The time period spanning from the late 1960s and into the very early 1970s can be considered one of the most pivotal and evolutionary time periods in the history of motor sport. Innovative technologies were being developed and tested in road racing daily and the world itself seemed to be enthralled by these marvelous, sleek new machines that would arrive at the worlds greatest racing venues to display these new found technologies and take both man and machine to new thresholds each time they turned a wheel. The Le Mans 24 Hour Race held in the French country side each summer has long been the race for such men and machines to display their newest talent and technology. The 1971 running of the Le Mans 24 Hours was to represent the high water mark of this empirical era in motor racing as no other race could come to do.

The FIA had created several new sporting groups for race cars through out the 1960s and their efforts set the stage for what would become a tuetonic showdown of epic proportions that would set two companies, Porsche and Ferrari, in an all time clash of the titans type battle with two of the greatest sports racing machines to ever roar down the Mulsanne Straight. Porsche's weapon of choice would be the 917K, a tubular space frame chassis car with a 580 horsepower flat twelve engine mounted mid-ship in the frame and weighing in at 800kg. The great Enzo Ferrari was undaunted by this German marvel of speed and engineering; and responded by building the Ferrari 512M, a sleek red warhorse from the Italian heartland with a mighty 620 horsepower V-12 engine mounted longitudinally behind the driver's cockpit and weighing in at 930kg. Not since the days when Norse Gods roamed the earth had the world seen such incredible weapons forged to enter a form of combat like no other.

Ferrari would be well represented for the 1971 French classic, as some eight 512M models would arrive to take the grid against seven Porsche 917s of which three were prepared by the J.W. Automotive squad with Porsche factory support. Maranello rose to the occasion, with a strong effort coming from their customer squad in North America known as NART (North American Race Team). NART was headed by the North American Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti, and for the 1971 race, no less than three 512Ms would be prepared by the young North American team.

One of the drivers selected to drive for NART for the Le Mans effort that year was a young Tony Adamowicz. Tony, also known as Tony A2Z, was a talented young American driver with a Trans Am title in the less than 2.0L class and a Formula 5000 title under his belt. With his sights set on winning the world's toughest endurance race, Tony headed to France in the summer of 1971 fulfilling a dream to not only drive at Le Mans, but to also pilot a Ferrari sports prototype. Tony's team mate in the #12 Ferrari 512M would be another young American driver with a strong road racing background, Mr. Sam Posey.

Together, Tony and Sam would pilot their racing red with white and blue stripe Ferrari 512M to a 3rd place podium finish that cool and dry weekend in June of 1971. After the disastrous race Ferrari endured in 1970, the efforts and achievement of a podium finish by the two young American drivers was something that was greatly applauded by Ferrari, and Ferrari fans across the world. This was very fitting, as this would be the last Le Mans race to see the thunderous 5 liter cars take to the track. The FIA would announce a new displacement cap of no more than 3.0 liters for 1972, thus ending the days when true lightweight titans ruled the world's road circuits.

Today, thirty-eight years after Tony's summer journey to the French country side, he offers the world of motor sports enthusiasts the chance to reconnect with history through his company, A2ZRacerGear (www.a2zracergear.com). New to the company's fantastic line up of vintage racing apparel are the new A2ZRacerGear Performance Driving Shoes. This new line of 21st century designed footwear is meant to supply the racing enthusiast with not only pure performance, but also to provide superb fit and a high level of comfort. These shoes offer several features such as a skid resistant flared and rolled heel with a vulcanized rubber sole and heavy duty outer protection that make them perfect for heel-toe shifting and high performance driving. The sturdy leather and suede upper construction will provide years worth of wear and the inner sole is completely removable so the enthusiast can install their own comfort insoles of choice. Designed by Tony A2Z personally with both performance and comfort in mind, these shoes are sure to provide the enthusiast a superb piece of footwear that is suited to both track day driving or long strolls around your favorite paddock, where ever it may be. Tony A2Z has made reconnecting with one of the most iconic times in motor racing as easy as tying your shoes.