November 6, 1971
Daily Mail Nine Hour Endurance Race
Kyalami International Grand Prix Circuit
Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa
Result: 4th
The last time I drove the 917 was in the Kyalami 9 Hours for David, with a brand-new chassis. I drove with a 5.0-liter engine instead of the 4.5-liter. It was very exciting; we set a fast lap record in the race. The car had never turned a wheel when it came to the track, and I had never been to Kyalami before. We had to tune the chassis and get everything going, and it worked out very well.
The championship winning characteristic of a 917 was its ability to really torque off the corners, but it had a lot of compliance in the chassis because it flexed in all parts of the circuit. When you set up a very stiff chassis, it is great for the dry but not so good for the wet, and so the 917 had a compliance that allowed it to be flexible, even in the wet. It was a great rain car, and that’s an advantage during racing, because oftentimes at Le Mans, the track is dry on the main part of the circuit while it is pouring rain on another part of the circuit.
Adamowicz collection – Jeff Hutchison photo
Tony drove a bigger 5-liter Porsche 917 at Kyalami, South Africa, with co-driver Mario Casoni.
Adamowicz collection – David Pearson photo
Adamowicz collection – David Pearson photo
Tony’s co-driver Mario Casoni.
Adamowicz collection – David Pearson photo
This was not the same chassis I drove at Monza or Watkins Glen. The first race for this car was here at Kyalami. My co-driver, Mario Casoni, was a wine maker from Italy who paid for the ride. He was not up to the task, so I drove most of the FIA allowable time behind the wheel.
Adamowicz collection
The new car was put together out of parts bins and had not turned a wheel on a circuit until I got into the car. I’m not certain it even had a chassis number. I had the pleasure of learning a demanding circuit and sorting out the car. I often wonder how I did it. The one thing the car had that was different was a 5.0-liter engine, which I didn’t realize at the time. The chassis had to be tweaked with spring/shock, anti-roll bar changes. I’m sure the veteran Piper drivers were looking upon this with some skepticism. They got a surprise when the car did so well.
The Lucky Strike livery was striking with red top and white body. It all came together when I set fastest lap and highest trap speed. I got a nice Heuer watch for the effort. It turned out to be a pretty good race.
Adamowicz collection – Staffan Berggren photo
The other team drivers Richard Attwood and South African Dave Charlton chose to drive the tried and proven #3 4.5-liter car that Piper had been racing (Chassis 010). Lucky Strike supported Charlton for many years with his F1 Lotus 72 and McLaren M23 here, so he was the Lucky Strike connection for car owner Piper. The red and white Lucky Strike livery was beautiful.
The 1971 Kyalami 9 Hours starting grid.
Adamowicz collection – David Pearson photo
Adamowicz collection
“The main opposition to Ferrari came from a pair of the now outdated Porsche 917s entered (and managed) by David Piper, with sponsorship from Lucky Strike. Drivers were American Tony Adamowicz and Italian Mario Casoni, and Britain’s Richard Attwood. partnered with the Kyalami lap record holder, Dave Charlton.”
– Competition Press
Adamowicz collection – Staffan Berggren photo
Adamowicz collection – David Pearson photo
Tony’s #4 Porsche 917 crests Leeukop Corner
We were leading early on when Clay Regazzoni crashed into me in the right rear at the uphill hairpin prior the straightaway. He was frustrated that Ferrari brought their new 3-liter open cockpit cars that were no match for the big Porsches. He just wanted me out of the race. I was stuck in the pits for 20 minutes with severe electrical problems and replacement of battery damaged in the attack. He had a simple nose change in the pits. I was furious and approached Regazzoni with vigor, Mario Andretti came in between us. Anyway, it is all history; Casoni and I finished fourth overall.
Adamowicz collection – Motoring Mirror, Jan. 1972, from Austin Brammer
Adamowicz collection – David Pearson photo
“After a spell behind his teammate, Adamowicz led Attwood in third place, while the Englishman’s car was handling badly and under pressure from the amazing Chevron-Vega, Hallwood at the wheel. Hine was the only other man on the same lap as the Porsches~ which were a lap behind the leader.
Just before the hour mark, Attwood pitted with a seized’ front wheel bearing which cost the car 23 minutes.- A few laps after it rejoined the race, Charlton blew up the engine.
Soon after Adamowicz was in trouble when he became the second and hurried to the pits for body repairs. Refueled and with Redman at the wheel, the Ferrari was out again in three minutes, but the Porsche had to have its rear body section secured and lost a lot more time.”
– Competition Press
David Piper spits out a “ciggy” while rushing to work on his 917.
Adamowicz collection – Barrie Smith photo
Adamowicz collection – Competition Press & Autoweek
Trophy award ceremony
Adamowicz collection – David Pearson photo
Tony was awarded a Heuer 2446C GMT chronograph wristwatch for setting the fastest lap in the 9 Hours of Kyalami in 1971.
In 2008, artist Nicolas Hunziker created the painting shown to commemorate Tony’s Heuer Fast Race Lap award at the 1971 9-hour endurance race at Kyalami.
Nicolas Hunziker – shophunziker.com
Adamowicz collection
Tony and artist Nicolas Hunziker