Sebring 12 hour race 1970

Route 1970

Nino Vaccarella, who won the race together with Ignazio Giunti and Mario Andretti, in the Ferrari 512S. The picture shows the Italian a few months later at the 1000 km race on the Nürburgring , where he and his partner John Surtees achieved third place overall

JW Automotive Engineering-Porsche 917K as it was driven in this race by Pedro Rodríguez, Joseph Siffert, Brian Redman and Leo Kinnunen

Chevron B16; Both reported vehicles, including a company car, failed prematurely due to defects

The Porsche 908 with which Steve McQueen and Peter Revson achieved second place overall

The 19th Sebring 12-hour race , also known as the Sebring 12 Hours of Endurance for the Alitalia Airline Trophy, Sebring , took place on March 21, 1970 at the Sebring International Raceway and was the second round of the sports car world championship of that year.

The race

Before the race

The 1970 Sports Car World Championship began on February 1, 1970 with the Daytona 24-hour race . The event ended with a one-two win for John Wyer's team . Pedro Rodríguez , Leo Kinnunen and Brian Redman won ahead of the second Porsche 917K, which was driven by the Swiss Joseph Siffert alongside Redman . On the third point, the placed factory - Ferrari 512 of Mario Andretti , ARTURO MERZARIO and Jacky Ickx .

The appearance in Sebring was of particular importance for the Scuderia. The Italian racing team had not won at the Sebring airfield since 1964 (back then, Mike Parkes and Umberto Maglioli won in a Ferrari 275P ). Since the success of Chris Amon and Lorenzo Bandini in February 1967 at the Daytona 24-hour race , the Scuderia had not won any races in the World Sports Car Championship; a circumstance that caused a bad mood among the management in Maranello. Since the last few years were also marked by failures in the Formula 1 World Championship , the pressure on the works team was great. Last year , Amon and Andretti finished second overall in the 312P , but the fact that Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver's winning car , a Ford GT40 prepared by John Wyer , was already four years old, was perceived as humiliating at the Ferrari factory. There were now four 512S at the start. Three of them had the Spyder hardtop roof. The Scuderia reported three vehicles and the North American Racing Team took the fourth to the start. The team of Luigi Chinetti appointed a 312P.

Ferrari's strongest competition grew out of Porsche's commitment . There were four 917K at the start ; two of them, driven by Pedro Rodríguez, Leo Kinnunen, Brian Redman and Joseph Siffert, were by JW Automotive Engineering Ltd. used, the other two reported by the Porsche-Audi general importer, but looked after and maintained by the Porsche works team. These prototypes were piloted by Vic Elford , Hans Herrmann , Rudi Lins and Kurt Ahrens . However, the works team had a total of seven racing cars at the start. In addition to the 917 models, there were two 908 / 03s and a Porsche 906 . Another Porsche 908 attracted particular public attention: the car with the number 48 was driven by Peter Revson and American actor Steve McQueen .

Also Matra and Alfa Romeo in motorsport were represented at Sebring with vehicles. The Matra MS650 were driven by Henri Pescarolo , Johnny Servoz-Gavin , Dan Gurney and the young François Cevert . Toine Hezemans , Masten Gregory and Rolf Stommelen , among others, were employed at Alfa Romeo .

New start procedure

The Le Mans start , introduced in 1925 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans , had also been common at Sebring since 1952 . After John Woolfe's fatal accident in Le Mans in 1969 , this starting process came under heavy criticism. The protests of the drivers, who walk across the street to their stationary vehicles and only then have to start the engine, increased. The main criticism was that the drivers could not seat their seat belt properly and some of them drove to the first pit stop of the race without wearing the seat belt.

In Sebring, the tradition was abandoned from 1970 and the Indianapolis start was adopted, in which the vehicles cover the introductory lap behind the pace car and are sent into the race at full speed as they cross the starting line.

The course of the race

Looking back, the 1970 Sebring race is the most exciting in the long history of this event and one of the tightest long-distance races ever. The fastest in training was Arturo Merzario in the factory Ferrari 512S, who needed a time of 2,33,500 minutes for the 8.369 km long distance. This time corresponded to an average speed of 196.266 km / h. Behind them were the two Porsche 917s from Siffert / Redman / Kinnunen and Elford / Ahrens.

After the Indianapolis start, Mario Andretti took the lead in a Ferrari in front of the two Porsches of Jo Siffert and Vic Elford. From midfield onwards, the first corners were chaotic. As the vehicles jammed behind the pace car, which was moving far too slowly, on the introductory lap, there were too many cars in a confined space on the track on the first lap, which led to many evasive maneuvers outside the track. The two Lola T70s from Bob Brown and Mike De Udy collided immediately ; Both cars were able to continue, although de Udy, who shared the cockpit with Mike Hailwood , had to retire on the first lap due to a brake defect.

The Andretti / Merzario-Ferrari dominated almost the entire race, involved in tough duels with the two Wyer-Porsches. In the meantime, the Scuderia works car was already 1½ laps ahead. Then Merzario pitted with transmission problems and had to retire; The Wyer-Porsche with the number 15 took the lead, with the Swiss Joseph Siffert at the wheel. 30 minutes before the end of the race, Ferrari team manager Mauro Forghieri decided to put Andretti behind the wheel of the Ferrari with the number 21. However, the car was one lap behind the Wyer-Porsche. The American pilot began a daring catch-up and rounded back. A few laps before the end, Siffert had to pit with engine problems and fell back. With that, Peter Revson led ahead of Andretti. On the Revson / McQueen-Porsche 908, neither tires nor brake pads were changed during the entire race. The time saved during the pit stops brought the car into a top position. With four laps to go, Andretti overtook his compatriot and took the lead, but had to pit for a short stop two laps before the end because the 512S ran out of fuel. Refueled, he stormed out of the pit, overtook Revson on the last lap just before the finish line and secured Ferrari a much-acclaimed victory.

Results

Final ranking

Item	class	No.	team	driver	vehicle	Round
1	S 5.0	21st	Ferrari SPA SEFAC	Ignazio Giunti Nino Vaccarella Mario Andretti	Ferrari 512S	248
2	P 3.0	48	Solar Productions Inc.	Steve McQueen Peter Revson	Porsche 908/02	248
3	P 3.0	33	Autodelta SPA	Toine Hezemans Masten Gregory	Alfa Romeo T33 / 3	247
4th	S 5.0	15th	JW Automotive Engineering Ltd.	Pedro Rodríguez Leo Kinnunen Joseph Siffert	Porsche 917K	244
5	P 3.0	34	Equipe Matra-Elf	Henri Pescarolo Johnny Servoz-Gavin	Matra-Simca MS650	242
6th	P 3.0	22nd	NART	Mike Parkes Chuck Parsons	Ferrari 312P Coupe	240
7th	P 3.0	46	International Martini Racing Team	Gerhard Koch Gérard Larrousse Richard Attwood	Porsche 908/02	236
8th	P 3.0	31	Autodelta SPA	Piers Courage Andrea de Adamich	Alfa Romeo T33 / 3	231
9	P 3.0	32	Autodelta SPA	Rolf Stommelen Nanni Galli	Alfa Romeo T33 / 3	230
10	GT + 5.0	1	Troy Promotions Inc.	Tony DeLorenzo Dick Lang	Chevrolet Corvette	219
11	GT + 5.0	3	Doug Bergen Racing	Bob Johnson Robert Johnson Jim Greendyke	Chevrolet Corvette	214
12	P 3.0	35	Equipe Matra-Elf	Dan Gurney François Cevert	Matra-Simca MS650	213
13	GT 2.0	53	Brumos Porsche Audi Corp.	Peter Gregg Pete Harrison	Porsche 911T	205
14th	T 5.0	40	Takondo Racing	Vince Gimondo Chuck Dietrich	Chevrolet Camaro	205
15th	GT 2.0	52	Jacques Duval	Jacques Duval Bob Bailey George Nicholas	Porsche 911T	201
16	T 5.0	39	Bob Mitchell	Charlie Kemp Bob Mitchell	Chevrolet Camaro	191
17th	GT + 5.0	9	Marlbank Racing Team	Bob Grossman Donald Yenko	Chevrolet Camaro	189
18th	T 5.0	43	Bruce Behens Racing	John Tremblay Bill McDill	Chevrolet Camaro	187
19th	P 2.0	73	Ring Free Oil Racing Team Baker Motor Co.	Janet Guthrie Rosemary Smith Judy Kondratiff	Austin-Healey Sprite	187
20th	GT + 5.0	2	Troy Promotions Inc.	Jerry Thompson John Mahler	Chevrolet Corvette	187
21st	T 5.0	9	Flem-Cor Enterprises	Jim Corwin Donna Mae Mims	Chevrolet Camaro	184
22nd	T 5.0	92	Preston Hood Chevrolet Inc. John Elliott	Don Gwynne John Elliott	Chevrolet Camaro	182
23	S 3.0	50	Nationwide Food Brokers Racing Team	Mike Rahal Hugh Wise Werner Frank	Porsche 906	181
24	T 5.0	37	Collins-Wilson Racing	Vincent Collins Larry Wilson	Ford Mustang	175
25th	GT 2.0	57	Waldron Enterprises Inc.	John Belperche Jim Gammon Ray Mummery	MGB	175
26th	GT 2.0	58	Waldron Enterprises Inc.	Ben Scott Dave Houser Lowell Lanier	MGB	169
27	T 5.0	18th	Paul Pettey	Paul Pettey Roy Hallquist	Ford Mustang	162
28	T 2.0	80	Texas Speed ​​Museum	Rod Kennedy Mike Tillson Robert Samm	Lancia Fulvia HF	157
Not classified
29	P 2.0	54	Automobiles of Italy Inc.	Anatoly Arutunoff Bill Pryor	Abarth 2000SP	166
30th	S 3.0	51	Porsche Audi VWNC	Stephen Behr Merv Rosen	Porsche 906	158
31	S 3.0	63	Carlos Fabre	Carlos Fabre Pepe Aguilar	Chevron B8	143
32	S 5.0	26th	Randy's Auto Body	Bob Brown Gregg Young Robin Ormes	Lola T70 Mk.IIIB GT	114
33	T 2.0	97	HCAS Inc.	Walter Brown Buzz Marcus Jim Sandman	BMW 2002	105
Disqualified
34	T 2.0	88	Simone Fleming	Paul Fleming Amos Johnson Bill Bowers	Fiat 124 Coupe	47
35	P 3.0	45	International Martini Racing Team	Richard Attwood Gérard Larrousse Gerhard Koch	Porsche 908/02	31
Failed
36	P 3.0	47	Racing Team AAW	Hans Laine Gijs van Lennep	Porsche 908/02	229
37	S 5.0	19th	Ferrari SPA SEFAC	Mario Andretti Arturo Merzario	Ferrari 512S Spyder	227
38	S 5.0	14th	JW Automotive Engineering Ltd.	Joseph Siffert Brian Redman Leo Kinnunen	Porsche 917K	211
39	GT + 5.0	8th	Or Costanzo	Dave Heinz or Costanzo	Chevrolet Corvette	191
40	GT + 5.0	4th	John Greenwood	John Greenwood Allan Barker	Chevrolet Corvette	159
41	S 5.0	20th	Ferrari SPA SEFAC	Jacky Ickx Peter Schetty	Ferrari 512S Spyder	151
42	GT 2.0	56	British Leyland Motors Inc.	Jon Woodner Dan O'Connor	MG Midget	122
43	S 5.0	29	Auto Enterprises	Ray Heppenstall Francis Grant	Ford GT40	117
44	S 5.0	24	NART	Sam Posey Ronnie Bucknum Bert Everett	Ferrari 512S Spyder	92
45	GT 2.0	55	British Leyland Motors Inc.	Merle Brennan Logan Blackburn	MGB	84
46	T 2.0	82	General Plastics	Robert Clark Wayne Marsula	Lancia Fulvia HF	78
47	GT 2.0	77	Bruce Jennings	Bruce Jennings Bob Tullius	Porsche 911T	78
48	GT 2.0	69	Scuderia Spruell	Paul Spruell Wilbur Pickett	Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider	75
49	P 2.0	61	Ring Free Oil Racing Team Baker Motor Co.	Jim Baker Clive Baker Paul Richards Bobby Rinzler	Chevron B16	70
50	S 5.0	16	Porsche Audi	Vic Elford Kurt Ahrens	Porsche 917K	61
51	P 3.0	23	NART	Tony Adamowicz Luigi Chinetti Jr.	Ferrari 312P Coupe	56
52	P 2.0	67	Sport Motors	Jim Bandy Fred Stevenson	Lotus 47	48
53	T 5.0	38	David McClain	Don Kearney Joie Chitwood Junior	Chevrolet Camaro	47
54	T 5.0	41	Laurel Racing Larry Drover	Larry Bock Larry Dent	Chevrolet Camaro	40
55	P 2.0	62	Chevron Cars	Brian Robinson Hugh Kleinpeter	Chevron B16	38
56	GT 2.0	74	Ralph Meaney Inc.	Ralph Meaney Bill Bean	Porsche 911T	36
57	GT + 5.0	5	Bill Schumacher	Bill Schumacher Bill Petree	Chevrolet Corvette	34
58	S 5.0	17th	Porsche Audi	Hans Herrmann Rudi Lins	Porsche 917K	28
59	T 2.0	87	Robert Whitaker	Robert Whitaker Harvey Eckoff Jack Slottag	Volvo 122S	25th
60	S 5.0	30th	Trevor Graham	Piers Forester Andrew Hedges	Ford GT40	22nd
61	S 3.0	49	Joseph Greger	Joseph Greger Andreas Schmalbach	Porsche 910	22nd
62	T 5.0	36	Ray Cuomo Racing	Ray Cuomo Bernard Gimbel George Lisberg	Ford Mustang	16
63	T 2.0	86	Sandy's Spares	Ron Polimeni Robert Theall	Volvo 122S	8th
64	GT + 5.0	7th	Bruce Morehead Racing	Bruce Morehead Milo Vega	AMC AMX	8th
65	GT 2.0	60	Herrington Motors	Robert Kilpatrick Don Goodrich	MGB	7th
66	P 2.0	59	Waldron Motors	Reggie Smith Dean Donley Omar Buttari	MG Midget	2
67	T 2.0	79	Del Taylor	Del Russo Taylor Buzz Dyer Hank Sheldon	Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV	2
68	S 5.0	27	Grand Bahama Racing Car Co. Ltd.	Mike De Udy Mike Hailwood	Lola T70 Mk.IIIB GT	1
Not started
69	T 5.0	12	BRM Inc.	Dave Roethel John Bentley	Ford Mustang Boss 302	1
70	GT 5.0	26th	Harley Cluxton	Harley Cluxton Wilbur Pickett	Ferrari 365 GTB / 4	2
71	T 2.0	85	HCAS Inc.	William Cooper Norm Mosher	Opel rally	3
72	P 2.0	99	William Harris	William Harris Robert Lewis Howard LeVasseur	Austin-Healey Sprite	4th
73	S 5.0	T	JW Automotive Engineering Ltd.	Joseph Siffert Brian Redman	Porsche 917K	5
74	T 2.0	81	Texas Speed ​​Museum	Rod Kennedy Robert Samm Mike Tillson	Lancia Fulvia HF	6th

¹ withdrawn ² withdrawn ³ withdrawn ⁴ withdrawn ⁵ training car ⁶ training car

Only in the entry list

Here you will find teams, drivers and vehicles that were originally registered for the race but did not take part for a variety of reasons.

Item	class	No.	team	driver	chassis
75	T + 5.0	10	Jim Hall	Jim Hall Hap Sharp	Chevrolet Camaro
76	T + 5.0	11	Jim Hall	Ed Leslie Tom Dutton	Chevrolet Camaro
77	P 3.0	26th	North American Racing Team		Ferrari 312P
78	T 5.0	42	Troy Promotions Inc.		Chevrolet Camaro
79	GT 5.0	44	Jean Sage	Jean Sage Claude Haldi	Porsche 911S
80	T 2.0	83	Dieter Oest	Dieter Oest Barry Batchin	Lancia Fulvia
81	GT + 5.0	89	Cliff thank god	Cliff Thank God Dave Doole	Chevrolet Corvette
82	S 5.0	89	Joe Randazzo	Bob Brown	Lola T70 Mk.IIIB
83	T 5.0	93	Ed Matthews	Don Sesslar Ed Matthews	Ford Mustang

Class winner

class	driver	driver	driver	vehicle	Placement in the overall ranking
S 5.0	Ignazio Giunti	Nino Vaccarella	Mario Andretti	Ferrari 512S	Overall victory
S 3.0	Mike Rahal	Hugh Wise	Werner Frank	Porsche 906	Rank 23
P 3.0	Steve McQueen	Peter Revson		Porsche 908/02	Rank 2
P 2.0	Janet Guthrie	Rosemary Smith	Judy Kondratiff	Austin-Healey Sprite	Rank 19
GT + 5.0	Tony DeLorenzo	Dick Lang		Chevrolet Corvette	Rank 10
GT 2.0	Peter Gregg	Pete Harrison		Porsche 911T	Rank 13
T 5.0	Vince Gimondo	Chuck Dietrich		Chevrolet Camaro	Rank 14

Racing data

• Registered: 83
• Started: 68
• Rated: 28
• Race classes: 9
• Spectators: 60,000
• Race day weather: warm and dry
• Route length: 8.369 km
• Driving time of the winning team: 12:01: 11,300 hours
• Total laps of the winning team: 248
• Total distance of the winning team: 2075.410 km
• Winner's average: 172.667 km / h
• Pole position: Arturo Merzario - Ferrari 512S Spyder (# 19) - 2: 33.500 = 196.266 km / h
• Fastest race lap: Leo Kinnunen - Porsche 917K (# 14) - 2: 32.770 = 197.204 km / h
• Racing series: 2nd round of the 1970 sports car world championship

literature

• Ken Breslauer: Sebring. The official History of America's Great Sports Car Race. David Bull, Cambridge MA 1995, ISBN 0-9649722-0-4 .
• Peter Higham: The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing. A complete Reference from Formula 1 to Touring Car. Guinness Publishing Ltd., London 1995, ISBN 0-85112-642-1 .

Web links

• Race results at WSPR Racing

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Sebring 12-hour race in 1964
2. ↑ 12-hour race at Sebring 1969
3. ↑ Training results

Previous race of the 24 Hours of Daytona 1970

Sports car world championship

Follow -up race 1000 km at Brands Hatch 1970