7 replies to this topic

[Don Capps]

Next to the Championship that Keke Rosberg earned in 1982, the one I really like to think that went the right guy was 1966 and Jack Brabham.

Three Champions and six Championships in this picture.

The Brabham/ Cooper combo that was so successful.

A Repco engine , it looks like a 620. It was based on the GM B-O-P block and it seems that Phil Irving preferred those made by the Pontiac foundry not the Oldsmobile blocks as many have assumed.





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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

[Uncle Davy]

Harry Turtledove's alternate histories have been mentioned before in this forum...how about one where Dan Gurney remains with Brabham into the 3-liter era, and wins the '66 and '67 WDCs?

But then, no '67 Eagle-Weslake.

[Fast One]

Don--

I admire Black Jack enormously, so I couldn't be unhappy that he won in '66. Great man, great car, great little motor, great team, and most of all, great driver.

Would he have won if Surtees had stayed at Ferrari? I kind of doubt it. The Ferrari was probably the best car that year, and Spa showed that his horrible crash at Mosport hadn't affected Fearless John's speed. John was my favorite, so of course I was sorry he didn't win, but other than Dan Gurney, I can't think of anyone I'd have rather seen win than Brabham. He is one of the ones I have in mind when I talk about drivers whose reputations have faded unjustly with time.

The other guy I was happy for was Denny Hulme in '67. It would have been a shame if his fine career had ended without a WDC title. I met him at Mid-Ohio at a Can-Am race. He sure was nice to the gangly, awe-struck teenager who was staring, jaw agape, at his McLaren in the pit lane. Let me peer in the cockpit and everything. Made me feel like a real racing fan, instead of the kid I was.

[Don Capps]

UD & FO,

Yeah, the blow-up twix Dragoni & Surtees made me shift to Black Jack - before Reims. It is entirely possible that Big John would have taken the WDC that year & maybe the next. If it wasn't to be Big John I thought it should be Black Jack. However, either one was a winner in my book.

Also, the basic reason Black Jack continued in 1966 was because Dan had set up the AAR team and the Eagles. However, recall that the initial effort was on Indy racing with the F1 effort the 2nd priority due the problems with Harry Weslake & company. Goodyear wanted an Indy victory with Eagle. The GP wars were in the hands of Brabham and the BRO. So perhaps Dan COULD have stayed with Brabham in F1 and done the Eagle act at home - and probably won Indy!

Glad to see others on the same wavelength!

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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

[Don Capps]

A shift of my Idle Thoughts in another direction:

Here are Phil Hill and Jim Hall and Friend at Goodwood in 1998:


Phil in the 2D at Le Mans 1966:


Phil in the 2F at Monza 1967:


Phil at Monte Carlo in 1960 with the Dino 256:



Phil in the Dino 156 at the Nurburgring:
and at Monza:




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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

[Don Capps]

Torrey Pines in 1954, Phil in a Ferrari Mexico:


Phil in Charles Hornburg's C Type Jag:


1958, Monza:


In my opinion, the most INFLUENTIAL American driver in the area of road racing is Phil Hill. He was in the vanguard of the US drivers to race in Europe after WW2. He signed with Ferrari early on and worked his way up the ranks, often at the expense of having other more vocal drivers get opportunities that should have been his. When he finally hit GP racing, he was Very Impressive, excellent placings at Monza & Casablanca that first year, 1958.

He drove for Ferrari in both sports cars and GP cars, then drove for the Shelby team and the various Cobra events, and then Chapparal and even an outing for Bruce McLaren at Kent in 1965 that I still remember.

Of all the American drivers, I keep coming back to Phil Hill as the one I think was The One that made a difference: without him, Dan Gurney, Richie Ginther, Mario Andretti, etc. may not have been there.

If I had two sports cars and needed to pick the pairings, my choices would be easy: Phil Hill, Stirling Moss, Tazio Nuvolari, and Jack Ickx. Stir 'em up, mix and match and they would still finish 1-2...


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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

[Dennis David]

What we're missing today.



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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Don Capps]

DD, Outstanding! That is a great picture of Jacky Ickx when he was Brabham!

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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps