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#22 – 1949 Le Mans Winner – Chinetti / Selsdom
#23 – 1949 Le Mans – Dreyfuss / Lucas
$175.00 Each – Click HERE for information
The 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 17th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 25 and 26 June 1949. Luigi Chinetti won the race for a third time in the first Ferrari barchetta by driving 22.5 hours. This race also saw the death of British driver Pierre Maréchal when his Aston Martin DB2 was involved in an accident between Arnage and Maison Blanche around 1:00 a.m. Marechal had attempted to pass another car there and he hit an embankment and the hapless Briton was crushed by the overturning car.
This was the first race held at the circuit following the end of World War II. Even though the war had ended four years prior, major infrastructure reconstruction throughout France meant that the return of the race was of secondary concern, and thus was not run until after France had established itself again. Following the end of the war the circuit needed extensive repairs.
The second Ferrari 166 was a car ex ufficial: after been used by Piero Taruffi in the MM, was sold to Pierre-Louis Dreyfus which made couple with Jean Lucas, but he damaged the car during Friday tests. The car on Saturday afternoon was damaged by Dreyfuss exiting from street.
The car was repaired and drove by Chinetti and Lucas the week after, winning the 24H SPA.
