Donna Mae Mims

[mattm]

There is a picture of an Alpine she raced in the comments section.

http://jalopnik.com/5379770/first-female-scca-champs-dead-body-on-display-in-pink-corvette

 

[sunbeam74]

There are some more comments on the Atlas F1 Nostalgia forum.

http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=116549

She was very nice to reply to some of my questions regarding the 1966 event. Very funny and personable.

One story which Suzy Dietrich, Donna's co-driver, conveyed was regarding the hotel room where they stayed. It wasn't much of a hotel and Suzy thought there were centipedes on the sink. After trying to kill them she realized they were Donna's false eyelashes.

That year it was very cold at Daytona. The car had Goodyear sponsorship but the Firestone tent had a heater... so they spent a lot of time there.

I don't think Donna or Suzy (I assume Janet, too) cared for the race in the Alpine other than it was a paid ride. The car was really worn out - prior to the race. Third gear didn't work so essentially they ran the whole 24 hours in 4th. I am almost positive this had been Jim Latimer's early Alpine which had probably been retired for a year or so.

Steve

 

[puff4]

Sad that she's gone. Here's a related article, re discovery of her Alpine.

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/12/14/ring-free-girls-daytona-car-found/

 

[mattm]

Where is the car now?

 

[sunbeam74]

Still in the Northeast. I had hopes that it might be brought to the United next year but I doubt it.

Oddly, after the 24 hour race both entries ended up on Long Island in a Goodyear distributor the Series V (could have been IV) was sold off, too, but there are no paper trails regarding this car.

The records of regional and divisional races are so poor after 1966/7 that it really is hard to find details since typically programs weren't produced for these events nor did Autoweek's/competition press continue to have coverage.

Steve

 

[mototron]

Steve
do you where the alpine ended up on Long Island?

Rocco

 

[sunbeam74]

I am not sure where the Series V (IV) of Smokey Drolett and Rosemary Smith ended up after it was in the Goodyear distributor's building. (last known photo of the car). I would guess it stayed in the Northeast.

As I review old pictures from the late 60's I haven't found many late Alpines racing - particularly in the Northeast. Nor have I found many names in entrant's list.

I could kick myself - I did have one lead on a late Series Alpine race car in the Northeast which I failed to follow up in 2003. It was owned by Mike Capressio, a Tiger owner, in Western Mass. At the time it didn't sound like it could be much... but then these cars were really prepared at all.

Mike has since vanished. No longer a member of TE/AE.

Steve

 

[sunbeam74]

BTW< here was a program from the 66 event.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...2689367&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_977

 

[sunbeam74]

Here's a link to one of the few pictures of a late Series Alpine racing in the NE. Not that this is the Series V (IV) of Drolett/Smith but all you can do is try and find a period photo... put a name to the driver... then hope they can be contacted.

http://www.timelessracer.com/Photo_Galleries/Date_Location/0015June_67_Watkins_Glen_1.html

I would guess if the car did survive... it was probably repainted. It was medium to light blue. The Series II of Mimes, GUtherie, Dietrich, had a quick respray to match.


Steve

 

[sunbeam74]

78 was a Series V

I went back and looked at the old pictures from the Goodyear dealer's warehouse. #78 was a Series V. It looks like they crushed the "apron".

Notice the Goodyear tires? Suzy said it they felt very awkward hanging out at the Firestone tent.. but they did have heat!

This would be a very tough car to locate if you think about what you'd be looking for. Picture the numbers removed and the tires as street tires versus the racing tires. I feel that this car was straight off a dealer's showroom, engine torn down for balancing, a new cam and a upper engine mount added... and that was it! Very close to stock.

Steve

 

[sunbeam74]