OldRacingCars.com

ShellSPORT International Championship race

Mallory Park, 24 Jul 1977

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Emilio de Villota (F1) 3-litre McLaren M23 [6] - Cosworth DFV V8
#14 Emilio Villota
50
2 Tony Trimmer (F1) 3-litre Surtees TS19 [05] - Cosworth DFV V8
#2 Melchester Racing
50
3 Divina Galica (F1) 3-litre Surtees TS19 [04] - Cosworth DFV V8
#13 ShellSPORT Whiting (see note 1)
50
4 Tony Rouff (F2) 2-litre Ralt RT1/77 [72] - Ford BDG Eden
#15 Graham Eden Racing/Harrisons of Birmingham
49
5 Tom Belsø Lola T330 [HU6] - Chevrolet V8
#19 John Jordan (see note 2)
49
6 Alo Lawler (F2) 2-litre Lola T462 [HU22] - Ford BDX
#17 L & B Excavations
49
7 Kim Mather (F2) 1.9-litre Chevron B35D - Ford BDA Richardson
#37 Dinorban Arms Inn (see note 3)
49
8 Kevin Bowditch (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Lyncar 005 [005] - Ford BDA Nicholson
#66 Conoco Jet Racing
45
9 John Bowtell (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 74B [712M] - Ford BDA
#76 John Bowtell (see note 4)
45
R Adrian Russell (F2) 2-litre Lola T460 [T450 HU1] - Ford BDX Swindon
#38 Adrian Russell (entered as 1600cc BDA)
(see note 5)
41 Running, not classified
R Guy Edwards (F1) 3-litre March 75A/761 [1-2] - Cosworth DFV V8
#4 Guy Edwards (see note 6)
38 Crown wheel
R Val Musetti (F5000) 3.4-litre March 752 [15] - Ford GAA V6
#7 David Price Racing (see note 7)
12 Oil scavenge pump
DSQ Derek Bell (F1) 3-litre Penske PC3 [02] - Cosworth DFV V8
#1 Hexagon Racing
50 Disqualified: front fins too high
DNS Bruce Allison Chevron B37 [37-76-01] - Chevrolet V8
#62 Bruce Allison (see note 8)
Did not start
(Engine)
  Keith Holland Lola T332C [HU62] - Chevrolet V8
#3 E. L. Gibbs Ltd Racing
On entry list
  Brian McGuire (F1) 3-litre McGuire BM1 [Williams FW04-2] - Cosworth DFV V8
#6 Brian McGuire Racing
On entry list
  Derek Cook (F1) 3-litre Hesketh 308C [FW05/3] - Cosworth DFV V8
#10 Derek Cook
On entry list
  Hervé Leguellec (F2) 2-litre March 762 [752-21] - Ford BDX
#16 Roger Heavens (see note 9)
On entry list
  Martin Birrane (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B29 [29-75-17] - Ford BDA
#63 Aphrodites of Mayfair (see note 10)
On entry list
  Howard Rose (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 75/76B - Ford BDA
#77 H. A. Rose
On entry list

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Qualifying
1 Val Musetti (F5000) 3.4-litre March 752 [15] - Ford GAA V6 0:41.0
2 Emilio de Villota (F1) 3-litre McLaren M23 [6] - Cosworth DFV V8 0:41.2
3 Tony Trimmer (F1) 3-litre Surtees TS19 [05] - Cosworth DFV V8 0:41.4
4 Divina Galica (F1) 3-litre Surtees TS19 [04] - Cosworth DFV V8 0:41.6
5 Guy Edwards (F1) 3-litre March 75A/761 [1-2] - Cosworth DFV V8 0:41.6
6 Tony Rouff (F2) 2-litre Ralt RT1/77 [72] - Ford BDG Eden 0:42.0
7 Derek Bell (F1) 3-litre Penske PC3 [02] - Cosworth DFV V8 0:42.6
8 Bruce Allison * (F5000) 5-litre Chevron B37 [37-76-01] - Chevrolet V8 0:42.6
9 Alo Lawler (F2) 2-litre Lola T462 [HU22] - Ford BDX 0:42.6
10 Tom Belsø (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330 [HU6] - Chevrolet V8 0:42.8
11 Kim Mather (F2) 1.9-litre Chevron B35D - Ford BDA Richardson 0:43.0
12 John Bowtell (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 74B [712M] - Ford BDA 0:44.0
13 Adrian Russell (F2) 2-litre Lola T460 [T450 HU1] - Ford BDX Swindon 0:45.0
14 Kevin Bowditch (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Lyncar 005 [005] - Ford BDA Nicholson 0:46.0
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Surtees TS19 [04] (Divina Galica): Alan Jones received a new car, Surtees TS19/04, in time for the 1976 Austrian GP, and raced this for the rest of the season. It was raced by Vittorio Brambilla in the South American races at the start of 1977, before being sold to Olympus Cameras for Divina Galica to race in Shellsport Group 8. It was acquired by Alo Lawler in 1978, but was quickly sold to John Cooper, then to Robin Smith. Smith updated it to "TS20S" specification in 1980, and added sports car bodywork for a couple of Can-Am events in 1981. It was sold to Ken Moore and then Rod Tolhurst, both of whom ran it in HSCC F1 in 1983 for Willie Green and John Narcisi. Its next seven owners did not race it, but it returned to competition in TGP in 1999, then raced regularly until 2012. It returned for Monaco in 2016.
  2. Lola T330 [HU6] (Tom Belsø): New to Australian Colin Hyams who raced it in the UK series in early 1973. To Trevor Twaites June 1973, and raced by him in the UK series in 1973, 1974 and 1975. Later to John Jordan (UK), who entered it for Tom Belso in 1977, and raced it himself in libre in 1978. Entered by Jordan for Dave Williams in libre racing 1983, and then for Tony Trimmer in the BRSCC Libre Championship from 1984 to 1989, winning the championship in 1986 and finishing second in 1987 and in 1988. At some point between 1985 and 1988, the T330 was dismantled and parts used by Dave Finnigan (Biggleswade, UK) to construct T332 "HU42" for Jordan's team. The original HU6 chassis remained with Finnigan until early 2000 when sold to Richard Lines (UK), then to Kevan McLurg (UK) 2005 and built into a complete car by McLurg and then by John Crawford's Motorsport Solutions NZ Ltd by July 2009. Owned by this time by Lindsay Willis of Wilco Racing (Rotorua, NZ), and raced by his son Brett Willis (Rotorua, NZ) in the F5000 Tasman Revival series every season from 2010/11 to 2017/18. More information about Lola T330 HU6
  3. Chevron B35D (Kim Mather): In early 1977, Gilles Villeneuve raced a Chevron B39 in South African Formula Atlantic which was crashed during testing before the series started, then rebuilt on a new monocoque because of handling problems, before being damaged again in an accident with Ian Scheckter at Killarney on 19 February. The car was rebuilt, possibly on a further new chassis, and sold on but another car also emerged from this and was sold to Kim Mather (Haydock, St Helens, Lancashire) in the summer. It was described as an "ex-works development Chevron B35D" that had been "used by Villeneuve in South Africa". Mather built it up using B35 suspension and a 2-litre Richardson BDA engine and called it a "B35D" or "B35D". He raced this in Shellsport G8 libre racing in 1977, and competed in the Donington Park F2 race at the end of the season. Retained for 1978 when Mather used it in the Aurora BF1 series and in libre. Then sold to Ken Brill who raced in the Aurora series in 1979 before crashing it heavily into the wall at Redgate Lodge at Donington Park in June. Brill had to be cut from the mangled footwell of the car, and it was not seen again.
  4. March 74B [712M] (John Bowtell): John Bowtell (Witney, Oxfordshire) raced a March "73B" in British libre racing in 1975. He recalls that it was a 1971 car with 1973 modifications, and came from a garage in Salisbury, which would suggest a connection to Mike Sullivan of Riverside Garage in Salisbury, who ran a 712M in 1974 but who sold three Marches after that season. Bowtell modified the car over the next few seasons. He retained the car for 1976, initially for Indylantic, and then in Shellsport Group 8 races and libre, usually entering it as a 74B. He continued with it in libre in 1977, winning at least five races, and reappeared again with it in 1978, before replacing it with a "77P" for 1979. Subsequent history unknown.
  5. Lola T460 [T450 HU1] (Adrian Russell): New to Ardmore Racing, fitted with a Swindon BDX F2 engine and raced by Ray Mallock in the opening Shellsport Group 8 race at Mallory Park in March 1976. As the race started, Mallock was pushed into the pits Armco and the Lola was heavily damaged. It was repaired at Lola and hired by Ian Ashley for the F2 race at Thruxton in April, but the car's handling was so poor in practice, he elected not to race it. It was returned to the factory, and was still there awaiting modifications in early June. Then converted to Formula Atlantic specification and sold to Adrian Russell (Thornton Heath, Surrey) for Indylantic and Group 8 in 1976, and in libre for the first half of 1977. Then fitted with a 2-litre Swindon BDX bought from Val Musetti, and used in Shellsport G8 for the remainder of the season. To David Render for 1978, and used in sprints and hillclimbs with a 1600cc BDA but only rarely used from 1978 to 1983. Sprinted by Jonathan Skinner and Anthony Lane later in 1983, and in 1984. Sprinted by Mike Lane from 1984 to 1986. Sold by Lane to Rod Fisher for sprints with a 2-litre BDA in 1988 and 1989. Sold by Fisher to David Dedrickson in about June 2001, and run in Seattle area historic events.
  6. March 75A/761 [1-2] (Guy Edwards): John MacDonald (RAM Racing) 1975. Raced in UK 1975: driven by Alan Jones (3rd BARC Thruxton 17 Aug 1975) - Hexagon Garage for Damien Magee UK 1976 - Guy Edwards UK 1977; rebuilt on a March 761 monocoque, and then converted to DFV power for last few races of 1977. Edwards UK 1978 (first two races); then for Bruce Allison (five races). Also used by Desire Wilson in a test session prior to the British GP. To Terry Smith (Felton, Somerset), fitted with a 5-litre Repco engine, and used in the British Sprint Championship 1979, 1980 and 1981. Used by Smith and John Meredith British Sprint Championship 1982. To Ray Rowan 1983, and retained by him until about 1987 when the Repco engine was sold to Australia and the rolling chassis was sold via a dealer to Italy. Reemerged four years later when sold by Andrea Frasson (Rosà, Vicenza, Italy) to Daniel Pouteau (Paris, France) in December 1991. Retained by Pouteau, still apart and in still Terry Smith's livery, until sold via Bernard De Dryver to Paul Grant (Brussels, Belgium) in April 2013. Rebuilt for Masters F1 in 2015, and debut at the Spa 6 Hours in September 2015.
  7. March 752 [15] (Val Musetti): New to Masami Kuwashima for Formula 2 in 1975, prepared by Roy Kennedy's team in London, and entered by Masami Kuwashima Racing. After just two races, Kuwashima returned to Japan, and the 752 was sold to Tom Walkinshaw.who had it converted by Kennedy to F5000 specification, with the installation of a 3.4-litre Ford V6 engine. Raced by Walkinshaw in the 1975 Shellsport F5000 Championship. To Val Musetti, and raced in Shellsport G8 in 1976 and 1977. Converted to F1 specification for 1978, with a Cosworth DFV engine, and referred to as a 761 that season. Wrecked at Mallory Park in August but rebuilt again for 1979, when it was described as a 771, but wrecked at Zolder at the start of the Aurora season and finally written off.
  8. Chevron B37 [37-76-01] (Bruce Allison): To VDS Racing and entered for Peter Gethin in the 1976 US F5000 series (also raced once by Teddy Pilette) and in the Rothmans series in Australia in early 1977. To Bruce Allison (Brisbane, Australia) and raced by him in the 1977 UK Group 8 Championship and in the Rothmans series again in Australia in early 1978. Then to Ivan Tighe (Brisbane) and raced in national Australian F5000 and in the International series in 1979. Raced by Tighe up to the end of F5000 in Australia in 1982 and retained by him until 2001. Then sold via Race Car Warehouse (Brighton, England) in early 2002 to Simon Hadfield (Shepshed, Leicestershire) and completely restored. Raced with great success by Hadfield in historic racing both in the UK and in Australia from 2004 to 2008. It has since been raced by guest drivers, including Tony Trimmer at Oulton Park in 2009, Marcus Pye at Oulton Park in 2010 and Ben Anderson at the 2012 Silverstone Classic. Sold in October 2014 to Neil Glover (Ansty, West Sussex).
  9. March 762 [752-21] (Hervé Leguellec): Originally intended for Trivellato but not collected so fitted with a F3 rear wing and sold instead to Markus Hotz (Lippoldswilen, Switzerland) for European hillclimbs and Swiss championship events. At the beginning of 1976, it was raced by Harald Ertl in the F2 race at Hockenheim, finishing sixth. Hotz continued with Swiss championship events but damaged the car, and returned it to the factory in part exchange for a new March 762. March sold the 752 on, unrepaired, to Roger Heavens, who rebuilt it as a 762 and intended to fit the turbocharged 1.4-litre Ford Formula 2 engine that Geoff Richardson was developing. When the car appeared, in the Shellsport G8 series with Derrick Worthington driving, it used a Richardson BDX instead. Also raced in G8 and libre events by José Maria de Uriarte. Retained for 1977 and entered by Heavens for Pablo Brea and Hervé Leguellec. Taken over by Adrian Russell (Thornton Heath, Surrey) later in 1977, and raced by him in British F1 and libre in 1978. Sold to Paul Brooks (Selby, North Yorkshire) for 1979, and raced in libre. Subsequent history unknown.
  10. Chevron B29 [29-75-17] (Martin Birrane): New to Peter Williams (Brentwood) and raced in the British Formula Atlantic series in 1975, but crashed at Brands Hatch in April and not seen again that season. Entered by Williams' Coin News for Jim Crawford in early 1976 and then sold to Martin Birrane (Ballina, County Mayo, Republic of Ireland) who raced it in G8 and in Atlantic in 1976 and 1977. To Laurence Jacobsen (Glasgow, Scotland) for 1978, fitted with a Swindon BDX and entered by him for Bryce Wilson in libre that year. Converted back to Atlantic spec and raced by Bryce, Jacobsen and Graham Hamilton in 1979. In 1980, Jacobsen had the monocoque shortened and fitted the car with a plastic Sunbeam Stiletto body and Cosworth BDG engine, and raced it in GT racing in Scotland as a Hillman Imp. The car was later sold to Eric Munnoch who raced it with a 3.5-litre Rover V8 in 1982. For 1983, it was fitted with a supercharger and entered as a Davrian Stiletto. He returned with the car for 1984, but was not seen again after the first race. The tub somehow returned to Jacobsen and was sent to ex-Chevron engineer Nigel Dickson to be repaired, but this job was still incomplete when the monocoque was sold by Jacobsen to Sandy Watson. John Bradshaw remembers buying the remains of this car from Watson some time around 2006, when "it consisted of aluminium folded panels, uprights and wishbones with some instruments and a chassis plate, apparently driven by Bryce Wilson in his teenage years". He sold it on to Colin Thorpe, and in March 2010, HSCC News reported that Thorpe had rebuilt the car, which was not thought to have raced since the 1980s, and it would be raced by his son Ollie Thorpe in 2010. It was later sold by Ollie Thorpe via Ken Thorogood to Clive Wood, and by 2020 it was being rebuilt for Wood by Dan Eagling for historic F2 racing with a Richardson BDG. However, Wood crashed the car at Donington in March 2021 and while it was being repaired bought a March 782.

Sources

Note that the identification of individual cars in these results is based on the material presented elsewhere in this site and may in some cases contradict the organisers' published results.

1969-1976 UK results have been researched and collated by Chris Townsend based primarily on material in Autosport and Motoring News. Information has been added from the growing collection of entry lists from programs.

All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen (allen@oldracingcars.com) if you can help in any way with our research.