Largest number of drivers winning the same race
#1
Posted 04 May 2013 - 22:52
I have one to offer myself:
1997 24 hours of Daytona was won by seven drivers:
Rob Dyson
James Weaver
Butch Leitzinger
Andy Wallace
John Paul Jr.
Elliott Forbes-Robinson
John Schneider
That's crazy, isn't it!? How did they go from 2 drivers to needing 7 to complete the 24 hours? And why is usually 3 selected for a 24 hours race? Is it regulated? They used to do it with 2 drivers in the early days, didn't they.
Advertisement
#2
Posted 04 May 2013 - 23:19
#3
Posted 04 May 2013 - 23:55
If so, there was probably a rules change for the next year's race.
#4
Posted 05 May 2013 - 01:49
pay that many drivers? I've seen 3-4 driver line ups but didn't catch this one at 7 drivers I would think you would save money with 2-3 so maybe these drivers in their later years for some took a big pay cut
to just be there can anyone confirm the pay they got for if they race and pay if they win? They only got to drive 3.42 hours.
Mike
#5
Posted 05 May 2013 - 05:36
#6
Posted 05 May 2013 - 06:00
But your just greedy!I did a 24 Hour race with 7 other drivers. Somehow I still managed to drive for nearly 13 hours.
#7
Posted 05 May 2013 - 08:22
Rolexes - if the Rolex publicists had any sense they would present each driver with a Rolex and milk the publicity on the grounds of "How hard done by they were, but being an honourable company they had to honour their commitment" - the implication being they'd honour their guatantee if the dog ate your watch or your lady friend/ wife threw it out of a 20th floor window in a fit of pique.
As to "Why have seven drivers?". Was it the case that drivers of the winning car all scored the samechampionship points and as Daytona was the first race it gave them all an equal opportunity depending on how the rest of the season panned out? Or was it simply a very very hot day?
#8
Posted 05 May 2013 - 10:10
The winning Porsche 907 and the 1968 Daytona 24hrs was credited to five drivers (Vic Elford, Jochen Neerpasch, Rolf Stommelen, Jo Siffert, Hans Herrmann). Not as many as in 1997, obviously, but quite unusual in an era when 24hour races only required only a two-man crew.
There was no drivers championship in endurance racing then. Presumably, the Porsche team management (von Hanstein?) wanted to keep all their stars happy and "share the wealth" in giving them all credit for the win. It was a Porsche 1-2-3, so they were under no pressure.
#9
Posted 05 May 2013 - 12:23
I don't recall details of the 1997 race, but I'm thinking that something similar may have happened there - that maybe all seven didn't start the race necessarily intending to share the same car.
#10
Posted 05 May 2013 - 13:51
In the case of the 1968 race, Siffert and Hermann were also credited with second place in another team car (an oddity which has become the basis of a rather over-used quiz question over the years); I believe the rules were later revised to preclude such an anomaly. I wonder what the 'podium etiquette' would be? In other cases, drivers of retired cars have joined the crew of another team car.
That's right, the drivers not originally entered in the winning car were entered in other team cars. Since Daytona is really a NASCAR track, there was no podium, but I do recall contemporary magazine reports (Road & Track) showing all five drivers in the winners circle being photographed together as a group.