Bill Wuesthoff blew up the #38 Porsche before Augie Pabst could get in
The Peter Ryan / Ludwig Heimrath Canadian Porsche was 9th overall
The The Bob Donner, Don Sessler and Ernie Erickson #47 Porsche was 7th. The Hugus/Connell Ferrari did not finish.
The Chuck Cassel, David Lane #48 Porsche was a DNF. Another engine gonzo as Porsche did not repeat its 1960 success.
Dan Gurney & Jo Bonnier drove the #49 Porsche RS-61. Another engine failure and Gurney & Bonnier were a DNF.
Hans Hermann sits in his #50 Porsche. This RS-61 suffered an engine failure and Hermann did not repeat his 1960 victory.
Bob Holbert & Roger Penske drove this RS-61 to a fine 5th overall and first under 1.6 liters.
Preparing the factory cars in the grass and sand. Could this have contributed to neither of them finishing?
The #53 Lotus 19 of Bob Publicker & Charlie Kolb lost the motor and never started.
The Sunbeam Alpine #40 of Paddy Hopkirk passes the spinning #11 Serenissima Ferrari.
Factory MG's line up on practice day. In 1961 they brought just 2 cars which surprised us. In 1959 & 1960 they brought 4.
Jim Parkinson & Jack Flaherty drove 44 to first in GT 1600. Both were west coast drivers, Parkinson had an MG dealership and Flaherty drove for Kjell Qvale.
The Brit car. Peter Riley and John Whitmore MGA was just 2 laps behind 44 in 16th. The factory typically had one car driven by American’s and one by Brits and another by Canadian. No Canada in 1961.
The team goofs around in the pits. It’s still early in the morning and the cars are in place and ready to go.
The MG factory team refueling rig. They always loved coming to Sebring and made great times of it.
The #4 Delmo Johnson/Dave Morgan Corvette was first US built car and finished 11th two laps behind Denise in the Ferrari. Johnson was a Chevy dealer in Dallas and an avid pilot.
The Nethercutt Ferrari being looked after in the grass. The Nethercutt family was/is Merle Norman cosmetics. Unfortunately on this day the usually reliable Ferrari’s oil pump quit on driver Pete Lovely.
The original hairpin caught many over the years. If you were late braking and tried to make it - many ended up on the sand bank. Here it get Charlie Rainville in his Alfa.
Sunset at Sebring, when the weather is right, is always a treat. Big, red sky, lights on the cars, flame from exhausts.
Jerry Kenyon’s ‘59 Ford has arrived with Joe Tierno, Roy Bishara and SAAB Reutlinger. Nicholas watches as Bishara informs us of his IQ
Approaching the famous Sebring circle. Most of it is still there and it is a reminder of the past one has to go and see.
Phil Hill (center) chats with Denise McCluggage (holding helmet) as Allen Eager (far right) listens in for advice. On the left BARCBOY Joe Tierno is figuring out his camera.
John Fitch leans over Sir Alfred Momo as Momo warms the 3 liter Maserati engine. BARC reader Rocky Ledward identified the man in the center walking along pit row was C. Farris Bryant, the governor of Florida.
Pat & Stirling Moss. Stirling was not the only great race driver. in the family Pat won the European Women’s Championship 5 times and had 3 outright wins and many class victories. She and Stirling drove Sprites in the 4 hour.
I just had to put this photo of me next to the Dino. Future champion racer and photographer at 19 years old.
Joe Bonnier explains to Dan Gurney how he passed Moss using something he learned from Dave Nicholas
How it was done in ‘61. No radios, a pit board you had to read at 120mph. This one tells the driver his last lapwas 3:29. Nicely built fuel drum holder and tubing jack. Guy with hat is keeping the lap chart.
Jesse Coleman has checkered practice and the entire field has come in. It’s time to drive the cars back to town, do maintenance and have a cocktail.
1961 Sebring Program cover
The original Sebring course. 5+ miles of concrete with a bit of tarmac, bumpy, fast. Even today the new circuit retains the flavor.
prev / next