He turned to Franco Cozzi, his personal secretary at the time, and said: ‘Let’s get something to eat’, leaving the accrued Ford representation to retreat to the US empty-handed. Ken Miles and long time friend and crew chief Charlie Agapiou confer during a late-race pit stop. Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. The GT40 had been designed and developed by former RAF pilot Roy Lunn, whose previous projects included Aston Martin’s sporty DB2 and Ford UK’s little family Anglia car. Witnessing the horror that day in 1966 was Ken’s 15-year-old son Peter, who is played in the film by Noah Jupe and is a central figure in the movie’s story. Christian says: “They lived life in a very raw manner, I mean literally not knowing if they were going to get out of the car. Le Mans ’66… Statistik Ken Henry Miles (Sutton Coldfield, vlak bij Birmingham, Engeland, 1 november 1918 – Riverside, Californië, Verenigde Staten, 17 augustus 1966) was een Brits autocoureur, die vooral in sportwagenraces actief was.. Feb 27, 2004 13,773 Georgia Full Name: Jim Pernikoff #1 Gatorrari, Nov 18, 2019. In the early 1960s Ferrari was king of the Le Mans race, winning six years in a row. American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference and the laws of physics to build a revolutionary race car for Ford in order to defeat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans … To access your subscription or free account. Ayant émigré à Los Angeles, il débuta aux USA sur quatre roues dans des courses du Sports Car Club of America (SCC… Today Charlie, now 77, still services Rolls-Royces and Bentleys in California, and he recalls: “At the circuit he would have a kettle on the pit wall, tea going all the time. FOR the all-powerful US motor industry in the glory days of the 1960s, its failure to beat the Europeans on the race track was a national humiliation that needed to be righted. “This is a victory meeting.” It wasn’t – far from it – and querying glances were exchanged. Enzo accepted but then changed his mind at the last moment, sending the American into a fury. The competition for Ford’s primary backing led to frayed relationships between the Ford teams, with each entry desperate for the majority of the funds to be directed toward their efforts to become the winning Ford. Miles’s previous four-lap lead had been decimated, as had his confidence; the Briton believed that higher-ups at Ford wished to see someone else the victor. Het doel van Ford om te zegevieren in de 24 Uur van Le Mans is meer dan geslaagd. Peter feels really happy about the film because it brought it all to life.”, I'm A Celeb's Vernon and Ruthie had furious bust-up but ITV cut it from show, Loose Women's Andrea McLean breaks down in tears as she quits after 13 years, All the loopholes which mean you can order a pint WITHOUT a meal in Tier 2, Firefighter & wife 'raped girl, 7, to show her how to have baby & stitched wounds', I'm A Celeb latest - Bev & Victoria gone as fans mad 4 female stars evicted, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Ken Miles (second right, in woolly hat) shares a laugh with (from left) Chris Amon, Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme after their 1966 Le Mans victory. Directed by James Mangold. Le Mans 66 werkt het klassieke thema mens versus machine, mens versus mens en mens versus zichzelf mooi uit. Retaliation by racing, beating and hopefully humiliating Ferrari in Europe and chiefly, at Le Mans, was the overarching ambition for Ford, an expensive and ultimately controversial one at that. But at the last minute, on May 20, 1963, il Commendatore showed the squad of Ford personnel the door. Yet he was so talented that in 1966 he would have won three endurance races if Henry Ford hadn’t ordered him to slow down so that all three Ford cars crossed the Le Mans finishing line at the same time — for a publicity stunt. That competition bled from the teams to drivers also, with Jerry Grant, team-mate to Dan Gurney, explaining in Twice Around the Clock: The Yanks at Le Mans: “The real competition was between the Ford drivers…our main concern was beating the Ford drivers from the other camp. He accepted the publicity stunt plan, and Christian says: “It’s an incredible moment for Ken. On receiving the chequered flag, Ken headed for the winner’s enclosure with the GT40 — only to be turned away. He had to race the first lap holding on to one door because it would not shut. When Stirling Moss came over here in ’61 or ’62 he didn’t want to wear a seatbelt, he wanted to race in his jacket.”. 24/10/2019 - 17:00 Born in 1918, Ken was a World War Two tank commander, then after the war he raced various cars before moving to California in 1952 to race MG-based cars that he designed and built himself. Miles is portrayed by Christian Bale in the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari (released under the title Le Mans '66 in some parts of Europe). The Le Mans race has claimed the lives of 22 drivers, while in 1955 a horrific smash killed 83 spectators. He once had a small stroke, meaning the left side of his mouth wasn’t quite right, so we used to call him Sidebite.”. The project began almost immediately, and it soon turned to obsession as more millions of dollars were pumped into the project: determination, revenge and perhaps slight desperation the driving force. Diligence was carried out, money offered and the transaction drawn up. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Christian says: “The reason the story is so legendary is because these misfits challenged God and won, didn’t they? At the time racing drivers would push their cars to the limits, not giving much thought to their safety. Although that glory was short-lived for Miles, who died behind the wheel soon after, he is still considered one of racing’s great American heroes with his feat inspiring the recent film Ford v Ferrari. And that made them incredibly alive.”. The team discovered that the car had been fitted with the wrong brakes and would have to pit yet again. An incensed Henry Ford gave the command: ‘You go to Le Mans and beat his ass.’. Miles was … El burlón destino le privó de una victoria que le habría colocado en el Olimpo máximo. Leading from the start, Fords quickly established a lead, although Ken Miles’ collision with John Whitmore’s Alan Mann Racing Ford brought him into the pits at the end of lap one. But Ken showed good grace in defeat, choosing to congratulate McLaren on his victory. It will be the second…, Haas reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi will make his Formula 1 debut for Haas in the Sakhir Grand Prix, replacing Romain Grosjean following the Frenchman's shocking crash at the start of…. Shortly afterwards, Ken was hired by Shelby as the test driver for his Cobra muscle car racing team. Six privateer entries also competed as ultimate effort was afforded in the third attempt to steal away endurance racing’s crown jewel from the Prancing Horse. The finish-line image went down in racing folklore. Ford, with a £10million-a-year budget, told his executives: “Build me a car that will crush Ferrari at Le Mans.”. Paying tribute to his star driver, Shelby said at the time: “Ken was the greatest test driver in the world. Mann constructed three GT40 entries to Ford Advanced Vehicles specification, with Shelby and H&M separately responsible for another three MkIIs each. Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Christian Bale as Ken Miles with Noah Jupe as his son Peter in the new movie Le Mans ’66, Brit racer Ken Miles was so talented that in 1966 he would have won three endurance races if Henry Ford hadn’t ordered him to slow down, Today a Hollywood film, Le Mans ’66, is out in cinemas and tells the story of the fierce battle for dominance between Ford and Ferrari, Christian Bale, right, plays Brit driver Ken Miles, born in the Birmingham suburb of Sutton Coldfield, and Matt Damon is his smooth-talking racing team boss Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles, right, and Carroll Shelby deep in conversation at the 1966 Le Mans event, They're off... the film recreates a Le Mans’ start, where drivers run across the track to get to their cars, The unstoppable Ken Miles at the wheel of his Ford race car during Le Mans 24 in June, 1966, Less than 2 months after Le Mans '66, Ken died in a ball of flames in a 200mph horror crash, Ken’s 15-year-old son Peter, who is played in the film by Noah Jupe, above, was watching as his father perished in the crash during testing at the Riverside International Raceway in California, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Enfin, le décès de Ken Miles, quelques semaines après les 24 Heures du Mans 1966, est montré comme se déroulant devant son fils, lors d'une fin de journée d'essais au volant de la GT40 modifiée pour l'édition 1967. Tegenpolen in Le Mans ’66. Ken Miles, right, and Carroll Shelby deep in conversation at the 1966 Le Mans event Credit: Getty - Contributor “He was a promoter, the one who got the money and the birds. Let’s explore the legendary Ken Miles ahead of the forthcoming Le Mans ’66 biopic. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click here. Durant le conflit mondial il fut sergent, servant d'estafette motorisée, puis il couru sur Bugatti, Alfa Romeo et Alvises avec un club anglais de voitures de sport anciennes, puis il se tourna vers une Ford V8 Frazer-Nash. “Sometimes it would be the same teabag all day and by the end it would just be hot water. Racefilm: Meer nog dan een racefilm gaat ‘Le Mans ’66’ over coureur Ken Miles, die niet tegen gezag kan maar moet leren een teamspeler te zijn. As the race wore on, the fleet of GT40s slowly dwindled to leave a three-pronged attack, but Ferrari wilted too, succumbing to the brutal pace of the leading MkIIs. Initially, Eric Broadly of Lola was tasked by Beebe with producing a Ferrari-beater. During a pit stop he told Charlie they had “got f***ed” by a plan to let McLaren come first. De uitslag van Le Mans 66 was bekend het verhaal daarachter wat minder zoals de vieze streek van Ford om ze gelijktijdig te laten eindigen. “He was a promoter, the one who got the money and the birds. W 1963 r. Ferrari było na sprzedaż, a kupnem zainteresowany był Ford. The Gurney/Grant Ford battled for the lead throughout the night, but retired through an engine issue following temperatures that skyrocketed in the morning, leaving Miles to push on. God was Ferrari. Leo Beebe, Ford’s racing director, was the conductor and problem solver. If a Ferrari beat you, you always had that ‘well, it was a Ferrari’. Charlie says Peter, who also lives in the US, is thrilled that the film is giving his dad the status he deserves. There was infighting but, under the mediation of Beebe, the competitive atmosphere meant that intense development of the GT40 followed, creating the MkII. Charlie Agapiou: “Ford didn’t want Ken to win at Le Mans. There are certain drivers that I considered so good, they were immortal. McLaren had started the race 20 metres behind him and because it was an endurance race he was ruled to be the winner. But when Enzo Ferrari refused his generous offer, he turned instead to a bunch of Brits to bring him glory at the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in France. He’s a purist and for him to ­consider taking your foot off the gas in the slightest is an absolute ­anathema. The ideal photo opportunity that would underline Ford’s dominance against the competition, positive publicity would not be squandered. The 1965 Le Mans race — the second to feature GT40s — put Ford on the edge of breaking point, with each of the GT40s suffering retirements relating to poor reliability while Enzo’s Ferraris took victory. Charlie says: “I was trying to get the car into the winner’s circle after and they were saying, ‘No, no, no.’ Ken had been lied to because they knew it couldn’t be a dead heat. Today a Hollywood film, Le Mans ’66, is out in cinemas and tells the story of the fierce battle for dominance, the sheen of victory — and a reputation for extraordinary reliability. A succession of retirements and thin patience meant control of the project was then handed over to Shelby American; Carol Shelby heading up the new Kar Kraft division dedicated to the GT40 operation. Matt Damon speelt Carroll Shelby, een ex-coureur die gedwongen moest stoppen na een verslechterde hartconditie. Im 2019 veröffentlichten Spielfilm Le Mans 66 – Gegen jede Chance, der den Zweikampf zwischen Ford und Ferrari um den Gesamtsieg in Le Mans 1966 thematisierte, wurde Ken Miles vom britischen Schauspieler Christian Bale verkörpert. He concludes: “Ken has now been recognised as the great driver he was. Shelby went on to design many sports cars for Ford then Dodge before dying aged 89 in 2012. Jarno Zaffelli,…, The Isle of Man Government has confirmed the cancellation of the 2021 Isle of Man TT races due to uncertainty surrounding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Failure or conspiracy to ensure the photo finish? 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Na anderhalf uur inleidende beschietingen van Ford tegen Shelby, Shelby tegen Miles, Ford tegen Miles of Miles tegen zichzelf, zijn we uiteindelijk op het legendarische asfalt van Le Mans in 1966. Ken Miles commença les sports mécaniques par des courses motocyclistes britanniques avant-guerre. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. Ford v Ferrari (known as Le Mans '66 in the UK and other territories) is a sports drama film distributed by 20th Century Fox, based on the rivalry between Ford and Ferrari for dominance at Le Mans.Directed by James Mangold, starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale in the roles of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles, respectively.The film was released on 15 November 2019. Het leek daarom dat Ken Miles een beetje is blijven hangen in het vieze spelletje van Ford. W kinach w całym kraju można już obejrzeć film „Le Mans ’66”, poza Polską znany jako „Ford v Ferrari”.Historia tego pojedynku jest dość znana, ale przypomnijmy ją w skrócie. An incensed Henry Ford gave the command: ‘You go to Le Mans and beat his ass.’. He’d done 100,000 miles on that circuit — he knew exactly where every bump and crack was.” As a result of Ken’s death, Ford improved safety in its race cars by adding a roll bar. Audi is developing a new sports car to once again challenge for overall victory at Le Mans, after announcing that it will leave the Formula E championship at the end…, The mangled barrier, hit by Romain Grosjean's Haas in the Bahrain Grand Prix, did exactly what it was designed to do, said a leading Formula 1 circuit designer. Ford headed the field after hour one in a 1-2-3, Dan Gurney leading the charge of 13 GT40s, brought to ensure that at least one would win. Charlie believes Ford did not want the headlines to say “Ken Miles wins again” because they wanted the limelight for themselves rather than him. 24h Le Mans. It was the day that the Ford GT40 was born. Henry Ford, honorary starter in ’66, waved the flag to open the chapter of the story he had been so desperate to author. Ford GT40 Mk II and the Ferrari 330 P3 Spyder Photo: Motorsport Images. A renowned tester, his role in the development of the GT40 was crucial, though the path to the top step of the podium wasn’t smooth. Miles pitted shortly before the finish for a planned change of brakes and resumed shortly afterwards. But if a Ford beat you, it was the driver.”. Leading from the start, Fords quickly established a lead, although Ken Miles’ collision with John Whitmore’s Alan Mann Racing Ford brought him into the pits at the end of lap one. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Henry Ford, honorary starter in ’66, waved the flag to open the chapter of the story he had been so desperate to author. Amon and McLaren stood atop the podium flanking a jubilant Henry Ford, champagne in hand. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. In 1961 Charlie Agapiou, who was born in Salisbury, Wilts, and grew up in North London, saw Ken’s advert asking for an “English mechanic” and became his pit crew chief. 24h le mans. Shelby drafted Ken Miles into the fold. He was our baseline, our guiding point.”. Charlie says: “He never used to poke around in what we were doing too much. But Leo Beebe didn’t blink: “Next year, we’re going to come back and win, and we might…. For a better experience, keep your browser up to date. And, tragically, Ken Miles did die shortly after Le Mans ’66, while testing Ford’s experimental J Car at the Riverside Raceway on Aug. 16, 1966. Among the Americans, Ken earned the nicknames Teddy Teabag and Sidebite. While womanising Texan Shelby remains a legend in the US for creating winning racing teams, hero Ken is barely known in Britain. Topping the podium at Le Mans did not just demonstrate speed — it also showed reliability, because cars had to last for 24 hours being pushed to their absolute mechanical limit. Check here for latest versions. Le Mans ‘66. But Shelby chose to adapt two British motors for the track, first using a roadster made by Surrey firm AC Cars for his Cobra and then the Slough-made Ford GT40. With a desire to win the most prestigious endurance race on the motor racing calendar, Henry Ford II’s ambition coincided neatly with Ferrari’s apparent willingness to sell. Charlie says: “It was definitely a mechanical error. The latest news, updates and more straight to your inbox, Ford v Ferrari: the real story of Le Mans ’66 and Ken Miles. Silver Subscribed. Academy Award-winnaars Matt Damon en Christian Bale schitteren in Le Mans ‘66, gebaseerd op het merkwaardige waargebeurde verhaal van Ford tegen Ferarri. Miles' wife Mollie and his son Peter are portrayed by Caitriona Balfe and Noah Jupe, respectively. Despite an offer that consisted of eight figures, Enzo wasn’t prepared to accept Ford’s condition that he would need to seek approval for any spending increase by the racing team. He said, ‘I’m not going to finish second.’” But by the time he made his next changeover with co-driver Denny Hulme, Ken had calmed down. And then farce. And it had attracted the attention of one American businessman in particular. The new movie Ford v Ferrari - to be called Le Mans '66 ... and Ken Miles (played by Christian Bale, right), who are tasked with beating Ferrari by Ford. A lot of the time he was just one of the lads.”. He was a monster, a Goliath of reputation and style, legendary in the racing community. During practice for the 1966 race US driver Walt Hansgen died when he skidded on the drenched Tarmac but even that did not stop Ken going out in a car with a few teething problems during the race itself. The early 1960s was dominated by Ferrari but, behind the scenes, Enzo Ferrari was in the process of putting the famous brand up for sale. Ken Miles and Bruce McLaren’s GT40 retired in the 1965 Le Mans race. It took a fearless driver from Birmingham, a mechanic from Wiltshire and the creator of the Ford Anglia to beat Ferrari’s prancing horse to the chequered flag. That year he had already won the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring races and was going for the hat-trick at Le Mans — unaware of Henry Ford’s planned publicity stunt of a three-way Ford finish. Just two months later Ken died in a ball of flames when suspected mechanical failure led to a crash during testing. Today. He would be in soon after though, reporting a brake vibration, his lead dwindling by the second. The Hollywood blockbuster that brought the story of Ken Miles, Carroll Shelby and Le Mans 1966 to the silver screen was so good that it’s crying out for a sequel, says Charles Bradley. Shelby had been tasked with helping Henry Ford to win a bitter feud with Enzo Ferrari. But Miles died in a car wreck just two months after Le Mans, and history had forgotten his contributions to Ford until recently. Why Ken Miles did not win the '66 Le Mans 24. The decision was unbeknown to the drivers, and the top three approached the finish line as instructed, McLaren door to door with Miles as Dick Hutcherson followed, the third-place car in tow. Matt Damon spielte Carroll Shelby. Ford tegen Ferrari. De visionaire Amerikaanse auto ontwerper Carroll Shelby (Damon) en de onverschrokken Britse coureur Ken Miles (Bale) gaan samen het gevecht aan tegen een bedrijfsfusie, de wetten van de natuur en hun eigen persoonlijke demonen om een Job done: Henry Ford is flanked by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. Depending on the source, the Kiwi accelerated to the flag / Miles backed down in protest of the falsified finish, handing the win to No2 Ford. View our online Press Pack. The Ford v Ferrari battle at the Le Mans 24 Hours race of 1966 was a personal feud between Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari that played out on endurance racing’s grandest stage, the story dramatic enough to warrant a Hollywood telling of the story that took Ford to the top step at La Sarthe. Two months later, as he drove a prototype Ford J car round the Riverside International Raceway in California at more than 200mph, it suddenly veered off the track. 5. Sign-up now for access to a limited number of articles. It left the No1 Mk II of Miles and Hulme out front leading the American effort and victory virtually assured for Ford. 24/10/2019 - 17:01 After 22 days of negotiations, and with a waiting army of Ford lawyers and engineers that had flown out to Italy, the deal was close to being signed. Tragically, Ken was never to return to France. Dans le cadre de l’exposition du Musée des 24 Heures consacrée au Mans 66, jusqu’au 23 février 2020, et la sortie du film Le Mans 66 le 13 novembre en France, cette série revient sur cette 34e édition des 24 Heures et sur l’histoire commune de Ken Miles et Carroll Shelby, revisitée sur grand écran par James Mangold. De rol van de charismatische, Britse Ken Miles wordt vertolkt door Christian Bale. le mans 66 – six snippets on ken miles and carroll shelby. A furious Miles was classified second – believing he was the victim of a grudge by senior Ford team members. Either way, it allowed Bruce McLaren to pass in the No2 GT40 and, in doing so, rejoin the No1 Ford on the lead lap. Slide of . De look naar Ferrari leek voor mij de ideale stap om Ford een hak te zetten, maar dit gebeurde helaas niet. He set up his own garage in ­Hollywood, where he would fix cars imported from Britain that American mechanics did not understand. Operations were then shifted between Shelby Automotive and Holman and Moody in the United States as well as Alan Mann Racing in the UK. Now “Ford v Ferrari” helps to immortalize his legacy. Le Mans ‘66 - Samen bouwden Carroll Shelby en Ken Miles een raceauto voor Ford Motor Company om de strijd aan te gaan met het dominante raceteam van Enzo Ferrari tijdens de 24-uur van Le Mans in … The final Ferrari P3, in the hands of Lorenzo Bandini and Jean Guichet, submitted to a nagging water leak and clutch failure. Ken was so determined to win, he ignored team orders to ease off in the final hours when he was ahead of two Ford team mates, including New Zealander Bruce McLaren. Although initially receptive to the idea of an unprecedented ‘draw’, organisers stated that the No2 Ford would be declared winner in such a dead heat, courtesy of the extra distance covered, having started further down the grid than the sister car of Hulme and Miles. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Without any real challenge,  Beebe began to put plans into action that were intended to see both leading Mk IIs cross the line side-by-side in a dead heat. That’s not racing at all.”. Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 Next > Gatorrari F1 World Champ. When Ford learned that the Italian firm was in debt, he offered to buy it. If Ken Miles’ death at the end of Ford v Ferrari feels abrupt and almost forced, that’s because it was. Ken Miles already had a well-respected career in the auto racing world, but leading Ford to defeat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 made him a star. Christian Bale plays tea-loving driver Ken Miles, born in the Birmingham suburb of Sutton Coldfield, and Matt Damon is his smooth-talking Stetson-wearing racing team boss Carroll Shelby. Il film “Le Mans ‘66 – La grande sfida” ha il grande merito di far conoscere al grande pubblico Ken Miles, un personaggio fino a qualche mese fa noto solo ad alcuni appassionati di motorsport.Scopriamo insieme la storia del pilota britannico, re mancato della Sarthe nonché uomo fondamentale – con l’amico Carroll Shelby – nello sviluppo della Ford GT40. Het gedeelte van de film waar beide titels aan ontleend zijn, is echter ook waar de film enigszins uit de bocht vliegt. We will probably never know the true reason behind his fateful crash. 20 tons of spare parts, equipment, dedicated car and crew that had the backing of Ford Motor Company behind it all were dispatched to La Sarthe. Ford returned to Detroit and regrouped. Henry Ford’s right-hand man in the pursuit of Ferrari was tasked to oversee and ensure the Blue Oval achieved overall victory at Le Mans and endurance racing’s other premier events, including Sebring and Daytona. Ford wanted his all-American brand to have that reputation, ­knowing it would lead to more sales in car showrooms. They wanted the headlines to read Ford Wins Le Mans, not Miles Becomes The First to Sweep Daytona, Sebring, and Le Mans. Charlie says: “He said they wanted him to finish second and for some reason they wanted the Bruce McLaren car to win. With Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe. Miles won het USAC Road Racing Championship in 1961. Een team van Amerikaanse ingenieurs en technici onder leiding van Carroll Shelby wordt samen met de Britse racepiloot Ken Miles door autobonzen Henry Ford II en Lee Iacocca ingeschakeld om een Ford-raceauto te ontwerpen die in 1966 op de 24 uur van Le Mans de strijd moet aangaan met Ferrari. A quick slam of the door was all that was needed before he was sent on his way once more. Ken Miles is regarded by so many as a legendary and mythical figure in the realm of racing. Charlie says: “They didn’t think about safety much back then. Ken Miles fue clave para que Ford batiera a Ferrari en Le Mans 66. Shelby was the charismatic deal- maker behind the team. Le Mans 66 : six histoires croisées de Ken Miles et Carroll Shelby. I was furious, I was out of my mind.”. And this little band of misfits, with Ford’s backing but in spite of Ford’s interference — they did it.”. So Henry Ford II decided he would just buy Italy’s all- conquering Ferrari, so that the American car magnate could become a glamorous winner. Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by Gatorrari, Nov 18, 2019. For other inquiries, Contact Us. It piled over an embankment and burst into flames, killing the 47-year-old legend instantly. The rebuffed multi-million dollar offer would lead to the birth of the famous sports car and the American powerhouse dethroning the Italian brand on the track. Ford dominated the Le Mans 24 Hours race in 1966, winning it for the first time, and taking all the podium places with its updated MkII and stellar driver line-up.But instead of euphoria on the podium, Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren, who were classified first, were strangely subdued.