This Month on the International Racing Scene

As these words are being read Group 6 Sports/Prototype cars and Group 4 Sports cars are racing round the combined road circuit and banked track of the Daytona Speedway, in the annual 24-hour race. Having none of the social eating and drinking background, or fairground or village atmosphere of Le Mans, the American race is heavy going for those involved. The race runs from February 1st to February 2nd and will feature in the March Motor Sport. When the long-distance grind has finished the Speedway is invaded by the real high-speed racers for the annual Stock Car speed week, which is climaxed by the 500-mile race for the very fast American saloons on the banked track. Last year laps of nearly 190 m.p.h. were made by these 7-litre V8 saloon cars and the race average was over 143 m.p.h., with the first two cars finishing almost side by side after 200 laps. After a practice weekend and preliminary races the 500-mile event takes place on February 23rd.

The Tasman series will have moved to Australia for races at Lakeside (Feb. 2nd), for the Australian Grand Prix, Warwick Farm (Feb. 9th) and Sandown Park (Feb. 16th) thus winding up-the seven-race Tasman Championship for 2½-litre cars. Presumably, one day the Tasman organisers will realise that Europe finished with 2½-litre cars in 1960, and then 3-litre Grand Prix cars could be used, instead of people like Brabham, Ferrari and Lotus having to make special cars for this small series.—D. S. J.