Some say this was the best Daytona 24 hour ever. It certainly was the closest finish up to that point in time. My friend Hal Crocker called this time in sports car racing, a battle of the giants. This was the last year of the 5.0-litre sports cars in the World Championship. The race would be between the 1970 Championship winning Porsche 917 and a bevy of privately entered … [Read more...]
Can Hypercar do the trick?
On 15 June 1969, Jacky Ickx crossed the finish line in the 37th Le Mans 24 Hours a matter of 120 yards ahead of Hans Herrmann, to win the coveted trophy for the first time. He was driving a 5-litre V8 powered Ford GT40, a car first raced back in 1964, but significantly updated in the intervening years. Right on his tail came Hans Herrmann in the 3-litre Porsche 908 LH. This is … [Read more...]
Don’t Wash Mine
I have been looking forward to seeing this new book from Dalton Watson, covering the very colourful life and times of Kirk F. White. But, who on earth is Kirk F. White you might ask? Well, his name might not be on everybody’s lips, but he certainly played an important role in some very high profile sectors of the motorsport and sportscar industry. It was my very great … [Read more...]
2021 Daytona 24 hours – A Look Back
I first came to this race in 1971, so this would be my 50th year at the Daytona 24 hours. It is an interesting exercise to look back at what has changed over the years. The circuit The track has changed quite a bit since I first attended. Back in 1971 it was 3.81 miles in length and the track had NO chicane, now it is 3.56 miles long with a chicane on the backstretch. The … [Read more...]
Brian Redman’s Targa Sixty-Six Track Day
From 19-21 February 2021, Brian Redman will again host a superb gathering of top-notch high-performance sports cars and race cars at Palm Beach International Raceway. The exclusive Targa 66 event is open to invitees and their customers over the weekend and this year, Brian will also be celebrating the 30th anniversary of this event, so it should be a really memorable … [Read more...]
Ferrari 250 LM – The Remarkable History of 6313
Clearly it isn’t a Porsche, but it must rank as one of the best looking sports cars of its era. The Ferrari 250 LM is this writer’s most favourite non-Porsche sports car, it just looks stunning, even when standing still. Back when the world was still sane, motor racing was a sport that offered enjoyment and a wide variety of cars that could win at the highest level. … [Read more...]
Twice Around the Clock: The Yanks at Le Mans
Over the years, there has been a lot written on the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours, a race which has earned the reputation as one of the most challenging endurance races on the international motorsport calendar. The 24 Heures du Mans enjoys the reputation as the world’s oldest active sports car race in endurance racing, and has been held annually since 1923, with the … [Read more...]
Ferrari 333 SP
I first caught sight of the Ferrari 333 SP at Kyalami in Johannesburg, South Africa, in December 1998. It was hot, as Johannesburg is at that time of the year, but the track action was even hotter with no less than four Ferrari 333 SPs in action. It was the final round of the ’98 International Sports Racing Series (ISRS), and the media briefing room was packed, as the local … [Read more...]
25 Years of GT Racing: Stéphane Ratel and SRO Motorsports
On the world stage, GT racing has enjoyed as many ups as it has had downs over the years, but this class of racing arguably forms the core of what motor racing encompasses, that is, to take a recognisable Grand Touring car and to go racing with it. I acknowledge that this is an extremely simplistic view to take, and there will be those who point to their favourite form of the … [Read more...]
Sports Car Racing in the South: Texas to Florida 1957-1958
Motor racing in America in the late 1950s was beginning to show a much more organised front across the nation. However, race tracks were spread far and wide, and understandably, the media attention would focus on the main events which were concentrated in the bigger centres, where national and international events were run. This left large areas of the country where … [Read more...]
