Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-26
Moss Blasts
Organization
AT Sebriing
BY DICK STAY
Star Staff Writer

! Saturday was the browning
experience of a succession o.
misfortunes for both Stirling
Moss and Innes Ireland in thu
Sebring 12-hour sports car race
incidents over the year.
which they claim have been the
direct result of poor organza.
ton"
The two drivers are here tt
demonstrate Austin $50 ano
AUSTIN Cooper cars today al
Marlboro Motor Raceway, along
with Pedro Rodriguez, Dick
Thompson and Denise McClug-
gage. Last night, still seething
over their disqualification ON 8
technicality, they blasted the
Sebring event during a press
conference at the Shoreham
Hotel.
Moss, the famed British vet
eran of Is years in the sport
and Ireland, a Scot who lives
in Wales, were leading the race
by about three laps-more than
Is miles-when Ireland pulled
into the pits at $50 pm. Sat-
urday, after 71a hours had
elapsed. Officials thereupon in.
formed them their Ferrari hao
been disqualified, but that they
could continue in another cal
If one became available. There
was no other at that hour.
Car Ruled Out
Officials ruled the car out
of the race for an alleged rules
infraction which had occurred
about 2 o'clock. The car was
brought in to repair the brakes
but the pit steward broke the
seal on the filler cap and a
crewman who doesn't speak
English just naturally poured
in gasoline, Moss said.
The car had covered 18 laps
instead of the required 20 be-
tween refuelings and race Of
ficials took about 31a hours to
hand down the ruling.
That's what really annoyed
me-" Ireland said last night.
"They let us go on putting on
a show"
Moss said they were tapping
as fast as 3:12 on the 5.2-mile
course throughout the after
noon. consistently 3:15," he
amended, which is fast enough
to get us in trouble, because
we were going flat out"
Asked why he thought it took
so long for the disqualification
to be announced, Moss replied
it was the result of poor organi-
cation.
Moss blamed Sebring's lack
OF efficiency on it's trying to
follow in the footsteps of the
24-hour race at LeMans,
France. He said LeMans is so
complicated that the special
rules fill a book, with an index
in the back. And Sebring is
trying to follow suit"
There have been other Incl
dents at Sebring, not just on
the race course, which have
been a direct result of the
"officious" attitude of the Or
ganizers, the drivers said.
Not General Charge
Asked if they will race again
in this international event,
Ireland said he'd rather not.
But obviously" he explained,
because of commitments Ito
factories), if we're told to go
to Sebring, We'll CO."
Moss fastened to add that
this wasn't a charge against
all road racing in the United
States. Usually in America
it is very enjoyable, particu-
larly on the West Coast, and
at Watkins Glen IN. " too"
Meanwhile, back at Sebring,
another Ferrari driven by 10
BONNER of Sweden and Lucien
Bianchi of Belgium won the
race by covering 206 laps, or
1,03C miles, for an average
speed of 89.142 m.p.h. How
ever, another Belgian, Olivier
Gendebien, again pulled in a
major share of the prize
monye.
Gendebien, who had won
Sebring the last three years
with either Phil Hill or Hans
Hermann co-driving, teamed
with Hill again to take second
place in a Ferrari CT, winning
the grand touring competition
worth $4,000 and nine points
toward the world manufac-
lures championship. BONNER
and Bionchi were awarded
only $500 for their overall
victory.
Bruce Jennings of Towson,
Md, and Frank Rand and Bill
Wuesthoff of Chicago were
third in a Porsche to win the
index of performance, or han
dicaD title