As sometimes? Whale’ Ok, lotso times your Humble No
Fenders scribe gets Carried Away going down multiple Wabbit’ Holes…
Although other racing has already transpired,
most notably the annual Dakar Rally. For most, the season kicks off in earnest
with the annual 24 Hours of Daytona.
Thus, whilst doing another extraneous “project”
here upon thoust Isle ‘O Nofendersville over the winter, I gleaned the
following trivial information regarding the Rolex 24.
Can Y’all name the most drivers sharing a
single entry’s win on the Highbanks ‘ O Daytona? And even though the number’s
the same as how many Indy Cars Andy Evans entered in the 1997 Indianapolis 500,
it’s not Evans or Dick Simon.
Nope, the honour goes to the No. 20 Dyson
Racing riley & Scott Mk III ford entry. When its Seester’s quartet ‘O
drivers joined the car’s three co-drivers. With Rob Dyson, Elliot
Forbes-Robinson and John Schneider being joined by the No. 16’s Butch Leitzinger,
James Weaver, John Paul Jr. and Andy Wallace. For which I can still vaguely
recall the entire gaggle ‘O drivers “Dog-pyling” aboard the racecar enroute to
victory lane…
The second most drivers in a single winning
entry has occurred twice. First in 1968, when the Werks’ Porsche System
Engineering’s Porsche 907LH with Rolf Stommelen, Hans Herrmann, Jo Siffert,
Jochen Neerpasch and Vic Elford shared the win.
This feat of five drivers winning happened
again in 1991. When Reinhold Joest’s Porsche 962C was victorious with Hurley
Haywood, Bob wollek, Henri Pescarolo, “John winter” and Frank Jelinski at its
controls.
Five Father and son’s have won at Daytona,
albeit only one pair raced together. Can you name all of them?
John Paul Sr. and Jnr drove together aboard
their highly modified Porsche 935, winning in 1982 with Rolf Stommelen
co-driving.
Big Al’ (Unser) won in ’83 driving with A.J.
foyt, Bob Wolleck and Claude Ballot-Lema in a Preston Henn owned Porsche 935.
While ‘lil Al (Unser Jr.) won twice between 1986-87 driving with Al Holbert and
Derek Bell, racing Holbert’s iconic No. 14 Lowenbrau Porsche 962.
The third father son duo to do so, won forty
years apart. With Mark Donohue and Chuck Parson winning in 1969 for El
Capitano’, nee Roger Penske and Sunoco . Before son David won aboard a Brumos Racing
Riley MkXI with a 4.0-litre Porshe Flat-six
lump’ propelling it.
The Rahal’s joined this small quintet in 2011,
when Graham Rahal won aboard Chip Ganassi Racing’s Riley MkXX-BMW. Y’all
remember when Graham drove for Cheep’, Righto?
As Graham joined His father bobby, who’d won
driving a Porsche 935 K3 alongside Brian Redman and team owner Bob Garretson three
decades earlier. When the Garretson Racing Style Auto entry was victorious in
1981
While the latest to do so is Wayne Taylor and
His two sons Jordan and Ricky. The latter winning aboard Wayne Taylor Racing’s
Cadd-Oh-lacc’ DPi-V.R in 2017. With the Taylor brothers being the only brothers
to win the Rolex 24 driving together. While their father Wayne won previously
in 1996 and 2005…
And although Wayne came out of retirement in
2014 to race in the Rolex 24 with both of His sons and Max “the Ax” Angelelli,
with their Corvette DP finishing runner-up. I’d say their accomplishment was
overshadowed by Memo Gidley’s Horrendous, life altering accident! Which
thankfully, Memo recovered from and returned to racing some Gory eight years
later!
http://www.nofenders.net/2022/02/two-bad-arse-racing-drivers-make.html
Speaking of Porshe, naturally you’d Arse-sume
they’ve won the most 24 Hours of Daytona races overall, Ja Volt! Having won 19
as a “Constructor,” (manufacturer) with a further four as an engine supplier,
for a staggering total of 23 wins. Over one third to date! Not to mention
winning a record eleven races in-a-row, i.e.; 1977 to 1987.
Yet I’m guessing that the second most winning
“constructor”, Err Manufacturer will not be obvious to most? And nope, its not
Ferrari, who languish down in third with five victories. Albeit this is
somewhat misleading, since only two of these wins were for 24 Hours.
As I’d even argue that the second most winning
manufacturer actually has three W’s missing to its credit. As Riley
Technologies is credited with ten victories between 2005-15, including nine
consecutive wins from 2005 to 2013.
While their predecessor Riley & Scott Mk
III chassis won a further three events. Including both of Dyson Racing’s and
Doyle Racing’s victories in the late 1990’s. (1996-97, 1999)
Meanwhile, thee “Iceman 2.0”, aka Scott Dixon
will be gunning for His fourth Rolex wristwatch this year as part of the #60
Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 entry. As Dixon’s the only three-times overall
winner in the field. And would join very elite company with a fourth win.
Joining only Peter Gregg, Rolf Stommelen and Bob Wollek with four victories.
Although Andy “the Enforcer” Lally, who’s
retiring from racing following this year’s Rolex 24 has more Rolex watches than
Dixon. And Lally presumably has the most Rolex 24 wins in this year’s field
with five class victories. And will be aiming to go out on a high aboard the
Magnus Racing #44 Aston Martin AMR Vantage GT3 Evo GT Daytona (GTD) entry.
Yet whenever I think about Lally’s Rolex
wristwatches, Scotty Scooter’ Pruett immediately comes to mind for having more
Rolex’s than Lally has…
http://www.nofenders.net/2021/10/retro-rolexs-richard-milles-pardon-mwah.html
Ye Cheepster’, ergo Chip Ganassi Racing has won
the most 24 Hours of Daytona as a team with six. Two more than current entrant
Wayne Taylor Racing and past competitor Brumos Porsche. Whilst Action Express
Racing (AXR) and Meyer Shank Racing are currently tied with three W’s apiece…
And that’s just some of the many trivial nuggets I’ve gleamed over the winter’s long IndyCar hibernation! As is it March yet? Now back to the race, which has just completed one quarter distance, Tick-tick-Tick…