California Grand Prix

Ontario Motor Speedway, 1 Sep 1974

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Lola T332 [HU42] (Brian Redman): See full history: Lola T332 HU42.
2. Lola T332 [HU35] (Mario Andretti): See full history: Lola T332 HU35.
3. Lola T332 [HU30] (David Hobbs): See full history: Lola T332 HU30.
4. Lola T332 [HU44] (Mike Mosley): See full history: Lola T332 HU44.
5. Lola T332 [HU47] (John Gunn): See full history: Lola T332 HU47.
6. Lola T332 [HU46] (Jerry Grant): See full history: Lola T332 HU46.
7. Lola T330 [HU12-2] (Johnny Rutherford): See full history: Lola T330 HU12.
8. Lola T332 [HU27] (Warwick Brown): See full history: Lola T332 HU27.
9. Lola T330 [HU8] (Larry Harley): 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
10. Eagle 72 [7228] (Lloyd Ruby): Supplied as a monocoque to Lloyd Ruby and his chief crew Mike Devin after Ruby had crashed chassis 7224 at Ontario. Chassis 7228 was built up using the components of 7224 and raced as Ruby's #18 Commander Motor Homes for the rest of the season. Retained in 1974 as a backup car to Ruby's new 1974 Eagle, but actually raced more often than the '74 that season. Sold to Anastassios "Tassi" Vatis, a Greek shipping tycoon and veteran Indy car owner, and run by Vatis's faithful chief mechanic Bill Finley for Johnny Parsons Jr in 1975. In 1976, the team had a "new" car built on an "unused" chassis, presumably 7224 as it still carries the 7224 plate today. However, 7228 remained the main car, Parsons' #93 Ayr-Way/Vatis entry in 1976 and 1977. In 1978, 7228 was modified with straight sidepods and radiators repositioned to the rear of the tub, matching the specification of 7224, after which they are hard to tell apart. John Mahler (Bettendorf, Iowa) bought the Vatis team in November 1978 with the support of longtime backer Richard Deutsch, and it is believed that 7228 was the #92 car that Mahler had bumped after qualifying. Retained as a backup in 1980 and 1981, then sold to Rick DeLorto (Wood Dale, IL) who attempted to qualify for several CART races in 1982. Then to John Griffith (Chicago, IL) 1983, then Steve Burgner (Chicago, IL) 1984, after which it was sold to Mountain View Motorsport Park in Colorado. It then passed to a dealer in Connecticut, from which Eric Camiel (Danbury, CT) bought it in 1991. Then unknown until acquired from Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) by John Mueller (Fresno, CA) in late 2005. Chuck is believed to have got it from Lilo Zicron (Burbank, CA). Extensively rebuilt by Mueller to standard specification. Sold to Rick and Alison Dresang (Hartford, WI) in May 2016.
11. Lola T332 [HU45] (Mickey Rupp): See full history: Lola T332 HU45.
12. Lola T332 [HU48] (James Hunt): See full history: Lola T332 HU48.
13. Chevron B24 [24-73-02] (Roger Bighouse): New for 1973 season. Doug Shierson for Peter Gethin: raced in UK 1973 (won Race of Champions) and US 1973. To Roger Bighouse (Eastlake, OH): raced in US 1974 (7 races); US 1975 (4 races + 1 DNS) - Pat McGonegle (Cincinnati, OH): raced in US 1976 (1 race) and Can-Am 1977 (4 races + 1 DNS); probably the car entered by McGonegle as 'Mannix MX-2' in Can-Am 1978; advertised April 1979 - Danny Johnson (Kewanee, IL) 1979: raced in Can-Am 1979 (1 race), Can-Am 1981 (5 races), Can-Am 1982 (6 races) - Brian R Taylor (now Clive, Iowa) for Mike Engstrand (Des Moines, Iowa): raced in Can-Am 1985 (3 races) - Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) - Anthony Taylor (Blackburn, UK) 2001: due to be rebuilt and raced in FORCE Historic F5000 series (UK) 2001. Then unknown until owned by Greg Thornton in 2011 and raced in UK and New Zealand 2011/12. Badly damaged in a fire at Thornton's garage in June 2012 but completely reconstructed.
14. Chevron B24 [24-73-05B] (James Dunkel): Built for 1974 season. James Dunkel: raced in US 1974, US 1975 (1 race + 1 DNS) - Ed Kaprowicz August 1976: raced in US 1976 (1 race), SCCA FA 1977, SCCA FA 1978 - Steve Bollinger January 1982 - Randy Reso April 1982 - Rupert Bragg-Smith December 1982: raced in Can-Am 1983 (2 races), Can-Am 1984 (2 races), Can-Am 1985 (1 race) - Jack Boxstrom December 1987 - Dick Leppla December 1992: raced at HSR Mid-Ohio July 1994 - Jack Boxstrom (again) of RM Auctions, Inc. (Canada) February 1997 - Albert Way (Oceanview, NJ) Feb 2001 - Philip Jewell (Rushcutters Bay, NSW, Australia) May 2012 - Dean Camm (Melbourne, Australia) December 2016.
15. Lola T332 [HU38] ("Tuck" Thomas): See full history: Lola T332 HU38.
16. Lola T332 [HU41] (Mike Hall): See full history: Lola T332 HU41.
17. Lola T330 [HU24] (Nestor Garcia Veiga): See full history: Lola T330 HU24.
18. March 73A [4-2] (Bill Tempero): See full history: March 73A/4.
19. McRae GM1 [011] (Josef Scott): See full history: McRae GM1/011.
20. Lola T330 [HU26] (John Benton): See full history: Lola T330 HU26.
21. Lola T300 (Joseph Schultz): Joseph Schultz (Buena Park, Los Angeles, CA) raced a Lola T300 in SCCA Nationals and Regionals and in occasional Pro races between September 1974 and September 1976. He told his crew member Darrell Smart that he bought the car from Danny Ongais but as Ongais, Schultz and Eddy O'Brien all raced their T300s in the same SCCA Regional at Riverside on 15 September 1974, it is hard to see how this can have been true. Schultz' first known appearance in the car was at Ontario's California Grand Prix on 1 September 1974, entered by "Joseph Schultz/Armoral Special", but when he was entered at Road America in July 1975, his entrant was Larry Lee (also Buena Park, CA) as the blue #40 "Lola/Mod Chev 302" He scored two points in SCCA Nationals and finished seventh in Southern Pacific Division. In 2022, Schultz' surviving sons Joey and Mark could not recall where the car had gone after he sold it. Subsequent history unknown.
22. Lola T330 [HU7] (James Hawes): See full history: Lola T330 HU7.
23. Eagle 66 [203] (Billy Scott): A customer car sold to John W. Klug (Newport Beach, CA) of Pacesetter Homes, fitted with a 255ci Ford V8 and entered at the 1966 Indy 500 as the #88 Bardahl-Pacesetter Homes Special for Jerry Grant to drive, with Roy Campbell as chief mechanic. Klug's USAC entry form identifies the car as chassis 203. Grant was dropped by AAR's team of Can-Am Lola T70s at the beginning of October 1966, and set up Friedkin Enterprises Racing Division with financial backing from his old friend Tom Friedkin (San Diego, CA), and with ex-AAR mechanics Larry Stellings and Larry Webb. The new operation had two Eagles, Grant's #88 Indy 500 car chassis 203 which Friedkin acquired from Klug and the former Yamaha #6 car of Joe Leonard, and acquired a new Lola T70 which Grant drove at Riverside in October, entered by Alan Green Chevrolet. Grant drove the #88 Eagle at Phoenix in November as a Bardahl entry and this is presumably the #78 Friedkin Enterprises entry for Grant at the 1967 Indy 500 and at road course events later in the season. It was entered by Friedkin Enterprises as the #76 for Jerry Titus at the 1968 Indy 500. No sign has been found of it racing again in 1968, but photographs show that this was the car used in the Universal Pictures film 'Winning', starring Paul Newman and filmed during the summer of 1968, where it appeared as the #42 car of Robert Wagner's character Luther Lou Erding. It was then sold to Jackson oilman Walt Michner for his Michner Petroleum team, and used by driver Johnny Rutherford as a backup to his 1967 Eagle. The 1966 car was fitted with an Offy turbo for 1969 and entered as the #36 Patrick Petroleum car for Rutherford throughout the season. Retained by Michner for Rutherford during the 1970 and 1971 seasons still in partnership with Michner's 1967 Eagle as the #18 entry. The 1966 car was nicknamed "Geraldine" during this time and the 1967 car "Old Shep". Then to Marvin Webster (who had previously owned 'the AAR/Leonard car') and on the entry list at Ontario in 1972 for Don Brown. Next seen in practice at the 1973 Indy 500, entered by Webster as the #76, and later at Ontario in September 1973 where John Cannon raced it. Advertised by Webster in December 1973 with a 1968 Eagle. Unknown until owned by Anthony Seibert (Boulder, CO) in May 1983. Reappeared when sold by Joseph D Lhotka, Trustee, Shawn S Trust (Westminster, CO) to Centennial Import Motor Co (Boulder, CO) in April 1987, and then sold almost immediately to Chuck Haines (Manchester, MO). Retained by Haines until 2005, when sold to Aaron Lewis (Cessnock, NSW, Australia) and restored to Rutherford #36 livery. Run at the Phillip Island Classic 2011 by Lewis, and displayed car at Indianapolis in 2017 and 2018. Sold to Bobby Rahal (Chicago, IL) in October 2018.
24. Lola T190 [190/F1/8] (Jim Gustafson): New to Eric Haga (Seattle, WA) and raced in the US Pro series in 1970. To Don Baker (Long Beach, CA) for 1971 and used in local SCCA events. To Jim Gustafson (Costa Mesa, CA) for 1974 and again raced in West Coast SCCA events. To Richard Votava (Southern California) in 1975. The log book then identifies a Troy R. Milken (or Millen or Milleau) driving the car in a school on 21 Feb 1976. Then Votava in SCCA Regionals (mainly at RIR) in 1976 and 1977; then SCCA Nationals in 1978 and 1979. To Marshall R. Tarnow March 1980 - Alan Sevadjain (owned with Don Johnstone) and raced at Texas in 1981 - Larry C. Clain (Tulsa, OK) and raced at RIR and elsewhere 1982 - Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) 1984 - Chip Boatright (Illinois) 2006. Sold back to original driver Eric Haga (Renton, WA) for historic racing. Appeared in the 2011/12 and 2012/13 Tasman Revival series, but wrecked at Teretonga Park in February 2013. Tony Garmey built a new monocoque for the car, but it was still incomplete when Haga died in November 2021. Ted Wenz bought the project from the estate in early 2022 as a retirement project and completed it. After testing, it was sold via Art Hebert at Motorsports Market to Paul Kuhl (San Diego, CA) in 2023.
25. Lola T332 [HU31] (Eppie Wietzes): See full history: Lola T332 HU31.
26. Lola T332 [HU29] (Mario Andretti): See full history: Lola T332 HU29.
27. Lola T332 [HU32] (Evan Noyes): See full history: Lola T332 HU32.
28. March 73A/741 [73A/3(B)] (Gus Hutchison): See full history: March 73A/3.

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.

1968 US information has been taken from SCCA results sheets with additional information from Autoweek race reports and from some entry lists. Thanks to David McKinney and Wolfgang Klopfer for providing these. Identifying the classes and model of some entries has proved very difficult so all new information would be welcomed.

1969-1971 US information has been collated by Chris Townsend using Autoweek reports. All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome.

1972-1976 US information was originally collated by Wolfgang Klopfer, converted to database format by Dawn Harrison and checked by Jim Thurman and Don Capps. Wolfgang's main sources are Autoweek and individual SCCA results bulletins but Autosport, Autocourse and Road Racing Annual have also been consulted.

US SCCA Runoffs, Nationals and Regionals results were collated by Wolfgang Klopfer from Autoweek reports. These reports were usually very brief so the information on the majority of races is limited just to the identity of the FA class winner.

Some race programs have also been used for entry lists and other information. My thanks to Richard Coe for the generous contributions from his collection.

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