RE: Time for Tea? Vic Elford and the Targa Florio
Discussion
1972 Ferrari steamrollered Sports car racing - 3 cars at every race and three at the factory being rebuilt for the next race. The car was a Ferrari 312B F1 with a sportscar body and detuned engine.
And what a driver lineup - Ronnie Peterson, Mario Andretti, Clay Reggazoni, Jacky Ickx and that's without bothering to look it up
Sandro Munari was the best non-Finn rally driver at the time - contracted to Lancia so what a stroke of genius to put him in the Targa... and Helmut Marko? One of his greatest drives before a career cruelly cut short by eye injuries just a few weeks later at the French Grand Prix.
Nino Vacarella hardly ever raced outside Sicily - but how quick was he on the Targa?
Them wuz the days!!
And what a driver lineup - Ronnie Peterson, Mario Andretti, Clay Reggazoni, Jacky Ickx and that's without bothering to look it up
Sandro Munari was the best non-Finn rally driver at the time - contracted to Lancia so what a stroke of genius to put him in the Targa... and Helmut Marko? One of his greatest drives before a career cruelly cut short by eye injuries just a few weeks later at the French Grand Prix.
Nino Vacarella hardly ever raced outside Sicily - but how quick was he on the Targa?
Them wuz the days!!
So you brake late for Stowe, avoid the children, overtake the sheep....
The last we saw of this sort of speed on the open road was the last year of Group B I guess.
I kind of see why this doesn't happen today and Rallying has been slowed, but wow these were amazing times. Mind you as a driver to be giving it the beans especially in practice with not a hint of safety equipement for miles in any direction - well I tip my hat!
The last we saw of this sort of speed on the open road was the last year of Group B I guess.
I kind of see why this doesn't happen today and Rallying has been slowed, but wow these were amazing times. Mind you as a driver to be giving it the beans especially in practice with not a hint of safety equipement for miles in any direction - well I tip my hat!
I love "The Speed Merchants" - a tremendous piece of work filmed in the contemporary and an object lesson in how to capture this 'window in time' element which paints such a colourful, anecdotal insight into the race and racing driver legends we now revere and wonder about.
As well as the obvious attraction of period racing footage, the story includes the quiet, contemplative and often very private, philosophical thoughts (and occasional doubts) of the various drivers of the era (Vic Elford, Mario Andretti, etc), given both trackside and in drivers' homes.
All of this adds up to that feeling of 'being there' when you watch this film, something which basic racing coverage itself doesn't ever really achieve.
The "Speed Merchants", in some ways, represents the essence of what Steve McQueen sought (and on the whole succeeded) to capture in "Le Mans".
The slightly haunting piano solo which leads into the film sets the tone for what follows - a very thoughtful production which stays with you after you've watched it, leaving you back there in 1972!
As well as the obvious attraction of period racing footage, the story includes the quiet, contemplative and often very private, philosophical thoughts (and occasional doubts) of the various drivers of the era (Vic Elford, Mario Andretti, etc), given both trackside and in drivers' homes.
All of this adds up to that feeling of 'being there' when you watch this film, something which basic racing coverage itself doesn't ever really achieve.
The "Speed Merchants", in some ways, represents the essence of what Steve McQueen sought (and on the whole succeeded) to capture in "Le Mans".
The slightly haunting piano solo which leads into the film sets the tone for what follows - a very thoughtful production which stays with you after you've watched it, leaving you back there in 1972!
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