05/04/2011 -
Even if without relying on a large number of participants, Sixties’ Endurance has stood out for the quality of cars and the competitive spirit shown by some crews. Without detracting merits from Jaguars Type E driven by Traber/Davies and AC Cobra with Cazalieres/Ferrer, the most admired GT was the TVR Griffith 200 entered by McInerney family: it was only produced in 192 units between 1964-1965, was built by Jack Griffith and Mark Donohue with chassis TVR Grantura, very light bodywork in fiber glass and powered with same V8 Ford mounted on AC Cobra cars. It is said that the American driver had decided on its production owing to a dinner with Carrol Shelby, during which he had declared he was in a position to produce a car able to win Shelby’s cars. During practice Jaguar has long been occupying the first position, but in final minutes was ousted by Cobra and Griffith in the order; behind them there were Corvette with Francioni/Strebel and Porsche 911 with Moreau, while the other 911 of Damien Koheler, whose livery was inspired by French cartoon “Ville Basse” has set the seventh time. On Sunday only six cars were lined-up while the other entered cars have taken shelter on the pit-lane so as to gain some minutes to choose the right tyres: some threatening clouds, which covered the sky of Navarra, made us be afraid of a shower at any moment! Among them there were Cobra and Griffith with Jaguar in the lead. Cazalieres/Ferrer needed six laps only to take the ill-gotten gains again, while the McInerneys were hardly able to get the better of the less fast cars: when on lap 12 they smelt the Jaguar, the fine blue Gt didn’t want to hear any more about going on, forcing the team to retire. It looked like a blessing to the Jaguar crew but after eight other laps the goddess Fortune turned her back on them, causing a new victim. Duo Cobra slowed down, holding the first of the rivals by one lap up to the checkered flag, while there was a wild fight behind them for the second place. Finally thanks to the retirements of Noblet with Ferrari 375GTB and Moreau, on podium, beside the winners, Kohler got on podium second and Vogele third with the fantastic Porsche 904 GTS.
RACE CLASSIFICATION
