1955 12 Hours of Sebring

The 1955 Florida International Twelve Hour Grand Prix of Endurance took place on 13 March, on the Sebring International Raceway (Florida, USA). It was the second round of the F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship. For the fifth running of the event, the 5.2 mile course had been widened and smoothed with a new asphalt topping laid down. This was for safety and would allow the cars to achieve greater speed, especially in some of the corners.

Report

Entry

A massive total of 124 racing cars were registered for this event, of which 101 arrived for practice, trying to get among the 80 qualifiers for the race. Despite the size of the entry, the event was not supported by the major European teams, although there was one factory entry from England, for Donald Healey Motor Co., driven by Stirling Moss, who piloted a Osca to victory in 1954 with fellow Englishmen, Lance Macklin and two cars from France for Regie Renault Co., who include Robert Manzon amongst their squad. With no factory Ferrari entry to defend their championship lead, they were supported by the private entries of Allen Guiberson and Luigi Chinetti. [1]

Briggs Cunningham returned after winning in 1954, with five cars from five different manufacturers. One of those cars was a factory-supported Jaguar D-Type for Phil Walters and Mike Hawthorn. Cunningham himself was entered in a new Cunningham-Offenhauser C-6R with John Gordon Bennett [2]

There were a dozen different countries represented in the field, including the teams from Mexico and Venezuela. The later had Chester “Chet” Flynn leading their effort, while the Mexicans had a two car team with Fred T. Van Beuren and Carlos Braniff leading their charge. The race saw its first Hollywood movie star, as Jackie Cooper was listed to pilot an Austin-Healey 100S. [3]

Miss Isabelle Haskell was to become the first woman to complete, not only in the 12 Hours of Sebring – but in any American Automobile Association sanctioned race. Although the AAA did not allow ladies drivers, Haskell discovered that there was no such restriction placed on ‘foreign races’. By race day, another woman had signed up to drive in the race, Lady Oakes was listed to take the wheel with her husband, Sir Sydney Oakes. [4]

Race

The race was held over 12 hours on the 5.2 miles Sebring International Raceway. An estimated 20,000 spectators showed on a warm and sunny raceday. With the race starting promptly at 10am, 80 cars scrambled for positions. Meanwhile, six drivers who were unhappy at not being allowed to start, decided to go on the track at the start, they did one or two laps and then got off the track. Statistics show that the Hawthorn/Walter’s Jaguar D-Type led all but one of the 182 completed laps, That single lap, a Ferrari 750 Monza of Piero Taruffi and Harry Schell were able take to the front for lap 32. [5][6]

As darkness fell on the former Hendricks Army Airfield, the race ended in confusion. At one point, the Ferrari of Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby were declared winners, then it was the D-Type. The Jag was called to the winner’s circle, only to run out of fuel during the victory lap. The former Le Mans winner, Luigi Chinetti, the Ferrari representative from New York protested the result, which was counter-protected by the Jaguar owner, Briggs Cunningham. Cunningham insisted that the D-Type had passed the Ferrari. The owner of the Ferrari, Allen Guiberson demanded that the D-Type should be disqualified, as it passed the Ferrari under a yellow flag. Cunningham countered the Index of Performance Trophy should not have been handed to Hill/Shelby, when in fact it should have gone to the Osca driven by Bill Lloyd and George Huntoon. [7]

The AAA contest board called a meeting on 21 March to make a final decision. They inspected the records of Cunningham and Guiberson, and that of race timekeeper, Joe Lane. The AAA declared the Jaguar had won by a margin of ten seconds. Although Cunningham had won the race, his protest was disallowed and Ferrari was ruled the handicap winners under the Index of Performance. This was due to an admission by Ferrari team chief, Nello Ugolini had forgotten to count a lap. As a result, Walters became the first driver to win the Grand Prix of Endurance twice – having co-driven a Cunningham-Chrysler C4-R to victory with John Fitch in the 1953 race. [8]

The winning D-Type covered 182 laps (946.4 miles), averaging a speed of 79.300 mph. The podium was complete by William Spear’s Maserati 300S, which he co-drove with Sherwood Johnston albeit two laps adrift. Elsewhere, Cooper managed to finish the race in 41st, Haskell did not. She went out with an apparent engine problem. The Oakes’ Austin-Healey also failed to finish, after being involved in an accident. [9][10]

Official Classification

Class Winners are in Bold text.

Pos No Class Driver Entrant Chassis Laps Reason Out
1st 19 S5.0 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn United States Phil Walters B. S. Cunningham Jaguar D-Type 12hr 00:00.0, 182
2nd 25 S3.0 United States Phil Hill United States Carroll Shelby Allen Guiberson Ferrari 750 Monza Spyder 182
3rd 35 S3.0 United States William Spear United States Sherwood Johnston William C. Spear Maserati 300S 180
4th 36 S3.0 Italy Gino Valenzano Italy Cesare Perdisa Maserati Co. & B. S. Cunningham Maserati 300S 178
5th 28 S3.0 Italy Piero Taruffi United States Harry Schell Luigi Chinetti Ferrari 750 Monza 177
6th 44 S3.0 United Kingdom Stirling Moss United Kingdom Lance Macklin Donald Healey Motor Co. Austin-Healey 100S 176
7th 64 S1.5 United States Bill Lloyd United States George Huntoon B. S. Cunningham Osca MT4 1450 168
8th 68 S1.5 West Germany Huschke von Hanstein West Germany Herbert Linge Porsche Co. & B. S. Cunningham Porsche 550 Spyder 166
9th 63 S1.5 Mexico Carlos Braniff Mexico Javier Velasquez Carlos Braniff Cornejo Osca MT4 1500 166
10th 15 S5.0 United States Charles Wallace United States Dick Thompson Jack Pry Jaguar XK140 163
11th 61 S1.5 United States Bob Davis United States Candy Poole Robert H. Davis Porsche 550 Spyder 163
12th 14 S5.0 United States Russ Boss United States Jake Kaplan Jacob Kaplan Jaguar C-Type 162
13th 5 S8.0 United States Ray Crawford Ray Crawford Kurtis Kraft-Lincoln 500K 161
14th 70 S1.5 United States Ed Crawford United States John Urbas Fed Crawford Porsche 550 Spyder 161
15th 45 S3.0 United States William Brewster United States Bill Rutan Wm. Brewster Austin-Healey 100S 160
16th 40 S3.0 United States Bill Cook United States Steve Lansing Hobart A. H. Cook Austin-Healey 100S 156
17th 12 S5.0 United States Roger Wing United States Loyal Katskee Loyal Katskee Jaguar C-Type 156
18th 60 S2.0 United States John Panks United States Ernie Erickson S. H. Arnolt Arnolt Bolide Bristol 154
19th 4 S8.0 United States Bull Murphy United States Sam Hanks B. Murphy Kurtis Kraft-Buick 500K 153
20th 17 S5.0 United States M. R. J. Wyllie United States Leech Cracraft Dr. M. R. J. Wyllie Jaguar XK140 152
21st 31 S3.0 United States Harry Woodnorth United States Rees Makins Rees T. Makins & Herman Rutson Mercedes-Benz 300SL 152
22nd 38 S3.0 United States Joe Giubardo United States Fred Wolf Joseph Giubardo Austin-Healey 100M 152
23rd 81 S1.1 United States Paul O’Shea United States Fritz Koster Hoffmann Porsche Corp. Porsche 550 152
24th 39 S3.0 United States William Wonder United States William Wellenberg, Jr. Wm. Wellenberg, Jr. Austin-Healey 100M 151
25th 59 S2.0 United States S. H. Arnolt United States Bob Goldich S. H. Arnolt Arnolt Bolide Bristol 151
DISQ 79 S1.1 United States Frank Miller United States George Rabe Frank Miller Lotus-Climax Mark IX 150 pushed across the finish line
26th 18 S5.0 United States George Rice United States Bob Grossman Dr. Dolph Vilardi Jaguar XK140 149
27th 55 S2.0 United States Mike Rothschild United States Harold Kunz M. G. Rothschild Morgan-Triumph Plus 4 149
28th 48 S3.0 United States Jim Feld United States Bob Ballenger Brooks Stevens Excalibur J Willys 148
29th 58 S2.0 France René Dreyfus United States Robert Grier S. H. Arnolt Arnolt Bolide Bristol 148
30th 52 S2.0 United States John Weitz United States Gordon MacKenzie John Weitz Morgan-Triumph Plus 4 145
31st 84 S1.1 United States John Penn United States William Wierdon John S. Penn Siata-Fiat 300BC 145
32nd 43 S3.0 Canada James Fergusson Canada Rowland Keith Jas, F. Fergusson Austin-Healey 100S 143
33rd 57 S2.0 United States John Norwood United States Don Vitale John H. Horwood Arnolt Bolide Bristol 141
34th 69 S1.5 United States GuyAtkins United States Trevor McKenna Guy Atkins Porsche 356 1300 Coupe 141
35th 32 S3.0 Venezuela Chester Flynn Venezuela Ed Munoz Chester Fkynn Mercedes-Benz 300SL 139
36th 75 S1.5 United States Hubert Brundage
United States Al DuPree
United States Howard Fowler H. L. Brundage Porsche 356 1300 Coupe 139
37th 9 S5.0 United States Fred Scherer United States Don Davis, Jr. Fred G. Scherer Ford Thunderbird 138
DISQ 80 S1.1 United States John Bentley United States Jim McGee John Bentley Abarth 207A Boano 150 refuelling on track
38th 76 S1.5 United States David Ash United States Duncan Black David Ash MG TF 137
39th 77 S1.5 United States Jack Ryan United States Buel Kinne John E. Ryan MG 135
40th 8 S5.0 Mexico Fred van Beuren United States Eugene Towie Fred T. VanBeuren Van Bueren-Chrysler Special 131
41st 42 S3.0 United States Jackie Cooper United States Roy Jackson-Moore Jack Cooper Austin-Healey 100S 131
42nd 67 S1.5 United States Evans Hunt United States Howard Hanna Howard Hanna Porsche 550 Spyder 130
DNF 54 S2.0 United States Tom Friedmann United States Karl Brocken T.A. Fredmann Maserati 300 AG 129 Gearbox
43rd 50 S2.0 United Kingdom Tony Palmer-Morewood
United States Masten Gregory
United States Gleb Derujinsky Ecurie Yankee Ferrari 500 Mondial 124
44th 88 S750 United States E. C. Miller United States Curtis Attaway Int. Auto Sales Co. Renault 1063 124
DNF 87 S750 France Louis Pons
France Jean Hébert
France Robert Manzon Regie Renault Co. Renault 1063 121 Engine
DNF 72 S1.5 United States Norman Christianson United States Don McKnought Norman Christianson Porsche 550 Spyder 119 Brakes
DNF 82 S1.1 United States Austin Conley United States LeRoy Thorpe Austin L. Conley Siata-Fiat 300BC 112 unknown
DNF S2.0 United States David Mott United States Don Skogmo John F. Ellwood Triumph TR2 111 Head gasket
DNF S1.1 United States Norman Scott United States Robert W. Samuelson Bobbie Burns & Norman J. Scott, Jr. Lotus-Climax Mark IX 109 Accident
45th 3 S8.0 United States Walt Gray United States Paul Ceresole Walter Gray Allard-Chrysler J2X 104
DNF 24 S3.0 United States Ernie McAfee United States Howard Wheeler Wm. H. Doheny Ferrari 750 Monza 99 unknown
DNF 100 S2.0 United States Jim Pauley United States David Michaels James E. Pauley Siata 208CS Balbo 96 Transmission
DNF 29 S3.0 United States Sterling Edwards United States Chuck Daigh Manfredo Lippmann Ferrari 750 Monza 88 Engine
DNF 73 S1.5 United States Otto Linton United States Hal Stetson Speedcraft Enterprises Osca MT4 1450 83 Unknown
46th 16 S5.0 United States Fred Dagavar United States Al Garz Fred Dagavar Jaguar XK120 73
DNF 83 S1.1 United States Dick Irish United States Isabelle Haskell Isabelle Haskell Bandini Fiat 67 Engine
DNF 71 S1.5 United States Richard Toland United States Stan Hoffstein Richard H. R. Toland Denzel-Volkswagen 1300 Super 61 Unknown
DNF 41 S3.0 United States William Millkien United States Lester Smalley Bill Milliken Austin-Healey 100 60 Engine
DNF 74 S1.5 United States Walt Hansgen United States William Eager George E. Tilp Osca MT4 1350 58 Rear Axle
DNF 37 S3.0 United States Briggs Cunningham United States John Gordon Bennett B. S. Cunningham Cunningham-Offenhauer C6-R 54 Gearbox
DNF 26 S3.0 Spain Alfonso de Portago Italy Umberto Maglioli Marquis de Portago Ferrari 750 Monza 53 Gearbox
DNF 47 S3.0 United States Hal Ullrich United States Robert Grey Brooks Stevens Excalibur J Willys 50 Engine
DNF 46 S3.0 United States Gus Ehrman United States Fred Allen Fred F. Allen Austin-Healey 100S 47 Oil leak
DNF 49 S3.0 The Bahamas Sydney Oakes The Bahamas Greta Oakes Sir Sydney Oakes Austin-Healey 100M 44 Accident
DNF 89 S750 United States Sandy MacArthur United States Paul Gougelman Sandy MacArthur Bandini-Mercury Outboard 34 Engine
DNF 66 S1.5 United States Phil Stewart United States Ted Boynton Philip B. Stewart Osca MT4 1500 33 Accident damage
DNF 65 S1.5 United States Harry Chapman United States William Ball Harry A. Chapman Osca MT4 1500 18 Unknown
DNF 7 S5.0 United States Jim Kimberly United States Ed Lunken James Kimberly Ferrari 375 Plus 18 Rear axle
DNF 33 S3.0 Venezuela Julio Pola Venezuela Pancho Croquer Pancho P. Croquer Mercedes-Benz 300SL 17 Out of fuel
DNF 53 S2.0 Dominican Republic Porfirio Rubirosa United States Cal Niday Porfirio Rubirosa Ferrari 500 Mondial 14 Accident
DNF 2 S8.0 United States Andy Rosenberger United States Charles Cowdin A. Rosenberger Nash-Healey Le Mans 14 Gearbox
DNF 85 S1.1 United States Bret Hannaway United States Raymond Osborne Dr. Raymond Osborne Kieft-Fiat Sport 10 Engine
DNF 11 S5.0 United States Jack McAfee United States Bob Drake Tony Parravano Ferrari 375 MM 5 Fuel fire
DNF 1 S8.0 United States Jack Ensley United States Jim Rathmann Jack Ensley Kurits Kraft-Cadillac 500 3 Engine
DNF 27 S3.0 United States Bob Said United States Masten Gregory Ecurie Yankee Ferrari 750 Monza 3 Collision with ambulance
DNF 86 S750 France Jean Rédélé France Louis Pons Regie Renault Co. Renault 1063 2 Accident
DNF 86 S750 United States John Shakespeare Guatemala Manfredo Lippmann J. W. Shakespeare Ferrari 375 MM 0 Electrics
DNS 6 S5.0 United States Walter F. Huggler United States John B. Mull John B. Mull Jaguar XK120 Reserve
DNS 12A S5.0 Venezuela Reina Morales Venezuela Ed Munoz Chester J. Flynn Ferrari 340 America Accident in practice
DNS 21P S1.5 United States Art Bunker Art Bunker Porsche 500 Spyder
DNS 29T S3.0 United States Sterling Edwards Venezuela Chester Flynn Manfredo Lippmann Ferrari 250 Monza Engine
DNS 41 S3.0 United States Sandy McPherson
United States Harley Watts
United States Robert Fergus Robt. H. Fergus Austin-Healey 100S Accident in practice
DNS 62 S1.5 United States Ed Crawford United States John Urbas Ed. W. Crawford Porsche 550 Spyder
DISQ S2.0 United States James Carson United States Dan Hastings Howard Hanna Swallow Doretti-Triumph started illegally – flagged off
DISQ S1.1 United States Warren Smith United States Joe Sheppard Joe Sheppard Lotus-Climax Mark IX started illegally – flagged off
DISQ S3.0 United States Billy Dantone United States Phil M. Seeberg Billy J. Dantone Austin-Healey 100 started illegally – flagged off
DISQ S3.0 United States Phil Stiles United States Red Bryon Phil Stiles Austin-Healey 100 started illegally – flagged off
DISQ S3.0 United States Emil Bulck United States William Bulck Emil Bulck Austin-Healey 100 started illegally – flagged off
DISQ S2.0 United States Fred Losee United States William Kichloe Fred L. Losee Veritas Comet RS started illegally – flagged off

[11][12][13]

Class Winners

Class Winners
Class B - Sports 8000 5 Kurtis Kraft-Lincoln 500K Crawford
Class C - Sports 5000 19 Jaguar D-type Hawthorn / Walters
Class D - Sports 3000 25 Ferrari 750 Monza Spyder Hill / Shelby
Class E- Sports 2000 60 Arnolt Bolide Bristol Panks / Erickson
Class F - Sports 1500 64 Osca MT4 1450 Lloyd / Huntoon
Class G - Sports 1100 81 Porsche 550 Spyder O’Shea / Koster
Class H - Sports 750 88 Renault 1063 Miller / Attaway

[16]

Standings after the race

Pos Championship Points
1 Italy Ferrari 14
2= United Kingdom Jaguar 8
2= Italy Maserati 8
4 West Germany Porsche 3
5 France Gordini 2

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. Points earned but not counted towards the championship totals are listed within brackets in the above table.

References

Further reading

World Sportscar Championship
Previous race:
1000 km Buenos Aires
1955 season Next race:
Mille Miglia
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