Mercedes-Benz Classic at the 2012 Grossglockner Grand Prix
August 29, 2012 by Mercedes-Benz
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The original Grossglockner races The first Grossglockner mountain race took place in 1935. The route was covered only once and immediately rated, the winner being Mario Tadini in an Alfa Romeo. The next two events were held there in 1938 and 1939, and in the 'Mountain Grand Prix' the drivers were required to absolve two runs of the pass road. The event was seen as Europe's longest and most difficult mountain race. The initial plan was to include the complete, almost 38-kilometre long stretch of the high alpine road from Fusch to Franz-Josefs-Höhe, including two tunnels. However, the route was eventually shortened to around 15 kilometres. Mercedes-Benz first took part in 1938, with Hermann Lang and Manfred von Brauchitsch driving W 125 cars. In adverse weather conditions with fog and rain they achieved 2nd and 3rd place behind Hans Stuck driving an Auto Union. In the following year, Hermann Lang emerged the winner of the Grossglockner race, ahead of Hans Stuck and Hermann Paul Müller in Auto Union cars. This brought him the title of 'Mountain Champion' six weeks after having already won the Vienna mountain race. Manfred von Brauchitsch had bad luck owing to the changeable weather: on his very first run he encountered a bank of fog in his Silver Arrow and came fourth. In the Grossglockner race the W 125 cars entered by the Mercedes-Benz racing team competed in their mountain racing versions for the first time, with a modified cooling system and lower final drive ratio. The Mercedes-Benz Classic cars at the 2012 Grossglockner Grand Prix Mercedes-Benz SSK 27/170/225 hp (W 06 series), 1928 The SSK (W 06 series) is the most exclusive and evocative of the supercharged six-cylinder sports cars in the Mercedes-Benz S-series. The model designation stands for Super-Sport-Kurz (super sport short), reflecting its particular sportiness and shortened wheelbase. In summer 1928, works driver Rudolf Caracciola in the brand new SSK immediately won the Gabelbach race and the races on Schauinsland and Mont Ventoux. In 1930 and 1931, the SSK carried him to victory in the European mountain championship. The weight-reduced, performance-enhanced version from 1931, also known as the SSKL (Super-Sport-Kurz-Leicht; super sport short light), likewise achieved spectacular successes. A major one was its victory in the legendary 1000-mile 'Mille Miglia': in April 1931, Rudolf Caracciola driving an SSKL was the first non-Italian to win this gruelling road race from Brescia to Rome and back. Technical data of the road version of the Mercedes-Benz SSK 27/170/225 hp Production period: 1928-1930 Cylinders: 6 in-line Displacement: 7065 cc Output: 170 hp (125 kW), 225 hp with supercharger (165 kW) at 3,300 rpm Maximum speed: 192 km/h Mercedes-Benz W 125, 1937 In 1937, Daimler-Benz entered the lists with a completely new racing car. The W 125 was based on the findings of its designer Rudolf Uhlenhaut, who had been technical manager of the newly formed racing department since mid-1936. The backbone of the car is a robust frame of nickel-chrome-molybdenum steel with four cross-members. The torsional rigidity of the car without its engine was able to be increased to three times that of the preceding model W 25. The 'Silver Arrow' was equipped differently depending on the race track: the transmission, fuel tank capacity, carburettor, supercharger, tyre and wheel sizes, tyre tread and external dimensions varied from race to race. The eight-cylinder in-line engine had a much higher output than in the preceding W 25, already generating 550 hp (404 kW) when the season began. By the end of the racing season, this figure had increased to 592 hp (435 kW). This was partly thanks to modification of the suction carburettor and 'wet supercharging' – a process in which the supercharger compresses the already prepared fuel-air mixture. On 9 May 1937, the new racing car celebrated its premiere with Hermann Lang's victory in the Tripoli Grand Prix. The entire season was very successful, with Rudolf Caracciola, Hermann Lang, and Manfred von Brauchitsch achieving prestigious victories. Technical data of the Mercedes-Benz W 125, 1937 Production year: 1937 Cylinders: 8 in-line Displacement: 5663 cc Output: 592 hp (435 kW) Maximum speed: over 320 km/h The driver for Mercedes-Benz Classic in the 2012 Grossglockner Grand Prix Jochen Mass Born on 30 September 1946 in Dorfen near Wolfratshausen (Bavaria). Jochen Mass, who started his working life as a seaman, began his varied career in motor sports in 1968, competing in touring car races for Alfa-Romeo and as a works driver for Ford from 1970 to 1975. During this time he won the 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps (1972). In parallel to this he took part in Formula 2 (1973) and in 105 Formula 1 Grand Prix races (1973/74 with Surtees; 1975-1977 with McLaren; 1978 with ATS; 1979/80 with Arrows; 1982 with March). Having won the German Sports Car Championship in 1985 and competed as a works driver for Porsche until 1987, he became a works driver in the Sauber-Mercedes team. Until 1991 he drove for this team in Group C. In the new 'Silver Arrow', the Sauber-Mercedes C 9, Jochen Mass together with Manuel Reuter and Stanley Dickens achieved victory in the 24-hour race in Le Mans and became world vice-champion in 1989. Three years later Mass became part of the team management for the DTM. Sir Stirling Moss has described him as 'a driver with an enormous feeling for racing cars and great technical knowledge, who is familiar with every era in racing history'. It is therefore hardly surprising that to this day, Jochen Mass is behind the wheel for Mercedes-Benz at historical events such as the ADAC Eifel race at Nürburgring. Whether the W 125 'Silver Arrow' or the Mercedes-Benz SSK, Jochen Mass knows and drives them all.
posted on conceptcarz.com
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