STORY OF THE DAY: McAfee Takes the 857 S to the Pebble Beach Podium

On 22 April 1956, Jack McAfee finished third at Pebble Beach in John Edgar’s number 98 Ferrari 857 S. The result placed him behind two of America’s leading sports-car drivers and secured a podium for Ferrari at the final meeting held on the celebrated forest road circuit.

Pebble Beach’s narrow public roads wound among trees and offered little forgiveness for mistakes. Changes of elevation and restricted sightlines made the powerful Ferrari particularly demanding. McAfee balanced speed with restraint, keeping the car competitive and intact through a race that marked the end of an important chapter in West Coast competition.

The 857 S evolved from Ferrari’s four-cylinder sports racers and used a front-mounted 3.4-litre Lampredi inline-four in a tubular chassis. Its strong torque and light open body produced rapid acceleration, although engine vibration and demanding handling required careful control on the confined course.

McAfee was a Californian who became a prominent figure in American sports-car racing. He competed successfully in Ferraris, Porsches and other European cars, frequently for entrant John Edgar. His regional experience and familiarity with powerful machinery were central to this podium on one of America’s most hazardous road circuits.