Casner Motor Racing Division

A Camoradi Birdcage

Casner Motor Racing Division – also known as America Camoradi (casner motor racing division), Camoradi USA or Camoradi International – was a racing team of the 1960s known for racing Maserati Birdcage sports cars, and a Porsche and Cooper in Formula One. It was founded by Lloyd "Lucky" Casner in 1960, after he gained interest in the Maserati Tipo 61 in August 1959, and was created to race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.^[1] The Camoradi team won the 1000km Nürburgring in 1960 despite a broken fuel line halfway through the race. The team achieved victory again in 1961, however, due to the unreliability of their cars they never won Le Mans.^[2] Camoradi also purchased a single Tipo 63 (a more powerful and faster car) but it also suffered the reliability problems of the Tipo 61s.

Camoradi USA was incorporated in the summer of 1959 and ended due to mismanagement and loss of sponsorship 18 months later. Casner stayed on in Europe and re-incorporated his efforts as Camoradi International (1961). Camoradi International continued with sponsorship from Dow Chemical, Maserati and Porsche, and with drivers Stirling Moss, Graham Hill and Masten Gregory. Casner was killed at a LeMans practice in 1965 while trying to qualify a Maserati Tipo 151 for the French distributor, due to a mechanical failure.

Camoradi USA was America's first industry-backed international racing team, pioneering the industry backing of racing as we know it.

At a mid summer 1959 SCCA race in Miami, while racing a Ferrari 250TR, Casner met fellow driver Fred Gamble. During the victory presentation at the end of the race Casner announced his intention of racing in Europe and was looking for people to help him fund this venture. Gamble introduced himself to Casner and offered help him with publicity, working as a motor journalist and the two formed a partnership to create a racing team.

Gamble, inspired by Ecurie Ecosse, the Scottish National Racing Team that spawned Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart, suggested an American “Olympic Team” of motor racing to challenge the Europeans for World Championships.

Casner’s amateur racing team of friends had called themselves Camoradi Racing Team. So the professional team was incorporated as Camoradi USA, America’s first industry sponsored racing team with the best drivers from all race series in the best cars that could be acquired.

Gamble, who had a public relations background, surveyed the New York adverting agency market, to determine their involvement with the auto industry. He set up appointments for Casner with various advertising agencies looking for sponsorship for the new racing team. They met with success with the agency of Young & Rubicam, whose major client was the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Gamble, who knew Tony Webner, Goodyear’s first Manager of Racing, convinced him to support their proposal. Casner and executives from Young and Rubicam made a presentation to the management of Goodyear and won big financial support, tires and engineering support. With the world’s largest tire company supporting them, Camoradi quickly received sponsorship Shell/BP, Excide, Champion, DA Lubricants, Koni, Dow Chemical and Guest Airways.

The only American sports car of that era was of course the Corvette, which was needed as the GT challenger in their campaign for the World Sports Car Championship. Casner met with Chevrolet President Ed Cole and Corvette "god-father" Zora Duntov. They enthusiastically offered their support with two competition option Corvettes plus parts and technical support and a generous financial contribution. However, with an agreed industry ban on racing involvement, this support was disguised as a "testing contract" and the cars were supplied thru Don Allen Chevrolet of Miami. Sadly, due to production delays, the Corvettes were not delivered until after the first 1960 World Championship 1000 km race, Buenos Aires.

Casner went to Europe in September 1959 and approached a bankrupt Maserati who had their new Birdcage T61, but no finances to race a factory team. Camoradi was their answer for 1960. Casner also formed an alliance with Porsche’s Huschke Von Hanstein and brought two cars from the late Jean Behra’s estate – lightweight Carrera and the special Behra-Porsche F2, which served as a test bed and prototype for the Porsche’s 1960 F2 cars and 1962 F1 1,500cc Formula.

Camoradi “works” Maseratis, led every World Sports Car Championship race of 1960, and won only the 1,000 km Nurburging with Gurney/Moss. Led Nassau 1959 (Shelby DNF, Mechanical), Porsche RSK 2 Liter winner (Bonnier), GT winner Porsche Carrera (Cuevas); 1960 1,000 km Buenos Aires (Gurney/Gregory DNF Mechanical and accident); Argentine GP (Gregory Behra-Porsche); Havana GP for Sports Cars – 8 car entry, winning overall Moss Maserati, 2 Liter Gregory Porsche RSK, GT Corvette Jeffords, under 2 liter GT Cuevas Porsche Carrera; Sebring 12 hour, larges team entry ever of 8 cars, 3 Maseratis (Gurney/Moss led 8 hours DNF Mechanical), 2 Porsche Carreras (under 2 liter GT winner and 2nd OA GT Sheppard/Dungan), 2 Corvettes Jeffords/Weustoff/Gamble (Gamble drove 12 hours solo – only one of two known to have done this – earned press notice as “iron man” Gamble). OSCA 750 (McCluggage/Windridge DNF).

At the Nurburgring, Gamble qualified the “Yank Tank” Corvette 3rd among the big GT’s (several 250 GT Ferraris), but didn’t get to drive in the race as co-driver Lee Lilley started the race and DNF with a wheel bearing failure. Gurney/Moss won overall, Gregory/Munaron 4th in the team’s two T61 Maseratis entered.

At the Le Mans 24 hours, Gregory/Daigh led with the famed Streamliner Birdcage Maserati, set a 3-liter lap record and top speed record of 170 mph, DNF with engine failure, other two long tail Maseratis DNF with electrical faults. Gamble/Lilley drove their Corvette conservatively to finish 10th overall.

All Camoradi Maseratis were prepared and maintained by the factory and in European races managed by Maserati. Camoradi’s role was primarily financial. Gamble was the only full-time principal in Europe, living in Modena, Italy.

Complete Camoradi racing record

(key) (Results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap; † indicates shared drive.)

Date	Race	Car	Results	Drivers
1959 - May	San Salvador GP	Porsche RSK 547/3 1.5 F4	1st
				David Lane
1959 - June	USAC Formula Libre, Lime Rock	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6		Chuck Daigh
			2nd
1959 - July	USAC Formula Libre, Meadowdale	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	DNF (Accident)
				Zora Duntov, Paul O'Shea
1959 - December	Nassau Speed Weeks	Maserati T61		Carol Shelby
			DNF (Mechanical)
1959 - December	Nassau Speed Weeks	Porsche RSK 547/3 1.5 F4	1st (2 litre)
				Jo Bonnier
1959 - December	Nassau Speed Weeks	Porsche RSK 547/3 1.5 F4		Jack McAfee
			2nd (2 litre)
1959 - December	Nassau Speed Weeks	Porsche Carrera	1st (GT Race)
				Johnny Cuevas
1959 - December	United States GP, Sebring	Maserati TecMec		Jim Rathmann
			DNF (Mechanical)
1960 - January	1,000 km of Argentina, Buenos Aires	Maserati T61	DNF(Accident)
				Dan Gurney, Masten Gregory
1960 - January	GP of Argentina	Porsche F2		Masten Gregory
			12th
1960 - January	Cordova Formula Libre	Behra-Porsche F2	DNF(Accident)
				Masten Gregory
1960 - February	Havana GT Race	Corvette		Jim Jeffords
			1st
1960 - February	Havana GT Race	Corvette	5th
				George Constantine
1960 - February	Havana GT Race	Porsche Carrera		Johnny Cuevas
			1st(2 litre)
1960 - February	Havana Grand Prix	Maserati T61	1st
				Stirling Moss
1960 - February	Havana Grand Prix	Porsche RSK 547/3 1.5 F4		Masten Gregory
			3rd
1960 - February	Havana Grand Prix	Corvette	1st GT (8th Overall)
				Jim Jeffords
1960 - February	Havana Grand Prix	Porsche Carrera		Johnny Cuevas
			1st (2 litre)
1960 - February	Havana Grand Prix	Ferrari 250TR	13th
				Roger Ward, Dan Gurney
1960 - February	Havana Grand Prix	Maserati		Dan Gurney
			DNF
1960 - February	Havana Grand Prix	Porsche	DNF
				Carroll Shelby
1960 - March	12 Hours of Sebring	Maserati T61		Dan Gurney, Stirling Moss
			DNF
1960 - March	12 Hours of Sebring	Maserati T61	DNF
				Carroll Shelby, Masten Gregory
1960 - March	12 Hours of Sebring	Maserati T61		Jim Rathmann, George Koehne
			DNS
1960 - March	12 Hours of Sebring	Porsche Carrera	1st (2 litre), 9th Overall
				Joe Sheppard, Dick Dungan
1960 - March	12 Hours of Sebring	Corvette		Jim Jeffords, Bill Weustoff, Fred Gamble
			2nd+ 3rd Class 14GT
1960 - March	12 Hours of Sebring	Porsche Carrera	DNF
				Johnny Cuevas, Ulf Norinder
1960 - March	12 Hours of Sebring	OSCA 750		Denise McCluggage, Pinkie Windridge
			DNF
1960 - April	LA Times GP, Riverside	Maserati T61	1st
				Carroll Shelby
1960 - May	Targa Florio, Sicily	Maserati T61		Umberto Maglioli, Nino Vaccarella
			DNF (Accident)
1960 - May	Targa Florio, Sicily	Porsche Carrera	22nd
				Lloyd Casner, Nino Todaro
1960 - May	1,000 km Nurburgring, Germany	Maserati T61		Dan Gurney, Stirling Moss
			1st
1960 - May	1,000 km Nurburgring, Germany	Maserati T61	5th
				Masten Gregory, Gino Munaron
1960 - May	1,000 km Nurburgring, Germany	Corvette		Fred Gamble, Lee Lilley
			DNF (Mechanical)
1960 - June	Le Mans 24 Hours, France	Corvette	10th
				Fred Gamble, Lee Lilley
1960 - June	Le Mans 24 Hours, France	Maserati T61		Masten Gregory, Chuck Daigh
			DNF (Mechanical)
1960 - June	Le Mans 24 Hours, France	Maserati T61	DNF (Mechanical)
				Lloyd Casner, Jim Jeffords
1960 - June	Le Mans 24 Hours, France	Maserati T61		Georgio Scarlatti, Gino Munaron
			DNF (Mechanical)
1960 - June	Road America 500, U.S.A.	Maserati T61	1st
				Jim Jeffords
1960 - June	Solitude GP F2, Germany	Behra-Porsche F2		Lloyd Casner
			DNF (Mechanical)
1960 - July	German GP Nurburgring, Germany	Porsche F2	5th
				Hans Hermann
1960 - July	German GP Nurburgring, Germany	Behra-Porsche F2		Fred Gamble
			DNS
1960 - August	Swedish GP, Sweden	Maserati T61	2nd
				Jo Bonnier
1960 - August	Swedish GP, Sweden	Corvette		Lloyd Casner
			1st
1960 - August	Goodwood TT, England	Corvette	DNS (Road Accident)
				Fred Gamble
1960 - September	Grand Prix of Europe, Monza, Italy	Behra-Porsche F2		Fred Gamble
			10th

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap; † indicates shared drive.)

Year	Chassis	Engine(s)	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1959	Tec-Mec F415	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	D		MON	500	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	POR	ITA	USA
				Fritz d'Orey									Ret
1960	Behra-Porsche Porsche	Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4	G		ARG	MON	500	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	POR	ITA	USA
				Masten Gregory	12
				Fred Gamble									10
1961	Cooper T53 Lotus 18	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D		MON	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	USA
				Masten Gregory	DNQ	DNS	10	12	11
				Ian Burgess		DNS	DNS	14	14	12

Racers

• Lloyd Casner was killed driving a Maserati during testing at the 1965 Le Mans event.^[3][4][5]
• Masten Gregory^[3]
• Dan Gurney^[3]
• Carroll Shelby^[1]
• Chuck Daigh^[1]
• Stirling Moss^[3]
• Fred Gamble (racing driver)^[1]
• Jim Rathmann^[1]
• Rodger Ward^[1]
• Juan Fangio^[1] (Parade lap at Cordova, Argentina 1960)
• Chuck Daigh^[1]
• Jo Bonnier^[1]
• Jack McAfee^[1]
• Jim Jeffords^[1]
• Bill Weustoff^[1]
• Fred Windridge^[1]
• Joe Sheppard^[1]
• Dick Dungan^[1]
• Pinkie Windridge^[1]
• Denise McCluggage^[1]
• Umberto Maglioli^[1]
• Nino Vaccarella^[1]
• Nino Todaro^[1]
• Gino Munaron^[1]
• Georgio Scarlatti^[1]
• Lee Lilley^[1]
• Dave Lane^[1]
• Johnny Cuevas^[1]

References