Did Ken Miles win the 1966 Le Mans?
Indeed, at the start of the race McLaren was one slot / space behind Miles. This was all unbeknownst to the Ford team. They were under the impression that Miles had won the race, but McLaren was indeed declared the 1966 Le Mans winner. Additionally, McLaren’s #2 started in second position behind Miles’s car and had therefore covered 8 meters more distance during the race. Regardless of the reason, McLaren’s #2 was declared the winner with Miles denied the unique achievement of winning Sebring, Daytona, and Le Mans in the same year.Miles famously missed out on winning at Le Mans when he gave up a dominant lead in an effort to ensure a tied finish with the second-placed GT40 — to underline their defeat of the previous victorious Ferrari team. But the Bruce McLaren-driven car was deemed to have driven further and was awarded the victory.Excerpted from UK Racing History Although obediently staged by the drivers, history records that the finish wasn’t a dead heat because the #1 Miles/Hulme car was two spots ahead of the #2 McLaren/Amon car on the grid, therefore car #2 had technically traveled further in the 24 hours, and was declared the winner.
Did Carroll Shelby actually win Le Mans?
In 1959, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the second American to do so. It was during that race that Shelby noted the performance of an English roadster built by AC Cars called the Ace, which three years later became the basis for the Cobra. In June 1959 Shelby and Roy Salvatori co-drove an Aston Martin DBR1 to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Shelby was the second U. S. American-born driver to win this race, after Phil Hill in 1958. However, by this time his heart problems had reemerged, and he suffered from acute chest pains (angina pectoris).
Did Carroll Shelby really win Le Mans?
Carroll Shelby the Driver. The pinnacle of Shelby’s driving career came in 1959 when he won the crown jewel of international sports cars racing, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving an Aston Martin. In 1963, Miles went to work for Carroll Shelby in positions that yielded success after success. He and Shelby became close friends. According to Shelby, “Ken was world-class and the best test driver I ever knew. He was also helpful to other drivers.Ken Miles & Carroll Shelby: The True Story From humble beginnings to the infamous Le Mans race, they experienced groundbreaking achievements and heartbreaking setbacks along the way, leaving a legacy that still enthralls and inspires auto enthusiasts worldwide.Through his work for Carroll Shelby, Miles got involved in Ford’s GT racing program. Miles won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1966, and he placed second at Le Mans. Miles died in a crash while testing Ford’s J-Car later that year.