Stephen in OZ
Motorsport Magazine have an article which was Dennis Jenkinsons description of the race. Try and find it. SM made a minimalist reference to the bridge take off but there were many.The first one was in the middle or a long straight. Dennis signalled flat out and straight ahead after. They went over this rise at nearly 8500rpm and that was just a bit over 200mph. They went over it and then was a sort of silence and they counted it...4
seconds. Do the maths. Another one was when Dennis trip notes disconnected from the roller. Over another crest except the road curved to the right. They just went on straight over the wire fence on into a paddock. SM kept it under control and they drove back onto the road. Amazing. Stirling Moss said the there were only two states when you race a car. One is full throttle and the other is braking so hard the tyres are chirping.
In between those is where the magic is. He demonstrated this quite some years ago. We have an annual race here, the Bathurst 1000. He was invited to co-drive one of the works GM cars. Second practice lap out, having never driven the car before on this 4 mile mountain circuit, he was lapping to within 2 second of the factory drivers. He pulled into the pits. The car had all four brakes on fire and the engine smoking out of the valve
cover breathers. He asked for some tyre pressure changes and "it could do with another litre of oil. I wont switch it off in case it doesn't start again." This was just untimed practice. Off he went again and broke the class lap record 4 laps later. Other drivers were in awe including some overseas ones. They said following him into corners showed some of the technique. He would lift off a little just to settle the chassis forces, dive
into the apex and come out the other side already at the red line to go up a gear, ready for the next one. No power slides as he said that meant you were slowing down. Fascinating. He does not race today for only one good reason. He said he no longer has the reaction times to be fast and safe.