Classic Motorsport Photos

[Pete05]

I said 1989 because the Sauber C9 raced at Le Mans in 1989 and not 1988. I forgot. But dad said that the first race was in 1983... Maybe not.

https://motorsport.tv/duke-classic-videos/video/1988-world-sports-car-sandown-park/4874

Some broadcast footage from the 88’ race. Do need a subscription to watch the full video, but you get a 2 min sneak peak which shows some action though.

They actually used an in field layout built specifically for WSC as well. From what I know, the standard circuit wasn’t considered to be long enough for the championship. Adds a fair bit to the circuit but does cut off the best section in the track. Majority of the extension doesn’t exist now, with the horse track being laid on top. You can still see the entry and exit of the extension at the current turns 6 and 8.

View attachment 849223




On board of the extended circuit. Pretty hard to listen to though, the groans of the driver make it pretty uncomfortable, lol.

The Sauber C9 didn't race at Le Mans in 1988 because they couldn't keep tyres on the cars throughout the Practice sessions. The cars definitely raced at Sandown in that year (The Lucas Supersprint) & nothing, not even the TWR-run Jaguars could keep up with them.
The race was televised on SBS & I had the race on VHS for years.

As for the 1984 race, it was run in between the '84 ATCC Round & the Castrol 500 of that year which was the first touring car race on the extended 3.9km layout. The1988 Enzed 500 was the last major race meeting to run the infield layout.

@LumpiestFish you are correct. The old (original) 3.1km Sandown circuit wasn't long enough to qualify for a W.E.C event. On top of this, the original pitlane was never going to be deemed safe, adequate or suitable on any grounds for an FIA sanctioned event.

Former members of the Light Car Club, for years promotors of motorsport at Sandown, roll their eyes & groan when recalling the Group C Sportscar events because those two events, together with the cost of the circuit infield extension, is what sent the LCC broke.
Jon Davison, Uncle to Alex & Will Davison, then took over as Promotor of racing at Sandown.

 

[Liquid]

Jaguar D-Type & Porsche 356 Ice Racing In Finland

 

[Pete05]

Jaguar D-Type & Porsche 356 Ice Racing In Finland

A Porsche? OK but a Jaguar D-type

Someone obviously had more money than sense

 

[GTV0819]

A Chaparral 2D in a pit stop during the 1966 Le Mans

 

[Obelisk]

A Chaparral 2D in a pit stop during the 1966 Le Mans

I knew a 2D won the Nurburgring event that year or the year after (i don't recall) but I never knew they raced at Le Mans! How did they finish?

 

[GTV0819]

I knew a 2D won the Nurburgring event that year or the year after (i don't recall) but I never knew they raced at Le Mans! How did they finish?

Me too. I didn't knew that either until now.

 

[Pete05]

I knew a 2D won the Nurburgring event that year or the year after (i don't recall) but I never knew they raced at Le Mans! How did they finish?

The one 2D in the race scored a DNF after suffering electrical failure at the 8 hour mark.

 

[TenEightyOne]

How did they finish?

On a truck

 

[GTV0819]

Spoiler

British Grand Prix from 60 years ago.

 

[Pete05]

Spoiler

British Grand Prix from 60 years ago.

Held at Aintree, the front row is Pole Position (1:58:0) Jack Brabham in the #12 Cooper-Climax, Roy Salvadori #2 Aston Martin and Harry Schell #8 BRM.

After 75 laps of the 4.828km (3 miles) track, Brabham would go on to win the race adding a further 9 points to his quest for the World title.
Second place, a further 22.2 seconds behind was Stirling Moss (BRM) followed by Bruce McLaren (Cooper-Climax) a further two tenths behind, Schell, 1 lap down, and rounding out the top 5, also 1 lap down, Maurice Trintignant in another Cooper-Climax. There were 9 finishers classified from 18 starters.
Fastest Lap was jointly set by Moss & McLaren at 1:57:0 for an average speed of 148.55 km/h (92.305mph)

Where were the Ferraris? They forfeited the race owing to a strike in Italy at the time.

 

[Liquid]

1953 British Grand Prix

Drivers: (L-R) Alberto Ascari ITA, Jose Frolian Gonzalez ARG, Mike Hawthorn ENG, Juan Manuel Fangio ARG
Cars: Ferrari 500 (2.0L I4), Maserati A6GCM (2.0L I6)
Finished: 1st, 4th, 5th, 2nd

 

[Greycap]

Jaguar D-Type & Porsche 356 Ice Racing In Finland

The D-Type is highly likely chassis XKD 530, a '55 model owned at the time by Curt Lincoln and driven by him or other Scuderia Askolin drivers. As the car seems to have a full width windscreen it's pictured after bodywork modifications carried out in 1958, the fin was also added at the same time.

 

[Dotini]

1953 British Grand Prix

Drivers: (L-R) Alberto Ascari ITA, Jose Frolian Gonzalez ARG, Mike Hawthorn ENG, Juan Manuel Fangio ARG
Cars: Ferrari 500 (2.0L I6), Maserati A6GCM (2.0L I6)
Finished: 1st, 4th, 5th, 2nd

That's a rare and beautiful color photo of a very early Championship Grand Prix, run for F2 cars.
Minor error in your caption: The Ferrari 500 is an inline 4, not a 6.
I drooled on one of these things at Grand Prix Motors on Capitol Hill in Seattle - the dealership then owned by Pete Lovely, who once drove for Team Lotus and won the very first race ever held at Laguna Seca in an underpowered 2.0 Ferrari. Some years later I won a kart race at Laguna Seca, an event I shall always remember.

 

[Liquid]

Minor error in your caption: The Ferrari 500 is an inline 4, not a 6.

Amended. 👍

I was too hasty double copying details of the Maserati and its drivers.

 

[Dotini]

Amended. 👍

I was too hasty double copying details of the Maserati and its drivers.

You have nothing to be ashamed of. Your posts of classic photos are a treasure, and deserve recognition.

 

[Pete05]

That's a rare and beautiful color photo of a very early Championship Grand Prix, run for F2 cars.
Minor error in your caption: The Ferrari 500 is an inline 4, not a 6.
I drooled on one of these things at Grand Prix Motors on Capitol Hill in Seattle - the dealership then owned by Pete Lovely, who once drove for Team Lotus and won the very first race ever held at Laguna Seca in an underpowered 2.0 Ferrari. Some years later I won a kart race at Laguna Seca, an event I shall always remember.

Laguna Seca in a go-kart

I imagine the corkscrew was like racing off the edge of the planet

 

[Dotini]

Laguna Seca in a go-kart

I imagine the corkscrew was like racing off the edge of the planet

It was! Especially since I was driving an 80cc "Laydown" kart, flat on my back, except for slightly upraised neck and shoulders. But you simply aim for the correct oak tree (!), and it turns out all right. I started last in a field of 23, and passed everybody. I tell you it was orgasmic passing in every turn! I prize that trophy very highly! If I recall correctly, my lap times were in the mid '40's. In my experience, I found the Rainey curve the most demanding, the G-loading, vibration and direct acting steering requiring a very firm grip on the butterfly wheel.

note: The race I ran was the first kart race there in something like 22 years. The training provided by GT5 was very, very valuable!!

 

[Liquid]

@Dotini Do you have any photos of your karting days?

 

[Dotini]

@Dotini Do you have any photos of your karting days?

I do, but of course most are the old-fashioned kind. Here or there on the forum I have posted some, maybe on the Rumble Strip Pictures of Yourself.
I will dig around and see if I can find any more.

From the Rumble Strip. The #1 denotes national class champion status. The kart is the same I used at Laguna.

My kart is seen in this vid from the race. My friend Blair is #62.


My Dotini Mk IV; uses Yamaha RZ350 motorcycle engine modified to about 65 hp or maybe a bit more, weight with fuel and driver 475 lb. Top speed about 155 mph. Regional and national class champion. Burns 7 gallons/hr! Lap time at Portland 1:11, Lap time at Pacific Raceways 1:27.

 

[Pete05]

I do, but of course most are the old-fashioned kind. Here or there on the forum I have posted some, maybe on the Rumble Strip Pictures of Yourself.
I will dig around and see if I can find any more.

From the Rumble Strip. The #1 denotes national class champion status. The kart is the same I used at Laguna.

My kart is seen in this vid from the race. My friend Blair is #62.


My Dotini Mk IV; uses Yamaha RZ350 motorcycle engine modified to about 65 hp or maybe a bit more, weight with fuel and driver 475 lb. Top speed about 155 mph. Regional and national class champion. Burns 7 gallons/hr! Lap time at Portland 1:11, Lap time at Pacific Raceways 1:27.
View attachment 853528

I've never seen anything like a lay-down kart before. Only the traditional Sprint karts & Super Karts with the enclosed bodywork and spoiler/wing. The #33 Mk.IV looks absolutely insane & with those numbers, no doubt needs a lot of respect.

Many years ago, I did some 100cc Sprint karting with a mate that owned his own kart. Very close to the most fun anyone can have with their pants on.

 

[GTV0819]

Juan Manuel Fangio with a slim lead over Alberto Ascari during the 1954 Italian Grand Prix, 55 years ago.

 

[Dotini]

Juan Manuel Fangio with a slim lead over Alberto Ascari during the 1954 Italian Grand Prix, 55 years ago.

Wow, Fangio hanging the tail way out on a fast curve! Not his normal style, but I thing that Mercedes-Benz with it's swing-axle rear suspension was difficult to control in its first season.

 

[VolkswagenX]

Juan Manuel Fangio with a slim lead over Alberto Ascari during the 1954 Italian Grand Prix, 55 years ago.

65 years ago*

 

[GTV0819]

65 years ago*

Right. It was a typo but thanks for the correction there.

 

[Liquid]

Happy 96th Birthday, Murray Walker.

Image: 1987 Australian Grand Prix

 

[Liquid]

Aviator vs Driver - Lincoln Beachey vs Barney Oldfield (1914)

During the age of barnstorming, the two had a car vs plane "championship"; they raced on no less than 34 occasions and both generated a serious amount of money from the series.

Oldfield's car during this time was most likely a Fiat.

 

[daan]

Piers Courage being chased by Graham Hill & Jacky Ickx around Copse Corner at Silverstone in 1969.

 

[Roo]

Graham Hill, 1968 Belgian GP:

 

[Roo]

Anderstorp 1969

 

[G.T.Ace]