By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. If any of our readers follow me on twitter (@PeterMDeLorenzo), you'd know that in the past few weeks I've been tweeting about the Chaparral racing cars and GM Engineering's intimate involvement in that fabulous program. I will probably continue to do so in the coming weeks and months, but this week I wanted to devote some time to the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicles, the CERV I and CERV II. 

The CERV program originated with Corvette icon Zora Arkus-Duntov, who envisioned it as a platform for engineers to use in order to develop Chevrolet - specifically Corvette - body, chassis and suspension systems. The CERV I was developed between 1959 and 1960 as a functional mid-engine, open-wheel, single-seat prototype racing car. The bodywork was designed by industry legends Larry Shinoda and Tony Lapine. 

The CERV I was originally equipped with a fuel-injected 283 cu. in. 350HP small block V8 that weighed only 350 lbs. Intensive use of aluminum and magnesium engine components saved more than 175 lbs. from previous Chevrolet V8s. The body structure was constructed out of fiberglass and weighed only 80 lbs. The body structure was attached to a rigid 125 lb. chrome-molybdenum tube constructed frame, welded in a truss-like configuration. Combining these lightweight components contributed to the CERV I's weight of 1,600 lbs. The 96-inch wheelbase chassis features a four-wheel independent suspension, uses independent, variable rate springs with shock absorbers and stabilizer bar in the front, and multilink, variable rate springs, with double-acting shock absorbers in the rear. The wheels are cast magnesium alloy. Steering is recirculating ball type with 12:1 ratio.

The brake system on the CERV I uses front disc/rear drum, with a two piston master cylinder to eliminate the chance of complete brake failure. Fuel is delivered via two rubber bladder fuel cells (20 gal. total capacity).
At one point Duntov refitted the CERV I with a 377 cu. in. aluminum small block, an advanced Rochester fuel injection system and Indy-style tires and wheels. (That 377 cu. in. small block V8 became the mainstay in the Corvette Grand Sport racing program.) To match this mechanical updating, Shinoda redesigned its streamlined body structure for greater aerodynamics. Top speed for the CERV I was 206 mph, achieved on GM's circular 5-mile test track at its Milford, Michigan, Proving Grounds.

Excited by its impressive performance potential, Duntov had his eye on bigger things for the CERV 1 - including racing in the Indianapolis 500 - but due to the AMA (Automobile Manufacturer’s Association) ban on manufacturer-sponsored racing at the time - which GM painfully adhered to - the closest Duntov could get to a major showcase for the car was when he drove the machine in a series of demo laps at the U.S. Grand Prix in 1960. 

(RM-Auctions)
The CERV 1.
(RM-Auctions)
The CERV I appeared in the international racing colors - white with blue - assigned to the United States.

The next-generation Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle - the CERV II - was conceived early in 1962, developed over the next year and built under Duntov’s direction between 1963 and 1964. By the time it was finished, Duntov envisioned the CERV II as a possible answer to the Ford GT40 racing program. At this point it was also in Duntov's mind to develop a separate line of racing Corvettes to sell, an idea that was later rejected, of course, by GM management. Duntov wanted the CERV II to showcase future technologies as applied to a racing machine. 

Chevrolet General Manager "Bunkie" Knudsen wanted to get back into racing so the CERV II was planned for the international prototype class with a 4-liter version of the Chevrolet small block V8. Knudsen has been given strict orders to stay out of racing by upper management at GM, but obviously that didn't dissuade Duntov and his team. Construction was started on the CERV II almost at the same time that the "no racing" GM management edict came down.

As with CERV I, the body was designed by the team of Shinoda and Lapine. The chassis of the CERV II consisted of a glued-together steel and aluminum monocoque with a steel sub frame to carry the suspension and engine. It was powered by a Hilborn fuel-injected, overhead cam, 377 cu. in. aluminum small block V8 with a 10.8 compression ratio and 500HP. By 1970, the CERV II ran a 427 cu. in. ZL-1 V8 with 550HP. Titanium was used for the hubs, connecting rods, valves, and exhaust manifolds helping to bring the total weight of the machine below 1400 lbs. 

The CERV’s II engineering of the drive system and torque converter arrangement was handed over to GM’s engineering team and it turned out to be its most fascinating development. The result? An advanced all-wheel drive system using two torque converters. This marked the first time that anyone had designed a variable power delivery to each end of the car, which varied according to vehicle speed. The very wide wheels carried experimental low profile Firestone tires mounted on specifically constructed Kelsey-Hayes magnesium wheels. The ventilated disc brakes were mounted outboard, with the Girling calipers widened to accept the vented rotors.

The CERV II was very quick: 0-60 in 2.5 seconds with a top speed of 190+ mph. During its extensive development Jim Hall and Roger Penske were among the top drivers who wheeled the CERV II. 

The plan to use the CERV II as The Answer to the Ford GT40 program ended up being killed by GM management, as was their wont. The CERV II was used as a research tool for a mid-sixties super Corvette program that was also cancelled by management. Never raced, the CERV II ended as a show and museum piece, a tribute to the True Believers at GM Design and Engineering.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Thank you to the GM Heritage Center for the details on the CERV I and CERV II. -PMD

(GM)
The True Believers at GM Engineering stand proudly by the magnificent CERV II at its roll out at the GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan.
(GM)
The CERV II photographed at the famous "Black Lake" at the GM Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan.
(GM)
An inside look at the CERV II.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: As part of our continuing series celebrating the "Glory Days" of racing, this week's images come from GM. - PMD

(GM)
GM Technical Center, Warren, Michigan, 1957. Zora Arkus-Duntov being wheeled out for the maiden test run of the Corvette SS racing car. GM had a short test track on the Tech Center grounds that saw extensive use.

(GM)
GM Technical Center, Warren, Michigan, 1957. The Corvette SS racer being finished before being shipped down to Sebring, Florida, for its racing debut in the 12-Hour race.

Editor's Note: We received a lot of positive comments about the CERV I and CERV II story. Many of our readers were, in fact, unaware of the CERV program so we're going to leave it up for another week. Peter is a firm believer in historical perspective when it comes to motorsports, and the important stories that need to be told. -WG

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. If any of our readers follow me on twitter (@PeterMDeLorenzo), you'd know that in the past few weeks I've been tweeting about the Chaparral racing cars and GM Engineering's intimate involvement in that fabulous program. I will probably continue to do so in the coming weeks and months, but this week I wanted to devote some time to the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicles, the CERV I and CERV II. 

The CERV program originated with Corvette icon Zora Arkus-Duntov, who envisioned it as a platform for engineers to use in order to develop Chevrolet - specifically Corvette - body, chassis and suspension systems. The CERV I was developed between 1959 and 1960 as a functional mid-engine, open-wheel, single-seat prototype racing car. The bodywork was designed by industry legends Larry Shinoda and Tony Lapine. 

The CERV I was originally equipped with a fuel-injected 283 cu. in. 350HP small block V8 that weighed only 350 lbs. Intensive use of aluminum and magnesium engine components saved more than 175 lbs. from previous Chevrolet V8s. The body structure was constructed out of fiberglass and weighed only 80 lbs. The body structure was attached to a rigid 125 lb. chrome-molybdenum tube constructed frame, welded in a truss-like configuration. Combining these lightweight components contributed to the CERV I's weight of 1,600 lbs. The 96-inch wheelbase chassis features a four-wheel independent suspension, uses independent, variable rate springs with shock absorbers and stabilizer bar in the front, and multilink, variable rate springs, with double-acting shock absorbers in the rear. The wheels are cast magnesium alloy. Steering is recirculating ball type with 12:1 ratio.

The brake system on the CERV I uses front disc/rear drum, with a two piston master cylinder to eliminate the chance of complete brake failure. Fuel is delivered via two rubber bladder fuel cells (20 gal. total capacity).
At one point Duntov refitted the CERV I with a 377 cu. in. aluminum small block, an advanced Rochester fuel injection system and Indy-style tires and wheels. (That 377 cu. in. small block V8 became the mainstay in the Corvette Grand Sport racing program.) To match this mechanical updating, Shinoda redesigned its streamlined body structure for greater aerodynamics. Top speed for the CERV I was 206 mph, achieved on GM's circular 5-mile test track at its Milford, Michigan, Proving Grounds.

Excited by its impressive performance potential, Duntov had his eye on bigger things for the CERV 1 - including racing in the Indianapolis 500 - but due to the AMA (Automobile Manufacturer’s Association) ban on manufacturer-sponsored racing at the time - which GM painfully adhered to - the closest Duntov could get to a major showcase for the car was when he drove the machine in a series of demo laps at the U.S. Grand Prix in 1960. 

(RM-Auctions)
The CERV 1.
(RM-Auctions)
The CERV I appeared in the international racing colors - white with blue - assigned to the United States.

The next-generation Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle - the CERV II - was conceived early in 1962, developed over the next year and built under Duntov’s direction between 1963 and 1964. By the time it was finished, Duntov envisioned the CERV II as a possible answer to the Ford GT40 racing program. At this point it was also in Duntov's mind to develop a separate line of racing Corvettes to sell, an idea that was later rejected, of course, by GM management. Duntov wanted the CERV II to showcase future technologies as applied to a racing machine. 

Chevrolet General Manager "Bunkie" Knudsen wanted to get back into racing so the CERV II was planned for the international prototype class with a 4-liter version of the Chevrolet small block V8. Knudsen has been given strict orders to stay out of racing by upper management at GM, but obviously that didn't dissuade Duntov and his team. Construction was started on the CERV II almost at the same time that the "no racing" GM management edict came down.

As with CERV I, the body was designed by the team of Shinoda and Lapine. The chassis of the CERV II consisted of a glued-together steel and aluminum monocoque with a steel sub frame to carry the suspension and engine. It was powered by a Hilborn fuel-injected, overhead cam, 377 cu. in. aluminum small block V8 with a 10.8 compression ratio and 500HP. By 1970, the CERV II ran a 427 cu. in. ZL-1 V8 with 550HP. Titanium was used for the hubs, connecting rods, valves, and exhaust manifolds helping to bring the total weight of the machine below 1400 lbs. 

The CERV’s II engineering of the drive system and torque converter arrangement was handed over to GM’s engineering team and it turned out to be its most fascinating development. The result? An advanced all-wheel drive system using two torque converters. This marked the first time that anyone had designed a variable power delivery to each end of the car, which varied according to vehicle speed. The very wide wheels carried experimental low profile Firestone tires mounted on specifically constructed Kelsey-Hayes magnesium wheels. The ventilated disc brakes were mounted outboard, with the Girling calipers widened to accept the vented rotors.

The CERV II was very quick: 0-60 in 2.5 seconds with a top speed of 190+ mph. During its extensive development Jim Hall and Roger Penske were among the top drivers who wheeled the CERV II. 

The plan to use the CERV II as The Answer to the Ford GT40 program ended up being killed by GM management, as was their wont. The CERV II was used as a research tool for a mid-sixties super Corvette program that was also cancelled by management. Never raced, the CERV II ended as a show and museum piece, a tribute to the True Believers at GM Design and Engineering.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Thank you to the GM Heritage Center for the details on the CERV I and CERV II. -PMD

(GM)
The True Believers at GM Engineering stand proudly by the magnificent CERV II at its roll out at the GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan.
(GM)
The CERV II photographed at the famous "Black Lake" at the GM Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan.
(GM)
An inside look at the CERV II.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: As part of our continuing series celebrating the "Glory Days" of racing, this week's images come from GM. - PMD

(GM)
GM Technical Center, Warren, Michigan, 1957. Zora Arkus-Duntov being wheeled out for the maiden test run of the Corvette SS racing car. GM had a short test track on the Tech Center grounds that saw extensive use.

(GM)
GM Technical Center, Warren, Michigan, 1957. The Corvette SS racer being finished before being shipped down to Sebring, Florida, for its racing debut in the 12-Hour race.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: I decided to leave the story of the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicles - CERV I and CERV II - up until we're back in January. Why? Because it's simply more compelling than anything going on in contemporary racing at the moment. Yes, I'm encouraged by the new bodywork changes and other regulations for IndyCar in 2018, with the renewed emphasis on the driver. And I am thrilled about the growing momentum in IMSA - kudos to Scott Atherton and the entire crew at IMSA for persevering - but I find the rest of the racing world - except for MotoGP - to be decidedly downbeat. My early interest in Formula E has slipped away because the visceral appeal of those cars is nonexistent. Yes, I get it, drivers will drive anything if they can get a ride, in fact, as I've said repeatedly - drivers will drive through a shit storm for Twinkies they want to do it so bad - but that doesn't make it right, or interesting. The manufacturers are all lining up to participate because they can sync their involvement in Formula E with their R&D budgets. And good for them. But as Samuel Goldwyn once famously said, "Include me out." As for F1, it barely holds my interest. The lackluster sound of those cars is simply inexcusable. Pinnacle of the sport? Not in its current configuration, and I'm not optimistic about the future engine rules being discussed either. As for NASCAR, I am pretty much finished writing about that particular genre of motorsport. I have the utmost respect for the talented drivers, engineers and technicians, but the France family - led by the serially incompetent Brian France - is running NASCAR right into the ground. Besides, in the last column I wrote about NASCAR in 2017 - "REMAKING THE NASCAR SCHEDULE IN AN ERA OF REDUCED EXPECTATIONS" - I said all that needed to be said. In fact, I vow to not write about NASCAR in my Fumes column in 2018 unless something compels me to do so. We will continue to mention NASCAR in "The Line" next year, but that's about it. And finally, once again a big "thank you" to all of the people who work behind the scenes at race tracks all across the country and make it possible for the races to go off without a hitch. The racing simply wouldn't happen without you. And of course a huge "thank you" goes out to the corner workers, again, the racing wouldn't happen without your dedicated and tireless efforts. I'll see you back here next year. -PMD

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. If any of our readers follow me on twitter (@PeterMDeLorenzo), you'd know that in the past few weeks I've been tweeting about the Chaparral racing cars and GM Engineering's intimate involvement in that fabulous program. I will probably continue to do so in the coming weeks and months, but this week I wanted to devote some time to the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicles, the CERV I and CERV II. 

The CERV program originated with Corvette icon Zora Arkus-Duntov, who envisioned it as a platform for engineers to use in order to develop Chevrolet - specifically Corvette - body, chassis and suspension systems. The CERV I was developed between 1959 and 1960 as a functional mid-engine, open-wheel, single-seat prototype racing car. The bodywork was designed by industry legends Larry Shinoda and Tony Lapine. 

The CERV I was originally equipped with a fuel-injected 283 cu. in. 350HP small block V8 that weighed only 350 lbs. Intensive use of aluminum and magnesium engine components saved more than 175 lbs. from previous Chevrolet V8s. The body structure was constructed out of fiberglass and weighed only 80 lbs. The body structure was attached to a rigid 125 lb. chrome-molybdenum tube constructed frame, welded in a truss-like configuration. Combining these lightweight components contributed to the CERV I's weight of 1,600 lbs. The 96-inch wheelbase chassis features a four-wheel independent suspension, uses independent, variable rate springs with shock absorbers and stabilizer bar in the front, and multilink, variable rate springs, with double-acting shock absorbers in the rear. The wheels are cast magnesium alloy. Steering is recirculating ball type with 12:1 ratio.

The brake system on the CERV I uses front disc/rear drum, with a two piston master cylinder to eliminate the chance of complete brake failure. Fuel is delivered via two rubber bladder fuel cells (20 gal. total capacity).
At one point Duntov refitted the CERV I with a 377 cu. in. aluminum small block, an advanced Rochester fuel injection system and Indy-style tires and wheels. (That 377 cu. in. small block V8 became the mainstay in the Corvette Grand Sport racing program.) To match this mechanical updating, Shinoda redesigned its streamlined body structure for greater aerodynamics. Top speed for the CERV I was 206 mph, achieved on GM's circular 5-mile test track at its Milford, Michigan, Proving Grounds.

Excited by its impressive performance potential, Duntov had his eye on bigger things for the CERV 1 - including racing in the Indianapolis 500 - but due to the AMA (Automobile Manufacturer’s Association) ban on manufacturer-sponsored racing at the time - which GM painfully adhered to - the closest Duntov could get to a major showcase for the car was when he drove the machine in a series of demo laps at the U.S. Grand Prix in 1960. 

(RM-Auctions)
The CERV 1.
(RM-Auctions)
The CERV I appeared in the international racing colors - white with blue - assigned to the United States.

The next-generation Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle - the CERV II - was conceived early in 1962, developed over the next year and built under Duntov’s direction between 1963 and 1964. By the time it was finished, Duntov envisioned the CERV II as a possible answer to the Ford GT40 racing program. At this point it was also in Duntov's mind to develop a separate line of racing Corvettes to sell, an idea that was later rejected, of course, by GM management. Duntov wanted the CERV II to showcase future technologies as applied to a racing machine. 

Chevrolet General Manager "Bunkie" Knudsen wanted to get back into racing so the CERV II was planned for the international prototype class with a 4-liter version of the Chevrolet small block V8. Knudsen has been given strict orders to stay out of racing by upper management at GM, but obviously that didn't dissuade Duntov and his team. Construction was started on the CERV II almost at the same time that the "no racing" GM management edict came down.

As with CERV I, the body was designed by the team of Shinoda and Lapine. The chassis of the CERV II consisted of a glued-together steel and aluminum monocoque with a steel sub frame to carry the suspension and engine. It was powered by a Hilborn fuel-injected, overhead cam, 377 cu. in. aluminum small block V8 with a 10.8 compression ratio and 500HP. By 1970, the CERV II ran a 427 cu. in. ZL-1 V8 with 550HP. Titanium was used for the hubs, connecting rods, valves, and exhaust manifolds helping to bring the total weight of the machine below 1400 lbs. 

The CERV’s II engineering of the drive system and torque converter arrangement was handed over to GM’s engineering team and it turned out to be its most fascinating development. The result? An advanced all-wheel drive system using two torque converters. This marked the first time that anyone had designed a variable power delivery to each end of the car, which varied according to vehicle speed. The very wide wheels carried experimental low profile Firestone tires mounted on specifically constructed Kelsey-Hayes magnesium wheels. The ventilated disc brakes were mounted outboard, with the Girling calipers widened to accept the vented rotors.

The CERV II was very quick: 0-60 in 2.5 seconds with a top speed of 190+ mph. During its extensive development Jim Hall and Roger Penske were among the top drivers who wheeled the CERV II. 

The plan to use the CERV II as The Answer to the Ford GT40 program ended up being killed by GM management, as was their wont. The CERV II was used as a research tool for a mid-sixties super Corvette program that was also cancelled by management. Never raced, the CERV II ended as a show and museum piece, a tribute to the True Believers at GM Design and Engineering.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Thank you to the GM Heritage Center for the details on the CERV I and CERV II. -PMD

(GM)
The True Believers at GM Engineering stand proudly by the magnificent CERV II at its roll out at the GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan.
(GM)
The CERV II photographed at the famous "Black Lake" at the GM Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan.
(GM)
An inside look at the CERV II.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: As part of our continuing series celebrating the "Glory Days" of racing, this week's images come from GM. - PMD

(GM)
GM Technical Center, Warren, Michigan, 1957. Zora Arkus-Duntov being wheeled out for the maiden test run of the Corvette SS racing car. GM had a short test track on the Tech Center grounds that saw extensive use.

(GM)
GM Technical Center, Warren, Michigan, 1957. The Corvette SS racer being finished before being shipped down to Sebring, Florida, for its racing debut in the 12-Hour race.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. We all knew this day was coming, the great Dan Gurney was getting up in years and the inevitability of life's end was near. But that doesn't make his passing easier or any less heartbreaking. As a country we've been blessed with many talented racers, but Dan was always different (and full disclosure, he was my all-time favorite). And even though he grew up in Long Island and didn't move to California until he graduated from high school, Dan will always be the lanky Californian with the blonde hair who burst on the racing scene and in short order was going up against the world's best on tracks all over Europe. 

Dan's accomplishments in racing are many. His driving career spanned fifteen years, from 1955 to 1970. His talent was prodigious and his reputation grew with each race he competed in. Dan became one of America's top road racing stars as well as one of the most popular F1 drivers of his era. Gurney raced for Ferrari, BRM, Porsche (giving the German manufacturer its only win as an F1 constructor), Brabham and later his own All American Racers Eagle team. By the time Dan retired from active driving in 1970 he had raced in 312 events in 20 countries with 51 different makes (more than 100 different models) of cars winning 51 races, 42 pole positions and achieving 47 podiums. And the measure of respect that his competitors reserved for him was well-documented, including the great Jim Clark who considered Dan to be his most talented rival. 

Dan won in Formula 1, NASCAR (five 500-mile races at Riverside), and recorded two second-place finishes in the Indianapolis 500. And Dan was single-handedly responsible for bringing Colin Chapman and the Ford Motor Company together for a run at the Indy 500. He won in Trans-Am, Can-Am and sports car races, including at the Nuerburgring, Daytona, Sebring and his famous victory at the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Ford Mk IV with A.J. Foyt. Gurney was the first driver to post victories in the four major motorsports categories: Grand Prix, Indy Car, NASCAR and Sports Cars. To this day he is one of only three drivers in history (the others being Mario Andretti and Juan Pablo Montoya) who have accomplished that. 

But one victory stands above all the others for Dan Gurney. His win in the 1967 Grand Prix of Belgium in his Eagle Gurney-Weslake V12 remains the first and only time that an American citizen built and raced a car of his own construction and put it into the winner’s circle of a World Championship F1 race. 

Dan embarked on a second and third career as a race car manufacturer of the Eagles as well as team owner of AAR started while he was still actively driving, and it went into full gear upon his retirement in 1970. At that time he bought out AAR co-founder Carroll Shelby and was the sole owner, chairman and CEO of the company ever since. AAR has been designing and manufacturing race cars with great success during the last 30 years, winning eight Championships and capturing 78 victories and 83 pole positions, including the Indy 500 twice (Bobby Unser in 1968 and Gordon Johncock in 1973), the 12 hours of Sebring and the Daytona 24 Hour. 

You can get the complete scope of Dan's racing career at www.allamericanracers.com. 

Supremely gifted behind the wheel, Dan Gurney was also a technical visionary whose influence will live on in the sport of motor racing forever. 

But beyond that, he was truly an extraordinary man who will be deeply missed.

(Images courtesy of the Ford Racing Archives)
Dan Gurney
All-American Racer
1931 - 2018

Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 1963. Dan Gurney in the brand-new Lotus-Ford Indy car in its first private test.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 1963. Lotus team members, Ford operatives and Firestone tire engineers crowd around Dan Gurney and the Lotus-Ford at the first private test for the new machine. Gurney was instrumental in bringing Colin Chapman and the Ford Motor Company together for an attempt at winning the Indianapolis 500.

Riverside International Raceway, 1963. Dan was part of the Shelby American Cobra team for a special three-hour GT race. Gurney delivered many great moments and wins for Carroll Shelby.

Daytona International Speedway, 1966. Dan sits in his factory Shelby American Ford Mk II 427 during practice for the Daytona 24 Hour race.

Spa-Francorchamps, 1967. Dan Gurney on the way to his greatest victory in the Grand Prix of Belgium. It came just ten days after he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with A. J. Foyt.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. Well, the buildup to the 2018 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship opener was extraordinary. A newly-invigorated Prototype class produced the strongest and deepest field in the history of the Daytona 24 Hour race, and the usual factory-backed, cutthroat battle for the GTLM class was a given. And a star-studded group of drivers was assembled to compete in America's longest endurance race too. Qualifying only added fuel to the anticipation, with the prototype and GTLM classes each covered by just one second going into the race. But what looked to be a battle for the ages turned into a bit of a snoozefest.

Joao Barbosa, Filipe Albuquerque and Christian Fittipaldi (No. 5 Action Express Mustang Sampling Cadillac-branded DPi-V.R) won, recording 808 laps around the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course, covering a total of 2,876.48 miles, which broke a 36-year-old record. In all, the top-15 finishers in the race broke the distance record in a race that had just four full-course caution periods for a total of 20 laps. The No. 5 took the lead for the final time during the race’s 16th hour and went on to win over its Action Express Racing team car, the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac-branded DPi-V.R – co-driven by Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran, Mike Conway and Stuart Middleton – by a margin of 1 minute, 10.544 seconds (see more coverage in "The Line" -WG).

The dominance in GTLM was even more pronounced, as Ryan Briscoe, Richard Westbrook and Scott Dixon (No. 67 Ganassi Racing Ford GT/Michelin) finished 11.166-seconds ahead of teammates Joey Hand, Dirk Mueller and Sebastien Bourdais (No. 66 Ganassi Racing Ford GT/Michelin) for a 1-2 finish for Chip Ganassi and Ford. How dominant? The Ganassi Racing Ford GTs led all but nine of the 783 GTLM class laps at the Daytona International Speedway. The total distance covered in 783 laps was 2,787.48 miles, 2,755.44 of which they led. Including previous wins at the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans and 2017 Rolex 24 At Daytona, the victory marked the third 24-hour race class win for the Ford GT in its first five international 24-hour races. The win was also the 200th race victory for Chip Ganassi Racing including IndyCar, NASCAR, IMSA, WEC and Global Rallycross events.

Maybe snoozefest is the wrong way to describe this year's Daytona 24 Hour. Yes, the anticipation was palpable, but anyone who has been involved in top-level endurance racing knows that the all-encompassing grind takes every bit of concentration, focus and strength that those involved can muster, so kudos to all the competitors, especially the winners. There wasn't a last-lap shootout, but sometimes that's the way it goes. Yes, it's clear that IMSA has some BoP issues to deal with (the Corvettes were unable to run with the Fords, and the BMWs were simply out of it), but such is the state of contemporary racing. You show up, you run, you show your cards in the race, and then adjustments are made. Not ideal by any means, but there it is.

A number of you have written in asking me why I continue to refer to the "Cadillac" prototype entries as "Cadillac-branded." That's because those entries are the result of a political decision within General Motors. First of all, make no mistake, those are GM Racing Prototypes and should be referred to as such. The decision was made internally not to call them "Corvette" Prototypes as in previous seasons because the thought was that Corvette needed its showcase to be in GTLM. But then, Johan de Nysschen, Cadillac's chief brand honcho, decided it would be great for his brand to have them branded as Cadillacs. de Nysschen is an ex-Audi guy and since he's trying to remake Cadillac in Audi's image, in his mind it was the perfect direction to take. 

Except that those machines have absolutely zero to do with the Cadillac brand, and the idea that these Cadillac-branded machines will somehow elevate the Cadillac brand is delusional. The fact of the matter is that Cadillac is a China-centric brand now, and every decision Cadillac operatives make is based on what will sell in the vast Chinese market. That aside, there is simply no connection between the Cadillac-branded racing prototypes and what the Cadillac brand is about. Yes, the "V" machines are spectacular, but remember they are mere Sideshow Bobs in the Cadillac brand portfolio. So, in case you're wondering, yes, I will continue to refer to these machines as "Cadillac-branded" prototypes.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

Editor's Note: Many of you have seen Peter's references over the years to the Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation (HERF), which he launched in 2007. For those of you who weren't following AE at the time, you can read two of HERF's press releases here and here. And for even more details (including a link to Peter's announcement speech), check out the HERF entry on Wikipedia here. -WG

Daytona International Speedway, 1969. Mark Donohue leans over the beautiful No. 6 Penske Racing Sunoco Lola T70 Mk.3B Chevrolet during practice prior to the start of the Daytona 24 Hour. He and co-driver Chuck Parsons won, while Ed Leslie/Lothar Motschenbacher (No. 8 American International Racing Lola T70 Mk.3B Chevrolet) finished second.

Editor's Note: Many of you have seen Peter's references over the years to the Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation (HERF), which he launched in 2007. For those of you who weren't following AE at the time, you can read two of HERF's press releases here and here. And for even more details (including a link to Peter's announcement speech), check out the HERF entry on Wikipedia here. -WG

Editor's Note: Many of you have seen Peter's references over the years to the Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation (HERF), which he launched in 2007. For those of you who weren't following AE at the time, you can read two of HERF's press releases here and here. And for even more details (including a link to Peter's announcement speech), check out the HERF entry on Wikipedia here. -WG

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September, 1964. The Roger Penske/Hap Sharp/Jim Hall No. 67 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport in for a pit stop during the Road America 500. They finished third behind Walt Hansgen/Augie Pabst (No. 7 Mecom Racing Ferrari 250 LM) and Ken Miles/John Morton/Skip Scott (No. 99 Shelby American Cobra).

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. Anyone who has grown up in and around the sport has developed a list of favorite racing cars from the time they were kids. It usually started along the way with favorite model building kits or slot car sets, but we all developed our favorites, which we've all added to over the years. I am no exception. As a matter of fact, my list is extensive and at times convoluted, and by no means is it meant to be some sort of be-all and end-all, but I'm going to throw it out here anyway. (Yes, everyone has their lists, so if you have favorites to add, feel free to do so in Reader Mail - WG) 

This is going to be a rambling discourse, so bear with me (and it's Part I because I'm sure I'll forget a bunch of cars, so I'll continue this discussion another day). For starters, I loved the Mercedes-Benz 196R "streamliner" introduced in the 1954 season. To this day it is absolutely stunning in person. And from an earlier era, the Auto Union racing cars were fabulous, especially the mid-engine Type C.

I loved the classic early Porsche racing cars, of course, especially the coupe that ran at Le Mans in 1951 and of course, the little coupes that ran in the Panamericana race in Mexico (which heavily influenced the look of the original Audi TT street car). While I'm on Porsche, I loved the 917 (but surprisingly in the one-off psychedelic Le Mans livery, not the Gulf colors). The early 911 RSRs (particularly in IROC configuration) and the look - and especially the sound - of the current IMSA 911 RSR. I am skipping over countless cool Porsche racing cars, but I have to mention the all-conquering Porsche 917/30 raced in the 1973 Can-Am season by Mark Donohue, and my all-time favorite racing Porsche (designed by Ferdinand Piech, no less), the fabulous little 908/3 designed specifically for sprint events like the Targa Florio and the Nurburgring.

How can you not have a list without Ferrari? I loved the sports racing cars from the 50s, the Testa Rossa just being one of a long list of favorites. I loved the 156 "shark nose" F1 car, so elegant but provocative in its simplicity. And the GTO. But my all-time favorite racing Ferrari? The magnificent 330 P4 (the Penske Sunoco Ferrari 512M was spectacular, too, but the P4 does it for me).

And then the Ford-powered racing machines. As readers know, the Shelby American Cobra is one of my all-time favorites, and I especially loved the early competition cars in all the myriad configurations, especially Ken Miles' favorite No. 98. And the perpetual favorite, the beautiful Peter Brock-designed Cobra Daytona Coupe. Then there are the short-lived but still great Ford-powered Cooper Monaco "King Cobra" sports racers from the early 60s, or the Shelby GT350 Mustangs (the car I learned to drive a stick with). And of course all of the Ford GTs and their variants, especially the 1967 Le Mans-winning Mark IV driven by Dan Gurney and A. J. Foyt (but I do love the original, unadorned Ford GT40 Mk 1 for its purity). Then there were the fabulous NASCAR Fords prepared by the Wood Brothers for Dan Gurney. And even the drag racing Ford Fairlane Thunderbolts, which were bad-assery to the first degree. And of course the Bud Moore Engineering Boss 302 Mustang Trans-Am cars.

If anyone has followed me on twitter (@PeterMDeLorenzo) of late, I have been doing a historical tour of great racing cars and tracks in photographs, and it's no secret I reserve a special place in my heart for Jim Hall's fabulous Chaparral racing machines. I love all of them in all of the variations, but the 2E that Hall and Phil Hill dominated the Laguna Seca Can-Am weekend with in 1966 is right up there. I also loved the 2D and 2F coupes designed for endurance racing.

And I can't forget to mention the fabulous front-engine Scarab sports racers, built by Troutman and Barnes and powered by Chevrolet. Or the Bill Thomas Cheetah, which came to be just as the mid-engine revolution hit. Or the 1968 Penske Racing Trans-Am Camaro. (Yes, I know, the list goes on and on.)

The Corvette is always front and center when it comes to my favorite race cars. I loved the factory-developed 1957 Corvette SS, which appeared at Sebring, and the 1960 Briggs Cunningham Le Mans cars. And of course the fabulous Grand Sports - especially in John Mecom Racing Team Nassau livery - which have a visceral appeal that never gets old.

And, full disclosure, I loved the Owens/Corning Fiberglas Corvette Racing Team machines raced by my brother, Tony. The remarkable liveries of those machines, created by legendary GM design ace, Randy Wittine, were heavily copied and still resonate to this day. (I also preferred Randy's design for the Bud Moore Mustangs we purchased and campaigned in the 1971 Trans-Am season over the factory Butterscotch Yellow cars, and our OCF Trans-Am Camaros were beautiful too.) My favorite Corvette that my brother raced was the black 1968 "A" Production roadster that he won the June Sprints at Road America with (see below). This was right before the Owens/Corning sponsorship deal came together. And the current C7.R racers are fantastic, although not my favorite liveries by any stretch.

But my all-time favorite racing car is the original 1959 Corvette Sting Ray racer. GM Design icon Bill Mitchell purchased the leftover "mule" chassis from the Corvette SS program and enlisted some of the most talented designers at GM at the time - including a 19-year-old Peter Brock, who did the original sketch - to come up with the design language for the car. The result? Simply one of the most magnificent looking machines of all time. You really need to see the car in person to truly appreciate it.

I look forward to continuing this discussion. I haven't even covered the F1 cars, the Indy cars, the sports prototypes (Lola T70 Coupe, anyone?) and my other all-time favorite racing machines: the Team McLaren Can-Am cars.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

The Mercedes-Benz 196R "streamliner."

The Auto Union Type C.

Dan Gurney in a Ferrari Testa Rossa, at Goodwood, 1958.

The Troutman and Barnes Chevrolet-powered Scarab sports racer.

The Ferrari 250 GTO.

Phil Hill in the Ferrari 156.

(Dave Friedman photo)
Dave MacDonald in the Cooper Monaco King Cobra Ford.

(Dave Friedman photo)
Dan Gurney in the factory Shelby American Cobra roadster, Riverside, 1963.

(Dave Friedman photo)
The Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupes at Le Mans, 1964.
Phil Hill in the Chaparral 2E, Bridgehampton, New York, 1966.
(Fred Wood photo)
The 1959 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray racer.

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, June 1968. Tony DeLorenzo (No. 50 Hanley Dawson Chevrolet Corvette 427 L88) on his way to the win in the "A" Production feature at the June Sprints at Road America.

Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. As I expected, last week's column - Favorite Racing Cars, Part I - generated a lot of comments and brought forth lists of favorite racing cars from a wide range of enthusiasts, both here in Reader Mail and on my twitter account (@PeterMDeLorenzo). It's a fun subject, because there are no wrong answers and everyone has personal favorites. I covered a lot of ground last week, but as I said, there was much more to come. This week, I am going to bring forward an entirely new list of racing cars, and, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a "Part III" down the road. So, without further ado, let's go...
(Dave Friedman photo)
First of all, I neglected to post a picture of a Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport last week, so here is a shot of Jim Hall (No. 67 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport) running ahead of Augie Pabst (No. 2 John Mecom Racing Zerex Ferrari 250 LM) out of Canada Corner during the Road America 500 in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 13, 1964. 
(All American Racers)
Dan Gurney on his way to the win in the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix in the No. 36 All American Racers Eagle T1G Gurney-Weslake V12. Gurney's victory at Spa is the first and only time that an American citizen built and raced a car of his own construction and put it into the winner’s circle of a World Championship F1 race. Yes, there have been many beautiful open-wheel machines - the aforementioned Ferrari 156; Colin Chapman's Lotus 49-Cosworth; the McLaren-Ford MP4/8A; the McLaren M16C Indy car; Jim Hall's Chaparral 2K Cosworth Indy car; the All American Racers Indy cars, especially the Boundary Layer Adhesion Technology (BLAT) Eagle-Chevy, and on, and on, and on* - but for my money Gurney's beautiful midnight blue 1967 Eagle F1 machine, designed by Len Terry and constructed in Santa Ana, California, remains my favorite open-wheel car of all time and is still absolutely stunning in person. (*As you may have noticed, I have no contemporary open-wheel machines on my list. That's because - particularly in F1 - the cars are cold, devoid of beauty, emotionally un-involving and eminently forgettable.)
(Dave Friedman photo) 
Speaking of Lola, I think the T70 coupe is one of the most beautiful racing machines of all time. But if asked to pick one Lola over all of the many great ones, it would be the gorgeous No. 30 All American Racers Lola T70 Mk.2 - powered by a Gurney-Weslake 305 Ford - that Dan Gurney drove to victory in the second Can-Am race of the inaugural season for that legendary racing series, at Bridgehampton, New York, September 18, 1966. 

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention another group of my all-time favorite racing machines, those beautiful - and brutal - Can-Am machines from Bruce McLaren and McLaren Cars. I have five 1/18 scale racing car models on my desk currently (yes, I have a few more than that). Three Chaparrals (2C, 2E and 2F), a Porsche 910, and Dan Gurney's No. 1 McLaren M8B Chevrolet that he ran in the Can-Am at Michigan International Speedway in a guest drive. I was fortunate to see the Can-Am series in-period, and the kaleidoscope of great racing machines from that era deserves the term "legendary." Machines from Chaparral, Ferrari, Lola, Porsche and Shadow, along with a long list of "one-offs" are seared in my memory. To see - and hear - a Can-Am car flat-out at Road America was simply the best of the best racing experiences one could have. And I relish those experiences to this day. So following are a few classic images of the McLaren Can-Am machines.

Michigan International Speedway, 1969. Dan Gurney in the No. 1 McLaren M8B Chevrolet finished third behind teammates Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M8B Chevrolet) and Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M8B Chevrolet) in a guest drive.
(Photo by Pete Lyons)
Laguna Seca, California, 1968. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M8A Chevrolet) during practice for the Can-Am. 
(Photo by Pete Lyons)
Peter Revson on his way to the win in the Can-Am at Laguna Seca in his McLaren M8F Chevrolet, 1971.

(Pete Lyons)
Riverside International Raceway, 1969. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet), L. A. Times Grand Prix Can-Am.

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, 1969. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet) during practice for the Can-Am at Road America.
(Pete Lyons photo)
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, 1967. Bruce McLaren in his No. 4 McLaren M6A Chevrolet - with Tyler Alexander - during practice for the Can-Am at Road America.
(Pete Lyons photo)
Watkins Glen, New York, 1972. Peter Revson (No. 4 McLaren M20 Chevrolet) qualified on pole for the Can-Am but finished second to teammate Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M20 Chevrolet) in the race. 

Yes, I know, too many photos of the McLarens, but these were seminal machines emblematic of that run-what-you-brung era. Are there other favorite race cars? Absolutely. The Vanwall Grand Prix machine. The Jaguar D-Type. The Lotus 25 Grand Prix car. The Lotus-Ford Indianapolis cars, both the first machines in 1963 and Jim Clark's Lotus 38-Ford winner in 1965. Mario Andretti's John Player Special Lotus 78/79 F1 World Championship machines. Jackie Stewart's 1971 Lola T260 Chevrolet Can-Am car. The 2003 Le Mans-winning Bentley Speed 8. Andy Granatelli's 1967 STP Turbine Indy car driven by Parnelli Jones, and the updated "wedge" design turbine cars. As I said, the list goes on and on and on. I will cover more ground when I get to Part III, down the road.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.


Keith Duckworth, Colin Chapman, Jim Clark and Graham Hill with the Lotus 49-Ford Cosworth in 1967.

Editor's Note: The response from Peter's columns about "Favorite Racing Cars" has been tremendous, so we're going to leave this up another week. -WG

Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. As I expected, last week's column - Favorite Racing Cars, Part I - generated a lot of comments and brought forth lists of favorite racing cars from a wide range of enthusiasts, both here in Reader Mail and on my twitter account (@PeterMDeLorenzo). It's a fun subject, because there are no wrong answers and everyone has personal favorites. I covered a lot of ground last week, but as I said, there was much more to come. This week, I am going to bring forward an entirely new list of racing cars, and, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a "Part III" down the road. So, without further ado, let's go...
(Dave Friedman photo)
First of all, I neglected to post a picture of a Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport last week, so here is a shot of Jim Hall (No. 67 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport) running ahead of Augie Pabst (No. 2 John Mecom Racing Zerex Ferrari 250 LM) out of Canada Corner during the Road America 500 in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 13, 1964. 
(All American Racers)
Dan Gurney on his way to the win in the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix in the No. 36 All American Racers Eagle T1G Gurney-Weslake V12. Gurney's victory at Spa is the first and only time that an American citizen built and raced a car of his own construction and put it into the winner’s circle of a World Championship F1 race. Yes, there have been many beautiful open-wheel machines - the aforementioned Ferrari 156; Colin Chapman's Lotus 49-Cosworth; the McLaren-Ford MP4/8A; the McLaren M16C Indy car; Jim Hall's Chaparral 2K Cosworth Indy car; the All American Racers Indy cars, especially the Boundary Layer Adhesion Technology (BLAT) Eagle-Chevy, and on, and on, and on* - but for my money Gurney's beautiful midnight blue 1967 Eagle F1 machine, designed by Len Terry and constructed in Santa Ana, California, remains my favorite open-wheel car of all time and is still absolutely stunning in person. (*As you may have noticed, I have no contemporary open-wheel machines on my list. That's because - particularly in F1 - the cars are cold, devoid of beauty, emotionally un-involving and eminently forgettable.)
(Dave Friedman photo) 
Speaking of Lola, I think the T70 coupe is one of the most beautiful racing machines of all time. But if asked to pick one Lola over all of the many great ones, it would be the gorgeous No. 30 All American Racers Lola T70 Mk.2 - powered by a Gurney-Weslake 305 Ford - that Dan Gurney drove to victory in the second Can-Am race of the inaugural season for that legendary racing series, at Bridgehampton, New York, September 18, 1966. 

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention another group of my all-time favorite racing machines, those beautiful - and brutal - Can-Am machines from Bruce McLaren and McLaren Cars. I have five 1/18 scale racing car models on my desk currently (yes, I have a few more than that). Three Chaparrals (2C, 2E and 2F), a Porsche 910, and Dan Gurney's No. 1 McLaren M8B Chevrolet that he ran in the Can-Am at Michigan International Speedway in a guest drive. I was fortunate to see the Can-Am series in-period, and the kaleidoscope of great racing machines from that era deserves the term "legendary." Machines from Chaparral, Ferrari, Lola, Porsche and Shadow, along with a long list of "one-offs" are seared in my memory. To see - and hear - a Can-Am car flat-out at Road America was simply the best of the best racing experiences one could have. And I relish those experiences to this day. So following are a few classic images of the McLaren Can-Am machines.

Michigan International Speedway, 1969. Dan Gurney in the No. 1 McLaren M8B Chevrolet finished third behind teammates Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M8B Chevrolet) and Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M8B Chevrolet) in a guest drive.
(Photo by Pete Lyons)
Laguna Seca, California, 1968. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M8A Chevrolet) during practice for the Can-Am. 
(Photo by Pete Lyons)
Peter Revson on his way to the win in the Can-Am at Laguna Seca in his McLaren M8F Chevrolet, 1971.

(Pete Lyons)
Riverside International Raceway, 1969. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet), L. A. Times Grand Prix Can-Am.

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, 1969. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet) during practice for the Can-Am at Road America.
(Pete Lyons photo)
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, 1967. Bruce McLaren in his No. 4 McLaren M6A Chevrolet - with Tyler Alexander - during practice for the Can-Am at Road America.
(Pete Lyons photo)
Watkins Glen, New York, 1972. Peter Revson (No. 4 McLaren M20 Chevrolet) qualified on pole for the Can-Am but finished second to teammate Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M20 Chevrolet) in the race. 

Yes, I know, too many photos of the McLarens, but these were seminal machines emblematic of that run-what-you-brung era. Are there other favorite race cars? Absolutely. The Vanwall Grand Prix machine. The Jaguar D-Type. The Lotus 25 Grand Prix car. The Lotus-Ford Indianapolis cars, both the first machines in 1963 and Jim Clark's Lotus 38-Ford winner in 1965. Mario Andretti's John Player Special Lotus 78/79 F1 World Championship machines. Jackie Stewart's 1971 Lola T260 Chevrolet Can-Am car. The 2003 Le Mans-winning Bentley Speed 8. Andy Granatelli's 1967 STP Turbine Indy car driven by Parnelli Jones, and the updated "wedge" design turbine cars. As I said, the list goes on and on and on. I will cover more ground when I get to Part III, down the road.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

Spa Francorchamps, May 1, 1967. The No. 1 Chaparral Cars Chaparral 2F Chevrolet driven by Phil Hill and Mike Spence qualified on the pole for the Spa 1000 Kilometers but did not finish due to gearbox issues.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. I hope you've all enjoyed these "Favorite Racing Cars Part I & Part II" columns as much as I have putting them together. In the midst of writing last week's column, however, I realized that I could devote the entirety of "Fumes" to this subject indefinitely. I am not going to do that (I don't think), but a "Part III" seemed in order, so here we go. 
Designed by Vittorio Jano for Lancia in 1954, the Lancia D50 Grand Prix entry pioneered many significant innovations. For example, the engine acted as a stressed chassis member and it was also mounted off-center, which allowed for a lower overall height; and the pannier fuel cells were used for better aerodynamic performance and more balanced weight distribution. The D50 made its debut at the end of the 1954 Grand Prix season with two-time World Champion and Italian driving great Alberto Ascari behind the wheel. It was blistering fast right out of the box, but because the Lancia family was facing severe financial trouble, the Lancia family sold their controlling share in the Lancia company, and the assets of its racing team - Scuderia Lancia - were granted to Scuderia Ferrari. Although Ferrari continued to develop the car, many of Jano's most innovative design characteristics were removed. The car was first renamed as the "Lancia-Ferrari D50" but that was quickly dropped in favor of "Ferrari D50". Juan Manuel Fangio (above) won the 1956 World Championship driving the D50 for Ferrari. The D50s were entered in fourteen World Championship F1 Grands Prix, winning five.
(RM Sotheby's)
The Jaguar D-Type is one of the most iconic racing cars ever built. Originally produced between 1954 and 1957, the Jaguar bristled with technical innovation heavily influenced by the aviation business. It featured monocoque construction and a sophisticated approach to aerodynamic efficiency. The Jaguar D-Type won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955, 1956 and 1957. Jaguar is now producing 25 "continuation" D-Types, which will be priced at $1.4 million. I expect the prices for these continuation models to soar, especially since original D-Types now go for over $20 million.

(Grand Prix History)
The Lotus 25 revolutionized the design of open-wheel racing cars and fundamentally changed the sport. The mid-engined Lotus 25 was not the first racing car with a monocoque chassis, but its visionary design by Colin Chapman combined with the brilliance of Jimmy Clark resulted in phenomenal success. Clark won seven out of ten races and his first World Championship with the Lotus 25 in 1963. 
(Ford Racing Archives)
Jimmy Clark (with Colin Chapman) in the Lotus 38-Ford during practice for the 1965 Indianapolis 500. He would win the race handily.

(Autosport)
Speaking of iconic racing machines, Mario Andretti won his World Championship in 1978 with the beautiful and highly innovative Lotus 79-Ford. 

Parnelli Jones in the all-wheel-drive No. 40 STP-Paxton Turbocar machine dominated the 1967 Indianapolis 500 at will. Jones coasted to a stop with three laps to go because of a $6.00 transmission bearing failure. Innovation courtesy of Andy Granatelli, a man who never got enough credit for his vision.

Graham Hill in the No. 70 STP Lotus 56 Turbine machine at Indianapolis in 1968. Colin Chapman took the turbine power idea to heart and came up with a visionary car design of his own for the 1968 Indianapolis 500. 

Mario Andretti's No. 11 Ford Fairlane "stock car" with which he stunned the NASCAR establishment by winning the 1967 Daytona 500. The 60s NASCAR machines were brutal, purposeful but beautiful in their own right.
I may have already mentioned this car, but Jackie Stewart's 1971 Carl Haas Racing L&M Lola T260 Chevrolet remains one of my favorite Can-Am machines of all time. I watched Stewart manhandle this evil handling machine, wringing every last drop of speed out of it while giving Team McLaren fits. It may have not been the prettiest of machines, but in Stewart's hands it was magnificent.

Yes, another chapter of "Favorite Racing Cars" has come to a close. I could go on and I probably will in another chapter, because there are so many pivotal - and memorable - racing machines that writing about them never gets old.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

(Dave Friedman photo)
Las Vegas, Nevada, 1966. Talk about an all-star lineup. Early laps of the Stardust Grand Prix Can-Am race with John Surtees (No. 7 Team Surtees Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral 2E Chevrolet); Parnelli Jones (No. 98 John Mecom Racing Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); Phil Hill (No. 65 Chaparral 2E Chevrolet); Jackie Stewart (No. 43 John Mecom Racing Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); George Follmer (No. 16 Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren Elva Mark II B Chevrolet); Chris Amon (No. 5 McLaren Elva Mark II Chevrolet) and Mark Donohue (No. 6 Penske Racing Sunoco Special Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet). Results: 1. Surtees 2. McLaren 3. Donohue.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. I don't know where to begin in writing about the 2018 F1 season opener in Australia. Do I start with the fact that the safety "halos" on the cars are so off-putting that the cars are almost unwatchable? I didn't think that it was possible to make the cars any less attractive, but the brain trust in charge of F1 has succeeded. Wind screens would have been a much better option, but when you have a group that thinks it knows absolutely everything about everything, that's what we get, it seems. 

And what about the total fiasco that was ESPN's maiden coverage of F1? Yes, things can go wrong in an inaugural event involving picking up a broadcast from another entity - especially with the way ESPN chose to bring the sport to our TV sets - but Sunday's display was a complete disaster and inexcusable from a historically savvy network like ESPN. Yes, ESPN apologized, but in this nanosecond-attention-span world we live in, ESPN operatives shouldn't be surprised that a large number of F1 racing enthusiasts don't bother coming back. And wishing that somehow NBC Sports will come back is noble but a a fool's errand at this point, so racing enthusiasts are left with only hope that ESPN can get its act together, and quick.

Those two things would be enough for anyone to be turned off, but the fact that Lewis Hamilton was robbed of the race win because of a software malfunction pretty much sums up everything wrong about F1 in its current guise. I realize that the Technology Genie was let out of the bottle a long, long time ago, swallowing the sport of racing whole. And I am also painfully aware that motorsport will continue to be inexorably affected by the constantly evolving onslaught of technology for good - and mostly bad. But something has to give, and soon, because the Technical Sterility of F1 is so relentlessly tedious that it has completely sapped what little interest is left in the sport.

Former World Champion Damon Hill blasted F1 over the weekend on Twitter, suggesting that the best thing that could happen is that both Ferrari and Mercedes stick to their bluster and make good on their threats to leave the sport. Given everything that has transpired over the last decade, I am finding it difficult to disagree with him. Something has to be done to make the sport more compelling, and more technology doesn't seem to be the answer, not even close in fact.

I would like to see a reimagined set of rules that reduces the involvement of technology in the sport by at least 75 percent. A pipe dream? Absolutely. But having a room full of 100 people monitoring a racing machine down to the very last digit seems about as far away from the spirit of the sport as you can get. I would much rather see all of the current F1 stars in F5000 machines made to contemporary safety standards - sans halo, of course - than sit through another race this season. Technical Sterility has robbed F1 of its passion, and pretty much everything else that was once worth watching too.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

Publisher's Note: As part of our continuing series celebrating the "Glory Days" of racing, this week's image is from the Ford Racing Archives. - PMD
(Dave Friedman/The Ford Racing Archives)  
Riverside International Raceway, October 4, 1970. Parnelli Jones (No. 15 Bud Moore Engineering Ford Mustang Boss 302) started from the pole in the last Trans-Am race of the season and rocketed away at the start. After a major crash with a back marker wrecked his steering, Jones had to wrestle the car over bumps to get it to turn. He stormed back to win the race - setting the fastest race lap - and he delivered the 1970 Trans-Am Championship for Ford, preventing Mark Donohue, who finished third, from winning the championship in his No. 6 Penske Racing Sunoco AMC Javelin. George Follmer (No. 16 Bud Moore Engineering Ford Mustang Boss 302) finished second.

Editor's Note: The response to Peter's column last week about F1 has been unprecedented. We have received comments from all corners of the motorsports world, including from some very enthusiastic F1 operatives. It's clear that something has to give, based on the responses we have received (especially on Twitter), so we're going to leave the column up one more week. -WG

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. I don't know where to begin in writing about the 2018 F1 season opener in Australia. Do I start with the fact that the safety "halos" on the cars are so off-putting that the cars are almost unwatchable? I didn't think that it was possible to make the cars any less attractive, but the brain trust in charge of F1 has succeeded. Wind screens would have been a much better option, but when you have a group that thinks it knows absolutely everything about everything, that's what we get, it seems. 

And what about the total fiasco that was ESPN's maiden coverage of F1? Yes, things can go wrong in an inaugural event involving picking up a broadcast from another entity - especially with the way ESPN chose to bring the sport to our TV sets - but Sunday's display was a complete disaster and inexcusable from a historically savvy network like ESPN. Yes, ESPN apologized, but in this nanosecond-attention-span world we live in, ESPN operatives shouldn't be surprised that a large number of F1 racing enthusiasts don't bother coming back. And wishing that somehow NBC Sports will come back is noble but a a fool's errand at this point, so racing enthusiasts are left with only hope that ESPN can get its act together, and quick.

Those two things would be enough for anyone to be turned off, but the fact that Lewis Hamilton was robbed of the race win because of a software malfunction pretty much sums up everything wrong about F1 in its current guise. I realize that the Technology Genie was let out of the bottle a long, long time ago, swallowing the sport of racing whole. And I am also painfully aware that motorsport will continue to be inexorably affected by the constantly evolving onslaught of technology for good - and mostly bad. But something has to give, and soon, because the Technical Sterility of F1 is so relentlessly tedious that it has completely sapped what little interest is left in the sport.

Former World Champion Damon Hill blasted F1 over the weekend on Twitter, suggesting that the best thing that could happen is that both Ferrari and Mercedes stick to their bluster and make good on their threats to leave the sport. Given everything that has transpired over the last decade, I am finding it difficult to disagree with him. Something has to be done to make the sport more compelling, and more technology doesn't seem to be the answer, not even close in fact.

I would like to see a reimagined set of rules that reduces the involvement of technology in the sport by at least 75 percent. A pipe dream? Absolutely. But having a room full of 100 people monitoring a racing machine down to the very last digit seems about as far away from the spirit of the sport as you can get. I would much rather see all of the current F1 stars in F5000 machines made to contemporary safety standards - sans halo, of course - than sit through another race this season. Technical Sterility has robbed F1 of its passion, and pretty much everything else that was once worth watching too.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

A very rare shot of Jim Hall in his Chaparral 2C Chevrolet during a private evaluation test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, late 1965.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. My previous column on this subject generated a lot of comments on the Internet, especially on Twitter. In fact, it was one of the most commented on "Fumes" we've had here at AE. It's clear that enthusiasts - who, by the way, make up the backbone of the sport of motor racing - are far from thrilled with what's going on in contemporary F1. My term "technical sterility" resonated far and wide in the racing world, and I understand why.

We all understand the march of technology, and we all understand how it has inexorably changed motor racing forever. But the future isn't looking bright, especially when the 2022 rules package for F1 was released and it clearly showed that hybrid systems would be part of the drivetrains. It is arguably a politically correct step forward when looked at in a certain way, but frankly, I remain unimpressed with the classic "transfer-of-technology-from-racing-cars-to-the-street" canard. It simply isn't applicable anymore, and racing enthusiasts simply don't feel compelled to go along with it.

Yes, the advancement of technology will continue, with hybrids and fully-electric vehicles dominating the street scene and the urban landscape, but that doesn't mean that motorsport - especially defined as contemporary F1 - needs to adhere to that direction. We have Formula E for that, and though on one level it is somewhat compelling, the visceral appeal of Formula E is completely nonexistent. My consistent displeasure with F1 has everything to do with the machines themselves. They're coldly uninvolving and muted, and they have zero visual appeal. On Monday morning of this week, Bobby Rahal (@BobRahal) Tweeted: "I know I should like the looks of a modern day F1 car but I’ll take a ‘67 Eagle or Lotus 49 any day!" This is something I have been saying for quite some time in this column, and it is the High-Octane Truth. One look at the racing machines (below plus one more), and you can instantly see what's missing in F1.

Dan Gurney's magnificent Spa-winning F1 Eagle T1G Weslake V12, in 1967.

Jim Clark in his Lotus 49 Ford-Cosworth DFV at the Dutch Grand Prix, 1967.

Phil Hill in the Ferrari 156 at the Nuburgring, 1962.

The reality, however, is that the powers that be in F1 really don't care what the average racing enthusiast likes, or dislikes for that matter. They operate in a hermetically-sealed parallel universe that revolves around three things: manufacturer support, the ability to generate massive amounts of revenue from TV rights, and courting and identifying countries willing to put up an absolute fortune to bring the F1 "circus" to town. The rest of "the sport" is almost inconsequential. Why else would they cling to relentlessly ugly cars buried in technology for technology's sake? Why else would they try to convince their enthusiast fan base that a politically correct technical exercise is exactly what we need, when in effect it remains the perennial Answer to the Question that Absolutely No One is Asking?

I suggested last time that I would much rather see all of the current F1 stars in F5000 machines made to contemporary safety standards - sans halo, of course - than sit through another race this season. Technical Sterility has robbed F1 of its passion, and pretty much everything else that was once worth watching too.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

Jim Clark in his Lotus 49 Ford-Cosworth DFV during practice for the Dutch Grand Prix, 1967.