1963 12 Hours of Sebring – Race Profile Page Eleven
After completing only 56 laps the last remaining hope for an American win in the Prototype Class, the Chaparral 1 of Ron Hissom and Bob Donner, retired with differential problems. When the race entered the fourth hour nine cars had been withdrawn with two still in the pits for extensive repairs.
At this point Ferrari held eight of the top ten positions with a Cobra and a Jaguar in that mix. The Shelby Cobra that was in fourth place was in the capable hands of Dan Gurney. He had not yet relinquished the wheel and had expressed his intentions earlier to try and go the distance like George Waltman was attempting to do in his TR-4.
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Just after 2 p.m. the factory Ferrari 330 LMB driven by Mike Parkes went off the course after passing under the M.G. Bridge. Unfortunately he struck one of the few trees in that area of the track causing damage to his car. He was not hurt and drove away leaving behind a trail of gasoline. He managed to get the car to his pit where they found that the gas tank was split. They had no choice but to retire the car. According to Ozzie Lyons, writing in the March 29, 1963 issue of Autosport magazine: “Co-driver (Lorenzo) Bandini burst into tears as the big Ferrari was pushed away.”
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