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Daytona 24 hours

Daytona International Speedway (Road course), Daytona Beach, Florida, USA

Date: 3/2/1979 to: 4/2/1979
Track length: 6.180 m
Attendance:
Entries accepted: 84
Starters: 67
Finishers: 22, 19 classified

Pole position: Ongais in 1.46,113 = 209,659 kmh
Fastest lap: Gregg in 1.49,477 = 203,217 kmh

Distance: 24 hours
Average speed: 176,076 kmh
Weather: Cool and dry
Ruleset: Group 5, IMSA GT
Car info: 1979 Cars

 

Poor Georg Loos’ 1979 season started bad (and it would not get much better after that); the plane which should deliver his 935 Porsches could not open its freight doors in New York (they were frozen) and the plane set off to Brussels again with the expensive Porsches still in its belly. When it returned, the doors opened all right and a 24 hour journey to Florida begun. Despite missing much of practice, the cars qualified second and third, behind the Interscope car of Ongais.
The race was just over 1 hour when Fitzpatrick blew a head gasket, and soon he was followed by new signing Wollek in the other car who lost a turbo, which wouldn’t be the only one. Wollek dropped to 20th place, but fought back to third, while the other car retired for good. Early leaders Stommelen and team-mates Jöst and Merl retired after six hours, and when the second Loos car retired too, it was time for the Americans to take over. The brand-new IMSA style Interscope 935 with a single turbocharger of Field/Ongais/Haywood had their share of troubles too (they spent the last 11 minutes waiting for the flag on the straight!), but they won the race, with an 8-year old Ferrari Daytona in second place - the improved 512 BB’s were fast but retired.
Surprise of the race were the Mazda RX7 cars, they won the under-2500 cc class and finished fifth and sixth overall. We would hear more from those cars - not only in the States...


Overall result
Pos Pos in class # Team / Entrant
Car- Engine
Drivers, Nationality Engine
vol. (cc)
Engine
Type
Group Distance,
time
Qualifying position Qualifying time Fastest lap Reason out,
remarks
1 1/1   Interscope Racing
Porsche 935-79
Ted Field, USA
Danny Ongais, USA
Hurley Haywood, USA
  B6 Group 5/Div. 2 IMSA GTX 684 laps, 24:00.24,87 8 1.54,072    
2 2/1 65 Modena Sportscars / Otto Zipper
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
John Morton, USA
Tony Adamowicz, USA
4390 V12 Group 5/Div. 2 IMSA GTO 635 24 2.05,791    
3 3/2 11 Bruce Canepa
Porsche 935-77A
Bruce Canepa, USA
Rick Mears, USA
Monte Shelton, USA
(Greg Pickett, USA)
  B6 Group 5/Div. 2 IMSA GTX 627 19 2.00,336    
4 4/3 94 Whittington Brothers
Porsche 935-79
Don Whittington, USA
Bill Whittington, USA
Jürgen Barth, D
2857 tc B6 Group 5/Div. 2 IMSA GTX 622 6 1.49,397    
5 1 7 Mazda Technical Center
Mazda RX-7
Yoshimi Katayama, J
Yojiro Terada, J
Takashi Yorino, J
2 x 573 R2 IMSA GTU 617 32 2.05,955    
6 2 77 Mazda Technical Center
Mazda RX-7
Walt Bohren, USA
Jim Downing, USA
Roger Mandeville, USA
2 x 573 R2 IMSA GTU 615 34 2.06,804    
7 3 60 E.J. Pruitt
Porsche 911
Rusty Bond, USA
Ren Tilton, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 612 50 2.12,729    
8 2 54 Montura Racing
Porsche Carrera
Tony Garcia, USA
Juan Montalvo, C
Alberto Vadia Jr, USA
  B6 IMSA GTO 587 33 2.06,274    
9 3 98  
Porsche Carrera
Lance Van Every, USA
Ash Tisdelle, USA
Robert Overby, USA
  B6 IMSA GTO 579 30 2.04,607    
10 4 03 Lubrifilm Racing Team
Porsche 934
Angelo Pallavicini, CH
Enzo Calderari, CH
Marco Vanoli, CH
2993 tc B6 IMSA GTO 577 40 2.09,383    
11 4 75  
Porsche 911
Mike Ramirez, PR
Manuel Villa Prieto, PR
Luis Gordillo, PR
  B6 IMSA GTU 560 49 2.12,600    
12 5 37 Botero Racing
Porsche Carrera
Honorato Espinosa, CO
Francisco Lopez, CO
Jorge Cortes, CO
  B6 IMSA GTO 551 27 2.02,649    
13 5 33  
Porsche 911
Peter Welter, USA
Richard Aten, USA
Jack Refenning, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 550 55 2.13,905    
14 6 58 Diego Febles Racing
Porsche Carrera
Diego Febles, PR
Phil Currin, USA
  B6 IMSA GTO 543 25 2.02,178    
15/NRF 4 5 Budweiser Racing
Porsche 935
Charles Mendez, USA
Johnny Rutherford, USA
Paul Miller, USA
  B6 IMSA GTX 529 12 1.53,028   Fuel injection
16/NRF 6 27 Miami Auto Racing
Porsche 911 S
Raymond Mummery, USA
Tom Sheehy, USA
Luis Sereix, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 522 44 2.10,219   Differential
17/NRF 7 62 Koll Motorsport
VW-Porsche 914/6
Bill Koll, USA
Jim Cook, CDN
  B6 IMSA GTU 511 39 2.09,314    
18 7 95  
Chevrolet Monza
Stephen Bond, USA
Philip Dann, USA
  V8 IMSA GTO 509 66 no time    
19 8 21 Oftedahl Racing
Chevrolet Camaro
John Wood, USA
Tom Bagley, USA
Carl Shafer, USA
(Joe Chamberlain, USA)
  V8 IMSA GTO 493 14 1.57,717    
20 8 42 Bullwinkle Racing
Porsche 911
Tom Ashby, USA
Bill Bean, USA
Bob Beasley, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 493 45 2.10,600    
21 9 08 Southern Racing Enterprises
Porsche 911
Terry Wolters, USA
Nort Northam, USA
Richard Weiss, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 488 67 no time    
22 10 34  
Porsche 911
George Drolsom, USA
Mark Greb, USA
John Maffucci, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 482 47 2.11,186    
NC 9 64 Lenton B. McGill
Chevrolet Camaro
C.C. Canada, USA
Russ Boykin, USA
Tom Ciccone, USA
  V8 IMSA GTO 458 54 2.13,721    
NC 11 61 Faza Squadra
Mazda Savanna RX-3
Alfredo Cosentino, USA
Dick Starita, USA
Taku Akaike, J
2 x 573? R2 IMSA GTU 444 48 2.11,757    
DNF   8 Automobiles International Inc.
Lancia Stratos
Anatoly Arutunoff, USA
José Marina, USA
Danny Sullivan, USA
2418 V6 IMSA GTU 439 53 2.13,226    
DNF   6 Dick Barbour
Porsche 935
Dick Barbour, USA
Brian Redman, GB
Paul Newman, USA
2857 tc B6 IMSA GTX 410 7 1.51,625   Engine
DNF   80  
Pontiac Firebird
Herb Adams, USA
Peter Frey, USA
Louis Spoerl, USA
  V8 IMSA GTO 408 65 no time   Oil pressure
DNF   17 Racing Beat
Mazda RX-7
Jim Mederer, USA
Don Sherman, USA
Jeff Kline, USA
Ron Reed, USA
2 x 573 R2 IMSA GTU 393 43 2.10,099    
DNF   93 Whittington Brothers
Porsche 934
Dale Whittington, USA
R.D. Whittington, USA
Preston Henn, USA
2993 tc B6 IMSA GTO 389 35 2.06,847   Acident
DNF   71 Bill Scott Racing
Porsche 911
Bill Scott, USA
Mark Hutchins, USA
Pierre Honegger, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 388 41 2.09,451    
DNF   40 Performance Specialists
VW-Porsche 914/6
Steve Southard, USA
William Koch, USA
Earl Roe, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 385 59 2.15,446    
DNF   1 Gelo Racing Team
Porsche 935-77A
Bob Wollek, F
Jacky Ickx, B
Peter Gregg, USA
  B6 IMSA GTX 342 3 1.47,028 1.49,477 Engine
DNF   69 Bytzek Automotive
Porsche Carrera
Klaus Bytzek, CDN
Rudi Bartling, CDN
Ludwig Heimrath, CDN
  B6 IMSA GTO 335 28 2.03,995   Oil system
DNF   29 Stratagraph Inc.
Chevrolet Monza
Billy Hagan, USA
Hoyt Overbagh, USA
Don Reed, USA
  V8 IMSA GTO 331 18 1.59,994    
DNF   89 Hamilton House Racing
Porsche 911
Joseph Hamilton, USA
Robert H. Hoskins, USA
Herb Forrest, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 329 46 2.10,618    
DNF   51 Casablanca Fan
Porsche Carrera
Bob Kirby, USA
John Hotchkis Sr, USA
Howard Meister, USA
  B6 IMSA GTO 328 37 2.08,292    
DNF   15 Bavarian Motors International
BMW 3.0 CSL
Alf Gebhardt, USA
Sepp Grinbold, USA
3498 L6 IMSA GTO 299 36 2.08,166    
DNF   81 Performance Export
Porsche Carrera
Ernesto Soto, YV
Francisco Romero, YV
Oscar Notz, YV
  B6 IMSA GTO 241 21 2.01,072    
DNF   01 DR Racing
Porsche 911
David White, USA
J. Kurt Roehrig, USA
John Hamilton, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 223 38 2.08,508    
DNF   13 Hal Shaw Racing
Porsche 935
Hal Shaw Jr, USA
Tom Spalding, USA
Norm Ridgely, CDN
2857 tc B6 IMSA GTX 222 42 2.09,852   Turbocharger
DNF   36  
Porsche 911
Ron Case, USA
Dave Panaccione, USA
  B6 IMSA GTU 210 52 2.13,041    
DNF   53  
Chevrolet Camaro
Guy Thomas, USA
Milton Moise, USA
Tom Nehl, USA
  V8 IMSA GTX 201 51 2.12,783    
DNF   06  
Chevrolet Corvette
Al Levenson, USA
Gerry Baker, USA
Lanny Hester, USA
  V8 IMSA GTO 197 57 2.14,960    
DNF   23  
Ford Cobra II
Charlie Kemp, USA
Carson Baird, USA
Kees Nierop, CDN
  V8 IMSA GTX 168 10 1.56,725    
DNF   3 Jolly Club
Porsche 935-77A
Martino Finotto, I
Carlo Facetti, I
Gianpiero Moretti, I
  B6 IMSA GTX 164 1 1.46,113   Accident
DNF   4 Liqui Moly Joest Racing
Porsche 935 J
Reinhold Jöst, D
Rolf Stommelen, D
Volkert Merl, D
  B6 Group 5/Div. 2 IMSA GTX 162 4 1.47,907   Engine
DNF   90 Bob’s Speed Products
AMC AMX
Rick Kump, USA
Bob Lee, USA
Sam Miller, USA
  V8 IMSA GTO 156 56 2.14,460    
DNF   12  
Chevrolet Camaro
Gerry Wellik, USA
Tom Bagley, USA
Joe Chamberlain, USA
(John Wood, USA)
  V8 IMSA GTO 147 26 2.02,578    
DNF   56 Rick Hendrick
Chevrolet Camaro
Craig Carter, USA
Murray Edwards, CDN
Richard Valentine, USA
  V8 IMSA GTO 144 17 1.59,423    
DNF   2 Gelo Racing Team
Porsche 935-77A
Manfred Schurti, FL
John Fitzpatrick, GB
Bob Wollek, F
  B6 Group 5/Div. 2 IMSA GTX 135 2 1.46,746   Engine
DNF   57  
Datsun 240Z
John Tremblay, USA
Bob Lapp, USA
  L6 IMSA GTU 118 63 no time   Gearbox
DNF   9 Dick Barbour
Porsche 935-77A
Bob Akin, USA
Rob McFarlin, USA
Roy Woods, USA
2857 tc B6 IMSA GTX 117 9 1.54,500   Fire
DNF   66 JMS Racing Pozzi
Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer
Jean-Claude Andruet, F
Spartaco Dini ("Paco"), I
Claude Ballot-Léna, F
4942 V12 Group 5/Div. 2 IMSA GTX 103 15 1.57,726 (?)   Withdrawn
DNF   67 JMS Racing Pozzi
Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer
Claude Ballot-Léna, F
Michel Leclère, F
Jean-Claude Andruet, F
4942 V12 Group 5/Div. 2 IMSA GTX 101 13 1.57,376   Withdrawn
DNF   24  
Chevrolet Camaro
Graham Shaw, USA
Don Yenko, USA
Jerry Thompson, USA
  V8 IMSA GTX 86 62 no time    
DNF   38 Boricua Racing
Porsche Carrera RSR
Bonky Fernandez, PR
Chiqui Soldevila, PR
Tato Ferrer, PR
  B6 IMSA GTO 73 20 2.00,948    
DNF   68 North American Racing Team
Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer
Bob Tullius, USA
Jean-Pierre Delaunay, F
Pat Bedard, USA
4942 V12 Group 5/Div. 2 IMSA GTX 72 16 1.58,823   Accident
DNF   43 Mike Meldau
Chevrolet Camaro
Bill McDill, USA
Steve Behr, USA
  V8 IMSA GTX 59 31 2.05,621    
DNF   46 Performance Export
Porsche Carrera
Mauricio de Narvaez, CO
Albert Naon, USA
Pedro de Narvaez, CO
  B6 IMSA GTO 46 23 2.01,586    
DNF   07 Budweiser Racing
Porsche Carrera
Dave Cowart, USA
David McClain, USA
Kenper Miller, USA
  B6 IMSA GTO 35 22 2.01,412    
DNF   00 Interscope Racing
Porsche 935-79
Preston Henn, USA
Ted Field, USA
Danny Ongais, USA
  B6 IMSA GTX 29 11 1.52,807   Accident
DNF   14 Bavarian Motors International
BMW 3.0 CSL
Steve Griswold, USA
Steve Earle, USA
Rick Knoop, USA
3498 L6 IMSA GTO 25 61 no time    
DNF   96  
Triumph GT6
Gary Wonzer, USA
Robert Whitaker, USA
George Van Arsdale, USA
Richard Hughes, USA
1998 L6 IMSA GTU 20 60 2.16,117   Electrics
DNF   48  
Datsun 240Z
Frank Leary, USA
Casy Mollett, USA
Steve Cook, USA
  L6 IMSA GTU 13 58 2.15,453   Cooling system
DNF   18 JLP Racing
Porsche 935 JLP-1
John Paul Sr, USA
Al Holbert, USA
Michael Keyser, USA
  B6 IMSA GTX 12 5 1.48,626   Electrics
DNF   79 Sports Ltd. Racing
Mazda RX-7
Bob Bergstrom, USA
Brad Frisselle, USA
2 x 573 R2 IMSA GTU 9 64 no time   Suspension
DNF   73 Howey Farms
Chevrolet Camaro
Clark Howey, USA
Dale Koch, USA
Tracy Wolf, USA
  V8 IMSA GTX 4 29 2.04,328    
DNS   63 Faza Squadra
Mazda Savanna RX-3
Alfredo Cosentino, USA
Craig Fisher, CDN
2 x 573? R2 IMSA GTU     no time    
DNS   78 Associated Speed & Performance
Datsun 240Z
Ken Williams, USA
Wiley Doran, USA
Neil Upchurch, USA
  L6 IMSA GTU     no time    
DNS   7T? Mazda Technical Center
Mazda RX-7
Yoshimi Katayama, J
Yojiro Terada, J
Takashi Yorino, J
Walt Bohren, USA
Jim Downing, USA
Roger Mandeville, USA
2 x 573 R2 IMSA GTU     no time