Skoda's post-war history includes not only a whole range of successful vehicles for ordinary or demanding customers, but also a large number of successful racing specials . However, I am not talking only about the 130 RS or 130 LR. Long before them, the 966 Supersport model was introduced on the circuits.
The racing special Skoda 966 Supersport with an aluminum body was introduced in 1950 and stood out for its great variability. With reflectors and fenders, it started in the sports car category, after slight modifications to the body by covering the passenger seat and removing the reflectors and fenders, it was also used in the racing car category. The racing premiere of the 966 Supersport took place in May 1950 at the circuit race in Mladá Boleslav . After two more races, however, it was so damaged that it had to be replaced with a new one. And since the goal of the factory team was to field a pair of vehicles in the races, another car was created immediately, the third in the order.
The premiere of the third car took place at the Czechoslovak Grand Prix on September 24, 1950. The car racer Miroslav Fousek won second place with it in the category up to 1100 cm3, the 1951 racing season started with a victory in the sports car class at the Liberec race. In the following years, both Supersports – i.e. number two and three – appeared at the start of various racing events. After the injury, Miroslav Fousek was replaced by Jaroslav Netušil , the other car until then was driven by Václav Bobek.
Skoda constantly improved both racing cars, especially the engines used. The unit with a displacement of 1089 cm 3 originally came from a Skoda Tudor car , but received a new aluminum cylinder head with a hemispherical combustion chamber. There was a version with atmospheric intake and two carburetors , or the most powerful version with one or even two compressors . Both versions could be distinguished from each other by the height of the engine hood – the supercharged version had a lower hood, and two carburetors were hidden under the higher one with a pronounced "bulge". Thanks to this variability of the drive unit and especially the speed of its possible change, both 966 Supersport cars could participate in events in the class up to 1100 cm 3 in the version with a carburetor or up to 1500 cm 3 with a compressor.
To further increase performance in accordance with the changed racing rules , the Mladá Boleslav carmaker later increased the displacement of the engine, first to 1221 cm 3 , in the last development phase new prototype engines with a volume of 1500 cm 3 with four carburetors or one, possibly two compressors. The carbureted engine produced up to 90 hp, the turbocharged version even up to 180 hp and allowed the car to accelerate up to 200 km/h. Due to the considerable number of tubes in the engine compartment, the supercharged model was also called the "Gas Station" .
At the same time, other modifications of racing cars were taking place. For better cooling, the radiator in the supercharged version was placed in front of the compressor, in the 1953 season, the designers improved the aerodynamics of the car with a lower radiator grille and an oval intake opening. From the end of 1953, a new engine with a volume of 1500 cm 3 began to be used. In the fall of 1953, Václav Bobek achieved a new speed record of 197.8 km/h in the version with two compressors. The Skoda 966 Supersport thus became the fastest Czechoslovak car at the time.
The last modification of the body took place in 1954 . As a result of the rule change, the Supersport received large fenders, firmly attached to the body. Jaroslav Netušil started with the third car in the 1955 season . A year later, the development of the successor to the Supersport, the new Skoda 1100 OHC special, began. In the following period, both Skoda 966 Supersport cars were used to train young car racers .
There is currently the only preserved example of the Skoda 966 Supersport in the whole world, the third according to the order of the car manufacturer. After the end of his career in 1962, it was won by Slovak car racer Ivan Mičík. In 2007, the Skoda Museum acquired this racing car and began its extensive renovation, as faithfully as possible to the period documents. After a very sensitive renovation, it can now be admired by visitors to the Skoda Museum in Mladá Boleslav.
Source: Skoda Auto
