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Can-Am Challenge Race

Road Atlanta, 6 May 1979

All cars are 5-litre Can-Am unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Chevron B26 [74-08] (Gary Gove): After the closure of Red Rose Racing, Roger Hire struck a deal to run works-assisted Chevron B26s in 1974 under the name Forge Mill Racing. John Lepp ran the main car and Rafael Barrios joined the team to run a second B26, now positively identified as chassis 74-08. This car only raced once in 1975 but was then bought by Robin Smith to be used in endurance and Interserie in 1976. Gary Gove (Tacoma, WA) acquired it for Can-Am in early 1977 and raced it for three seasons, winning the Pacific Coast title in 1978 and the last BSR title at the Run-Offs. It went to John Graham in Canada for the 1981 season and then to Luc Behar-Bannelier for 1982. The B26 was sold to Gil Baird for Thundersports in England in 1983 then to Richard Piper for another three seasons during which time it was converted to DFV power before moving to Ireland in the late 1980s where it stayed for nearly 15 years. It was sold back to the US again around 2003 and has raced in US vintage racing.
2. Lola T296 [HU88] (John Timken): Sold new to Michael G. Rahal for his son Bobby to drive in Can-Am in 1977 with Red Roof sponsorship. Then sold to Red Roof boss Jim Trueman and raced by him for part of 1978 before being sold to John Timken who raced it for the rest of that season and into 1979. Marcus Pye recalls that Timken crashed it at some point but kept the damaged car for many years. In the late 1990, Timken sold it to Fred Kaimer (Concord, CA) who has raced it in vintage events. Still being raced by Kaimer in 2006 but later owned by Pascal Thébault.
3. Lola T294 [T292 HU65] (Rick Villate): The last T292 built went to John Abrahams in South Africa for the 1973 Springbok series. It was co-driven in the series by Charlie Lucas. The car went back to England under the care of Derrick Worthington but raced only twice in 1974, at Silverstone in September (Worthington and Nigel Clarkson) and at Kyalami in November (Abrahams and Richard Scott). In 1975, it was driven at Le Mans by Worthington and Clarkson and also appeared at the Spa 1000 km and in a couple of UK races. In 1976 it was sold to SCCA driver Dean Dietrich and was used in the revived Can-Am series in 1977. It then went to Rick Villate for two more seasons of Can-Am. To David P. Gough (Atlanta, GA) 1982 and used as a road car - Ed Swart 1997 - Tony Seiniger 1997 - Bradley Krause c1998 - Walt Cox - Ed Lamantia to the current owner. As of February 2011 HU65 is for sale at Fantasy Junction.

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.

All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen if you can add anything.