Exotic Car Marketplace

[00:00:00] As part of Ferrari Fridays, William Ross from the Exotic Car Marketplace will be discussing all things Ferrari and interviewing people that live and breathe. The Ferrari brand topics range from road cars to racing drivers to owners, as well as auctions, private sales and trends in the collector market.

And welcome back to the Ferrari Marketplace Podcast, where we talk about everything. For our related, I’m your host, William Ross. First, let’s give a shout out to our supporters and sponsors. For everything from Ferrari and Porsche, Lamborghini and Koenig Seg, visit exotic car marketplace.com. If you’re into anything with wheels and a motor, log onto the Motoring Podcast Network and check out our family of podcasts@motoringpodcast.net.

This is the place to find your favorite new show. Next up a shout out to David Beatie and his team at Slot [00:01:00] Mods who custom builds some of the coolest slot car tracks in the world@slotmods.com. Let your imagination run wild and finally, grand touring motorsports. Covering all aspects of auto racing and motorsports history.

Check out their ine@gtmotorsports.org. All the links for our sponsors are in the description, but also would like to give a shout out for our event happening July 27th, the Rock and Revs Automotive Festival. Check out rock andres.com. To get all the details. We got the best prizes and awards winners. Get some Schwinn Stingray, apple, great Bikes, mongooses, BMX bikes.

We got all these Lego technique things. People can win, tons of raffle prizes. We have over $2,000 worth of tools and equipment that were donated by ECS tuning. So we have a lot, lot of cool stuff. So definitely check out rock and revs.com and if you are able to make it up here to the Northern Ohio region to Fairview Park, Ohio on July 27th, definitely stop by.

It’s gonna be definitely worth it. We got a lot of cool stuff happening, so onward. It is the month of May. And what are you talking about? In the month of [00:02:00] May, the Indy 500. Let’s talk about Ferrari’s relationship with the Indy 500, as short as it may be, but interesting I guess you could say. Now, those of you that don’t follow F1 all that closely, or maybe it’s history, maybe you follow it now because of the Netflix series, drive to Survive, which I watch, you know, it’s brought in a lot of new F1 fans definitely.

But. Yeah, I don’t know how many of these fans are actually then looking into the history of performing the one, which they should definitely should because the history’s awesome, and your fifties and sixties and seventies is just, and the eighties is just cool and nineties, so the history is really cool.

But anyways, for those of you that aren’t all that familiar, between 1925 and 1928. More recently, 1950 to 1960, the Indianapolis 500 was actually part of the F1 World Championship. You could score points to go towards the championship at the Indy 500 racing Unit. No one really did for coming over from Europe, and one of the really only reasons that they included that.

In. It was, the fact was that way they could [00:03:00] say, Hey, we are a world championship. You know? So they could say they have races on all these continents because they didn’t have one at that point yet in the United States. But they needed to have something to kind of, I guess, justify their title. They said, well, let’s just include the Indy 500 it, but no one raced it.

No, especially now, no one does because it always falls on the same weekend as the Grand Prix. Back then it did not. There was really no issues with it. I mean, I guess I should take that back. Maybe there was a little bit of issue. ’cause the way qualifying was back in the day, you know, qualifying used to happen over multiple weeks for the Indy 500.

You know, they condensed it way down this day and age just to kind of reduce costs in that. But back in the day, you know, you had. You’re qualifying bump day car. You had all these things. So I mean, it was pretty hectic. And you had the month of May was for the Indy 500. You know, now you have like three races for IndyCar in the month of May.

Now. It used to be, it was only the Indy 500. ’cause you had practice, you had qualifying, you had bump day, you had all these things. So a little bit different. We’re not so much worried about 19 25, 9 28. ’cause you know, that was kind of a very, very different time in F1. I don’t wanna say in in its infancy, [00:04:00] so to speak.

’cause it really wasn’t so much, there really wasn’t an F1 world championship. Let’s just say 1950. 1960 is what we’re gonna focus on more. ’cause that’s when, you know, really had the F1 world championship and that’s the time when, you know, Ferrari was getting rather dominant. In Formula One, they wanted to have some representation over here.

’cause one, hey, it is part of World Championship, but two, the prize money that was up at that time, I wanna say the 1952 race, it was over $230,000 was the prize pool. So I, and I can’t remember what the winner got, but I mean, the amount of money that a driver could win. Back then was more, if not two to three times as much as they could win over in Europe, if they won every race they entered.

I mean, it was huge, huge dollars. And one thing was exposure. Everything along those lines. You had a lot of guys, especially into the sixties when you had the great Jimmy Clark, you know, all those guys coming over and winning stuff because they could win a ton more money than they could racing over in Europe.

You know, it [00:05:00] was a different time back then. They raced everything and anything. But let’s kind of get back into. The 1952 Indy 500. Prior to the Indy 500, I mean, the 1952 Indy 500 Fari had poked around with possibly going in and look at the rules and regulations, everything like that. But in 1952, they wanted to make a very serious effort.

They basically had one full fledged factor backed entry with Alberto Ascari. It was the, uh, Ferrari 3 75 that they had sent over there. That was the one that they were going to go with. But there was also three private entries of these cars that were sold to independent teams. I guess you could say it was by Johnny Parsons.

Johnny Morrow and Bobby Ball were also, but they didn’t qualify. Lack of speed, and not to say that Asari was all that quick either. He only qualified 25th to meet the regulations and rules for the Indy 500. They had to modify. [00:06:00] The 3 75, they linked in the chassis a bit. They did a few other things.

Obviously increased their weight. But one of the big issues that the car had was the biani wire wheels. Now, when they got to the track in early May, other competitors, ’cause you know, back then everybody helped everyone. Everyone was gonna go around. You guys, they’re gonna give you, hey, support, help, whatever you need.

Because you know, you know, I. It’s like a family environment and they told those guys don’t run those wire wheels. They will not last. They won’t be able to put up with it. And they didn’t listen. They were telling ’em to switch to, you know, hella brain, magnesium wheels. They just didn’t listen an interesting point because that’s what ended up taking him out of the race.

So, as I said, you know, Asari qualified 25th, he had worked his way up to ninth. So he was moving ahead, he was getting there, he was raising out how much, you know, retirement, what have you, everything like that. He got to lap 40, so there’s 200 laps, not quite halfway, little more quarterway, but then the wheels failed it.

It really wasn’t that long of a race. Mm-hmm. Kind of like a [00:07:00] side note was kinda interesting for this is they were running the F1 world championship. There were two races that a scar did not win outta that championship that year outta the eight world championship races that year. 1952, there’s only two that Ari didn’t win.

Now one was Pierro to Rufi, won in a Ferrari, and all the other races won by Ferrari ’cause Karri won the last six. But anyways, the one in Switzerland, May 8th, was won by Pierro to Rufi in the Ferrari on May 18th. And the reason Karri couldn’t be there because he had to be in Indianapolis to qualify for the race.

So he wasn’t at that one. And then the second race that goes towards the championship was the Indy 500. And so that was run by Troy Rutman won that race, but obviously. Ari retired in Lap 40 ’cause of his bari white wheels. But the interesting fact is the last six races of the year, Ari won them all and that no, no competition, what have you.

But that’s just how brilliant of a driver aari he was. I mean, the guy’s legendary. Now you got those guys back there, sari. You know, [00:08:00] Newville, Gio, I mean, you just got some of those big names back in the day. What those guys could do, driving those cars. Unbelievable. I mean, just absolutely unbelievable. But yeah, so I was, that was, you know, kind of an interesting fact too for the F1 World Championship was that was pretty much in essence, he didn’t win.

All the races, he won the majority of ’em. And you know, the only one really in my eyes f won the race that he didn’t win every four World Championship was won in Switzerland when he was qualifying. You really can’t consider the Indianapolis race part of the World Championship ’cause no one came over from Europe to run it, to include it in their points.

It was just too much or concerted effort you had to miss the one race because of qualifying everything along those lines. But anyways, back to. Mr. Ska and the Indy 500. And like I said, you know, there was three other private entrants that were also bought, purchased Ferraris. They could not get up to speed at all.

It was a head scratcher. Indy is a very unique place, and I think Europeans, I don’t wanna say took it for granted. Oh, you just turning left, you know, hard. Could it be, but you know, Indie’s a very [00:09:00] unique track. One, you have a card that lasts, you know, it’s that thing. You have to finish first. You gotta first finish during practice.

And qualifying, they were scratching their heads ’cause they were not anywhere near qualifying times. They just did not have the speed. So they kept plugging away, plugging away. They got a lot of input and help from a bunch of American guys in the garages there trying to, you know, help them out, which is really cool.

You’d have to imagine. The mechanics and the individuals that were in the garage for Ferrari probably didn’t speak any English. Maybe a little, but probably hardly any, if any at all. So obviously you have that language barrier, you know, such a different time. You gotta think about this, Italy, you’re 1952, you’re only, you know what, seven years removed from World War ii.

Italy was with Germany. I mean, there’s still a lot of contention there with Americans towards Italian. So. That would’ve been interesting to see how that dynamic played out. You know, obviously racing, racing and people, hey, respect racers and, you know, everything like that. But, [00:10:00] um, different times back then.

It’d be interesting to see how that was. But again, what they had to do to modify that car to get it to meet the, uh, regulations. Ford, the Indy 500 really, really hampered that car and really kind of dug a hole for it to try and make that thing last. And that more than likely also played a role in the wheels not being able to put up with it.

That’s a lot of GForce. I mean, you have a front engine V 12 car, I think it was a right wheel hub that failed, which would make sense ’cause you’re turning left. All that force, all the weight’s getting pushed out there, you’re turning. So it’s giving that awkward pressure on it as you’re also not only leaning on it, but you’re turning as well.

So it’s creating that force against it. I don’t know why they didn’t bother changing the wheels. I mean, I don’t know if it’s something different, but you know, the other thing too, maybe it also had played a role in is, you know, they ran a different tire over in Europe. ’cause uh, Indianapolis kind of had a Firestone tire only type deal going on.

So they had to [00:11:00] run those instead of what they ran over in England. For whatever reason, Enzo was in bed with the tire bang, financial Engelbert for a long time. But by this point in time, I wanna say they were running the Michelins, I think it was. Don’t quote me on that. So they had to switch to the different tires.

So I think that could have played a role with things as well. As we know tires can play a big role in how a cars manufacture, everything like that. Competing, I guess you would say in 8,500. That was pretty much his 1952 race. Now, that’s not to say they didn’t flirt with it a few more times, ’cause again, a lot of money.

Back then, Enzo had set up his driver contract. He didn’t pay him much, but they got to keep, I think, three quarters of the prize money of the first money that they would win something on his Zions and then obviously fire. He gets to court wherever it was. They had something like that in the contract to do it.

So obviously the amount that you can win at that was a big chunk of money on both ends. They didn’t do anything 53 or 54, but they started flirting with it with a little bit [00:12:00] in 55 and 56, not using their own chassis, but using, I. A Ferrari engine, you know, they compared it up and tried it out. Did a little bit of thing with the Curtis Craft, you know, that was the chassis to have back then, but they went with the inline six instead of the V 12.

This time, a little lighter engine, everything like that, less weight, you know, they were pumping some good horsepower on that, and I don’t know why I dropped it down. Maybe that had to do with regulations too as well. But they tried to do the car. That they were using in sports, car racing. That was the engine they were using.

And obviously in sport, car racing, endurance racing, you have a motor that can last a long time. It’s very, very durable. So made sense. It really didn’t go anywhere. Due to the F1 race season, having their hands full Mercedes and F1 at Le Mans. So obviously, again, you know, that’s prepared. You know, Le Mans was huge for Ferrari, so it really didn’t go anywhere.

Now, in 1956, I believe it was, maybe it was [00:13:00] 57. The Maserati brothers, obviously now that they were out of Maserati, they had nothing to do with it ’cause it got sold off. They put together a Ferrari Asari made the attempt to qualify and he was five miles an hour slower than the the slowest qualifier. So he wasn’t even close to making the field.

So again, not understanding an oval track, maybe, I don’t know. Back then he didn’t have 20 engineers and all that kinda stuff, working on these cars and trying to sort things out and having sensors all over the car, but it was just slow. Again, maybe it was weight heavy again, you know, just everything.

Trying to modify an existing. Chassis that we’re using on road and courses and that trying to make an oval car, you know, everyone running over here, United States is running oval. So these cars were designed just to run oval. So it wasn’t happening a, again, embarrassment, I don’t know, not so much. ’cause Ferra didn’t have its huge presence over here in the States.

Yet, it just wasn’t happening yet. Connet, getting his stuff together, setting up shop over here, I wanna say in its infancy, but he was getting in [00:14:00] there and everything like that, so that really wasn’t there. ’cause that’d been interesting. Connet taking a crack at the Indy 500. And for those of you, I. Yeah, listen, stay tuned.

We got an episode coming up in the near future with Mr. Luigi Kennet Jr. And Bill Warner on the same show. It’s gonna be a good one. But anyways, there was another instance that, so from my understanding, in 1968, Ferrari approached the Granite Tall. Those who don’t know, the grant tallies, the family behind STP.

And he was very interested about that turbine car because you know, Enzo was an engine guy and let’s see what’s going on there. And granted says, well how big’s the checkbook? And that just went nowhere because obviously at this time when you’re getting in that thing, that’s when you know Ferrari was having big, big money issues.

Whipping out the checkbook to do. It just wasn’t gonna happen. Now here, here’s a really funny story. How much of is it true? Who knows? But it is just one of those ones that you know what you want. Know what? It’s true, who cares? It’s a great story. In 1973, variety won. Have interest into 1973, [00:15:00] Indy 500. What it was is Franco Roci Rocky roi.

It’s R-O-O-C-C-H-I. I get my Italian sex, so Roci. Roki, I don’t know how you might pronounce it, but they asked Mario Andretti to go around with AKA Uncle Franco, as they were telling everybody that they would go meet. And all the engine shops, the builders, everything like that, they were all saying this is Mario Rettis, uncle Franco.

And just kind of digging in and to see about building it and do it. And obviously Mario’s well loved, so everyone’s open arms, everything like that. But nothing came about it. But I think that’s just a great story. I. And if you kinda look at some photos, Franco looks a little bit like Mario. He’s got the same kind of hair, so I could see how they pulled it off.

It’s just a great story. Getting into the eighties, I don’t know how many people are aware of it, but there’s this big row between the FIA Formula One, all this stuff, and, and so, hey, we’re gonna go pull out all this. You know, he always did it. They went as far, they [00:16:00] built an act. An Indy car for 1986 was a 6 3 7.

Did a race, but I don’t know how many laps it did at ano. Some say Bobby RA Hall was supposed to do some laps. It, it didn’t come to fruition, but look that car up ’cause it’s beautiful. That is a gorgeous looking Indy car. That would’ve been awesome to see them running that thing in Indy car ’cause it is absolutely stunning.

Who knows? It came about it. The uh, program kind of was dropped and all the engine stuff like that was transferred over to Alpha Romeo, which they never really got anywhere in IndyCar with that engine. But that’s something really cool. You should take a peek at check out the IndyCar Ferrari built for the 1986 season.

It is gorgeous. Now, I don’t know where that car’s at now. I don’t know if it’s sitting over in the museum, anything like that. You don’t ever hear hardly anything about it unless you dig it up. So they went out their knows where that car is sitting. If it is in the museum, let me know. I’d love to see this thing in person because this thing is cool.

I mean, I don’t know if they scrapped it, you know, back in [00:17:00] that day, Hey, just a race car and whatnot. They scrap it for parts, who knows? But that would really, really be cool to see. Now, I know recently Ferrari, Florida with it because of the engine regulations that IndyCar was proposing, and I know there was a big push for IndyCar courting Ferrari, about having them come in ’cause of the name, everything like that.

But it just really didn’t go anywhere. Because obviously all the money they put in F1, but now with the cost cap in F1, you know, hey, maybe there was that thing, but obviously we know what happened. Ferrari went into world endurance, which was fantastic. It’s off sea, back to Lama winning Lamont, everything like that.

So that was awesome to see. Anyway. That was our little foray into Ferrari at the Indianapolis 500. Like I said, it’s a pretty cool story. It’s, it’s not a very lengthy story because the only race, basically the one time they tried to qualify twice, but it really didn’t get anywhere. He was out, you know, the scar was out in left forward.

But like I said, I think the cool thing was is how dominant a scar was in F1. Back [00:18:00] then, he couldn’t race the first race in Switzerland because he was qualifying for the race, and then obviously he was racing in the Indy 500, which wasn’t conflicting or anything. The Indy 500 was a points race. He falls out in LAP 40.

Then subsequent the rest of the year, he wins the last six races of the season and becomes world champion. It would’ve been cool if they would’ve made a few more attempts at it. I just don’t think what went into it to really make a concerted effort, I don’t think it was there that much. You know, I think it would’ve been interesting if some people had made more of an effort using the Ferrari motor.

Maybe, again, it’s such a different discipline from F1 to racing over here in oval racing, everything like that. You know, there’s so many. Specifics you built for an oval car, like compared to one that’s going left and right would’ve been interesting to see that top made ’cause that would’ve been for a great story and great history and talk about catapulting Ferrari into the minds and hearts of Americans.

If Ferrari had. Even like say finishing the podium, something like that, or actually had a very strong showing in the fifties, early [00:19:00] sixties or something like that, if they really made a strong attempt at it. I don’t know how much bigger Ferrari would’ve been here in the states. Kennet did an awesome job, you know, with them and obviously with Nat, but that would’ve been an interesting story and how much that might’ve would’ve catapulted or sprung them more into the minds and hearts of Americans and sped up.

Ferrari’s market share or whatever you wanna call it back then, you know, obviously it was minuscule ’cause they, they built hardly any cars, but it’d be cool to see. But anyways, like I said, as I always do, if you ever wanna reach me, you have any questions, ideas, answers, or anything like that, uh, corrections, please correct me.

Just it’s william@theferrarimarketplace.com. Shoot me an email. I’d love to hear from everybody. Like I said, we got some cool stuff coming up. They tuned, not quite sure when we’re gonna get, we still have to record the episode with Mr. Kti Junior and Bill Water, but that’s gonna be a really good one. My producer, Eric, and myself, are gonna be interviewing these guys, so that’s gonna be a really, really good one.

That might be our first one we foray into. Actually have a video as well on the YouTube channel because I think that’d [00:20:00] be kind of cool to have. So I’ve been dabbling with that and going that route. So again, remember, check out the Ferrari marketplace.com, exotic car marketplace.com, check out everything going on at those two sites.

A lot of cool stuff happening, a lot of stuff getting out. We’ve got some cool stuff on there until we speak again. Appreciate it, everyone. Have a good one.

This episode has been brought to you by Grand Touring Motorsports as part of our Motoring Podcast network. For more episodes like this, tune in each week for more exciting and educational content from organizations like The Exotic Car Marketplace, the Motoring Historian, break Fix, and many others. If you’d like to support Grand Touring Motor Sports and the Motoring Podcast Network, sign up for one of our many sponsorship tiers at www.patreon.com/gt Motorsports.

Please note that the content, opinions and materials presented and expressed in this episode are those of its creator, and this episode has been published with their consent. If you have any [00:21:00] inquiries about this program, please contact the creators of this episode via email or social media as mentioned in the episode.

• 00:00 Introduction to the Show; Shoutouts, Sponsors & Event Announcements
• 01:59 Ferrari’s Relationship with the Indy 500
• 05:08 Ferrari’s 1952 Indy 500 Attempt
• 11:30 Subsequent Attempts and Challenges
• 14:16 Ferrari’s Later Flirtations with IndyCar
• 19:25 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

On Ferrari Friday’s, William Ross from the Exotic Car Marketplace will be discussing all things Ferrari and interviewing people that live and breathe the Ferrari brand. Topics range from road cars to racing; drivers to owners, as well as auctions, private sales and trends in the collector market.