24 replies to this topic

[Bob Riebe]

The France family has rotted away from a hard core gearhead to a snot faced money grubbing punk -- a little joy from the truly Good Old Days courtesy of Herr Magoo..

 

https://www.macsmoto...ona/#more-88261

[RCH]

Interesting... But would a Mk 2 Jaguar have thrashed this lot?

[Ray Bell]

Undoubtedly ineligible for some reason or other...

 

I would think the European and British cars which did run were only make-weights to give an impression of universality. Possibly there were price limits too.

[RCH]

Undoubtedly ineligible for some reason or other...

 

I would think the European and British cars which did run were only make-weights to give an impression of universality. Possibly there were price limits too.

 

I remember wondering way back when, possibly inspired by Jack Brabham's performance in the Cooper Climax at Indy in 1961, (that long ago) how a Jaguar would manage in NASCAR racing. I suspect they would have found a way to make a Jaguar ineligible, then they complain about the treatment of Gurney's Chevrolet.

[Alan Lewis]

A Jaguar did win a NASCAR race in the fifties, I think. I seem to remember Classic and Sportscar doing a feature on it a year or so back.

Very much in the category of a one-off success rather than anything more substantial, of course.

[RCH]

A Jaguar did win a NASCAR race in the fifties, I think. I seem to remember Classic and Sportscar doing a feature on it a year or so back.

Very much in the category of a one-off success rather than anything more substantial, of course.

 

I seem to remember reading about that somewhere, I think it may have been on a road course? An XK140 coupe if I remember rightly.

[Alan Lewis]

Had a dig around: it was Al Keller at Linden Airport, New Jersey on June 13th 1954.

The only foreign car to win in NASCAR until Toyota came in, apparently.

[Collombin]

A Jag sat on pole at Langhorne once - an unusual sight to say the least.

[d j fox]

Not exactly NASCAR promoted but there was a rather obscure “Sedan” race supporting the 1960 US Grand Prix at Riverside .

Details are included  by the late and much lamented Frank de Jong on his Touring car site http://touringcarrac...verside GP.html.

There was one “Compact” Ford Falcon entered but judging from the photos it’s very showroom stock—even down to white sidewall tyres (!). It finished 6^th 4 laps down

I assume the Cunningham Jags were works supported -Stirling Moss was originally down to drive one. The inclusion of two works Sunbeam Rapiers is intriguing too

[RA Historian]

Not exactly NASCAR promoted but there was a rather obscure “Sedan” race supporting the 1960 US Grand Prix at Riverside .

 

A 1-2 for the Cunningham 3.8 sedans. Hansgen and Pabst driving.

 

Tom

[BRG]

All those foreign cars?  Back in1960, it must have been like seeing a herd of unicorns for the US spectators!

[Jim Thurman]

All those foreign cars?  Back in1960, it must have been like seeing a herd of unicorns for the US spectators!

 

At Riverside? Hardly. They'd been watching them for more than three years there, and other circuits around Southern California for several years. Plus, most of, if not all of those makes could have been seen rather easily on streets around Los Angeles.

 

There were "foreign" car dealers and service departments around Los Angeles just after WWII. A couple of fellows named Phil Hill and Ginther worked at one.

[BRG]

Ok, Jim, I realise that Jaguar, Rolls, Merc, MG, Triumph, Austin Healey and so on were well-known, but I was thinking more of Renault Dauphines, Morris Minor, and 850cc Minis which surely must have been uncommon in 1960?

[Bob Riebe]

Ok, Jim, I realise that Jaguar, Rolls, Merc, MG, Triumph, Austin Healey and so on were well-known, but I was thinking more of Renault Dauphines, Morris Minor, and 850cc Minis which surely must have been uncommon in 1960?

I remember Renault Dauphine commercials on TV from the sixties.

[Ray Bell]

Renault Dauphines sold well in the USA...

 

I recall reading about their popularity in magazines in the early sixties, which spoke in retrospect of their good sales figures. Not as good as Volkswagen, but if I recall, they were second biggest sellers of imports.

[Bob Riebe]

For what it is worth, Dennise Mcluggage and Pedro Rodriguez raced Volvos in the 1960 races.

 

18   31   Bill Jones  100     1958 Citroën  160   195   running  0 

19   30   Ralph Roberts  101     1958 Citroën  160   120   running  0 

These were the highest finishing foreign jobs in the 1958 NASCAR race at Riverside International.

Edited by Bob Riebe, 11 December 2021 - 23:27.

[JacnGille]

Renault Dauphines sold well in the USA...

 

My Dad had a black one. 

[Jim Thurman]

Ok, Jim, I realise that Jaguar, Rolls, Merc, MG, Triumph, Austin Healey and so on were well-known, but I was thinking more of Renault Dauphines, Morris Minor, and 850cc Minis which surely must have been uncommon in 1960?

 

As others have mentioned, Renault Dauphines were quite common. I recall seeing many as a child. As hard as it might be to fathom, as Ray mentioned, they were the second highest selling import for a bit, trailing only Volkswagen. I don't have numbers for the Minors, but while far less common than Renaults, they weren't unknown.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by JacnGille
My Dad had a black one.

Would this be it?



Spotted in the Wagoner & Sons wrecking yard, Colby KS in 2014.

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

My cousin had a Dauphine back in the 60's.  It was a citron. 

[Michael Ferner]

For what it is worth, Dennise Mcluggage and Pedro Rodriguez raced Volvos in the 1960 races.

 

18   31   Bill Jones  100     1958 Citroën  160   195   running  0 

19   30   Ralph Roberts  101     1958 Citroën  160   120   running  0 

These were the highest finishing foreign jobs in the 1958 NASCAR race at Riverside International.

 

Hey, they even got the spelling right! I'm so tired of reading about Puegoets, De Larges and Alpha Romoes in old newspapers...

[BRG]

Renault Dauphines sold well in the USA...

 

Oh well, there go my preconceptions!

[d j fox]

Check this out...https://www.hemmings...n-a-nascar-race

[Jim Thurman]

Oh well, there go my preconceptions!

 

And that's the problem with preconceptions, innit?

 

Perhaps it's time to look at all the disproven ones, set the rest aside and view it as a learning experience.

[BRG]

And that's the problem with preconceptions, innit?

 

Not always. Sometimes preconceptions turn out to be rooted firmly in facts. Just not in this instance.  We live and learn.