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John Player (British) Formula Atlantic Series Race

Silverstone, 7 Apr 1974

All cars are 1.6-litre F/Atl unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 73B [1] (Stephen Choularton): Stephen Choularton (Hale Barns, Cheshire) acquired the first production March 73B and raced it in libre events and in the British F/Atlantic series with support from Autovita Developments Ltd. His mechanic Jim Crawford also raced this car in a libre race that year. Choularton continued with the car in 1974 when it was driven by Crawford in one round, at Brands Hatch in September, after Crawford had damaged his usual car. Choularto retained the car, unused, until 1977 when it was sold to Paul Gardener and used in libre racing in 1977 and 1978. Subsequent history unknown.
2. March 73B [18] (Geoff Friswell): According to surviving March records, this was a F/Atlantic car built for Geoff Friswell and raced by him in the UK series through 1973 and 1974. It was then sold to Andy Barton as a libre car and upgraded to 74B and then 75B spec over the next two seasons, also acquiring a F2 BDG engine at times in 1976. Barton sold it to Bob Rollo for 1977, as an Atlantic again, and it then went to Stewart Robb during 1978 in F2 spec. The car was rebuilt on a "new" 752 tub after a crash in 1978 and then rebuilt to 782 spec by Robin Smith after the 1979 season. It was sold to Roger Andreason at Chevron around 1984.
3. March 74B [1] (Ted Wentz): Shown on what is probably an incomplete copy of the March 74B build records made by Gordon Spice Racing as “Planer, White, 2-Nov-73”. Planer was the holding company for the Wella brand, the hair products manufacturer, and the car was presented as a special prize, with Wella sponsorship, to Ted Wentz for winning the 1973 Wella Formula Ford championship. Wentz’s car is later described by MN as ‘the first customer 74B’. Used by Wentz throughout 1974. Sold to Alan Crocker for the British Formula Atlantic series in 1975 and 76. Chassis number observed on Alan Crocker’s car by Dave McKinney at Baypark, 2 Jan 1977, described in NZMA as ex Wentz, and similarly in MN, 10 Feb 77. Sold to Ken Smith and rented by him to Ken Sager. To Robbie Booth for 1979. Entered by Robbie Hislop in some races for the 1981-82 Gold Star series but did not appear. Sold to Tony Batchelor who used the car in the 1982 – 83 international series.
4. Royale RP20 [1] (Tony Trimmer): Planned for Manfred Schurti to race in F2 in 1973 but not completed. After 1973, it was built up as a F/Atlantic car and raced once by Tony Timmer in the British championship before being sold to Ron Swartz in the US for use in SCCA Formula B. In 1988, it was raced in the ECAR F/Atlantic event supporting the St Petersburg Grand Prix by Shelly Marrs (Sebring, FL) but by 1997 was being raced by Andy Gilberg in US vintage racing. He still had the car in 2012, now fitted with a 2-litre BDG engine.
5. HRS 732 [March 713M?] (Gillian Orchard): Gillian Orchard drove a March 713M for Anglo Swiss Racing Team in F/Atlantic in 1974 but the car was described in a variety of ways during its career. On the Silverstone 31 March entry list is was called a Santos March 722B, then at Oulton Park 27 April as a HRS2. The car appears to have been a 713M modified for Atlantic by Sandy Topin's Ecurie Santos.
6. Chevron B27 [27-74-05] (Hugh "Wink" Bancroft): An Opert team car, used by Hugh "Wink" Bancroft in 1974. Possibly also used by Roos and James Crawley in SCCA before the Canadian season started. The car was owned by Bancroft, who according to Formula and Sports Car retained it unraced in 1975, and then wheeled it out again for a few SCCA So Pac division races in early 1976. (Riverside SCCA Feb uses 'the same B27 that he campaigned in 1974' Formula May 76 p26.) For sale in Autoweek Vol.26 no.19 May 76 p33. Possibly the Mike Morris car in 1977.
7. March 73B (John Gillmeister): John Gillmeister had a red and white March 73B for the 1974 season but appears only rarely and sells the car mid-season to Gil Nickel Racing for Wes Dawn to drive. Its origins are unknown and it's possible it was not a 73B but was one of the 722s upgraded to 73B spec for 1973 such as Ken Bailey's 722-39. It can be traced to the US and now carries the chassis plate 742-14 but it's not at all clear how it would have come by that identity.

Sources

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' orginal results.

The British race results have been compiled by Chris Townsend based on material in Autosport and Motoring News reports in the UK plus the information supplied by a wide range of contributors on the Atlas F1 and 10 Tenths forums.

If you can help with any additions, clarifications or corrections, please respond via the threads shown on the Atlantics page.