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Sebring 1960: Under 1 liter GT Race

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Race number 7 was part of three Turner works entries. This 750 cc car was driven by Fred Woodhead and Harold Krech.

By Willem Oosthoek
All photos taken by Bob Jackson [Willem Oosthoek Collection]

After the Formula Junior support race on Friday morning, March 25, 1960, everybody convened for lunch. On the program for the rest of the day was a 4-hour race for the International Trophy, limited to GT cars under-1-liter. In addition to the four Turners, the entry list showed eight Fiat-Abarths [750 cc], six DB-Panhards [almost 1 liter], six Austin-Healey Sprites [almost 1 liter], and a few oddities, such as a just under 1 liter Ford Anglia for Richard Toland and a 750 cc Saab for Jack Sheppard. Four of the Fiat-Abarths were entered by Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr, son of the former President. [Read more…] about Sebring 1960: Under 1 liter GT Race

Heveningham Hall Concours 2024

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Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

It was all very last minute. It is a bit of a hike up to Suffolk (158 miles) from my home in Brighton, my Alfa Giulietta had been making some funny and expensive noises, I have been rather busy recently and the lawn at home was looking more like a jungle, but I woke up on Friday morning with a change of heart. Straight onto the internet, found a hotel nearby for the Friday night and off we went. The M25 on a Friday afternoon is not such a good idea but after four and a half hours (including an hour just to get through the Dartford Tunnel) I arrived at my hotel in Ipswich, time for an early night as I planned to get to Heveningham Hall nice and early.

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Zagato Mia

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The author in 1960, pondering an Abarth 750 GT Zagato. Same car as below? We’ll never know. Photo by Donald Vack

Story and Photos by Pete Vack unless otherwise noted

From the VeloceToday Archives, 2009

The name sounded odd–Fiat Derivazione Abarth 750 GT Zagato–and did not easily roll off American tongues. But once seen, the car was not easily forgotten, while the long, strange name was quickly replaced by the nickname “Double Bubble.” Not only did it refer to the unique top, but “Dubble Bubble” is also the name of the original chewing bubble gum, which was very popular at the time, that being 1958-59.

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Owner Comments on Ferrari 250 LM 5909

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Ferrari 250 GT/LM #5909, Phillip Island, turn 2. Vince Johnson photo.

The current owner comments on Ferrari 250 LM Chassis 5909

I had dreamed of having an LM since 1965 after seeing Australian driver Spencer Martin drive the Scuderia Veloce car (chassis 6321) to win every race they entered. Spencer went on to be Australian Champion Driver twice (1966-7) and competed very successfully against the international World Champion drivers in the Tasman Series. The Scuderia Veloce car was purchased by Ralph Lauren and he never sells anything, so that car was never going to be available.

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Formula Junior at Sebring, 1960

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Sebring, leading up to Friday. March 25th. Jim Hall poses next to his DKW-powered Elva FJ. His body man Foy Barrett is on the left, and the fuel man is Chester “Chet” Hines. Chet was Hap Sharp’s aircraft mechanic, often drafted to serve as part-time race mechanic.

By Willem Oosthoek All photos taken by Bob Jackson [Willem Oosthoek Collection]

The 1960 edition of the Sebring 12 Hours was scheduled to start at 10 AM Saturday, March 26. But competition actually began a day earlier. For the first time in its history, the 12-hour event featured two opening races, one for Formula Juniors on Friday morning and a 4-hour event for Under-1-liter GT entries in the afternoon. [Read more…] about Formula Junior at Sebring, 1960

Five Times Lucky: Hurwich on the Mille Miglia

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In Tuscany, Joe Hurwich and co-driver Mike Ingegno. Photo by @1000Miglia

Story by Joe Hurwich

The Mille Miglia (1000 Miglia) is or should be a bucket list item for all car guys. I have been fortunate to participate 5 times now, including June 2024. This year the event was held from June 11 to June 15, and joining me as my co-driver was a good friend and avid Alfa Romeo driver, Mike Ingegno. We made a good team and switched often between driving and navigating. For those who don’t know, navigating is probably harder than driving. [Read more…] about Five Times Lucky: Hurwich on the Mille Miglia

Hypercars at Le Mans, 2024

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Ferrari wins again!

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

If the 2023 centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was a great success due to the quality of the field and the victory of Ferrari for its return fifty years after its last official appearance in Sarthe, the 2024 edition promised to be just as grandiose. Indeed, eight major manufacturers were entered in the premier category, the Hypercars, Alpine, BMW and Lamborghini adding to the makes already present in 2023, namely Cadillac, Porsche, Ferrari, Toyota and Peugeot.

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LMGT3 and LMP2 at Le Mans, 2024

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Winner of the 6 Hours of Spa last May, the #91 Porsche entered by the Manthey team repeated its victory thanks to a complementary crew made up of Richard Lietz (18 participations), the promising 19-year-old Dutchman Morris Schurring and the amateur Australian Yasser Shahin, the latter two debutants at Le Mans. For Lietz, this is his fifth class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, all with Porsche.

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

LMGT3

The LMGT3 category was making its debut at Le Mans, replacing the LMGTEs which had become too expensive. As in the Hypercar class, nine manufacturers were represented with Aston Martin, BMW, Ford, Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini, Lexus, Corvette and Porsche, for a total of 23 cars.

It should be noted that there are no professional crews in LMGT3. The philosophy of this category corresponds more to the Pro-Am system, with one or two amateurs associated with a professional driver.

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London Concours, 2024 Part 1

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Our favorite Zagato

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

I arrived home from Turin, unpacked, and downloaded the photos from Villa Erba, then off again, this time to the green oasis in the City of London that is ‘The Honourable Artillery Company’ for the eighth running of the London Concours, a three day event held mid-week. Why midweek? The city of London, or the square mile as it is often called, is like a ghost town on the weekends and one needs an audience for a concours.

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London Concours, 2024, Part 2

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1995 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 Jota, one of only two right hand drive examples to come to the UK. Two wheel drive, plexiglas side windows, Carbon fibre seats, larger rear spoiler, Magnesium alloys, no air con, stereo or power steering, and with the Jota kit 595 bhp. Purple Reign Class.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Also running as part of the London Concours event was Iconic Auctioneers ‘Lifestyle Auction’ so I popped in to take a look (but without my cheque book). A few cars for sale, (2 Aston Martins, an E Type Jaguar, an SS100 Roadster, two Carbodies London taxis, one with 12 miles on the clock, the other with 13), a few motor bikes, (I would have happily hung the 1972 Ducati 750 Sport on my wall), various watches, luggage, decanters etc.

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Graham Gauld profiles Franco Reggiani

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Like Italian female film stars of era, the Reggiani/Fontana Ferrari was certainly curvaceous. Italians nicknamed it l’uovo, the egg. Credit Gauld/Gordon Wilkins

Story by Graham Gauld

Franco Reggiani was a designer, an artist and sculptor who, from time to time throughout his life, dipped in and out of the car business. He collaborated with a number of manufacturers such as Talbot and Stanguellini but his main body of work was as a sculptor based in Reggio Emilia.

He was born in 1926 in Reggio Emilia, just north of Modena, where his father worked for the post office. But Franco was always interested in art and sculpture and was greatly influenced by his professor at art school, Tonino Grassi.

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