SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 1974

Following the loss of series sponsor L&M at the end of 1973, the SCCA teamed up with USAC to co-promote Formula 5000 for 1974, and this drew several major USAC teams into F5000. Vel's Parnelli Jones bought Lola T332s for Mario Andretti and Al Unser, as did Leader Card Racers for Mike Mosley, but Eagle built their own car, the Eagle 74A, for drivers Brett Lunger and Elliot Forbes-Robinson. The SCCA teams were led by Brian Redman and the Haas-Hall team, and Hogan Racing with drivers David Hobbs, both with Lolas.

In a highly-competitive season, the fight boiled down to Andretti versus Redman, the USAC legend versus Lancashire's finest. Andretti and Redman qualified 1-2 at each of the first four races, Redman winning the opener after Andretti retired, and then following the American home in 1-2 finishes at Watkins Glen and Road America, but the tables were turned at Ontario where Redman snatched pole position in the final minutes of qualifying, and then dominated the race from start to finish to take a narrow five-point lead in the championship. Andretti took pole yet again at Laguna Seca in the penultimate race, and again led, but a tyre exploded and Redman passed him to win, his eighth victory in 14 races for the Haas-Hall team since the start of 1973. Andretti won the final race, but Redman finished second to secure a deserved championship.

Behind the massed Lolas, James Hunt guest-drove the new Eagle 755 to second place at Laguna Seca and the Norris Industries Talon MR-1s, a production version of the McRae GM2, showed flashes of competitiveness.

The races

02 Jun 1974 > Mid-Ohio

15 Jun 1974 > Mosport Park

14 Jul 1974 > Watkins Glen

28 Jul 1974 > Road America

01 Sep 1974 > California Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway

13 Oct 1974 > Monterey Grand Prix at Laguna Seca

27 Oct 1974 > Riverside Grand Prix

1974 SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship table

The points table is derived from Wolfgang Klopfer's excellent Formula A and Formula 5000 in America p50.