Question
Hi, can you folks tell me what race this is, with the EE Team D-Types in the foreground? I was thinking perhaps Buenos Aires 1957 1000KM, but the numbers on the sides are #2 and #4, and I guess the third one is a team spare? The only thing is, your gallery of GG pictures shows #12 in a major shunt. But this pit photo shows #2 and #4. Any idea? Maybe Graham
Answer:
Dear Norm
Welcome to our Ecurie Ecosse site. That is a truly interesting photo as it was taken at Monza in 1957 during the "Monzanapolis" or "Race of Two Worlds" event when there was a challenge by the Indianapolis racing drivers to race against the Formula 1 racing cars on the banked Monza race circuit.
It was all organised by the Automobile Club of Milan and the United States Auto Club because in 1955 the banked Monza track had been built and opened. The Monza people had hoped to be able to stage a round in the USAC Indycar series in Europe and the meeting was to see what could be done. The USAC people agreed and the race was arranged for 1957 just after Le Mans. The rules were identical to Indianapolis with a top engine capacity of 2.8 litres supercharged or 4.2 litres unsupercharged). Then the Formula 1 drivers had their say. They had just formed their first "Union" the UPPI and as most of the grand prix drivers did not want to race grand prix cars on the purely oval track they refused to race. However there were some renegades. Jean Behra prepared a Maserati but it was eliminated during practice. Luigi Chinetti took an old 4.2 litre grand prix chassis and beefed it up for Harry Schell to drive and it was forced out by electrics.
However David Murray was invited to enter three of the Ecurie Ecosse D-type Jaguars in the event and as there were huge amounts of prize money being offered David simply couldn't overlook this important factor. The drivers were all fearless members of the team, Jack Fairman, Ninian Sanderson and Jock Lawrence.
Dunlop were clearly worried about their tyres on the banked circuit - all the Americans were using Firestone Indy tyres - and the drivers were told to ride high on the banking. Indeed during practice Jack Fairman went so high he clipped off one of the bonnet straps on the barrier at the top of the banking and came in with the leather strap flapping. As a result of this he was thereafter called "Fearless Jack".
The Ecosse cars had the advantage at the start as they had four speed gearboxes whereas the Indy cars had just two gears and both of them high. As a result, when the pace car pulled in the three D-types took the lead. However, as Dunlop had limited the D-types to 155 mph on the banking the Americans eventually came up to speed and passed them. After three heats the three Ecosse cars were classified fourth, fifth and sixth which was a remarkable performance.
Indeed American journalist Floyd Clymer started a campaign in the States to have the Ecosse D-types entered for the 1958 Indianapolis race but nothing came of this. Ecosse were to go back and race in the second and final "Race of Two Worlds" events in 1958 but that story can remain for another day.
Your photograph shows Chief mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson in the white pith helmet working on Ninian Sanderson's D-type Jaguar with the colourful Indy cars behind.
Graham Gauld
26/05/2008
