Le Mans  24 Hours    June 17, 1984

I drove this Jaguar XJR5 in the 1984 Le Mans 24 Hours for Bob Tullius, who gave me my  professional start back in 1966

This was Jaguar's return to Le Mans after twenty years.  Group 44 was doing well in the US with its IMSA GTP XJR5s so was chosen to field a three car factory team.  Their 6 liter V12 normally aspirated engines hit 222 mph on the Mulsanne straight.  It was a sweet car in every respect, however was not in the same class as the lighter Group C cars.  Nevertheless, the beautiful Jags proved enormously popular with the crowd and persuaded a new generation of Jaguar execs of the value of racing at Le Mans.

My co-drivers were John Watson, F1 driver for McLaren cars; and Claude Bella Lena, a successful French driver.

    We qualified 19th of 53 cars, and had worked up to eighth place by about 6 am.  By that time, all three team cars were reporting gearbox shifting problems.

     After a pit stop & fresh tires, I took my turn in the car.  I had fresh tires, so proceeded to warm them up and break them in.  As I entered the fast right-hand turn before the Mulsanne straight, the car suddenly started to understeer badly and crashed into the barrier.

Jaguar's beautiful 6 liter V12

French crowds applauded the return of the Jaguar

Tony's Jag speeds down pit lane

Tony Adamowicz, Gary Wheeler, Tony a2z, Tony Adamowics, a2zRacer, Gary Wheeler, Tony Adamowicz

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