Alan Connell

Connell's only monoposto racing car, the Cooper T53

Alan B. Connell Junior ( September 3, 1923 - August 18, 1999 ) was an American racing car driver , rancher and entrepreneur.

Career

Ian Connell ran a ranch in Texas and made a handsome fortune selling agricultural products. Motorsport was an expensive hobby in which Connell was active as a men's driver . He mainly drove sports car races, monoposto use is sparse. The Grand Prix of Mexico in 1962 was a Formula 1 race without World Championship status , that of Trevor Taylor and Jim Clark on a plant - Lotus 25 was recovered. Alan Connell reported a Cooper T53 in his possession , but the car broke down after just three laps due to an engine failure.

As a sports car driver, the Texan competed in most of the races under his own name, with vehicles that he owned. Over the years, later rarities have accumulated to form a comprehensive collection. This included a Maserati 200S , a Birdcage and the Ferrari models 250TR and 335 Sport . Only four chassis were built from the very expensive 335 Sport. At the end of the 1950s, the car was considered the fastest racing sports car on the scene , alongside the Maserati 450S .

Connell drove between 1958 and 1962 mainly in North America. During this time he celebrated eight overall and just as many class wins. He achieved his first overall victory in 1959 at a local race in Midland . His last success was victory at Lake Garnett Raceway in 1962.

He competed three times in the Sebring 12-hour race ; twice he dropped out prematurely, once he was fifth overall. He once came to Europe to drive a Ferrari 250 GT SWB for the North American Racing Team in the 24 Hours of Le Mans . Together with George Arents he finished 5th in the final ranking.

statistics

Le Mans results

year	team	vehicle	Teammate	placement	Failure reason
1960	North American Racing Team	Ferrari 250 GT SWB	George Arents	Rank 5

Sebring results

year	team	vehicle	Teammate	placement	Failure reason
1960	RRR Motors	Ferrari 250 GT California	George Reed	Rank 5
1961	NART	Ferrari Dino 246S	Ed Hugus	failure	Power transmission
1962	North American Racing Team	Ferrari Dino 246S	Bob Grossman	failure	no oil pressure

Individual results in the sports car world championship

season	team	race car	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	12	13	14th	15th	16	17th	18th	19th	20th	21st	22nd
1960	RRR Motors NART	Ferrari 250 GT	BUA	SEB	TAR	ONLY	LEM
				5			5
1961	NART	Ferrari Dino 246S	SEB	TAR	ONLY	LEM	PES
			DNF
1962	Alan Connell	Maserati Tipo 61 Cooper T57	DAY	SEB	SEB	MAY	TAR	BER	ONLY	LEM	TAV	CCA	RTT	ONLY	BRI	BRI	PAR
			DNF		DNF											DNF

literature

• Christian Moity, Jean-Marc Teissèdre, Alain Bienvenu: 24 heures du Mans, 1923–1992. 2 volumes. Éditions d'Art, Besançon 1992, ISBN 2-909-413-06-3 .

Web links

• Results at Racing Sports Cars
• Information on Alan Connell

Individual evidence

1. ↑ 1962 Mexican Grand Prix
2. ^ SCCA races in Midland 1959
3. ^ SCCA races at Lake Garnett Raceway in 1962