For which I've already missed posting this upon the
60th anniversary of both of its two incarnations...
Although I've missed the Anniversary of the
second, and final Race of Two Worlds races contested sixty years ago this summer
upon Monza, Italy's long abandoned Oval-track, contested on Sunday June 29, 1958;
Momma Mia!
Nonetheless, as I'm raging thou own Race 'O 2
Worlds," aka moving somewheres' New after 21yrs Bliss at my former
Domicile; but I digress...
Alas, I just wanted to try posting Something
Quick regarding those long forgotten unique 500 miler' races Cheekily coined
the Monzappolis',
pitting America's top Open Wheel Racers vs.
the European Formula 1 lads' at le Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
For which I had the privilege of once briefly
climbing the abandoned Banking, after our Grand Prix Tours Guest Host, a Chap
by the name of Phil Hill had challenged our tour's group to try doing Wayback
in the fall of 1999.
What's that? Y'all don't know what I'm
talking about? As this short-lived two year experiment's format pitted 10
Yanks' vs. 10 Europeans, in hopes of promoting Oval racing Across thou Puddle
between 1957-58.
Although the Formula 1 Fraternity skipped
competing the first year, with three Ecurie Ecosse '57 Le Mans Jaguar
D Types competing instead, having just won that year's 24 Heurs du Mans.
With a lone Privateer Ferrari and a lone
Maserati 250F entered for "Works" Driver Jean Behra
attending. As the Formula 1 Drivers protested the race on the grounds the
Banked Oval was too Dangerous! Seeing a total of 15 competitors for the inaugural
outing.
As the USAC Drivers ultimately included six
Indy 500 winners. With the likes of Jimmy Bryan, Troy Ruttman, Roger Ward and
some Cat known as 'Ol Supertex', aka Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr leading the way.
Although I subsequently noticed Johnny Parsons
name upon the entry list. Along with Jim Rathman's.
While the Formula 1 fraternity showing up in
'58 included threeF1 World Champions, led by the legendous' El Maestro', aka
Juan Manuel Fangio, driving a "loaner" Dean Van Lines IndyCar. Plus
Phil Hill and Mike Hawthorn.
Along with the luminous Sir Stirling Moss and
Maurice
Trintignant.
With the latter running the second USAC
"loaner" brought along for F1 Drivers to use.
And American Formula 1 Pilotes' Harry Schell
and Masten Gregory were also in the mix., with Gregory chauffeuring a Jaguar D
Type.
As Thar were quite an assortment of machinery,
with Ferrari entering two modified chassis, the 412 MI and the 296 MI. While
Maserati built the Eldarado Ice Cream Special for Moss.
A lone Lister Storm Sports Car with a Jaguar
D Type six cylinder lump' was given a roadster body of unpainted aluminum and
fitted with USAC style "Flinstone" (Firestone) rubber out-back.
Tony Bettenhausen and Paul Russo piloted the
two Novi's shipped to Europe following the 1957 Indy 500, with the majority of
USAC's contingent racing Kurtis Kraft Roadsters. Although Watson Roadster's were
included too.
Another chassis of note was the North
American Racing Team's (NART) Ferrari 375 Indy roadster that attempted to
qualify for the '52 Indy 500 being driven by the aforementioned Schell.
Yet after the second running, the Automobile
Club of Milan cancelled the event on the basis it cost too much to Host, after
both year's events were won by the visiting Americans...
