In a message dated 99-09-11 12:54:35 EDT, wsthompson@thicko.com writes:
<< I remember reading ...about the challenge held at Monza (I think) where
they ran Indy cars, Grand Prix cars, and endurance cars like C or D Jags.
Anyone remember this?
>>
It was called the Race of Two Worlds, but the official name was the 500 Miles
of Monza (500 Miglia di Monza) held in 1958. (There was a 1957 race but the
only European cars were Jag D-Types.) In 1958, Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar and
Lister had specially built cars for the Monza race. Mosso put his specially
built Ferrari on the pole with an average speed of almost 175 MPH (not bad
for 1958). There were three heats and Jim Rathman was the overall winner
with an average speed of 166 MPH in a USAC roadster. Stirling Moss provided
some excitement when his Eldorado Maserati lost its steering at 150MPH. He
wasn't hurt although his car took out yards of guardrail.
The October 1958 issue of Road & Track has a report on the race.
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