Porsche 904s at the Targa Florio
Was there ever a better marriage than the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS and the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie?
Archive for the ‘Historic Racing Photos’ Category
Reader Photos: More Young Scarabs
Call it a Scarab overload if you like, but the hits just keep coming. Richard Reventlow wrote in with this marvelous photo of his half-brother Lance in his Scarab. Palm Springs, maybe? (Richard says it’s Riverside). Thanks, Richard!
And Steve, who sent us his father, Alfred Cournoyer’s photos of the Scarabs last week, dug the rest of the shots out of the shoebox and sent them in. Thanks again, Steve!
The Right Shoe for the Job
Motor racing is no excuse to not wear your most dashing pair of loafers. Just ask 1960 LeMans winner Paul Frere.
Happier Days for Team Scarab
We’ve been focusing too much on the Scarab crash and it’s bumming us out. We need an antidote, stat!
Right on cue, Steve Cournoyer wrote in: “All this Scarab business had me remembering a few photos taken by my father at Thompson Speedway round about 1958″. This shot captured by Steve’s father, Alfred Cournoyer helps set everything right with the world today.
Here’s another from a very happy day for the team. Chuck Daigh (#5) and Lance Reventlow (#16) finished 1, 2 at this outing for the Scarabs at Meadowdale Raceway in Illinois, September 1958. Via the Life archives.
Finally, here’s Augie Pabst at the wheel at Meadowdale in ’62.
There, I know I’m starting to feel better.
Shotgun at the Mille
There are benefits to having renowned photographer Louis Klemantaski as your navigator when you’re competing in the 1957 Mille Miglia. Peter Collins’ Ferrari 335 Sport didn’t quite make it back to Brescia after suffering a driveshaft failure 5 hours in, but at least he had this astounding photograph to show for his efforts.
Seems like a pretty fair trade to me.
Update:
In the comments, Richard found another of Louis’ shots from the Mille that’s definitely worth sharing. Thanks, Richard!
East German Motorcycle Racing
I love when a blog’s commenter can complete the story. The MotArt posted these photos found on MajorCalloway’s Flickr with the note “maybe East Germany?”. An anonymous commenter completes the story perfectly. “Thats East Germany, the Sachsenring. It might be 1961 or 1962. International races are only from 1961 to 1972 in East Germany. And with the Honda RC 145, it is international.” Sorry to steal The MotArts thunder, but the thrill of a solved mystery is too good not to share.
More photos at The MotArt and on MajorCalloway’s Flickr Stream.
In the Pits at the Vanderbilt Cup
Yes, there was a time when the “pit men” who serviced the cars were actually in a pit below the racing surface. What a terrifying view it must have been.
Via Rumbledrome.
Laurent Nivalle’s Stunning LeMans Classic Photo Set
What I wouldn’t give for even half of Laurent Nivalle’s eye for capturing beautifully composed shots on the fly. Any one of these shots would be a worthy photo shoot that would please any photographer and art director. A team of award winning shooters, ADs, photography assistants, lighting technicians, stylists, and a catering team could not capture the beauty of the LeMans classic any better. That Nivalle caught these shots on the fly, at a second’s notice, and managed to craft these magnificent compositions is quite an accomplishment. They’re all so good that I had trouble selecting just a few to whet you’re appetite. Click over to Laurent’s site for the complete set—they’re just gorgeous. via Grain Edit.
Reader Photos: Cuba ’57-’59
Mandy Alvarez wrote in with some photos he took as a boy in Cuba, and with stories to boot!
“On the 1954 Buick century #20: That was a brand new car owned by Vaillant Motors the Buick distributor for the complete island. Mr. Vaillant was a good friend of my father Raul Alvarez del Corral, and sold him the car right after the race. The car had simple modifications: Lowering springs, open exhaust and they removed the wheel coves. It had the “nail head” 322 cubic inch V8 engine.
It ran in one of three or four annual road rally races held every year, something very similar to La Carrera Panamericana. This one was from Sagua La Grande to La Habana (Havana) a 310 kilometers race. The Buick was victorious in the stock car category covering the distance in 2hs 13 min 14 sec averaging 136.907 kph. The field consisted of 37 cars ranging from Oldsmobile, Dodge, Lincoln,Chrysler, Hudson Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford,Mercury one Panhard and the Buick. The driver was Jose Salazar Cubillas.”
This is the grid from a support race for the 1957 Gran Premio de Cuba. Mandy says,
“This picture was taking in Havana, Cuba on the Saturday before the 1957 Cuban GP (won by Fangio). This is the start of one the four national races held. #70 a 1957 Buick Special won this particular event. The driver Albelardo Carreras.”
Mandy’s lifelong passion for motorsports started early, and he went on to race himself in SCCA, IMSA, and FIA sanctioned events, including an appearance at the Daytona 24 Hours race. Below are several other photos from the 1957 and 1958 Cuban GPs, and other Cuban races taken before he left the island in the wake of the revolution.
Thanks for sending these in, Mandy!
We’d love to share more reader photos with Chicane readers. Drop us a line at tips@thechicaneblog.com.
