Formula 1 Retrospective: 1950 Monaco Grand Prix

Posted on March 3, 2011 by gharls

Fangio's Remarkable Legacy Begins at 1950 Monaco ...

1950 RACE 2
PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO

21 May, Eleventh Grand Prix de Monaco
Circuit de Monaco

Maiden Monaco meeting within the modern Formula 1 World Championship format.

P1 Grid: J.M. Fangio, Argentina, Alfa Romeo 158. (maiden, career).

Fangio (Alfa Romeo) wins the start and drives on to victory.

During Lap 1, a rogue wave off the Cote d’Azur washes over the harbor breakwall and onto the track at Tabac Corner. P1 starter Fangio deftly skirts through the wet sweeper, yet a tremendous shunt behind him piles up and eliminates nine entries.

1. Fangio, Argentina, Alfa Romeo (maiden win, career).
2. A. Ascari, Italy, Ferrari (maiden podium, career), – 1 Lap.
3. L. Chiron, Monaco, Maserati (maiden podium, career).

Constructor Victor: Alfa Romeo SpA (2).
Engine Victor: Alfa Romeo SpA (2).

Championship
Farina-ITA, Fangio-ARG 9, Fagioli-ITA, Ascari-ITA 6.

Alfa Romeo SpA 28, Scuderia Ferrari 9, Officine Alfieri Maserati 6.

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NASCAR Retrospective: 1953 Daytona Grand National

Posted on March 2, 2011 by gharls

Olds Ruled at Daytona Back In The Day ...

Long before Bill France constructed his famous speedway on the western outskirts of Daytona Beach, the Series conducted its winter classic on the already esteemed Daytona Beach and Road Course.  The 4.2 mile circuit consisted of a southerly two-mile paved asphalt section (Highway A1A) that dramatically turned right onto a spectacular two mile dash north along the hard packed sands along the Atlantic Ocean. In 1953, the event was a scheduled 39-lap festival for a distance of 160 miles.

Blair makes for the Beach in the 1953 Classic ...

T. Fontell Flock (14 Frank Christian Oldsmobile) put his Olds on the pole and easily gapped the field during a Daytona era when drivers only stopped for mechanical trouble and not regular fuel service. Running free and clear to the cheers of a jubilant beach crowd with over a minute margin to spare, Flock sped by the white flag, sprinted back down Highway A1A, and turned back north onto beach for the final time.  Moments later, Flock’s Oldsmobile sputters due to lack of fuel and gradually slows as the driver feathers the pedal in order to nurse his car back up the beach towards the finish.

Meanwhile in the background, Bill Blair (2 Bill Blair Oldsmobile), who worked his way up to P2 from his starting sixth position,  turns onto the beach, takes notes of Flock’s predicament, and charges up the hard sand with the scent of victory in the air. As Flock desperately creeps toward the finish, Blair roars past in an utter surprise and steals the trophy, his only win in 1953 and the last in his NASCAR Grand National career. Flock’s fuel pressure finally expires as he coasts across the line with an agonizing second place finish, thirty seconds behind Blair but still minutes ahead of third place runner Tommy Thompson.

Add some spice to your race viewing weekend and play Fantasy Cup Series (NASCAR, Formula 1, IndyCar). What? You’re going to watch the race anyway …

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Formula 1 Retrospective: 1950 British Grand Prix

Posted on March 1, 2011 by gharls

Nino Sets the F1 Circus On Course ...

1950 RACE 1
SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND

13 May, Third British Grand Prix
Silverstone Circuit

Maiden meeting for the modern Formula l World Championship format.

P1 Grid: E.G. Farina, Italy, Alfa Romeo SpA 158. 1.5 liter supercharged inline eight, Pirelli. (maiden, career).

Farina (Alfa Romeo) wins the start.
L. Fagioli (Alfa Romeo) assumes the lead on Lap 10 as the first pit cycle commences.
Farina assumes the lead on Lap 16.
J.M. Fangio (Alfa Romeo) assumes the lead on Lap 38 as the second pit cycle commences.
Farina assumes the lead on Lap 39, holds off teammate Fagioli, and drives to victory.

200,000 strong attend the racing festivities presided over by the British Royal Retinue of King George, Queen Elizabeth, and Princess Margaret.

1. Farina, Italy, Alfa Romeo (maiden win, career).
2. Fagioli, Italy, Alfa Romeo (maiden podium, career), -2.6 sec.
3. R.H. Parnell, Great Britain, Alfa Romeo (maiden podium, career).

Constructor Victor: Alfa Romeo SpA (1).
Engine Victor: Alfa Romeo SpA (1).

Championship
Farina-ITA 9, Fagioli-ITA 6, Parnell-GBR 4.

Alfa Romeo SpA 19, Automobiles Talbot-Darracq SA 5.

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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off …

Posted on February 27, 2011 by gharls

NASCAR

The Glass Slipper Slides Off The Foot ...

We here at DGM rolled our eyes all week as wunderboy Trevor Bayne basked in glory over his improbable Daytona 500 victory. Bayne makes for a fabulous story, but  goodness, give the media a little bit of rope …

Bayne’s pumpkin carriage splattered all over the Phoenix asphalt Sunday. After wrecking in practice and struggling throughout the afternoon as a backmarker, the Wood Bros. 21 caught itself in a tight spot and America’s Kewpie Doll spiraled back to earth with a torn up rear clip and a DNF to boot. Ugh. Bayne’s the real deal, but he’s still not quite ready for prime time.

On the other hand, the TRUE wunderboy (wunderpapa?) saw his fortunes soar like the Space Shuttle at Winter Phoenix.

You Can't Keep A Good Man Down ...

With only nine laps remaining and with Little Busch holding on to a slender lead margin, Jeff Gordon creeps up on the leader, gives the Wild Thing a polite shove in the left rear, and impishly slides on past for P1 and his first Sprint Cup victory in 66 starts. Gordon offers up a pathetic burnout afterwards, stalls the car on the infield, and then sheepishly admits to hijinx against Busch to snatch the win. Not perhaps the most manly of finishes, but hey, after hanging up number 83 for his career on the garage wall, no one should truly doubt the 24′s all-time bona fides.

Formula 1

Bye, Bye, Baby ...

Let’s face it … only the F1 Circus remains truly upset over Big Bernie’s cancellation of Race 1 at Bahrain due to domestic turbulence. Bahrain hosts a predictably boring event due to its layout … why watch another parade processing while waiting for half the field’s motors expire due to heat prostration? The infilade gifted all of us a favor by stealing Bahrain from the calendar … yet we all know that F1 still silently sobs in its unshipped champagne flute cartons. Bah!

IndyCar

They Say The Best Things In Life Are Free ...

After IndyCar announced last week its still mouth watering $5 million challenge to any non-Series driver who can pull off a victory at Las Vegas in October, we here at DGM immediately drummed up recent Sprint Cup castoff Sam Hornish, Jr. as a likely candidate to bag the loot (we post him at 7-1 odds). Hornish’s ego surely must have taken a bruising after his demotion back to NNS, and nothing would balm his tortured soul as sweet as a cool five meg finding its way into his wallet. Hornish can drive the wheels off an open-wheel chassis, and we just can’t see why some team wouldn’t want to cut a one-race deal with him just for a chance to get their grubby hands on all that cheddah …

Stay tuned, race fans.

Add some spice to your race viewing weekend and play Fantasy Cup Series. What? You’re watching the race anyway …

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