1958 12 Hours of Sebring

The 1958 12-Hour Florida International Grand Prix of Endurance for the Amoco Trophy took place on 22 March, on the Sebring International Raceway, (Florida, USA). It was the second round of the F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship, which was running to new regulations introduced at the beginning of the season. The most influential of these regulations changes would be the 3.0 litre engine size limit. This was seventh running of the 12-hour race.

Report

Entry

A massive total of 73 racing cars were registered for this event, of which 70 arrived for practice. Only these, 65 qualified for, and started the race. With these new rules, and Maserati on the brink of financial crisis, Scuderia Ferrari would head the Italian challenge. Ferrari had six of their 250 TRs in Florida, of which three were works machines for Phil Hill/Peter Collins, Mike Hawthorn/Wolfgang von Trips and Luigi Musso/Olivier Gendebien. Opposition would no longer come from Maserati… but from Aston Martin.^[1][2][3]

David Brown sent two Aston Martin DBR1s over from England for Stirling Moss/Tony Brooks and Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori. There were supported by George Constantine and John Dalton, in a DB2/4. Also on the entry list were some quick looking Jaguar D-Types though the Coventry marque were a bit out-classed by now. Ecurie Ecosse had two D-Types for Ron Flockhart/Masten Gregory and Ninian Sanderson/Ivor Bueb. Another Jag was entered by Briggs Cunningham for himself and Walt Hansgen. Cunningham also brought along two Jaguar engined Listers for Ed Crawford/Pat O’Connor amd Archie Scott Brown and Hansgen. All three cars were listed with Alfred Momo being the entrant.^[4][5][6]

Qualifying

Because there were no qualifying sessions to set the grid, the starting positions were decided according to engine size with the 4.6 litre Chevrolet Corvette C1 of Jim Rathmann and Dick Doane in first place. Next was another Corvette of John A. Kilborn, Fred Windridge and Dick Thompson. In fact Corvette’s held the first three places.^[7]

Race

Day of the race would be sunny and warm, but the start of race was something of a shambles as some drivers posed for the tradition Le Mans style start, ready to sprint to their cars, while others were still ambling across the track. This prompted a false start, so everyone had to line-up again.^[8][9]

From his third place of the grid, Jim Jeffords was expected to be quick off the line, and indeed he was but a wheel problem stopped him out on the circuit, and by the end of lap one, he crossed the line in last place.^[10]

The Aston Martins set the early pace with Moss going out in front. Hawthorn was second in his works Ferrari, with Salvadori in the other Aston on his tail. Soon, Salvadori moved past Hawthorn to make it an Aston 1-2. As for the Listers, they were going well in the opening laps, but Gendebien tried to force his Ferrari past Scott Brown, on the managed to climb right over the back of the Lister. Both drivers hopped out and removed the Ferrari and the Belgian took it back to the pits for repairs while the Lister retired. As for the other Lister, it only managed six laps before its Jaguar engine went and all the Jaguar-powered cars were out of the race by lap 55.^[11][12][13]

As for the Hill/Collins Ferrari, it made a cautious start with the American behind the wheel. The crew decided to be easy on the gearbox and brakes which get worked so hard at Sebring. They were in fourth at the end of the first hour, with Moss/Brooks leading from Salvadori/Shelby and Hawthorn/von Trips. Their easy pace allowed the private 250 TR of Richie Ginther and Johnny von Neumann into fourth an hour later. The pair of Astons and the trio of Ferrari held the top five spots for the first four hours. The other works Ferrari of Musso/Gendebien started to recover from its early encounter.^[14][15]

It was all change in the fifth hour of the race when both Astons had gearbox troubles, which forces them to retire. Hill and Collins had progressively worked their way through to second and then took over the lead which they would not be moved. By the half-way mark, there were four Ferraris in the top four and that remained that way for the next five hours. Hawthorn and von Trips were out on lap 159, with Neumann and Ginther at lap 168. Hill and Collins still kept to a steady pace, the Musso/Gendebien car moved into second with the Porsche 718 RSK of Harry Schell and Wolfgang Seidel now up to third. Surprisingly, the little Lotus Eleven of Sam Weiss and David Tallakson had got into fourth overall.^[16][17][18]

And that’s how the race finished, the Scuderia Ferrari of Collins and Hill, winning ahead of their team-mates Musso and Gendebien. Car number 14, took an impressive victory, completing 200 laps, covering 1,040 miles after 12 hours of racing, averaging a speed of 86.501 mph. Second place went to the second Ferrari, albeit one lap adrift. The podium was complete by works Porsche of Schell and Seidel who were seven laps behind the winners. Phil Hill and Peter Collins had established the Ferrari 250 TR as the main sports car championship contender, with its second straight victory in the series.^[19][20]

Official Classification

Class Winners are in Bold text.

Pos	No	Class	Driver		Entrant	Chassis	Laps	Reason Out
1st	14	S3.0	Phil Hill	Peter Collins	Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari 250 TR 58	12hr 01:22.6, 200
2nd	16	S3.0	Luigi Musso	Olivier Gendebien	Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari 250 TR 58	199
3rd	41	S2.0	Harry Schell	Wolfgang Seidel	Porsche K.G.	Porsche 718 RSK	193
4th	56	S1.1	Sam Weiss	Dave Tallaksen	Team Lotus	Lotus-Climax Eleven	179
5th	22	GT3.5	Paul O’Shea David Cunningham	Bruce Kessler	North American Racing Team	Ferrari 250 GT LWB	179
6th	55	S1.1	Colin Chapman	Cliff Allison	Team Lotus	Lotius-Climax Eleven	179
7th	21	GT3.5	George Arents Don O’Dell	George Reed	North American Racing Team	Ferrari 250 TR 58	175
8th	60	S750	Alejandro de Tomaso Robert Ferguson	Isabelle Haskell	Automobili Osca	Osca S750	175
9th	54	S1.1	Jay Chamberlain	William Frost	Team Lotus	Lotus-Climax Eleven	175
10th	43	GT1.6	Huschke von Hanstein John Cuevas	Herbert Linge	Porsche K.G.	Porsche 356A Carrera	174
11th	30	S2.0	Porfirio Rubirosa William Helburn	Jean-François Malle	Porfirio Rubirosa	Ferrari 500 TRC	172
12th	1	GT5.0	Jim Rathmann	Dick Doane	Richard Doane	Chevrolet Corvette C1	170
13th	47	S1.5	Hal Stetson Harry Beck	Otto Linton	Osca Automobili	Osca MT4 1500	170
14th	27	S2.0	Gilbert Geitner Harold Kunz	Phil Stiles	Hmbro Automotive Corporation	Auston-Healey 100-6 MM	169
DNF	17	S3.0	Johnny von Neumann	Richie Ginther	Johnny von Neumann	Ferrari 250 TR	168	Gearbox
15th	72	S2.0	Luke Stear Bob Harris	Mike Norris	A. C. Car Ltd	AC Ace	168
16th	39	S2.0	Fred Fuller Tony Briggs	Art Tweedale	A. C. Car Ltd	AC Ace	166
17th	28	GT3.5	William Kinchloe	Fred Moore	Hambro Automotive Corporation	Austin-Healey 100-6 MM	166
18th	50	GT1.3	Fred van Beuren	Javier Velásquez	Fred van Beuren	Alfa Romeo Giuletta Spider Veloce	164
19th	37	GT2.0	Richard Milo Duncan Forlong	George McClure	A. C. Car Ltd	AC Ace	163
20th	34	GT2.0	Mike Rothschild Bill Lott	William Kimberly	Standard Motor Co.	Triumph TR3	160
21st	53	S1.1	Carl Haas Chuck Dietrich	Alan Ross	Behm Motors	Stanguellini S1100 Bialbero	160
DNF	15	S3.0	Mike Hawthorn	Wolfgang von Trips	Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari 250 TR 58	159	Gearbox
22nd	38	S2.0	Bill Love George Crowder	Roy Jackson-Moore	A. C. Car Ltd	AC Ace	159
23rd	29	GT3.5	Gus Ehrman	Ray Cuomo	Hambro Automotive Corporation	Austin-Healey 100-6 MM	159
24th	52	GT1.3	Charlie Rainville	Template:Flagison Jake Kaplan	Jake Kaplan	Alfa Romeo Giuletta Spider Veloce	157
25th	46	S1.5	Charles Wallace Skip Hudson	Bob Holbert	Marshall Motors	Porsche 550 RS	153
26th	35	GT2.0	Jim Roberts	Louis Heuss	Hambro Automotive	Austin-Healey 100 Special	151
27th	71	S2.0	Manolo Perez de la Mesa Alfonso Gomez-Mena	Santiago González	Scuderia Cuba	Ferrari 500 TRC	151
28th	78	S1.1	William Milliken, Jr. Cameron Argetsinger	Millard Ripley	Ripley Motor Co.	Elva-Climax Mk. II	151
29th	61	S750	Howard Brown	Richard Toland	Richard Toland	D.B. HBR Panhard	151
30th	63	S750	Jack Brumby Ray Martinez	Frank Aldhous	Baron de Graffenried	Fiat-Abarth 750 Zagato	150
31st	66	GT750	Chuck Kessigner Alfonso Thiele	Willie West	Baron de Graffenreid	Fiat-Abarth 750 Zagato	148
32nd	80	GT750	Harry Fry	Lou Rappaport	Dr. Harry Fry	Fiat-Abarth 750 Zagato	145
33rd	2	GT5.0	John Kilbourn Dick Thompson	Fred Windridge	Richard Thompson	Chevrolet Corvette SS	144
34th	62	S750	Howard Hanna	Howard Brown	Howard Hanna	D.B. HBR Panhard	143
35th	40	GT2.0	Max Goldman Sydney H. Arnolt	Ralph Durbin	S. H. Arnolt	Arnolt Boldie	141
NC 36th	33	GT2.0	Bob Oker	Harold Hurtley	Standard Motor Co.	Triumph TR3	131
NC 37th	51	GT1.3	Louis Comito Bob Pfaff	Alan Markelson	Louis Comito	Alfa Romeo Giuletta Spider Veloce	126
DNF	31	S2.0	Gaston Andrey	Bill Lloyd	Mike Garber	Ferrari 500 TRC	125	Rear axle bearing
DNF	65	S750	Densie McCluggage	Ruth Levy	Alfred Momo	Fiat-Abarth 750 Zagato	116	Gearbox
DNF	57	S1.1	Frank Baptista Bill Warren	Burdette Martin	Elva Engineering Co.	Elva-Climax Mk. II	114	unknown
NC	49	S1.5	Charles Moran	Paul Ceresole	Charles Moran, Jr.	Lotus-Climax Eleven Le Mans	110
NC	74	S1.5	Norman Scott	Frank Bott	Norman J. Scott	Porsche 550 RS	109
DNF	44	S1.5	Art Bunker	Carel Godin de Beaufort	Art’s Sports Motors	Porsche 550 RS	106	Clutch
DNF	42	S2.0	Jean Behra	Edgar Barth	Porsche K.G.	Porsche 718 RSK	105	Transmission, oil leak
DNF	7	S3.0	Dale Duncan	Jo Bonnier	A. V. Dayton	Maserati 300S	90	Gearbox
DNF	24	S3.0	Stirling Moss	Tony Brooks	David Brown	Aston Martin DBR1/300	90	Gearbox
DNF	19	S3.0	John Fitch	Ed Hugus	Harry Kullen	Ferrari 250 TR	85	Engine
NC	36	GT2.0	Dick Kennedy Charles Sherman	Tom Payne	Richard Kennedy	Morgan Plus 4	76
NC	58	S1.1	William Bradley	John Bentley	Elva Engineering Co.	Elva-Climax Mk. III	71
DNF	79	S2.0	Jan de Vroom	Alfonso Gomez-Mena	Alfonso Gomez-Mena	Ferrari 500 TRC	69	Engine
DNF	77	S1.1	Charles Kurtz Dean Patterson	Joachim Kammer	Avant Corp.	Elva-Climax Mk. III	65	Clutch
DNF	25	S3.0	Carroll Shelby	Roy Salvadori	David Brown	Aston Martin DBR1/300	62	Transmission
DNF	45	S1.5	Ken Miles	Jean Pierre Kunstle	Jean Pierre Kunstle	Porsche 550 RS	59	Clutch
DNF	23	S3.0	E. D. Martin	Chester Flynn	Chester J. Flynn	Ferrari 250 TR	58	Accident
DNF	9	S3.0	Ron Flockhart	Masten Gregory	Ecurie Ecosse	Jaguar D-Type	55	Engine
DNF	81	S2.0	Bob Said	Miguel Rivera	Scuderia Central America	Ferrari 500 TRC	43	Brakes
DNF	3	S3.0	Jim Jeffords	Augie Pabst	James Jeffords	Chevrolet Corvette SR-2	27	Rear axle
DNF	8	S3.0	Ninian Sanderson	Ivor Bueb	Ecurie Ecosse	Jaguar D-Type	22	Valve springs
DNF	12	S3.0	Briggs Cunningham	Walt Hansgen	Alfred Momo	Jaguar D-Type	16	Blown piston
DNF	26	GT3.5	George Constantine	John Dalton	David Brown	DB2/4	15	Left rear hub
DNF	32	S2.0	Jim Kimberly	Pete Lovely	Jim Kimberly	Maserati 200S I	14	Engine
DNF	11	S3.0	Ed Crawford	Pat O’Connor	Alfred Momo	Lister-Jaguar	6	Cracked block
DNF	10	S3.0	Archie Scott Brown	Walt Hansgen	Alfred Momo	Lister-Jaguar	3	Accident
DNS	48	S1.5	M. R. J. Wyllie Margaret Wyllie	Chuck Dietrich	Dr. M. R. J. Wyllie	Elva-Climax Mk. II		Accident in practice

^[21][22]

• Fastest Lap: Stirling Moss, 3:20.0secs (93.600 mph) ^[23][24]

Class Winners

^[25]

Standings after the race

Pos	Championship	Points
1	Ferrari	16
2	Porsche	8
3	Lotus	3

• 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, excepting the RAC Tourist Trophy, for which points were awarded on a 4-3-2-1 for the first four places. 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

• Alec Ulmann. The Sebring Story. Chilton Book Company. ASIN B0006CUAP2.