chapter 329

Watkins Glen

9/30/2013

such a rush

Opie's new movie "Rush" about Formula One Grand Prix racing captures the visceral feel at the track. It should become one of the best car racing movies of all time. I saw a few of these international races at the Glen along with several other types of sports car races there. Shot the above on June 26, 1966 at a USRRC Sports Car Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. The nomenclature of race names is very confusing with so many changes to sanctioning etc. This link to Watkins Glen races  gives entries and cover photos.

Only a cheap slide camera, but image did pretty well. It's Hal Keck's #88 blue 428 cu in '65 Shelby Ford AC Cobra leading a 906 Porsche down the back straight. McLarens, Elvas, Lolas and 427 cu in Corvettes, etc follow. Everyone knows the surviving names now, but at that time it was the beginning of a revolutionary design in street sports cars. Mark Donahue was also racing his Sunoco Special this day which later dominated the Can Am series before his death at the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix.

Sam Posey in this painting was racing this 904 Porsche later in August 1966 at the Glen 500. Behind him was Bob Bailey in his class winning silver Porsche Speedster 1600 twin cam who was to become one of the founders of our Saratoga Auto Museum.

Bailey with the ball cap at our Autoshow 2009 in front of Al Rosenbaum's (left face) 1927 Formula 1 car featured in the Monte Carlo painting. Bailey teamed with Mark Donahue in the local Ballston Spa company Racemark.

In 1978 Mario Andretti was becoming the Formula One World Champion. Went to Watkins Glen and insisted that my wife leave 11 month old Shawn with Mom so we could experience this historical race. Mario was beating Niki Lauda and James Hunt, the main characters of the "Rush" film when he had a "mechanical" on the fifth lap ending his race (but still winning the overall championship). Only had a Kodak Super 8 movie camera so this scan simply shows the tow truck winching his #5 John Player Lotus 79 car on the hook back to the pits.

The races inspired many of my subsequent purchases. With the draft board calling me during the Vietnam "conflict" had to give up my '65 327cu Vette to bro Bill. I knew a Caddy ran into him while on assignment in Cape Cod for the Air National Guard but he only this year showed me this picture of the totalled Vette.

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