OldRacingCars.com

WCAR Formula Atlantic Championship Round

Riverside, 31 Mar 1985

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Dan Marvin Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD
#1 Jon Norman Racing
24 32m 09.093s
113.76 mph
2 Jeff Wood Ralt RT4/84 [504] - Ford BDD
#26 McNeill Motor Cars
24 32m 21.897s
3 Ron McKay Ralt RT4/85 [512] - Ford BDD Jennings
#4 Fortner Lucini Motorsports
24
4 John Richards Ralt RT4/82 [81-271] - Ford BDD
#8 Pierre Phillips Motorsports
24
5 Chris Bender Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD
#7
24
6 Roberto Quintanilla Ralt RT4/85 [509] - Ford BDD
#2 Rick Shea Racing
24
7 Mike Downs Ralt RT4/81 [267] - Ford BDD Jennings
#6 (see note 1)
24
8 Jimmy Santos Ralt RT4/82 [81-249?] - Ford BDD
#12
24
9 Bob Young Ralt RT4/83 [355] - Ford BDD
#10
24
10 John Christian Ralt RT4/81 [228] - Ford BDD Hasselgren
#24 Pierre Phillips Motorsports
24
11 Mike Buckenham Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD
#16
24
12 Tom Contino Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD
#21
23
13 Johnnie Crean Ralt RT4/83 [431] - Ford BDD
#87
23
14 Steve Vague March 79B - Ford BDD
#35
23
15 Phil Simon Ralt RT4/81 [210] - Ford BDD
#77
23
16 Jeff Gray Ralt RT4/82 - Ford BDD
#62 610 KFRC/Wheel Works
22
17 Rick Lempe Ralt RT4/82 [310] - Ford BDD
#61 610 KFRC/Wheel Works
22
18 Mark Brannon Ralt RT1 - Ford BDD
#60
21
19 Rod Bennett Ralt RT4/82 [308] - Ford BDD
#15
19
20 Jerry Kehoe March 802 - Ford BDD
#34
19
21 Joe Sposato March 79B [13] - Ford BDD Jennings
#28
6 Damaged nose
22 Mort Haaz March "724" - Ford BDD
#55 (see note 2)
6 Engine
23 Sandy Dells Ralt RT4/81 [259] - Ford BDD
#70
4 Engine
DNS Scott Wood Ralt RT4/83 [403] - Ford BDD
#25 McNeill Motor Cars
Did not start
(Brakes)
DNS John Della Penna Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD
#3
Did not start
(Engine)

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

Qualifying
1 Jimmy Santos (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/82 [81-249?] - Ford BDD 1.18.765
2 Joe Sposato (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [13] - Ford BDD Jennings 1.18.898
3 Jeff Wood (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/84 [504] - Ford BDD 1.18.925
4 Dan Marvin (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD 1.19.067
5 Ron McKay (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/85 [512] - Ford BDD Jennings 1.19.194
6 Mike Downs (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/81 [267] - Ford BDD Jennings 1.19.243
7 John Della Penna * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD 1.19.340
8 Chris Bender (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD 1.19.360
9 John Richards (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/82 [81-271] - Ford BDD 1.19.695
10 Mike Buckenham (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD 1.20.265
11 Bob Young (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/83 [355] - Ford BDD 1.20.325
12 John Christian (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/81 [228] - Ford BDD Hasselgren 1.20.375
13 Roberto Quintanilla (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/85 [509] - Ford BDD 1.20.481
14 Rod Bennett (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/82 [308] - Ford BDD 1.20.552
15 Johnnie Crean (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/83 [431] - Ford BDD 1.21.317
16 Sandy Dells (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/81 [259] - Ford BDD 1.22.534
17 Steve Vague (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.22.537
18 Scott Wood * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/83 [403] - Ford BDD 1.23.301
19 Jeff Gray (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/82 - Ford BDD 1.25.122
20 Mort Haaz (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March "724" - Ford BDD 1.25.914
21 Rick Lempe (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/82 [310] - Ford BDD 1.27.440
22 Jerry Kehoe (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 802 - Ford BDD 1.28.319
23 Mark Brannon (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1 - Ford BDD 1.29.444
24 Phil Simon (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/81 [210] - Ford BDD 1.33.964
25 Tom Contino (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD no time
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Ralt RT4/81 [267] (Mike Downs): Ralt sales record says sold to Theodore Racing, delivered 16 Oct 81. [Tub no: 81/135; gearbox FT1488; fuel cell JM37176 10/81] Dave McMillan's car at Bay Park 3 Jan 82 is described by NZMN as Lees's car from Macau, 1981. Chassis number given NZMN 21 Jan 83 p16 for the car of Dave McMillan at Bay Park, 2 Jan 83. Presumed to be the car used by McMillan for the first part of the 1982 North American season, before he was given a 1982 specification car to use [alternatively this may have been RT4-205]. Chassis number given for McMillan's car at 1982 AGP, [AMSYB-82 p167] [CT]
  2. March "724" (Mort Haaz): In 1985, Mort Haaz (Santa Monica, CA) raced in the WCAR event at Riverside in what was described as a March "724". In September that year, he advertised it in The Wheel, describing it as a Formula Atlantic "Tri-C March". With narrow nose and wing side pods. It appears that it then went to Walter Moss in Southern California, and was bought from him by Al Gambetti (Sacramento, CA), who ran it in SCCA Solo 1, Regionals and Nationals in 1987 and 1988. For 1990, it went to Mike Bernstein (San Ramon, CA) who raced it in Solo II, replacing a Fiat-engined Alexis that he sold to vintage racer Stan Peterson. Gambetti recalls that the car was later acquired by Marc Bahner, and the car's chassis plate shows that it was rebuilt by Bahner in 2005. The March chassis plate is now stamped "73B 09". The car was offered for sale by Mike Finch (Austin, TX) in 2008, and by 2010 was with Terry and Greg Caton (Maidstone, Kent), who restored it in early 2010, painted it in a Beta Tools orange livery, and raced it as a March 73B in historic events in 2010. It was raced by both Greg and Terry in HSCC Derek Bell Trophy and Formula 2 races in 2012 and 2013. Raced by Christopher Cappuccini at Brands Hatch in July 2014 and at Silverstone in May 2015. Sold by Greg Caton to David Mercer, and raced by Marc Mercer (Thatcham, Berkshire) in 2017 and 2018.

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.

North American Formula Atlantic race results have been compiled by Chris Townsend based on material in On Track and Sports Car, plus results sheets where available.

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.