Walt Hansgen in the new “knobbly” Lister Jag immaculately prepared by Alfred Momo for Briggs Cunningham. This was BH101, the first Knobbly built and raced at Sebring.
Ed Crawford in #61 (BH102) leads Hansgen early in the feature race. Fast Eddie would fade to finish 2nd. This Lister was BHL 102, the 2nd knobbly Lister Jag produced.
An unusual view from the rear of Crawford’s Lister turning left through the fast turn headed back to the finish line.
Don Sessler’s Porsche 550RS leads Jim Johnston’s new Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Spyder. Sessler was very fast finishing 3rd overall.
The Flying Greek George Constantine in his black D type Jaguar reported as XKD 545 finished 4th behind Sessler. This was the same Auto Engineering D type Walt Hansgen raced previously.
This is clearly George Constantine in the black D Type chasing a blue D type. The problem is no other D Type is listed in the entry or results. From the color it looks as if it is the D Type Constantine won the Glen GP in 1956 which was XKD 545.
Jim Johnston’s Ferrari 250TR #0720. Jim bought it new from Chinetti and nicknamed it “Big Red”.. While only 5th overall, Johnston was first in the 3 liter D modified class.
Johnston raced at nearly 20 different events around the country in 1958. He followed that up by racing at Sebring in 1959 and then raced even more weekends in 1959. For 1958 he was crowned the SCCA DM national champion
I know, you’ve already seen two other photos but such a gorgeous car deserves to be seem from every angle. Johnston sold the car after the 1959 season
Bark Henry in Mrs. Boden’s Kelso Maserati 300S #3051 was the very first 300S produced. The story of Mrs. Boden aka Marguerite du Pont de Villiers Ortiz, is one worth looking up. Henry was 6th overall and 2nd in D Modified
Bill Sadler in his magnificent Chevy powered Sadler Special. He put fear into the two Listers all year, but the car rarely finished. In this case Sadler was mistakenly black flagged and was a DQ. Here he is looking over his shoulder at who is beh
Sadler was not just a designer and visionary, he actually built his car and then raced them. And he was fast. His crowning achievement was winning the 1958 Watkins Glen Classic. https://www.barcboys.com/watkins-glen-classic-1958-1
OOPS! Bark Henry loops the Maserati. Bill Sadler steers under him as George Constantine in the D Jaguar gets away.
Yes, it is a Ford Thunderbird, part of a two car team of Ralph Durbin and John Cook. Sometimes known as WB specials or Battlebirds, Durbin actually raced one at the Nürburgring in 1957. Neither car finished at Cumberland.
A terrific view of what Cumberland looked like. Here, Hansgen’s Lister chases Johnston’s Ferrari with Gus Andrey’s blue Ferrari 550TR leading. This could have been in practice or as the Lister’s were lapping traffic.
This year Cumberland held a separate race for under 2 liter sports racing cars. This is Len Butscher in this Ferrari 500TR #625LM. A pretty famous car Len got from Lucky Casner. It won the 2 liter class at Monza in 1956 in the hands of Peter Coll
George Arents gets the checkered flag from starter Jessie Coleman. His Ferrari TdF #0773GT was 2nd overall and won C Production. Arents and this buddy George Reed raced Tour de France Berlinetta’s all through 1958 & 1959.
Len Butscher’s Ferrari 500 is chased by Doc Wyllie’s Lotus X. Another situation where these cars were never listed in the same race. Following is Charlie Kolb in an older Ferrari Mondial that was also not listed in the entry or results. Could thi
Taken from a tower at the exit of the hairpin, Bus Andrey, Ferrari 500TRC #0706 leads John Quackenbush, Ferrari 500TR #0634 who is in front of Denise McLuggage’s Porsche 550RS.
Don Sessler in his Porsche 550RS chases Charlie Kolb’s Ferrari Mondial. Sessler won the 2 liter race, then joined in the feature and finished 3rd overall.
Haybales lined Cumberland to keep cars from hitting more solid objects. The problem, hay catches fire. Some unlucky driver went off course and the heat from his exhaust caught bales on fire. It was quickly extinguished.
Back in the day when you saw the #35 it was probably Frank Baptista. Frank was always at the front in the small displacement sports cars; Lotus and Elva. He often was supported by Manhattan Auto’s in the DC area. He won GM easily.
Baptista, Lotus 11 leads John Mull’s DB. The Mull’s, john and Evelyn, were usually in their AC Bristols. John was 3rd in H Modified.
Behind Baptista’s Lotus a firece battle in the newer Elva MkII’s. Chuck Dietrich leads Millard Ripley in a race long duel. Something went wrong for Dietrich finishing 9th but Ripley continued to a nice 2nd overall.
Dick Thompson was already known to be a very quick driver in everything from an MG-TD, Porsche 356, Jaguar XK’s and of course Corvette. In 1958 Dr. Dick was sponsored by Manhattan Auto’s in DC to race an Austin-Healey 100-6. He won.
A brace of Alfa’s fight through the hairpin. Barry Budlong won but had a fight with Bob Grossman and Art Tweedale. And that is how they finished.
Budlong and Grossman in their Alfa’s. These gorgeous cars always leaned heavily but handled well. Can you hear the Pirelli’s screeching and that overhead cam motor revving?
Brad Howe’s 750cc double bubble Fiat Abarth was 2nd in H Modified. In this photo he leads Peg Wyllie in her Lotus. I’m not so sure Peg drove the Lotus in the main race, but she did finish 2nd to Denise in the Ladies race.
A Bandini driven by Jim Eichenlaub won the H Modified class. This Bandini driven by George Parsons was a DNF. Note the TR, MG-TD, Vette and MGA behind the fence. A reported 40,000 came to see the Cumberland races in 1958.
Richard Toland’s DB Panhard won H production. No mean feat in beating the usual HP winner Howard Hanna, also in a DB.
58 Cumb Len Butcher Ferrari 500 web.jpg
58 Cumb Maser Spins, Sadler web.jpg
58 Cumb Constantine D Jag web.jpg
58 Cumb Barry Budlong leads Bob Grossman Alfas web.jpg
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