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Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières

Trois-Rivières, 27 Aug 1972

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 John Powell Chevron B18 [18.71.1] - Ford twin cam Hart
#30 (see note 1)
35 38m 39.2s
2 Ric Forest March 722 - Ford twin cam
#56 Ric Forest Racing (see note 2)
35 38m 48.5s
3 Brian Robertson Chevron B20 [20.72.05] - Ford twin cam Hart
#5 Fred Opert Racing (see note 3)
35 38m 49.3s
4 Al Justason Brabham BT35 [10] - Ford twin cam
#32 (see note 4)
35 38m 57.6s
5 Roger Seacrist Brabham BT29 [43] - Ford twin cam
#29 (see note 5)
34 38m 45.0s
6 Eligio Siconolfi Brabham BT38B [13] - Ford twin cam
#35 Downtown Datsun [Mtl.] Ltd (see note 6)
34 39m 13.2s
7 Barry Fox Brabham BT38B [12] - Ford twin cam
#22 Astro Shield (see note 7)
34 39m 13.5s
8 Bill Eagles Brabham BT35 [18] - Ford twin cam Hart
#46 Tex-Made Racing Team (see note 8)
34 39m 33.9s
9 Lee Herron Wildcat WB72 - Ford twin cam
#33 Wildcat Racing
33 39m 13.5s
10 Gilles Léger March 722 [71BM-8?] - Ford twin cam
#72 Gilles Leger Auto (see note 9)
33 39m 28.2s
11 Bob Isnor Brabham BT21 [BT21A-4?] - Ford twin cam
#81 (see note 10)
32 38m 43.7s
12 Charles "Chuck" Hansen Brabham BT29 - Ford twin cam
#75 (see note 11)
32 39m 04.4s
13 Ted Coconis Lotus 69B - Ford twin cam
#88 T/C Racing Inc. (see note 12)
32 39m 38.1s
14 Bruce Jensen Chevron B17b [17B.70.04?] - Ford twin cam
#41 Jenmac Racing (see note 13)
31 39m 38.9s
15 Ian Coristine March 722 [71BM-10?] - Ford twin cam Greatorex
#50 (see note 14)
30 39m 08.5s
16 Roy Folland March 722 [23] - Ford twin cam
#6 (see note 15)
28 39m 16.9s
17 Wayne Ricciardi March 722 - Ford twin cam
#24 The Race Shop (see note 16)
11
18 Reg Scullion March 722 [71BM/1] - Ford twin cam Greatorex
#95 Ecurie Canada Racing (see note 17)
5
19 Hugh "Wink" Bancroft March 722 - Ford twin cam
#82 (see note 18)
1

All cars are 1.6-litre FB unless noted.

Qualifying
Qualifying information not available

Notes on the cars:

  1. Chevron B18 [18.71.1] (John Powell): A new car built for Brian Redman after he wrecked the development B18 while testing in South Africa. Fitted with a 1.8-litre Cosworth FVC engine and raced by Redman in two races in South Africa in January 1971. This car returned to Bolton and became the works entry in F2 for Chris Craft during the 1971 F2 season. It was then sold to Canadian John Powell and rebuilt to Formula B specification. Powell raced it in the Brands Hatch Boxing Day meeting at the end of 1971 and then loaned it to Brian Robertson to race in the two Bogotá FB races in February and March 1972. Raced by Powell (Ottawa, Ontario) in the Canadian FB series in 1972, Sold to Paul Wheatley (Montréal, Quebec) and raced in the Canadian series in 1973. Wheatley appeared on a couple of early-1974 entry lists but the car was not seen again until he advertised it in April 1975.
  2. March 722 (Ric Forest): Ric Forest (Edmonton, Alberta) raced a #56 March 722 in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1972. In 1973, the car went to Al Lader, and was entered by him for John Holloway (Gresham, OR) for the first two races of 1973. Subsequent history unknown.
  3. Chevron B20 [20.72.05] (Brian Robertson): Sold via Fred Opert and entered for Brian Robertson (Brockville, Ontario, Canada) in Formula B in 1972. To Ferguson/Wilson Racing Team for 1973 and raced by former Miss Canada pageant finalist Linda Wilson in Canadian Formula B. Due to be driven by Ric Forest at Trois-Rivières in September but teammate Peter Ferguson "wiped out" the sister car on the Saturday so took over Wilson's car for the race. Only one of the B20s was seen in 1974, driven by Ferguson, and it seems likely it was the ex-Wilson car. Advertised by Fred Opert in June 1975, suggesting it had returned to Opert in part exchange for Ferguson's new Chevron B29. Advertised again by Opert in early November 1975. Subsequent history unknown until bought as a rolling chassis by Ed Swart from somebody on the east coast who had been trying to restore it. It was black at that stage, and Ed repainted it to orange, the Dutch racing colours, and fitted a BDA engine as he completed the restoration. Raced by Swart from 1989 to February 1993, winning VARA's historic Formula Atlantic West coast title in 1992. Swart then acquired a Chevron B45, and the B20 was sold to Richard Morrison in Tennessee in February 1996.
  4. Brabham BT35 [10] (Al Justason): New to Brian Robertson (Brockville, Ontario, Canada) and raced by him in the Canadian Formula B series in 1971, entered by Fred Opert Racing. To Al Justason (Toronto, Ontario) for Canadian FB in 1972 and 1973. To Fred Beyer (Ottawa, Ontario) for the Players (Canadian) Formula Atlantic series in 1974 and 1975. History then unknown until it was acquired from Bobby Brown in November 2006 by Kent Copeland (Dallas, TX). Brown is believed to have acquired it from Frank Costey in 2004. Copeland commented that it had been owned in Colorado in 1988, and its last races were believed to have been in 1986. It was red when acquired, but restored to a blue colour. Copeland died in July 2014 and, in May 2015, Todd Upp was advertising the car on behalf of his wife Holly. Sold in August 2022 to Stephen Temple (Santa Cruz, CA).
  5. Brabham BT29 [43] (Roger Seacrist): Cliff Phillips (Palos Park, IL) acquired a red Brabham BT29 for 1970 but his first known appearance wasn't until Road America 18 Jul 1970 where he recorded 41st fastest time. The car appeared on several more entry lists later in the season but Phillips started to advertise the car from early September onwards. Still being advertised in July 1971. The car is then unknown until mid-1972 when it has been identified (with chassis number and AM number) as the car driven by Roger Seacrist (Chicago, IL). Retained by Seacrist for 1973 but then unknown until acquired by Gary Dausch (Indianapolis, IN) some time before Apr 1987. To Dave Vegher and raced once at Palm Springs then to Tony Podell (Rolling Hills, CA), then Randall Smith (Petaluna, CA) and retained 2012.
  6. Brabham BT38B [13] (Eligio Siconolfi): New to Eligio Siconolfi (Montréal, Quebec, Canada), who raced in the Canadian FB series in 1972, sponsored by Downtown Datsun Ltd. To Peter Overing (Montreal, Quebec) for 1973, but only seen at Sanair in June. Entered by Overing for Reg Scullion (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Montréal, Quebec) in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1974, but still with a Ford twin cam engine. Overing then acquired a March 74B for Scullion, and the Brabham was sold to Cliff Dawson (Mount Royal, Quebec), who fitted a BDA engine and raced it in Formula Atlantic in 1975, 1976 and 1977. After racing it in Regionals in the late 1970, Dawson converted the car to Can-Am specification with a body built in Montreal by Francis Cordolle and ran it in this form in Can-Am from 1980 to 1983, still with the 1600cc Cosworth BDA engine. According to Doug Waters, it was "sold in July 1984 to Martin Handforth in Ottawa, who soon sold it to Pennsylvania". (Note that Handforth had owned and raced a different BT38 in Quebec events in 1981.) Subsequent history unknown.
  7. Brabham BT38B [12] (Barry Fox): New to Barry Fox (Edmonton, Alberta) and raced in the Canadian Formula B series. To Lorne Progosh (Ottawa, Ontario) for 1973, but crashed during practice at Edmonton when the throttle stuck open. The car was badly damaged and Progosh was unable to continue. He towed it back to Ottawa and sold it to Ron Rogers (Trenton, Ontario), who repaired it with his racing partner Vince Murray and fitted an ex-Craig Hill Ford twin cam. Rogers raced it in mainly club events in 1973 and 1974, and appeared in at least one Players event in 1975, only for the engine to break during practice. In 1975 or 1976, he sold it to Steve Van Vlaenderen (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and maintained it for him for a season or two. Van Vlaenderen advertised the car in February 1977. What must surely be the same car was advertised by Stew McNair (Winnipeg) in April 1980, then with a "tired Hart 416B" engine, and it is likely that this was the car raced by Martin Handforth (Kanata, Ontario) in Quebec events in 1981. The car then somehow found its way to Ron Hunter (Denver, CO) who fitted a Cosworth BDJ (a 1300cc engine used in C Sports Racing) and used the car for a record attempt at Bonneville before breaking the engine. After Hunter died in 1987, the car was bought from his stepson Rick Graham (Denver, CO) by Cameron MacArthur (Loveland, CO). He prepared it for historic racing, at first with a pushrod engine and then with a Cosworth BDD, racing it until around 1997 or 1998 when he recalls selling it "to a dentist from Summit County". Subsequent history unknown.
  8. Brabham BT35 [18] (Bill Eagles): New to Roy Folland (Montréal, Quebec) and raced in the Canadian Formula B series in 1971, prepared by mechanic Andy Aitken. Some reports suggest Folland raced an older BT29 towards the end of that season, but an article in the Montreal Gazette in late August only mentions a BT35. An annotation to the entry list for the Canadian GP support race in September identified this car as chassis BT35/18. To Bill Eagles (Lasalle, Montréal, Quebec, Canada) for the 1972 Canadian FB series, entered by Tex-Made Racing Team. Then to Scott MacKenzie for 1973, entered and supported by Bryant Cougle of Astro Sports, but crashed heavily at Edmonton in June. The chassis was too badly damaged to be repairable, and MacKenzie suffered neck injuries that brought his season to an end. The car was then used as a source of spares for the team's replacement BT35, before being sold. It was acquired by Doug DeFresne (Portland, OR) in 1979, when it still had Astro Sports bodywork with it. It was acquired by Bob Slusher (Portland, Oregon) in September 2005.
  9. March 722 [71BM-8?] (Gilles Léger): Wilson Southam acquired two red March 71BMs for Canadian Formula B in 1971, one for Randy Fraser and one for himself. Fraser's was the first to appear, running as the #54 Tartan Fraser entry and is most likely to have been 71BM-8. In early 1972, the car was sold to Gilles Léger (Lachute, Quebec) and updated to 722 specification by Tom Greatorex, who also prepared the car for Léger. Then to Patricia Smith (Montréal, Quebec) in 1973 entered as #51 by P.S. Translations. Subsequent history unknown.
  10. Brabham BT21 [BT21A-4?] (Bob Isnor): Sold new to Lou Sell (Fullerton, CA) and first seen in the Pro Formula B race at War Bonnet in late June where Sell qualified on pole and finished second. Then raced in SCCA Regionals and occasional Nationals in California, and in the pro races at Mont-Tremblant and Lake Tahoe at the end of the season. Sold to Sell's backer Dick Smothers (Woodland Hills, CA) for 1968, although Sell also raced it in one SoPac National early that year. To Fred Opert late 1968 in part-exchange for a new Chevron and from him on to Ken Duclos (Boxboro, MA) for 1969. Duclos believes he returned it to Opert at the end of 1969 when he acquired his new BT29 and it next turns up in 1971 with John Sorbello (Lafayette, MA) who widened the cockpit section into a two-seater and added a Chevron B16 body. However, it is possible that the dates of this are wrong and that Bob Isnor (Newton, MA) raced it as a FB before it went to Sorbello. Later to John Kauffman who thought he had bought a Chevron and then to Joe Maria (White Plains, NY) in the early 1990s. It was restored by David Irwin to BT21A spec and was still with Maria in 2007. To Bob Lima (Meadowbrook, PA) by October 2009 and later repainted in Sell's colours.
  11. Brabham BT29 (Charles "Chuck" Hansen): Charles 'Chuck' Hansen (Tenafly, NJ) raced a yellow #75 Brabham BT29 in Northeast Division Formula B in 1972. Then to Erv Falk (Westport, CT), and raced by James R Modrall (Westport, CT) in Northeast Division Formula B in 1973, entered by Falk Racing. Falk then acquired Hansen's newer March 722 for Modrall in 1974, and the BT29 was entered for Jeff Gay (Norwalk, CT) in NEDiv Formula B in 1974 and 1975. Subsequent history unknown.
  12. Lotus 69B (Ted Coconis): Ted Coconis (Weston, CT) bought a 1971 Formula B Lotus 69, chassis 71/69.7.FB and raced it in SCCA Pro and SCCA Nationals in 1971 and 1972, but at some point he acquired this second Lotus 69. In 1973, he and son Tim raced a pair of Lotus 69s, sponsored by Ted's company Graphics International Racing, but exactly how the second care was used during this time is unclear. The main car was typically entered as #88, with white numbers on a black background, so it only required a few pieces of black tape to change this into #83, #68 or #89, as required. Both cars are thought to have looked the same, but until a picture is found of them alongside each other, this cannot be confirmed. The Coconises were not seen in 1974, and when Tim returned in 1975, he used his father's original car. The subsequent history of the second car used in 1973 remains a mystery.
  13. Chevron B17b [17B.70.04?] (Bruce Jensen): Bruce Jensen (Kitchener, Ontario) raced a Chevron B17b in Canadian Formula B in 1971, entered by Jen-Mac Racing. His car was white, and was entered as #41. Jensen retained the car for 1972, again running as #41. Leighton Irwin recalls that in 1972, the car was modified with a sports car nose designed by Terry Welch and larger rear wing. This created too much downforce, and not realising that stiffer springs were needed, his team struggled with the car on faster circuits. Subsequent history unknown.
  14. March 722 [71BM-10?] (Ian Coristine): The talented but cash-strapped Ian Coristine (Montréal, Quebec) had run his own March 71BM in 1971, but for 1972 rented an updated car from Ecurie Canada. The 71BM, probably Wilson Southam's old car, was updated to side-radiator 722 specification by team mechanic Tom Greatorex. Coristine stayed with the team for 1973 but the car was put back to 71BM specification. The team almost ran out of money mid-summer, but were rescued by a sponsorship deal with Schweppes. The 71BM was then sold to Mauro Lanaro (Montréal, Quebec) and used in Canadian Formula Atlantic in 1974. Coristine recalls that this car was destroyed in a transporter fire on its way to a race at Debert, but the exact date of this has yet to be determined. Lanaro then bought another 71BM to replace it.
  15. March 722 [23] (Roy Folland): Roy Folland (Montréal, Quebec) raced a blue March 722 in the early rounds of the British Formula Atlantic series in 1972, before taking the car to Canada and running in the Players Canadian Formula B series. Sold for 1973 to Bruce Jensen (Kitchener, Ontario) and raced in the Players Canadian series. Sold to Edmond Villa (Clark, NJ), and raced in a New England Region SCCA Regional at Lime Rock in April 1974. In January 1976, he advertised a 722 in Competition Press & Autoweek from Port St Lucie, FL. Ed sold it to Folis Jones (Chesapeake, VA), who raced a March in SEDiv events in 1976 and 1977, and in SCCA Regionals at Summit Point in 1978 and 1979. This would be the March 722 with '77 bodywork advertised by Jones in December 1978 and February 1979. Subsequent history unknown.
  16. March 722 (Wayne Ricciardi): Wayne Ricciardi (N. Haldon, NJ) raced a #24 March 722 in Pro Formula B in 1972, entered by The Race Shop, the US March importer in which Ricciardi and Joe Grimaldi were partners. Ricciardi retained the car for Pro events in 1973, competing in most Canadian events plus the US GP support race at Watkins Glen. Subsequent history unknown.
  17. March 722 [71BM/1] (Reg Scullion): Gordie Dewar was appointed March importer into Canada for 1971 and his first purchase, chassis 71BM-1, went to Delta Racing Developments for Ian Coristine (Montréal, Quebec) to race in the Players FB series. Coristine finished the season fifth in the red #50 March but crashed in practice for the final race, at Circuit Ste-Croix in October. The car went to Reg Scullion (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Montréal, Quebec) for 1972 and it was entered for him by Kris Harrison's Ecurie Canada, and prepared by Andy Roe and Tom Greatorex. Ecurie Canada had also bought Wilson Southam's engine manufacturing business, acquiring Greatorex with it, and were preparing the engines in Scullion's car. Scullion started the season racing in Nationals in Texas before returning to Canada for the Players season. He ended the Canadian season in ninth place but then returned to the US to finish second in the SCCA Run-Offs. He retained the car for 1973 as a Scullion-Donolo Racing entry, and it was raced by partner Louis "Lou" Donolo (Montréal, Quebec) once or twice. Subsequent history unknown.
  18. March 722 (Hugh "Wink" Bancroft): Hugh "Wink" Bancroft (Newport Beach, CA) raced a blue-and-white #82 March 722 in Formula B in 1972, under his own Bancroft Motorsport banner. He retained the car for 1973, when it ran as #12 and was fitted with Falconer bodywork. Later that season, the car was rented to Rocky Moran for a few races. Bancroft appeared in a few SCCA races at Riverside in the car during 1974, when it was still wearing Falconer bodywork. Subsequent history unresolved, but Richard Paul recalls buying this car for the 1975 season, when BDA engines were allowed in Pro races but not in SCCA races, fitting 732 bodywork and using it as a spare car.

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.

The 1971-1973 Canadian Formula B race results have been compiled by Chris Townsend based on material in Canadian Motorsport Bulletin, results sheets where available and from information drawn from Canadian newspapers.

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.