It was the first IMSA race of the season, now backed by Winston, and the first World Championship for Makes race too. This meant that European cars were to take part of this prestigious race. This first race saw the new IMSA rules being put into usability. The twin turbo Porsche 935s would be added a two hundred pound overweight. Counteracting this decision during the winter, Porsche had quickly reacted and a new single turbo Porsche 935 was born. However, many teams were entering twin turbo cars. In fact, three teams had single turbo cars. Interscope Racing had one car, driven by the usual Danny Ongais, Ted Field and Hurley Haywood, who had been hired for this race. Don and Bill Whittington were partnered by Jurgen Barth, who had been hired lately. Dick Barbour entered one car for himself, Brian Redman and filmstar Paul Newman. The ten last Porsche 935s were all twin turbo cars. From Germany were two 935s with an all-star field. Bob Wollek-Jacky Ickx-Peter Gregg and Bob Wollek-Manfred Schurti-John Fitzpatrick. The Joest car for Rolf Stommelen-Reinhold Joest was also amongst the favorites. Jolly Club had also a 935 for Carlo Facetti-Martino Finotto-Gianpiero Moretti. John Paul and Al Holbert had the familiar JLP Racing car. Bob Akin-Rob McFarlin-Roy Woods, Johnny Rutherford-Charles Mendez-Paul Miller, Rick Mears-Bruce Canepa-Monte Shelton, Preston Henn-Ted Field-Danny Ongais, Milt Minter-Hurley Haywood, Hal Shaw-Tom Spalding, Rick Mears-Bruce Canepa-Monte Shelton, Dicker and Dale Whittington were the Porsche 935s that were entered and thus, those who had a significant chance to win. Facing this quite indestructible armada, three Ferrari 512BB, entered by JMS Pozzi Racing and the NART. The cars were V12 powered, as per usual, and had been thoroughly redesigned, in order to accomodate the banking roughness.
The Ferrari 512BBs were starting with great ambitions, but the race turned into a great disillusion, thanks to the tyres.Copyright Dave Kutz
With a near stock engine, they could rely on their legendary reliability. They were welcomed as the real Porsche opposition. Claude Ballot Léna-Michel Leclère and Jean Claude Andruet-Spartaco Dini drove the two JMS cars, while Bob Tullius-Pat Bedard and Jean Pierre Delaunay were aboard the NART car. They should provide some excitement to the race. Charlie Kemp had his huge Ford Cobra II, which was fast, if not reliable. Even ten seconds slower than the best Porsches, one could hope it would provide animation to the early stages of the race. Charlie Kemp was partnered by Carson Baird and Kees Nierop. No other car were able to provide any competition for the best Porsches, BMW had decided not to race its turbocharged 320i. The GTO class was a now usual Porsche-Chevrolet duel. The Chevrolets were fast, but Porsche would probably outlast their opponents. Gordon Oftedahl had brought two cars for Carl Shafer-Tom Bagley and Gerry Wellik-John Wood, Craig Carter had a new car, which he shared with Murray Edwards. The other cars were somewhat less competitive and Clark Howey-Tracy Wolf had their own car, in place of their usual Corvette. Three Chevrolet Monza, entered by Hoyt Overbagh for Hoyt Overbagh-Billy Hagan and Ron Reed, whose car could do well in such a race. The two other cars were driven by Steve Bond-Phil Dann and Graham Shaw-Don Yenko-Jerry Thompson. Two BMW 3.0CSLs were entered by Bavarian Motors International, but they were ageing cars, and quite outpaced. Alf Gebhardt-Sepp Grinbold and Stephen Griswold-Steve Earle-Rick Knoop drove the two racers. A squadron of Porsche Carreras was also to make for the field. They were the class' favorites, but one never know what may happen. Tony Garcia-Terry Herman, Lance van Every-Robert Overby, David Cowart-Kenper Miller, Ludwig Heimrath-Klaus Bytzek, Honorato Espinosa-Jorge Cortes, Ernesto Soto-Pepe Romero, Mauricio de Narvaez-Albert Naon, Diego Febles-Phil Currin, Bonky Fernandez-Chiqui Soldevilla, Bob Kirby-Howard Meister, Tony Garcia-Juan Montalvo were the teams who had the potentiality to win the GTO class. From Europe, a Porsche 934 driven by Angelo Pallavicini-Enzo Calderari could do very well too on such a track. Al Levenson had brought his very old Chevrolet Corvette, which he shared along with Lanny Hester and Gary Baker, for the sake of pleasure, if not with any hope for a class win. A single AMX Spirit, entered and driven by Bob Lee, co-driven by Rick Kump, had no particular ambition too. Herb Adams was here with a Firebird, which was not the radical Silverbird previously seen in 1978. It was a much more classical car. Herb Adams drove it with Peter Frey and Louis Spoerl. At last, a very old, but still worth it, Ferrari 365GTB4, entered by Otto Zipper, and driven by John Morton and Tony Adamowicz. Otto Zipper, the car owner, was to die during the night at his hotel from a heart attack. It was decided that the car would wear a black stripe across the hood.
The remainder of the field was held by the small GTU class. A piece of excitement was to be brought by Mazda, who was to make history later, as the RX7 model was now the Japanese make spearhead. A works team had been set up, for a nationwide attack on the GTU ranks. Three cars were entered, with a mixed field of drivers. Two American teams and a Japanese one. Walt Bohren-Roger Mandeville and Jim Mederer-Don Sherman on one side, and Yoshimi Katayama-Yojiro Terada on the other one. This newly set armada was to face your usual Porsche contingent, but it was clear thay things were to change drastically. Bob Bergstrom and Brad Frisselle had the very first RX7 customer car, built by Dave Kent, and Al Cosentino had a RX3 car, which he drove with Dick Starita and Taku Akaike. Many Porsche 911s were still entered by privateers, but things were toughening up.
Copyright Dave Kutz
Dave White-Kurt Roehrig seemed to be the most apt to challenge the Mazdas, while the other teams were now runner-ups. Ray Mummery-Luis Sereix, Peter Welter-Richard Aten, Carlos Ramirez-Luis Prieto, Bill Scott-Pierre Honegger, Tom Ashby-Bill Bean, George Drolsom-John Maffucci, Rusty Bond-Ren Tilton and Ron Case-David Panaccione could rely on the reliability of their machines. A very well prepared Porsche 914, entered by Kegel Enterprise, could do very well in the hands of Bill Koll and Jim Cook. Steve Southard and Bill Koch had a less efficient car and not any hope for victory while the usual Lancia Stratos entry was to be seen again in the hands of Anatoly Aruntunoff-José Marina. A Triumph TR7, driven by Gary Wonzer-Richard Hughes and Frank Leary's Datsun 260Z were the last entries for this first 1979 race. On the first of February, the paddock would get frantically animated. This first session would determine the first ten starters. Carlo Facetti would wind up 1m46s113, shattering the previous mark and start from the pole, followed by Manfred Schurti, Bob Wollek, Rolf Stommelen , John Paul, Bill Whittington, Brian Redman, Danny Ongais, Bob Akin and Charlie Kemp. Nine Porsche 935s and one Ford Cobra II.
Charlie Kemp's Ford Cobra II was fast, but was to undergo a lot of various troubles.
Copyright Wayne Ellwood
It was remarkable to notice that the four best starters were the European entries. Claude Ballot Léna had a tyre burst and would get off with a fright. The best GTO car was the Oftedahl Racing Chevrolet Camaro driven by Carl Shafer, who did the fourteenth lap time. Second in class was the Peerless Racing Chevrolet driven by Craig Carter and Murray Edwards. Billy Hagan and Hoyt Overbagh wound up a very good third overall in their Chevrolet Monza. The best Porsche Carrera was next, driven by Bonky Fernandez and Chiqui Soldevilla, just over the two minutes mark. In GTU, the awaited Mazda domination was set from the beginning of the practice sessions. Yoshimi Katayama was the fastest amongst the Mazda drivers and beat his American counterparts, setting up an excellent 2m05s95. Walt Bohren and Roger Mandeville were next. Dave White and Kurt Roehrig were third and could provide some competition to the Japanese fleet on their Roehrig Racing prepared Porsche 911. At the end it was a sixty seven car field that would line up in front of the pits for the first 1979 enduro. One question remained : would the European teams continue to dominate the race as they did in practice?
Lining up in front of the pits, the 67 car field is ready for the race.
Copyright Wayne Ellwood
The weather was sunny when the field showed up under the green flag. Jumping in front of the rest of the starters was Rolf Stommelen who was the early leader in the Joest Porsche 935. He was leading Manfred Schurti on the Gelo car, Carlo Facetti on the Jolly Club entry, Bob Wollek on the second Gelo, John Paul, Bill Whittington, Brian Redman and Ted Field. The two Gelo cars as well as the Joest car and the Whittington's entry will swap the lead during the first hour. Rolf Stommelen was on the lead ahead of Manfred Schurti, Bill Whittington, Bob Wollek and Brian Redman. The Gelo challenge would barely last for more than one hour as Manfred Schurti would stop on lap thirty seven for an engine swap, while the second car was back in the pits one lap later for a new turbocharger. After fifteen minutes, the car was back on the track, but was soon to stop again for a new turbo change. Things had turned bad for the German top team. The rival team, lead by Rolf Stommelen, was on the lead after two hours of racing, followed by the Whittington bros. The Interscope car was running very smoothly, and Ted Field had taken the wheel of the car in order to run at a predetermined pace, set by "the boss" himself.
Ted Field's strategy proved to be the good one for this race. Danny Ongais and Hurley Haywood were the Interscope Porsche 935 co-drivers for a well-deserved win.Copyright Wayne Ellwood
John Paul and Al Holbert had already retired from the race with electrical problems. Charlie Kemp's Ford Cobra II was seen often in the pits, and experienced every kind of possible trouble, the car was very far in the standings. While the six first spots were held by Porsche 935s, it was interesting to notice the positions held by the Ferrari 512BBs. They were running at their own pace, and could do very well on he long run. The drivers were confident, but their destiny was kind of ill-fated. At first, it was French driver Jean Pierre Delaunay who had a tyre burst on the banking, and the car was destroyed. The pace car was out for a twenty minute caution period under yellow. Then a discussion would follow between Team owner Jean Marc Smadja, Daniel Marin and a Michelin executive, leading to the three cars' withdrawal. Too dangerous, said Jean Marc Smadja, who did not want his drivers to undergo any big trouble. It seemed that tyres were not completely suited to the banking, and high pressures on the banking generated excessive heat to the tyres. It was quite a disappointment for the main Porsche challenger. Debris scattered the track following Jean Pierre Delaunay's accident. Brian Redman would damage his car in the process. The car would maintain its second place however. Bob Akin and Rob McFarlin had retired with an oil fire after one hundred and seventeen laps.
The Whittington Bros car was to lose some ground with a host of turbochargers swap, while the Reinhold Joest-Rolf Stommelen car retired later in the evening, having lost an engine. At the six hour mark, it was the Ted Field-Danny Ongais-Hurley Haywood car who had taken the lead. Brian Redman-Dick Barbour-Paul Newman were second, one lap down.
Charles Mendez-Johnny Rutherford were in third place, but seven laps down. The European's defeat was now quite complete, with Carlo Facetti out of the race, as well as John Fitzpatrick.
The Gelo cars were quickly out of the pace, and had to change turbochargers many times.
Copyright Dave Kutz
The second Gelo car, driven by Bob Wollek-Peter Gregg-Jacky Ickx, which had to stop many times with turbo changes, was gaining on the leaders, and did appear on fourth place in the standings after ten hours of racing. It was unfortunately to no avail, as the car was withdrawn at 4.30PM, with broken valves. The two cars would trade the lead for many hours until dawn. Then the Dick Barbour car retired with a blown head gasket. The Dick Barbour entry would have an engine exploded early in the morning while the next car, the Busch Beer owned by Charles Mendez, broke its suspension and was strewn on the track. One by one, each of the remaining Porsches would systematically be delayed or withdrawn, and the Interscope would build an amazing lead upon its followers. Running slowly but slowly, the Otto Zipper Ferrari 365GTB4 was now second overall! Even more surprising, the two Mazda RX7s were now in third and fourth place!
The new Mazda RX7s shattered the opposition in their very first race. Here the winning GTU car, driven by Yohimi Katayama, Yojiro Terada and Takashi Yorino finishing at an excellent fifth overall.Copyright Dave Kutz
The Rick Mears-Bruce Canepa-Monte Shelton was the second Porsche 935, and running now in fifth place. Next was the Bill Whittington-Don Whittington-Jurgen Barth, which was running very strong, and was gaining on its opponents. Three turbocharger change had cost them many laps, but now everything was running well. At the end, the Rick Mears' Porsche 935, which had met transmission problems, had overtaken the two Mazda RX7s, and was now in third place. Even for the leaders, the race was not utterly without trouble as the car began to slow down in a very disturbing way. It was now clear that the car would have trouble finishing the race. In fact, the car would stop ten minutes from the finish. The turbocharger had exploded and the car was parked just in front of the finish line, carefully waiting for the chequered. When it fell, the black Porsche 935 was gently pushed and won by an amazing forty nine lap margin. Ted Field, Danny Ongais and Hurley Haywood won and it was the very first victory in such a long enduro for the Interscope Team. Second overall was the fantastic Ferrari 365GTB4 driven by John Morton and Tony Adamowicz, who had pushed their car very hard all race long, and they had deserved it.
John Morton and Tony Adamowicz had the best result possible with their ageing Ferrari 365GTB4, driving it to a fantastic second place overall.Courtesy Tony Adamowicz and Philippe Morinière
They ended up the race quite exhausted but surely happy with their achievement. What a present it was to their recently deceased team owner, Otto Zipper. In GTU, the Mazda RX7s crossed the finish line in some kind of triumphant way. The cars had run flawlessly throughout the race and had not met any opposition. Yoshimi Katayma, Yojiro Terada and Takashi Yorino made history in driving the first rotary car to earn a GTU class win. It was now clear that the Mazda RX7s were the new cars to beat for the years to come, and they really were!
