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Archives for May 2012
Ferrari at Indy, Part 2
In the lead photo, Freddy Agabashian takes the Marion Chinetti Ferrari out for a test drive during the 1954 time trials. It failed to qualify.Credit: IMS Museum
1953
Ferrari was undeterred by the results of the 1952 Indy, for plans were made to compete in the 1953 Indy 500, and an initial entry for Ascari was given the number of 97. In addition, two of the 375s sold to American customers planned a comeback; Howard Keck’s car was entered as number 45, with no driver listed, and Johnny Mauro entered with his 375 and given the number 47.
[Read more…] about Ferrari at Indy, Part 2
Mille Miglia, 2012 with Hugues Vanhoolandt
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Staff comments are followed by the verbatim entry list information from the Mille Miglia Website. Photos are in order of year and or entry number.
Pre-War Cars
[Read more…] about Mille Miglia, 2012 with Hugues Vanhoolandt
Monaco Grand Prix 2012
Managing Monaco
By Pete Vack
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media, unless otherwise noted
Monaco often turns into a procession, and this year despite the obligatory pit stops for tires, it was nevertheless a long single file march to the checkered flag.
Roughly two hours later and a half a world away, the race at Indy witnessed a record number of racing lead changes (ok, a few were agreed upon). It was superb watching for the entire 500 miles and the finish was heartbreaking.
[Read more…] about Monaco Grand Prix 2012
Acropolis Rally 2012
Loeb wins in Greece and heads for a Ninth World Championship
By Roberto Motta
Photos courtesy of Citroën Communication, Ford World Rally Team and Mid-Acropolis Rally of Greece
Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena won the 2012 Acropolis Rally, capturing their fourth win of the season edging out teammate Mikko Hirvonen, while Jari-Matti Latvala of Ford finished in third place.
Qualifying Stage was won by the ever-quick Petter Solberg, followed by Jari-Matti Latvala and Sebastien Loeb.
[Read more…] about Acropolis Rally 2012
Features This Week, Please Subscribe!
Graham Gauld’s Monaco
By Graham Gauld
Color images by Graham Gauld
The Monaco Historic Races are always full of surprises.
It’s been sixty years since the Monaco Grand Prix was held strictly for sports cars…the only occasion when the title “Grand Prix” was given to a sports car race rather than a Formula One event. At that 1952 meeting there were actually two races, one for up to 2 liter cars, the Monaco Cup, and one for over 2 liters for the Monaco Grand Prix.
Tony CrookThere were at least three cars at the Monaco Historics last weekend that took part in that race, which is not unusual. But also attending was one of the drivers who raced at the event, Tony Crook now 92 years of age! His presence was a truly delightful surprise. [Read more…] about Graham Gauld’s Monaco
Giovanni Savonuzzi’s Detroit Odyssey
1964: Giovanni Savonuzzi with the only Chrysler Turbine Car not painted bronze. The car was prepared for use in the movie “The Lively Set” starring James Darren and Pamela Tiffin. The photo was taken at his home in Franklin, Michigan. Photo courtesy Alberta Savonuzzi.
A Memoir by Robert F. Pauley
For over 25 years I worked in Chrysler’s Research Design Department and spent many years on the gas turbine program. I started at Chrysler in June 1953 as a chassis-engine designer and later was promoted to Design Supervisor for powerplant research. What follows are some remembrances of the time I spent on the Chrysler turbine program with the Italian engineer and designer Giovanni Savonuzzi. Initially we worked on the third floor of the Engineering Building in Chrysler’s Headquarters in Highland Park, a suburb of Detroit In June 1956 the entire turbine engineering group was transferred to a leased building on Greenfield Road in Detroit about eight miles from Highland Park. The building was devoted to the gas turbine program. It was there that my short but memorable relationship with Savonuzzi took place.
Meeting Savonuzzi
I first met Savonuzzi under rather unusual circumstances. It was in the summer of 1958 and at the time I was working in the Greenfield Road Plant. One day my boss called me into his office and said that he had an assignment for me but that I was not to tell anyone about it. He said that there was an Italian engineer named Savonuzzi in Highland Park who needed some drafting/design work done and that I should go there and see what he wanted. “Wow,” I said, “…you mean THE Giovanni Savonuzzi?” John was taken aback and asked “How do you know about him – they told me it was a secret?” John was not a “car guy” so I had to explain to him that I had read all about Mr. Savonuzzi’s car designs and accomplishments in Road & Track magazine and other car publications. John said “I never heard of him.” And that ended the conversation.
I drove to Highland Park with great anticipation and went up to the sixth floor of the Engineering Building as instructed. At that time the sixth floor was not being used and the corridors were empty. I found the unmarked door and entered into what appeared to have been the waiting room for some big-shot executive many years ago before World War II. The receptionist appeared to have no other job except to guard the door behind her, but when I told her who I was she stepped aside and announced that “Mr. Pauley is here.” The inner room was quite large with dark mahogany walls. There was a small desk, a couple of chairs and a drawing board covered with drawings and styling sketches but not much else. In the middle of the room was a work platform with a large clay model of an exciting-looking car on top of the pedestal. [Read more…] about Giovanni Savonuzzi’s Detroit Odyssey
Vanhoolandt at Monaco
Concorso Pasadena
Photos by Brian Winer and Richard Bartholomew
Sometimes concours d’elegance promoters try too hard, taking years to work up a mini-Pebble Beach when a successful show satisfying to all concerned can be established for far less work and money.
The Concorso Pasadena seems to be a model of how to do such a show at very low cost and yet offer maximum entertainment for the public and the participants. This yearly event is run by the Southwest branch of the Ferrari Club of America and it’s an all-volunteer effort.
Carroll Shelby/Features This Week
Carroll Shelby
As we remember Carroll Shelby, we offer two short vignettes. The first is written by Eric Davison, who wrote about the trials and tribulations of the Shelby Series 1 in his book “Snake Bit”. It is below in full.
The second remembrance, Carroll Shelby and the OSCA was written by Carl Goodwin, author of “They Started in MGs” includes rare shots of Shelby. [Ed.]
___________________
I was fortunate. Carroll Shelby called me his friend.
I really didn’t get to know him personally until the late 90’s when I became involved in the project that became known as the Shelby Series 1. It was a tough program and there was a lot that could go wrong and did. I hung in there and I guess that he appreciated that fact.
That program ended and I retired to Florida in 2002. Every so often the phone would ring. My wife, Mary, would answer the phone and a raspy old voice would croak “Hi ya, honey, is Eric around?”
I would pick up the phone in awe of the fact that he would call. The message was always a short one. “Just checkin’ up on ya and letting you know that I love ya.”
I love you too, Carroll and I will miss you.
Eric Davison
___________________
Spa 2012: Second Round of WEC In English and Italian
By Roberto Motta
Photos courtesy of Ferrari and Porsche AG-Media-Press
Spa Francorchamps –
After a break of two months, the FIA World Endurance Championship was back in action during the weekend of May 4-5 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. [Read more…] about Spa 2012: Second Round of WEC In English and Italian