Pace Lap of the "Daytona Continental"

(1-11-09)   From author and historian Willem Oosthoek:

"I recognized the photo right away. It was taken by the late Flip Schulke and I bought a number of his Daytona shots for the Maserati Tipo 151 book. The American Challenge Cup race had only 14 cars on the starting grid, it was held in the rain and Rex White had the pole after qualifying Thompson's 427 Sting Ray at 162.264 mph. There were no specific qualifying races and Krause did not get his ride until Junior refused to drive the other 427 Sting Ray on raceday, because of the rain. 

There are some typos in the names of the Corvette drivers as well, but I guess there isn't much you can do about them since they are part of the image. They are Jef Stevens, George Robertson and Johnny Allen."

(1-9-09)   From Jim Gessner: 

"On Sunday, February 17, 1963 the 3-hour "Daytona Continental" race that in 1965 became the "24 hours of Daytona" had the two production Mickey Thompson 1963 Corvette Z06 coupes with the standard 327/360hp fuel injection engine.

Billy Krause was scheduled and drove the silver #4 car, and Doug Hooper drove the dark blue #3 entry.  This was the same car he drove and won the 3-hour enduro held at Riverside on October 13, 1962 as a support race for the next day's "L.A. Times Grand Prix".

The silver #4 Billy Krause car was entered into the 1963 LeMans race. Both Krause and Hooper were supposed to drive, but after Daytona Bunky Knudson put the hammer down hard.  "No corporate sponsored racing", and as Doug told me years ago: "Never quit your day job". The cars and drivers never went to France.
 

1-9-09)  From #4 Corvette Owner Franz Estereicher: 

"Bunky Knudson was just the messenger; Frederic Donner GM’s chairman mandated the corporation compliance with the AMA’s (Automotive Manufacturers Association) ban on factory sponsored racing. Hence, the back door opened and legendary men in long black overcoats began their infamous journey thru racing history. 

Unsung hero’s such as Osh Torosian and Jack Aurelai (names not readily recognized in the Corvette hobby) kept the dream alive. In 68 I designed a 12 leaf and 14 leaf rear spring for a “special application” along with five different stabilizer bar configurations. After sample approval I shipped the components to GMC Truck & Bus division in Pontiac (Truck & Bus had money in their development budget) and eventually made their way to CEC’s Corvette engineering suspension lab. Just one example, of many, how ingenuity and commitment perpetuated Corvette’s image as a true “American” sportscar."
 
In the previous day's "American Challenge Cup", Krause started from the front row in Thompson's 427 "Mystery Motor" powered Stingray.  On the pole in the photo above is Paul Goldsmith in a Pontiac Tempest powered by a Pontiac 421cid NASCAR engine.  Goldsmith won the oval-course only "Challenge Cup" race in this hybrid car.

In the wet "Challenge Cup" race, Krause finished 3rd, six laps down.  The super-high-powered 427 Stingrays weren't sorted out for a slippery track.

A.J. Foyt finished 2nd in the "Nickey Nouse", a lightened near-stock fuel-injected 1963 Sting Ray.
 

(1-14-09)   From Ronnie Kaplan, crew chief for Nickey Chevrolet and A.J. Foyt:

"A true story:  That year I had A.J. Foyt in a 327 ZO6 for Nickey Chevrolet. We were at a restaurant for dinner and at the table next to ours was Mickey Thompson, Billy Krause and their group.  As the evening went on, words were exchanged between the two groups and a $1,000.00 bet was made between A.J. and Mickey as to who would lead the first lap. 

Bill starting in the front row and A.J. in the third row.  327 versus the new "porcupine" engine.  When the green flag fell, the first lap was on the oval and then turned left after the start finish line, into the infield road course. 

A.J. put the hammer down and did cross the start finish line first but was going too fast to make the left

into the infield road course.  I don't remember where we finished, or if we 
did.  That was the first race of what has become the Daytona 24 hours and 
everytime that race is mentioned on TV they tell the world A.J. led the first lap of that event."

Rex White raced Thompson's second "Mystery Motor" Corvette but quit on Lap 38.   Mickey Thompson himself took over the car and drove it until the suspension broke.

Photo from Car & Driver.  Car list from Franz Estereicher.

Thanks to Jim Gessner for these Corvette contributions.  Here's Jim's new  "Racing Corvette Registry" website.

Next:   Bill Krause and David Piper

Back to:   Bill Krause -- Corvette Stingray Z06

Back to:   Bill Krause and Corvettes at Daytona 1963 -- Homepage
 

Next:   Haskell Wexler (1) -- Old Yellers III, IV, IX -- Homepage

Back to:   Dave Selway's "Chevway"

Back to:   Early 1960s Racing -- Homepage