Remembering Ken Miles August 17th

[FL SAAC]

On Wednesday August 17, 1966 Ken Miles lost his life during a testing session at Riverside, California while driving a prototype GT40. Miles was a key member of the Shelby/Cobra race team in the early 1960s and the main test driver for the effort to improve the Ford GT 40 Mk Il.

After almost a full day of testing at Riverside International Raceway while testing a revolutionary honeycomb panel design intended to both lighten and stiffen the car, Miles approached the end of the track's 1-mile downhill back straight at a top speed of 200-plus mph, when the Ford J-car suddenly looped, flipped, crashed and caught fire. The car broke into pieces and ejected Miles, killing him instantly. Ken Miles was 47 years old. The Ford J-car was intended to be the successor to the all-conquering Ford GT40 Mk Il and was later called the GT-40 Mk-4.

Today we remember Ken and celebrate his contributions to US motorsports and the Ford racing program.

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KEN'S FATAL CRASH - 17th AUGUST 1966

After a fantastic year of racing for Ken and his team including wins at Sebring and Daytona plus the race he could have won at Le Mans.

It was August 17th 1966 at the Riverside International Raceway in California. The Shelby American Crew were testing a Ford known as the J-Car.

Ken was in the car and all was going well until the final lap on the final day of testing.

As he approached turn 9 which was also at the end of the lap, the car left the road broke into two, bursting into flames in which Ken died instantly.

Ken son Peter was at the test. He got to the scene as fast as he could. Peter wanted to get him out of the car, but was informed by a member of the crew that he wasn't in the car. He had been flung out and was lying in the dirt with his helmet next to him.

It has never been proven what happened with the accident. It seems the car had either break failure or the driveline had locked up.

Due to Ken's death, Ford updated its safety program with a stronger roll cage and changes to prevent fire.

R. I. P. Ken

[FL SAAC]

The Story Behind the Ford GT40's Photo Finish - Sports Illustrated

https://www.si.com/racing/2016/06/21/watch-bittersweet-story-behind-ford-gt40s-1966-le-mans-photo-finish