Riverside, October 1961. After a year’s reprieve, having just been bought by Harry Finer, chassis 2452 featured Bill Krause at the wheel in the Times Grand Prix. Its de Dion axle broke due to metal fatigue. Two Cunningham Birdcages pass in the background. (photo: Bob Tronolone)
Story by Willem Oosthoek
During chassis 2452’s year of inactivity, tremendous changes had taken place in sportscar racing. The rear-engined revolution was in full swing and even Maserati had come out with a rear-engined model, the Tipo 63. The front-engined Tipo 61 Birdcage had been out of production for a year, so how would Bill Krause perform in this three-year old car. Well, not bad at all! At Riverside’s 1961 Times Grand Prix he qualified the Tipo 61 on the fourth row with a time of 2’06”6, despite dropping a valve during his run. He did feel bad about Connor losing his ride and offered him his own D-type/Chevy. It did not work out, since the tall Arizona driver would not fit the Jaguar cockpit.