Topic: WWW #1994 - Fangio taking the Corvette SS for a spin at Sebring in 1957

[Otto Puzzell]

Know the story? For 1 point, please respond below to identify this car, the driver, and the venue.

Only complete answers will earn a point

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Thanks!

[Otto Puzzell]

Experts?

[whcgt]

1956 Zora Arkus Duntov "the mule" prototype of the Corvette SS that raced at Sebring in 1957. Driven by Juan Fangio & Stirling Moss.

[Otto Puzzell]

Which driver is pictured?

[whcgt]

Juan Fangio. The exact angle of the photograph that you have..has disappeared from my google search. Also I was logged out(in-voluntarily) of autopuzzles, during your reply. I changed my answer back to my first guess..as to the driver in the picture.

[D-type]

Fangio surely?  

I think that's Stirling Moss 3rd from the right in whcgt's picture

[whcgt]

Here are a couple more pictures of this car & test drivers.

[D-type]

Well, that driver isn't Fangio or Moss so he must be one of the others who tried the car that day: Piero Taruffi, Zora Arkus Duntov or John Fitch.  I have no idea which.

[whcgt]

I will stick with my answer..as to the driver pictured in your photo..as being Juan Fangio..as Sterling Moss wore a white helmet..while Juan Fangio is wearing a helmet & googles..that matches the driver in your photo. d-type is correct..& at one point in this puzzle I have listed each of the drivers of this car...as John Fitch, Piero Taruffi, Juan Fangio, Sterling Moss..each tested this car. Here are the first 3 results of the race...1st place Jean Behra/Juan Fangio/Sterling Moss in a Maserati 450s...2nd place Stirling Moss/Henry Schell/Carroll Shelby/Jean Behra/Carlos Menditeguy  in a Maserati 300s...3rd place Mike Hawthorn/Ivor Bueb in a Jaguar D-type(XXD605). The Corvette SS prototype finished only 23 laps, then retired with suspension.

[Otto Puzzell]

It is indeed Fangio taking the Corvette SS for a spin at Sebring in 1957. Though they didn't race the Corvette, Duntov was keen to validate his new baby by letting Moss and Fangio take the car out for a few laps. The reason this photo is not elsewhere on the net is I took a screen capture of a film clip.

Now for the sticky part. whcgt's first answer names two drivers - hence my question "Which driver is pictured?". Multiple guesses are typically frowned upon. I had intended to lock it for whcgt, since he clearly knew what he was talking about. Then D-type chimed in. I was going to give a point to both, so nobody would go home empty handed. Then D-Type changed his mind, saying it wasn't Fangio, which is wrong. And then whcgt zeroed in on Fangio.

Point to whcgt

[whcgt]

Thank you. It is a cool car indeed.

[D-type]

I totally agree.  whcgt solved the puzzle and the point is his. 

To clarify - I said that the driver in the puzzle picture is Fangio.  But whcgt had posted two other pictures and I spotted Stirling Moss in one.  Then he posted the two colour pictures and the driver in the second one is neither Fangio or Moss as the colour of the shirt and helmet are wrong.  Having managed to find out who else drove the car that day I listed them to see if anybody else could identify him.