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Why was Briggs Cunningham on the cover of TIME magazine in April of 1954?
By Gregg Leary
Category:Auto Racing
Briggs SWIFT Cunningham, Jr.
DOB: 1-19-07
Died: 7-2-03…Age 96
Came from Proctor and Gamble, Citizen’s National Bank, Pennsylvania Railroad and Standard Oil money…needless to say a multi-millionaire
Saw his first race in 1930…the Monaco Grand Prix
With the Collier Brothers (Sam and Miles) formed the ARCA(Automobile Racing Club of America) and promoted racing from 1934-1940
In 1948, Briggs drove his BuMerc (A Mercedes body on a Buick chassis) to 2nd place in the first race ever at Watkins Glen.
In 1949 Briggs again finished 2nd at Watkins Glen in a Ferrari.
His goal in the 1950’s was “to bring America to the front in road racing…in an American designed car, built and campaigned by American engineers and mechanics and driven by American drivers.”
Produced the famed white with blue stripes Cunningham sports cars from 1950-55
1950 “Le Monstre” a Cadillac powered sports car that “shook the ground and belched out flames” at Le Mans…a crowd favorite…finished 11th driven by the Collier brothers
Briggs drove a nearly stock Cadillac Coupe de Ville to a 10th place finish
Briggs finished 2nd again at Watkins Glen driving a Healy-Cadillac
In 1950 the Cunningham C-1 was designed with a Cadillac engine but Cadillac pulled out…so in 1951 the C-2R had Chrysler Hemi power…failed to finish at Le Mans
John Fitch won in the car at Road America in its US debut
At Watkins Glen Cunninghams finished 1,2,4
1952: The C4R Cunningham was powered by a 400HP Chrysler Hemi…
placed 4th overall at Le Mans… Briggs drove 20 of the 24 hours as his co-driver got sick
In the 1952 Watkins Glen race a car ran into the crowd…12 spectators were injured and a child killed…road racing on public streets was over
Air Force General Curtis LeMay, a racing fan, allowed races on SAC bases around the country
In 1953 John Fitch drove a Cunningham to wins at McDill Air Force Base and the 12 Hours of Sebring
Briggs finished 7th at Le Mans
1954: Cunninghams finished 3rd and 5th at Le Mans…won Watkins Glen…the last win for a Cunningham built car
Cunningham’s was the first to mate a light-weight two seater chassis to a large American V-8…the design lives on in the Corvette, the Cobra, the Panoz and the Viper. Carroll Shelby even incorporated the white with blue stripe scheme on his Cobras and Mustang Cobras.
In 1958 skippered the yacht “Columbia” to win the America’s Cup
In 1962 Cunningham and Roy Salvadori finished first in class and third overall at Le Mans in an E-type Jag
Famous drivers who drove for the Cunningham Team included Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Walt Hansgen, Augie Pabst
In 1966 Briggs drove his final race at Sebring…then started the Briggs Cunningham Automotive Museum that was open to the public for 22 years. The collection was sold to Miles Collier in 1986 and is now a private museum.