26 replies to this topic

[Buford]

I have heard various versions of this story over the years. What is the real story? Anybody know? I heard it was Masten Gregory. Maybe Joe Fan knows. Also I heard they carried a Mini up the stairs a a fat cat Monaco hotel and Masten drove it down the stairs but I don't know if that was true either.

[ensign14]

There is reference to Harry Schell's bubble car being carried up a hotel stairs in Mike Hawthorn's Champion Year...is this the one?

[Buford]

Could be but I read somebody drove it down the stairs. Also there was one or more swimming pool incidents.

[Don Capps]

The first is true. Augie Pabst drove a rental car (Ford Falcon, if I recall) into the pool of a hotel, with the lights on. If others don't follow up before I get home, I will get more of the details.

The second one is not true. The hotel was in Rheims (or Reims) and it was Harry Schell's little car and the year was 1958 and we were staying on the same floor. Regrettably, Harry did not drive it down the staircase with Yours Truly as his co-pilot -- despite my pleading to do so....

[Buford]

Wow - talk about getting the story from the horse's mouth!!!

[2F-001]

These days Don, far from gleefully storing this away as a cherished adventure to be shared years later, you could have sued the hotel for loss of enjoyment, stress, lack of a good night's sleep, consequential nightmares and chronic autophobia, inability to live in any building with more than one floor, a fear of small cars and...

Shocking behaviour. Good old Harry...

[rdrcr]

...The hotel was in Rheims (or Reims) and it was Harry Schell's little car and the year was 1958 and we were staying on the same floor. Regrettably, Harry did not drive it down the staircase with Yours Truly as his co-pilot -- despite my pleading to do so.... [/B]

Damn, I really like this place... Good to hear there were some crazy times had by some who now, don't appear so crazy.

I have a few from my early GP going days... antics trackside and back at the hotel... hmmm, perhaps a new thread idea?

[byrkus]

I heard a story about Graham Hill from a race in Monaco, where he crashed into stairs of Radio Monte Carlo, and then he was reporting live from the same station!! Can anyone confirm??

[FrankB]

I heard a story about Graham Hill from a race in Monaco, where he crashed into stairs of Radio Monte Carlo, and then he was reporting live from the same station!! Can anyone confirm??

And didn't he also stop at Portier during practice (late 60s?) and make use of the Pissoir that was built into the wall on the inside of the bend?

[Wolf]

Or how about old Graham hitting the timer's box in '60 Monaco GP, injuring two timers and had enough composure to appologize whilst climbing out of the car? A true gentleman, I say.

[Don Capps]

In October 1961, Augie Pabst drove a Hertz Ford Falcon into the pool of the Mark Thomas Inn at Monterey, California. It done on a bet by Walt Hansgen and Roger Penske.


















Augie won the bet.

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by Don Capps
The first is true. Augie Pabst drove a rental car (Ford Falcon, if I recall) into the pool of a hotel, with the lights on. If others don't follow up before I get home, I will get more of the details.

The second one is not true. The hotel was in Rheims (or Reims) and it was Harry Schell's little car and the year was 1958 and we were staying on the same floor. Regrettably, Harry did not drive it down the staircase with Yours Truly as his co-pilot -- despite my pleading to do so....

Augie Pabst drove the rental car into a hotel swimming pool in Monterey, California (a Laguna Seca race weekend)...on a dare from Roger Penske (!). Making it even better yet was Walt Hangsen realized either his camera or briefcase (depends on story) was in the trunk of the car and had to dive into the pool and open the trunk to get it!. There is even a picture of this in a book, which really confirms it (I believe David Friedman's).

I forget the name of the establishment this took place. Michael T. Lynch should know that (Mark Hopkins Inn?).

Either the same weekend or during another year's Laguna Seca meet, Pabst and Penske were involved in removing a set of wall mounted antlers from the same hotel. They were later seen and photographed mounted on the front of a car at the track (I believe Pabst's).

Despite his button down image, for some reason, when you got Penske around Pabst...things happened.


Jim Thurman

[Buford]

Well let's get the lads together this year and see what happens!

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by Don Capps
In October 1961, Augie Pabst drove a Hertz Ford Falcon into the pool of the Mark Thomas Inn at Monterey, California. It done on a bet by Walt Hansgen and Roger Penske.

Wow, Don...you sent that off while I was composing mine!. Amazing...two minutes difference.

Mark Thomas Inn...I didn't think it was the Mark Hopkins (yes, I know, that's a famous San Francisco Hotel). Thinking of California's "Big Four"


Jim Thurman

[dmj]

I read an article about this swimming pool accident with more details somewhere... Maybe I'll find it later.
Please don't forget that Inspector Clouseau also managed to drive a car- and a trike! - into the same swimming pool.

[Don Capps]

Jim, I had to check after I got back to my quarters since I knew it was the "Mark Something," but couldn't get the Mark Hopkins out of my mind, which I knew wasn't in Monterey! Once again, Great Minds thinking alike.....

[Martyj]

When I saw the title of this thread and opened it, I half-expected to see an off-topic post about the great, late, Keith Moon.

[dmj]

When I saw the title of this thread and opened it, I half-expected to see an off-topic post about the great, late, Keith Moon.

Ah, that guy who was arrested after being caught walking on Steve McQueen's beach in the middle of the night, dressed in Nazi uniform...

[fines]

Originally posted by Martyj
When I saw the title of this thread and opened it, I half-expected to see an off-topic post about the great, late, Keith Moon.

Who?

[2F-001]

Somebody once told me that Buzz Aldrin's Mother's maiden-name was Moon. Is this true?

[Buford]

Frank Zappa's daughter is named Moon Unit.

[ensign14]

So Augie won the bet - does that mean the headlights worked?

[cabianca]

Somehow I remember Roger backing out of the deal in some way. I think he got cold feet when he found out Augie was serious and never did pay up. I also think I remember Hansgen surfacing from the pool with his briefcase. A previous post was correct. Put the two preppies together and things could happen. Penske and Pabst won the GT Class at Sebring together in 1963 in a Ferrari GTO (4th Overall). I think it was the first victory for a GTO.

[Joe Fan]

I think the prank that you are referring to was the one that occurred before the 1958 French Grand Prix at Reims. Masten and some other drivers decided to carry a Vespa 400 car up the stairs and put it in Harry Schell's hotel room while he was out. I have learned that this prank was supposedly thought up by Bernard Cahier and the drivers who carried the car up the stairs were allegedly Masten, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss? and a couple of others. I asked Phil about this and he verified that it did happen but he couldn't remember being in on the deal and didn't think Fangio would do something like this. However, supposedly Fangio was willing to drive the car down the stairs but it was thought to be too dangerous. Phil believes that the story has grown over the years because one version had the drivers putting the car in Harry's room while he was asleep which wasn't the case. If anyone has any other details, please post them here or send me an email. I am planning on putting this story in my Masten Gregory biography along with some other great Mastoid stories.

[paulhooft]

The Swimming pool story is in Innes Irelands book All Arms and Elbows
A great book to read!!!
Paul Hooft

[Elspeth]

Keith Moon in the 70s at the Riot House on the Sunset Strip. (As others have pointed out)

[paulhooft]

ok, but I still think Innes is better...

Paul Hooft