Ford Racing in the 1960s. Amidst all of the hoopla that is the V8 supercars series, we tend to forget that Ford once had a rich and varied involvement in motor racing across the world. From the Indianapolis 500 to saloon racing in the UK and lots of places in between, Ford gathered some of the worlds’ best drivers to race their cars to many successes. Come with us, back to those thrilling days, when Ford won, and won often.

(All images copyright Ford motor Company and Weik Media Services 2010)

Below: It is 1963 .American Dan Gurney powers away on a rain soaked Brands Hatch in his 427 cubic inch Galaxie 500. A couple of Jaguars are left in the spray as the big Ford puts power to the track.

Below: Here’s brave Jack Sears in his Galaxie in 1963, at Snetteton in the UK. These cars ran with drum brakes, meaning they were slid sideways through the turns to wash off speed.

Below left: Sir Jack Brabham was no stranger to Ford. He leads Jim Clark at Oulton Park, in the UK, in 1965. On the picture on the right , taken almost one year later, he’s out front and on his own with the Mustang showing signs of serious suspension and chassis development work.

Images above and below: 1967 was a big year for Frank Gardiner. He ran a Ford FT 40 at Le Mans and strapped into the Allan Mann Racing Falcon Sprint in the UK. Mann’s cars had distinctive red paint with a gold stripe ,were always well turned out, and fast. Mann’s workshop was based in Byfleet , south west of London, close to the old Brooklands racetrack and airfield.

Top: Alec Mann’s Lotus Cortinas being prepared for rally work. The image below is Sir John Whitmore’s British Touring Car championship ride from 1966.

Below: You gotta love Parnelli Jones! One of the original hard men of American racing, he’s done it all and won it all. He brought Chevrolet engines to sprintcar racing, making the Offenhauser motors absolete overnight. Leaving the dirt ovals behind him, Parnelli went on to great success on NASCAR and road racing tracks. “I got out of sprintcars to save my ever-loving neck” he once said. This image shows him at Riverside Raceway in California. It is 1965, and he’s aboard a Mercury. Check out the rudimentary roll cage on the Mercury. Drum brakes , too. How did they ever stop these things!

Below: It is 1970 and here’s Parnelli in a Bud Moore prepared Boss 302 Trans Am Mustang.

Below: One of the real tough guys of NASCAR, Curtis Turner , waits patiently in his Galaxie 500 in the pits at Rockingham in 1965. He won the event going away. Look at the size of the crowd!

Below: Ford advertisements from the 1960s proudly proclaiming their racing prowess.