The big bore production cars are coming off and the modified sports racing cars are on the grid. The Cunningham team and Roger Penske opted for the Road America 500 and missed Thompson.
Bob Holbert in his Porsche RS-61 had his hands full with Constantine’s Ferrari and Heuer’s Scarab but was able to pull ahead and take the overall win.
Holbert coming up the hill to the start/finish line. The crowd was huge this Labor Day and got a good look at some poor guy whose motor just blew up.
The Flying Greek George Constantine (dark glasses) stands next to Werner Wagner, the chief for John Bunch’s Ferrari 59/60 Testa Rossa
George Constantine in John Bunch’s 59/60 Ferrari Testa Rossa. One of the great Ferrari’s and Constantine drove it well. He was second behind Bob Holbert.
BARC and Jake’s Stable driver Charley Kurtz in his Lola. Charley would win the GM race and the SCCA championship. The car is now undergoing restoration in Germany.
Big Jake - Bob Bucher in this RSK Porsche. Bucher would win F Modified and finish 6th overall.
Paul Sagan’s 1700cc RS-60 goes by Bucher in his 1500cc RSK. They had a good race with Sagan finishing just ahead in 5th.
Tom Payne in his allegedly FM Porsche RS-61. Payne came out of the midwest and wanted the FM championship. Bucher beat him here at Thompson. Payne would return a few weeks later at Watkins Glen but was DQ’d for an oversize motor.
Mechanics have Payne’s Spyder in the air. Bruce Jennings BP Carerra sits behind.
Bud Gates in his Lister Chev. Gates created a more aero front end very reminiscent of a Birdcage Maserati. Gates was 7th.
Big Pete Harrison in the Costin Lister-Chev. Pete finished just behind Gates Lister in 8th.
Phil Cade in a Maserati 250F Formula 1 car from the 50’s. Cade always did well in the Unrestricted class. This weekend he was 4th overall and 2nd in Unrestricted.
Bob Colombosian in his Lister Bristol. Colombo raced this car for several seasons and was always well prepared and quick.
Gordy Heald’s Lotus 7 dropped out. In years to come Heald would win in HM OSCA’s and GM Elvas.
Stutz Plaisted in a 1960 Cooper F2 car easily won the final race of the day for Unrestricted, F Jr and FIII.
This early Cooper FIII car was 7th in class driven by Milo Kibbe.
Harry Heuer in the Meister Brauser Scarab. Heuer’s team made the Scarabs better every year. He was in the middle of a 4 way scrap and ended up 3rd.
A nice shot of the pits across from the paddock. Heuer’s Scarab is racing past. Thompson was unusual in the cars had to cross the race track to get to the hot pits.
A great photo of Heuer up on the tires trying to get past Bruce Jennings in the Cooper-Porsche. Constantine in the Ferrari is behind at this point.
Simply a nice shot of Heuer in his office. You can never get tired of looking at photos of the Scarabs.
Bruce Jennings got the nod in the Kelso cooper with 4 cam Porsche Power. Jennings was no stranger to Porsche or that engine. He drove it well to 4th overall after giving fits to the bigger engined cars.
BARC driver and the head of Jake’s Stable, Bob Bucher (with Piels beer can) talks over the race with Bob Holbert. Future Champion driver Al Holbert leans on Tom Payne’s Porsche.
Gus Andrey in his usually winning Lotus FJ. This weekend Andrey’s Lotus never saw the checkered flag.
Bruce Jennings (black shirt) Spankey Smith (straw hat) Bob Bucher (beer in hand in good BARC fashion)) and Bob Holbert (ragged straw hat) get into some bench racing after the day is done.
The ant eater nose on Bernie Vihl’s Porsche Spyder. The car appeared but never raced.
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