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Ken Miles

Ken Miles

Kenneth Henry Miles (1 November 1918 – 17 August 1966) was a British-born, naturalised American sports car racing engineer and driver best known for his motorsport career in the US, and with American teams on the international scene.

Ken Miles
Dolphin Mk 2 with ken MIles.tif
Ken Miles stepping into
Dolphin Mk 2., March 1961.
Personal details
Born(1918-11-01)1 November 1918
Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England, UK
Died17 August 1966(1966-08-17)(aged 47)
Riverside International Raceway, California, United States
NationalityUnited KingdomBritish
Military service
AllegianceUnited KingdomUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceUnited KingdomBritish Army
Years of service1939-1945
RankSergeant

Career

Miles raced motorcycles before he served as a tank commander in the British Army in World War II.

After the war he raced Bugattis, Alfa Romeos and Alvises with the Vintage Sports Car Club. He then turned to a Ford V8 Frazer-Nash.

Miles then moved from England to the Los Angeles, California area. In 1953 he won 14 straight victories in SCCA racing in an MG-based special of his own design and construction.

For the 1955 season, he designed, constructed and campaigned a second special based on MG components that was known as the "Flying Shingle". It was very successful in the SCCA F modified class on the west coast. Miles raced the "Flying Shingle" at Palm Springs in late March, finishing first overall against veteran driver Cy Yedor, also in an MG Special, and novice driver, actor James Dean in a Porsche 356 Speedster. Miles was later disqualified on a technical infraction because his fenders were too wide, thus allowing Yedor and Dean to get 'bumped up' to first and second. During 1956, Miles raced Johnny von Neumann's Porsche 550 Spyder at most of the Cal Club and SCCA events.[1]

For the 1957 season (in co-operation with Otto Zipper), Miles engineered the installation of a Porsche 550S engine and transmission in a 1956 Cooper chassis and body. It was the second successful race car to be known on the West Coast as "the Pooper", the first being an early 1950s Cooper chassis and body powered by a Porsche 356 power train that was built and campaigned by Pete Lovely of Tacoma, WA. The resulting car dominated the F Modified class of SCCA on the west coast in the 1957 and 1958 seasons with Miles driving.

Due to his great skill and talent, both as a driver and mechanical engineer, Miles was a key member of the Shelby/Cobra race team in the early 1960s. With a very pronounced Brummy accent (from his hometown of Birmingham, renowned for car manufacturing) combined with a seemingly obscure and sardonic sense of humour, he was affectionately known by his American racing crew as "Teddy Teabag" (for his tea drinking) or "Sidebite" (as he talked out of the side of his mouth). He played a key role in the development and success of the racing versions of the Shelby Cobra 289 in SCCA, USRRC and FIA sports car racing between 1962 and 1965 as well as the Daytona Coupe and 427 versions of the Cobra and the Ford GT (GT40).

Miles had a "reputation for courtesy on the track" and was sometimes called the "Stirling Moss of the West Coast".[2] While a member of the AC-Cobra Ford Team, Miles entered a Lotus 23 in the 1964 Player's 200 at Mosport.

In 1966 he won the 24 Hours of Daytona (pictured) with Lloyd Ruby, and then the 12 Hours of Sebring in the Ford GT Mk.II. Several months later, near the end of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans Miles was in the lead, but Ford management, desiring a publicity photo of three of their cars crossing the finish line together, instructed Carroll Shelby to order him to slow down. Accordingly, the next car (Bruce McLaren/Chris Amon) and the third place car drew up, and they cruised to the line together. It is rumoured that Miles, with his considerable commitment to the Ford racing programme, registered a protest at this perceived slight by allowing Ford #2 car to cross the line first. A rather more plausible version, apparently admitted to by McLaren, is that despite the team orders he suddenly accelerated ahead just before the finish line, and crossed it first. Either way, Miles was denied the unique achievement of winning Sebring, Daytona, and Le Mans in the same year, as Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon were declared the winners.

Test driver/car developer

His early career got Carroll Shelby's attention, who hired Miles as a test driver in the early 1960s. Miles helped Shelby develop the Shelby Cobra. Miles also developed the first Sunbeam Tiger prototype, for which he was approached by The Rootes Group, for the sum of $800, and which he completed in one week. He also is credited with helping Shelby develop the GT40 and the Mustang GT350.

Death

The Ford J-car was intended to be the successor to the all-conquering Ford GT Mk.II and, despite reliability problems, showed potential in the springtime Le Mans trials. After the death of Walt Hansgen in a Mk.II. Ford, the decision was made to shelve the J-car and focus on the proven Mk IIs, and little development was done for the rest of the 1966 World Sports Car Championship season. Finally, in August 1966, Shelby American resumed testing and development work with Miles serving as primary test driver. The J-car featured a breadvan-shaped rear section that experimented with Kammback aerodynamic theories, as well as a revolutionary (but untested) honeycomb panel design that was supposed to both lighten and stiffen the car, but the design remained unproven with high-speed prototype sports cars.

After almost a day of testing at Riverside International Raceway in the brutally hot Southern California desert summer weather, Miles approached the end of the track's 1-mile (1.6 km), downhill back straight at top speed (200-plus mph) when the car suddenly looped, flipped, crashed and caught fire. The car broke into pieces and ejected Miles, killing him instantly. The car had suffered precisely the sort of crash damage the honeycomb construction was designed to prevent. As a result, the aerodynamics of the J-car were heavily modified to correct the rear-end lift generated at race speeds. Ford officials, under pressure after the second of two fatal accidents in the programme in five months, also ordered a NASCAR-style steel tube rollover cage to be installed in future versions of the car. The death of 47 year old Miles, following that of 46 year old Hansgen, led Ford to favour younger drivers in subsequent race entries. The significantly revised J-car, renamed the Ford Mk IV, won the only two races in which it was entered: the 1967 Sebring (Fla.) 12 Hours, and the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans. The steel roll cage in the Mk IV (mandated as a direct result of Miles's death) probably saved the life of Mario Andretti, who crashed violently during the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans but escaped with minor injuries.

Award

  • Miles was posthumously inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2001.[3]

Racing record

Career highlights

SeasonSeriesPositionTeamCar
1961USAC Road Racing Championship[4][5]1stCrandall Industries IncorporatedPorsche 718 RS 61

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEngine12345678WDCPoints
1961Louise Bryden-BrownLotus 18Climax Straight-4MONNEDBELFRAGBRGERITAUSA
DNA
NC0

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearClassNoTyresCarTeamCo-DriversLapsPos.Class
Pos.
1955S1.541MG EX182
MG L4 1489cc
United KingdomMG Cars Ltd.United KingdomJohn Lockett24912th5th
1965P+5.01GFord GT Mk II
Ford 427 V8/90° OHV 6981cc
United StatesShelby American Inc.New ZealandBruce McLaren45DNF
Gearbox
1966P+2.01GFord GT Mk II
Ford 427 V8/90° OHV 6982cc
United StatesShelby American Inc.New ZealandDenny Hulme3602nd

Complete 24 Hours of Daytona results

YearClassNoTyresCarTeamCo-DriversLapsPos.Class
Pos.
1966P+2.098GFord GT Mk II
Ford 427 V8/90° OHV 7000cc
United StatesShelby American Inc.United StatesLloyd Ruby6781st

Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results

YearClassNoTyresCarTeamCo-DriversLapsPos.Class
Pos.
1957S1.545Porsche 550 RS
Porsche F4 2v DOHC 1498cc
United StatesJ. KunstleUnited StatesJean Pierre Kunstle1849th2nd
1958S1.545Porsche 550 RS
Porsche F4 2v DOHC 1498cc
United StatesJean Pierre KunstleUnited StatesJean Pierre Kunstle59DNF
Clutch
1959S1.535Porsche 718 RSK
Porsche 1498cc
United StatesPrecision MotorsUnited StatesJack McAfee1738th3rd
1962GT1.642Sunbeam Alpine
Sunbeam L4 1592cc
United KingdomRootes GroupUnited StatesLew Spencer25DNF
Engine
1963GT+4.012GShelby Cobra roadster
Ford V8/90° 2v OHV 4727cc
United StatesEd HugusUnited StatesPhil Hill
United StatesLew Spencer
19211th1st
GT+4.016GAC Cobra
Ford V8/90° 2v OHV 4727cc
United StatesShelby American Inc.United StatesLew Spencer
United StatesDave MacDonald
United StatesFireball Roberts
56DNF
Steering Arm
1964P3+01GAC Cobra
Ford V8/90° 2v OHV 7000cc
United StatesShelby American Inc.United StatesJohn Morton81DNF
Blown Engine
1965P+5.098GFord GT40
Ford 289 V8/90° 2v UHV 4727cc
United StatesShelby American Inc.New ZealandBruce McLaren1922nd1st
1966P+5.01GFord GT-X1
Ford A V8 OHV 7040cc
United StatesShelby American Inc.United StatesLloyd Ruby2281st

Film adaptation

Ford v Ferrari is a 2019 film about the rivalry between Ford and Ferrari at the 1966 Le Mans auto race. It is produced by 20th Century Fox and directed by James Mangold. Miles is portrayed by Christian Bale,[6] while his wife Mollie and his son Peter are portrayed by Caitriona Balfe and Noah Jupe, respectively.[7] The film began shooting in the summer of 2018 and is scheduled for release in November 2019.[8]

References

[1]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgRaskin, Lee (2005). James Dean: At Speed. Phoenix, Ariz.: David Bull. p. 70. ISBN 978-1893618497.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[2]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgCanadian Racing Drivers Association (1964). "Biographical Sketches of Drivers". Player's 200 Media Kit.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[3]
Citation Linkweb.archive.orgBiography Archived 13 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
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[4]
Citation Linkwsrp.ic.cz"SPAM protection / Ochrana proti SPAMu". Wsrp.ic.cz. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
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[5]
Citation Linkwww.racingsportscars.com"USAC Road Racing Championship - Championships". Racing Sports Cars. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[6]
Citation Linkvariety.com"James Mangold to Direct Ford vs. Ferrari Film as 'Logan' Follow-Up". variety.com. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[7]
Citation Linkwww.hollywoodreporter.com"'Outlander' Star Caitriona Balfe, 'Quiet Place' Breakout Noah Jupe Join Ford vs. Ferrari Movie". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[8]
Citation Linkwww.hollywoodreporter.com"'Ford v. Ferrari' Trailer: Matt Damon, Christian Bale Team Up to Design Race Car". hollywoodreporter.com. 2 June 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[9]
Citation Linkwww.mshf.comBiography
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[10]
Citation Linkweb.archive.orgArchived
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[11]
Citation Linkweb.archive.org"SPAM protection / Ochrana proti SPAMu"
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[12]
Citation Linkwsrp.ic.czthe original
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[13]
Citation Linkwww.racingsportscars.com"USAC Road Racing Championship - Championships"
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[14]
Citation Linkvariety.com"James Mangold to Direct Ford vs. Ferrari Film as 'Logan' Follow-Up"
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[15]
Citation Linkwww.hollywoodreporter.com"'Outlander' Star Caitriona Balfe, 'Quiet Place' Breakout Noah Jupe Join Ford vs. Ferrari Movie"
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[16]
Citation Linkwww.hollywoodreporter.com"'Ford v. Ferrari' Trailer: Matt Damon, Christian Bale Team Up to Design Race Car"
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM
[17]
Citation Linken.wikipedia.orgThe original version of this page is from Wikipedia, you can edit the page right here on Everipedia.Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Additional terms may apply.See everipedia.org/everipedia-termsfor further details.Images/media credited individually (click the icon for details).
Sep 30, 2019, 3:23 AM