Word: lancia
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...everybody acknowledged the overall speed of the Lancias, their tremendous acceleration, their cat-quick cornering ability. Last fall they swept from one end of Mexico to the other to finish 1-2-3 in the Mexican road race, with an average speed of 105.1 m.p.h. for the winning Lancia. What was in question was the Lancias' ability to survive a twelve-hour endurance test, without a chance for major repairs, over a 5.2-mile course, with tantalizingly brief straightaways and curves...
...field of 58 starters, the Lancias got off fast. Three of them, driven by three of the greatest names in racing-Italy's Alberto Ascari, Argentina's Juan Manuel Fangio and Italy's Pierro Taruffi-were leading 1-2-3 after two hours. The fourth Lancia, driven by Dominican Playboy Porfirio Rubirosa, was well back in the pack. The Cunningham Special, driven by Briggs himself, was fifth...
...Sebring's zigzag course had already taken a breakdown toll of cars-among them two British Aston-Martins and a Cadillac-Allard-and soon flagged down more. Fangio's Lancia went out with what the Lancia pits called ignition trouble (the word went round that it had really suffered a broken gearbox or a snapped rear axle). Midway, Taruffi's Lancia (No. 38) held the lead, but Ascari's Lancia was out with clutch trouble...
...announced winner was Louis Chiron, 54, a Monte Carlo citizen who sped his 115.h.p. Lancia Aurelia over the final 2.14 miles of twisting city streets at 45 m.p.h. Chiron's secret of success over his Rally route: "Careful timing, eating, planning and determination . . . I munched dried fruit-grapes, apricots, figs-as well as chocolate and sugar all the way. I never quit eating . . . Others lost weight and time...
...over high mountain passes and through cloudswept valleys to Leon. Just before pulling out, Felice Bonetto, leading on total elapsed time, puffed a cigarette and jauntily observed: "I'll be driving in this race until I die." He died two hours later with a broken neck, when his Lancia skidded into a lamppost in the narrow-laned town of Silao. Italy's Humberto Maglioli, in a Ferrari, roared past Bonetto's body (still strapped to the driver's seat) to take the lap in a record 115.4 m.p.h. On the next lap, the course levels...