_Edition_H281SC_Mustang_Video
Photo shoot of the 2008 Saleen Dan Gurney Edition H281SC Mustang with photographer Peter Linney and model Lisa Angeline.
- published: 09 Mar 2011
- views: 804
- author: MuscleMustangsFF
Dan Gurney Special - 1967 Mercury Cougar #1
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:29
- Updated: 27 Nov 2010
Cougar head lights opening
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney_Special_1967_Mercury_Cougar_1
1967 Mercury Cougar XR7 Dan Gurney Special
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:14
- Updated: 08 Aug 2012
1967 Mercury Cougar XR7 Dan Gurney Special. California car, never driven in a rainy day. This is a very nice #1 driver that I have owned since 1996. I brought this California car home in 96'. It was purchased from the nephew of the original owner. Always pampered, never driven hard or raced, a real cream puff!
http://wn.com/1967_Mercury_Cougar_XR7_Dan_Gurney_Special
1967 Mercury Cougar XR7 Dan Gurney Special. California car, never driven in a rainy day. This is a very nice #1 driver that I have owned since 1996. I brought this California car home in 96'. It was purchased from the nephew of the original owner. Always pampered, never driven hard or raced, a real cream puff!
- published: 17 Jan 2011
- views: 1240
- author: Mark Reed
rFactor F1 67 Dan Gurney @ Spa 67
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:08
- Updated: 29 Dec 2011
Trying out the Dan Gurney tribute mod. No added video effects live capture.
http://wn.com/rFactor_F1_67_Dan_Gurney_@_Spa_67
Trying out the Dan Gurney tribute mod. No added video effects live capture.
- published: 12 Oct 2011
- views: 1090
- author: Bruce Leeroy
1984 Toyota Supra -- Dan Gurney
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:31
- Updated: 02 Nov 2012
Racing legend Dan Gurney and his wife love the more powerful 1984 Toyota Supra.
http://wn.com/1984_Toyota_Supra_-_Dan_Gurney
Racing legend Dan Gurney and his wife love the more powerful 1984 Toyota Supra.
- published: 06 Sep 2011
- views: 1646
- author: jsrambler
photo: AP / New York City Police Department
30 Dec 2012
A woman who told police she shoved a man to his death off a subway platform because she has hated Muslims since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the US and thought he was one was charged on Saturday with murder as a hate crime, prosecutors said ... Menendez, 31, was awaiting arraignment on the charge on Saturday evening, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. She faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted ... On Dec ... ....(size: 3.0Kb)
photo: AP / Felicia Fonseca
01 Jan 2013
Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling. For good reason Mark Charles, a member of the Navajo Nation, is deeply offended that buried on page 45 of the 2010 Defense Appropriation Act (after pages on the maintenance and operation of the United States Military) is an "official" apology to Native American People ... political leaders and officials find it extremely difficult in expressing remorse for past mistakes ... Escorted by the U.S....(size: 5.6Kb)
photo: AP / Shaam News Network
30 Dec 2012
London. UN-Arab League envoy to Damascus, Lakhdar Brahimi, has said that a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Syria seemed far away, adding that the country risked being slithering into ‘hell’ ... (ANI). For Zee News’s Updates, follow us on Twitter , Facebook, Google+, Pinterest. First Published ... ....(size: 1.7Kb)
photo: AP / John MacDougall
31 Dec 2012
Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that the German economic climate in 2013 will be "even more difficult". In her new year message, she also cautioned that the eurozone debt crisis was far from over. However, she did say that reforms designed to address the roots of the problem were beginning to bear fruit ... In a taped interview to be broadcast later on Monday, Mrs Merkel urged Germans to be more patient ... Voters 'wary' ... ....(size: 2.3Kb)
photo: AP / Abdullah Al-Yasin
01 Jan 2013
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrians woke on New Year's Day to countrywide aerial bombardment, while President Bashar al-Assad's forces and rebels fighting to topple him clashed on the outskirts of the capital. Free Syrian Army fighters and civilians search for bodies under rubble after an air strike by a fighter jet loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo's al-Marja district December 31, 2012. REUTERS/Muzaffar Salman (SYRIA - Tags ... ....(size: 4.9Kb)
Yahoo Daily News
30 Dec 2012
More than a few of us will crack open a bottle or two of champagne to help toast the New Year. Here's how to look knowledgeable rather than just tipsy. What exactly is champagne? ... When Dan Gurney and A.J ... Gurney looked down and saw team owner Carroll Shelby and Ford Motors CEO Henry Ford II standing with some journalists and decided to have a bit of fun. Gurney gave the bottle a shake and sprayed the crowd, and a new tradition was born ... ....(size: 5.6Kb)
The Examiner
12 Dec 2012
There are many beautiful sites on the Central Coast of California including Monterey which has the automotive beauty and speed of the Monterey Reunion; one of the many exhilarating things to behold on this rugged coastline of the Pacific Ocean ... Formerly Historics ... Such vintages as the Corvette were celebrated in the past, plus celebrities from a bygone era like Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti and Carol Shelby were feted with tributes ... Where....(size: 4.2Kb)
Fox News
11 Dec 2012
Now I realize we have something like three weeks left in the year, but trust me, for these NASCAR Sprint Cup teams, 2013 actually starts today. Testing begins Tuesday and goes through Wednesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway with teams testing the new 2013 car ... There still is some uncertainty about the rules package for this car as the 2013 season draws ever closer ... 10-12 ... Monday night, Dec ... There was Dan Gurney, one of my all-time heros ... ....(size: 9.0Kb)
The Examiner
07 Dec 2012
This is the first of a three-part series on the 2012 Bahamas Speed Week Revival races, the cars, the drivers, and associated social activity ... Legendary drivers such as Mark Donohue, A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Bruce McLaren, Roger Penske and Stirling Moss attacked the Bahamas Speed Week course.View slideshow. Nassau Speed Week Revival ... They came to race ... ....(size: 1.9Kb)
Business Wire
04 Dec 2012
The 2012 SPEED Performer of the Year is selected by a panel including Hall-of-Fame racing legends Andretti, Dan Gurney, Darrell Waltrip, Don Prudhomme, Scott Russell, "Wind Tunnel" host Dave Despain, veteran broadcasters Bob Varsha, Ralph Sheheen and Leigh Diffey, SPEED.com writers Robin Miller, Tom Jensen and Marshall Pruett, versatile racers Tommy Kendall and Dorsey Schroeder and a select group of SPEED motor sports producers....(size: 6.9Kb)
noodls
04 Dec 2012
... The car was also nominated as a contender for the Autosport Awards Racing Car of the Year ... The "Garage 56" group brought together project leader and American Le Mans Series Founder, Don Panoz; DeltaWing patron, Chip Ganassi; US racing legend Dan Gurney whose All American Racers group built the car; and project entrant, two-time ALMS champions, Duncan Dayton's Highcroft Racing ... The car is featured on the Nissan stand at the show....(size: 6.7Kb)
noodls
04 Dec 2012
LONDON, ENGLAND, Monday, 3 December 2012 ... ... The car was also nominated as a contender for the Autosport Awards Racing Car of the Year ... The "Garage 56" group brought together project leader and American Le Mans Series Founder, Don Panoz; DeltaWing patron, Chip Ganassi; US racing legend Dan Gurney whose All American Racers group built the car; and project entrant, two-time ALMS champions, Duncan Dayton's Highcroft Racing ... (noodl....(size: 6.7Kb)
The Examiner
20 Nov 2012
Related topics. IMRRCWatkins Glen. Advertisement. Watkins Glen's International Motor Racing Research Center announced on Monday that all 1,962 raffle tickets for the giveaway of a 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302 have been sold ... Harold Russell, supervisor of the Town of Dix, will draw the winning ticket at 1 p.m ... S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. Racers Dan Gurney and Stirling Moss took part in celebrating the car's debut at the time ... Mr ... * ... Tweet ... ....(size: 6.9Kb)
The Examiner
20 Nov 2012
Related topics ... During the broadcast of the COTA USGP from Austin, Texas, SPEED Channel's Bob Varsha mentioned that there were many viewing parties being held throughout the United States and that one of note was the gathering being hosted by the Riverside International Automotive Museum which featured Tony Settember and Don Nichols and had on view many great historic open wheel racing cars created from the Dan Gurney Eagle operation....(size: 11.1Kb)
The Examiner
19 Nov 2012
Related topics ... Advertisement ... Montoya, who pilots the No ... Juan Montoya at Homestead-Miami. Montoya has also become a crossover race winner by winning races (starting in each case in his rookie year) in Formula One, CART, IndyCar, Grand-AM and NASCAR equalling in that respect Mario Andretti's caliber of success (except for the F1 World Championship); And shares honors as well with Dan Gurney in being IndyCar/F1/NASCAR race winner ... Q ... Q ... Q ... ....(size: 9.7Kb)
my SA
18 Nov 2012
BRASELTON, Ga ... Despite plenty of racetrack experience, I had my doubts about what would happen next ... “The DeltaWing is all about making history,” said Dan Gurney, a legendary Southern California driver who has won in many forms of motor sport ... “I'm a racer. “This is a disruptive technology,” he continued ... In seven months, the DeltaWing went from the drawing board to completion in the shop of Gurney's All American Racers....(size: 7.5Kb)
Formula1 FanCast
15 Nov 2012
Since then, numerous drivers have attempted to emulate the success of Hill and Andretti in Formula One, with Dan Gurney, Peter Revson, Bobby Unser, Eddie Cheever, Mark Donohue and Michael Andretti being just a handful of those who have tried and failed to make their name in the sport. In 2006, Scott Speed became the most recent American driver to fully compete in F1, enduring two difficult seasons with the Toro Rosso team....(size: 4.5Kb)
The Examiner
11 Nov 2012
Related topics. Circuit of the AmericasSpeedUnited States Grand PrixFormula 1Mario Andretti. Advertisement. Circuit of The Americas, the new purpose-built Grand Prix facility that will host the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX November 16-18, will be featured during a special 30-minute program on the SPEED television network Sunday, November 11, at 5 p.m. CST ... Sunday, Nov. 11 ... (5 p.m ... 16 ... 17 ... 18 ... Dan Gurney Wins the Belgian Grand Prix (3 p.m....(size: 7.5Kb)
 |
|
| Born | (1931-04-13) April 13, 1931 (age 81) |
|---|---|
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  American |
| Active years | 1959 - 1968, 1970 |
| Teams | Ferrari, BRM, Porsche, Lotus, Brabham, Eagle, McLaren |
| Races | 87 (86 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 4 |
| Podiums | 19 |
| Career points | 133 |
| Pole positions | 3 |
| Fastest laps | 6 |
| First race | 1959 French Grand Prix |
| First win | 1962 French Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1967 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1970 British Grand Prix |
Daniel Sexton Gurney (born April 13, 1931) is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.
The son of a Metropolitan Opera star,[1] he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager. He has been a driver, a car manufacturer, and a team owner at racing's highest levels since 1958.
Gurney also won races in the Indy Car, NASCAR, Can-Am, and Trans-Am Series. Gurney was the first driver to win races in Sports Cars (1958), Formula One (1962), NASCAR (1963), and Indy Car (1967) (the other two being Mario Andretti and Juan Pablo Montoya). In 1967, after winning the 24 hours of Le Mans together with A.J. Foyt, he spontaneously sprayed champagne while celebrating on the podium. Apart from starting this tradition, he also was the first to put a simple right-angle extension on the upper trailing edge of the rear wing. This device, called a Gurney flap, increases downforce and, if well designed, imposes only a relatively small increase in aerodynamic drag. At the 1968 German Grand Prix he became the first driver ever to use a full face helmet in Grand Prix racing.[2]
Contents |
Early life[link]
Dan Gurney's father, John Gurney, was a prominent singer with the Metropolitan Opera in New York who retired in 1947 and moved the family to Riverside, California when Dan was a teenager. Young Dan quickly became caught up in the California hot rod culture. At age 19, he built and raced a car that went 138 miles per hour (mph) (222 kilometres per hour [km/h]) at the Bonneville Salt Flats. He then became an amateur drag racer and sports car racer. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War.[3]
Formula One Career[link]
Driver[link]
Gurney's first major break occurred in the fall of 1957, when he was invited to test Frank Arciero's Arciero Special. It was powered by a 4.2-litre reworked Maserati engine with Ferrari running gear, and a Sports Car Engineering Mistral body.[4] This ill-handling brute of a car was very fast, but even top drivers like Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles had found it difficult to handle. He finished second in the inaugural Riverside Grand Prix (behind Shelby), beating established stars like Masten Gregory, Walt Hansgen and Phil Hill. This attracted the attention of famed Ferrari North American importer Luigi Chinetti, who arranged for a factory ride for the young driver at Le Mans in 1958. Gurney, teamed with fellow Californian Bruce Kessler, had worked the car up to fifth overall and handed over to Kessler, who was then caught up in an accident. This performance, and others, earned him a test run in a works Ferrari, and his Formula One career began with the team in 1959. In just four races that first year, he earned two podium finishes, but the team's strict management style did not suit him. In 1960 he had six non-finishes in seven races behind the wheel of a privately-entered BRM. At the Dutch Grand Prix, at Zandvoort, a brake system failure on the poorly-prepared BRM caused the most serious accident of his career, breaking his arm, killing a young spectator and instilling in him a longstanding distrust of engineers. The accident also caused him to make a change in his driving style that later paid dividends: his tendency to use his brakes more sparingly than his rivals meant that they lasted longer, especially in endurance races. Gurney was known to give the brake pedal a reassuring tap just before hard application — a habit Gurney himself jokingly referred to as "the chicken-shit school of braking."[citation needed]
Gurney was particularly noted for an exceptionally fluid driving style. On rare occasions, as when his car fell behind with minor mechanical troubles and he felt he had nothing to lose, he would abandon his classic technique and adopt a more aggressive (and riskier) style. This circumstance produced what many observers consider the finest driving performance of his career, when a punctured tyre put him nearly two laps down halfway through the 1967 Rex Mays 300 Indycar race at Riverside, California. He produced an inspired effort, made up the deficit and won the race with a dramatic last-lap pass of runner-up Bobby Unser.
After rules changes came in effect in 1961, he teamed with Jo Bonnier for the first full season of the factory Porsche team, scoring three second places. He came very close to scoring a maiden victory at Reims, France in 1961, but Gurney's reluctance to block Ferrari driver Giancarlo Baghetti (a move Gurney regarded as dangerous and unsportsmanlike) allowed Baghetti to pass him on the finish line for the win. After Porsche introduced a better car in 1962 with an 8-cylinder engine, Gurney broke through at the French Grand Prix at Rouen-Les-Essarts with his first World Championship victory - the only GP win for Porsche as an F1 constructor. One week later, he repeated the success in a non-Championship F1 race in front of Porsche's home crowd at Stuttgart's Solitude race track. Due to the high costs of racing in F1, Porsche did not continue after the 1962 season. While with Porsche, Gurney met a team public relations executive named Evi Butz, and they married several years later.
Gurney was the first driver hired by Jack Brabham to drive with him for the Brabham Racing Organisation. While Brabham himself scored the maiden victory for his car at the 1963 Solitude race, it was Gurney again who took the team's first win in a championship race, in 1964, again at Rouen. In all, he earned two wins (in 1964) and ten podiums (including five consecutive in 1965) for Brabham before leaving to start his own team. With his victory in the Eagle-Weslake at the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix, Gurney earned the distinction of being the only driver in history to score maiden Grand Prix victories for three different manufacturers: Porsche, Brabham and his own All-American Racers.
Gurney developed a new kind of motorcycle called "Alligator",[5] which featured an extremely low seat position.
Gurney's unusual height for a race driver caused him constant problems during his career. During the 1.5-litre era of Formula 1, Gurney's head and shoulders extended high into the windstream compared to his shorter competitors, giving him (he felt) an aerodynamic disadvantage in the tiny, underpowered cars. At nearly 6'3", Gurney struggled to fit into the tight Ford GT40 cockpit, so master fabricator Phil Remington installed a roof bubble over the driver's seat to allow space for Gurney's helmet—now known as a "Gurney bubble". In a fortunate error, the Italian coachbuilder that built the body for the 1964 Le Mans class-winning closed-cockpit Cobra Daytona GT coupe, driven by Gurney and Bob Bondurant, mistakenly made the cockpit "greenhouse" two inches too tall — the only thing that permitted Gurney to fit in the car comfortably.[6]
Manufacturer[link]
In 1962, Gurney and Carroll Shelby began dreaming of building an American racing car to compete with the best European makes. Shelby convinced Goodyear, who wanted to challenge Firestone's domination of American racing at the time, to sponsor the team. Goodyear's president Victor Holt (himself a former college All-American basketball player) suggested the name, "All American Racers", and the team was formed in 1965. Gurney was not comfortable with the name at first, fearing it sounded somewhat jingoistic, but felt compelled to agree to his benefactor's suggestion.[citation needed]
Their initial focus was Indianapolis and Goodyear's battle with Firestone, but Gurney's first love was road racing, especially in Europe, and he wanted to win the Formula One World Championship while driving an American Grand Prix 'Eagle'. The car has often been characterised as a primarily British-based effort, but in recent interviews Gurney has been very clear that the car was designed and built by crew members based in the All-American Racers Southern California-based facility. Partnered with British engine maker Weslake, the Formula One effort was called "Anglo American Racers." The Weslake V12 engine was not ready for the 1966 Grand Prix season, so the team used outdated four-cylinder 2.7-litre Coventry-Climax engines and made their first appearance in the second race of the year in Belgium. This was the race of the sudden torrential downpour captured in the feature film Grand Prix, and although Gurney completed the race in seventh place, he was judged too far back to be classified as a finisher. Gurney scored the team's first Championship points three weeks later by finishing fifth in the French Grand Prix at Reims.
The next season the team failed to finish any of the first three races, but on June 18, 1967, Gurney took a historic victory in the Belgian Grand Prix. Starting in the middle of the first row, Gurney initially followed Jim Clark's Lotus and the BRM of Jackie Stewart. A muffed start left Gurney deep in the field at the end of the first lap. Clark encountered problems on Lap 12 that dropped him down to ninth position. Having moved up to second spot, Gurney set the fastest lap of the race on Lap 19. Two laps later he and his Eagle took the lead and came home over a minute ahead of Stewart.
This win came just a week after his surprise victory with A.J. Foyt at 24 hours of Le Mans, where Gurney spontaneously began the now-familiar winner's tradition of spraying champagne from the podium to celebrate the unexpected win against the Ferraris and the other Ford GT40 teams. Gurney said later that he took great satisfaction in proving wrong the critics (including some members of the Ford team) who predicted the two great drivers, normally rivals, would break their car in an effort to show each other up.
Unfortunately, the victory in Belgium was the high point for AAR as engine problems continued to plague the Eagle. Despite the antiquated engine tooling used by the Weslake factory (dating from World War I), failures rarely stemmed from the engine design itself, but more often from unreliable peripheral systems like fuel pumps, fuel injection and the oil delivery system. He led the 1967 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring when a driveshaft failed two laps from the end with a 42-second lead in hand. After a third-place finish in Canada that year, the car would finish only one more race. By the end of the 1968 season, Gurney was driving a McLaren-Ford. His last Formula One race was the 1970 British Grand Prix.
Formula One results[link]
Complete Formula One World Championship results[link]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Non-Championship results[link]
1959-1960 to be completed (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Porsche System Engineering | Porsche 804 | Porsche F4 | LOM | GLV | PAU | BRX Ret |
VIE | SYR 2 |
NAP | LON | SOL 3 |
KAN | DAN | MOD 3 |
FLG | OUL WD |
LEW | VAL | RAN | NAT | RSA | ||
| Louise Bryden-Brown | Lotus 18 | Coventry Climax L4 | AIN 14 |
SIL 5 |
||||||||||||||||||||
| 1962 | Porsche System Engineering | Porsche 804 | Porsche F4 | CAP | BRX | LOM | LAV | GLV | PAU | AIN | INT | NAP | MAL | CLP | RMS | SOL 1 |
KAN | MED | DAN | OUL | MEX DNA |
RAN | NAT | |
| 1963 | Brabham Racing Organisation | Brabham BT7 | Coventry Climax V8 | LOM | GLV | PAU | IMO | SYR | AIN | INT WD |
ROM | SOL | KAN WD |
MED | AUT | OUL Ret |
RAN | |||||||
| 1964 | Brabham Racing Organisation | Brabham BT7 | Coventry Climax V8 | DMT | NWT | SYR | AIN Ret |
INT Ret |
SOL WD |
MED | RAN | |||||||||||||
| 1965 | Brabham Racing Organisation | Brabham BT11 | Coventry Climax V8 | ROC Ret |
SYR | SMT 9 |
INT | MED | RAN | |||||||||||||||
| 1967 | Anglo American Racers | Eagle Mk1 | Weslake V12 | ROC 1 |
SPC | INT | SYR | OUL | ESP |
Legacy[link]
Among American drivers, his 86 Grand Prix starts ranks third, and his total of four GP wins is second only to Mario Andretti. Perhaps the greatest tribute to Gurney's driving ability, however, was paid by the father of Scottish World Champion Jim Clark when the elder Clark took Gurney aside at his son's funeral in 1968 and confided that he was the only driver Clark had ever feared on the track. (Horton, 1999).
The 2010 Monterey Motorsports Reunion (formerly the Monterey Historic Automobile Races) was held in honor of Gurney.[7]
American Championship Car[link]
While competing in Formula One, Gurney also raced each year in the Indianapolis 500 from 1962-1970. Gurney made his Indy début at the wheel of a space-frame rear engined car designed by John Crosthwaite and built by American hot-rodder Mickey Thompson[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] Despite a misfiring engine, Gurney ran comfortably in the top 10 until a transmission seal failed on the 92nd lap. The last 3 years, he finished 2nd, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively. In 1969, he did not race in Formula One, instead racing in the USAC Championship Car series and also in CanAm. He started a total of 28 Champ Car races, winning 7 times among his 18 top tens. In 1969, he finished 4th in total points, despite starting half the races of most top drivers (and would have finished second in the season standings to champion Mario Andretti if not for a driveshaft failure while leading comfortably with three laps remaining in the season finale at Riverside). In 1968, he finished 7th with only 5 starts.
Indy 500 results[link]
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Thompson | Buick | 8th | 20th |
| 1963 | Lotus | Ford | 12th | 7th |
| 1964 | Lotus | Ford | 6th | 17th |
| 1965 | Lotus | Ford | 3rd | 26th |
| 1966 | Eagle | Ford | 19th | 27th |
| 1967 | Eagle | Ford | 2nd | 21st |
| 1968 | Eagle | Ford | 10th | 2nd |
| 1969 | Eagle | Ford | 10th | 2nd |
| 1970 | Eagle | Offy | 11th | 3rd |
NASCAR career[link]
| Dan Gurney | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gurney's 1963 Riverside 500 car. |
|||||||
| Born | Port Jefferson, New York |
||||||
| NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career | |||||||
| 16 race(s) run over 10 year(s) | |||||||
| Best finish | Unranked | ||||||
| First race | 1962 Daytona Qualifier#1 (Daytona) | ||||||
| Last race | 1980 Winston Western 500 (Riverside) | ||||||
| First win | 1963 Riverside 500 (Riverside) | ||||||
| Last win | 1968 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside) | ||||||
|
|||||||
Gurney's first career start was in 1962. Gurney was nearly unbeatable in a NASCAR Grand National car at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California. Four of his five victories came with the famed Wood Brothers, in 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1968, in cars all numbered 121 (a simple graphic addition to the team's traditional "21"). The serial success of the Gurney/Wood Brothers combination did not sit well with NASCAR officials, so in 1967 Gurney signed to drive a Mercury Comet for legendary NASCAR crew chief Bud Moore. However, the 1967 Motor Trend 500 was won by Gurney's teammate, Parnelli Jones, after Gurney retired with engine troubles. Gurney also made numerous appearances in NASCAR Grand American stockcars, a pony car division that existed between 1968 and 1971.
At about the time Gurney began making occasional appearances in stock cars in the United States, Dan took a Chevrolet Impala to England and entered it in several "saloon car" (sedan) races. In a race at Silverstone in 1962, he led the local Jaguar drivers handily until a wheel broke. When he returned with the same car for a race three months later, the local club's technical inspectors disallowed his entry.
In 1980, Gurney came out of a 10-year retirement to help old friend Les Richter, the president of Riverside. (Gurney's adoption of the number that became most closely identified with his career, 48, was a nod to Richter's NFL number.) Dan agreed to drive a second Rod Osterlund Chevrolet for one NASCAR race as teammate to a rising young star named Dale Earnhardt. As a condition of allowing Gurney to drive in the race after a 10-year layoff, Richter insisted that Gurney attend the racing school run by former teammate and friend Bob Bondurant (Gurney and Bondurant had shared the GT-class-winning Cobra Daytona coupe at Le Mans in 1964). After Gurney's refresher session, Richter called Bondurant and asked how Gurney had done. "He didn't need a refresher," Bondurant reportedly told Richter. "He was faster than me then, and he still is." Ticket sales surged upon the announcement of Gurney's return. In a car painted blue and white and carrying his famed number 48, Dan easily ran with the leaders. Displaying his usual fluid style, Dan was running third when the transmission let go.
Full-time team owner[link]
Gurney and his protege Swede Savage drove identical factory-sponsored Plymouth Barracudas in the 1970 Trans-Am Series. Upon his retirement from Formula One, Gurney devoted himself full-time to his role as car maker and team owner. He was the sole owner, Chairman and CEO of All American Racers from 1970 until his son, Justin, assumed the title of CEO in early 2011.[13] The team won 78 races (including the Indianapolis 500, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 24 Hours of Daytona) and eight championships, while Gurney's Eagle race car customers also won three Indianapolis 500 races and three championships. In 1978, Gurney wrote an open memo to other race car owners with what is now known as the "White Letter" in which Gurney called for a series controlled more by the owners or "actual participants" than under the USAC banner. After much debate, CART was formed with Gurney and other owners like Roger Penske, Pat Patrick, and Bob Fletcher. CART began its first full season of competition in March, 1979 and thus the first split in open wheel racing began.
AAR withdrew from the CART series in 1986, but enjoyed tremendous success with Toyota in the IMSA GTP series, where in 1992 and 1993 Toyota Eagles won 17 consecutive races, back-to-back Drivers' and Manufacturers' Championships, and wins in the endurance classics of Daytona and Sebring. The team returned to CART as the factory Toyota team in 1996, but left again after the 1999 season when Goodyear withdrew from the series and Toyota ended their relationship with the team. In 2000, Dan campaigned a Toyota Atlantic car for his son, Alex Gurney under the AAR banner.
In 1990, Gurney was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, the Sebring International Raceway Hall of Fame, and the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.
See also[link]
References[link]
- ^ All American Racers bio
- ^ http://www.allamericanracers.com/gurney_grand-prix/eagle_f1-photo.html
- ^ Biography at the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, 2003, Retrieved November 8, 2007
- ^ Aciero Special, Harold Pace and Mark R. Brinker, Vintage American Road Racing Cars 1950-1969, pages 138-139, MotorBooks International, ISBN 10 0760317836
- ^ Alligator homepage
- ^ Road & Track July 2005. On the Road: Fast friends and fast cars.
- ^ http://www.mazdaraceway.com/pages/2010_Rolex_Monterey_Motorsports_Reunion
- ^ Car and Driver magazine August 1962
- ^ Hot Rod magazine August 1962
- ^ Motor magazine August 1962
- ^ Indianapolis 500 Mile Race USAC Yearbook 1962. Floyd Clymer
- ^ Road & Track magazine September 1962
- ^ "Dan Gurney talks about the new DeltaWing". AutoWeek. http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110628/ALMS/110629868. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
- Eagle-eye. Dan Gurney's All American Racers.
- Dan Gurney. GP Encyclopedia. The Motorsport Company.
- Blinkhorn, Robert. Dan Gurney. Grand Prix Racing—The Whole Story.
- David, Dennis. Dan Gurney. Grand Prix History.
- Horton, Roger (1999). Remember Jim Clark. Atlas Formula One Journal.
- The Gurney Flap.All American Racers - Gurney Flap.
- The Greatest 33
- Gurney's Career NASCAR Starts
External links[link]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dan Gurney |
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mike Spence |
Brands Hatch Race of Champions winner 1967 |
Succeeded by Bruce McLaren |
| Preceded by Bruce McLaren Chris Amon |
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1967 with: A. J. Foyt |
Succeeded by Pedro Rodriguez Lucien Bianchi |
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Gurney, Dan |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | American racing driver |
| Date of birth | April 13, 1931 |
| Place of birth | |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Dan_Gurney
Related pages:
http://ru.wn.com/Герни, Дэн
http://fr.wn.com/Dan Gurney
http://nl.wn.com/Dan Gurney
http://pt.wn.com/Dan Gurney
http://de.wn.com/Dan Gurney
http://it.wn.com/Dan Gurney
http://pl.wn.com/Dan Gurney
http://id.wn.com/Dan Gurney
http://es.wn.com/Dan Gurney
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Gurney
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
More Videos
Wiki Summary
Daniel Sexton Gurney (born April 13, 1931) is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.
The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager. He has been a driver, a car manufacturer, and a team owner at racing's highest levels since 1958.
Gurney also won races in the Indy Car, NASCAR, Can-Am, and Trans-Am Series. Gurney was the first driver to win races in Sports Cars (1958), Formula One (1962), NASCAR (1963), and Indy Car (1967) (the other two being Mario Andretti and Juan Pablo Montoya). In 1967, after winning the 24 hours of Le Mans together with A.J. Foyt, he spontaneously sprayed champagne while celebrating on the podium. Apart from starting this tradition, he also was the first to put a simple right-angle extension on the upper trailing edge of the rear wing. This device, called a Gurney flap, increases downforce and, if well designed, imposes only a relatively small increase in aerodynamic drag. At the 1968 German Grand Prix he became the first driver ever to use a full face helmet in Grand Prix racing.
