7 Important American Road Racing Ferraris

Americans can easily get overshadowed in road racing history, part of our own doing of course as we revel in what occurs elsewhere and forget the significance which occurred right here. The right here is Pebble Beach, the Del Monte Forest to be exact. In 1951, the year of Ferrari’s very first world championship win, by Jose Froilan Gonzalez at Silverstone, Ferraris made their appearance at the second Pebble Beach Road Race. The significance of the Ferraris who participated in the first Pebble Beach Road Races which ran from 1950 – 1956 were celebrated on the lawn at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
1. 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta   Purchased originally by John Clark of Kimberly-Clark fame who entered the car in the 1951 Pebble Beach Road Race. On lap 27, in 3rd place, he flipped the car into a hay bale; he was unhurt but the car was un-driveable.

2. 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta  This car driven by Raymond Craycroft won 2nd place in the 1953 race.

3. 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico Vignale Spyder  Built specifically for Bill Speer to compete in the Carrera Panamericana, it arrived but wouldn’t start. However he placed 2nd overall and first in class in the Pebble Beach Road Race.

4. 1953 Ferrari 166 MM53 Vignale Spyder    First in class and fifth overall driven by Hollywood screenwriter “Randy” McDougall.

5. 1953 Ferrari 340 MM Vignale Spyder  Winner 1954 race even after an early spin, put the car back in the pack.

6. 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Pinin Farina Spyder Series I  Raced by Jon von Neumann achieving 10th in the final race in 1956.

7. 1955 Ferrari 857S Scaglietti Spyder  One of three built, this car made its debut in the 1955 RAC Tourist Trophy in Ireland driven by Suixtil hero Olivier Gendebien, but crashed and the car had to be rebuilt.  Once finished it was sold and then driven by Jack McAfee to a third place finish in the final Pebble Beach Road Race.

What ended road racing through the Del Monte Forest was a fatal crash in the final race involving Jack’s good friend and early hot rodder Ernie McAfee who died after running into a tree. It is amazing the history about road racing in the United States.