*Sportscar/GT* Questions and Answers

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

The answer to my question was 1923, the first race.

33 entered, and 3 failed to be classified. That's a 90% finishing rate that has not been beaten since, in 89 years!

So this is a little bit of a trick question since there were no real classification criteria like the 70% rule. I guess you just had to be running at the end. The winner did 128 laps and 70% of that would have been 90 laps. Of the 33 cars entered only 17 completed 90 laps. One car classified as a finisher actually did less than 50% of the winners laps by completing only 57 laps. Anyway, that was a good tricky question.

DK

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by dxk1

So this is a little bit of a trick question since there were no real classification criteria like the 70% rule. I guess you just had to be running at the end. The winner did 128 laps and 70% of that would have been 90 laps. Of the 33 cars entered only 17 completed 90 laps. One car classified as a finisher actually did less than 50% of the winners laps by completing only 57 laps. Anyway, that was a good tricky question.

DK

Yes, it was a little naughty! The concept of LM when it first started was pretty different to what we see today. Because the track was almost all dirt, cars trundled around at an average of 60mph and it was really a test of reliability rather than speed. It was supposed to be a triennial trophy and it only changed when the ACO began to notice that fans at the track were far more concerned with who was actually winning at the front. Funny how things change!

Things like the 70% rule came in at some point in the 20s I believe, but I can't remember precisely when.