European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 28, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Race Driver Mcnamara gives his car s suspension a Check by James Gunter is Munich Bureau chief maybe Francis Mcnamara s Luck will change now that he s a Luck had the Aroma of old eggs while he was racing formula v s As a officer. A formula v is a race car powered by a Volkswagen engine Mcnamara fulfilled a life Long Ambi Tion when he bought his own race car and went into the business while he Wasa first lieutenant with the 10th special forces group at bad Toel sad Story of his first five efforts his car blew an engine during to health Lap of a 15-Lap race at Nuermburg ring in april 1967. He qualified no. 33 for the 32-car Field at Bockenheim in june 1907 after reinstalled a new engine and got his racer going again. The Day before an International race in Mainz a few clays later he Quali fied and won the important pole Posi Tion in a 26-car Field. Next morning Ashe was driving to the track his car collided head on with a German limousine that turned in front of him. With head injuries and fractures of four ribs and a leg Mcnamara was Laid up until september. His car caught fire when a Gas line broke and sprayed Gas on the Engin during the time trials at Bockenheim sept. 10. Mcnamara got out without scratch but his car was totally burned out. He drove the third fastest time in the trials at nuer Burgering april21 witha new formula a but in the race he blew his engine and did t finish. Undaunted Mcnamara is Takin the Long Range View. He got out of the army May 11 after a career of 12 years eight years of in with special forces. Is photos by Victor Damon most of his career was As a heavy weapons Man on an a team but he was commissioned in May 1%g. Reserved twice in Vietnam and ended his military career As building officer a Flint Cavern in bad Toel. Now he feels lie can devote All of his time to plans Call for a course at the grand prix Drivers school in eng land and designing and building his own 14 Low sleek formula v racer is based on Standard Volkswagen parts plus streamlined Shell body. Formula Ora Rac formula v with the help of his two mechanics Heinz Willibald and Tony will build his own Frame body and instruments logo with the 1300cc Volkswagen engine. Mcnamara who is 29, and his wife Bonnie have set up their own garage at Fleck a Village near Leng Gries Ger is essential for a racer to have a wife who enjoys racing he works As Secretary bookkeeper Coffee maker and general manager of the team. She formerly did Aerial and elephant acts with Hamid Morton Cir Cus and was working As Secretary of the new Jersey state fair when they met and married in 19gi5. A native of Galesburg 111., who now Calls Bethesda mel., Home Mcnamara has had the racing Bug for a Long raced motorcycles As an Amateur at state fairs and had been racing midgets and sprint cars on dirt tracks for about five years when he became interested in formula is. Utah his car exploded and burned at Bockenheim Mcnamara Felt fire waste big danger for a Driver. He designed a fire fighting system which has Bee installed in his new car. It works so Well that he s having it patented. Container son each Side of the Driver flood the cock pit with foam when he hits a a race the Driver and his mechanics break Down the entire Auto and put it Back together. Adjusting it to a Fine pitch they haul it to the track on a special trailer which carries two spare Day before qualifying rounds Mcnamara walks the track to study every curve and straight. Racing is a constant evaluation of what Yoi do and us elimination of your end of the ride Mcnamara looks Over car which by med and exploded. he said. A Stopwatch does t Low Slung 825-Pound Blue racing car hits top speeds of about 120 Milesian hour in a race and the screaming engine sometimes has to be replace Din a hurry. Mcnamara and his team can pull out an engine in about 10 min utes. A formula v costs about $5,000 and the stars and stripes r f flu of 1 1 1the Upkeep is Steep a � races return smal Ami m of who qualify. The Biggs i g j Axvall about 17,000 of nor grand prix of the bal Uina ,, and he s aiming to i it � divisions there come Decani Hij we be got enough mom j by business but we be � to keep going he said. Sunday juiy2
