Did Ken Miles win Le Mans 1966?
Miles won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1966, and he placed second at Le Mans. Miles died in a crash while testing Ford’s J-Car later that year. British-born Ken Miles was a gifted race car engineer and driver. Through his work for Carroll Shelby, Miles got involved in Ford’s GT racing program.
Why didn’t Ken Miles win Le Mans 1966?
The move achieves the desired photo opp, but Miles loses the championship he deserved on a technicality. Le Mans rules hold that in the event of a dead heat finish, the car that drove the furthest distance is the official winner regardless of overall standings in the race.
Who really won Le Mans in 1966?
In 1966, Ford won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time. The following year, they won again. The year after that, they won a third time.
Was Ken Miles robbed of his win?
In any event, McLaren’s car passed Miles, robbing him of a potentially historic triple crown (he’d already won prestigious races at Daytona and Sebring).
Did Ken Miles win Le Mans 1965?
Unlike what’s seen in the movie, Miles did go to Le Mans in 1965, losing to Ferrari. He was forced to stop due to gearbox failure. Did Carroll Shelby bet his business on Ken Miles winning a race? No.
Who won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans?
Ford
Tim Considine. Ford dominated the Le Mans 24 Hours race in 1966, winning it for the first time, and taking all the podium places with its updated MkII and stellar driver line-up.
Is Le Mans 66 a true story?
Le Mans ’66 is based on a true story. But just how accurate is it? It stars Matt Damon and Christian Bale and it tells the story of one of motorsport’s most famous grudge matches.
Were Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles friends?
Ken Miles was married to Mollie and had a son, Peter Miles (b. September 28, 1950). He was also a close friend of Carroll Shelby. Peter was almost 16 when he witnessed his father’s death in the prototype J-car crash in 1966.
Did Enzo Ferrari tip his hat to Ken Miles?
Enzo Ferrari didn’t attend the race But this is a glaring historical mistake, as Enzo Ferrari didn’t attend Le Mans ’66, meaning he wouldn’t have been present to give a gracious tip of the hat to Ken Miles come race end.
Did Leo Beebe dislike Ken Miles?
While the historical record regarding the famous race is a bit murky to say the least, there is evidence that Beebe and Ken Miles did clash, and it was Beebe’s idea to have Miles slow down during the 1966 race at Le Mans so that the Ford cars could finish in a tie, which ultimately led to Miles losing the race, however …
How tall was Carroll Shelby?
That’s OK with Damon: The 5-foot-10 star knew he was never going to physically resemble the 6-foot-3 Shelby in the movie (now in theaters).
Did Carroll Shelby steal Ferrari stopwatches?
He was driven. He would cheat if necessary. So in the movie, Matt Damon, who plays Shelby, has him cheating, stealing stopwatches and dropping bolts on the track. One thing that was absolutely accurate was the set for Henry Ford’s office.