Twelve Hours of Sebring is Next

[Moose]

The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is next on this year's IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship Schedule.

The link below is to a 30 minute film documenting the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1966, which I thought might interest those who haven't seen it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pObRIh8-rO4

Interviews with Dan Gurney, Ron Bucknum, Graham Hill, Bob Tillius (interesting comparison of Sebring with Le Mans), Paddy Hopkirk, Mike Parks, Phil Hill, Mario Andretti, Ken Miles, and Lloyd Ruby.

Gurney gets off to a bad start 63 cars behind, but fully catches up to take the lead after just 25 laps. Mike Parks is asked how far Ferrari will allow Ford to get ahead - his reply: "About 1 lap!"

Ken Miles' modest reaction at the end of the race, feeling "a bit ashamed" at winning over Dan Gurney's number 2 blue car.

Hopefully Ford can pull it off again 50 years later!

Happy viewing.

 

[Awsum GT]

Great video... I was lucky enough to take one of my Vipers on Sebring several years back... Great track. Wish I could be there to cheer on the Ford team. Go Ford kick some tail!

 

[STORMCAT]

Thanks for posting . I watched the whole thing. Very interesting... Wow 5 deaths .. 4 spectators and 1 Ford GT driver, :frown .
That was Miles and Ruby's 2nd win in a row after just winning at Daytona. We know what happened to Miles at Le Mans later in 66. He would have been the only triple crown winner but he got ripped by the rules..

 

[ByeEnzo]

Ruby was from my hometown. I have his signature under the front bonnet of my FGT. Nice video link.

 

[Shoboat]

Cool video ... I'll be there next week to cheer the new FGT on.

 

[RALPHIE]

From the Archives -

Here's a picture of Lloyd at the 1962 Los Angeles Times Grand Prix for Sports Cars -

View attachment 41539

He was driving the Lotus 19 of J. Frank Harrison's Chattanooga Glass Company (they made the bottles for Coca-Cola). That was the outfit that owned the Birdcage Maseratis when I crewed for Carroll Shelby and Jim Jeffords in 1960. This was the Lotus 19 that Lloyd drove in 1962 -

View attachment 41540

View attachment 41541

 

[john gourley]

Great photos Ralphie

 

[Apollo]

Ralphie, Did they actually carry a spare tire on the car?:eek

Here's a picture of Lloyd at the 1962 Los Angeles Times Grand Prix for Sports Cars -

View attachment 41539

He was driving the Lotus 19 of J. Frank Harrison's Chattanooga Glass Company (they made the bottles for Coca-Cola). That was the outfit that owned the Birdcage Maseratis when I crewed for Carroll Shelby and Jim Jeffords in 1960. This was the Lotus 19 that Lloyd drove in 1962 -

View attachment 41540

View attachment 41541

 

[ByeEnzo]

Ruby and Miles won the first race for a GT40 (Daytona Continental 1000kms) in 1965. Thanks for pics Ralphie.

 

[Awsum GT]

Very kool Ralphie... did you travel with them when they raced?

Looks like the spare tire also acted as extra crash protection mounted up front?

 

[RALPHIE]

Ralphie, Did they actually carry a spare tire on the car?:eek

Yes, the weight balance required the extra weight forward.

 

[RALPHIE]

Very kool Ralphie... did you travel with them when they raced?...

In 1960, I crewed for them at both Riverside (RIR) and Monterey (Laguna Seca), which were the last two races of the season. Shelby won the USAC Sports Car Championship in the last race at Monterey, his last competitive race, and promptly retired from racing.

At Riverside -

View attachment 41549

At Monterey -

View attachment 41550

 

[Awsum GT]

That had to be a blast working with that team! Dick Smith visited my man cave a while back in my Viper days with his Corba... he told us some Shelby stories while visiting with his snake.