ARCO Graphite Series Race

Oran Park, 21 Mar 1982

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Lola T400 [HU15] (John Wright): See full history: Lola T400 HU15.
2. Lola T400 [HU1] (Ken Shirvington): See full history: Lola T400 HU1.
3. Lola T332 [T330 HU8] (Rob Butcher): To Haas/Hall and developed by Jim Hall with revised bodywork, radiators and rear wing for Brian Redman in the 1973 US series. Then to Rogers Racing for Larry Harley in the 1974 US series. To Ken Smith (New Zealand) for the 1974/75 season, the New Zealand and Australian Internationals 1976. To Chris Milton (South Australia) and raced in Australia from Sep 1977 to Sep 1978. To John Blanden 1978, and driven for him by Rob Butcher from 1979 to 1982. To Bib Stillwell 1988 for Australian historic racing. To Noel Robson (Melbourne, Australia) 1993, and raced in Australian historic racing for many years. More information about Lola T330 HU8
4. Lola T430 [HU1] (Bob Minogue): VDS for Teddy Pilette US 1976 (6 races; best result 3rd at R3 Mosport Park 20 Jun); used as spare car to Brown's HU2 in Australian Internationals 1977 - Alan Hamilton (Australia): used as spare car; maybe Jon Davison's car Australian Gold Star 1977 (R1 Surfers Paradise 28 Aug 1977 only). Built up after Hamilton's crash at the 1978 Australian GP and raced by Alfredo Costanzo: Australian Gold Star 1978; Australian Internationals 1979 (won at Sandown Park and Adelaide); Australian Gold Star 1979 (won at Sandown 9 Sep); Australian Gold Star 1980 (won at Sandown 14 Sep and Winton 26 Oct); Australian GP 1980 (4th) - Bob Minogue: Australian Gold Star 1981, Arco Graphic 1981/82. Minogue still holds several lap records in Australia, including the Sandown International circuit record for F5000, set on 2 Mar 1986 and the Historic F5000 record at Winton on 30 May 1993. Subsequently sold to Gavin Bain, then to Graham Cameron, who raced it at Historic Sandown in 2000. To David Abbott (Christchurch, NZ) by 2002, and raced in the F5000 Tasman Revival regularly from 2003 to 2008, when Abbott moved over to his newly rebuilt HU2. Then raced by Ken Smith in the series from 2008 to 2010.
5. Elfin MR9 [80231] (Garrie Cooper): New for the Australian Grand Prix in November 1980, where Didier Pironi was due to drive it for Ansett Team Elfin, but withdrew as the car was untested. Raced by Garrie Cooper at the GP. Taken to the opening Australian Gold Star race in February 1981 for Cooper to drive, but taken over by John Bowe for the race after Cooper was "spooked" by its behavior. Then raced by Cooper in a non-championship race at Adelaide in May. After the Gold Star series moved to Formula Pacific rules, Cooper raced the MR9 in the ARCO Graphite F5000 series in the 1981/82 season. After Cooper's death in April 1982, the car was not raced again. It was retained by Lorraine Cooper and displayed for some time in the National Motor Museum at Birdwood South Australia. In 2003, it was sold to a private collector in Sydney, NSW, and it was next seen on display for the opening of the Elfin Heritage Centre in Moorabbin, Melbourne in August 2007. Since then, it has not been seen in public but is believed to remain in the same collection.
6. Elfin MR8-C [8761] (John Smith): New for Garrie Cooper to drive for Ansett Team Elfin at the Sandown Park Cup in February 1976, for Vern Schuppan at the Australian Grand Prix, which he won, and then for Cooper in the remainder of the 1976 Australian Gold Star races. For Cooper again in the 1977 Australian Internationals and Australian Gold Star. Retained again for Cooper to drive in the 1978 Australian Internationals and in that season's Australian Grand Prix, but he had a major accident at this race. Larry Perkins took over the repaired car for the 1979 Internationals. It was then sold to Chris Middleton for the 1980 Gold Star, after which Didier Pironi guest-drove the car at the 1980 Australian GP. Middleton retained the car for 1981 and 1982, and John Smith drove it once in the 1982 ARCO Graphite Series. Bob Minogue then acquired the car in 1984, but its history is then unknown until Peter Brennan (Melbourne, Victoria) sold it in 1998 to Graham Mein (Ballina, Queensland). Mein raced it at VHRR Historic Sandown in 1999 and 2000. In 2008, it went from Mein to Ken James (Gold Coast, Queensland), who raced it in the Tasman Revival series in 2008/09 and 2009/10. It then went to Bend Motorsport Park Managing Director Sam Shahin (Tailem Bend, South Australia) in 2018.
7. Begg FM5 [2] (Allan R. Nitschke): Built new in 1973 by Fred McLean for Allan McCully for the 1973/74 New Zealand Gold Star, and regarded by McLean as a FM5, not a Begg FM5. To Graham Baker 1974 and raced in Tasman 1974, the 1974/75 and 1975/76 Gold Star, and the 1976 NZ Internationals. To Charles Talbot (Australia) 1976, and raced by him in the 1977 and 1978 Rothmans Australian Internationals. Presumably the car raced by Allan R. Nitschke in Australia from 1979 to 1982. Then unknown until acquired by Bryan and Graham Sala about 1990. Bought at auction in Australia by Gavin Hicks (Auckland, NZ) about 1991 and sold by him to Lindsay O'Donnell (Christchurch, NZ) 2001. Raced by O'Donnell in the F5000 Tasman Revival from 2003 to the 2012/13 season. Returned two years later for the New Zealand Festival at Hampton Downs in January 2015. More information about Begg FM5/2
8. Chevron B37 [37-76-01] (Ivan Tighe): 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 732/A ["732-15"] (Russell Davidson): Reported to have been bought from Jock Topin's Ecurie Santos (Watford, UK) and imported to Australia by Ray Gibbs (East Malvern, Victoria, Australia) in 1978. Entered by Gibbs for Russell Davidson in the Australian ARCO Graphite series in 1980. To Ron Cullen (Sydney, NSW) about 1996 and restored, then to Graham Smith (Bellbrae, Victoria) late 2000/early 2001. Raced by Smith in F5000 Revival Series races in early 2006, and in Australian historic races including the Australian Grand Prix support races in 2009 and 2010. Sold by Smith to an unknown owner in Victoria in 2014. Sold at auction in April 2016 to Rob Splatt. More information about March 732/73A 'the second Gibbs car'
10. Chevron B28 [B24 73-07] (Russel Gomersall): New to VDS for Chris Craft in 1973 UK series, then for Peter Gethin in 1974 Tasman series. Loaned to Adlards Crowne Racing for Craft UK 1974; returned to VDS, converted to B24/B28 specification and used by Vern Schuppan to win at Brands Hatch October 1974. Sold to Tony Dean for the UK and US series in 1975, but confiscated by UK Customs & Excise on its return from the US. Bought by Don Gray (Sittingbourne, Kent) at auction, and raced in UK 1977. To Keith Holland for 1978 Australian Internationals 1978, and sold there to Barry Singleton 1978, who raced it in Australia in 1978/79. To Jim Lowe 1980/81, but crashed at Surfers Paradise in early 1981 and heavily damaged. Wreck sold to Russel Gomersall, then to Peter Phillips, then Laurie O'Neill, then Dr Bill Marshall sometime around 1985. Run in Australian historic racing 1986-1988. To George Parlby early 1990s. To Aaron Lewis (Cessnock, NSW) late 2005, and raced in the F5000 Tasman Revival series from 2006 to 2010. Robert Tweedie (Sydney, NSW) 2012, and raced by his son Tom Tweedie, in historic racing from 2013 onwards. More information about Chevron B24 B24-73-07
11. Lola T332 [HU34] (Jon Davison): See full history: Lola T332 HU34.
12. Lola T332 [HU28] (Terry Hook): Graeme Lawrence (NZ) for Tasman 1974, New Zealand Gold Star 1974; Tasman 1975; Tasman 1976; Gold Star Oct/Nov 1976; Australian Internationals 1977 - Terry Hook (Aus) Australian Internationals 1978, Australian Internationals 1979; heavily crashed at a club event at Lakeside 21 Jun 1981. Rebuilt by March 1982 by Chas Talbot on a new tub. Sold to Bob Minogue and Pete Brennan in the mid-1980s who sold the rear end to Peter Bick to complete his ex-Davison HU34. The ex-Hook car was then built up with other parts and sold to Manuel Jimenez who in turn passed it to Murray Richards (Murrumbeena, Australia). To David Sharp (New Zealand) 1993. To Murray Sinclair (Hong Kong, and Christchurch, New Zealand) 2001, and raced in the F5000 Tasman Revival from 2003 to 2007. To Russell Greer (Blenheim, New Zealand) 2007, who continued to race it in the Revival series. More information about Lola T332 HU28
13. Elfin 815 [MR5 5724] (Mike Adams): New to John Walker 1972, but he quickly replaced it with a Matich A50. Sold to Stan Keen and fitted with a Ford V8 later in the 1972 season, but not raced after October 1973. Sold to Peter "Chris" Middleton 1977, and raced in the 1978 Australian Internationals, and in the 1978 and 1979 Australian national seasons. Sold to Tony Parkinson 1979, then to Mike Adams 1981. It was then rebodied by Elfin and renamed 815. It was raced in this form by Mike Trengove and by Adams in 1981 and 1982. Sold to Paul Trevethan, then to Peter Brennan (Melbourne, Victoria) in the mid-1980s who restored it to original specification, and fitted a flat plane crank Repco Holden engine. To David Doubtfire in 1991, then to Max Floreani in 1996, and raced by Tony Floreani in historics up to 2013.
14. Lola T330 [HU1] (Ian Adams): Works car for Frank Gardner at the end of 1972, then to Max Stewart for the 1973 Tasman series, the 1973 US series, 1973 Australian Gold Star, 1974 Tasman, and 1974 Gold Star. In ecember 1974, Kevin Bartlett used the car to win a New Zealand Gold Star race. Driven by David Oxton in the 1975 New Zealand Tasman races, then by Stewart for last two races of Tasman 1975 after he gave up on his Lola T400. Driven by John Leffler, Stewart and Paul Bernasconi during 1975. To Ian Adams (NSW, Australia) 1976, and raced until 1982. Sold by Adams to Darcy Russell (Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia) in 1988, and raced in historic racing from 1992 onwards. Appeared regularly at the VHRR Phillip Island Classic from 1997 to 2016, and in the Australian GP support races in 2009 and 2010. More information about Lola T330 HU1
15. Elfin MR8B-C [8783-2] (Bruce Allison): New for Vern Schuppan to drive for Ansett Team Elfin in the 1978 Australian Internationals. Also for Schuppan at the Australian GP in September 1978 but he crashed heavily and the car was rebuilt on a new monocoque. James Hunt guest drove this car to take pole position and win at Winton in November. Then raced by Schuppan in the 1979 Australian Internationals. John Bowe took over the Ansett Team Elfin later that season, and raced the car at the 1979 Australian GP and in the 1980 Australian Gold Star, where he won two rounds. Then sold to Reg Orr and driven for him by Stuart Kostera in 1981, and by Bruce Allison in 1982. It was owned by Mike Trengove in 1984, but its history is then unknown until it was sold by Paul Trevethan to Bryan Thompson (Victoria) in 1994. Then to Mike Glynn (Victoria) in 1997.
16. Matich A50 [004] (Kevin Leighton): Bought by Johnny Walker, and fitted with the engine and transmission from his Elfin MR5. Raced by Walker in the 1972 Australian Gold Star, 1973 Australian Internationals, then to America for four races in the US series. To Jon Davison for the 1974 Australian Gold Star and 1975 Australian Internationals 1975 Australian Gold Star, 1976 Australian Internationals, 1976 Australian Gold Star, and 1977 Australian Internationals. To Bronwyn Taylor 1977 and raced in 1978 and 1979 - Geoff Munyard 1980 - leased to Kevin Leighton 1982 - Graham Stoll - Peter Brennan (Melbourne, Australia) - Ziggy Schueller 1990 - Ken Smith (NZ) 1992 or 1993 - James Boult (NZ) 1996 - Russell Greer (NZ) 1996 - Richard Bendell (Australia) 2001 - Aaron Lewis (Cessnock, NSW, Australia) 2004 - Philip Lewis 2013.
17. Tiga CA80 (Alfredo Costanzo): Based on Tiga's Formula 2 F280 model, the CA80 appeared only for the two races at Laguna Seca and Riverside at the end of the 1980 season. Vern Schuppan could not qualify it in the top ten and retired in both races. It was not raced again and, by 1982, was in storage in the Sacramento, CA premises of Proformula, the Tiga importer. In 2009, the car was with a Salinas, CA owner.

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.

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.