1928 24 Hours of Le Mans

6th 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race

The 1928 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 6th Grand Prix of Endurance that took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe on 16 and 17 June 1928. Bentley director Woolf Barnato and Australian born Bernard Rubin in a Bentley 4½ Litre gave the company back to back victories after a race long duel with the Stutz of Édouard Brisson and Robert Bloch. In the process they won the inaugural prize for overall distance. The big publicity from the previous year's race and the White House crash raised manufacturer interest and several British and American companies brought teams to the race. In fact foreign cars outnumbered French ones for the first time. The race started at a record pace, but after two of the Bentleys and the Ariès retired early, it became a one on one duel between the Bentley and the Stutz. But the main innovation from the ACO this year was the introduction of the Coupe à la Distance for the car that travelled the furthest over the twenty four hours. Supercharged engines were now allowed (but not into the final round of the 1927 28 Biennial Cup), with their effective capacity regarded as 1.3 times their swept volume. The driving hood test, when cars had to run the first twenty laps with their hoods up, was discarded. However, all convertibles were still required to have a hood fitted, though stowed. Automobiles Ariès again returned with its streamlined 3 litre GP2 surbaissée “tank”. Although showing its age, the 3 litre engine had been tuned to now put out 96 bhp. It was driven by works drivers Robert Laly and Louis Rigal. As before the team also entered a pair of smaller 1.1 litre CC4 cars. The biggest car in the field, by engine volume and stature was a Stutz BB Blackhawk. Its 5 litre engine produced 125 bhp and the car had been winning many races in the American AAA racing series. It was entered by Charles Terres Weymann, the Paris based American car distributor and aviator and driven by Le Mans veterans Édouard Brisson and Robert Bloch formerly of Lorraine Dietrich. After a promising debut in the 1925 race, Chrysler returned with a big four car team, once again entered by its French distributor, the Grand Garage St Didier Paris. The “72” was the latest version of the same Chrysler Six but had a bigger 4.1 litre sidevalve engine that developed 85 bhp. The team hired a squad of grand prix drivers: Henri Stoffel (1925 Chrysler driver) was with dual race winner André Rossignol, up and coming race winner Louis Chiron ran with Cyril de Vere, Conte “Freddie” Zehender was paired with Jacques Ledure while the Cantacuzino brothers (Parisian resident Romanian aristocrats) had the fourth car. Alfa Romeo had been vying with Bugatti for top Grand Prix honours in the mid 1920s. In sports car racing they were also proving to be the team to beat with the fantastic new design from Vittorio Jano. The 6C 1500 Super Sport dominated Italian races, including winning the new Mille Miglia event. The supercharged 1.5 litre version only put out 75 bhp but gave a top speed of 140 kp/h (85 mph). The Russian émigrée Count Boris Ivanowski entered one for the race. However, the ACO scrutineers rejected it, saying it was “too racy” with too many standard components of a touring car removed to be eligible. Itala’s best racing days were pre war, but two cars came to Le Mans for the manufacturer’s only appearance. The Tipo 65 had a twin cam 2 litre engine producing 70 bhp and capable of 130 kp/h (80 mph). Guy Benoist, winner of four Grand Prix in 1927 was partnered with former Chenard Walcker driver Christian Dauvergne, while the two French nom de plumes “Sabipa” and “Christian” drove the other car. Like Itala, the British Lagonda company had been racing since before the war. The new 2 litre Speed Model had been very successful in 1927. It had a top speed of almost 150 kp/h (95 mph) and three were entered. Managed by former Bentley driver Bertie Kensington Moir, he had former other ex Bentley drivers Baron André d’Erlanger, Douglas Hawkes and Clive Gallop alongside regular drivers Francis Samuelson and Frank King (also Lagonda sales manager). Alvis had also established itself in the British racing scene in the 1920s and was now concentrating on touring car racing. The new FA12/50 model featured innovative front wheel drive and could get up to 135 kp/h (85 mph) with its 1.5 litre 50 bhp engine. Two cars were entered for their racing debut, driven by Major Morris Harvey and George Purdy and Sammy Davis (race winner with Bentley) with Bill Urquhart Dykes. However, only Harvey was really familiar with the different driving style of front wheel drive. Salmson was back with just a two car team but looking to emulate their success in 1927 it was strong on paper. The Grand Sport had proven reliability and was entered in the Biennial Cup with 1927 winners, works drivers Georges Casse and André Rousseau. The team also entered the only supercharged car to get to the starting line. With the new rules permitting blown engines taking effect this year, they were ineligible for the ’27 28 Biennial Cup. The 1.1 litre engine with a Cozette supercharger was equivalent to a 1.43 litre engine and therefore had 20 more laps added to its target distance. It was driven by Jean Hasley / Albert Perrot. After an acrimonious departure from Salmson in 1923, André Lombard was barred from competing for five years. In that time he founded his open company, Automobiles Lombard, making small voiturettes like Salmson. The first production model was the AL3, designed by Edmond Vareille (another ex Salmson employee). Low slung, the standard double overhead cam 1.1 litre engine had a 4 speed gearbox and had a top speed of 130 kp/h (80 mph). Lombard got ex Salmson works driver Lucien Desvaux to drive. A second car arrived for Amilcar co founder André Morel but did not practice. A new challenger to Salmson for Index honours this year was Bollack Netter and Co (BNC). Founded in 1923, they started with small, quick cyclecars and then introducing models with bigger engines that proved competitive in racing. Three versions of their new Type H were offered (named after famous race tracks), including the supercharged “Montlhéry” but it was a regular “Monza” model that was bought to Le Mans. This small 2 seater had a Ruby DS 1100 pushrod engine that put out 30 bhp and a three speed gearbox. It was driven by regular works driver Michel Doré, along with Jean Treunet. After a terrible 1927 race, Tracta returned with three of their front wheel drive cars. Along with an improved Gephi, two new Type A models were entered, one with a 1.5 litre SCAP engine and the other with a 1.1 litre SCAP engine. Once again, team co founder Jean Albert Grégoire was driving, choosing the smaller Type A for the ‘27 28 Biennial Cup. Race veterans Maurice Benoist and Louis Balart ran the 1.5 litre car, while Roger Bourcier (injured in the road accident before the previous year’s race) drove the Gephi with the first South American at Le Mans: the Argentine Hector Vasena. Aston Martin had had a difficult beginning, going through several bankruptcies since it was founded in 1913. The first design of the latest incarnation was the T Type, which was to lead to the next model, the International. It was a four seat convertible with a 1.5 litre engine and 4 speed gearbox. Two prototypes came to Le Mans, driven by engineer co owner Augustus “Bert” Bertelli / George Eyston and Cyril Paul with former Bentley mechanic Jack Besant.

A number of teams found teething problems in the practice session. Fortunately, Morris Motors had purchased the Léon Bollée factory near Le Mans to produce cars for the French market. It routinely offered its facilities to foreign teams needing repair work and machining. This year, Alvis, Lagonda and Aston Martin availed themselves of that offer to get their cars race ready. From the start the Bentleys were in front, with Birkin taking the lead, ahead of Brisson in the Stutz, Laly's Ariès the four Chryslers and two of the Lagondas. But not d’Erlanger, who had flooded his engine at the start and had been last away. In the opening hour, the pace was torrid and the top four cars successively lowered the lap record. Brisson was able to keep up with the Bentleys but Barnato would not let him pass. It was only when the Stutz team protested the blocking tactics to the officials that Bentley signalled to Barnato to pull over. However, another short shower affected the Stutz's handling, letting Barnato pull away. Benjafield inherited the lead but it would not last long, as he fell back with an oil leak in the engine, dropping him to fourth. The SARA of Duval/Mottet was the one nominated for the Biennial Cup. It was delayed through the middle of the race but they made up time to make their target by the slimmest of margins – calculated by the ACO as only 35 metres on its last lap. In contrast, SCAP lost both their cars in the last few hours, just short of their required distances. Despite launching a larger 2.3 litre car, within a year the company had closed. After much success in the mid 1920s Salmson closed its racing team in 1929 on this high note, as the grand prix cars were getting outdated and the company was moving out of the crowded fast sports car market. Although there were no official engine classes, the highest finishers in unofficial categories aligned with the Index targets are in Bold text. Class ** Team Drivers Chassis Engine Tyre Targetdistance* 1 5.0 4 Bentley Motors Ltd Woolf Barnato Bernard Rubin Bentley 4½ Litre Bentley 4.4L S4 135 155 2 5.0 1 Société de Carrosserie Weymann Robert Bloch Édouard Brisson Stutz Model BB Blackhawk Stutz 4.9L S8 136 154 3 5.0 8 Grand Garage Saint Didier Paris André Rossignol Henri Stoffel Chrysler Six Series 72 Chrysler 4.1L S6 134 144 4 5.0 7 Grand Garage Saint Didier Paris Ionel Ghica Cantacuzino Gheorghe Ghica Cantacuzino Chrysler Six Series 72 Chrysler 4.1L S6 134 140 5 5.0 3 Bentley Motors Ltd Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin Jean Chassagne Bentley 4½ Litre Bentley 4.4L S4 135 135 6 1.5 27 Alvis Car and Engineering Company Maj Maurice Harvey Harold Purdy Alvis FA12/50 Alvis 1482cc S4 111 132 7 1.1 32 Bollack Netter et Cie Michel Doré Jean Treunet BNC Type H Monza Ruby 1099cc S4 99 132 8 2.0 12 Itala SA Fabbrica Automobili Robert Benoist Christian Dauvergne Itala Tipo 65 S Itala 1991cc S6 122 131 9 1.5 28 Alvis Car and Engineering Company Sammy Davis Bill Urquhart Dykes Alvis FA12/50 Alvis 1482cc S4 111 130 10 1.1 35 Société des Moteurs Salmson Georges Casse André Rousseau Salmson Grand Sport Salmson 1095cc S4 99 [B] 128 11 2.0 16 Lagonda Motor Co. Baron André d'Erlanger Douglas Hawkes Lagonda 2 Litre Speed Model Lagonda 1954cc S4 121 126 12 1.5 29 SA des Automobiles Tracta Louis Balart Maurice Benoist Tracta Type A S. C. A. P. 1481cc S4 111 119 13 1.1 37 Automobiles Lombard SA Lucien Desvaux Pierre Goutte Lombard AL3 Grand Air Sport Lombard 1093cc S4 99 117 14 1.1 36 Établissements Henri Précloux Guy Bouriat Pierre Bussienne E. H. P. Type DU CIME 1094cc S6 99 [B] 116 15 2.0 19 Société des Applications àRefroidissements par Air Gaston Duval Gaston Mottet S. A. R. A. SP7 S. A. R. A. 1806cc S6 115 [B] 115 16 1.1 31 SA des Automobiles Tracta Roger Bourcier Hector Vasena Tracta Gephi S. C. A. P. 1099cc S4 99 110 17 1.1 42 SA des Automobiles Tracta Jean Albert Grégoire Fernand Vallon Tracta Type A S. C. A. P. 1085cc S4 99 [B] 108

Pos Class ** No Team Drivers Chassis Engine Tyre Targetdistance* Laps ReasonDNF 1.5 24 Société des ConstructionAutomobile Parisienne Henri Guilbert André Lefèbvre S. C. A. P. Type O SCAP 1495cc S8 111 95 Engine(21 hr)DNF 1.1 39 Société des ConstructionAutomobile Parisienne Lucien Lemesle Henry Godard S. C. A. P. Type M SCAP 1087cc S4 99 [B] 91 Front axle(20 hr)DNF 1.5 26 Aston Martin Ltd Jack Besant Cyril Paul Aston Martin International Aston Martin 1495cc S4 111 82 Gearbox(17 hr)DNF 5.0 2 Bentley Motors Ltd Frank Clement Dr Dudley Benjafield Bentley 4½ Litre Bentley 4.4L S4 135 [B] 71 Radiator(10 hr)DSQ5.05 Grand Garage Saint Didier Paris Louis Chiron Cyril de Vere Chrysler Six Series 72 Chrysler 4.1L S6 134 66 Bump start(night)DNF 1.1 41 Société des Automobile Ariès Fernand Gabriel Louis Paris Ariès CC4 Ariès 1083cc S4 99 51 ? (night)DNF 2.0 14 Itala SA Fabbrica Automobili “Sabipa” (Louis Charavel) “Christian” Itala Tipo 65 S Itala 1991cc S6 122 50 Engine(night)DSQ 1.5 21 Automobiles Luart Poniatowski Hougardy Ingenieurs Henri De Costier Sosthene de la Rochefoucauld Alphi LM CIME 1496cc S6 111 45 Broken panel(night)DNF 1.5 25 Aston Martin Ltd George Eyston Augustus ‘Bert’ Bertelli Aston Martin International Aston Martin 1495cc S4 111 32 Suspension(5 hr)DSQ 1.5 30 Société des Moteurs Salmson Jean Hasley Albert Perrot Salmson Grand Sport Salmson 1095ccSupercharged S4 109 30 Insufficient distance (12 hr)DSQ 2.0 20 Société des Applications àRefroidissements par Air Émile Maret Gonzaque Lécureul S. A. R. A. SP7 S. A. R. A. 1806cc S6 115 25 Insufficient distance (12 hr)DNF 2.0 18 Lagonda Motor Co. Capt Clive Gallop Maj E. J. Hayes Lagonda 2 Litre Speed Model Lagonda 1954cc S4 121 23 Radiator(evening)DNF 1.1 40 Société des Automobile Ariès Arthur Duray Roger Delano Ariès CC4 Ariès 1083cc S4 99 22 ? (evening)DNF 2.0 15 Lagonda Motor Co. Capt Francis Samuelson Frank King Lagonda 2 Litre Speed Model Lagonda 1954cc S4 121 13 Accident (4 hr)DNF 5.0 6 Grand Garage Saint Didier Paris Jacques Ledure Conte Goffredo ‘Freddie’ Zehender Chrysler Six Series 72 Chrysler 4.1L S6 134 5 Radiator (1 hr)DNF 3.0 9 Société des Automobile Ariès Robert Laly Louis Rigal Ariès Type S GP2 Surbaisée Ariès 3.0L S4 130 3 Engine (1 hr)Sources:
Note *: [B]= car also entered in the 1927 8 Biennial Cup. Note **: There were no official class divisions for this race. These are unofficial categories (used in subsequent years) related to the Index targets.

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Engine ReasonDNS 3.0 11 Boris Ivanowski(private entrant) Boris Ivanowski Attilo Marinoni Alfa Romeo 6C 1500Super Sport Alfa Romeo 1487ccSupercharged S6 Failed scrutineeringRES 2.0 17 Lagonda Motor Co. Bert Hammond W. Handley Lagonda 2 Litre Speed Model Lagonda 1954cc S4 Reserve entryDNA 3.0 10 Société des Automobile Ariès Ariès Type S GP3 Ariès 3.0L S4 Did not arriveDNA 2.0 22 DMK Marendaz Ltd Capt Donald Marendaz P. Densham Marendaz Special 11/55 Anzani 1496cc S4 Did not arriveDNA 1.1 23 Société des ConstructionAutomobile Parisienne S. C. A. P. Type O SCAP 1495cc S8 Did not arriveDNA 1.1 33 Cyclecars D’Yrsan Simas Ego D’Yrsan Grand Sport Ruby 1097cc S4 Did not arriveDNA 1.1 34 Cyclecars D’Yrsan Marquis Raymond Siran de Caranac de Soussay D’Yrsan Grand Sport Ruby 1097cc S4 Did not arriveDNA 1.1 38 Automobiles Lombard SA Lombard AL3 Grand Air Sport Lombard 1093cc S4 WithdrawnDNA 750 43 E. Gordon England(private entrant) Austin 7 Austin 748cc S4 Did not arrive

Pos Class Team Drivers Chassis 1928 IndexResult 1 1.1 35 Société des Moteurs Salmson Georges Casse André Rousseau Salmson Grand Sport 1.300 2 1.1 36 Établissements Henri Précloux Guy Bouriat Pierre Bussienne E. H. P. Type DU 1.177 3 1.1 42 SA des Automobiles Tracta Jean Albert Grégoire Fernand Vallon Tracta Type A 1.103 4 2.0 19 Société des Applications àRefroidissements par Air Gaston Duval Gaston Mottet S. A. R. A. SP7 1.000

Pos Class Team Drivers Chassis Indexresult 1 1.1 32 Bollack Netter et Cie Michel Doré Jean Treunet BNC Type H Monza 1.333 2 1.1 35 Société des Moteurs Salmson Georges Casse André Rousseau Salmson Grand Sport 1.300 3 1.5 27 Alvis Car and Engineering Co. Maurice Harvey Harold Purdy Alvis FA12/50 1.189 4 1.1 37 Automobiles Lombard SA Lucien Desvaux Pierre Goutte Lombard AL3 Grand Air Sport 1.182 5 1.1 36 Établissements Henri Précloux Guy Bouriat Pierre Bussienne E. H. P. Type DU 1.177 6 1.5 28 Alvis Car and Engineering Co. Sammy Davis Bill Urquhart Dykes Alvis FA12/50 1.171 7 5.0 4 Bentley Motors Ltd Woolf Barnato Bernard Rubin Bentley 4½ Litre 1.148 8 5.0 1 Société de Carrosserie Weymann Robert Bloch Édouard Brisson Stutz Model BB Blackhawk 1.132 9 1.1 31 SA des Automobiles Tracta Roger Bourcier Hector Vasena Tracta Gephi 1.111 10 1.1 42 SA des Automobiles Tracta Jean Albert Grégoire Fernand Vallon Tracta Type A 1.103
Note: Only the top ten positions are included in this set of standings.