Lap 05 - The Lotus 15

Sy took delivery of a 2 Litre Climax powered Lotus 15 in 1959. He piloted this car to countless victories in 1959 from Mount Equinox to Vineland, and Montgomery to Limerock. Several firsts in class and many overall first place finishes were his reward for investing in a machine suited to his driving skills.

the 2 litre Coventry Climax Lotus 15 with its capable owner/driver

"overtaking a Lotus Eleven on the rear chicane"

Sy recounts in a letter dated 3/26/94 to Don Black of Australia:

...race results for the first Formula Libre Grand Prix the 17th and 18th of October, 1959. I had raced the Lotus 15 at Limerock, Connecticut on Saturday the 17th and burned a hole in one of the pistons. We stayed up all night repairing the engine and then I had to drive 400 miles with the car on a trailer to Watkins Glen. Consequently, I didn't arrive at the Glen in time to practice. Sunday morning, the day of the race, I was last on the grid. This was my first major race against international competition and Indianapolis car professional drivers. The problems were compounded by very cold, snowy weather. In any event, I managed to get through the first lap and thereafter whenever Stirling Moss passed me in his Grand Prix Cooper, I would try to stay behind him for at least a lap or two [see photo below]. After cheating death at least 30 times, I did manage to be in fourth place overall when a midget Offenhauser passed me. I felt that a midget American with slick tires had no right to pass me on the downhill turn. I immediately tried to repass him and skidded off the track which put me behind six or seven laps. The race was very gratifying to me because there were outstanding world class drivers and I ended up eighth.

the 15 on track at Montgomery, NY (?) photo provided by William Colson

Watkins Glen, Oct 18, 1959 with Stirling Moss' GP Cooper photo credit: Road and Track

Sy's note from the back of the photograph at left

Lotus 15 2 litre: engine rebuilt after a crash at Thompson, Connecticut

The 2 Litre Lotus 15