The Greatest Racecars & Their Stories
The Most Iconic Racecars Ever Made
So, buckle up and prepare to be transported to the golden age of motorsports, where legendary machines and fearless drivers pushed the limits of speed and redefined the boundaries of automotive performance. Let these iconic race cars tell their tales, in their own words. These aren't your typical posts; these are a collection of firsthand accounts, as if narrated by the very cars that dominated the track and etched their names into racing legend.
Legends of the Track
Hear the roar of the legendary Ford GT40 as it recounts its epic battles with Ferrari at Le Mans in the 1960s, told through the voices of the drivers and engineers who pushed it to victory. Feel the raw power of the McLaren MP4/4, as Ayrton Senna's spirit guides you through its undefeated 1988 Formula 1 season. Experience the technological marvel of the Audi R18 e-tron quattro, as it describes its hybrid dominance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 2010s. From the ground-breaking Lancia Stratos rally car to the awe-inspiring Porsche 917, we delve into the history of these iconic machines, exploring their design innovations, their triumphs and tribulations, and the legendary drivers who tamed their power. Each article is a tribute to a specific car, a celebration of its unique character and its contribution to the rich tapestry of motorsport history.
The Porsche 917K number 20, featured in the 1971 movie “Le Mans” with Steve McQueen at the wheel. The 917 gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971 with its Type 912 flat-12 engine. 55×40” Mixed Media original stretched on canvas and white American frame. Nicolas does private commissions...
Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Race Cars 1934–1966 By Louis Sugahara Japanese artist Louis Sugahara combines his artistic talent and automotive expertise in this fascinating work, to take readers through a detailed analysis of the development of Mercedes’s famed Silver Arrows. From the W25 to the W196, Sugahara traces the evolution of...
In June of 2014, Porsche will return to Le Mans with a newly designed LMP1 racing machine. With 16 overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the pinnacle of endurance motor racing, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the race’s 90 year history. Their last win, though,...
Porsche 904, 906 & 910 in the Americas By Jerry Pantis Ah, obsession…where would we be if we didn’t have obsessive enthusiasts who pour years of single-minded devotion into the research of rare racecars. Some of the best—and biggest!—books of the past few years have been narrowly focused treatises on...
Fed up with seeing their major races won by the Germans in the 1930s, the Italians allowed only 1½-liter entries in their 1939 races to eliminate their opposition. They reckoned without the astonishing skills of the Daimler-Benz Racing Department. The most glamorous Grand Prix race of the 1930s was not...
1956 Ferrari 500 TR Prototype I have to confess that we sometimes get very carried away by some of the machinery we get to examine and test. We even have some degree of conflict about not being able to more frequently feature more down-to-earth and historic cars. It’s not that...
Two factory Porsche 910s await the start of the 1967 Sebring 12 Hours Where: Sebring / Date: 1967 Car #36 will be driven by Scooter Patrick and Gerhard Mitter, while Jo Siffert and Hans Hermann will handle car #37. The two 910s will finish in third and fourth, respectively. No Subscription? You’re...
The Porsche 962 and 956 generated an everlasting impression in the world of endurance racing, reigning for over a decade across the globe. No Subscription? You’re missing out Any Text Here Get Started Already a Member? Sign in to your account here....
Porsche 917 – The Heroes, TheVictories, The Myth By Jörg Thomas Födisch, Jost Neßhöver, Rainer Roßbach and Harold Schwarz Without doubt one of the most evocative, iconic…sexy, racecars of the postwar era, the Porsche 917, marked not only a quantum leap in racing speed and technology, but also the true...
Gulf Porsche 917 Artwork Artist Matthew Stevens paints a picture of the Gulf 917. This painting depicts the 2nd placed 917K at Le Mans 1971 during refuelling and changeover. Richard Attwood and Herbert Muller are the drivers, Attwood having won the race with Hans Herrmann in 1970. Ferdinand Piëch initiated...
Since there exists a convoluted historical precedent for such a move, let’s go Web surfing to Germany by way of South America. There, courtesy of a band of faithful Argentinean enthusiasts, we find this month’s featured site that is, for the moment anyway, devoted primarily to Porsche’s fabulous 917. Unless...
I have certain fond memories of the first single-seater racing car I drove, which was a Vanwall. Tony Vandervell gave me a wonderful opportunity of driving it at Goodwood. There are a number of single-seater racing cars that I would have liked to have driven, throughout my career. It could...
Of course, my dad gave me the talent to become a racing driver and he helped me a lot. He was not only a successful racer, but also a good and fair sportsman. He taught me a lot of the things that helped me in my career. This year saw...
Mercedes’ 300 SLR and Juan Manuel Fangio Artwork Neil Podbery uses monochromatic oils to portray a pair of legends, Mercedes’ 300 SLR and Juan Manuel Fangio. The 1955 24-hour race at Le Mans was set to be an epic contest. Mercedes-Benz had entered the brilliant new W196 single seater-based sports...
Pete Lyons How do you stop a racing runaway? Well, you might try throwing more races in its way. No Subscription? You’re missing out Any Text Here Get Started Already a Member? Sign in to your account here....
Porsche’s Spyders stole the limelight, but in the 1950s they had serious rivals in both BMW and EMW, who produced serious 1½-liter machinery. Their battles on both sides of the Iron Curtain were the stuff of legend. A liter and a half—more or less a quart and a half—isn’t much...
On 12 July 1959, the Maserati Tipo 60 ‘Birdcage’, with the 30-year-old Stirling Moss at the wheel, made its race debut in the Sport category at Rouen. The Tipo 60 recorded its first win, defeating two Lotus 15 cars and getting the fastest lap in 2.28.5 at an average speed...
1936 Mercedes-Benz W25K The W25K’s failure when put to the test led to abandoned races and an overhaul of racing-car design at Mercedes. Nineteen thirty-five was an excellent Grand Prix season, the best against strong and varied opposition that Mercedes-Benz enjoyed in Year Two of the new 750-kilogram G.P. formula....
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR – Car Profiles While know as the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR the car was based neither on the famous 1954 300SL (W198) Gullwing road car, nor the earlier 1952 (W194) race car, although it bears a strong resemblance to both. Instead, it was based on the 1954-1955 Formula 1...
Porsche Spyder Artwork Artist Steve Vartanian takes an unusual look at the venerable Porsche Spyder. In 1956, Porsche introduced a slightly modified Spyder, the 550A. Exterior changes were mainly from the doors back with a much lower and sleeker engine bonnet. The “famed” rear grilles were placed much lower on...
Ferrari’s GTO Artwork Artist Thom Montanari paints an evocative picture of Ferrari’s coveted GTO. Unbelievable as it may seem, the Ferrari 250 GTO was designed by Sergio Scaglietti in just over two weeks. Il Commendatore himself, Enzo Ferrari, had a strong degree of personal input in the final design. Because...
“Who do you think you are? Stirling Moss?” This, so the story goes, is what a policeman asked the legendary British racing driver following a particularly ‘daring’ overtaking manoeuvre on the streets of London. “Yes sir, I am” was the honest reply. No Subscription? You’re missing out Any Text Here...
The 1962 British Grand Prix Where: Aintree Circuit / Date: July 21, 1962 Dan Gurney with the 8-cylinder Porsche 804 at Cottage Corner on the Aintree circuit. On the grid, Jim Clark had “stolen” Gurney’s steering wheel but returned it before the start. Gurney suffered a slipping clutch during the race and...
Liége-Rome-Liége Artwork Gabriele Guidetti paints an evocative picture of the aluminum–bodied Porsche 356 that Schlutter and Polensky drove to victory in the 1952 Liége-Rome-Liége Rally. Artist: Gabriele Guidetti, Via Varolio 4, 40133 Bologna, Italy / [email protected] No Subscription? You’re missing out Any Text Here Get Started Already a Member? Sign in...
Gracing the cover of Griot’s Garage Handbook #276 is a very mean Kremer Brothers-modified Porsche 935. Porsche 935’s in their heyday were some of the most spectacular cars to watch. With twin turbo-charged flat six Porsche engines, they produced 600 hp at 7500 rpm. The cars threw out massive flames...
Nürburgring In 1954 Where: Nürburgring / Date: August 1, 1954 The German Grand Prix; Nürburgring, August 1, 1954. A field of Porsche 356s approach the South Curve complex after the start of their support race. Details: Photo courtesy of: THE KLEMANTASKI COLLECTION Address: PO Box 8204, Stamford, CT 06905 USA Tel:...
Jacky Ickx in the Ferrari 312B Where: France / Date: July 5, 1970 Jacky Ickx in the Ferrari 312B leads the field away from the start of the French Grand Prix at the open-road Charade Circuit on July 5, 1970. Ickx would lead the first 15 laps before his engine failed. Jochen...
George Lister & Son was a very old engineering company in my hometown of Cambridge, starting in 1895. I joined them in 1947, having done two years training at the Technical College, as their only apprentice. At that time, Brian Lister, grandson of George and son of Horace, had just...
Ferrari 250TR Where: Nürburgring / Date:June 1, 1958 The Nürburgring 1000-km Race; Nürburgring, June 1, 1958. Phil Hill in the Ferrari 250TR which he drove with Luigi Musso to 5th place. Details: Photo courtesy of: THE KLEMANTASKI COLLECTION Address: PO Box 8204, Stamford, CT 06905 USA Tel: (203) 461-9804 Fax: (203) 968-2970...
Every era has its own greatest racing car. I would like to go back to my boyhood where I have fond memories of a car that made a real impact on me, the Maserati 250F. Nick Mason gave me a wonderful opportunity to drive his 250F. It didn’t let me...
March 2020 will mark the 50th anniversary of what many feel is the greatest endurance road race in history – the 1970 Sebring 12-hour. Yes, there have been many great 12- and 24-hour races over the years, some with more historical significance. But none can match the 1970 Sebring for...
Third-time charm! That’s what we Can-Am fans were hoping for 40 Septembers ago. On the first of this month in 1968, our beloved Big Bangers would bellow to life for their third season. Maybe this time the grandly unrestricted sports cars, stunningly powerful and torque-rich machines that were faster than...
The Porsche 906 Artwork Artist Thom Montanari creates an evocative image of a mighty endurance racing legend – the Porsche 906. I photographed this car during the 1997 Vintage Festival at Lime Rock Park. When my eyes came upon the car I knew immediately that I had to paint it....
Gary Pearson stretches his and the D-type Jaguar’s legs during a Goodwood Revival. Photo: Roger Dixon No Subscription? You’re missing out Any Text Here Get Started Already a Member? Sign in to your account here....
1968 Porsche 907 Artwork Vic Elford driving the Team Porsche 907 (along with his teammate Umberto Maglioli) to a convincing win in the 1968 Targa Florio. Vic overcame an 18-minute deficit caused by wheel and tire problems to win the race by almost 3 minutes over the 2nd place car,...
Heavy Duty Lightweights 1961 Jaguar XKE “Coombs Lightweight” & 1963 Jaguar XKE “Qvale Lightweight” Photo: Pete Austin The year 2011 marks 50 years of the E-Type Jaguar or, as some of you know it better, the XKE. No Subscription? You’re missing out Any Text Here Get Started Already a Member? Sign in...
1949 Belgium Grand Prix Where: Spa-Francorchamps / Date: July 10–11, 1949 The 14th Grand Prix of 24 Hours of Belgium; Spa-Francorchamps, July 10–11, 1949. Just two weeks after Le Mans, Luigi Chinetti teamed up with Jean Lucas and won his second 24-hour race of the season. Again they used a Ferrari 166MM Barchetta. This photo...
Howden Ganley Do you like your racing cars to be aesthetically pleasing? Most people do, me included. So how do we finish up with so many ugly cars? Probably a variety of reasons, starting with the fact that not all stylists have the requisite eye for line, that the regulations...
Without a doubt, the racecar that gave me the most pleasure, and therefore my greatest racecar, was the Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-6. I drove it at Silverstone, with Derek Warwick as my teammate, in the 1986 Kouros 1,000-kms race, which we won by a substantial two-lap margin over the Rothmans...
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