Target Boyz’ reunion with Marshall Pruett

A gracious Alex Zanardi greats a star-struck Tomaso at Mother speedway on Carb Day.

(The Tomaso Collection)

 

The world is a sadder place without Alex Zanardi!

 

The seas ‘O synchronicity have struck thoust Isle ‘O Nofendersville again Ah-Mighty!

 

Sometime between the Long Beach IndyCar race and Indy 500 Open test. I tried inquiring upon Zed Intrawoods’ about Marshall Pruet interviewing Top Jimmy’, ergo Jimmy Vasser that weekend?

 

Having heard IndyCar Radio pit reporter Ryan Marin interviewing Vasser over being re-united with His 1996 Long Beach Target chip Ganassi Racing Reynard 96i Honda HRH winner.

 

With Jimmy saying He hadn’t put a leg over a cockpit in quite awhile! And I swear I heard Vasser say something about the reunion involving Marshall Pruett. Being the 30th anniversary of His Long Beach victory…

 

Hence, although I didn’t find anything about this, I did run into a fantastic 38 minutes video from seven years ago. When Marshall got Vasser, Alex Zanardi and Mike Hull to sit together and reminisce about those Glory Dazes during the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona.

 

Having totally forgotten that Zanardi had raced in that year’s Rolex 24 in a specially adapted Hand controls No. 24 BMW M8 GTE BMW Team RLL entry. Racing with John Edwards, Chad Moster and Jesse Kroh to a ninth place finish in the GTLM category.

 

It’s a fantastic interview with lots of laughs and absolutely worth listening to!

 

VIDEO: Target Ganassi IndyCar reunion with Alex Zanardi, Jimmy Vasser and Mike Hull

 

Then karmically, having just put the finishing touches on my No Fenders story including Alex Zanardi never getting to race at Mother Speedway the very same day He unexpectedly died at age 59.

 

Opening my email Saturday morning, I learned that El Zorro was gone, saying Oh Fuck!

 

As I’ll never forget that day at Mother Speedway when He graciously walked across the racetrack to “Meet ‘n Greet” Mwah to my astonishment!

 

Alex Zanardi: 1966-2026

 

While here’s another interview of Alex on Late Night with David Letterman following the 2014 Ironman triathlon in Hawaii. Which exudes all of the typical Zanardi charisma, charm, humor and humility which made Him a Hero for Mwah!

 

Nonchalantly describing seeing a female spectator had tears flowing down Her cheeks over Alex’s grit ‘n determination to persevere in the Triathlon. Noting actually, He was just sweating profusely because His gloves were slipping on the wheelchair’s wheels when trying to go uphill, and He wasn’t crying…

 

VIDEO: Alex Zanardi on Late Night with David Letterman

 

Salute Alex! 

Current Formula 1 Constructors who’ve Won at Le Mans

Although when is an F1 Constructor not a winner at Le Mans?

 

Yeah, its another long winded No Fenders story turned into two part harmony. Or is that more groaning I hear?

 

As I’ve already covered the most successful Formula 1 constructor to win Le Mans overall. With the rest of the grid paling in comparison.

 

As I came up with the following trivia question. What do Mercedes and Williams share in common? As here’s what I came up with for winners, beside Ferrari.

 

Aston Martin: 1959

The Aston Martin DBR1 is the only other front engine winner at Le Mans. And yes, I realize that today’s Aston Martin F1 Team began life as Jordan Grand Prix, before Lawrence Stroll cleverly rebranded it as Aston Martin in 2021. Born out of the ashes of Force India and its interim name of Racing Point. Which dovetails nicely with His owning the controlling interest of their road car company.

 

As many will known, the David Brown owned Aston Martin Racing team designed the DBR1 for the 1956 Sports Car Championship season, before the upgraded 3.0-liter straight six cylinder lump’ was introduced in 1957.

 

After three years of frustration, Aston Martin achieved their greatest glory, winning that year’s 24 Heurs du Mans with Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori at its controls. While Aston Martin would also win the Sports Car Championship title that year. Only achieved three times that decade. With Ferrari doing likewise in 1954 and 1958.

 

Yet how many remember that Aston Martin during the David Brown Corporation era also entered Formula 1 briefly between 1959-60? Although by the time they got round to introducing the DBR4 it was obsolete. Along with the lighter, replacement DBR5, both being front engine layouts with straight six engines. When Sir Blackjack’, aka Jack Brabham was dominating the sport in His Cooper rear engine racecar…

 

Alpine: 1978

Alpine has a long, tangled relationship with Renault, its parent company. With today’s Alpine F1 Team having been rebranded from the latest iteration of Renault in 2021.

 

Although Alpine had been merged into Renault Sport in 1976. Nevertheless, it assimilation included its Sports Car racing programme.  Which Renault wished to win Le Mans for the prestige of winning on home soil.

 

Interestingly, there were actually four Renault-Alpine’s entered in the 1978 race, one being a customer entry, with different models entered. Including the controversial ‘Bubble” top roof which was only raced upon the winning Alpine A442B.

 

As Patrick Depailler and Jean-Pierre Jabouille in the latest A443, said the acrylic bubble top partial roof made them feel claustrophobic and trapped engine heat in the cockpit. Along with obscuring vision. Even though Depailler set a top speed of 236mph on the Mulsanne Straight! As the acrylic “canopy” gave the car an extra 5mph…

 

Thus it was Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud winning aboard their bubble roof A442B.

 

And with the victory complete, Renault withdrew from endurance racing to focus their energies upon Formula 1. Before returning to endurance racing first with the A480, a rebadged Rebellion R13. Grandfathered into the ACO’sLMP1 Hypercar rules between 2021-22. And then today’s current factory Alpine A424 Hypercar programme. Which includes the likes of Mick Schumacher as one of the team’s six drivers.

 

Sauber: 1989

Peter Sauber began His long motorsports career by racing in Hill climbs in 1970 in a car of His own construction. While Sauber first competed at Le Mans in 1978 with its C5 Sports Car.

 

Sauber’s association with Mercedes Benz began in 1985, supplying engines for the Sauber C8 Group C chassis, with the C9 being introduced in 1987.

 

Sauber officially became the Mercedes Benz Werks Sports Car team the following year, and the C9 not only won at Le Mans in 1989, but also claimed the Constructors and Drivers titles that year.

 

The C9 was the second fastest car ever at Circuit de la Sarthe, recording a terminal velocity of 248mph, the magic 400kp/h on the Mulsanne Straight!

 

The renamed Mercedes Sauber C9 was replaced by the C11 for 1990, which also won the Constructors and Drivers titles again, before ultimately being replaced by the C291.

 

It was these “Silver Arrows” Sauber Sports Cars that I believe first brought my Attenzione to a young German driver named Herr Schumacher. As I tend to recall that Michael Schumacher, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Karl Wendlinger drove together as Junior Drivers for Mercedes in Group C, before all three advanced to formula 1.

 

Sauber itself made the leap from Sports Car racing at the end of the Group C era to F1 in 1993 with Mercedes backing, taking over the supply of Leyton House March’s Ilmor V-10 lumps’. Having remained in F1 ever since under various guises. And will become the Werks Audi F1 Team next year.

 

McLaren: 1995

Presume everyone knows of the evocative McLaren F1 GTR winning le 24 Heurs du Mans with Lanzante Motorsports in 1995. With J.J. Letho, Yanick Dalmas and Kokusai Kaihatsu at the controls of the No. 59 LMGT1 entry.

 

As the racecar was developed from the original McLaren Supercar designed by Gordon Murray, with its unique three seat layout, seating the driver’s lone seat in the cabin’s centre.

 

As I’m guessing that McLaren is the only Constructor to have won Frederico Suave, nee Fred Alonso’s mythical “Triple Crown”, i.e.; Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and either the Monaco Grand Prix or the F1 World Championship…

 

Williams: 1999

Yeah, technically Team Willy’s never won Le Mans, which I’m aware of. Yet I included them since Williams Grand Prix engineering designed, built and developed the winning BMW V-12 LMR Prototype that Yanick Dalmas, Pierluigi Martini and Joachim Winkelhock drove to victory that year.

 

RETRO: Remembering some of BMW’s Sports Racing Cars

 

The quick answer to my trivia question above is the year 1999. Although it was also when Mark Handlebarz’ Webber and other members of the Mercedes Werks team went airborne and spectacularly barrel-rolled their CLR Prototypes. Which had a nasty habit of somersaulting due to high speed aerodynamic deficiency, Youza! 

RETRO: Remembering BMW’s Le Mans Winner

As today’s Hybrid BMW V-8 racecar is a totally different Animal…

 

As noted, BMW effectively “scrapped” it’s V-12 LM racecar following it’s unsuccessful debut at the 1998 24 Heurs du Mans. Selling chassis No. 1 to German racer Thomas Bscher, and chassis No. 2 to Japan’s Team Goh.

 

As both of these chassis would compete in the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans race with mixed results…

 

While the V-12 LMR retained it’s 6.0-litre normally aspirated lump’, the rest of the car was completely redesigned. With all new bodywork to correct it’s aerodynamic deficiencies. Most notably it’s cooling ducts being moved topside, vs. the V-12 LM’s being on the chassis bottom and being compromised by track heat.

 

The LMR’s most striking feature had to be the use of a rules loophole to fashion a single seater style roll hoop just behind the driver’s helmet, which allowed for better airflow to it’s rear wing. Not to mention causing less drag. As the LMR is claimed to have reached 342 kph on the Mulsanne straight. Or 214mph for us metrically challenged Yanks’, Aye Karumba!

 

A further four chassis were built, with Schnitzer Motorsport running the entries, including a two car effort for the newly created American Le Mans Series. (ALMS) With the new LMR making it’s racing debut at that year’s 12 Hours of Sebring.

 

The car was fast, claiming it’s maiden Pole position, with both Schnitzer entries running up front, before the No. 43 suffered a massive crash. Effectively writing off this chassis! While the No. 42 with Jorg Muller, Tom Kristensen and JJ Letho were victorious.

 

Next Schnitzer showed up at Circuit de la Sarthe with three BMW V-12 LMR’s for the requisite test day. With the Nos 15-17. The third LMR chassis being the striking BMW #16 Art Car designed by Jenny Holzer. Yet that would be it’s lone outing at Le Mans.

 

Having scribbled about BMW’s Art Cars in a multi-part tome, for which I’ll point Y’all to one of these No Fenders stories below…

 

http://www.nofenders.net/2022/04/retro-more-bmw-competition-art-cars.html

 

Thus the two V-12 LMr’s (Nos. 15 & 17) lined-up third and sixth on the grid when the Tricolour was waved on June 12, 1999. As both cars proved reliable and able to circulate at the sharp end. Before JJ Letho driving the No. 17 reportedly suffered a struck throttle late in the race, crashing out!

 

This left Yannick Dalmas, Joachim Winkelhock and Pierluigi Martini’s No. 15 in the lead, which they retained to the chequered flag – despite heavy pressure from one of the Toyota GT-1’s, before it suffered a high speed tyre puncture!

 

Ironically, the second highest finishing BMW was the No. 18 Price + Bscher BMW V-12 LM in fifth overall. With Thomas Bscher, Bill Auberlen and Steve Soper at it’s controls, albeit 20 laps behind the winner.

 

The No. 19 Team Goh privateer V-12 LM entry retired on lap-223 with gearbox issues. Having just learned that part of it’s Japanese drivers trio included King Hiro’, aka Hiro Matsushita! A name Hardcore IndyCar Fans should remember.

 

Now I’m feeling S-L-O-W! Since I’ve just finally realized that’s the exact same Team Goh that partnered with Dale Coyne Wayback’ in 2020 to run some rookie IndyCar driver named Alex Palou…

 

Whilst Team Goh won the 2004 24 Heurs du Mans with a privateer Audi R8 with Seiji Ara and Audi Factory drivers Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello behind the wheel. As it was then “Mr. Le Mans” fifth consecutive Le Mans victory!

 

Meanwhile, after winning Le Mans, “Team Schnitzer” returned to the ALMS, enroute to winning a further three races that season. With JJ Letho and Steve Soper in the #42 winning at Sears Point, Laguna Seca and Las Vegas’s November 7th season finale.

 

The year 2000 would be BMW’s swan song for it’s Werks’ prototype V-12 LMR. Although sadly, BMW chose not to defend its 24 Heurs du Mans victory, having checked that box. Instead focusing upon its new Formula 1 effort with Williams F1. Supplying Sir Frank 3.0-litre normally aspirated V-10 lumps’.

 

Schnitzer Motorsport did campaign two cars in that year’s ALMS season. Yet the Sebring 12 Hours season opening round saw Audi flexing its muscles with its soon dominant Audi R8. Seeing the BMW’s settling for third and fourth place finishes.

 

The BMW V-12 LMR would play second fiddle to the Audi R8 the entire 2000 ALMS season. Scoring its final two wins at Charlotte and Silverstone, which Audi had skipped in order to prepare for Le Mans.

 

As the No. 42 with JJ Letho and new teammate Jorg Muller won both races. Whilst its Seester’ No. 43 entry of Jean-Marc Gounon and Bill Auberlen fought for “crumbs”.

 

Meanwhile, Thomas Bscher who’d campaigned His BMW V-12LM, prepared by David Price Racing in the 1999 ALMS season. Returned to Le Mans one final time, being the lone BMW Le Mans Prototype (LMP1) entry for 2000, with the chassis once again prepared by David Price Racing.

 

Yet the #15 entry with Bscher, Geoff Lees and Jean-Marc Gounon behind its keyboard retired on lap 180 with gearbox damage, due to an accident. Before the car made its final race outing later that Fall at the Nurburgring. Followed by Bscher retiring from racing.

 

Although Team Goh’s V-12 LM was supposedly heavily updated by Dome, the car never raced again…

 

For that year’s Petit Le Mans, BMW brought the V-12 LMR Art Car out of mothballs, seeing three V-12 LMR’s entered at Road Atlanta. As the Art Car would be the only LMR to finish in fifth place – during its lone race outing.

 

Schnitzer ran the final two North American ALMS races, finishing a best of third behind both Audi R8’s again. Before BMW decided to skip the season finale Australian round. Closing the book upon the V-12 Le Mans Prototype effort.

 

Thus it would be nearly a quarter of a century before BMW returned to Circuit de la Sarthe with a factory Le Mans Prototype category. This being the BMW M Hybrid V-8 which made its debut at the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona. With longtime BMW partner Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing running the program’s two Le Mans Daytona Hybrid-spec (LMDH) racecars.

 

Having scribbled about the BMW M Hybrid V-8 and its German IMSA GTP contemporary in the following No Fenders tome…

 

http://www.nofenders.net/2023/01/rolex-24-iconic-german-brands-join-gtp.html

 

With Belgium’s multiple championships winning W Racing Team, better known as WRT campaigning a brace of BMW M Hybrid v-8’s in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Hypercar class under the banner of BMW M Team WRT. 

RETRO: Remembering some of BMW’s Sports Racing Cars

As I can only imagine how glorious those BMW V-12 lumps sounded at full “Chat” upon thoust Mulssane Straight!

 

Another story waylaid in the mountainous driftwood piles upon thoust Isle ‘O Nofendersville. Shipwrecked some five years Mateys…

 

As it seems apropos to uncork this No Fenders yarn now that BMW M Team RLL has just been victorious at the Battle on The Bricks this fall.

 

Although I didn’t painstakingly go thru the two prior years Le Mans results. I did manage to discover that a total of three BMW 328 2.0-liter Inline six cylinder racecars contested the 1939 24 Heurs du Mans.  With All three finishing in the top ten overall. With the top BMW entry finishing fifth overall and first in class.

 

Reportedly this was the Bavarian Motor Werks’ initial automobile racing car, in what’s ultimately become a long, storied Motorsports activity, which includes winning the 1983 Formula 1 World Championship. Whilst it’s hard to believe it’s now a quarter century since they won at Circuit de la Sarthe!

 

Hardcore Sports Cars enthusiasts will presumably know that the BMW V-12 LM Prototype racecar, a collabouration between BMW and Williams Grand Prix Engineering, owes it’s linage to McLaren’s F1 GTR.

 

Although the McLaren F1 GTR was a development of the initial Gordon Murray designed McLaren F1 road car, which utilized a BMW S70/2 naturally aspirated V-12 lump’ at just over six litres.

 

After much pressure from aspiring privateer racers, Murray relented and produced the McLaren F1 GTR racing version, which sported an updated BMW S70/3 DOHC 6.0-litre normally aspirated v-12 lump. Competing in such series as the BPR Global GT Series, which then became the FIA GT Championship amongst others.  With these GT1 racecars being the top class at le 24 Heurs du Mans in the mid-1990’s.

 

Suffice it to say, without rehashing the entire McLaren F1 GTR’s history. The #59 car won the 1995 24 Heurs du Mans at the hands of JJ Letho, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya. Yet by 1997 was deemed “obsolete”, with McLaren withdrawing from Sports Car racing.

 

Yet BMW wasn’t ready to Pull-the-Pin’ upon Sports car racing, and hence hired Sir frank’s (Williams) outfit to design a full blooded LMP1 spec prototype racecar utilizing it’s V-12 engine.

 

Thus Williams produced the BMW V-12 LM racecar for the 1998 24 Heurs du Mans. With two prototype chassis being built. Campaigned by longtime BMW Factory team Schnitzer Motorsport, although entered under the banner of Team BMW Motorsport.

 

No idea how the numbering sequence was done, unless these were just the first two LMP1 entrants that year? As car No. 1 featured Hans-Joachim Stuck, Steve Soper. And somebody then relatively unknown named Tom Kristensen, then just a single winner of the race…

 

The No. 2 entry saw Pierluigi Martini, Jochim Winkelhock and Johnny Cecotto behind it’s keyboard.

 

Making it’s debut during the Le Mans test day, the BMW V-12 LM’s were slower than the Werks’ LMGT1 entries of Porsche, Toyota, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz. Reportedly clocking in at 11th behind the likes of the Porsche 911 GT1, Nissan R390 GT1, Toyota GT-1 and Mercedes-Benz CLK-GT, which claimed Pole.

 

Pierluigi Martini qualified the No. 2 entry in sixth place, with Tom Kristensen putting the No. 1 in a distant 12th.

 

 

The first BMW V-12 LM to retire from the race was car #2 at a meager 43-laps. While it’s Seester

#1 was retired shortly after, at 60-laps. As both cars suffered from “harmonic: vibrations in their drivetrains and were retired in order to prevent catastrophic detonation!

 

Subsequently it was determined that the chassis suffered from lack of aerodynamics, and more importantly. It suffered cooling issues. Prompting BMW to discard the two V-12 LM chassis in favour of a total redesign for the next year’s competition.

 

On a somewhat interesting sidenote, or going down another Wabbit’ Hole; You make the Call! Having surfed thru Bill Auberlen’s extensive racing career. Whom I’ve long taken to calling Him Bimmer Billy’, due to His longtime BMW affiliation.

 

Auberlen, Steve O’Rourke and Tim Sugden were that year’s highest finishing powered BMW entry at Le Mans. With their #40 Gulf Team Davidoff McLaren F1 GTR finishing fourth overall.

 

While interestingly, part of Bimmer Bily’s extensive racing exploits – which I’ve previously scribbled about in,

 

http://www.nofenders.net/2023/03/reminiscing-briefly-over-great-bimmer.html

 

Includes being half of the driving Duo that won BM's lone World Sports Car (WSC) victory overall at the 1998 Monterey Sports Car Championship.

 

With Auberlen and Belgium co-driver Didier de Radigues taking the cheqered flag aboard Team Rafanelli’s BMW Motorsport backed Riley & Scott Mk III BMW 4.0-litre V-8 during the Laguna Seca IMSA GT Championship’s season finale. Forbearer of the American Le Mans Series. (ALMS)

 

Reportedly Italian Team Rafanelli (Rafanelli Engineering) was running it’s Riley & Scott prototype that year in the FIA International Sportscar Racing Series (ISRS) as part of BMW’s preparations for racing it’s BMW V-12 LM chassis fulltime in 1999.

 

Yet Rafanelli was replaced by Schnitzer Motorsport instead, racing the BMW V-12 LMR. Including two cars in the ALMS.

 

Yet Team Rafanelli persevered another season with it’s updated Riley & Scott Mk III chassis. Now sporting it’s own aerodynamic revisions, along with switching to a Judd GV 4.0-litre V-10. Winning the 1999 Grand Prix of Atlanta, albeit the Werks BMW V-12LMR’s weren’t present…

 

To continue reading this No Fenders story, please visit the ling below…

 

RETRO: Remembering BMW’s Le Mans Winner