9 replies to this topic

[Barry Boor]

I suppose it's very obvious which race this thread title refers to.

Think again! This was a 115 mile race in the town of Nantes in 1946.

I'm wondering why this event was given this title.

[David McKinney]

No-one else wanted it?

[Vitesse2]

It was to raise money for the rebuilding of the Circuit de La Sarthe, Barry. The new grandstands completed just before the war had been stripped of all usable materials and were just skeletons and much of the other infrastructure had disappeared.

In Britain, the BRDC also made an appeal on behalf of Le Mans, which raised £358 11s: no less than 100 guineas of this had come from Woolf Barnato, with a further 25 guineas from his fellow 'Bentley Boy' Dr Benjafield. Other donors included Prince Chula, Mike Couper, Ian Connell, Earl Howe, Goldie Gardner and Tony Rolt.

[Tuboscocca]

Here are two links:

one showing the results , the other a short INA video!!

http://www.les24heur...-heures-du-mans

http://www.ina.fr/ec...du-mans.fr.html

Best regards Michael

[Barry Boor]

Thank you gentlemen. I wonder how much was raised in France?

[Tuboscocca]

Thank you gentlemen. I wonder how much was raised in France?

Hello Barry,

a very interesting question, you should ask Michel Bonté , retired Le Mans journalist (racing) and now 'semi-official' ACO historian...

Regards Michael

[Papiyv]

Hello Barry,

a very interesting question, you should ask Michel Bonté , retired Le Mans journalist (racing) and now 'semi-official' ACO historian...

Regards Michael

https://docs.google....PeDWsLK0-pXtSoA

https://docs.google....aMT9SZu8K0w9wj0

Edited by Papiyv, 08 December 2012 - 19:15.

[Tuboscocca]

After this thread was 'ennobled' by Simon Taylor in his column in Classic and Sportscars,

I want just remark, that the money raised through the ACO at the race in Nantes wasn't used for reconstructing tribunes or anything else at the Le Mans track.
It was raised for a kind of holiday camp for children , who were affected by the war..
At least that is what I read in Papiyv's excellent articles..

Very best regards Michael

[Barry Boor]

An interesting comment, Michael, but if that is correct, what was the point of naming the race for Le Mans when Le Mans and Nantes are almost 160 kilometers away from one another?

[Tuboscocca]

An interesting comment, Michael, but if that is correct, what was the point of naming the race for Le Mans when Le Mans and Nantes are almost 160 kilometers away from one another?

Barry,

pure speculation: the ACO has offices in many towns (in the West of France), in Nantes too. Maybe it was a promotional thing to name it 'Le Mans', as Nantes wasn't known for motor racing, just to help them..

And the ACO in Le Mans knew that their circuit wasn't ready yet to host a race...SPECULATIONS...only

I will try to contact (the a.m.) Michel Bontée..

But the text says exactly that the raised money was for the children..

Best regards Michael