Motorsports Trivia Thread!
- Thread starter Cap'n Jack
- 7,183 comments
- 336,878 views
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
Well, okay, I'll cave. Not too many into LSR, it seems.
Campbell's 1927 version Bluebird did 174.883 mph on the Pendine sands, Wales. Later in the same year, Segrave's Sunbeam went 203.792 at Daytona, a much better venue. The ultimate speed on the Daytona beach was 276.82 by Campbell in '35. after that, it was on to Bonneville dry lake bed, Utah, where the speeds immediately went over 300 mph.
The current wheel-driven piston engine record is 457 mph, 462 trap speed, by George Poteet in his Speed Demon. This dart-like thing has a 2300 hp twin-turbo small block Chevy for power.
Last edited:
- 29,975
- Bratvegas
- GTP_Liquid
@Dotini The LSR is interesting, but it's not something I know intimately. Not enough to have an approximate framework of the record figure over time. The records at Pendine Sands interest me somewhat because one of the 1920s record setters, John Parry-Thomas, was from the same part of Wales as me. He died in 1927 during an attempt to break Campbell's record; a rear wheel failure pitched the car sideways and rolled.
I don't have a question right now, so someone else can have a go.
I don't have a question right now, so someone else can have a go.
- 24,010
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
- 29,975
- Bratvegas
- GTP_Liquid
I think everyone had switched over to MR/RR by 1962, but whether anyone was still scoring points with FF by then is another matter. Using Wikipedia absolutely defeats the point of this thread so I will take an estimated guess on something like a BRM or a late 1960 Vanwall.
Tony Brooks in a Vanwall in 1960.
Tony Brooks in a Vanwall in 1960.
- 24,010
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
Eddie Johnson in a Kurtis Kraft in 1960?
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
I love American poetry in motion. Alas, Kurtis Kraft is also false.
- 29,975
- Bratvegas
- GTP_Liquid
- 19,700
- Alabamamania
Jo Bonnier's BRM P25, same race.
Phil Hill won the last F1 race for front-engined cars in his Ferrari 246, at the Italian GP.
The mysterious Ferguson 4-wheel-drive cars were the last to enter and race (1961 British GP).
Phil Hill won the last F1 race for front-engined cars in his Ferrari 246, at the Italian GP.
The mysterious Ferguson 4-wheel-drive cars were the last to enter and race (1961 British GP).
Last edited:
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
Dear Pupik, thanks for your response, it's the best yet.
Hill's Ferrari was indeed the last car other than a rear engine F1 to win a race. Even so, my question remains technically unanswered. But unless someone can do better, you're the winner.
The BRM P25 was replaced partway through the '60 season by the rear engine P48.
Jack Fairman entered and started a Ferguson-Climax in the 1961 British GP, but was disqualified. So this is the last front engine car to start a Grand Epreuve.
- 29,975
- Bratvegas
- GTP_Liquid
I feel dirty simply looking up the answers but after this much guesswork, perhaps it's permissible.
At the 1960 Italian Grand Prix, I believe the last front-engined car to cross the line in the points was Willy Mairesse in 3rd place in the Dino 246. Wolfgang von Trips finished 5th in a Ferrari 246, but this was the 246P2, the first experimental mid-engined Ferrari, and not the front-engined 246. Hans Hermann finished 6th in a Porsche 718, but I can't find out for sure whether this was in mid-engine or front-engine configuration.
Last edited:
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
Finish Order, 1960 Italian GP at Monza, 10k circuit
1) P. Hill (Ferrari) 8 points
2) P.R. Ginther (Ferrari) 6 points
3) W. Mairesse (Ferrari) 4 points
4) G. Cabianca (Cooper-Castellotti) 3 points
5) W. von Trips (Ferrari F2) 2 points
6) H. Herrmann (Porsche F2) 1 point
So we see at last that the technically most correct answer is Hans Hermann in his F2 Porsche, although all except Cabianca had something other that a rear-engine F1 car. No GP after this one that I can discover awarded points to F2 cars which started the race, even though they finished in the top 6 over the road.
You will recall (
) that the British teams boycotted Monza that year due to the use of the 10k circuit.
Last edited:
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
Chris Amon is the aesthetically correct answer. Maybe he even held this record for the longest time? Anyway, he deserves mention because he led a number of races and ran into damnably bad luck.
At Long Beach I saw a madman qualify his Alfa Romeo V-12 on pole, flaming his wheels in flashes of magnesium plasma along the walls at apex and exit. I thought this man will surely never win, or even finish!!
At Long Beach I saw a madman qualify his Alfa Romeo V-12 on pole, flaming his wheels in flashes of magnesium plasma along the walls at apex and exit. I thought this man will surely never win, or even finish!!
Last edited:
