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Thought I'd start a thread to recognise 50 years since the incredible feat achieved by 'Quick' Vic Elford, and for the same Manufacturer - Porsche; which is unlikely to ever be repeated. And certainly couldn't be this year as they are the same weekend. Whose idea was that?
To help those not familiar with the period, the Monte Carlo Rally, Monaco GP support races, the Daytona 24 hours, the Daytona 500, etc and save them having to look it up, could you please give us a few more details.
When I looked it up, one question that immediately came to mind was why was the car that won at Daytona shared by no fewer than FIVE drivers, particularly as Siffert and Hermann also shared the second placed car.
From Motorsport
At dawn, Elford was lying third and would have remained there but for long pit stops by the two leading cars, for a broken throttle link and a burnt-out dynamo. However, to make the winning car carry the full team, von Hanstein had all five drivers out in the closing laps, the exception being Mitter who had been slightly shaken by his overnight experience. This made a slight nonsense as Herrmann and Siffert both won and came second.
So basically a morale booster for the team roster. It was Elford and Neerpasch who had done the business that mattered.
I’ve said before in a history thread just what a hero Vic was to the 13 y o me in 1968. In addition to the Porsche double quoted in this thread he also won his class (Porsche 911) in 2 rounds of the British Saloon Car Championship. As a mid-season replacement for the injured Brian Redman he gave the Cooper F1 team a 4th place on his F1 debut in France and was responsible for the team’s last ever F1 placing with a 5th in Canada.
I think he's possibly undervalued as a talent. I hope his incredible achievement 50 years ago is recognised in some way. Maybe one of the UK publications should do something.
Just think about what he did - and try to imagine it nowadays......
Also, he's the last British driver to win the Monte.....
He is also one of two Formula 1 drivers to have won an award in the Safari - he was a member of the winning Ford Cortina team in 1964. (I only know of 2, there may be more)
The challenge now is to find the original thread on here that discussed VE's achievements.
Right to recall the 50th.
Just how close he came to winning 4 or 5 consecutive RAC Rallies will probably never be public. As DSJ once wrote in another context, history only remembers the actual/eventual results.
Then there is the number of other major international rallies he would have won in 66 but for Ford...
Always worth repeating the Vic quote from the 66 RAC - “If I’d had the support Clark’s getting I’d be leading. If he’d had the support I got, he’d be out!”
Thought I'd reply to one of my own comments. I'm slightly disappointed that nothing has been mentioned about this feat. In all honesty, I didn't really expect anything from the rallying media, as I think most of them are pretty woeful; and I doubt most of them even know who Vic Elford is.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
Perhaps not so vital to repeat (as I posted it originally) that it was overheard in a Gents toilet...Quote:
Originally Posted by Mintexmemory
Good to see that he's at Daytona for the Rolex24....