| "Index
of Performance"
Emulating the LeMans 24
hour race, the two six hour enduros held at Torrey Pines on Oct. 25, 1955
and Jan. 14, 1956 featured an "Index of Performance" award. This
used a handicap formula to theoretically equalize the performance differential
between the larger and smaller engined cars.
 |
| "This photo shows one
of the nice looking DB Panhards coming out of turn 3 (or 5?), driven by
Francois Crouzet. I believe he won the Index of Performance in the January
'56 enduro."
(In the 1950s and early
1960s, 750cc. opposed-twin Panhard powered DB (Deutsch- Bonnet) cars like
this one dominated the "Index of Performance" contest at LeMans.
TM)
(Crouzet won the "Index
of Performance at both the October enduro, where he finished 11th o.a,
and in the January event where he placed 14th o.a. He drove both
races "iron man" without a relief driver. Info from Bob Norton's
scans of "MotoRacing" Volume 1 #2 #8) |
 |
| "A sorry photo of the
Moretti (750cc) owned and driven by John Biehl, a long time early San Diego
SCCA driver. He went in too deep going into turn 9 and went off towards
the electrical transformers that were protected by a high, and evidently
very strong, fence. John was OK but the car was not. He later used the
pieces to run an "H mod" car. John is the fellow who brought back the Veritas
from Europe that eventually went to La Jollan Walter Roach and is now restored
and in Germany." |
 |
| "This car ia an Abarth
207A, the very car that Fred Puhn
bought some 30 years later and restored. It was one of about 12 of the
Fiat engined cars and while they were beautiful to look at, they were underpowered
and heavy and no match for the Lotus Mk IX in competition. I took the photo
early in the morning as cars were going to tech. You can see the fog.
(I can still smell the eucalyptus and damp haybales.)" |
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