Tag Archives: Denise

Raph’s ’38 Voiturette – Maserati 6CM #1556

With the State funded Mercedes Benz and Auto Union teams battling for major open wheel Grand Prix honours from the mid to late 1930’s with the occasional interruption only offered by Alfa Romeo many wealthy drivers were left with little alternative but to contest Grand Prix run for 1.5 litre / 91.5 cui voiturette open wheel single seater, monopost, racing cars.

Among the successful manufacturers of such Voiturettes were Bugatti with their 8 cylinder Type 39, ERA, English Racing Automobiles, which was founded to manufacture vehicles soley for Voiturette racing using a derivative of a Riley 6 cylinder motor, and today’s featured manufacturer Maserati who first fitted a 6 cylinder 1.5 liter motor to Tazio Nuvolari’s Maserati 8CM.

Maserati 6CM, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

Between 1936 and 1939 Maserati built a run of 27 6CM Voiturettes of which chassis #1556, fitted with motor #1555, seen here was the one that appears to have been delivered in April 1938 to driver known as “Raph”.

Otherwise known as Count George Raphaël Béthenod de Montbressieux, “Raph” was born in 1910 in Buenos Aires to a wealthy silk manufacturing family from Lyon with an Argentinian mother who was daughter of an Argentine Minister of Justice, he started racing in 1932.

Maserati 6CM, Lockie, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

Prior to purchasing #1556 “Raph” had recovered from six months of paralysis to his legs after crashing his #7 Talbot-Lago on the 10th lap of the 1937 Le Mans 24 hours.

“Raph” is known to have raced for several teams during 1938, a few day’s after apparently taking delivery of his 6CM he was entered in the Grand Prix de Pau in a 6CM by Scuderia Torino where he finished, I have been unable to establish if the car “Raph” used in this race was today’s featured car.

Maserati 6CM, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

After his drive at Pau “Raph” is known to have entered at least six further events in a 6CM under either his mothers name B de Las Casas or his own.

It would not appear unreasonable to assume #1556 was the vehicle “Raph” drove in these events recording one failure to start at Picardie, three non finishes at Albegois, Livorno and La Baul, an 11th at Piemonte and a seasons best 2nd at Targa Florio.

Maserati 6CM, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

Towards the end of 1938 “Raph” had two outings in top class open wheel races with Ecurie Bleu driving a Delahaye at Bermgarten and Donington where he finished 11th and retirement respectively.

In 1939 “Raph” drove a Delahaye twice for Ecurie Lucy O’Reilly finishing 9th at Reims Geuex and 5th at the Nurburgring. He then is recorded has having been entered at Bermgarten in an O’Reilly Maserati 8CTF (#3031) but does not appear to have taken part.

Maserati 6CM, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

In 1946 he resumed racing by 1946 recording a win in an indoor Midget race in Los Angeles the same year. Back in Europe Raph co founded Ecurie Naphtra Course managed by M.me Denise Depoix said to be the wife of an imprisoned collaborator.

It is unclear if “Raph” raced today’s featured car for the team or not, some sources suggest he may have done, while others suggest he raced a later Maserati 4CL.

Maserati 6CM, Lockie, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

The highlight of “Raph”‘s career came when he won the 1946 Nantes Grand Prix aboard a Maserati which all at least appear to agree was a “voiturette”.

“Raph” continued racing until 1950 by which time was still recovering from a fractured skull after an accident driving a Talbot Lago T26C at Albi in 1948.

Maserati 6CM, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

With no financial security “Raph” took a job as a handyman and chauffeur with his friend, actor and entertainer, Maurice Chevalier.

Today #1556 is owned by Sean Danaher and is seen in these photographs being driven by Calum Lockie in the Pre ’41 race at the VSCC’s Spring Start meeting at Silverstone.

Thanks for joining me on this “Raph’s ’38 Voiturette” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me for a look at a Bugatti tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Sister doing it for her self – OSCA Tipo S-187

Today we return to Lime Rock in 1959 courtesy of Ed Arnaudin for a look at this OSCA Tipo S-187 belonging to Briggs Cunningham.

Officine Specializzate Costruzioni Automobili – Fratelli Maserati SpA was set up by the three racing mad Maserati brothers Ernesto, Ettore and Bindo after their involvement with the company bearing their own name had concluded with it’s sale to Adolfo Orsi in 1937 and the expiry of their subsequent 10 year consulting contracts in 1947.

The brothers focused on building extremely successful sports cars primarily with engines of 750 cc / 45 cui to 1500 cc / 91.5 cui. Cunningham’s car seen here appears to be one of 17 Tipo S-187’s built from 1956 – 1960 with a 70 hp 749 cc / 45 cui twin cam engine with a, for the time, high 9:1 compression ratio.

The real story behind the #23 OSCA on this day in 1959 however is the driver who took the car to victory lane, one D McCluggage from Kansas, who is well known for breaking down discriminating and prejudicial barriers in journalism and at the race track, simply D stands for Denise.

As well as regularly whooping all the boys on the race track she is a seasoned motor sports journalist who was famously sent to Indianapolis by The Herald Tribune only to find she was barred from the press box, pit lane AND garage area, unperturbed she got her story from elsewhere round the track and published anyway.

Phil Hill later described the prevailing attitude at the time “It’s a bit embarrassing to me, given today’s enlightened attitudes, to admit that in the late 50s I was a bit disturbed by the idea of this woman driver. It wasn’t a matter of feeling threatened, but like many men in that period, I had trouble understanding what kind of statement Denise might be making with her driving efforts. The fact is, gender stereotypes aside, she was holding her own on the track.”

All Denise wanted to do was win and she did often, after her career as a professional driver was over she became a founding light at AutoWeek where her accomplishments are still scene as an example for others to follow.

Denise recently became the only Journalist to ever be inducted into the Automotive Hall of fame and at over 70 she still writes her ‘Drive, She Said’ column syndicated in over 90 newspapers across the US and Canada.

Hat’s off to Denise gentleman, for waking us up to our equals !

Thanks to Steve and Ed Arnaudin for the photograph, and to Terry O’Neil for the race day information.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s prejudice free edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me tomorrow for a look at a splendid vintage Triumph Dolomite. Don’t forget to come back now !

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