1954 12 Hours of Sebring

Sports car endurance race August 2023 thumb|275px|Sebring International Raceway in 1952-1966 The 1954 12 Hours of Sebring (officially the Florida International 12-Hour Grand Prix of Endurance http://www.racingsportscars.com/covers/_Sebring-1954-03-07.jpg Official Program, Florida International 12-Hour Grand Prix of Endurance, March 7th 1954 at Sebring Florida, USA, front cover, www.racingsportscars.com Retrieved on 5 April 2015) was a motor race for sports cars, staged on 7 March 1954 at the Sebring International Raceway, Florida, United States. It was the second race of the 1954 World Sportscar Championship and was the fourth 12 Hours of Sebring. The race was won by Bill Lloyd and Stirling Moss driving an Osca MT4 1450. Report Entry A grand total 89 sports cars were entered for this event, of which only 63 arrived for practice. Entries included the work teams of Lancia, running four cars, Aston Martin, running three cars and Austin-Healey with one car. The three work's Lancia D24's, entered for Juan Manuel Fangio and Eugenio Castellotti, Piero Taruffi and Robert Manzon and Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi, were in a class of their own. http://www.ferrariexperts.com/SCCA%20results%201954.html#SEB Reference at www.ferrariexperts.comAugust 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes http://www.stirlingmoss.com/articles/news/striling-moss-race-history-1954-Sebring-12-hours Archived copy 2014-09-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20150409085411/http://www.stirlingmoss.com/articles/news/striling-moss-race-history-1954-Sebring-12-hours 2015-04-09 dead The factory Ferrari entries did not materialize, in order to defend their championship lead, but the private entries of Bill Spear and Briggs Cunningham were on hand. Likewise, there was no Jaguar factory team, but eight Jaguars were listed on the entry. Some of the race participants who also were noted in other fields of endeavor included ex-US congressman Jim Simpson, "international playboy" Porfirio Rubirosa, and, fresh from finishing second in the Buenos Aires 1000km, Marquis de Portago – well known equestrian at the time and also a high ranking Spanish nobility.Alec Ulmann, “The Sebring Story" (Chilton Book Company, ASIN B0006CUAP2, 1969) Practice It became obvious during Friday practice sessions that the race would be between the Ferraris and Lancias. The Lancia D24s lapped the 5.2 mile circuit in three minutes 38 seconds and on the Saturday, Cunningham's Ferrari 375 MM made it in 3m 31sec. Another of Cunningham cars, an Osca MT4 1450 piloted by young English driver, Stirling Moss with his partnered Bill Lloyd, turned in lap on Friday of, 3m 56 secs, although this small engined car, no one considered this car a real threat the Lancias. Race The race was held over 12 hours on the 5.2 miles Sebring International Raceway. The early morning rain cleared to leave a cold, windy but dry day. However, throughout the race, the strong wind blowing directly out of the north created a nasty crosswind on the fast back stretch. With the race starting promptly at 10am, 59 cars scrambled for positions. Cunningham in his own Cunningham C-4R was the first across the line, but was soon headed by Erwin Goldschmidt in his Allard-Cadillac J2R. However, before the end of lap one, the three Lancias, of Fangio, Ascari and Taruffi had sorted themselves out and headed the field, running one, two and three with Spear's Ferrari close behind. The Cunningham Ferrari of Phil Walters, stopped for a replacement spark plug and lost several minutes. Moss was keeping the bigger cars on their toes holding down 4th. Around mid-distance, trouble hits Spear's Ferrari, crippled by a broken oil seal. Last year's winner's, John Fitch and Walters, in their Ferrari had been marking up time, and with Spear's retirement, the only threat to the flying Lancias. Fitch and Walters had been pushing the car hard, and this too would not finish, going out late afternoon with a bad connecting rod bearing. As darkness fell on the former Hendricks Army Airfield, the Lancias of Ascari and Villoresi, and Fangio and Castellotti had retired due to brakes and gearbox issues respectively, leaving the burden on the shoulders of Taruffi and Manzon. This D24, was still lapping swiftly on the now night-blackened circuit, at an average speed of 82 mph – more than seven mph faster than the 1953 record-breaking Cunningham C-4R – albeit with only one headlight. As Taruffi and Manzon streaked out of sight, chief race steward, Alec Ulmann announced that the Lancia would be black-flagged if it continued to race with just one light. The team's race director, Attilio Pasquarelli put out a red flag, and leaned far out onto the course to block the car's path. When the car finally pitted, Manzon protested: "The car wouldn't go any faster – oil pressure was off." He thought the red flag was a pit signal that their lead was in danger. thumb|Moss and Lloyd's race winning Osca MT4 Despite, as Moss said, the Lancias were "wiping the floor with the rest of us", Lloyd and Moss soon took advantage of the Osca's beautiful handling, by throwing the car sideways, into the corners to scrub off as much speed as they started to countering the high brake wear. The three Aston Martins had retired quite early János L. Wimpffen, Sebring 12 Hours - David over Goliath, Time and Two Seats, 1999, pages 147 to 150 and the leading Lancia D24 being driven by Manzon, stopped on the circuit with engine trouble an hour from the end of the race.Anthony Prichard, The Blue and White of Turin, The Racing Sports Car, 1970, pages 129 to 130 Manzon returned to the pits on foot, but co-driver Taruffi acted to push the car for the mile and a half back to the pits. The Lancia was finally pushed across the finish line but was disqualified and the Osca, driven by Moss and Lloyd, won the race. The Osca survived a slightly suspect clutch and a tremendous rain storm to take a totally unexpected win. They covered 168 laps (873.6 miles), averaging a speed of 72.800 mph. Second place went to the Lancia D24 of Porfirio Rubirosa and Gino Valenzano, albeit five laps adrift. Third place was awarded to the Austin-Healey 100 entered by Donald Healey and driven by Lance Macklin and George Huntoon. http://www.teamdan.com/archive/wsc/1954/54sebrin.html Reference at www.teamdan.com 2014-09-28 2015-09-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924121144/http://www.teamdan.com/archive/wsc/1954/54sebrin.html dead Although there were no fatalities during the race, James Brundage, died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on his way home when the Allard he was driving hit a tree. Official Classification Class Winners are in Bold text. Pos No ClassDriver Entrant Car Laps Reason Out 1st 56 S1.5 USA Bill Lloyd GBR Stirling Moss B. S. Cunningham Osca MT4 1450 12hr 00:00.0, 168 2nd 39 S5.0 Dominican Republic Porfirio Rubirosa Italy Gino Valenzano Scuderia Lancia Co. Lancia D24 163 3rd 29 S3.0 GBR Lance Macklin USA George Huntoon Donald Healey Ltd. Austin-Healey 100 163 4th 91 S1.5 USA James Simpson USA George Colby James Simpson Osca MT4 1450 163 5th 61 S1.5 USA Otto Linton USA Harry Beck Speedcraft Enterprises Osca MT4 1350 161 DISQ 38 S5.0 Italy Piero Taruffi France Robert Manzon Scuderia Lancia Co. Lancia D24 161 Pushed 6th 97 S2.0 USA Bill Carpenter USA John van Driel W. K. Carpenter Kieft-Bristol Sport 158 7th 41 S2.0 USA Richard Cicurel USA Jim Pauley Richard Cicurel Siata 208s 155 8th 65 S1.1 USA Rees Makins USA Frank Bott Rees Makins Osca MT4 1100 152 9th 15 S5.0 USA Jake Kaplan USA Russ Boss Jacob Kaplan Jaguar XK120 151 10th 49 S1.5 Argentina Fernando Segura Argentina Daimo Bojanich Fernando Segura Porsche 550 144 11th 54 S1.5 USA Fred Allen USA Gus Ehrman Fred Allen Kieft-MG Sport 144 12th 62 S1.5 USA Richard Toland USA Charles Devaney Richard Toland Denzel-VW 1300 Super 142 13th 9 S5.0 USA Austin Young USA Jack Morton A. F. Young Jr. Jaguar XK120 142 14th 18 S5.0 USA Fred Dagavar USA Henry Fanelli Fred Dagavar Jaguar XK120 141 15th 50 S1.5 USA Hubert L. Brundage USA William Simpson H. L. Brunsdage Porsche 356 America Roadster 141 16th 62 S8.0 USA Walt Gray USA Chuck Hall Walter S. Gray Allard-Oldsmobile J2 141 17th 32 S3.0 USA Jim Feld USA Robert Gary Brooks Stevens Excalibur-Willys J 141 18th 46 S1.5 USA Howard Hanna USA Evans Hunt Howard Hanna Porsche 550 136 DNF 19 S5.0 USA Al Garz USA Len Lesko Fred Dagavar Jaguar XK120 134 Brakes 19th 74 S750 USA Ken Heavlin USA C. J. Davis C. J. Davis DB HBR Panhard 127 20th 67 S1.1 USA John Bentley USA Guy Atkins John BentleySiata-Fiat 300BC 127 21st 66 S1.1 USA Austin Conley USA Horman Christianson Austin Conley Siata-Fiat 300BC 126 22nd 64 S5.0 USA D. Carleton Wilson USA Bob Kennedy D. Carleton Wilson Jaguar XK120 124 DISQ 10 S5.0 USA John Gordon Bennett USA Traver McKenna Frank Miller Jaguar C-type 113 Disqualified NC 12 S5.0 USA Charles Schott USA David Michaels Chas. Schott Jaguar XK120 111 Accident DNF 5 S5.0 USA Phil Walters USA John Fitch B. S. Cunningham Ferrari 375 MM 104 Engine DNF 1 S8.0 USA Briggs Cunningham USA Sherwood Johnston B. S. Cunningham Company Cunningham C-4R 104 Engine NC 35 S2.0 USA Alan Patterson USA Ernesto Tornquist Alan Patterson Triumph TR2 103 NC 57 S1.5 USA George Moffett USA Bob Sand George Moffett Osca MT4 1450 102 DNF 99 S1.5 USA Victor Herzog USA Steve Lansing A.E. Goldschmidt Kieft-MG Sport 88 DNF 37 S5.0 Italy Alberto Ascari Italy Luigi Villoresi Scuderia Lancia Co. Lancia D24 87 Brakes DNF 17 S3.0 USA John Schmidt USA John German John Ellwood Jaguar XK120 82 Off course DNF 25 S3.0 USA Charles Wallace USA Carroll Shelby Aston Martin Ltd. Aston Martin DB3S 77 Rear end DNF 42 S2.0 USA Don McKnought USA William Eager Don McKnought Maserati A6GCS 67 Accident DNF 100 S1.5 USA Gleb Derujinsky USA Don Underwood Gleb Derujinsky Kieft-MG Sport 65 DNF 14 S5.0 USA Conrad Janis USA James Daly Conrad Janis Jaguar XK120 65 DNF 7 S5.0 USA William Spear USA Phil Hill Bill Spear Ferrari 375 MM 60 Rear end DNF 48 S1.5 USA James Graham USA J. Stimpson James Graham Porsche 550 57 Fuel system DNF 36 S5.0 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Italy Eugenio Castellotti Scuderia Lancia Co. Lancia D24 51 Real axle DNF 44 S2.0 USA Larry Kulok USA Harry Grey Geo. B. McClellan Fraser Nash Le Mans Replica 50 Engine DNF 58 S1.5 USA William Brewster USA Henry Rudkin Wm. Brewster Osca MT4 1450 47 Transmission DNF 40 S2.0 Italy Luigi Musso Italy Ferdinando Gatta Maserati Co. Maserati A6GCS 47 Brakes DNF 30 S3.0 USA James L. Brundage USA James Orr H. L. Brundage Austin-Healey 100 36 Engine DNF 11 S5.0 USA Watt Hansgen USA Paul Timmins Walt Hansgen Jaguar C-Type 28 Engine DNF 59 S1.5 USA William Franklin USA Ned Curtis Howard Hanna MG Magnette 27 DNF 22 S3.0 USA Harry Schell Spain 1945 Alfonso de Portago Harry Schell Ferrari 250 MM Vignale 26 Axle DNF 24 S3.0 GBR Peter Collins GBR Pat Griffiths Aston Martin Ltd. Aston Martin DB3S 25 Brakes DNF 8 S5.0 USA Peter Sparacino USA Raymond Osborne A. F. Young, Jr, Jaguar XK120 25 DNF 23 S3.0 GBR Reg Parnell GBR Roy Salvadori Aston Martin Ltd. Aston Martin DB3S 24 Engine DNF 70 S750 USA Bret Hannaway USA Miles Collier Miles Collier Bandini S 750 21 Engine DNF 26 S3.0 USA William Wellenberg, Jr. USA William Wonder Wm. Wellenberg Austin-Healey 100 20 Engine DNF 33 S3.0 USA Mike Rothschild USA George Hunt Michel Rothschild Healey-Riley Silverstone 17 DNF 69 S750 USA Roger Wing USA Karl Brocken Isabelle Haskell Siata-Crosley 300BC 17 DNF 72 S750 USA Phil Stiles USA George Schrafft Geo. Schrafft Palm Beach-Crosley Special 16 Rear end DNF 31 S3.0 USA Hal Ullrich USA Ham Reidy Brooks Stevens Excalibur-Willys J 10 Fuel leak DNF 98 S8.0 USA Erwin Goldschmidt USA Johnny Rocco A. E. Goldschmidt Allard-Cadillac JR 9 Engine DNF 27 S3.0 USA Joe Giubardo Canada Phil Smyth Joseph Giubardo Austin-Healey 100 3 DNF 28 S3.0 USA Dick Irish USA Ralph Knudson Brooks Stevens Excalibur-Willys J 1 Engine DNS 20 S3.0 USA F. Randolph Pearsall USA George Tilp George Tilp Aston Martin-Offenhuaser DB2 Transmission DNS 51 S1.5 USA John Schmidt USA John German John Ellwood Porsche 550 raced car #17 DNS 63 S1.5 USA Dickson Yates USA Duncan Black Dickson Yates Excalibur-Willys J Oil pressure DNS 75 S350 USA Bill Wood USA John Moncur Wm. W. Wood Rex Mercury Marine Failed scrutineering http://wsrp.ic.cz/wsc1954.html Archived copy 2014-09-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20141021083459/http://wsrp.ic.cz/wsc1954.html#2 2014-10-21 dead http://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Sebring-1954-03-07.html Sebring 12 Hours 1954 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars Fastest Lap: Alberto Ascari, 3:32.0secs (88.302 mph) Class Winners Class Winners Sports 8000 2 Allard-Oldsmobile J2 Gray / Hall Sports 5000 39 Lancia D24 Rubirosa / Valenzano Sports 3000 29 Austin-Healey 100 Macklin / Huntoon Sports 2000 97 Kieft-Bristol Sport Carpenter / van Driel Sports 1500 56 Osca MT4 1450 Lloyd / Moss Sports 1100 65 Osca MT4 1100 Makins / Bott Sports 750 74 DB HBR Panhard Heavlin / Davis http://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Sebring-1954-03-07.html Sebring 12 Hours 1954 - Racing Sports Cars Standings after the race Pos Championship Points 1= Italy Ferrari 8 Italy Osca 8 3 Italy Lancia 6 4= UK Aston Martin 4 GBR Austin-Healey 4 Note: Only the top five positions are included in this set of standings. Championship points were awarded for the first six places in each race in the order of 8-6-4-3-2-1. Manufacturers were only awarded points for their highest finishing car with no points awarded for positions filled by additional cars. Only the best 4 results out of the 6 races could be retained by each manufacturer. References 30em Further reading Alec Ulmann. The Sebring Story. Chilton Book Company. ASIN B0006CUAP2. 1954 World Sportscar Championship 1000 km Buenos Aires Mille Miglia Category:12 Hours of Sebring Sebring Sebring Sebring Sebring