Marlboro Motor Raceway

October 22, 1961

Pontiac entered into a program to race their Tempests in FIA endurance racing against the more common sports cars usually entered in these events. Two “quasi-factory” Tempests competed in the 1961 Marlboro Twelve Hour sedan race held at Marlboro Motor Raceway in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The race was for sedans displacing less than 200 CI and was run under FIA sanction.

A Volvo driven by Rune Svensson and Art Tattersall won the race, while the two factory Tempests driven by Pierre Mion & Bob Mouat (car #21) and Duncan Black & Bruce Jennings (car # 12) finished sixteenth and seventeenth respectively (out of eighteen finishers). A third Tempest, identified in the press at the time as a private entry, was a DNF. The private entry, car #49, was driven by Nate Karras & Ralph Salyer.

The factory cars were prepared by Ray Nichels. During the race Smokey Yunick assisted in the pits and the race is mentioned in Smokey’s autobiography.

We are always interested in any documentation available, i.e. photos entry lists, results lists, remembrances, programs, etc.

Bob Mouat (in helmet on left) and Pierre Mion (in helmet on right) await the completion of pit work on their number 21 entry at Marlboro. (Photo Courtesy Pierre Mion)