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Strangest/most mismatched car/class combinations in a single race

Started by Angry Onion , Aug 18 2009 11:11

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156 replies to this topic

#51 Rob Miller

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Posted 27 August 2009 - 17:36

At the Sebring 12 Hours in 1957, the winning Jean Behra/Juan Manuel Fangio Maserati 450S, a brute of a car, lapped on average one of the three Factory Renault Dauphines once per lap.

#52 beighes

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Posted 27 August 2009 - 18:57

Early 1980's at a Laguna Seca club race (on the old circuit). The SFR/SCCA, in their infinite wisdom, tried to consolidate race groups for the weekend. Our group consisted of Big Bore GT cars (many were very competitive in west coast Trans Am events), Big Bore Sports racers (common & never a problem), along with Formula Atlantic & Continental cars. The fast group just ran ahead of everyone. One problem was with the slow formula cars that were holding up 3000 lb. Camaros, etcetera . The real problems came when the formula cars would try to pass on the inside of turn 9, or into turn 4, or the Corkscrew!

#53 RogerFrench

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Posted 28 August 2009 - 02:28

There was a VSCC meeting at Silverstone (club circuit) in 1954 or thereabouts where my father, in his Austin "Simplicity", spent pretty much the whole of a handicap race in company with the 12 litre 1908 GP Itala, then as again now, fitted with its touring body.
Their lap times were pretty similar, but not their dimensions!

#54 OfficeLinebacker

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Posted 28 August 2009 - 03:59

Not quite, but he did pull his dirt car off the trailer and put it on the pole at Milwaukee in August 1965 and went on to finish 2nd.

Likely the last time a front engined car led an Indy Car race.

Cheers

#55 stevewf1

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Posted 28 August 2009 - 04:10

Rodger Ward driving a Kurtis Kraft midget in the US Grand Prix at Sebring in '59.

Only 43.8 seconds off pole time (Moss 3:00.0)... I believe Ward and his midget did show well against some sports cars at Lime Rock - once.

Didn't Rodger Ward play a role in getting the so-called rear-engine revolution going at Indy though?

#56 Graham Clayton

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Posted 27 March 2010 - 06:33

A few well-known examples:

The Mille Miglia with everything from Isetta bubble cars and jeeps to out-and-out sports-racing cars. as the fastest cars started last, they had to pass all the slower cars. In his classic 1955 Mille Miglia report Jenks describes an Isetta being nearly blown off the road by the slipstream of the Mercedes.

D Type,

In 1954 Mario Cipolla finished 176th in his Isetta, taking 22 hours to complete the 1,000 miles.

#57 bigears

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Posted 27 March 2010 - 09:54

What about the Volkwagen Golf that was entered in the British GT series to battle out with TVRs, Ferraris, Porsches and Moslers back in the early 2000s?

#58 Glengavel

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Posted 27 March 2010 - 10:57

There's a picture in DSJ's "Sports Car Racing " of a 1960s(?) Nurburgring 1000km, with a very perpendicular Mercedes saloon in among the sports cars.

#59 Giraffe

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Posted 27 March 2010 - 11:11

'Viva' Formula Libre! (or rather Cortina!) :up:

By giraffe138 at 2010-01-20
Posted Image

By giraffe138 at 2010-01-20

Elan, Cortina, GT40, B8..... a nice cocktail!

Edited by Giraffe, 27 March 2010 - 11:13.

#60 David McKinney

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Posted 27 March 2010 - 12:25

One Cortina V8 in a GT race. Seems reasonable to me

#61 nota

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 09:30

New Zealand strange.

http://www.motorspor.....XA Falcon.jpg

#62 Lee Nicolle

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 10:06

I have competed in a Sports Sedan against Clubmans, road cars and even a rally car or two.
I have seen a Formula Libre race with everything from F5000 down to historic Austin & sports. Now that was scary!!

#63 Ray Bell

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 11:43

The Kevin Fahey Nymph (Austin 7 Special) and Bob Winley's 1954 Citroen Special were in the same race in which Niel Allen did a lap in 2:09.8 at Bathurst in the M10B while running away from John Harvey's 2.5 Brabham Repco...

#64 pete53

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 12:00

Three instances spring to mind.

1. A chap with a Healey 3000 wrote to Autosport in the mid 60s complaing that because he turned up late at Brands Hatch one weekend, he was forced to practice with the Formula Ford 1600 heats and that they had held him up. A few weeks later the same chap turned up in the Healey and tooled around at the rear of the BOAC 500 Mile/1000km all day being frequently lapped by the 917 Porsches anf the 512 (or were they P4s then)

2. There is a picture somewhere on the web of a Mini Moke being passed by what looks like a Ferrari 250LM apparently in a race, I think taken in South Africa.

3. In an inter-motor club Scalextric evening about 30 years ago I beat a guy in the final who had a proper home built slot racer with extra sticky tyres, a hot motor and all of the latest tweaks with my standard Scalextic Lotus (JPS) 72 bought from the local toy shop on the way home that afternoon. That was it's only race!

TonyA110

Tony, the chap who "tooled" around in the BOAC 500 was Ted Worswick (and Peter Clarke) . I remember it well - it was 1967 and he provided a mobile chicane for various Ferrari P4s, Porsches,Lola 70s, GT40s and, of course, the winning Chaparral of Spence and Hill. The Healey's best practice time was 2 min 4 secs - pole car was 1:37.4

#65 David McKinney

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 12:05

New Zealand strange.

http://www.motorspor.....XA Falcon.jpg

I'm sure that wouldn't have been a race

#66 Ray Bell

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 12:33

Originally posted by lochalsh
Here are some photos I took in 1967 which illustrate what this topic contains.

That Holden (Geoff Munyard) following the Alfa and about to be swallowed up by the Ferrari recorded 1:54 in practice... compared to 1:16s for the quickest cars. The Roxburgh/Whiteford Fairlady 1600 was able to lap in 1:31s, only three seconds slower than Bartlett/Chivas in the GTA.

There's no doubt that Leo Geoghegan's Lotus 39 with the Repco V8 would be miles quicker than Ron Reid's Sulman Singer at Oran Park, maybe even as pronounced a gap as we saw in a match race between Colin Bond in DD's Lotus 16 and Max Stewart in the T400 one day.

Edited by Ray Bell, 28 March 2010 - 12:34.

#67 Herbert

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 16:52

The German VLN championship at the Nürburgring has always very interesting entries in a single race. In yesterdays race you could find 174 cars. They differed from BMW M3 GT2s, Porsche GT3's, Audi R8 LMS to Minis, Ford Fiestas or VW Polos.

Edited by Herbert, 28 March 2010 - 16:53.

#68 roblegin

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 16:58

1986 or 1987 end of season Libre race at Silverstone (on the triangular Club circuit) Pre 74 FF1600's versus the Burke-Ratcliff Racing Lola T530 Can-Am cars, driven by Ian Flux and Mike Wilds I think. The slower cars (i.e. the rest of the field) did well to keep out of the way all race, but then the two Lola's collided at Woodcote on the last lap after leading by miles! Does anyone know who won the race? Possibly an F2 Chevron?

#69 Rob

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 17:21

Tony, the chap who "tooled" around in the BOAC 500 was Ted Worswick (and Peter Clarke) .

Any relation to Tony Worswick?

#70 pete53

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 18:34

Any relation to Tony Worswick?

Good question ... not sure of the answer though. Anyone else know if Ted and Tony Worswick are/were related?

#71 Lee Nicolle

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 21:10

New Zealand strange.

http://www.motorspor.....XA Falcon.jpg

That pic is scarey but I would suggest at private practice.
Happened to me at AIR, luckily I was only bedding in an engine so not in a real hurry. I had a 80cc Kart, a couple of bikes, a Vee and a Torana Drag Car. That was very much watch what you are doing.
In the mid 80s I had a celebrity driver practicing by herself at AIR for the GP event. Once again bedding in an engine and brakes so just cruising. I got behind this lady and she was having a reasonable go at it. I think that she thought that I was trying instead of just following her a couple of hundred yards behind. After about 5 laps I decided the engine needed a squirt so I just blasted by on the back of the bowl. Her jaw seemed to drop as I went by about 40mph faster! The celeb? Newsreader Anne Fullwood.

#72 opplock

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Posted 28 March 2010 - 21:37

That pic is scarey but I would suggest at private practice

Close. I'm sure that was a lunchtime demo at Manfield. I can't remember when exactly but the karts were surprisingly quick. As for non-race experiences I twice shared Snetterton with an F3000 car (driving a 1600cc Caterham on test days) in the early 90s. Being passed every two laps made me appreciate speed differentials.

Edited by opplock, 28 March 2010 - 21:38.

#73 doug_mini

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Posted 29 March 2010 - 02:25

http://www.casc.on.c...en wheel closed

From 2008, Turn 2 at Mosport in Canada. We were watching at the corner. The 1962 Ford Galaxie was being held up by the Formula B car.

Doug

#74 pete53

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Posted 29 March 2010 - 09:36

Back in 1967 I recall going to the Spring Bank Holiday International Formula 2 event at Crystal Palace. In amongst the Brabhams, McLarens and Matras were the converted U2 clubmens racers of Arthur Mallock and Max Mosely. I don't remember how their performance compared with the pukka F2 cars, but they certainly looked odd in such company.

#75 Professor Arturo

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Posted 29 March 2010 - 10:24

Does anyone remember the Bathurst 1996 support race where they stuck the 2 litre Super tourers and GT Sportscars together?

#76 bigears

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Posted 29 March 2010 - 10:42

I remember somewhere in this forum, there was a photo of a Tyrrell F1 car driving past an odd-looking car possibly at Krisktown?

#77 alansart

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Posted 29 March 2010 - 10:59

I remember somewhere in this forum, there was a photo of a Tyrrell F1 car driving past an odd-looking car possibly at Krisktown?

Richard Peacock at Kirkistown, although these were taken in testing, not a race.

Posted Image

#78 Rob Semmeling

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Posted 29 March 2010 - 12:11

The field for the finale race of the 1928 Eifelrennen consisted of four sports cars and four motorcycles.

A 1963 race at VIR combined sports cars with Formula Junior single seaters. A FJ driver was killed after tangling with a Corvette Stingray:

http://www.virhistor...3-oct/index.htm

A 1971 meeting at Zandvoort had a class for 'sports cars and monopostos', with Chevrons B8 and Formula Ford single seaters among others.

In more recent years some African meetings such as the Dakar 6 hours or races at Luanda had rather... let's say interesting grids.

#79 bigears

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Posted 29 March 2010 - 12:14

Richard Peacock at Kirkistown, although these were taken in testing, not a race.

Ah that's those photos I was referring to. Thank you for digging it up. I thought it was during a Formula Libre race, my bad!

#80 john aston

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Posted 29 March 2010 - 16:46

Easy- 90% of races which Tony Dean entered at Croft and Rufforth in late 60s early 70s. Typically AGDean would roll out his (Can Am winning ) Porsche 908, F5000 Chevron or F2 Car (was it aChevron too ?).Not too much opposition from U2s and Formula Fords, Morgan 4/4s and Spitfires.

And yes Judy Lyons is HEROICALLY slow-65 or so average at Silverstone in an F1 car....?

#81 Formula Once

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Posted 29 March 2010 - 17:13

Allowing Audi to run a diesel powered LMP1-car was fine, but to allow them to all but write the rules too was unfair and destructive (apart from the huge commercial benefits i.e. Audi investments the ACO continued to enjoy consequently).

#82 gerryracer

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Posted 17 April 2011 - 21:19

I remember that most of us were chuffed when we saw "F.Libre" on the papers, this meant an EXRA race! So we would do our normal race then know that we had a Libre race at the end. This made a journey up to Aintree or Silverstone worth going for.

#83 Ian Smith - Diz

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Posted 18 April 2011 - 21:35

I remember that most of us were chuffed when we saw "F.Libre" on the papers, this meant an EXRA race! So we would do our normal race then know that we had a Libre race at the end. This made a journey up to Aintree or Silverstone worth going for.

Gerry
And there I was thinking you used to come up just to support me :smoking:

#84 RS2000

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Posted 18 April 2011 - 21:54

Tony, the chap who "tooled" around in the BOAC 500 was Ted Worswick (and Peter Clarke) . I remember it well - it was 1967 and he provided a mobile chicane for various Ferrari P4s, Porsches,Lola 70s, GT40s and, of course, the winning Chaparral of Spence and Hill. The Healey's best practice time was 2 min 4 secs - pole car was 1:37.4

Here at Druids
http://img818.images.../i/boac500.jpg/

#85 David Manton

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Posted 19 April 2011 - 16:42

The first 12-hour sportcar race at Surfers Paradise, Australia (in 1966?) had a Honda S600 sportscar from Tauranga NZ up against a Ford GT40 and a Ferrari 250LM....

#86 Simon Arron

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Posted 19 April 2011 - 17:22

At Phillip Island this year, Maserati 250Fs ran at the same time as MGBs and Alvis Silver Eagles in the Regularity event, while one of the Invitation races blended F1 and Indycar Eagles with Lotus Sevens and Austin Specials. Meanwhile, back on Merseyside...
Posted Image

This is from Aintree, circa 1980/81. The organiser had insufficient entries for the Modsports and Pre '57 Saloon races, so took the logical step of running the two concurrently.

#87 ianselva

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Posted 19 April 2011 - 17:53

At Oulton Park in July 95 I was having my first race after 23 years retirement . I felt so nervous that I nearly backed out and went home especially when I found I was racing my Cooper-Jap 500 in a field that included F5000s and F2 cars.

Ian

#88 gerryracer

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 08:40

Gerry
And there I was thinking you used to come up just to support me

Well, I did matey, but an extra race as well. :lol:

#89 Sharman

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 09:06

1950s with an XK 120 with C type mods driven by Grahame Maude being harried over a whole 10 lapper by Ken Neve in the 1914 TT Humber :rotfl:

#90 arttidesco

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Posted 26 July 2011 - 01:13

2010 Monoposto 1000 cc Champion Arty Cameron, in the #46 Jedi, starting from row 3 caught pole sitter Stuart Wiltshire in his 2000cc Dallara F302 and Jim Blockley in his Ralt RT3 fast asleep and led a whole lap before the more powerful machines past him in the first of two THE SIMON LEWIS TRANSPORT BOOKS FREE SINGLE-SEATER SERIES races at Castle Combe on Sunday.

In the 2nd THE SIMON LEWIS TRANSPORT BOOKS FREE SINGLE-SEATER SERIES race yesterday Roger Orgee in the #6 Zetec Van Diemen similarly held second place for a good part of the opening lap having beaten Jim Blockely and Ray Rowan in a Dallara F398 off the line, unfortunately by the time they got to me at Bobbies Chicane the superior power of the F3 cars began to tell but as you can see that didn't stop Roger from craning his neck to have a look for a way past even under maximum acceleration !

Edited by arttidesco, 28 July 2011 - 07:10.

#91 Graham Clayton

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Posted 10 March 2013 - 07:50

Between 1964 and 1967 the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway ran "Open Competition" meetings, at which all types of cars, both sedan-based and open wheelers were eligible to enter and thus race against each other. This blog post gives an excellent description of the varied cars that competed in these races:

http://nashvillefair...t-ya-brung.html

#92 john aston

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Posted 10 March 2013 - 08:31

My vote is for the wonderful Tony Dean in a Porsche 908 or Chevron B24 lapping the field of Lotus Sevens, U2s etc in Rufforth and Croft Libre races.

#93 nicanary

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Posted 10 March 2013 - 11:04

I once went to a clubbie at Snetterton and the sports car race consisted of several Elans and Divas, together with David Hobbs in a Lola T70. I have no idea why the car was entered, but can only assume the race was being used as a test session. He had a lonely drive.

Wasn't there a very quick Frazer-Nash Le Mans Replica in the 50s/60s, which used to beat Chris Summers' Lotus-Chevrolet in Libre races? Or at least when it was raining.

#94 arttidesco

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Posted 10 March 2013 - 11:41

I didn't see it myself but Jackie Stewart and Andy Buchanan racing a Ferrari 250LM against Charlie Smith and Barry Seaton driving a humble Morris Mini Moke in the Surfers Paradise 12 Hours must have been a sight for sore eyes :eek:

Meanwhile I hope this scene from Rush ends up on the cutting room floor ;)

Edited by arttidesco, 10 March 2013 - 11:42.

#95 launchpad

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Posted 10 March 2013 - 11:48

[quote name='lochalsh' date='Aug 22 2009, 20:23' post='3805094']
quote name='Ray Bell' date='Aug 20 2009, 00:46' post='3800721']
Carrara...

The first 12-hour race at Surfers Paradise.

Here are some photos I took in 1967 which illustrate what this topic contains.
Posted Image

]

#96 barrykm

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Posted 10 March 2013 - 19:39

How about a Lotus 7 finishing 10th in the 1962 Rand Grand Prix at Kyalami, which was won by Jimmy Clark in the Lotus 25.

Driven by one of my favourite South AFrican drivers, Brausch Niemann :up: