Ed Hugus


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		Auf dem Foto sehen Sie mich mit Ed Hugus beim Jochen Rindt Memorial im Watkins Glen Research Center 2004.

Ich habe die traurige Nachricht zu verkünden, dass Ed Hugus am 29. Juni 2006 verstorben ist, er stand im 83. Lebensjahr.

Ed Hugus war der “3. Mann” (third man) hinterm Steuer des Ferrari 250 LM in Le Mans 1965, das Rennen welches Jochen Rindt und Masten Gregory gewannen. Die Umstände, wie Hugus dazu kam, dass er zumindest eine Session wärend der Nacht im Wagen sass, sind für heutige Begriffe als kurios einzustufen, dürften aber zu jener Zeit gang und gäbe gewesen sein. Das Problem kennen aber auch die Fahrer von heute noch, denn wärend der Nach wird vielerorts gegrillt und der dadurch entstehende Rauch vermischt mit nächtlichem Nebel ergibt oft eine undurchsichtige Nebelwand. Masten Gregory konnte durch seine dicken Brillen, die noch dazu anliefen, nichts mehr sehen und musste den Wagen daher übergeben. Nur als er zur Box kam war von Jochen Rindt weit und breit nichts zu sehen und so kam es, dass Ed Hugus Gregory’s Session zu Ende fuhr. Obwohl dieser Umstand der Rennleitung bekannt gegeben wurde, fand Ed Hugus dafür nie offiziell als dritter Fahrer und somit ehrenwerter Sieger jenes Rennens Erwähnung.

Lesen Sie untenstehend die Geschichte von Ed Hugus.

American Ed Hugus died on 29 June 2006, one day before his 83rd birthday. Born 30 June 1923, Hugus grew up on farms in Pennsylvania and Ohio. He was a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne Division in WWII and saw service in the Pacific, including a drop on Corregidor. He also was part of the American occupation of Japan.

After the war, he got caught up in the sports car movement, eventually becoming a dealer for Jaguar, VW, Porsche and Mercedes. He was also one of Carroll Shelby's first Cobra dealers, having cars sent to him without engines and fitting the Fords at his shop in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He sold his Pittsburgh interests in 1968 and moved to Florida where he was the BMW distributor for the Southeastern states. After retiring, he moved to Pebble Beach California in 1992.

He raced from 1952 and excelled at the classic long distance events like Le Mans and Sebring. In 9 Le Mans appearances, he had five top ten finishes including a first in class with Carel de Beaufort in a Porsche RSK. He was also adept at American club racing, taking the SCCA G Production National Championship battle to the last race of the season with his Alfa Guiletta in 1957. He was finally beaten -- his points total over the season was 5000, while the champion's was 5400.

Ed claimed to have driven for a short time in the 1965 Le Mans winning 250 LM. As someone who knew Ed, I found him to be a modest man and not one to exaggerate his achievements. On the other hand, as an historian, I've never found a race report, picture or eyewitness who could confirm the story, and believe me, I've tried.

Some support his story by saying he couldn't get to the prize-giving stand before the ceremony was over. That theory I can disprove. Pictures show Ed riding on the left rear fender of the winning car as it was driven down the lane next to the course to the prizegiving. Other pictures show Ed standing directly in front of the stand while the winners were on it, yet Gregory or Rindt never pulled him up. That could be accounted for by the fact he was not registered as a relief driver for that car and disqualification could have resulted. Nonetheless, at a time when the American motoring press was very sensitive to the progress of American drivers, I can't believe that no one picked up on the story. Some motor racing mysteries remain unsolved, and this may be one of them.

I'm certain I had in hand for the 1965 race an entry list (from a newspaper) with Gregory-Hugus as drivers on the 250LM Nart entered. I was surprised to discover during the race the speaker said : "Gregory-Rindt".

I post here a kind letter Ed Hugus sent me last year explaining what happened on his point of view. Anyway, a nice story.

edhugusrponse

Note the charming French "Say la vie", trying to say "C'est la vie" !

" Dear Hubert 24 may 05
Thank you for your kind letter of may 19. It was very kind of you to remember me. Some writers have been telling me, that I have driven more times at Le Mans than any other american. I do not know this to be a fact.
Re-1965- As you know I had my own entry for the 24 hrs for many years. This year I was to drive a Ferrari of Luigi Chinetti in the race. How ever, the factory did not finish the car in time, so Luigi put me on as reserve driver on the 250 LM.
During the night about 4 AM ? Masten had gone out in the LM. A lot of the famous Le Mans pea soup fog moved and Masten with his bad eye sight and very thick glasses came : could not see well. Rindt had disapeared, no one knew where, so Luigi told me to get my helmet on and go so, I finished the last hour or so of Masten part.
Luigi told me many times later that he had informed the pit official about this. How ever, as Luigi said, may be they were too busy with a wine bottle behind the pits to do so. He was disapointed and so was I.
Say la vie.
Again thank you. Hope this helps. Ed Hugus "