This is the race Ferrari wishes we would forget about! 

Can we just do story time with John every Friday?

Alright... here's the proof of just how good John is at telling a story: I just caught myself LEANING in my armchair as John's hands were out talking about the embankment at Daytona... and the more he tilted his hands, the more I was leaning. If it wasn't for the commercial break, I'd have fallen out my darn chair. 🤣🤣👏👏 As always did NOT disappoint!

Let us all sit at the feet of John and let him tell stories.. no better way to pass a day

I know this story well, but have never heard it recounted in such grand & glorious style. Danke, John!

Porsche and its utter destructive dominance over prototype sports car racing is one of my favorite stories in the motorsport world

You know it's going to be a wonderful story when John Ficarra appears!

I love the story about how the 917 was an absolute terror to drive in the beginning. Then they noticed during high speed testing that the rear adjustable spoilers/wings had no insects squashed all over them, whereas the windscreen did. Even though things were set up for max download at the rear. The conclusion was obvious: There was pretty much zero airflow over what was supposed to keep the rear end grounded at speed. Some aerodynamic tweaks, and things rather improved.

headlights, taillights and a prayer, words to live by

I have to be honest, if I'd opened this and it wasn't John Ficarra I would have been disappointed. Great story as always John.

I feel like I have been blessed with this man telling us this story. It's like a reward for working the grind all week - get home, and here is your late Friday reward!

Oh SWEET JESUS! Another video from John! Time to go watch it on the big screen instead of my phone. ❤️ the way this man spins a yarn. If you love the automotive world, you gotta hold this guy in high regard. 👍👏 One of the ONLY channels you can comment your excitement on the video BEFORE you even watch because you're guaranteed great content!! ❤️

Wow. When he said 45 laps. Mic dropped.

John, you make me see things as you narrate them. hats off.

I would love to see John explain the story of how Steve McQueen came 2nd overall at Sebring with a broken leg.

Yooooo a 917 story!

Great way to start a Friday. Story time with John!

cant WAIT to watch this when i get home!!!! Always something interesting from John!!

I know racing is way way way safer today. But it was so much more interesting back in those days. Because literally anything of size and shape could show up on race day. No two cars looked the same, drove the same, and drivers from types showed up. And it wasn’t as clinical either. The idea today of engineers using duct tap and self tapping screws to keep the cars going is just insane. That’s why everyone should truly watch and be apart of Lemons rally’s and events. Thats as close as you will get to those times.

You could put up a video of Ficarra explaining how to make toast....and I would watch it.

Ficarra is an amazing storyteller. Thanks for a great video!

John, could you maybe talk about the 84 Hours of Nürburgring race of 1969? It was such a brutal race, I mean first off its Nürburgring, and we all know just what type of circuit that is. Second, its about 3 and a half times longer than Le Mans, which is brutal on the cars. Of the 64 cars that started the race, only 19 finished.

John is the ultimate storyteller and historical racing seer

John’s stories always make me smile, and I really needed one today. Thanks Ed

John Ficarra brings racing to life! The perfect mix between man and machine in his storytelling. It is like watching the race with all the excitement in fast forward with details that you would only get from someone loves it. Keep them comming!

Thanks John. Another great story.

i want to meet john so i can hear every story he has about 917’s.

I like when Johns on, the stories are always longer than just about anyone else’s

I love these car stories of the past from John!

Can John be given the funding to write a couple of movies. These stories are amazing and need to be more famous.

917 and Ficarra: the best of the best.

John's racing stories are wonderful! Thank you!

Ficara is the best storyteller. My fav on VinWiki by far. Id like to see him try his hand at other peoples scripts maybe. See him tell stories he isnt so familiar with to expand the potential of what he can share. Content!

John is such a great race storyteller.

JOHN FICCARA is an absolute artist. He paint’s a beautiful picture. I appreciate how John makes me feel like I’m there. Thanks ED for the GREAT Content!!!

I reckon Ficarra could tell you about his morning dump and make it thrilling. The fact he has interesting stories is kind of bonus.

One of the best story tellers ever.

What a great story!

John is the man.. I absolutely love listening to this man just talk. And he knows his racing history. Great guy in my book

You can't beat John's racing stories! THANK YOU!

Say 45 laps without smiling and laughing, I dare ya. Hahahahahahaha

Love Ficarra and the classics

John always brings his A game! Thank you John. Great content as always and brilliantly executed.

I’m always up for old racing stories! Good stuff!👌👍

What a story and what a great story teller.....terrific video to start the weekend.

I love this ! He should teach car racing history. What I learned today is racing used be served extra raw like a steak. No lights. No safety. No nonsense

My dad drove to Daytona from Washington state to see this. He told me Ferrari was frantic just prior to the race whilst Porsche Gulf Wyer team were just chillin ready to race.

Saw the 512s and 917s at the BOAC 1000 race in 1969. I still think it was the best and most exciting race I’ve seen. Not to mention the sound………!!!!

Greatest story ever.

more of John please

I grew up in Daytona and that 24 hour race was always my favorite event every year... That whole town is literally motorsportsville USA

Just hadda see it again. Really enjoy your look back on automotive history. Yah yah yah, I only paused it...humh..3 times on some of the photo's. Best to you Scott 🏁

John is one of our lifetimes great automotive minds. His love and passion for the workd of cars is unrivaled. In my family cars are special and yeah, I talk to my car and treat her special and he make me feel not crazy. He puts emotion and personification to these cars' stories in a way nobody else can.

First time I've seen John tell a story and I was hooked on the content. He did an outstanding job making the story of the 917 most interesting. Thanks, John!

Very well said. Captured my attention every second of the story.

Love John's stories. Everyone else needs to subscribe to his RU-vid channel. He's as good as Ed at spinning a yarn.👍

I still want to hear John tell the us about the invention of "Scheduled Pit Stops".

I am envious of John Ficarra's and Christopher Michaels' storytelling talent.

Amazing episode!!!!

Best sorry teller ever!! Somebody give this guy his own channel... Oh wait a minute. Seriously, these stories should be told on his new channel.

John series of a breakdown of EVERY leman through history. Maybe the ¿2018~ when Toyota ran out of gas next!!?

John's already the best story teller but when it's a story about the 917 it's the icing on the cake. I watched this 3 times !!!

Dude, you are an excellent narrator. What a pleasure to listen

Thank you for bringing this incredible moment in motor racing history so brilliantly to light, I’m a fan!

That place, Daytona, was an absolutely wonderful place to go for a weekend of sports car racing back then. The score board, people had to change the numbers on it by hand. You could park or camp where they came outta turn 1. There was an old cafeteria in the paddocks, my dad and I sat next to Rodriguez and Graham Hill in there..2am. I was 16 and loving life, you could do just about anything ya wanted to do or go wherever you felt like. Even sit in a retired 512 in the paddocks at one in the morning, no one was around. There were the sounds of Ferrari, Porsche, Matra, Ford's, and all of the smaller cars, for 24 hours. It was glorious! This guy telling the story, he is able to take me back in time. Well done!

You F'ng Rock John Ficara! I'd love to see you in Sac sometime telling car stories, I would buy a ticket to that in a heartbeat!

I loved this!!!! I had a chance to see the 917 at a Can-Am race at Laguna Seca in early 70's. I recall Mark Donahue coming up behind an Alfa 12-cyl car (which, by the way, was incredibly loud!). He followed it for a bit, then coming out of turn 3 (the one that led toward the bridge) he just moved left, you heard a whoosh! and he passed that Alfa like it was running on 8 cylinders. What an amazing car, and an amazing driver. Thanks for this cool re-cap!

Wow another great story, I was at that race with my father and was able to get into the pits to see these cars. Great memories

I know the 917 from Cam Am. Usually at Mosport. Gulf livery there too. Dominated.

The verity of cars is one of the things I loved most about that race and miss the most. Was so very fortunate to live down there and be able to go to Sebring and Daytona those years

Aspects I learned about the Ferrari 512 from the Mark Donohue book, "The Unfair Advantage" was when Kirk F. White contracted with the Penske team to field a Ferrari 512M for the 1971 Daytona, Sebring, Le Mans, and Watkins Glen endurance races. To hear it from Donohue, the Ferrari 512 was lacking in design, build, and quality components. The Penske team redid the electricals and fueling system; had new bodywork separately fabricated, by an aftermarket vendor, that were lighter and fitted better than the factory originals; and Donohue said if they had the luxury of time, they would have rebuilt the 512 from the ground-up. The Ferrari factory race team logistics, according to Donohue, was extremely peculiar. At Le Mans in 1971, the Ferrari team asked the Penske team if they could borrow a spare 512 engine for the race. Seems mighty odd that the Ferrari factory team was short on spare engines; where they went to a privateer (Penske) for an engine.

I love these stories by John. He makes me think he’s there and I’m there with him. I love these stories as a Brit too as you never hear of them over here!

Story tellers like this made a story way more exciting.

What a great story (and story teller!)!

Great stuff. Good work.

The final episode of Car Trek 7 will release later today on Tavarish's channel!

Great story John! I'm looking forward to stories from Gumballers if you got any Ed.

Dang it was cold that weekend! I see 2 of my photos in your presentaion... : ) Along with some from my friend Lou.

For a non english speaker its very clear story telling and enjoyable to watch/listen. Thanks for this vid

Very good story telling John.

Gotta love it when someone builds monsters so powerful that only a rule change crippling the sport can even get the competition near the first place again.

Another mini-EPIC from Mr. Ficarra! I couldn't be there in person, so this is next best. Thank you. 🙏 👀

Great car story, keep em coming.

Thank you for this! I was at that race. 8 yrs old. I drew the Porsche 917 many times and drew the track many times after seeing that race. What an impression it made! As a Floridian, I have been to the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 hours of Sebring many, many times. Please, please tell me some stories about Peter Gregg.

What a fantastic story and well told by a guy who understands cars and racing! Thank you for this!

One of best stories of the Porsche 917! These machines are AWESOME !!!

This is sooooo goood!!!! Thank you!

That 1970 season was the stuff of legends

Few days ago I went to the Canepa shop and saw the 917K #2 in the museum, and to be able to set my eyes on this legendary car was just something else. I walked up the steps and my heart just stopped. its absolutely beautiful in photos and videos but its nothing compared to being literally next to it.

Great story on an amazing car!

Great story which is 100% accurate!! I was there standing at the first turn, Porsche, Porsche, Ferrari. The best time for racing and the unmatchable 917!!

I’m proud to say I got to see a 917 at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart Germany back in 2012. Such an amazing race car!!! 🔥

For a self-proclaimed “non-Porsche” guy, John really shows how much he loves the 917.

John is my favourite historian

LOVE his story...and t-shirt!

John is easily the best story teller on this channel

Look forward for racing history lessons from John. Wonder how well he would do at reading "Where the Wild Things Are" or "Green Eggs and Ham". I'm sure epic story telling would ensue.

Great storyteller.

Great story and detail imagining how it would be driving those machines. The weight of everyone’s balls back then.. sheesh. I think most of the drivers had already stared death in the face countless x’s from serving in a past war already. The racing was just another day to them. Also, I may have missed something but did he say the Porsche needed a clutch change in mid race!? Or was he just boasting about how easy it was to do if needed..? Great episode!

A bedtime story from John

Day #1 of requesting Ed to prerecord his voice for a GPS on the waze app and make it available to us to use. (I am behind the times and just learned you could do that) WE NEED YOU ED