I Read The News Today Oh Boy

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Actually that will be something that won’t be said again, at least when referring to US publication, National Speed Sport News.

Chris Economaki sold copies of the first issue back in 1934 and has been involved ever since as a contributor, then Editor. He became known as “The Dean of American Motorsports” and has several media centres named after him, most notably that at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His work with NSSN has had a profound influence on North American Motorsport, as attested by the number of awards he has received over the years.

Economaki’s daughter, Corinne, is the magazine’s current Publisher, but this week came the announcement that the print edition of the magazine would cease after the 23rd March 2011 issue. For many people in the business this represents the end of an era. 77 years is not a bad innings, but for Chris, a familiar figure at all the big races until recently, this must be like a death in the family.

RIP National Speed Sport News, 1934-2011

John Brooks, March 2011

Heat Haze On The Runway

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So that was Sebring, first blood in 2011 to Peugeot. Not, however, the new finned factory cars; ORECA, genuine sportscar folk, scored a memorable win in 2010 spec car in the 12 Hours run around Hendricks’ Field last week.

While I was kicking my heels over here, watching Ireland beat the bejesus out Grand Slam hopefuls, England, David Lister had his Nikons set to stun.

His first visit to the Florida Classic turned up the usual bag of gold. He has graciously agreed to share some of this treasure with us.

Enjoy!

John Brooks, March 2011

 

 

La Route Est Dure…………….Deux

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The Great Men. Norbert and Bob

During 1986 and 1987 the combination of Bob Wollek and Rothmans Porsche 962C were irresistible at Le Mans, at least during Qualifying. The races proved more problematical.

Before the Storm

Teammate Jochen Mass was involved in someone else’s accident, which accounted for the 86 race and the following year Bob did not even get to drive a lap as his 962C was the highest profile victim of the engine problems that afflicted the Porsche competitors during the opening stint of the race. It was not Bosch’s finest hour but the real villain of the story was poor quality fuel supplied by the ACO.

Porsche at Porsche Curves

I had started to get media accreditation at Le Mans back then and I recall attending the annual press conferences at that time. Actually there serious incentives to go along and sit through an hour of French, in 1986 Moet et Chandon provided all attendees with a magnum of their vintage Bubbly. I still have the bottle, if not the contents. The usual routine was to have the FIA President Jean Marie Balestre, bellow at the assembled hacks about whatever issue was troubling him at the time. It was usually to do with Formula One, which would confuse us all mightly.

A Day in the Office

I do remember the President being stopped in his tracks after an intervention from the taciturn Bob Wollek. He had listened to the rant, took issue with some particularly egregious assertion, then quietly and firmly contradicted Ballestre, for once silencing the garrolous Frenchman. Those in the crowd such as me, who did not really know Bob were impressed. He could talk the talk, as well walk the walk.

Crowd Pleasing Man

1988 saw the end of the association between Rothmans and Porsche, so Wollek joined Joest to partner Klaus Ludwig. However the 962 was not really up to the level of either the TWR Jaguars or the Sauber Mercedes. Le Mans once again saw disappointment with his factory Porsche lose the lead with engine failure.

Victory Lane

Whatever the frustrations La Sarthe brought, on the other side of the Atlantic things were very different. Four outright wins in the Daytona 24 Hours told a completely different tale of Bob Wollek from the results at Le Mans.

The end of Group C, driven down by the madness of the the F1 based engines and technology and the spending war in IMSA almost killed sportscar racing for good.  Wollek’s career like so many of his contemporaries was on hold till matters improved.

Courage, Mon Brave

A gradual revival in the mid 90’s brought Bob Wollek back to the top table. Once again a Le Mans win went begging in 1995. In truly awful conditions, co-driver Mario Andretti was forced to avoid a spinning car and clouted a wall. The repairs cost the car six laps, when the Chequered Flag was waved the next day the Courage was just over a lap down on the winning McLaren.

911 GT1

Porsche returned to racing and Le Mans in 1996 with the 911 GT1. Somehow Porsche decided to shoot themselves in the foot by allowing Joest to run the ex-TWR Porsche WSC prototype. It outran the fancy GTs winning by a lap from Wollek.

In 1997 there was more cruelty for the Frenchman at Le Mans. The relative performance of the Joest prototype and the 911 GT1 had been reversed. So as dawn broke on the Sunday morning, Wollek’s wait for victory, in the race he cherished above all, looked to be finally over. Then a half shaft failed pitching the Porsche off the track. A few hours later the sister car caught fire, handing another win to the Joest team.

Cheese!

1998 would be Bob Wollek’s last chance to take outright victory at Le Mans. He was originally down to drive one of the prototypes that were entered in support of the new 98 GT1 cars. Yannick Dalmas had a training accident and as a result swapped cars with Wollek. Good luck coming his way?

Rub of the Green

The 1998 race was a fantastic contest. After the demise early in the race of Mercedes Benz and BMW and the lack of pace from the Nissans, the battle was going to be between Toyota and Porsche. The Japanese had a speed advantage but suffered with gearbox problems. Both teams had accident damage to contend with after localised showers during the night. Brundle’s Toyota was eliminated whereas the undertray on Wollek’s car was replaced in 30 minutes after Müller had taken a trip across a gravel trap. The other Porsche had a leak in the cooling system but got back on track slightly quicker than #25. Come 3.00pm on Sunday that would prove the difference between first and second.

This could be the last time……….

There was no fairy-tale ending for Wollek, tears on the podium from him and his team mates, generous applause from the huge crowd.

Champion Stuff

Porsche cancelled their prototype racing project at the end of 1998 and decided to focus on a 911 customer programme. Wollek was retained by the factory and parachuted into cars as necessary. So the Champion 911 GT1 EVO for Sebring.

Portland Pavement

Other destinations were the Konrad and Freisinger teams.

On Parade

For 2000 Wollek joined Dick Barbour Racing at Le Mans and in the ALMS.  Le Mans produced another class win and then it didn’t, as there was a squabble about fuel tank capacity. As ever the ACO had the final word.

Head of the Pack

The team dominated the ALMS GT class. Bob surprised his younger colleagues such as Lucas Luhr and Dirk Müller with his speed, it drove them up the wall trying work out where the pace came from.

Texas Two Step

2001 saw Wollek join Petersen/White Lightning, another Porsche customer. Then came Sebring.

Memorial

Take a trip down Highway 98 towards Okeechobee, you will find the above marker, a simple tribute to a great champion.

Rest in Peace, Bob.

John Brooks, March 2011

 

 

 

 

La Route Est Dure…….Une

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Birthdays, anniversaries, memorials. Who knows where the time goes?

From the Fans

There is something in our wiring that makes us reconsider events in an orderly, time related  fashion, I suppose some of it has to do with our annual trip round the Sun. Maybe the concept of decades came from having eight fingers and two thumbs. Whatever, ten years seems to be significant period, perhaps because we know that we will only experience a handful of such landmarks in our brief time here on earth, it us gives pause to stop and reflect.

Ten years ago tomorrow, St. Patrick’s Day 2001, I stumbled into Sebring International Raceway in the dark. Our American cousins love their early morning photo meetings. So we assembled grumbling, the collective noun for a bunch of photographers is a Moan. Sheriff Rick Dole tried to instil some sense into us, giving details of the reserved spots for the turn one opening lap scramble and reciting the dos and dont’s.

Then someone, I can’t remember who, asked had I heard about Bob?

Bob?

That could only mean Bob Wollek.

What?

He’s dead, killed last night in a road accident.

Brilliant

This seemed impossible, Bob Wollek had survived during a truly dangerous period in motorsport and now as he contemplated retirement he was killed in a pointless traffic incident.

Tribute

Just how pointless was soon evident when the circumstances emerged. Bob was a keen cyclist and would use that method of transport to get to and from the circuit. In fact he would ride to Le Mans every year from Strasbourg. So on Friday afternoon he left the Sebring paddock en route to his lodgings, west along Highway 98 towards the small town of Lorida. An 82 year old local resident driving a van collided with the Frenchman killing him instantly.

The Florida Highway Patrol reported “Wollek had been riding close to the edge of the pavement marking and the van, traveling in the same direction behind other traffic, hit the back of the bicycle.
Wollek was taken to Highlands Regional Medical Center with fatal injuries.”

Spirits

To say the paddock and the whole crowd were shocked would be a gross understatement, as evidenced by the signs posted up around the pits and the respect shown on the grid of a minute’s silence. The Petersen/White Lightning Porsche that Bob was scheduled to drive was also withdrawn from the race.

Kremer 917

I am not about to try and write a feature on Bob Wollek’s career, that requires a book, in fact one has just been completed by Jean-Marc Teissedre. Rather I have looked through the small archive and using a few shots will post some recollections in my personal tribute to the man.

Back in 1981 Bob was already a top line sportscar driver and champion, I could not even get media accreditation at that year’s Brands Hatch 1000kms. However with a bit of effort from the spectator area this modest effort was possible. A Kremer 917? Yes the brothers from Cologne built up this fibreglass kit car, based around the original iconic design. It failed to impress at Le Mans but ran respectably at Brands, dueling for the lead till suspension failure.

936C

Another year, another adaptation, this time the 936C. For 1982 Joest Racing was aware that getting a customer version of the Porsche 956 would have to wait till 1983. So adapting their ‘customer’ 936 chassis and sticking some bodywork allowed them to be in the pack. In fact they were best of the rest after the Porsche and Lancia factory efforts.

Joest Porsche 956 at Brands Hatch

1983 saw Joest get hold of a Porsche 956 , chassis 104. Wollek used it to good effect with WEC wins at Monza and Mugello (both with Stefan Johansson) to bag the WEC European Drivers Championship. The DRM title too with three wins.

1984 saw Wollek join the Martini Lancia team, an odd choice given the reputation for chaos that the Italians had. The LC2s were fast and fragile.

Too Little, Too late

The following year the problems persisted, though there was a win at Spa. No one cared though, Stefan Bellof had been killed during the race, the result was irrelevant. Of course it would not have escaped Wollek’s attention that had he stayed with Joest in ’84 and ’85, he might well have been a double winner at Le Mans.

Pole at La Sarthe

1986 came and Lancia left Group C and Jaguar joined. Wollek returned to the factory Porsche team, in place of Jacky Ickx who retired. Pole at Le Mans meant nothing after co-driver Jochen Mass clouted the barriers after encountering an oil spill.

I was at Brands Hatch to see Mauro Baldi and Bob defeat the other privateer Porsches and the TWR Jaguars, in the Richard Lloyd 956 GTI.

More tomorrow.

 

John Brooks March 2011

 

 

Bob……………

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Another day, Another Dollar.

I am very pleased to welcome prolific author and columnist, Bill Oursler, to the DoubleDeClutch crew.

Bill kicks off his contribution to this blog with a look back at the man known as “Brilliant Bob”. Today marks the French Champion’s tenth anniversary.

Bob Wollek 1943-2001 RIP


 

Stay in this business long enough and you will, more often than you might want, find yourself remembering the good guys who are no longer with us. In the case of Frenchman Bob Wollek those memories are particularly bitter sweet since he was killed not on a race track, or even in a car, but rather on a bicycle riding down a local road in Sebring, the victim of an improperly driven motor home.

 

This week is the tenth anniversary of that senseless and ironic tragedy. Therefore, on it I think it is more than appropriate not just to take note of his passing, but to celebrate the man.

 

And celebrating Bob Wollek is not difficult to do. Although he never won his country’s greatest sportscar race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and while he wasn’t a regular for the Porsche factory for most of his time in motorsport, Wollek’s record was, to say the least, spectacular. Indeed, one could argue strongly that he was perhaps the greatest ever French sports car driver, a truly high accolade given the number of superb two seat racers that country has produced throughout the years.

 

Wollek was a highly competitive individual; a trait he showed in the mid1960’s when he was a winning member of his college ski team. In fact, Wollek was in training for a spot on the French Olympic squad in 1968 when he suffered an injury that forced him to quit the sport. Still, even by then he had already dabbled in motorsport, running a few rallies in a 911 the year before. However, with a career in skiing now denied him, he then took up racing on a serious basis, running primarily in the French national open wheel arena before switching to the sportscar world.

 

Once there, he spent the next three decades compiling a phenomenal record, that included his 1982 crown winning performance in the hotly contested German National Championship, as well as his four Daytona 24 Hour victories, and his Sebring triumph in 1985. Interestingly, in the mid-1980’s one of his regular partners was A.J. Foyt, a man Wollek was introduced to at Daytona in 1983 when the American was abruptly added to the Swap Shop 935 team, of which Wollek was a member, during the race.

Miller High Life

 

 

The Frenchman expressed his far less than enthusiastic attitude about Foyt’s presence to a television reporter in a pit interview on Sunday morning, using expletives that had to be deleted before it aired. In spite of that outburst, Wollek grew to respect Foyt, especially after the four-time Indy 500 winner helped in bringing the Swap Shop 935 to Daytona’s Victory Lane in what was Wollek’s first 24 hour triumph there.

 

Although determined on the track, Wollek could be introspective, once nearly coming to tears in the press-room at Le Mans in 1997 when explaining he caused the retirement of his factory 911 GT1 by losing control and and wrecking the transaxle on one of the high curbs surrounding the Sarthe circuit. In reality, though, it turned out that there was nothing Wollek could have done, the cause being a half shaft which failed on its own.

 

With the factory’s withdrawal from the sport at the end of 1998, Wollek again found work, driving for privateer Porsche teams, and was scheduled to race at Sebring in the highly competitive Petersen-White Lightning 911 GT3 on the weekend of this death. Today ten years later, Wollek is remembered as a hard nosed competitor and a good man. Surely that speaks all that needs to be said about him for those of us who still miss him.

Bill Oursler, March 2011


Overtures and Beginners

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And the World is like an apple,

Whirling silently in space

The year grinds into gear and out of the dark winter months. Like the cherry blossom on the trees right now the motor sport world blooms at the various media days and launches.

Last week it was the turn of the 2011 British GT Championship. Silverstone was the venue for the event and the whole affair is looking very promising with both quality and quantity on the up.

David Blumlein took his trusty Nikon along to capture a flavour of the event. He has kindly agreed to share it with us in this gallery. He is turning out to be a truly Special Correspondent.

The World’s Favourite Rotarians

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Mazda 717C

More from the big box of old stuff.  Once heard never forgotten, as the twin rotor engines roared out their song. The chassis design was pretty wild too. From this small acorn a mighty Le Mans win would be grown for Mazda, the only Japanese manufacturer to achieve this to date.

With Japan in turmoil after the disaster of last week, our thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people, this is a reminder of better days. The Sun will shine again.

John Brooks, March 2011

Thinking Inside the Box

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Racing in the Rain

A September Sunday in 1983, no Indian Summer at Brands Hatch, just rain and mud. 1983 was the year that Group C really took off with Porsche 956 factory and customer cars battling with the dramatic but fragile Lancia LC2 trio.

This 1000 kilometres around the Kent woods was also the final international victory for the great touring car/sportscar champion, John Fitzpatrick.  Driving with Derek Warwick in the John Fitzpatrick Racing Porsche 956 they defeated a pair of factory Rothmans Porsche 956s, a feat that only happened a handful of times back then. Something to be celebrated.

The Box? The one that I found a pile of negs and slides dating back to the 80s that I shot. Expect to see more.

John Brooks, March 2011

The Future is Orange

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A week ago the world, well a very small part of it including me, witnessed the next step in the expansion of McLaren Automotive. The venue was the Stowe Circuit at Silverstone, the small step/giant leap was the first public showing of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3.

Somehow the embargo that McLaren requested was kept and this morning they sent out their release. This is what it said.

The first McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to be built by McLaren GT – a new company that brings together the expertise of the McLaren Group and CRS Racing – has successfully undertaken its debut tests at the MIRA proving ground facility and Silverstone Circuit in England.  McLaren GT has also appointed a new test driver to its team, 26-year-old Portuguese racing driver Álvaro Parente.

The initial shakedown tests undertaken with the 12C GT3, whereby new components are calibrated and bespoke aerodynamic body structures are appraised for the first time, will be followed by comprehensive tests scheduled throughout March and April at a number of FIA* certified circuits across Europe. News on the development programme, full driver line-up and planned competition for the 12C GT3 will be confirmed after these tests are completed.

MP4-12C GT3 development to focus on quality and performance

McLaren GT Project Manager Andrew Kirkaldy and McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver Chris Goodwin piloted the new 12C GT3 on its first outings. These real-world tests follow months of virtual testing in the McLaren Simulator at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, which is also used to develop the 12C production car and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ Formula 1 cars.

Andrew Kirkaldy said: “We have an extensive list of subjective and objective development targets set for the MP4-12C GT3.  In the first tests, the car is achieving excellent results in many areas including handling, powertrain and other aspects of dynamic performance.

“The 12C’s carbon chassis and aerodynamic efficiency mean we started with a lightweight, dynamically-optimised sports car. Those characteristics are fundamental to any race car.The car is around 100mm wider than the standard production car and features a new suspension system which we have tested in the McLaren Simulator. Having now experienced this new set-up in the 12C GT3 car, I’m delighted with the progress we are making.

“The McLaren GT team is working with Formula 1 technology suppliers, and several of the senior technical personnel involved in this project have vast experience in Formula 1. This is a unique advantage in developing a GT specification car.”

From 2012, McLaren Automotive and CRS Racing will supply and support a limited number of FIA GT3-compliant racing cars based on the McLaren 12C high-performance sports car for privateers.**

MP4-12C GT3: Technical specification outline

The 12C GT3 race car is based on a standard 12C. Developing the race car has required a team of engineers, technicians and test drivers from McLaren Group and CRS Racing to focus on several fundamental components.

The 12C GT3 is based on the McLaren carbon MonoCell chassis, which weighs just 75kg and is produced in a revolutionary one-piece mould. Race specification composite body panels and a fixed rear wing have been added to the GT3 car.

The same 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 as in the production car on which it is based will be used in the 12C GT3, tuned to race specification. A bespoke paddle-shift system operating an all-new Ricardo-designed gearbox developed specifically for racing will be fitted. This system eschews the 7-speed SSG dual-clutch Graziano transmission supplied in the standard 12C.

New electrical architecture is being supplied by McLaren Electronic Systems Limited, including electronic dash and data technologies. Bosch Motorsport will supply a new ABS system for the 12C GT3.  A new aerodynamics package has been developed by McLaren Racing in compliance with GT3 regulations, incorporating a new front splitter, door blade, rear wing, diffuser and louvres in the front fenders.

The new GT3 car will feature motorsport-specific braking and suspension components. These include bespoke callipers by Akebono, Official Supplier to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.  Due to regulations imposed by racing authorities, the 12C GT3 will not feature the road-going 12C’s ProActive Chassis Control System; negating the requirement for an anti-roll bar. Instead, the 12C GT3 will use a configuration comprising race-specific roll bars and dampers.

McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver Chris Goodwin said: “Those who have seen the new MP4-12C production car won’t be surprised to learn that immense attention to detail has been applied in developing the GT3 version. Quality is a watchword. We know that our potential customers will expect McLaren GT to deliver a competitive car right out of the box and, starting now with a programme covering aerodynamics development and durability testing, we are determined to do just that.

“The McLaren GT team is committed to achieving unprecedented levels of performance, also guaranteeing the levels of quality, reliability and durability with which we expect to delight future race teams entering competitions with the 12C GT3.”

 

As the car rolled out of the transporter I felt I was being teleported back to Jerez 1995 when the F1 GTR first raced in the BPR Series.

The Blancpain Endurance Series just shifted up another gear.

John Brooks, March 2011

Retro Rockets

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Another month, another show, this time the Race Retro held at Stoneleigh Park. My good friend David Blumlein made a few laps of the halls and, as usual, spotted a few gems hidden in the shadows. He has kindly agreed to share them with us.

jb

1964 Elva GT 160

This is the third chassis of only three built. Designed by Trevor Fiore (Trevor Frost), the body was constructed by Carrozzeria Fissore in Turin. Power came from a mid-mounted BMW 2-litre, 4 cylinder engine.

1964 Elva GT 160

Richard Wrottesley used chassis no. 1 to run at Le Mans in 1965, having clocked 17th fastest in the April Test day.The car retired from the race with transmission problems after only 29 laps. It had also taken part that year’s Nürburgring 1000 km. event but again the transmission failed only completing 4 laps.

1964 Elva GT 160

The car on display at Race Retro had been an exhibit at the 1964 Turin Motor Show.

Bentley 4½-Litre

Bentley 4½-Litre

This is the car that normally lives in the Campbell Shed at Brooklands. It took part in the 1929 Double Twelve race at Brooklands in May, driven by its owner N. Holder and Sir Tim Birkin. Having fifnished 4th at the end of the first day, the Bentley retired after 18 hours of racing with back axle failure. The engine broke in the June Six Hour Race at Brooklands and the car non-started at the Irish Grand Prix.

Gemini Formula Junior Mk IV

Gemini Formula Junior Mk IV

This car was created by Graham Warner’s Chequered Flag organisation based in Chiswick. It was the most advanced design of any Formula Junior car, featuring inboard brakes, front and rear, and side-mounted radiators.

1967 Mini-Marcos GT 1.3

1967 Mini-Marcos GT 1.3

This car ran in the 1976 Targa Florio (race number 176), driven by Jan-Eric Andreasson and Johnny Lundberger; it retired on the first lap after an accident.

1989 Spice SE89P Group C

1989 Spice SE89P Group C

Chassis No. 002 with a 6.6 litre V-8 Pontiac engine and Hewland gearbox.

Pontiac V-8

The Spice raced between 1989 and 1991 in the IMSA GT Championship. Paul Newman drove the car twice in 1990.

1961 Jaguar E-Type SSN 300

1961 Jaguar E-Type SSN 300

Originally delivered as a demonstrator to Dumbuck garage, the Jaguar dealership run by the Stewart family. Jackie’s impressive performance with it at Charterhall in 1962 prompted David Murray to invite him to drive for Ecurie Ecosse. Subsequently the car was sold to Eric Liddell (father of the current racer Robin) who had many wins with it, including two at the very last Charterhall meeting in 1964.

1963 Lightweight E-Type 3.8 litre

1963 Lightweight E-Type 3.8 litre


This is the 9th of the 12 Lightweight E-Types made and was used by Peter Sucliffe during 1963-65. Wins were scored at Mallory park, Zolder and Montlhéry.

1935 Le Mans Austin Seven

1935 Le Mans Austin Seven

This beautifully restored car was one of four Austin Sevens that ran in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1935. It was privately entered by John Carr who shared the wheel with John Barbour; the other three cars were “works” entries. Only two of the Austin Sevens finished and this car proudly came home in 27th position, ahead of the sole surviving factory machine. It was the highest placed 750cc. car that year.

It was depicted in a pit setting reminding viewers that the little team was supported by Harry Ferguson’s Belfast Austin agency.

Images and words, copyright and courtesy of David Blumlein.