Oscar Cabalén was born in Chabas, Provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina, on 04 February 1928. He started his career at the age of twenty, and debuted in Turismo Carretera in 1950.
After completing a lap with his co-driver Horacio Pedernera aboard - who was completing thirty-five years that very day -, Cabalén stopped the car so his mechanics can perform some adjustments. Pedernera was carrying on his shoulder a support intended for Cabalén's use, and asked the driver whether he wanted to wear it and be more comfortable. After a moment of hesitation, Cabalén declined, and requested Pedernera the favor of taking that part back to his road car. Pedernera left, and a team mechanic, Guillermo Arnaiz took this opportunity to ask Cabalén for a short ride in the Ford. Arnaiz, who had been a successful motorcycle rider, had a long-time working relationship with Ford Motor Argentina boss, Horacio Steven.
Arnaiz was excited with such a chance to share the car with Cabalén. Not only that would give him more knowledge about the TC F.100, but it was also an opportunity for Guillermo to use - for the first time - a helmet he had bought from English Formula 3 driver Natalie Goodwin, when she competed in the Temporada Argentina de Formula 3 earlier that year.
Once the set-up was completed, at about 10h00, Cabalén and Arnaiz left - to never return. Going down one of the straights of the circuit at more than 215 km/h (133.6 mi/h). the Ford inexplicably veered to the left. It rode over the escape lane on that side of the public road before crossing the pavement and climbing an embankment on the right side of the straight. The car jumped in the air and, already in flames, flew for a long distance, stopping some one hundred meters down the road back on its four wheels. That was a most unusual accident, and both Cabalén and Arnaiz lost their lives.
Oscar Cabalén - known by his fans as "El Califa Grande", in opposition of Nasif Estéfano, "El Califa Chico" - was buried in the Cementerio de San Jerónimo, Provincia de Córdoba. He had much fought for the construction of a purpose-built racing circuit in Alta Gracia, Córdoba. Sadly he died before such dream came to light, but once the circuit was finally completed and inaugurated on 10 March 1968, it was named after him.
R.I.P
After completing a lap with his co-driver Horacio Pedernera aboard - who was completing thirty-five years that very day -, Cabalén stopped the car so his mechanics can perform some adjustments. Pedernera was carrying on his shoulder a support intended for Cabalén's use, and asked the driver whether he wanted to wear it and be more comfortable. After a moment of hesitation, Cabalén declined, and requested Pedernera the favor of taking that part back to his road car. Pedernera left, and a team mechanic, Guillermo Arnaiz took this opportunity to ask Cabalén for a short ride in the Ford. Arnaiz, who had been a successful motorcycle rider, had a long-time working relationship with Ford Motor Argentina boss, Horacio Steven.
Arnaiz was excited with such a chance to share the car with Cabalén. Not only that would give him more knowledge about the TC F.100, but it was also an opportunity for Guillermo to use - for the first time - a helmet he had bought from English Formula 3 driver Natalie Goodwin, when she competed in the Temporada Argentina de Formula 3 earlier that year.
Once the set-up was completed, at about 10h00, Cabalén and Arnaiz left - to never return. Going down one of the straights of the circuit at more than 215 km/h (133.6 mi/h). the Ford inexplicably veered to the left. It rode over the escape lane on that side of the public road before crossing the pavement and climbing an embankment on the right side of the straight. The car jumped in the air and, already in flames, flew for a long distance, stopping some one hundred meters down the road back on its four wheels. That was a most unusual accident, and both Cabalén and Arnaiz lost their lives.
Oscar Cabalén - known by his fans as "El Califa Grande", in opposition of Nasif Estéfano, "El Califa Chico" - was buried in the Cementerio de San Jerónimo, Provincia de Córdoba. He had much fought for the construction of a purpose-built racing circuit in Alta Gracia, Córdoba. Sadly he died before such dream came to light, but once the circuit was finally completed and inaugurated on 10 March 1968, it was named after him.
R.I.P
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Motor