VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Jimmy Murphy and the White Duesenberg

By

Text by Bruce Carter, Illustrations by Raymond Briggs (copyright 1968, 2006)
New Edition by Racemaker Press, LCC (2006)
ISBN 0-9766683-1-9
For ages 8 and up
37 pp (no pagination)
$20 + S/H
$40 + S/H for boxed set of Nuvolari and the Alfa Romeo and Jimmy Murphy and the White Duesenberg
www.racemaker.com

Review: Bruce Carter and Raymond Briggs, Jimmy Murphy and the White Duesenberg (1968, 2006)

By Patricia Lee Yongue

Appropriately, the number 12 used on the Nuvolari P3 at the Nurburgring, also identifies the car and driver celebrated in the second Carter and Briggs book reissued by Racemaker Press: Jimmy Murphy and the “beautiful white Duesenberg racing car.” In 1921, at Le Mans, this doughty pair achieved an American first by winning the prestigious Grand Prix de l’Automobile Club de France–the French Grand Prix.
[Read more…] about Jimmy Murphy and the White Duesenberg

Murphy’s Missing Duesie

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Posed in front of a LeMans setting, the ex-Joe Boyer Duesenberg now rests at the Simeone Foundation in Philadelphia, PA.

Duesenberg’s win at the 1921 French Grand Prix at Le Mans was
significant for what it was as well as marking the gap that would follow. It was a landmark victory by an American car with an American team of drivers that would not be repeated until the Gurney/Foyt Ford GT 40 Mk IV in 1967, forty-six years later.
[Read more…] about Murphy’s Missing Duesie

Japanese Grand Prix

By

retro
Giancarlo Fisichella

Red Bull Still in the Hunt

by Erik C. Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media

Sebastian Vettel kept the Red Bull team’s title hopes alive for another weekend after leading start to finish in this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. The German wore his Teflon driving suit and was untouchable throughout the race. [Read more…] about Japanese Grand Prix

Book Review: Nuvolari and the Alfa Romeo

By

Text by Bruce Carter, Illustrations by Raymond Briggs (copyright 1968, 2006)
New Edition by Racemaker Press, LCC (2006)
ISBN 0-9766683-1-9
For ages 8 and up
37 pp (no pagination)
$20 + S/H
$40 + S/H for boxed set of Nuvolari and the Alfa Romeo and Jimmy Murphy and the White Duesenberg
ORDER FROM www.racemaker.com

By Patricia Lee Yongue

Mantua, Italy’s motorsports “Maestro,” Tazio Nuvolari (1892-1953), engineered one of Carter’s and Briggs’s two historic moments in racing history at the 1935 German Grand Prix, held one rainy July day on the famed Nurburgring. Indeed, racing for a spectacular win for Italy against Hitler’s prized silver Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz teams was Nuvolari’s mission. [Read more…] about Book Review: Nuvolari and the Alfa Romeo

Jon Shirley on Kids and the Nuvolari P3

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Interview with Jon Shirley, owner of the Nuvolari P3.


Jon and Mary Shirley at Pebble Beach 2008.
Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt.

Jon Shirley developed an interest in cars when he was nine, driving an old truck on a farm. Later when in college, he attended races at Watkins Glen, Thompson and Lime Rock. Naturally he developed an interest in sports cars and racing–one that would last until the present time. [Read more…] about Jon Shirley on Kids and the Nuvolari P3

Grand Prix of Singapore

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retro
Giancarlo Fisichella and Kimi Raikkonen

Concrete Labyrinth

by Pete Vack
Photos courtesy and copyright FerrariMedia

Erik Nielsen is traveling.

There must be something about Singapore the cameras just aren’t catching. While the guys at SpeedTV (and a great crew they are), were waxing about the glories of the Singapore Grand Prix on this island nation, what appeared on our Plasma was a concrete labyrinth consisting of myriads of Armco, ungainly fencing hung over miles of concrete barriers, all artificially and cruelly lit by fifteen hundred lights, the result looking more like a modern prison camp than a glamorous race venue. [Read more…] about Grand Prix of Singapore

A Car Life by Larry Crane

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A Zagato in the closet

Bill Henry called me at Automech. We met a couple of weeks earlier during a Riverside SCCA weekend. He had stopped by the shop and admired my bright turquoise Mini, with the ivory stripe to match its wheels. Now he was proposing a trade. An even trade for pinks. [Read more…] about A Car Life by Larry Crane

A Zagato in America

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Today the subject of this article resides in a collection in New York.

The story of a particular Zagato in America

Story and Photos by Pete Vack unless otherwise noted

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.
[Read more…] about A Zagato in America

Masters of Light

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Nuvolari and Guidotti at a control point in the 1930 Mille Miglia, which they won with this Zagato bodied Alfa 6C Gran Sport.

The late Elio Zagato learned his trade from the very best

By Pete Vack

A free pdf version of this article can be ordered from Pete@velocetoday.com.

April 17, 1930, Brescia

In an awesome demonstration of speed, reliability and advanced design, Alfa Romeo 6C 1750s, all with ultra-light bodies by Zagato, won the first four places in the 1000-mile Italian marathon known as the Mille Miglia. It came as little surprise to master coachbuilder Ugo Zagato, for he had seen it before; Alfa Romeo Zagatos had already won the epic event in 1928 and 1929.
[Read more…] about Masters of Light

NART Reunion at Saratoga

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sar-3.jpg

Among Peter Sachs’ tasty collection was the perfect car to bring to the NART Reunion, held at Saratoga, New York on September 10-12. This Ferrari 365 P2 was sold new to Luigi Chinetti and entered under the NART banner. It won the Reims 12 Hours in 1965 for Pedro Rodriguez and Jean Guichet, was 2nd at the Bridgehampton 500 Kilometers (Pedro again) and had top-10 placings at Le Mans and Daytona in 1965 and 1966 respectively. It is shown in its Le Mans livery.

By Michael T. Lynch

Photos by Michael T. Lynch unless othewise noted

Saratoga, New York is a beautifully restored city that thrives on horse racing (both thoroughbreds and harness racing) and the performing arts.  It became a spa in the 19th Century because of its mineral waters and gambling also became part of its attraction. [Read more…] about NART Reunion at Saratoga

Ferrari by Sheehan

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Michael Sheehan looks at the Ferrari Supercars-Part I

All photos courtesy Michael Sheehan unless othewise noted.

Below, the evolution of a species.


288 GTO s/n 54231


288 Evo s/n 79888


F40 s/n 90568

Before they were called Supercars

Through the 1950s and up to the mid-1960s Ferrari built a very limited series of luxurious, big-engined, custom bodied supercars, starting with a short run of only six 342 Americas,the 375 America, followed by the 410 Superamerica, the 400 Superamerica, the 500 Superfast and ending with the 365 California. [Read more…] about Ferrari by Sheehan

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