Legendary Endurance Racing Drivers And Their Stories – Jackie Aycox – The Le Mans legend who changed the start of racing: Posted on March 21, 2022
“Gentlemen, start your engines!” – This is one of the most well-known phrases in motorsport, traditionally used to start various races. Yet about the 24 Hours of Le Mans, there was a time when the race started with the drivers running towards their cars. One person managed to change it all.
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It’s 1969, 400,000 people watch the start of the 37th Le Mans. Drivers start running so they can jump into their cars as quickly as possible. Everyone is running in this race except for one rookie – a Belgian called Jackie Aycox – who is going in his Ford GT40. His protests at such a start, when drivers start the race without wearing their helmets or safety belts to save a few seconds. It was under these conditions that his compatriot Willy Mairesi was seriously injured a year earlier during the 1968 Le Mans; Unable to continue his racing career after the accident, Myres decided to commit suicide.
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Once she got into her car, Jackie Aycox put on her safety belt and started to the end. In what was perhaps an irony of fate, the very thing he was protesting happened on the track at the very moment: on the first lap, John Wolff crashed his Porsche 917 and was killed because he didn’t take the time to buckle up. The race resumed just a few hours after the incident and eventually turned into a head-to-head battle with the Porsche 908 and Ford GT40 teams vying for position.
Teamed up with a Brit named Jackie Oliver, Jackie Aycox eventually won the race. It was perhaps the most dramatic finish in Le Mans history: the winners finished with a competitive gap of just a few seconds – or a little more than 100 meters – over the Porsche 908 of Hans Herrmann and Gerard Laroux, who finished in second place. It was Ford’s fourth consecutive victory as well as the last in Le Mans history, ending the GT40’s dominance of the late 1960s.
However, another win was no less important to Jackie Ickes. His protest did not go unnoticed and from 1970 the rules were changed so that all drivers started the race sitting in their cars to avoid risking their lives to save a few extra seconds. As of 1971, a rolling start was introduced with the green flag given after the cars had taken a warm-up lap.
Thus ended the rather interesting era of Le Mans-style starts that some car manufacturers adapted to. For example, it was because drivers had to run into their cars and start the engines themselves that Porsche placed the ignition key switch on the left side of the steering wheel (which is now one of the signature features of Porsche production cars). This made it possible to save a few tenths of a second, since once he got into the car, the driver could start the engine with his left hand while keeping the transmission in gear with his right.
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The man who changed the Le Mans start, Jackie Aycox is considered one of the most interesting race drivers of the 20th century. Born in Belgium in 1945, his career spanned four decades with numerous wins, including six Le Mans titles that earned him the nickname “Monsieur Le Mans”. He tried different types of running and that made him stand out from everyone else. He participated in Le Mans 15 times and left his mark on the history of Formula One. He had 116 F1 starts, 13 pole positions, 8 wins and 25 podiums; He finished second in both the 1969 and 1970 championships.
Among other important achievements of Jackie Aycox, it is worth mentioning two World Endurance Championship titles in the 1982 and 1983 races, as well as victories in Formula Two (1967) and the Paris-Dakar Rally (1983). However, despite all his victories, the story of the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans will still remain one of the most significant events of his career. Who has won the most in the history of Le Mans? Who has won the most in Le Mans history? By Jason Bolton on May 23, 2024 05:36
When it comes to endurance racing, the 24 Hours of Le Mans stands as one of the most prestigious and challenging events in the world.
Over the years, countless legendary drivers and teams have etched their names in the annals of motorsport history by winning this grueling race multiple times.
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Drivers including most winners Tom Christensen View this post on Instagram A post shared by Goodwood Road & Racing (@goodwoodrrc)
Danish racing driver Tom Christensen holds the record for most wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Widely known as “Mr. Le Mans”, Christensen took an astonishing nine victories at Le Mans during his illustrious career.
His first win came in 1997, and he continued to dominate the race, scoring his final win in 2013. Christensen’s exceptional talent, tactical prowess and ability to perform consistently under intense pressure cemented his status as a true Le Mans legend.
Belgian racing icon Jackie Aycox is another powerful figure in Le Mans history, with an impressive six wins. Ickx’s victories spanned from 1969 to 1982, demonstrating his remarkable longevity and lasting impact on endurance racing.
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British racing sensation Derek Bell is also among the most successful drivers at Le Mans, scoring a remarkable five wins. His victories occurred between 1975 and 1987, highlighting his exceptional skill and adaptability across different eras of endurance racing.
In terms of team achievements at Le Mans, Porsche reigns supreme as the most successful manufacturer, amassing a staggering number of wins. The German automotive giant’s innovative engineering, relentless pursuit of excellence, and exceptional driver line-up have propelled it to 19 overall victories at Le Mans.
Audi, another powerhouse in endurance racing, left an indelible mark at Le Mans with 13 overall wins. The brand’s relentless pursuit of technological innovation, tactical mastery and unwavering commitment to performance have cemented its position as one of the most powerful forces in racing history.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans has witnessed numerous iconic driver and team victories, each contributing to the event’s rich tapestry of history and excellence.
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From Tom Christensen’s unparalleled dominance to Porsche’s engineering marvels and Audi’s relentless pursuit of victory, the race continues to captivate the world with its blend of speed, strategy and endurance.
So, as a legacy of Le Mans, it serves as a testament to the extraordinary individuals and teams that have conquered motorsport’s ultimate test of endurance. FORT LEE, Va. (November 30, 2017) — Fort Lee has a long history of celebrity visits and associations:
Basketball Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens and the late comedian Dick Gregory marched within these boundaries as soldiers.
Race car driver Harris “Hurley” Haywood, who also wore the uniform here, doesn’t necessarily ring the bells of infamy as mentioned. His lack of name recognition and reserved nature, however, belies a racing record that roars like a powerful engine that propels him into the pantheon of American automobile racing.
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“I’m a pretty private person,” said the 69-year-old endurance racing legend. “When I go to Europe, I can walk down the street in street clothes and people will come up and ask for my autograph because I won the (24 Hours) of Le Mans three times there (in France).
“Winning LeMans in Europe is the equivalent of winning Indianapolis or the Daytona 500. You’re like a superstar there and people don’t forget that. … When I’m on the road (here), it happens occasionally. I don’t have to deal with a lot of public recognition.”
In addition to LeMans, Haywood’s wins (along with other drivers) include five 24 Hours of Daytona trophies and two Sebring 12 Hours victories in a career spanning more than four decades. He is also the 1972 International Motor Sports Association title holder and the 1988 Sports Car Association of America champion. Haywood started a record 40 times at Daytona. Such were his racing exploits that Porsche created a rare model to honor his achievements.
Haywood’s ambition for automobiles began in his childhood. A native of Chicago, he spent summers working on his grandparents’ farm west of the city, sometimes driving a pickup truck to help out. He was later given a car that he drove on the property and it became an extension of his youthful passion for speed.
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“I started driving a full-size car around the farms when I was 12,” he noted, “so, by the time I got to 16, I was pretty well versed in how to operate an automobile.”
So skilled, in fact, that he beat a more experienced driver, Peter Gregg, while still a college student in Florida.