Chevron B24 B24-73-05

According to Chevron's factory-kept 'register', chassis B24-73-05 was blue and went to Geoff Freeman, Chevron's future US agent who would replace Fred Opert in that role at the end of 1973. As all the other register entries match known cars, it seems highly likely that B24-73-05 was the car that went to Dr James Dunkel

It is perhaps the most short-lived of any F5000 car, being written off in practice for its very first race.

1973 - James Dunkel

According to Wolfgang's Klopfer's meticulous records of the 1973 F5000 season, the first appearance of Dunkel and his B24 was at Elkhart Lake's Road America on 28 July, the second day of practice for the 'pro' event the following day. A time of 2:13.965 was recorded, good enough for 22nd place, but the car was apparently wrecked in an accident.

Dunkel then tried to order a Lola but Carl Haas, the importer, did not keep to his delivery date and so he ordered and received another B24 on short notice. This car, the one he drove in 1974, does not appear in Chevron records and was probably sold to Dunkel as 'spares' for his original car, thus avoiding car tax. It is listed separately as 'B24-73-05B'. The original car appears to have been rebuilt, either with a repaired tub or a new tub, and sold to AME Racing. This car is listed separately as 'B24-73-05A'.

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