<VV> Fitch/Phoenix HUMOR

[Bill Hubbell]

I have a cat that likes to retrieve little toys when I toss them. Her name is Phoenix. When I toss the toy I say "Fetch, Phoenix"

(True Story)

Bill Hubbell

On Nov 29, 2012, at 10:14 AM, Ken Pepke <kenpepke at juno.com> wrote:

> 
> In the mid 50s I was into sports car racing to the same degree the kids of later years were into rock concerts.  It was that thinking that captured my interest in the Corvair's engineering upon its introduction in 1959.  Through the magic of the cinema at the Henry Ford Greenfield Village 'Sports Cars in Review' my best pal and I reviewed that crash many, many times.  I had read review after review.  A dozen or more seasoned race reporters each had, at least slightly, a different opinion on what had actually happened.  None of the drivers interviewed at the race could agree either.  The film, in stop action, shows Mr. Hawthorn in the corner of the frame, already making the move … It does not show why.  He is clear of the Healy in the next frames.  The film does not explain the reason for the Healy' move [it would have been towards the path Hawthorn had taken.]  In the years following, there was a great controversy but never a really clear cut account of what exactly happened.  
> 
> Back in the day the racing world was stunned by the loss of Mercedes. It would not have been the custom of a race team to to drop out of the race because one of the cars had crashed … Let alone drop out of racing altogether.  While it may seem to be the thing to do today, it was not what the racing world wanted back then.
> 
> Ken P
> Wyandotte, MI
> Worry looks around; Sorry looks back, Faith looks up.
> 
> ***************************************
> 
> 
> On Nov 28, 2012, at 1:23 PM, hallgrenn at aol.com wrote:
> 
>> 
>> All:
>> 
>> For a balanced take on this subject take a look at the December Road & Track which paid tribute to John Fitch (ironically it came out a day or two after his death).  The article includes interviews with both Fitch and Moss and clearly points out the differences in the character of each man.  I think most would agree with John Fitch's position that Mercedes should withdraw after the crash.  We all know how much highway safety was improved by his invention of the collision barriers.  There are nice comments by John on the Corvair as well.
>> 
>> I rather proud to be associated with the same car he also respected. 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Taruffi57 <Taruffi57 at aol.com>
>> To: virtualvairs <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
>> Sent: Wed, Nov 28, 2012 8:54 am
>> Subject: Re: <VV> Fitch/Phoenix Autoweek/Moss/'55 LeMans
>> 
>> 
>> First, let me say that I am as great an admirer of everything about John  
>> Fitch as anyone.
>> 
>> On pages 32 - 35 of the Jan. 2013 issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic  Car, 
>> there is an article entitled "The Immoral".  Words and pics of  Stirling Moss 
>> - "in his own words".  As to the greatest racing disaster of  all time - 
>> the start/finish straight at LeMans 1955, which took the lives of  over 80 
>> people, Moss says that "John Fitch was a real pain in the ass" for  insisting 
>> that the Mercedes team manager - Alfred Neubauer, call the  directors of 
>> Mercedes Benz back in Germany to have their cars pulled from the  race.  
>> Further: he says "Fitch is a very nice guy, but it was the wrong  thing to do".  
>> 
>> Race management couldn't stop the race because ambulances  would not have been 
>> able to get out of the circuit, and Mercedes was not at  fault.
>> 
>> The Mercedes 300 SLR that crashed into the crowd was driven by  Pierre 
>> Levegh and Fitch was the co-driver in that car.  The crash happened  because 
>> Mike Hawthorn in a Jag D Type - who had a slight lead on Fangio in  a Mercedes, 
>> abruptly cut across Lance Macklin's Austin Healey prototype at pit  entranc
>> e.  This caused Macklin to move left to avoid the Jag, but put him  in the 
>> path of the coming Mercedes of Levegh.  Levegh's Mercedes hit the  left rear 
>> of the Austin Healey and launched into the crowd.  Those D Type  Jags had a 
>> top speed of at least 173, and Hawthorn & his co-driver went on  to win the 
>> race after Mercedes pulled out.
>> 
>> I have been avidly reading sports car magazines since 1960, and only about  
>> 2 years ago have I finally read a clear account of what caused this 
>> horrific  accident, and am surprised to now read this commentary from S. Moss.
>> 
>> Joe Dunlap
>> Florida
>> (a keen student of motor racing)
> 
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