In honor of the 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans happening this weekend, we wanted to take a moment to highlight our 1929 Tracta A - the 1930 24 Hours of Le Mans Category Winner!
This very special part of our collection belonged to famed French automobile engineer and inventor Jean-Albert Grégoire, who is most known for designing constant velocity joints. Grégoire and Fernand Vallon drove our Tracta A to victory at Le Mans in 1930 and there is a large photo of the two after the race on display in the Museum.
This Tracta A has a four speed gear box with overdrive that was specifically designed for the Le Mans race track and allowed for a top speed of 90 mph. The gas, oil, and water caps were sealed after the fluids were added in the pit and the seals could not be broken without the Commissaire supervising the operation. The trunk and spare tire were mandatory for racing at Le Mans.
We are pleased to share footage of our Tracta A leaving the pits at the 91st 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023. This was the 5th time it appeared at Le Mans with its original engine.
Other than a new coat of paint, the car remains original and the engine still runs like a champion. Check out the video of Olivier Cerf starting it up in honor of the 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans below!
Learn more about Jean-Albert Grégoire and other notable automotive engineers with a Tampa Bay Automobile Museum membership. Be sure to see this incredible piece of automotive history the next time you visit!