The 500 kilometre of Hockenheim (August 14th)
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IT was intended by the A.v.D. to run a straight-forward 500-kilometre race for Prototypes and Sports cars, but as the pits installations of the rebuilt Hoekenheirming were not finished it was not possible to arrange refuelling, so the event was held in two heats, one of 37 laps, the other of 38 laps, and the final result decided by the addition of times. A rather poor entry was received and the race became a private scrap between the three works Porsches of Mitter, Klass and Herrmann and a secondary race between numerous private owners with Porsche Carrera Six cars, including Germans Koch and Schutz, Englishman de Udy, the Swiss Vogele and Wicky, and one or two more Continental drivers. The remainder of the entry comprised Continental-owned Lotus Elans and Fiat Abarths and the Richard Groves Austin Healey Sprite coupes driven by Moore and de Klerk.
The works Porsches were the long-tailed, fuel-injection cars that ran at Le Mans, and the race was in the nature of a test-drive to prove various small new parts, so the drivers were given “carte blanche” and for once could have a free-for-all, which turned out to be quite interesting. In the first Heat Mitter dominated the team while the other two swapped places, but in doing so he over-revved a bit and took the fine edge off the tune of the engine. This meant he was slightly down on power in the second Heat and had to struggle to stay with his team-mates. For a long time Herrmann led, with Klass trying hard to find room to get by, but the circuit layout did not offer much opportunity for passing. Then Herrmann spun on braking but baulked Klass in doing so, and while they sorted themselves out Mitter nipped through on the inside and got a commanding lead which he held to the finish, even though Klass set up a new lap record in his attempt to catch his team-mate.
Among the production Carrera Six Porsches the race was spoilt by the Dutchman G. van Lennap having clutch trouble and de Udy having a small electrical bonfire after a long duel with Koch, so that Udo Schutz had a comfortable win in Heat 1. In the second Heat the Dutchman’s clutch trouble persisted, Schutz had bearing trouble and overheated badly, but de Udy went very well and beat Koch, to finish fourth overall behind the factory cars. His retirement in Heat 1 put him right out of the running in the overall picture, but Schutz kept his tiring Porsche going to win on aggregate. The Austin Healey Sprites of Moore and de Klerk were alone in their group, so merely had to run steadily and consistently, which they did, giving a good demonstration of a well-prepared and nicely driven team. They impressed everyone by their clockwork-like efficiency.