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1930 Targa Florio
May4th, 1930: In a legendary race, the great Achille Varzi defeats the Bugattis of Chiron and Conelli.
During the last pit stop, Varzi had the spare tires removed from his 175 HP supercharged 8-cylinder P2 to make it lighter. In so doing the fuel tank was accidentally pierced, and after resuming the race the engine began misfiring from fuel starvation.
Varzi ordered the mechanic riding with him to add fuel to the tank from a small spare container while they were still driving! A few drops of fuel splashed over the hot exhaust pipes and the car was set on fire. Nevertheless, Varzi raced on and crossed the finish line in victory with his car ablaze!
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