1956 12 Hours of Sebring

Sports car endurance race August 2023 thumb|275px|Sebring International Raceway in 1952-1966 The 1956 Florida International Grand Prix of Endurance powered by Amoco took place on 24 March, on the Sebring International Raceway, (Florida, United States). It was the second round of the F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship. For the sixth running of the event, was a sign to many in the automotive community that this race had become North America's premier sports car race, and from an international standpoint second only to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. thumb|right|A Ferrari lineup for the race. Car number 17, Ferrari 860 Monza, won the race. However, this race came just eight months after the disaster at Le Mans. The United States was not immune to the fallout following that race, and the American Automobile Association decide to withdraw from all participation in motor sport. This left the promoters with no international recognition for the race, and therefore no FIA approval. It was very simple; no FIA approval, no international race.https://www.sportscardigest.com/1956-sebring-12-hours-grand-prix-race-profile/ 1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile 2012-12-07 Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal en-US 2019-09-13 Alec Ullmann, one of those promoters, and founder of Sebring, approached the Sports Car Club of America, but could not maintain its amateur status, if it supported the race. Ullmann did however obtain "special permission" from the FIA to allow him organise the event himself, through his Automobile Racing Club of Florida, and issued the international licenses.https://www.sportscardigest.com/1956-sebring-12-hours-grand-prix-race-profile/ 1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile 2012-12-07 Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal en-US 2019-09-13 Report Entry A massive total of 74 racing cars were registered for this event, of which 69 arrived for practice. Only 59 qualified for the race. Adding to the build-up to the event, was the announcement that five European factory teams were planning to race in Florida. Those teams were Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, Maserati and Porsche.http://www.wsrp.ic.cz/wsc1956.html World Sports Racing Prototypes - World Championship 1956 2015-06-02 https://web.archive.org/web/20150222005213/http://wsrp.ic.cz/wsc1956.html 2015-02-22 dead https://www.sportscardigest.com/1956-sebring-12-hours-grand-prix-race-profile/ 1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile 2012-12-07 Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal en-US 2019-09-13 With Ferrari determined to recapture the manufacturer's championship they lost Mercedes-Benz in 1955, Scuderia Ferrari was making its first factory appearance at Sebring. Accompanying the pair of 860 Monzas and a 857 S, were some of the best drivers in the world. They included the reigning World Champion, Juan Manuel Fangio, Eugenio Castellotti, Luigi Musso, Harry Schell, Alfonso de Portago and Olivier Gendebien. Mike Hawthorn returned after winning in 1955, driving a factory Jaguar D-Type along with Desmond Titterington, Duncan Hamilton, Ivor Bueb, Bill Spear. Hawthorn's entrant from the previous year, Briggs Cunningham was now with the factory outfit, as was Indianapolis 500 winner, Bob Sweikert. A total of nine D-Types would start the race. The other English factory team, Aston Martin was led by Stirling Moss. He had won the opening race of the season, 1000km Buenos Aires for Maserati, but due to race for Aston Martin in Florida, partnership by Peter Collins, whom himself had switched from Ferrari. Their team-mates were Texan Carroll Shelby, Roy Salvadori, Tony Brooks and Reg Parnell with John Wyer managing the team. Maserati was represented by a pair of 300Ss in the hands Jean Behra and Piero Taruffi driving one car while Carlos Menditéguy and Cesare Perdisa drove the other. Porsche send two of their Porsche 550 Spyder for Hans Herrmann and Wolfgang von Trips in one, and Ed Crawford and Herbert Linge in the other. In a private 550 Spyder, entered by John Edgar Enterprises were Jack McAfee and Pete Lovely. Taking note of the press interest surrounding the race, General Motors dispatched John Fitch to Florida, in February 1956, in order to get a team of Chevrolet Corvettes sorted out for the 12-hour race. Much to Fitch's dismay the factory prepared ‘race-cars’ were totally unsuitable for the rough Sebring airport course.https://www.sportscardigest.com/1956-sebring-12-hours-grand-prix-race-profile/ 1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile 2012-12-07 Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal en-US 2019-09-13 Qualifying Because they were no qualifying sessions to set the grid, the starting positions were decided according to engine size with the 5.2 litre Corvette of John Fitch and Walt Hansgen in first place. Next was the 5.0 litre Ferrari 375 Plus of Troy Ruttman and Howard Hively. In third place should have been the 4.4 litre Ferrari 735 LM of Jim Kimberly and Ed Linken, however during practice, the car had more than once thrown a flywheel, so Kimberly withdraw the car. Scuderia Ferrari allowed Kimberly to drive with Alfonso de Portago in their 857 Monza. Next in line were three Corvettes with their 4.3 litre engines, and then came eight 3.4 litre Jaguars.https://www.sportscardigest.com/1956-sebring-12-hours-grand-prix-race-profile/ 1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile 2012-12-07 Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal en-US 2019-09-13 Race The race was held over 12 hours on the 5.2 miles Sebring International Raceway. An estimated 47,000 spectators showed on a warm and dry raceday. With the race starting promptly at 10am.https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Sebring-1956-03-24.html Sebring 12 Hours 1956 - Racing Sports Cars www.racingsportscars.com 2019-09-13 As his car was effective on pole position, Fitch's Corvette was the first car to cross the start line, but before he travelled 300 yards down to the first corner, he was passed by the fuel injected Jaguar D-Type of Mike Hawthorn. This, despite starting down in eighth. To some observes, Stirling Moss was the first to drive away from the grid, but as he started down in 26th he had his work cut out. At the end of the first lap, he was running second to Hawthorn by ten seconds. Juan Manuel Fangio was further six seconds adrift. Carroll Shelby was fourth another twelve seconds down the road. The dubious distinction of being the first retirement of the race went to the factory Corvette of Dale Duncan when the axle broke after just three laps.http://www.teamdan.com/archive/wsc/1956/56seb.html 1956 Sebring 12 Hours 2015-06-02 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054036/http://www.teamdan.com/archive/wsc/1956/56seb.html 2016-03-04 dead https://www.sportscardigest.com/1956-sebring-12-hours-grand-prix-race-profile/ 1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile 2012-12-07 Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal en-US 2019-09-13 After 60 minutes, Hawthorn's D-Type still held the lead followed by Moss in his Aston Martin, Fangio and Musso in their Ferrari, Hamilton in another D-Type. As it would transpire, a close battle between the factory entered D-Types and the 860 Monzas, would ensue for almost eight hours, with the lead changing nine times, as a leader would pit and almost immediately give up it to a competitor and then regain the lead when that car had to pit.https://www.sportscardigest.com/1956-sebring-12-hours-grand-prix-race-profile/ 1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile 2012-12-07 Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal en-US 2019-09-13 Just after the start of the third hour, the Maserati 300S of Menditéguy, hit hay bales in the Esses and flipped. As a result, he suffered serious injuries with skull fractures and deep lacerations in the face and arm. After a short delay while he laid bleeding trackside, Menditéguy was rushed to the American Red Cross mobile hospital. There, they stabilized him before transferring him to the Weems Hospital in Sebring. Meanwhile, he co-driver would transfer to the Behra/Taruffi 300S. Around this time, Moss pitted and expressed his doubts that his car could last the distance. The mechanics did what they could and sent Collins out for his stint. Already the hot Florida day, the punishing pace and the rough Sebring track had taken their toll with seventeen cars having to be retired. At the head of the field, Hawthorn was leading from Behra, Fangio took up third, Collins fourth, with de Portago moving into fifth. For the next couple of hours, the lead changed several times between these drivers, with Shelby competing for a spot in the top five.https://www.sportscardigest.com/1956-sebring-12-hours-grand-prix-race-profile/ 1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile 2012-12-07 Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal en-US 2019-09-13 The D-Type of Hamilton/Bueb suffered an exploded brake cylinder and retired, around the fifth hour mark, while the Aston Martin of Moss/Collins was parked out on course with a terminal gearbox problem. At the half-way point, the Hawthorn/Titteringham Jaguar was now back in the lead, when Fangio/Castellotti pitted. By now, more than a third of the field had retired. An hour later, Hawthorn was still leading, from Fangio, Musso, Spear and Portago, although Portago's Ferrari, with Kimberly driving, swallowed a valve and became the first Scuderia Ferrari to retire. A valve problem also took the D-Type of Spear and Sherwood Johnston out of the race. For the next four hours, the top three positions frequently changed between the Hawthorn/Titteringham Jaguar, the Fangio/Castellotti Ferrari and the Musso/Schell Ferrari.https://www.sportscardigest.com/1956-sebring-12-hours-grand-prix-race-profile/ 1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile 2012-12-07 Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal en-US 2019-09-13 Finally the pace was too much for the Hawthorn /Titterington Jaguar and it retired on lap 162 with just over ninety minutes to go in the race. Their D-Type had either led or was in second place for most of the race until the very last pit stop. When Hawthorn pulled into the pits for the last time the brakes were useless. They had locked up on him going into one of the turns and then stopped working. It seems that a brake piston gave way and he lost all brake fluid. The Jaguar mechanics worked on the car for more than fifteen minutes but by then it was too late. Having lost too many laps to the Ferrari of Fangio and Castellotti, they withdrew the car.https://www.sportscardigest.com/1956-sebring-12-hours-grand-prix-race-profile/ 1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile 2012-12-07 Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal en-US 2019-09-13 thumb|A Ferrari 860 Monza, similar to the race winning car of Fangio & Castellotti, in the Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum, Sinsheim, Germany Castellotti began driving at a slower pace now that the Jaguar challenge was gone. He was determined that the car would finish, and started to lap slower than most of the remaining cars left in the race. However, he made sure not to slow down enough to give his team-mates Musso and Schell any chance of catching him. At 10pm, and after 12 hours of racing, Castellotti took the chequered flag, with his 860 Monza completing 194 laps, and a record distance of 1,008.8 miles, averaging a speed of 84.07 mph. This was the first time the thousand mile mark has been arching at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Coming home in second was the Scuderia Ferrari 860 Monza of Musso and Schell, having completed 192 laps. On their first trip to Sebring, Maranello scored the first one-two sweep ever by a manufacturer. The podium was complete by the Jaguar D-Type of Sweikert, co-driven by Jack Ensley, the American pairing salvaging some honour for the English marque. In fourth, and also a class winner was the Aston Martin of Salvadori and Shelby. Only 24 of the original 59 starters were there at the finish. Official Classification Class Winners are in Bold text. Pos No ClassDriver Entrant Chassis Laps Reason Out 1st 17 S5.0 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Italy Eugenio Castellotti Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 860 Monza 12hr 00:31.198, 194 2nd 18 S5.0 Italy Luigi Musso USA Harry Schell Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 860 Monza 192 3rd 14 S5.0 USA Bob Sweikert USA Jack Ensley Jack Ensley Jaguar D-Type 188 4th 27 S3.0 GBR Roy Salvadori USA Carroll Shelby David Brown & Sons, Ltd. Aston Martin DB3S 187 5th 24 S3.0 France Jean BehraItaly Cesare Perdisa Italy Piero Taruffi Officine Alfieri Maserati S.p.a. Maserati 300S 186 6th 41 S1.5 West Germany Hans Herrmann West Germany Wolfgang von Trips Porsche K.G. Porsche 500 Spyder 182 7th 43 S1.5 USA Jack McAfee USA Pete Lovely John Edgar Enterprises Porsche 550 Spyder 179 8th 16 S5.0 Cuba Alfonso Gomez-Mena Cuba Santiago González Alfonso Mena Jaguar D-Type 176 9th 1 S8.0 USA John Fitch USA Walt Hansgen Raceway Enterprises Chevrolet Corvette Special 176 10th 33 S2.0 Dominican Republic Porfirio Rubirosa USA Jim Pauley Porfirio Rubirosa Ferrari 500 Mondial 172 DNF 28 S3.0 GBR Reg Parnell GBR Tony Brooks David Brown & Sons, Ltd. Aston Martin DB3S 169 Engine 11th 31 S3.0 USA Phil Stiles USA George Huntoon Ship & Shores Motors Austin-Healey 100 S 168 12th 11 S5.0 USA Briggs Cunningham USA John Gordon Bennett B. S. Cunningham Jaguar D-Type 168 13th 39 S2.0 USA Bob Ballenger USA Phil Stewart S. H. Arnolt Arnolt -Bristol Bolide 158 DNF 8 S5.0 GBR Mike Hawthorn GBR Desmond Titterington Jaguar of New York Distributors Inc. Jaguar D-Type 162 Brakes 14th 66 S1.5 USA Mike MarshallWest Germany Huschke von Hanstein USA Jan Brundage Porsche KG Porsche 550 158 15th 6 S5.0 USA Max Goldman USA Ray Crawford Raceway Enterprises Chevrolet Corvette C1 157 16th 58 S750 France Paul Armagnac France Guillaume Mercader Automobiles D.B. D.B. – Panhard HBR 5 155 17th 40 S2.0 USA Jim Peterson USA Ted Boynton S. H. Arnolt Arnolt-Bristol Bolide 154 18th 37 S2.0 USA Joseph Hap Dressel USA William F. Woodbury J. H. Dressel AC Ace 154 19th 50 S1.5 USA William Kinchloe USA Stephen Spilter Hambro Automotive Company MGA 151 20th 49 S1.5 USA David AshUSA John van Driel USA Gus Ehrman Hambro Automotive Company MGA 151 21st 55 S1.1 USA Leech Cracraft USA Red Bryon Cooper Car Co. Cooper-Climax T39 147 22nd 51 S1.5 USA Fred Allen USA Sid W. Blackman Hambro Automotive Company MGA 139 DNF 19 S5.0 USA Jim Kimberly Spain 1945 Alfonso de Portago Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 857 S 137 Valve 23rd 3 S5.0 USA Don Davis USA Robert Gatz Carl Beuhler III Chevrolet Corvette C1 136 DNF 67 S2.0 USA Jack Ryan John Ryan Arnolt -Bristol Bolide 108 Out of fuel DNF 22 S3.0 Venezuela Chester Flynn USA George Reed Chester Flynn Mercedes-Benz 300 SL 126 Camshaft DNF 10 S5.0 USA Bill Spear USA Sherwood Johnston Jaguar of New York Distributors Inc. Jaguar D-Type 127 Value DNF 12 S5.0 USA Jake Kaplan USA Russ Boss Jake Kaplan Jaguar D-Type 120 Brakes DNF 56 S1.1 USA Ed Hugus USA John Bentley Cooper Car Co. Cooper-Climax T39 117 Flat battery DNF 29 S3.0 GBR Lance Macklin GBR Archie Scott Brown Donald Healey Motors Co. Ltd. Austin-Healey 100 S 110 Starter DNF 42 S1.5 USA Ed CrawfordWest Germany Huschke von Hanstein West Germany Herbert Linge Porsche K.G. Porsche 500 Spyder 108 Wheel 24th 54 S1.1 USA M. R. J. Wyllie USA Margaret Wyllie Dr. M. R. J. Wyllie Lotus-Climax Mark IX 99 DNF 30 S3.0 USA Roy Jackson-Moore USA Elliot Forbes-Robinson Donald Healey Motor Co. Ltd. Austin-Healey 100 S 90 Engine DNF 35 S2.0 USA Mike Rothschild USA George Hunt Morgan Motors Morgan-Triumph Plus 4 87 Steering DNF 32 S3.0 USA Gene Greenspan USA Bruce Kessler William Greenspan Ferrari 250 MM 82 Engine DNF 47 S1.5 USA Bobby Burns USA Norman Scott Allen Guiberson Maserati 150S 77 Gearbox DNF 38 S2.0 USA S. H. Arnolt USA Bob Goldrich S. H. Arnolt Arnolt -Bristol Bolide 77 Accident, steering DNF 15 S5.0 USA Lou Brero USA Sam Weiss A. A. Brown Jaguar D-Type 68 Clutch DNF 9 S5.0 GBR Duncan Hamilton GBR Ivor Bueb Jaguar of New York Distributors Inc. Jaguar D-Type 63 Brakes DNF 20 S5.0 USA Phil Hill USA Masten Gregory George Tilp Ferrari 857 S 61 Bearings DISQ 53 S1.1 USA Warren Smith USA Joe Sheppard Joe Sheppard Lotus-Climax Mark IX 51 Illegal repairs DNF 26 S3.0 GBR Stirling Moss GBR Peter Collins David Brown & Sons, Ltd. Aston Martin DB3S 51 Gearbox DNF 63 S1.1 USA Ralph Miller USA Harold Fenner Ralph Miller Lotus-Climax Eleven 49 Oil system DNF 2 S5.0 USA Troy Ruttman USA Howard Hively Howard Hively Ferrari 375 Plus 48 Transmission DNF 25 S3.0 Italy Cesare Perdisa Argentina Carlos Menditéguy Officine Alfieri Maserati S.p.A. Maserati 300S 39 Accident DNF 62 S5.0 USA Loyal Katskee USA Roger Wing Loyal Katskee Jaguar D-Type 39 Accident DNF 64 S3.0 USA William Brewsterbill USA Bill Rutan William Brewster Austin-Healey 100 S 39 Clutch DNF 59 S750 France Gérard Laureau USA Hal Ullrich Brooks Stevens D.B. – Panhard HBR 36 Clutch DNF 52 S1.1 USA Curtis Attaway USA Ralph Parkinson Robert Brown Cooper-Climax T39 26 Valve DNF 60 S750 USA Harry Kite France François Crouzet Harry Kite D.B. – Panhard HBR 25 Accident DNF 7 S5.0 USA Ernie Erickson USA Charles Hassan Ernie Erickson Chevrolet Corvette 22 Piston DNF 48 S1.5 Argentina Alejandro de Tomaso USA Isabelle Haskell Alessandro de Tomaso Maserati 150S 15 Gearshift linkage DNF 46 S1.5 USA Bill Lloyd USA Karl Brocken William B. Lloyd Maserati 150S 13 Gearbox DNF 57 S1.1 Venezuela Mauricio Marcotulli Venezuela Ed Munoz Touring y Automovil Clude de Venezuela Osca MT4 1100 11 Differential DNF 61 S750 France Jean Lucas USA John Norwood Ecurie Lafayette D.B. – Panhard HBR 8 Gearbox DNF 34 S2.0 Venezuela Julio Pola Venezuela Enrique Muro Touring y Automovil Clude de Venezuela Ferrari 500 TR 8 Accident DNF 5 S5.0 USA Dale Duncan USA William Eager Raceway Enterprises Chevrolet Corvette C1 3 Real wheel DNS 3A S5.0 USA Jim Kimberly USA Ed Lunken Jim Kimberly Ferrari 735 LM Transmission DNS 21 S3.0 USA Paul O'Shea USA Dick Thompson George Tilp Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Oil leak DNS 23 S3.0 USA Charles Wallace USA Duncan Black Jack Pry Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Engine DNS 36 S2.0 USA John Weitz USA Manuel Bos Morgan Motors Morgan-Triumph Plus 4 Accident in practice DNS 44 S1.5 USA Rees Makins USA Frank Bott Automobili Osca S.p.a. Osca MT4 1500 Withdrawn DNS 46 S2.0 GBR Colin Chapman USA Len Bastrup Lotus Engineering Co. Lotus-Climax Eleven Accident in practice DNS S5.0 USA Fred Dagavar USA Al Garz Lillian Sands Jaguar XK140 did not start https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Sebring-1956-03-24.html Sebring 12 Hours 1956 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars www.racingsportscars.com 2019-09-13 Fastest Lap: Mike Hawthorn, 3:27.2secs (90.347 mph) Class Winners Class Winners Class B - Sports 8000 1 Chevrolet Corvette Special Fitch / Hansgen Class C - Sports 5000 17 Ferrari 860 Monza Fangio / Castellotti Class D - Sports 3000 27 Aston Martin DB3S Salvadori / Shelby Class E- Sports 2000 33 Ferrari 500 Mondial II Rubirosa / Pauley Class F - Sports 1500 41 Porsche 500 Spyder Hermann / von Trips Class G - Sports 1100 55 Cooper-Climax T39 Cracraft / Byron Class H - Sports 750 58 D.B. HBR - Panhard Armagnac / Mercader Standings after the race Pos Championship Points 1 Italy Ferrari 14 2 Italy Maserati 10 3 GBR Jaguar 4 4 GBR Aston Martin 3 5= West Germany Mercedes-Benz 1 West Germany Porsche 1 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 3 results out of the 5 races could be retained by each manufacturer. Points earned but not counted towards the championship totals are listed within brackets in the above table. References 30em Further reading Alec Ulmann. The Sebring Story. Chilton Book Company. ASIN B0006CUAP2. 1956 World Sportscar Championship 1000 km Buenos Aires Mille Miglia Category:12 Hours of Sebring Sebring Sebring Sebring Sebring