1970 24 Hours of Daytona

The 1970 24 Hours of Daytona was an endurance race at the 3.8 mile road circuit at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida, USA that took place on January 31 and February 1, 1970. It was the first race of the 1970 World Sportscar Championship season. This was the first race for the iconic Porsche 917K and Ferrari 512S cars.[1]

Race

On the awesome 31-degree high bankings of the Daytona Speedway, ex-Aston Martin race team manager John Wyer's Gulf-sponsored team finished 1-2 in the race and broke the distance record by 190 miles; with the #28 works Ferrari finishing 3rd. It was the first race in which the iconic Porsche 917K appeared, and this event effectively began the 917's domination of the WSC for the next 2 seasons.

Official results

Daytona's road course in 1970

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps	Time
1	S 5.0	2	John Wyer Automotive Engineering	Pedro Rodriguez Leo Kinnunen Brian Redman	Porsche 917K	Porsche 4.5L Flat-12	724	24:00:52
2	S 5.0	1	John Wyer Automotive Engineering	Jo Siffert Brian Redman	Porsche 917K	Porsche 4.5L Flat-12	679	+ 45 Laps
3	S 5.0	28	SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Mario Andretti Arturo Merzario Jacky Ickx	Ferrari 512S	Ferrari 5.0L V12	676	+ 48 Laps
4	P 3.0	24	North American Racing Team (NART)	Sam Posey Mike Parkes	Ferrari 312P Coupe	Ferrari 3.0L V12	647	+ 77 Laps
5	P 3.0	23	North American Racing Team (NART)	Tony Adamowicz David Piper	Ferrari 312P Coupe	Ferrari 3.0L V12	632	+ 92 Laps
6	GT +2.0	7	Owens-Corning Fibreglass	Jerry Thompson John Mahler	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	608	+ 116 Laps
7	S 5.0	21	North American Racing Team (NART)	Gregg Young Luigi Chinetti, Jr.	Ferrari 250LM	Ferrari 3.3L V12	603	+ 121 Laps
8	S 5.0	18	William Wonder	William Wonder Ray Cuomo	Ford GT40 Mk. I	Ford 4.9L V8	579	+ 145 Laps
9	P 3.0	40	Gregg Loomis	Gregg Loomis Bert Everett	Porsche 906LE	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	573	+ 151 Laps
10	P 3.0	33	Equipe Matra-Simca	François Cevert Jack Brabham	Matra-Simca MS650	Matra 3.0L V12	565	+ 159 Laps
11	GT +2.0	89	Cliff Gottliob	Cliff Gottliob Dave Dooley	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	545	+ 179 Laps
12	T +2.0	12	Bob Mitchell	Bob Mitchell Charlie Kemp	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	535	+ 190 Laps
13	GT +2.0	6	Owens-Corning Fibreglass	Tony DeLorenzo Dick Lang	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	534	+ 190 Laps
14	GT 2.0	74	Ralph Meaney	Ralph Meaney Gary Wright Bill Bean	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.0L Flat-6	533	+ 191 Laps
15	GT +2.0	90	Or Costanzo	Or Costanzo Dave Heinz	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	521	+ 203 Laps
16	GT +2.0	14	Ray Cuomo Racing	Ray Cuomo Bernard Gimbel George Lissberg	Ford Mustang	Ford 4.7L V8	520	+ 204 Laps
17	T +2.0	95	Bruce Behrens	Mike Brockman John Tremblay	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	511	+ 213 Laps
18	P 3.0	34	Equipe Matra-Simca	Jean-Pierre Beltoise Henri Pescarolo	Matra-Simca MS650	Matra 3.0L V12	509	+ 215 Laps
19	T +2.0	11	Laurel Racing	Larry Brock Larry Dent	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	507	+ 217 Laps
20	GT 2.0	78	Waldron Motors	John Belpreche Tony Lilly Don Pickett	MGB	BMC 1.8L I4	504	+ 220 Laps
21	GT 2.0	79	Waldron Motors	Chris Waldron Lowell Lanier Bill Barros	MGB	BMC 1.8L I4	490	+ 234 Laps
22	T 2.0	48	Del Russo Taylor	Del Russo Taylor Hank Sheldon Ron Goldleaf	Alfa Romeo GTV 1750	Alfa Romeo 1.75L I4	478	+ 246 Laps
23	T 2.0	38	Simone N. Fleming	Paul Fleming Amos Johnson	Fiat 124	Fiat 1.4L I4	473	+ 251 Laps
24	GT 2.0	76	Scotty Addison	Scotty Addison Erhard Dahm	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.0L Flat-6	462	+ 262 Laps
25	T +2.0	98	Norberto Mastandrea	Norberto Mastandrea Smokey Drolet Rajah Rodgers	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	409	+ 315 Laps
26	T +2.0	83	Collins-Wilson Racing	Vincent P. Collins Larry Wilson	Ford Mustang	Ford 4.7L V8	407	+317 Laps
27	S 5.0	71	Ray Malle	Ray Malle Bob Speakman	TVR Vixen Ford	Ford 1.6L I4	364	+ 360 Laps
[2]

Did Not Finish

Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps	Reason
GT +2.0	9	Mamie Reynolds Gregory	Don Yenko Bob Grossman	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	542	differential
S 5.0	25	North American Racing Team (NART)	Dan Gurney Chuck Parsons	Ferrari 512S	Ferrari 5.0L V12	464	gearbox
GT +2.0	8	Bob Johnson	Bob Johnson Robert R. Johnson Jim Greendyke	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	457	unknown
GT 2.5	47	Sports Motors	Jim Bandy Fred Stevenson Carl Williams	Lotus Europa	Ford 1.6L I4	442	engine
S 5.0	30	Scuderia Picchio Rosso	Corrado Manfredini Gianpiero Moretti	Ferrari 512S	Ferrari 5.0L V12	412	accident damage
P 3.0	53	Hans Laine	Hans Laine Gijs van Lennep	Porsche 908/02	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	385	engine
GT 2.0	43	William Harris	William Harris Robert E. Lewis	Austin-Healey Sprite	BMC 1.3L I4	373	unknown
GT 2.0	72	Jacques Duval	Jacques Duval Bob Bailey	Porsche 911T	Porsche 2.0L Flat-6	365	gearbox
T +2.0	97	Preston Hood	John Elliott Don Gwynne, Jr.	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	354	unknown
S 5.0	3	Porsche Salzburg	Kurt Ahrens, Jr. Vic Elford	Porsche 917K	Porsche 4.5L Flat-12	337	fuel tank
GT +2.0	94	Susan T. Cummings	Don Cummings Warren Stumes	Shelby GT350	Ford 4.7L V8	327	unknown
T +2.0	15	Bob Fryer	Ed Lowther Bob Nagel	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	320	unknown
S 5.0	20	North American Racing Team (NART)	Harley Cluxton Gordon Tatum	Ferrari 365 GTB/C	Ferrari 3.3L V12	308	cooling system
S 5.0	17	Trevor Graham	Piers Forrester Andrew Hedges	Ford GT40 Mk.I	Ford 4.9L V8	299	suspension
GT 2.0	77	Jennings/Keyser	Bruce Jennings Bob Tullius	Porsche 911T	Porsche 2.0L I6	279	unknown
T 2.0	88	Dieter Oest	Barry Batchin Dieter Oest	Lancia Fulvia HF	Lancia 1.6L V4	268	engine
T 2.0	84	HCAS	Walter Brown Joe Marcus Jim R. Sandman	BMW 2002	BMW 2.0L I4	257	ignition
T 2.0	85	Robert Whitaker	Robert Whitaker Richard Krebs Harvey Eckoff	Volvo 122 S	Volvo 1.8L I4	243	unknown
T +2.0	92	Flem-Car	Donna Mae Mims Jim Corwin Fred Pipen	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	220	unknown
T +2.0	0	Roger Penske Racing	Mark Donohue Peter Revson	AMC Javelin	AMC Rambler 5.0L V8	205	oil pressure
P 3.0	73	Ring Free Oil Racing	Bobby Rinzler Charles Reynolds	Austin-Healey Sprite	BMC 1.3L I4	178	head gasket
S 5.0	22	North American Racing Team (NART)	Ronnie Bucknum Wilbur Pickett	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	Ferrari 4.4L V12	142	cooling system
T +2.0	96	Vincenzo Gimondo	Vince Gimondo Chuck Dietrich	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	130	brakes
S 5.0	27	SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Jacky Ickx Peter Schetty	Ferrari 512S	Ferrari 5.0L V12	115	accident
P 3.0	16	Ring Free Oil Racing	Jim Baker Clive Baker	Chevron B16	Ford-Cosworth FVC 1.8L I4	108	accident
GT +2.0	91	John Greenwood	Allan Barker John Greenwood Richard Hoffman	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	101	accident
S 5.0	39	Rainer Brezinka	Rainer Brezinka Horst Petermann Rudy Bartling	Porsche 906	Porsche 1.9L Flat-6	96	engine
S 5.0	26	SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Nino Vaccarella Ignazio Giunti	Ferrari 512S	Ferrari 5.0L V12	89	accident
T +2.0	93	Jim Harrell	Jim Harrell Len Magner	Ford Mustang	Ford 4.7L V8	89	engine
P 3.0	37	Fred Opert Racing	Brian Robinson Hugh Kleinpeter Fred Opert	Chevron B16	Ford-Cosworth FVC 1.8L I4	85	fuel injection
S 5.0	19	Auto Enterprises	Francis C. Grant Ray Heppenstall Joe Marcus	Ford GT40 Mk.I	Ford 4.9L V8	82	head gasket
T +2.0	66	Ed Matthews	Ed Matthews Don Sesslar Al Weaver	Ford Mustang	Ford 4.7L V8	63	overheating
T 2.0	86	Arthur Mollin	Arthur Mollin Art Riley	Volvo 122 S	Volvo 1.8L I4	54	engine
GT 2.0	70	Paul Stanford	James Patterson Paul Stanford	Porsche 911T	Porsche 2.0L I6	29	accident
GT +2.0	46	Jack Haywood	Claibourne Darden Warren Matzen	Shelby GT350	Ford 4.7L V8	26	oil system
T 2.0	55	Jack Kearney	Don Kearney Dick Roberts Wayne Purdy	Datsun 510	Datsun 1.6L I4	24	engine
S 5.0	5	Randy's Auto Body Shop	John Cannon George Eaton	Lola T70 Mk.IIIB	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0	handling, oil leak
P 3.0	54	Juan Manuel Fangio	Carlos Pairetti Alain de Cadenet Jorge Omar del Río	Porsche 908/02	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	0	engine
[2]

Did not start

Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Reason
S 5.0	52	Tony Dean	Tony Dean Peter Gregg	Porsche 917K	Porsche 4.5L Flat-12	engine
T +2.0	10	Hewitt Racing	Alan Hewitt Pete Ledwith	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	unknown
P 3.0	51	Escuderia Montjuich	Juan Fernandez José Juncadella	Porsche 908/02	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	unknown
GT 2.0	75	Friedrich Hochreuter	Fritz Hochreuter Harry Bytzek	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.0L Flat-6	unknown
P 3.0	44	H.R.H. Corp.	Steve Pieper Jim McDaniel Jon Krogsund	Deserter GS Volkswagen	VW 1.7L N/A	unknown
[2]

Statistics

• Pole Position - #28 SpA Ferrari SEFAC Ferrari 512S (Mario Andretti/Arturo Merzario)- 1:51.6 (122.903 mph/197.794 km/h)
• Fastest Lap - #1 John Wyer Automotive Porsche 917K (Jo Siffert) - 1:48.7 (126.159 mph/203.033 km/h)
• Distance - 4439.279 km (2735.974 mi)
• Average Speed - 184,859 km/h (115 mph)
• Weather conditions: Sunny

References

1. https://web.archive.org/web/20040320084728/http://wspr-racing.com/wspr/results/wscc/ms1970.html
2. "Daytona 24 Hours 1970 - Photo Gallery - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2020-02-05.

World Sportscar Championship
Previous race: 1969 1000km of Zeltweg	1970 season	Next race: 12 Hours of Sebring