Hey Frank, I believe you're thinking of Dan Gurney, who won the 24 Hours of
Le Mans with A.J. Foyt in a Ford GT40 MkIV in 1967.  Gurney is also the only
American to have won a Formula One race in an American-made car, his own
Eagle.

The first American to win Le Mans was Luigi Chinetti, the US Ferrari
importer and a naturalized Italian. He also won in 1932 & 1934 as an
Italian!

Carroll Shelby & Roy Salvadori won in an Aston Martin in 1959, Masten
Gregory & Jochen Rindt won in a Ferrari fielded by Luigi Chinetti's North
American Racing Team in 1965,

Phil Hill won 3 times for Ferrari, in 1958, 1961 & 1962, paired with the
master, Olivier Gendebien who won 4 times. He was World Champion in 1961
with Ferrari.

Phil was a noted restorer of early cars with Hill & Vaughn. He died of
complications from Parkinson's Disease shortly after attending this year's
Monterey Historic Races.

Rest in Peace

On Tue, Sep 2, 2008 at 3:58 AM, Frank Condelli <RAlanen@aol.com> wrote:

> In a message dated 30/08/2008 9:02:43 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
>        Al, thanks for that.   I had not heard and was a fan of Phil.  I had
> not heard much about him of  late.  Great race man, great race car driver.
>  I
> believe he was on the  team that got the Ford to victory lane at Le Mans
> when
> no one else could beat  the Ferraris.   Peace be with him.
>
>
>
> >>>>>>>The scream of the Ferrari Testarossa on the  Mulsanne straight has
> faded. The scent of castor based lubricants gone on  the wind.
>
> Only rarely could one hear that sound in later years.   These Ferrari
> cars are the stuff of legend, and priced accordingly.  I  had the honor
> of watchin Phil Hill pilot a Testarossa at Laguna Seca  Raceway years
> ago.  The man was truly in his element during the race  for that class
> of car.  The sounds...still raise the hair on my  arm.
>
> Phil left us on Thursday at 81.  The only American-born F1  champion.
>
> Sounds and fury long gone by.
>
> Good Speed,  Phil<<<<<<<
>
>
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank  Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
> _Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html
> )
> - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
> _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
> camping event, Almonte, ON, June 12 ~ 15,  2008
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
Crescent Beach, BC
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27