thebear's archive of motorsports trivia

[thebear]

The bith of the BATMOBILE .

[thebear]

Giorgetto Giugiaro does a PORSCHE .

[ReWind]

... and your latest posts' relevance to motorsports is what?

[thebear]

Originally Posted by ReWind

... and your latest posts' relevance to motorsports is what?

Porsche.

Similarly, THIS one about Holden.

Where would you propose to place it?

[thebear]

The car that could have saved British Motors Corp

[thebear]

Old ALFA ENGINES never die.

[thebear]

In 1966 Hertz bought one thousand Shelby Mustangs. Rental rates were $13-$17/day plus 13¢-17¢/mile. Most has automatic transmissions and all were black with two wide gold racing stripes running from nose to tail.

I rented one for a 500+ mile business trip in '66. Yee-HAH! .

[thebear]

FEB 22, 1959

The first Daytona 500 is run. 59 cars started, and raced for a total purse of $67,760. Attendance was listed at 41,000.

[thebear]

I almost forgot: The 1959 race was run "Caution Free".

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by ReWind

... and your latest posts' relevance to motorsports is what?

A browse through this thread will show that by its nature it drifts beyond pure motor racing. Keep up the good work, bear.

[thebear]

Originally Posted by John Turner

A browse through this thread will show that by its nature it drifts beyond pure motor racing. Keep up the good work, bear.

Thanks

[thebear]

An interesting history of Daytona Beach and racing history in the US can be found HERE . It begins with 1875 and ends at the start of WWII.

There are five screens on the link and it may only be active for a few days.

Make haste, lads & lassies!

[thebear]

During the 2003 re-make of “The Italian Job”, a trio of electrically operated Mini Coopers were used in the tunnel sequences, as combustion engines were not allowed in the Los Angles underground (the maintenance areas - there is no "tube" to speak of). The production shut down the incredibly busy intersection of Hollywood and Highland for an entire week.

[thebear]

2002:

Champion Audi won the inaugural ALMS Miami Grand Prix in 2002, winning the pole, setting the fastest lap of the race, leading the most laps and winning the two-hour 45-minute race all on just one set of Michelin® tires. It is the only time that a team has won an ALMS race using just one set of tires.

The upcoming GP of St.Petersburg (FL) will be a one hour 55 minute race (TV, you know) and it is possible that Audi Sport North America; Penske Racing; Dyson Racing; Andretti Green Racing; Lowe’s Fernandez Racing; Patron Highcroft Racing; Corvette Racing; Risi Competizione; Flying Lizard Motorsports; Tafel Racing or Farnbacher Loles Racing could repeat with a Michelin victory.

[thebear]

1983 - April 24

Rolf Stommelen dies driving a Porsche 935L entered by John Fitzpatrick. It was the 4th race of the season and a fine field of sportscar machinery was to take the start of the 6 Hours of Riverside (California).

Rolf Stommelen was sharing his drive with Derek Bell and had started from the front row alongside Bob Holbert's March 83G. They were just ahead of teammates John Fitzpatrick-David Hobbs who drove the Porsche 935K4 for the team's second car. As the race seemed to go on an easy way, Rolf Stommelen had just taken the wheel of the Porsche from Derek Bell when, in an unexpected way, the car lost its rear wing in the fast straightaway where it had been the fastest car in the race and took off only to hit the wall in turn 9. The car hit the wall and caught fire. The corner workers had trouble extinguishing it and Rolf Stommelen died in this awful accident.

John Fitzpatrick won the race with David Hobbs but the two of them were too upset to get on the podium. Nobody among the spectators got any information about this dramatic accident. Sportscar Racing had just lost one of the most talented drivers in the World.

[thebear]

1950:

MAY 13

Silverstone hosts the first world championship grand prix. It was won by Giuseppe Farina in a pre-war Alfa Romeo 158.

[thebear]

1958

May 18

Archie Scot Brown succumbs after a crash. . .

[p261brm]

Not a lot of people might know this; A certain Oz Former world F1 champion was heard to remark on one of todays F1 drivers "I bet he's even got a ....kin badge on his pyjamas"

[thebear]

Indianapolis 500 Lore:

1933-1938: Qualifying was a 10 lap (25 mile) test of speed

1962: Parnelli Jones is the first to break the 150mph qualifying average.

1977: Tom Sneva is the first to break the 200mph qualifying average.

[p261brm]

Chevron Snippets from January 1969

David Purley, who crashed his AC Cobra badly at Brands towards the end of 1968 has bought Barrie Smith's Vegantune Twin-Cam Chevron B8, he will use the car for a full season and may include some continental races, he may; at a later stage fit the car with an FVA engine.

John Burton of Worcester Racing Organisation has ordered a new Group 4Chevron-BMW B8 for next season, and intends to use it in British and Continental Events

Racing Team Holland have ordered a new Group 4 Chevron-BMW for Dutchman Gijs van Lennep.

[thebear]

June means it is time for the Canadian Grand Prix. Here are some “Highlights”:

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located on the Ile de Notre Dame, a man-made island on the St. Lawrence River that was constructed for the 1967 Expo world fair. The island also provided the swimming arena and rowing basin for the 1976 Olympic Games.

The race has been on the Formula 1 calendar since 1967. It previously took place at the undulating Mosport Park road course north of Toronto, and at the even more spectacular Mont Tremblant-St Jovite venue, in the ski country north of Montreal.

The race moved to Montreal itself in 1978 and was won by the now-legendary Gilles Villeneuve (after whom the circuit is named). Not only was it his first F1 victory, he also became the first Canadian to win a grand prix in the process.

Gilles’ brother Jacques tried and failed to qualify a RAM for the 1983 Canadian Grand Prix.

Montreal has a habit of producing first-lap incidents. A recent one, in 2001, was triggered by Jenson Button and accounted for Benetton team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella.

Nigel Mansell was left red-faced in 1991, when he retired on the last lap while leading. The Brit was waving to the crowd when he allowed the revs to drop too low at the hairpin and stalled his Williams.

Montreal is a little-used semi-permanent parkland circuit. Until 2002 when it started to host a Champ Car race, it was only used once a year for the grand prix.

Jacques Villeneuve first came to the attention of the F1 paddock by winning the Formula Atlantic support race at the Canadian Grand Prix in 1993.

Ralf and Michael Schumacher’s 1-2 at Montreal in 2001 was the first time in F1 history that two brothers finished a race first and second. They repeated the feat in 2003 – but with roles reversed.

Canada witnessed the first victory for BMW’s turbo engine, which won the race in 1982 in the back of Nelson Piquet’s Brabham.

Jacques Villeneuve’s best result in his home race remains his first attempt in 1996 when he finished second behind team-mate Damon Hill. He has failed to finish on every subsequent attempt.

[thebear]

Harley Earl takes General Motors into America's modern sports car racing arena. .

[thebear]

June 27, 1990

The movie "Days of Thunder" is released and not without a few "Anachronisms":

Goofs for "Days of Thunder"

Continuity: In the clip from the race at Rockingham (NC), you can see the beginning of the sign that says "Daytona USA" on the wall.

Continuity: In the final Daytona race, Russ Wheeler pushes Cole into Harry Gant & spins him. During the spin, a car switches from Gant (#33) to Brett Bodine (#26).

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Cole says "the accelerator is stuck" & other things w/out moving his lips.
Continuity: While talking to Cole, Hogge's hat switches between advertising the University of Georgia & the University of Florida.

Errors in geography: While racing at Phoenix (a flat track), footage is shown of a high banked track.

Continuity: The red ring around Trickle's eye swaps eyes.

Continuity: Numerous problems w/the juxtaposition, cleanliness, & markings of cars.

Continuity: At the end of the Daytona 500, Cole's face is heavily blackened w/oil, yet the windshield & interior of the cars are spotless.

Continuity: Cole's collar in the dressing room before the Daytona 500.

Continuity: In the opening Daytona 500, just after the green flag drops, you can see Cole's City Cheverolet on the right hand side of the screen, even tho it does not exist yet.

Factual errors: During the opening sequence of the movie, if you watch carefully, you will see a Busch Grand National series official inspecting a car. The Daytona 500 is a Winston Cup event.

Continuity: When Cole is racing at North Wilkesboro, he is complaining about the way the car feels. We then see an outside view of his car & on the rear deck it shows a Ford emblem. Cole drives a Chevrolet.

Continuity: Both the rental cars apparently sustain damage when Cole & Rowdey are racing them to the restaurant, but in many shots they appear untouched.

Revealing mistakes: Cole (Tom Cruise) visits Rowdy & his wife & as they are walking thru the field of grass, Rowdy's wife calls Cole "Tom".

Continuity: When Harry is at the track watching Rowdy practice right before he meets Cole, the sky & surrounding atmosphere is VERY cloudy & foggy. When Cole enters the track & approaches the race car, the weather is now clear & sunny.

Continuity: In the Daytona Race before Cole has his big wreck, you can see his Superflo #46 car pass Russ Wheeler's #18 Hardee's car before Russ Wheeler was even introduced to drive for Cole while he was recovering from his accident.

Continuity: When Harry is telling Cole what happened to Buddy, Harry & Cole are standing at opposite ends of the car, when Cole walks away, they've switched positions.

Audio/visual unsynchronized: During the race in North Wilkesboro (NC), Russ Wheeler slams Coles car into the trackside wall & he spins off, Cole can clearly be heard saying, "Son-of-a-*****!" & yet his lips don't move.

Continuity: At the Dover (DE) race, Cole enters pit road when another car pulls out in front of him. Cole has to slam on his brakes & then looses control. He is then seen wearing a white w/red & blue trim fire suit as he says, "Oh, this gonna hurt." When he strikes the wall, it shows him in a fire suit w/his team colors (green & black).

Errors in geography: Many shots of the 1st race that Cole wins at a non-Daytona race clearly show the word Daytona on the walls of the track & the flagman's booth has it emblazoned on its side.

Continuity: At the very end of the film, when Cole & Harry are sitting on the pit wall talking, the wall is clearly draped w/the Mello Yello & Hardee's colors. When the camera switches to them running down pit lane, the team colors are nowhere to be seen!

Continuity: During the Daytona race that is suppose to take place in July, the fans all have on winter coats.

Factual errors: There are several shots of Cole Trickle's car missing the bright yellow rookie stripe on the rear bumper. The only time the stripe is present is when Cole is at Darlington.

Continuity: In the final race at Daytona, Cole is seen getting ready for the race & when Dr. Dalricki comes in the room, he is seen putting on black driving shoes. After the race, he is being victoriously lifted overhead by his crew & you can see that his shoes are white now.

Continuity: In the shop scene where Cole Trickle is talking to the doctor you can clearly see what is Derrike Cope's purolator car thru the window.

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Cole & Rowdy line up at the stop light in opposite vehicles, Rowdy is in a Ford Taurus. When the light turns green, they both gun it & you see smoke coming from the rear tires of the Taurus. The Ford Taurus never came w/RWD, they were all FWD, thus the rear tires should not have smoked up.

Factual errors: After the caution in the final race when Cole beats the pace car out of pit road, the race restarts w/Wheeler, the leader, starting on the inside line. In reality, Wheeler's car should have been on the outside line, as lead-lap cars start on the outside & cars a lap down or more start on the inside.

Revealing mistakes: At one point in the film, Robert Duvall calls Nicole Kidman's character, "Nicole," using her real name rather than the name of her character, "Claire."

Anachronisms: At Cole's 1st race at Daytona, the announcer called it the Firecracker 400. The Firecracker 400 was the name of this race from '63 to '84. It should have been called the Pepsi 400, as it was renamed for the 3rd time in '89.

Revealing mistakes: After Cole sabotages Russ Wheeler's victory lap by wrecking his car, you can clearly see that the checkered flag hanging out Wheeler's window is secured in place rather than being held. It is clear from the in car camera of "Russ Wheeler" that the flag is somehow secured in place, & the window netting is still up.

Continuity: At the very beginning of the movie, when Rowdy Burns is introduced, he does up his fire suit twice.

Continuity: At the Daytona race before the big wreck, Cole Trickle is spun out by Rowdy Burns. Cole recovers & catches up to Rowdy. The camera pans out to show a long distance shot of Rowdy leading Cole, but the lead car is clearly the #3 Goodwrench Chevy of Dale Earnhardt, not the #51 of Rowdy Burns.

. . .

[thebear]

July 16, 1955

Moss Wins 1st G/P

Stirling Moss won his 1st G/P race, the British G/P in Aintree, driving a Mercedes Benz W196. Moss is considered the greatest racer that never won a World Driving Championship, having finished 2nd to Juan Manuel Fangio for 4 consecutive years. Most impressive is Moss' record of having won 16 of 66 G/P starts & 194 of his 466 starts in major events. Moss was born 9/17/1929, in London, England. His father, a dentist, had competed in the Indy 500 in '24 & '25. Moss began his racing career in '46, against his parents' wishes, as a driver for Cooper in the F3 division. He solidified his reputation by posting successful results in hill-climbing events. By '50, Moss had become one of the favorites in G/P racing, & it is often said that his results would have been better had he not insisted on racing British cars whenever possible. "Better to lose honorably in a British car than to win in a foreign one," he was once heard saying. But his loyalty to British cars also accounted for some of Moss' finest moments. At the Italian G/P in Monaco in '61, Moss entered an underpowered Lotus, presumably no match for the faster Ferraris in the field. When out ahead early against the Ferraris, Moss gambled that the Ferrari drivers would be confident in catching him late in the race. By lap 81, leading Ferrari driver Richie Ginther had made up most of the ground that he'd yielded to Moss early on, but Moss had held something in reserve. Just when it seemed inevitable that Ginther would pass, Moss held him at bay for a dramatic victory. Moss' career effectively ended w/a crash at Goodwood in '62 that left him partially paralyzed on his left side. He rehabilitated himself to make an astonishing comeback in May of the following year at a private session at Goodwood, where Moss rounded the track for nearly 30 minutes, pulled in & declared, "I'm retiring."

. .

[thebear]

August 3, 1938

Brooklands Holds Last Race
The famous English circuit Brooklands hosted its final race on this day in 1938, ending the track's 32-year history.

Brooklands is a disused motor racing circuit & airfield built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, & was the world's 1st oval-style motorsport venue. The circuit hosted its last race in 1939, & was also one of Britain's 1st airfields. Nowadays it plays host to an aviation & motoring museum, as well as various vintage car rallies.

The circuit was the brainchild of Hugh Locke-King, & was opened on 6/17/1907 as the 1st custom-built banked motor race circuit in the world. It was the 2nd ever oval style race track built for cars, the 1st being the 2-mile oval Lakeside Auto Speedway near San Diego (CA) which was opened on 4/20/1907. Indianapolis is a `squared oval'.

Requirements of speed & spectator visibility led to the track being built as a 100' wide, 2.75 mile long, banked oval. The banking was nearly 30' high in places. In addition to the oval, a bisecting "finishing straight" was built, increasing the track length to 3.25 miles, of which 1.25 miles was banked.

Due to the complications of laying tarmac on banking, & the expense of laying asphalt, the circuit was built using gravel & cement. This led in later years to a somewhat bumpy ride, as the surface settled over time.

Along the center of the track ran a dotted black line, known as the 50' Line. By driving over the line, a driver could theoretically take the banked corners w/out having to use the steering wheel.

11 days after the circuit opened, it played host to the world's 1st 24 hour motor event, w/Selwyn Edge leading 3 specially converted Napier cars around the circuit. Over 3000 red railway lamps were used to light the track during the night. Flares were used to mark the upper boundary of the track. Edge drove his car for the full duration, w/the drivers of the other 2 cars taking the more familiar shift approach.

. . .