While Ruth was winning races in the western United States another fast lady was winning in the east. Denise McCluggage was an excellent driver and writer who would go on to be the editor of a well liked racing publication over here "Autoweek" They were friends off the track and very competitive on the track. But the end of October,1957 Ruth flew to New York to join up with Denise McCluggage for a flight to Caracas, Venezuela for the Gran Premio International - a 1,000-kilometer epic in the midst of a revolution! Ruth and Denise, in the latter's RS Spyder again, distinguished themselves as the first entry of an all-woman team representing the United States in international competition. And splendid they were -finishing fourth in class and 13th overall in a brutal race that decimated Maserati's works team and saw Phil Hill, the apple of Denise's eye, win with Peter Collins in a factory Ferrari 335s. "It was all party-ville down there," says Ruth. "I had a blast!" But the revolution, on hold for the race, was now underway again. According to Levy: "There's a story they were shooting at the car-transport planes as they took off.. ."
Ruth never forgot that it was almost safer on the track than off it.
Although there no fatalities the race will be remembered as the demise of the Maserati racing division as it was a dreadful event for them and I will add some excerpts explaining why. They started the weekend closely tied to Ferrari in the world sports car championship for 1957.
The 1957 Venezuelan Grand Prix.
Masten Gregory in the Temple Buell Maserati, got off to a good start, and found it easy to pass the Ferraris and Thompson on the long back straight. As Gregory braked for the narrow turn over a bridge, he glanced over his shoulder to see how far ahead of the Ferraris he was. This was a near-fatal miscalculation. In doing so, his car hit the curbing and overturned, trapping Gregory underneath. As this was on the opening lap, the Maserati would have had a full (60 gallons) tank of petrol, fearing fire he did not waiting for the marshals and kicked one of the doors off its hinges and crawled away, covered in blood from facial cuts.[1]
Meanwhile, Jean Behra’s 450S had moved up into third place, trailing Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins. As for Moss, he cut through the field at an incredible pace, passing 22 cars on the first lap, to cross the start line in tenth place. By lap seven, Behra had overtaken Hawthorn. By lap 16, Moss had passed both Behra and Hawthorn, and with Jo Bonnier’s 300S moving into a position of close support, raising Maserati championship hopes despite the demise of Buell’s car.[1]
On the 32nd lap, Moss had smashed the lap record and held a two-minute lead over Behra. Then disaster struck, as on the next circuit Moss flashed his headlights as a warning to Joseph Hap Dressel in a slower AC Ace. Dressel pulled right into Moss’s braking line, hoping the Englishmen would tuck in behind. Moss could not and the cars collided. The AC careened into a lamppost and was cut in half, nearly costing Dressel his life. As for Moss, he was badly shaken and front end of Maserati was torn off. Just four laps later, Behra brought the remaining 450S into the pits for re-fuelling. Once the car was refulled, the mechanic pulled out the hose and Behra told to go. When he hit the started button, there was an explosion and a belch of flame at the rear of the car, with burning petrol spewing out the fuel hose. The mechanic tried to smother the flaming hose while Behra vaulted out of the car, his overalls afire. The local fire brigade had the fire out almost as suddenly as it began. Behra was badly bruised from failing heavily on the concrete pit apron.
As for the car, it was all right, so team principal, Nello Ugolini instructed a dazed Moss to drive the smoking car, which was only three minutes behind the Ferrari. A lap later, Moss was back in pit lane, the seat was still smoldering, and so was Moss. The embers were doused, and Harry Schell took over the car. Schell was due to relieve Bonnier. Schell put up a tremendous show, pushing the 450S as fast as it could go and ultimately, he took the lead.
On lap 55, Schell was lapping Bonnier, when the slower car suffered a tyre blowout. Although Bonnier fought it, his car slewed around Schell’s path. With both cars out of control, Bonnier elected to bail out at about 80 mph when he realised his car was going to collide with a lamppost. The post first cut halfway through the car, near the driver’s seat, then fell brokenly on top of Schell’s car; the car in flames, Schell jumped out just before the 450S hit a stone wall.
At one single stroke, the last Maseratis were out of the race, and their championship hopes over.
Two weeks later Maserati announced that a controlled administration was taking over the management of the company and that the racing department was closed... Caracas was the end of the line !
Stirling Moss in the lead in his Maserati 450S # 4
Artist Michael Turner's depiction of the Stirling Moss crash.
Jo Bonnier Maserati 300S # 6
Harry Schell Maserati 450S # 2 in flames after colliding with the Bonnier Maserati !
This chart shows what a disastrous day it was for the Maserati cars and the end of an era of their racing. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt.
The final results of the 1957 Venezuelan Grand Prix with our ladies finishing in a fine 13th place considering all the mayhem on and off the track !
(Ken H)