June 2, 1977
24 Hours of Daytona
Daytona Beach, Florida
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” #66 S/N #15685
Grid: 29
DNF – 286/681 laps
After 3½ years away from racing, Tony once more drove a Ferrari fielded by Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team (NART). The 1977 24 Hour race at Daytona was a full FIA event, with points counting towards the World Championship of Makes.
It seemed racing was at a standstill in popularity due to the energy crunch. In the midst of the dry spell, I began to sell cars, eventually went to Dick Barbour Datsun in Cypress, California where I ran into John Cannon selling there as well. Dick was not into racing heavily yet, although he himself was “huge” back then. He liked having racers around his dealership; even had Tommy Larkin of Drag Race fame working in the parts department.
Three 365 GTB/4s were entered as part of the Ramsey Ferrari/Modena team.
- Tony Adamowicz, John Cannon and Dick Barbour drove #66. This was SN #15685’s fourth 24-hour race.
- Paul Newman, Milt Minter and Elliot Forbes-Robinson drove # 64 to a 5th place finish.
- Bobby Carradine, John Morton and Roy Woods’ #65 car did not start due to an accident in practice.
Adamowicz collection
Adamowicz collection – Louis Gallenos photo
Otto Zipper took notice and persuaded me to drive a Ferrari 365 GTB Coupe with John Cannon at the 1977 Daytona 24 Hours.
It turned out to be the very same car, SN #15685, that Sam Posey and I drove to second in class at Le Mans in 1972! Ken Starbird acquired the car in 1973. He drove it on the street, so it was not prepared for the long race. We were doing well until an unusual engine failure turned John and I into spectators. Thankfully, I was back into racing, and Otto started working on some better Daytona rides for the future.
The #99 Corvette of Phil Currin, Robert Hoskins, and Peter Knab leads Tony’s #66 and the #64 Ferraris.
Adamowicz collection
Adamowicz collection – John Hutson photo
Few Ferraris have greater presence than the lightweight competition-bodied 365 GTB/4 Daytona, and its splendidly imposing 4.4-liter 4-cam V12 engine.
Dick Barbour, John Cannon and Tony Adamowicz placed 30th overall after having been forced out of the event after 286 laps.
The car was subsequently returned to Ken Starbird and used by him on the public highways in California until 1988 when it was sold to Dr. Jurg Heer of Zurich, a former director of the Swiss city’s Rothschild Bank and avid car collector.