There is another little story attached to this of all bizarre Le Mans win: when Masten was at the wheel at about 9PM, and after trying to break the car in the same manner as Rindt did, I.E. by using full revs and the machinery at its whole, the car began smoking lightly after a stop. Rindt said, "well, that's it", packed his bag and left the circuit on board his big Ford Zodiac on his way to his Paris appartment.
Alerted by the signalingl pit at Mulsanne, Masten stopped after two laps and they found out that they just had over-filled the oil tank and the excess oil from the dry sump was dripping on the exhaust from the vent line. So they sent a 'token Frenchman" working for Chinetti in a road car to go after Jochen and bring him back. The guy got to Jochen about 5 miles on the road to Paris, honked his horn, made him to stop and talked him into turning around and he came back at about 10.30PM to get right back in the LM.
I got this story many years ago from a well-known journalist for Champion and cannot verify that this actually happened, and despite that I was myself an attentive spectator watching from over the pits, I did not notice anything abnormal or if and when my good friend Ed did indeed drive the car. However I can certainly say that Ed is a modest person speaking in a low tone of voice, and if he says he drove the car, you better believe him.
Barry, lovely little "Coop".
Regards,
T54
