By David Seibert
Photos by Bruce B. Miller
Facebook/MySpace: bruce@forza.cc – wtiger
(Mont Tremblant, PQ, Canada, July 27) A small field and a wet race track don’t sound like the ingredients for a fun weekend, but Shell Historics drivers at Mont Tremblant faced just those conditions last weekend–and yet it was a really enjoyable event. The small field removed some of the usual pressures, and the weather allowed drivers more time to relax and talk with other drivers and enthusiasts, making for a low key, fun weekend.
The cars and drivers in the Drum Brake Group usually take to a wet track with enthusiasm–their narrow, treaded tires are ideal for those conditions. Peter Greenfield,
in his extremely original Alfa Romeo 8C/35, was fast in Friday’s practice, but his day ended with a drive failure; easily repaired at home in his shop, but impossible in the paddock. The big Alfa remained on display for the fans, but quiet for the rest of the weekend.
The mechanical problem in Greenfield’s Alfa cost the anticipated race with another, even older Alfa. Greg Whitten brought his 1932 Tipo B to Mont Tremblant: Chassis 5001, the first one built, and with an illustrious history. Among its many highlights Guy Moll won the Grand Prix of Monaco in 1934 in the car, then it was converted to a “sports car” by the addition of fenders, lights, and a tight second seat, and Carlo Pintacuda drove it to a win in the 1935 Mille Miglia.
Peter Giddings is famed in the series for his performances in the wet; he and Greenfield staged a heroic duel in a driving rainstorm at Mont Tremblant in 2008, both in Alfa 8C/35s. This year he is racing his Maserati 250 F, the first one built and driven by Moss, Behra, Musso, Bonnier, and Villoresi among a host of others. Giddings is a multiple Champion in the Drum Brake Group, but in 2008 the Drum Championship went to Jon Shirley.
Shirley has raced both the prototype 250 TR (0666) and his Maserati 300 S during the 2009 season, and for Mont Tremblant chose his 300 S, chassis 3072. That car had been a Maserati factory team car during the 1957 season, with Scarlatti placing fourth in the Mille Miglia, the highest-ever placing for a 300S. It ended the season in one of the crashes in Venezuela which ended Maserati’s racing activities, and was then returned to the factory for a complete overhaul.
Giddings’ Maserati won both Saturday’s and Sunday’s Drum Brake races, with Shirley winning the sports car class in the group both days, and Whitten taking two wins in the pre-war class in the group. Giddings maintains his lead in the Drum Championship.
A larger number – and a wider range – of cars practiced for the Disc Group, but not all made it to the grids. The rain and wet track brought a wide smile to Steve Dudley’s face; his 308 Michelotto was built for pavement rallies, and was fitted with “wet” tires, ideal for these track conditions. Dudley was hoping for a weekend of rain.
Three 250 GTOs practiced, driven by Jon Shirley, Greg Whitten, and Nick Longhi (checking out the car for owner Lawrence Stroll). These cars would be equally fast on almost any track condition.
And then the big guns: Stroll’s 512 M, the ex-Roger Penske/Sunoco car, and Jim Fuchs’ 512 BB/LM, once the record holder at the Virginia City Hillclimb. Stroll also brought out his BB/LM, (#47) driven by Nick Longhi – this was the class winner (and fifth overall) at Le Mans in 1981. All three cars were on slicks, their owners hoping for a dry track.
For the Saturday race Stroll lined up on pole, with Longhi sharing the front row. Fuchs was suited up and in his car, ready to take his third spot on the grid, when he realized the oil pressure was well below minimum. He shut the engine off.
Stroll took the overall win on a dry track, followed by Longhi. Dudley was next in his 308, followed by Shirley and Whitten in their GTOs.
There was a genuine cloudburst on Sunday afternoon, just before the 430 Challenge race, and the track was still wet at the Shell Historic cars gridded. This time Fuchs was ready; his Motion Products crew had swapped engines overnight. Neither Stroll nor Longhi made the grid, so Dudley was on pole, followed by the GTOs. With no result from Saturday, Fuchs was gridded last.
Dudley let for two laps, but then Fuchs used the power of the five-liter BB/LM (#447) to take the lead and the win. Dudley and Shirley took class wins, and the points Shirley gained were enough to give him the lead in the Disc Brake Championship.
Both Disc and Drum championships will be settled at the final race of the season, at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 18-20.
The Shell Historic Challenge is organized by Ferrari North America, and sanctioned by Grand-Am. Ferrari North America, Inc. is headquartered in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and is the exclusive North, Central and South American importer of Ferrari vehicles including the 599 GTB Fiorano V-12 sports coupe, F430 Berlinetta, F430 Spider convertible sports car, 430 Scuderia, California Gran Tourer and 612 Scaglietti (luxury performance 2+2). Additional support for the series comes from Shell fuel and lubricants, and from Panerai watches.
The series is open to authentic Ferrari and Maserati competition cars built before 1980, and pre-war Alfa Romeos of the type raced by the Scuderia Ferrari. Further information on the Shell Historics can be found at www.ferrarichallenge.com.
Alfa Romeo P3 Greg Whitten
Maserati 250F, Peter Giddings
Maserati 300S, Jon Shirley
Ferrari 308 Michelotto, Steve Dudley
Ferrari GTO, Greg Whitten
WOW!!! Simply stunning machines. The sight of them in photos just takes my breath away which makes me wonder how I’d react to seeing them in person while listening to their growls. My utter admiration and appreciation to the owners for letting all those horses run so that so many more of us can share in their enjoyment.