Page 28 - Ferrari in America

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A M E R I C A
I N F E R R A R I Sebring was next, and Chinetti had told Pedro and Andretti that he would borrow a
new 330 P3 from the factory, but it didn’t happen. Andretti stated that the condition of the
old 365 P2 was, at best, “exactly the same car, except it was now seven weeks older, and
no one had touched even a tire in that time.” The 365 P2 was the sole NART entry. During
the race, with Andretti driving, the car was involved in a serious accident when it touched
a Porsche that went into the crowd, killing four people who were in a non-spectator area.
Results of the accident and a pit fire caused the NART Ferrari to retire. The accident would
have repercussions for Chinetti and Ferrari at Sebring in the future.
24 David Bull Publishing
NART was more involved than usual in SCCA racing. Luigi Jr. had been competing
in rallies in 1963. He ran some major ones, including two editions of the Shell 4000, a
Canadian event that was the longest rally on the FIA calendar. His entries were Ferraris, a
250 GTE and a 330 GT, cars not usually seen in rallies. He also ran others in both Canada
and the United States. By 1966, he was transitioning from rallying to circuit racing. He ran
both a Lancia and a Ferrari 275 P (0814) in SCCA races at Thompson and Lime Rock. At
Watkins Glen in May 1966, he posted a first and a second in the 275 P. That year, NART
also provided client Robert Hutchins with a Dino 268 SP (0798) and a 275 GTB 09057 for
the Northeast SCCA season.
On the European circuit, Chinetti continued his run of bad luck at the Monza 1000.
Bondurant and Vaccarella were to drive a Dino 206 S (014), but Bondurant crashed in
practice and the car could not be repaired for the start. He had better luck with another
206 at the Nürburgring in June. The circuit favored the small car, and intermittent rain
took away the more powerful cars’ advantage. The race was won by a Chaparral-Chevrolet,
but a factory Dino 206 S (004) was second, and Pedro and Richie Ginther took third in
the NART 206 (008).
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Luigi Jr. made his debut in an International event at St. Jovite in a 275 P, teamed with
Charlie Kolb. Chinetti Jr. was involved in a race incident where an Elva-BMW had crashed
and punctured its fuel tank, resulting in a trail of fire across the track. When Chinetti ran
through it, it set the 275 P alight. The track workers quickly exhausted their extinguishers
and had to put the fire out by throwing and shoveling dirt on the car, the fire brigade being
occupied at the Elva-BMW accident. Some reports claim that Chinetti’s car touched the
Elva-BMW, causing its crash, but pictures confirm that the front of the Ferrari was not
damaged, and the Elva had crashed before Chinetti arrived.
After the previous year’s victory, Chinetti had a large entry at Le Mans. The factory
finally came through with a 330 P (0846) loaner, and Chinetti put Rodríguez and Ginther
at the wheel. The old 365 P2 was still in service, alongside two Dino 206 Ss. The P2 had
been reconditioned at the factory and given a long-tail body by Drogo. Its white paint
accentuated its bulbous shape, and it was called the White Elephant. It would be driven
by Gregory/Bondurant. There was also a 275 GTB/C (09015) driven by Gianpiero Biscaldi
/ Michel de Bourbon-Parme. The NART GTB/C retired in the 20th hour after being in 7th
place the preceding hour.
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