George Constantine on the grid in the Ferrari Testa Rossa 59/60. The Greek would go on to win the Grand Prix. Bob Holbert is next to the Ferrari in his Porsche.

Braking into the hairpin, Constantine took advantage of Penske’s car breaking to take the win. George would take the Ferrari to Sebring in 1962 with Gus Andrey.

Walt Hansgen in the rear engined 12 cylinder Maserati birdcage. This car was a monster that only Hansgen could tame. Walt was 2nd after a race long battle with Constantine’s Ferrari.

Fantastic race between the Ferrari of Constantine and the Maserati of Hansgen. Constantine makes his pass at the hairpin leading onto the last lap. The winners were just 5 seconds apart in one of the best Grand Prix races we remember.

Harry Heuer sits on the grid in his Scarab. Always fast but now just a bit dated, Harry took the Scarab to a fine 3rd.

On the grid with the Scarab. From any angle these cars were simply beautiful. The classic 50’s sports racing design.

Heuer and the Scarab making the hard brake into the very tight last turn at the old Glen course.

Augie sits in the Maserati birdcage waiting for the start. One of Momo’s long time Italian mechanics looks over the car.

A nice study in concentration as Pabst brakes downhill into the hairpin.

Roger Penske in the very special Cooper Monaco. Penske would take the lead and drive away but suffered mechanical problems late in the race.

This was the first major outing for the Cooper. Roger had raced his Maserati but knew mid engined cars were the future. In 1962 he would dominate in this car.

Bob Holbert brakes hard for the hairpin. Holbert was 5th overall and first in E Modified in the Porsche RS-61,

Bob Holbert in the Porsche RS-61 was destined to go to bigger, faster cars. Holbert had won all there was to win with Porsche and when Carrol Shelby called - Holbert answered.

Our hero, BARC driver and head of Jake’s Stable. Bob Bucher would take the 1961 SCCA F Modified national championship at the end of the day. Earl McMullen sits next to Jake. Earl would go onto fame with Penske in later years.

Big Jake Bob Bucher in his championship Porsche RSK

Nearing the end of the race, Tom Payne in the red Porsche blew by Bucher in #29 to finish in front. Bucher was upset as he knew Payne was cheating with a bigger motor. Good guy Peter DeCosta put up the money to protest Payne. Payne refused to let inspectors look at the motor and was disqualified.

Harry Heuer in the Scarab heds into the last turn. These black & white shots show the setting sun and how it confused our early cameras.

Constantine comes into the last corner on the last lap taking a hard fought win.

Bob Holbert’s Porsche RS-61 entered late and had to add a zero to his usual #14. In those days there were no duplicate numbers. Computers? They were for the space program.

Augie Pabst in the Cunningham Maserati Tipo 61 passes George Reeds Ferrari. Augie would finish 4th, Reed in 7th.

Grant Clark in the rear engine Sadler Special. Sadler’s cars were always quick but suffered from reliability problems. Today the Canadian team was a DNF.

Young Canadian Peter Ryan in his Lotus 19. He, like his Canadian counterpart was a DNF.

Ryan’s hot new Lotus XIX ran close to the front but never saw the checker.

Hap Sharp’s cooper Monaco was quick but dropped out of the race early. He did win the unlimited race on Saturday and set a new lap record for sports cars at a bit over 93 mph.

George Reed in his beautiful Ferrari Testa Rossa. Reed was a long time gentleman competitor.

Peter DeCosta’s Porsche goes under Bob Colombosians Lister Bristol #68. DeCosta played a big part as he protested Tom Payne’s Porsche for an illegal engine. Payne would not let inspectors look at the motor and was disqualified. His was supposed to be 1500cc like Buchers but we all knew it was 1600 or bigger.

Late in the day as the Grand Prix winds down. Dave Adams Lofa (L) follows Bud Faust’s Ferrari Chev heading past the start-finish line.

Two V8 specials fight it out. Stu Rutherford in the blue special and Bob Henderson in the Bocar. Rutherford would dnf and Henderson would finish in 19th.

Bob Hurt’s Ferrari Testa Rossa. Hurt would finish the race but back in 11th.

Hurt spins the Ferrari in front of Constantine who is lapping him and the Lister Jag of Charlie Jefferson. Bud Faust is ahead in his Ferrari Chev.

One of our heroes Sherm Decker on the starting grid. The cars owner, Cornell student David Morris is saying “please don’t hurt the car, I have to be in school Monday”. Joan Decker is headed to the pits.

Team Decker heads to the grid.

Sherm Decker hunts down Suzie Dietrich in the Porsche and Howard Hanna in the DB on his way to victory.

Three very happy people - Dave Morris, Joan Decker and Sherm Decker with the checkered flag.

Jack Brewer’s 2 liter Maserati leads an Elva special.

The #89 Alfa of Endicott’s J Ward Allen, aka the flying undertaker outbrakes Bill Hilton;s Austin Healey with the Alfa of Kent Partridge looking on.

Bob Grossman’s Ferrari won the big production race easily.

A silver Berlinetta is a rare combination and worthy of two photos.

Dick Thompson was 2nd and first in BP in his Corvette. Bruce Jennings had his terrible roll over at the top of the hill on the first lap and Bob Johnson, Frank Dominianni and Grady Davis were all DQ’d because they passed on the yellow at Jennings accident.

Bob Grossman’s Ferrari Berlinetta comes down to the last turn easily leading the field to win the Glen Trophy.

Always fun, Corvettes had so much power and little tires they often lost it coming out of the hairpin.

The red Daimler of Gary Morgan was the CP winner.

The magnificent Sebring factory Austin-Healey of Buffalo’s Bob Priebe.

George Oulton in his Fiat Abarth. In a few years Oulton would go on to dominate CS in one of the early Mini Minors.

Floyd Stone’s GP Lotus 7 was 8th.

Bruce Kellner in his TR-3 fought the whole race with Mark Donohue’s Courier. Kellner was 4th Donohue 5th.

Bob Purdy was still racing his TD MG and finished 14th in HP.

Bert Everetee’s Porsche headed home to a DNF with a very blown motor.

HP race first lap. A great photo to show how popular the Grand Prix was. Spectators outside and inside the track, camping, partying. It was quite a time.

Fearless barcboys editor and future champion Dave Nicholas dreams while sitting in Bob Poupards twin cam MGA.

1961 GRAND PRIX PROGRAM COVER