Carrera Panamericana driver

On the weekend I was looking at microfilms of the Toronto Globe and Mail from 1956. I was hoping to find something on the BEMC Grand Prix sports car race at Edenvale. I didn't, but I did find an article about a USAC stock car race at the same circuit. One of the three Canadians entered was "former Panamerican driver Pat Zoccano of London". I assume that that's London, Ontario. Intrigued, I went to Martin Kreji's WSPR site, where I learned that Zoccano had driven a Buick in two of the Carreras. In 1953, with co-driver Glen N. Barnhart, he took the #93 car to 20th OA and 12th in class. In 1954, he DNFed the #122 car after some good stage results.
So, does anyone know anything else about Pat Zoccano?

Mike

BTW, Marshall Teague won the USAC race in a Chevy.

I don't know anything about him, but Dave Scully has been working on a book on American drivers in the Carrera for a number of years. If one of the co-drivers was American, maybe he can help...

Thanks for the tip, Doc. As Dave Scully doesn't seem to be an Atlas member, I'd be very grateful if you could mention Zoccano to him at your next BUBBAS (Burbank Underground Breakfast and Automotive Historical Society) meeting. BTW, a book on American Carrera drivers sounds like a great idea.

I suppose that there might be some mention of Zoccano in either the Cimarosti or Murphy books, but I'm not about to pay $200US plus to find out.

Mike

I don't have Dave's current phone number, but I will ask him at the next meeting...

Stu

I just had a look a Canada 411. There are 14 listings for Zuccano in the whole country. All of them in Ontario, 9 of them in London. Maybe try a phone call.

Found Dave Scully's telephone number. It's 818-242-4546. He wored at EDS, and is now teaching part time, so I'm not sure what is the best time to get him. You can tell him that I gave you the phone number.

Stu Schaller (dretceterini)

Originally posted by dretceterini
I don't know anything about him, but Dave Scully has been working on a book on American drivers in the Carrera for a number of years. If one of the co-drivers was American, maybe he can help...

Originally posted by Gerr
I just had a look at Canada 411. There are 14 listings for Zoccano in the whole country...Maybe try a phone call.

Excellent advice, gentlemen. I spoke to Dave Scully - really knows his stuff, extremely helpful. I also got ahold of one of Pat Zoccano's sons - very nice man, eager to have his father's story told. It turns out that Pat held dual Canadian/US citizenship. He was born and raised in London and retrned there after working for GM in Detroit. He drove AAA, USAC and NASCAR, as well as the two Carreras. So, the son will be getting back to me with more information. If things go well, I may try writing it up for a Canadian publication. I will also pass along the info I get to Dave Scully.

All in all, quite a pleasant surprise. Rather a change from the dead ends and frustration that usually accompany my research into Canadian racing history.

Scully is a really good guy that heads a group of us old farts (I'm the youngest, at 55) That get together for breakfast the first saturday of each month for a general bs session and breakfast. Anyone is welcome. It is located in Burbank, California. If interested, call me at 818-762-8001...

Cimarosti mentions Zoccano in his book, re. the DNF in 1954.

"Pat Zoccano, a technician of Detroit, obtained the fourth best time in his Buick Century, despite the fact that his mechanic had to add fluid continuously to the eight-cylinder's automatic transmission, after drilling a hole in the floorboard of the Buick for the purpose. But the race ended there for the two Americans."

Saskatchewan-born Allen Heath drove a Chrysler New Yorker #132 in 1952. 16th fastest overall and 10th in Turismo Mayor.

I think that the floorboard access to the transmissions may have been a feature on all of the Buicks in the Carrera that year. GM of Mexico entered a team of Coca-Cola sponsored Buicks that were prepared in Detroit. Although Zoccano prepared and entered his own car, as a master mechanic in GM's development department, he'd have had access to the same parts and expertise. What he didn't have access to was a transporter. According to his son, Zoccano drove his racecar to the race - all the way from Detroit to Mexico. Between the drive to the race and the race itself, the Buick's engine just couln't take it. The wrist pin in one of his pistons (a part that almost never fails) broke, seizing the motor. The GM people at the race didn't want it known that a Buick engine had broken, so they concocted the transmission story. The implication, which GM encouraged, was that Zoccano and Barnhart had failed to properly maintain the fluid levels. As a master mechanic, this was something of an insult to Zoccano, but as a loyal GM man he remained silent. And I thought that "spin doctoring" was a recent invention...

Mike

P.S. Pat's son also told me that his father and many others suspected that the stock car class winning Lincolns were cheating - using specialty parts. They asked to have a look at the Lincolns, but the request was refused.