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How GT Racing Was Back In The Day?


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#1 hypeking

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Posted 17 July 2014 - 21:21

Question for all those ex drivers, crew members, etc from back then, how was racing back in the 60s to 90s since i'm too young to remember (im 18).



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#2 GD66

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Posted 17 July 2014 - 23:13

Good.

#3 Marc Sproule

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Posted 18 July 2014 - 17:50

although open wheel racing has always been more attractive to me, i enjoyed seeing the gt cars in action.

 

this is my imsa set from that period. eventually there will be a lot more images in the set....

 

https://www.flickr.c...57623186793517/

 

all my sets...

 

https://www.flickr.c...81980@N03/sets/



#4 D-Type

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Posted 18 July 2014 - 22:07

hypeking,

Are you asking about GT Racing or Sports car Racing as terminology has changed over the years?  They used to be separate categories.



#5 hypeking

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Posted 21 July 2014 - 07:43

both mate



#6 jj2728

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Posted 21 July 2014 - 15:03

Look no more than the original Can Am series.......



#7 Charlieman

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Posted 02 August 2014 - 19:52

hypeking,

Are you asking about GT Racing or Sports car Racing as terminology has changed over the years?  They used to be separate categories.

In 1960, a GT car would have been recognisable compared to a production road car, but a sports car would have been a prototype or small series racer. At big races, GT and sports cars left the grid together, but a GT car was unlikely to win. The Ford GT40, in spite of its name and a few road runners, was a prototype. 

 

Lotus built a company on sports car racing success. 1500 and 1100cc sports cars from Lotus and others were hugely popular in the 1950s, delivering big fields in the UK, USA and occasionally elsewhere. Costin and others packed grids with big engined cars. 

 

Popularity of sports/GT car racing has always gone up and down. Outside the teams who wished to win at any cost, privateers drove for fun. Chevron, Lola and Osella (apologies for missing out other creations) made some gorgeous cars and probably made little money. 



#8 d j fox

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Posted 04 August 2014 - 13:29

Hmmm….. with cars like like the Ferrari 250 GT and GTO, Jaguar E Type lightweight, Aston Martin DB4 Zagato, Shelby American Cobra, Chevrolet Corvette , Austin Healey 3000, Lotus Elite, Morgan Plus Four etc.etc all driven by Grand Prix drivers and top class endurance pilots…it was, in my humble opinion, amazing!



#9 kayemod

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Posted 04 August 2014 - 13:55

Look no more than the original Can Am series.......

 

True, but there's a cut-off, I'd say at the end of 1972, but maybe a year earlier.



#10 Duc-Man

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Posted 04 August 2014 - 15:29

I'm too young to remember 'back in the day' if you ask about the 50's and 60's. I do remember an article about a Ferrari 250 GTO where they also interviewed one of the owners from 'back in the day'.

From what they wrote there I can imagine there was a lot of driving to the track with a set of spare wheels w/ tires in the trunk going on. No big pit crew, maybe the Missus to take the lap times. Well, on the privateer side at least.

BTW: during the week was the GTO used by the wife to pick up the kids from school...



#11 jeffbee

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Posted 05 August 2014 - 12:37

I've looked on you tube for clips of GT races in the UK, without too much success.  However, these might be worth looking at:

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Back in the day" the bigger races tended to combine GT cars and prototypes so these clips have got both.  Even the infamous 1964 GT race at Brands Hatch, supporting the grand prix, hasn't got a clip.  Oh well........

 

What's inescapable is that there was a depth of variety that we don't have now.  Ferraris looked different to the Cobras and each make had its own identity.  Grand Prix drivers would race in GT or prototype cars whenever they could and the racing itself was often quite close.

 

I've watched on TV what passes for GT racing now and, frankly, can't see the connection.

 

Personally, GT and prototype racing 1963 - 1966 and the 1 litre F3 were the best forms of racing at the time.  F1 and Can-Am tended to be a bit hit and miss.  however, that's a personal view and I'm perfectly happy to be shot at by others with a different view.

 

Cheers.

JB