American style and simplicity defeated Europeâs complex cars and engines at Le Mans in 1921 to put the seal on the straight-eight era. This great victory celebrates its centenary this year. If reliability is an asset for a racing engine, the 1921 3-liter Duesenberg was so blessed. Jimmy Murphyâs Duesenberg crossed the line to win...
Before the outbreak of WWII, motor racing in South Africa had been developing strongly and, in fact, the last pre-war South African Grand Prix, held in January 1939, was the first major âscratch startâ event in the country and included a top class field of voiturettes comprised of nine Maseratis, four ERAs and a Riley....
The newly formed STD Motors awarded their three marquesâSunbeam, Talbot and Darracqâthe honor of a racing effort in 1921-â22. Sunbeam fared the best with a victory in the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy that awarded them the âTTâ sobriquet. News of a powerful new alliance in the automobile world broke in June of 1920. One...
Tony Boynton was like many teenage boys whose primary interest in cars was looking forward to the day when he would become eligible to obtain a drivers license. While he was aware his uncle Ted Boynton, who lived a few miles away, had been racing sports cars for the previous three years, Tony had only...
The book âGreat Marques â Porscheâ starts with this paragraph by Dr. â Ing. h.c. Ferdinand (Ferry) Porsche in the Foreword: âSince the beginning of car manufacture, people have wanted to own and drive sports and racing cars above all. Car enthusiasts delight more in the sporting success of âtheirâ make of car than in...
The 5th annual Sebring 12 Hour Grand Prix held in 1956 achieved international prominence when, for the first time, four major European constructors entered cars and drivers in that event. Teams from Italian auto manufacturers Ferrari and Maserati, along with English auto manufacturers Jaguar and Aston Martin made their way across the Atlantic to Florida....
When you troll the paddock at a vintage race meet as often as I have, it takes a special car to catch your eye. While my heart still goes pitta-pat for Alfas, Moggies, 356s, and just about every Lotus and Jaguar, when a bright orange sports racer I have never seen before roars by through...
This is the tale of a wonderful old racing machine, now fast approaching its 100th birthday but still enjoying an active competition life in the hands of vintage racing enthusiast and collector Andrew Larson. Itâs a 1927 Bugatti Type 37A Grand Prix racer, chassis number 37265, and it has been driven by many individuals, including...
If the name Jean Pierre Kunstle came up in a conversation about sports car racing, it wouldnât be surprising if it didnât sound familiar. He was sort of a âmystery manâ since not much was written about him personally, virtually all reports were about his racing success on the track. He appeared on the sports...
It may be irrelevant to ascribe beauty to a racing car designed expressly for its function. But the 1938 W154 Grand Prix machine fielded by Mercedes-Benz combined gorgeous looks with ample power that brought great victories. In 1938, the first year of a completely new Grand Prix formula, Mercedes-Benz won five of the seasonâs seven...
On New Yearâs Day of  1967 the South African Champion,  John Love, was pipped at the post in the season opening South African Grand Prix at Kyalami when his Tasman Cooper faltered in the closing stages whilst comfortably in the lead and was forced to stop for fuel because of a defective fuel pump. The...