8 replies to this topic

[Sunbeam74]

The other day I received a number of slides from Daytona's 24 hour race in 1966. Most of the slides were related to the all female racing team sponsored by Ring Free.
Maybe somebody can help assist with some identifications.



From left to right:

Sitting on the wall is Janet Guthrie's mother, then her sister, then her father.
Next is Suzy Dietrich, Donna Mae Mims, Janet Guthrie, and would anyone
know who is to the right of Janet?


The two team cars. Janet, Suzy, and Donna Mae drove #80 then Smokey Drolet and Rosemary Smith drove the #78 Alpine.


I wondered if these two fellows might be John Bentley and John E. Hill. They entered a Tiger for the 24 hour race and these two have "Sunbeam Tiger" jackets on. Would anyone be able to identify these two? They could be just "crew" to support the pits.



I have more images I can post later.


Steve Silverstein
Boston, MA

Edited by Sunbeam74, 11 July 2011 - 22:03.

[Sunbeam74]

Here's a few more images:


This is Smokey Drolet

And this one too.... I believe Rosemary Smith is leaning in to talk to her.

[Sunbeam74]

I always liked this advertisment;




Here was the cover from the program

[Sunbeam74]

Here's the #80 Alpine of Mims, Guthrie, Dietrick at Watkins Glen years later (I think it is Watkins Glen)






And the sister car #78 sitting in the basement of what I am told was the Goodyear tire distributor in New Jersey. Not sure if this is before or after the race.

Edited by Sunbeam74, 10 July 2011 - 09:50.

[Sunbeam74]

Rosemary Smith and Smokey Drolet






Here is a mystery.... I can't figure out who this is. This slide was in the collection I just received but I don't know recognize this woman with the wreath. I thought the wreath might have been
given to the woman's team for winning the Nisoger trophy

Edited by Sunbeam74, 10 July 2011 - 09:59.

[RA Historian]

A young Janet Guthrie?

[Sunbeam74]

A young Janet Guthrie?

Well, I thought it might be Suzy Dietrich at first and lately I had been corresponding with Janet Guthrie and she says she doesn't recognize the woman - definitely not Suzy.
Janet had no idea about the two men in the Tiger jackets either. I'd really like to find out if it is an image of John Bentley and John P. Hill. THere's very little docuementation regarding
those two racing the Tiger.

Steve

[Sunbeam74]

Apparently, John Bentley who raced the Sunbeam Tiger is the same Bentley that raced a number of different race cars starting as early as 1949.

http://www.racingspo...entley-USA.html

At first I didn't think it was the same person since the John Bentley of the early years lived in New York, best I can tell. Then must have relocated to Florida in 1960/61 and continue to race frequently.



Comparing the photo of these two fellows to an early 1955 photo of John standing next to his Abarth Spider there is a resemblance particularly in the chin line to the man on the left.
(add 11-12 years and 20-30lbs.) My confindence that the photo is of John Bentley and John P. Hill is getting stronger.

Steve

Edited by Sunbeam74, 11 July 2011 - 22:04.

[Lemnpiper]

Rosemary Smith and Smokey Drolet






Here is a mystery.... I can't figure out who this is. This slide was in the collection I just received but I don't know recognize this woman with the wreath. I thought the wreath might have been
given to the woman's team for winning the Nisoger trophy

That looks like Smokey Drolet at a different angle than in the earlier picture. Hairstyle and smile look almost identical