Okay, here is my story about the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans.
So, I’ve been digging into the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, you know, that crazy endurance race in France? And let me tell you, the 1969 race was a wild one. It all started when I found this old article about the 37th Grand Prix of Endurance. I mean, who wouldn’t be intrigued? It was the eighth round of the 1969 International Championship for Makes, held on June 14 and 15.
First, I started looking into where I could find more about the race. I found some sites that talked about it, offering race reports and circuit info. They even had some cool memorabilia like posters and stuff. Man, I wish I could get my hands on some of those posters, they’d look awesome in my garage.
Then, I got deeper into it. I read that there was this spectacular finish, and it was the last time they used the traditional Le Mans start. You know, where the drivers had to run to their cars? I watched this old clip where Jacky Ickx, who ended up winning, walked to his car as a protest. He was protesting the start style, the drivers had to run to their cars, he thought it was not safe. The guy was already a legend in my book. What a bold move. I was like, “You go, Jacky!”
But here’s where it gets even more interesting. I stumbled upon this whole story about Ken Miles and his involvement with Ford’s GT racing program. The guy was a beast! Through his work for Carroll Shelby, Miles got involved in Ford’s GT racing program. He won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1966, and almost won Le Mans that same year but ended up in second place. The story took a sad turn, though. Miles died in a crash while testing Ford’s J-Car later that year. It’s such a bummer, he was so close to making history.
I also learned about the Cosmograph Daytona. Now, this is a prize worth winning! The winners of the top class at Le Mans get an Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona. And it’s not just any watch; it’s specially engraved for the occasion. I’m not a watch guy, but this one, with its iconic design, is something else. It got me thinking, “Maybe I should start collecting watches…”
And finally, I dove into the whole “Ford v Ferrari” story. I watched the movie first, which is amazing and I recommend it, but then I went and found out the real deal behind it. Ford winning the race four times in a row is just insane. The more I read, the more I was like, “This is better than any movie!” It got me thinking about how awesome and how competitive these races were back then. They really knew how to put on a show!
So yeah, that’s my little adventure into the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans. It’s been a blast learning about all this. I really love history and classic cars, so it was right up my alley. Hope you enjoyed it too!
