16 replies to this topic

[bubulle35]

Hello

Here's my list of world closed course speed records through the years. Comments are welcome

US Speedways/Superspeedways
March 1970: Buddy Baker, Talladega, 200.447 mph
November 1970: Bobby Isaac, Talladega, 201.104 mph
1972: Jerry Grant, Ontario, 201.414 mph
1972: Bobby Unser, Ontario, 201.965 mph
April 1973: Bobby Unser, Texas World Speedway, 212.766 mph
October 1973: Mario Andretti, TWS, 214.158 mph
August 1974: AJ Foyt, Talladega, 217.584 mph
August 1975: Mark Donohue, Talladega, 221.160 mph
August 1986: Rick Mears, Michigan, 223.401 mph
Novembre 1986: Rick Mears, Michigan, 233.934 mph
1993: Mario Andretti, Michigan, 234.275 mph
1996: Jimmy Vasser, Michigan, 234.665 mph
1996: Arie Luyendyk, Indianapolis, 237.498 mph
1997: Maurizio Gugelmin, California, 240.942 mph
2000: Gil de Ferran, California, 241.428 mph

Other tracks
1979: Liebold, Nardo, Mercedes C111-IV, 250.959 mph
1987: AJ Foyt. Fort Stockton, oldsmobile aerotech, 257.123 mph

Edited by bubulle35, 01 September 2010 - 13:33.

[Vitesse2]

May 1937: Bernd Rosemeyer, Avus 171.741mph

Not on one of your itsy-bitsy speedways either and only one fully banked turn. I'd dearly love to know what sort of speed the streamlined C-types and W125s could have achieved at Indianapolis, let alone on a modern superspeedway!

[m.tanney]

bubulle35,

Have you read this old thread on "the World Closed Course Speed Record"?

http://forums.autosp...showtopic=55898

You may find it helpful, or more confusing. It is rather a confusing subject.

Mike

[Rob Semmeling]

Interesting subject, unfortunately I don't have the time for a proper reply right now, but if you go to my website www.wegcircuits.nl and download the pdf-file there, I think pages 101-103 will be of interest.

[RStock]

Brooklands?

[Vitesse2]

Not even close, unfortunately, Robby. 143 and change for the Napier-Railton, possibly a smidgin more for the Multi Union if Reg Tanner was right.

[Rob]

Not on one of your itsy-bitsy speedways either and only one fully banked turn. I'd dearly love to know what sort of speed the streamlined C-types and W125s could have achieved at Indianapolis, let alone on a modern superspeedway!

The W154 ran at Indianapolis a number of times.

[RStock]

Not even close, unfortunately, Robby. 143 and change for the Napier-Railton, possibly a smidgin more for the Multi Union if Reg Tanner was right.

But didn't the Sunbeam Manitou set a world record and were there not other "class" records held there at times. I know it was used for a lot of attempts.

[Rob]

May 1937: Bernd Rosemeyer, Avus 171.741mph

Fagioli did a 4:08.2 during practice though, which equates to 173.4mph

[Vitesse2]

But didn't the Sunbeam Manitou set a world record and were there not other "class" records held there at times. I know it was used for a lot of attempts.

Héméry (1909), Hornsted (1914) and Lee Guinness (1922) all set LSRs there, but the best any of them achieved was 133.70 mph - and that's the speed over a flying kilometre, not the whole lap.

[Vitesse2]

The W154 ran at Indianapolis a number of times.

True. But by that time it was nine years old, seriously out of tune and running on a much less potent fuel.

In period, a fully fit C-type, W154 or W125 - streamlined for preference - would have obliterated the Indy lap record, I'm sure

[ZOOOM]

How about Monza 1957...
Tony (The Tinley Park Express) Bettenhausen
Novi
176 and change!

(and the Merecdes never even qualified well at Indy)

ZOOOM

[David McKinney]

(and the Merecdes never even qualified well at Indy)

Second-fastest in 1947 wasn't bad

[Michael Ferner]

... and neither was 8th fastest in 1948 !

[Rob]

... and neither was 8th fastest in 1948 !

Before the 1949 race, the car was butchered to fit a Sparks engine, so I wouldn't regard its failure to qualify as a reflection of the true potential of the car. I also wouldn't regard Joel Thorne as a driver who was capable of reaching the car's limit.

[David McKinney]

... and neither was 8th fastest in 1948 !

Having made my point with the 1947 race, I didn't think I needed to delve further

[ZOOOM]

Second-fastest in 1947 wasn't bad

Well, an 18th starting position means Duke must have had problems on the first day. But Duke could pedal pretty fast around Indy...
ZOOOM