Does anyone have details of his career? He raced in Argentina. I think he did come to Europe in the late 1940s about the same time as Fangio and Gonzalez. His dates can be found here, but not much else.
Benedicto Campos
#1
Posted 29 June 2017 - 20:13
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#2
Posted 30 June 2017 - 07:38
There are scattered mentions of Benedicto Campos on the Argentinian website automovilsport.com - apparently he ran a Ford V8-engined Fuerza Libre special which rejoiced in the name 'Betty'. My Spanish is almost non-existent, so I'm relying on Google Translate, but it looks like he had orginally started in Fuerza Limitada:
http://automovilspor.../notas/1/1.html
http://www.automovil...notas/13/1.html
http://www.automovil...lo/informa.html
http://www.automovil...ganes/nota.html
He'd also raced in Turismo Carretera: http://www.historiat...g70036#msg70036
http://www.historiat...hp?topic=1176.0
#3
Posted 30 June 2017 - 10:01
He was a consistent driver, did some amazing performances in Europe in 1949, only overshadowed by the Great Fangio.
#4
Posted 02 July 2017 - 02:00
Campos was in the Argentine Automobile Club team that went to Europe in 1949. He and Fangio drove 4CLT/48 Maseratis.
He's mentioned several times in Fangio's autobiog, My Twenty Years of Racing, described as 'experienced' and as 'my friend'.
He finished third behind Fangio and de Graffenried in both the San Remo and Pau GPs. Mechanical failures spoilt most of the rest of his season.
He apparently had a beard, or at least a moustache.
Rob B
Edited by robjohn, 02 July 2017 - 02:00.
#5
Posted 02 July 2017 - 05:01
1949 Marseilles Grand Prix
Argentinian Temporada Series
#6
Posted 02 July 2017 - 11:06
Campos was in the Argentine Automobile Club team that went to Europe in 1949. He and Fangio drove 4CLT/48 Maseratis.
He's mentioned several times in Fangio's autobiog, My Twenty Years of Racing, described as 'experienced' and as 'my friend'.
He finished third behind Fangio and de Graffenried in both the San Remo and Pau GPs. Mechanical failures spoilt most of the rest of his season.
He apparently had a beard, or at least a moustache.
Rob B
The A.C.A. sent a team to Europe in 1949. It was named Scuderia Achille Varzi, possibly because the late Varzi's father allowed them the use of his house and workshop at Galleate. Drivers were Fangio and Campos and they had 2 (?new) 4CLT/48 Maseratis, and other cars were arranged by the Club during their stay.
Results were as follows :
San Remo GP - Fangio 1st Campos 4th
Pau GP Fangio 1st Campos 3rd
Rousillon GP (Perpignan ) Fangio 1st Campos 3rd
Rome GP (Formula 2) Fangio Retired (Maserati 2 ltre sports) Campos Retired (Simca-Gordini)
Marseille GP Fangio 1st Campos 5th (both Simca-Gordini )
Belgian GP Fangio Retired(Lap 1) Campos Ret (Lap20)
Autodromo GP Monza (F2) Fangio 1st (Ferrari 2-litre)
Albi GP Fangio 1st Campos Retired
French GP Fangio Retired (Lap 25) Campos Retired (Lap 33)
Italian GP Campos Retired(Lap 56)
(Maserati 4CLT/48 unless otherwise noted)
In the French GP at Reims, Fangio and Campos dominated the early laps, and maybe duelled unwisely, leading to both retiring by half-distance.
The above information comes from "My Twenty Years of Motor Racing" and also "The Life Story of Juan Manuel Fangio" by Ronald Hansen and Federico Kirbus(1956), plus some online sites for verification. Almost every race that Fangio competed is reported in some detail on the (?) official Fangio website, so Campos gets a mention if he was in the race too - in Spanish of course, but results and photos don't need translation.
Stu Buchanan
#7
Posted 02 July 2017 - 11:21
#8
Posted 02 July 2017 - 13:09
This seems to be a pretty complete list for 1949. The only thing I found that was missing is that Campos was entered for the Monza race, but he DNA. And I have Chiron in San Remo entererd by the Scuderia Achille Varzi, but that information might be incorrect.
Also Fangio did a F2 race in Reims, next to the FrenchGP, but there he was entered by SEFAC (Ferrari).
Following the name of the entrant, I have one entry in 1948 (Comminges, DNA) for Fangio.
And then the team continued into 1950, without Campos
#9
Posted 06 July 2017 - 09:27
According to the italian newspaper L'Automobile 03.04.1949, the Argentine team (Fangio and Campos) arrived to Italy on 29 March 1949 via Roma airport Ciampino. In their possession were two Maseratis tipo 4CLT/48 with double blower and two Gordinis (one of which Wimille following the death).
Edited by Oneandhalf, 06 July 2017 - 09:34.
#10
Posted 25 June 2022 - 17:29
https://facebook.com...3&sfnsn=scwspmo
#11
Posted 25 June 2022 - 17:58
Yes it is.
#12
Posted 03 July 2022 - 17:01
Some French sources mention ill health as preventing him from coming back to Europe for the 1950 season, which led to him being replaced in the ACA team by Froilan Gonzalez who thus got his big break into international racing. He did die relatively young (59) but in 1972. Could have been an false excuse to hide a more trivial reason in the highly politicized state-sponsored team ? He did participate in the late 1949/early 1950 Temporada series for the team, and won Libre races in Argentina in both 1950 and 1951, so couldn't have been that ill. He seems to have retired at the end of 1951 when not even 40 years old, though.
He did relatively well compared to Fangio in 1949, and could have had a decent few years in Europe. Would have been interesting to see him in long distance racing as well, those South American road races were always a good breeding ground for endurance drivers.
Edited by Frank Verplanken, 03 July 2022 - 17:06.
#14
Posted 27 December 2022 - 12:09
Benedicto Campos was a promising driver and proved to be competitive in his few races in Europe or against European drivers. However, he wasn't properly on good terms with the Peronist regime and never got more chances. I think both Óscar and Juan Galvez suffered the same "problem".
The first time I heard about it was when I accidentally found one of his grandsons on Facebook. He told me that and some more things about Benedicto. I lost his contact, sadly. However, I read the same story in other sources when I dug deep into the Argentinian motoring scene looking for Campos and, in between, I found another relative of his.
#15
Posted 27 December 2022 - 12:14
Would have been good to see and know more about him, such a depth of talent from Argentina at that time. Hopefully this picture is visible to all.
https://facebook.com...3&sfnsn=scwspmo
It's a wonderful shot. I didn't know that Facebook page before. Thanks for that.