Innes Ireland is mobbed after winning the Lotus factories first F1 win. It was the first of many to come over the next decades. Ireland nearly threw the race away when he spun 360° on the third lap and dropped to 11th.

Here Ireland passes another challenger in Jo Bonnier on his way to the lead after his spin.

A real battle for the lead. Ireland barely ahead of Gurney’s Porsche and Hill’s BRM. Gurney would push Ireland all the way finishing just over 4 seconds back in 2nd place.

Innes Ireland leads a hard charging Graham Hill. Hill tried all he could to get past Ireland, but the Englishman stayed put until Hill’s BRM began to fail dropping him back to 5th.

Nearing the end Ireland puts the red Cooper of Roger Penske a lap down and between him and 2nd place Graham Hill’s BRM.

Ireland is racing Masten Gregory who took over car 21 from Gendebien. JellyBean was not fast all weekend, He spun on lap 14 and Walt Hansgen hit him knocking Walt’s LF wheel off. Gendebien brought the car in to turn over the drive when Gregory’s car broke

Moss leads in his Rob Walker Lotus. He and Brabham ran away swapping the lead. When Brabham dropped out it looked like an easy Moss victory but just over half way his oil pressure dropped and Moss brought it to the pits.

Moss is out on race day. He chose this 4 cylinder Lotus over the V8 as he liked the way it handled. He chose correctly as he had the lead at the half way point only to have his motor fail.

Bud was in an artsy mood and got this terrific version of Dan Gurney .

A wonderful shot as Moss returns to the track with Jack Brabham’s cooper flashing by.

Joe Bonnier drives down pit road headed to the track.

Aussie Jack Brabham sits in his Cooper warming the engine before he goes out on the course for qualifying. Brabham used the new V8 Climax to get pole position and lead the race early.

Walt Hansgn buckles his helmet as Phil Forno reaches for a wrench. Roger Penske in the #6 Cooper is also ready to practice. Both Americans did very well against the F1 stars.

Gurney brakes hard for the last turn hairpin. The crowds were huge.

This looks like the last shot but Gurney is headed down into pit lane and is coming off the course.

Moss has both Rob Walker cars out. This is the 4 cylinder car and you can just see the V8 car behind.

Rob Walker, in tie, watches over as his team looks at the rear suspension of the brand new V8 Lotus F1 car.

A fabulous composition by Bud Hofer. Behind the Porsche L-R is Jo Bonnier, Dan Gurney and Bruce McLaren. Jim Clark’s Lotus sits behnd. Note Bonniers swanky Suixtil leather bag.

A low shot of the first year Porsche F1 car. Tall Dan Gurney stands next to the pit wall. No wings, no fat tires - just car.

Porsche teammates Jo Bonnier (black shirt) and Dan Gurney watch the action in practice.

Newly crowned World Champion Phil Hill sits on pit wall with Huschke von Hanstein (Porsche boss) Bonnier and Gurney. Ferrari decided not to send his cars to North America despite Hill winning the championship for him.

Joe Bonnier steers his car away from pit wall, down pit lane and out to the track.

One of the Laystall Lotus mechanics drives Gendebien’s Lotus back to the paddock. Tex Hopkins in his lavender suit strolls up the track.

Qualifying is over. Gendebien brings his Lotus in and behind Moss is joking with Brabham as Black Jack comes in after beating Moss on his last lap by .2 second to take pole. Gendebien would change to the #21 Lotus for the race. Gregory would drive #22

Graham Hill stands next to his BRM. For 1961 BRM had to use Climax engines while they developed their 1962 world championship winning V8.

Moss was the best in the world, without doubt. Here he entertains the F1 cres in front of the #22 Lotus driven by both Masten Gregory and Olivier Gendebien.

Sir Stirling arrives back in pit lane after setting a new lap record. It did not last long as Jack Brabham pipped him later. Moss then decided to use the 4 cylinder car and lost his front row slot.

Moss has the crew push him back after practicing with the V8 car

Roy Slavadori’s Cooper. This was probably the best privateer of the weekend. He challenged for the lead late in the race but never got to the finish ending up out with just 4 laps to go.

A mechanic drives Salvadori’s car back to the paddock.

Roy Salvadori talks with Aston mechanic Rex Woodgate (w hat). The famour Wilkie Wilkerson leans on the fence. Salvadori was closing on Ireland near the end of the race but his engine expired.

Walt Hansgen coming in off the course on pit road in. Walt and the cooper did not do well in 1961, crashing out on lap 14.

The factory Cooper of Bruce McLaren, still using the 4 cyl engine, sits on pit row waiting to return to action.

I think the viewer will agree with Bud Hofer, the lines of the Cooper against the upstate fall colors makes a great photo.

Bonnier tries to get some quiet time in the back of the pits, but photographers got him from both sides.

Moss was constantly in demand. Here photographer Alex Lafontant (red shirt) is no doubt setting up a shot with the famous man.

Moss looks at something Denis McCluggage is pointing to. Photographer Alex Lafontant in the red shirt is not paying attention.

Hap Sharp (blue shirt w texas flag) and Roger Penske talk over their F1 cars sitting in the pits. Note Gendebien is being signaled with an old fashioned pit board.

Penske and Sharp talk over something with an interested spectator.

Gendebien explains in French how different F1 is from LeMans. Olivier was not happy with his car and was out-shown by his UDT teammate Masten Gregory all weekend.

An introspective look on Moss. A great portrait by Bud Hofer.

Another beautiful study by Bud Hofer of Dan Gurney.