SCCA Continental Championship for Formula B/C Race

Laguna Seca, 7 May 1972

All cars are 1.6-litre FB unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 722 [27] (Allan Lader): Allan Lader (Gresham, OR) had a black #2 March 722 for 1972. As his main focus in 1972 was Formula 5000, he only raced the car in two Pro FB races and in the Sep 1972 Lime Rock FA race when it was fitted with a BDA and ran in the Formula A class. It was entered by Pacifico Inc. and also, at Laguna Seca in May 1972, by Pierres Motors Racing. In 1973, Robert Hall (Oakland, CA) raced a black March 722 that was said to be ex-Lader. He raced this car in SCCA National and Regional races in 1974, 1975 and 1976. Subsequent history unknown. In 2015, a March 722 "originally owned by Dale Coyne" and described as "#27 of 48 manufactured in 1972" was advertised in the US. This would indicate that Dale Coyne's unidentified Formula B March in 1977 was the ex-Robert Hall 722. Coyne had advertised a 722 with twin cam engine in December 1976, noting that it had updated bodywork and a F2 nose. The car in 2015 had been "completely restored by Marc Bahner including construction of a new monocoque and delivered to the current owner in 2000. Since then it had been prepared by Louie Shefchik's J&L Fabricating. In 2018, Bob Birrell (Driffield, East Yorkshire) bought "the ex-Dale Coyne" March 722-27 from Grand Prix Classics in the US, and brought it back to England for HSCC Historic Formula Atlantic. Bob Juggins drove the car for Birrell at Anglesey and at Brands Hatch in 2019.
2. Brabham BT29 (Jon Milledge): Jim Gutfreund (Des Moines, Iowa) bought a new Brabham BT29 for 1970 and ran it in Midwest Div Formula B, winning two races and leading the division until his BRM-built Ford twin-cam blew. He sold the car to Archie Snider (Los Gatos, CA) for 1971 and Snider continued with the BRM engine until joining forces with Jon Milledge (Mountain View, CA) who crewed the car for Snider in Regionals while racing it in Nationals and in Pro events. They continued with the car through 1972 and into 1973, before Snider replaced it with a GRD. It then went to Larry Wright (Riverside, CA) to replace his earlier BT29 that he'd wrecked in June 1973. Wright kept the car until 1976 after which he retired and sold the car to "an unknown guy who lived in the Sierra Madre area of So Cal, near Pasadena".
3. March 722 (Bob Lazier): Bob Lazier (Vail, CO) raced a black #6 March 722 in the Pro Formula B series in 1972, winning at Bryar Motorsports Park in May. The car was sold to Byron Hatten (Altadena, CA) for 1973, and he entered it for John Angus (formerly of Hartland, WI, but living in Marina Del Rey, CA at this time) for 1974. According to a later advert, this was the "76B" driven by Hatten at the IMSA Formula Atlantic race at Ontario in 1976, and it was then sold to George Seydel (Pasadena, CA), who raced a Formula B March in SCCA Regionals at Riverside in 1978. According to this car's SCCA logbook, it was raced by Seydel until 1979. The SCCA Logbook records its "Manufacturers Identification No." as 722-16, but this was the chassis number reported in Europe to be Xavier Perrot's F2 car, so this identity remains unconfirmed.
4. Brabham BT35 [31] (Mike Hansen): New to Mike Hansen (Belmont, CA) and Steve Marx (Fremont, CA) of Hansen-Marx Racing (or Marx-Hansen Racing) and raced by them in SCCA Regionals and Nationals predominately in southern California in 1971. Retained by the pair for 1972, and raced by Hansen in SCCA Nationals up and down the west coast, and then in Pro events later in the season. To Bill Cooper (San Jose, CA) for 1973, and used in SCCA Regionals. Retained by Cooper for 1974 and raced in SCCA Nationals. Seen less often in 1975, and advertised by Cooper with a BDA engine from September 1975 to July 1976. It is reported to have gone to Tom Smith after Cooper. It was bought from Tommy Smith in July 1978 by John Hafkenschiel and raced in Californian Formula Atlantic before selling it in the winter of 1984. In November 2016, Ron Hornig (Laramie, Wyoming) bought the car and has thoroughly restored it. Note that Hornig also has two F3 BT35s which he uses in historic racing.
5. Chevron B18 (Carl Liebich): Carl Liebich (Plymouth, Wisconsin) raced a yellow Chevron B18 in SCCA Nationals in 1971, entered as #78. In 1972 he ran a yellow Chevron B18C, presumed to be the same car, entered as #79, and used in the Pro Formula B series, in the Players Canadian Formula B series, and in SCCA Nationals. Also raced by Liebich at Caracas in March 1973. Advertised by Opert as ex-Liebich, and blue-and-yellow in February 1973, and sold to Frank Sangiorgio (North Babylon, Long Island, NY) who raced it SCCA and EMRA racing around Bridgehampton from 1973 to 1975 at least. Sangiorgio was EMRA Formula B champion for 1973. He advertised the car in in September 1976. Subsequent history unknown.
6. Brabham BT35 [6] (Nick Cook): New to Nick Cook and used in the British Formula Atlantic series in 1971. Retained for early 1972, but Cook does not appear in the UK after the end of April and this is probably the car taken to the USA to use in the SCCA series in 1972. Used by Rob Turnbull in British hillclimbs in 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976. Sold to Andrew Fraser (Newton Abbot, Devon), and shared by him and Tim Painter in Sprints in 1977. Retained by Fraser for 1978 and 1979, and appeared at Wiscombe Park events in 1980 and 1982. Then via David McLaughlin to Keith Norman about 1984 and used by him in HSCC events in the 1980s and 1990s. To Rob Haze (Netherlands) between 1992 and 1995, and then back to Norman again. To John Dunham April 2001, then to Ben Tyler 2003, then Peter Shaw 2004, then Dr John Monson 2007.
7. 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.
8. Brabham BT35 [19] (Maurice McCaig): New to Maurice McCaig (Calgary, Alberta, Canada), and raced in the Canadian Formula B series in 1971 and 1972. To Hugh Cree (Georgetown, Ontario) for Canadian FB in 1973, and then for Canadian Formula Atlantic in 1974. Advertised by Cree in November 1974, when it had a 1972 big valve Hart. History then unknown until it was advertised in Victory Lane August 1990 by Bill Schley (Hartland, WI), who described it as a "very original car in excellent condition" with a Hart BDA and FT200. Oddly, in the same edition of Victory Lane, Bob Hildreth and Ken Petrie from a Denver, Colorado number advertised a BT35 with the same "# 35-19" serial number, which was "original unrestored" and "in storage for 12 years".
9. Lola T240 [HU4] (Syd Demovsky): New to Syd Demovsky (Chicago, IL) and his red #11 Demovsky Racing Lola T240 in the 1971 Pro FB series. Retained for 1972 and again did a full season, still red and still using #11. In June 1973 it was sold together with HU5 by Charlie Hayes to Eric Steele of Formula Cars Inc (Mansfield, Ohio). It is believed that the two cars were intended for the Mid-Ohio Racing School. Subsequent history unknown. A car with this chassis number raced by Bob Juggins in 1996/97.
10. Lola T240 (Brooks Frybarger): Bought by Jean de la Bruyere (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) for Max Mizejewski (Woodland Hills, CA) to race in SCCA Formula B in 1971 as "The Edmonton Flyer", after an initial project involving a March 71BM fell apart. Raced by Mizejewski in two early races of the Canadian FB series, at Edmonton (as #27) and at Mont-Tremblant (as #97). The number #97 appears on a red T240 later in 1971, and in 1972, and it seems highly likely that this was the same car. It was used by Brooks Frybarger (Carmel, CA) in an SCCA Regional at Riverside in October 1971, and then by Gordon Strom (Santa Cruz, CA/Sunnyvale, CA), entered by The Tex-All Comp, at two raced at Riverside in February 1972. Frybarger then raced it in four more northern California FB events from April to June 1972, including the Pro FB race at Laguna Seca in May. Then sold to Charlie Powell (Riverside, CA), also sometimes called Chuck Powell, who raced it in Formula B in 1972 and early 1973. His only known races in the car are at his home town track but he may have ventured further afield. He crashed the car in an SCCA National in Feb 1973, when he flipped sideways and landed upside down on the barrier, resulting in a 10-day stay in hospital. He acquired a replacement car for 1974, now known to be HU6. The fate of this first car is unknown, but it is assumed to no longer exist.
11. Brabham BT29 [1] (John Angus): John Angus bought the first BT29, ordering the car as early as late summer of 1968 but taking delivery in August 1969. He ran it in Regionals in late 1969 before participating in the Pro series in 1970. He swapped from a Vegantune to a Racing Services engine for 1971 and continued in Nationals. Angus continued with the car in 1972, when Ron Dykes also drove it in the Bogotá races and again in 1973, when the car continued to be competitive at National level. To Marc Bahner (Santa Ana, CA) for 1974, and rebodied by him with March bodywork. Raced by Bahner in local SCCA events in 1974 and 1975. Bahner retained the car for many years, advertising it in December 1996 as "absolutely new - needing paint and assembly".
12. Brabham BT35 [32] (Gordon Strom): Raúl Pérez Gama was one of several Mexican customers of Fred Opert racing in the early 1970s. For 1971, he had a brand new orange-and-yellow Brabham BT35 and raced as part of the Fred Opert Racing team in Pro Formula B events with entry number #66. He retained the car for the two Bogotá races in early 1972 after which BT35-32 has been identified as the car driven in SCCA events by Gordon Strom (Santa Cruz, CA or Sunnyvale, CA) in 1972 and for the following three seasons, retaining the car's original orange and yellow colours throughout. For 1976, Strom acquired a Chevron B29 and the Brabham may have been traded back to Fred Opert.
13. Brabham BT35 (Mike Hall): New to Michael Hall (Chicago, Illinois) for CenDiv SCCA Nationals and some local Pro FB events in 1971, acquiring the BT35 relatively late in the season after starting the year in a BT29. He retained the car for 1972, winning the CenDiv FB title. In October 1972, the "ex-Mike Hall" red BT35 was advertised by Fred Opert, noting that it had a "Rondel sports car nose". Subsequent history unknown.
14. Chevron B20 [72-3] (Bobby Brown): Sold via Fred Opert to Bobby Brown (Hicksville, NY) for SCCA Formula B, and finished third and first in the two Bogotá races early in 1972. Brown then used it in the SCCA Continental Championship for Formula B, winning the round at Lime Rock in July from pole position. The car was advertised by Fred Opert in October 1972, noting that it had F2 fuel tanks and ventilated discs, differing from the ex-Brian Robertson car that was also in stock. It is then unknown through the 1973 season, and was next seen when entered by Freeman Racing Enterprises, the Chevron agent, for Price Cobb (Dallas, TX) in the Pro Formula Atlantic races in 1974. It was advertised by Cobb in early 1975, then advertised by Richard Jackson (Dallas, TX) in August 1975 as "ex-Brown" but still wearing the #2 that Cobb had used in 1974 and with updated bodywork, and advert that was repeated in February 1976. It was advertised by Cobb from Dallas again in December 1976, when it was available with new body and and with or without a BDA for $4500 or $3000, and again in April and June 1977. Next seen when sold by a dealer, Paul Lindell (Houston, TX), to James Sawyer in January 1978. Offered for sale on race-cars.com in February 2003, when it still had the same nose seen in the 1975 adverts, and was still in Texas. From Sawyer to Jeff McKay (Tacoma, WA) then on to Walt Pawluczkowycz (Evergreen, CO). Sold by Pawluczkowycz to Steve Marschman (Idaho Falls, Idaho) in May 2004.
15. March 722 (Olney "Bill" Mairs): Olney "Bill" Mairs (originally from New York but resident in Malibu, CA at this time) raced an orange #12 March 722 in three Pro races during the 1972 season. In 1973, he raced the car in SCCA Nationals and Regionals in California in the early part of the year, but later that season he raced in SCCA Nationals at Pocono and Bryar. Subsequent history unknown.
16. Brabham BT29 [44] (Larry Wright): This late BT29 remained unused in 1970 and was sold by Charlie Hayes to Larry Wright (Riverside, CA) in Dec 1970, taking Wright's Chevron B15 in part exchange. Wright raced the orange-and-yellow #83 Brabham in Pro events and in SCCA National and Regional events on the west coast. In June 1973, he wrecked the car in practice for a National at Laguna Seca and replaced it with the ex-Archie Snider BT29. The damaged chassis went to Marc Bahner in 1974 who eventually repaired it and sold it to Lou Pavesi in 1980. It later passed to Steve Pike in Australia in 1993 and then to Jim McConville in 1998.
17. Lola T240 (Bill Middleton): Bill Middleton (Newport Beach, CA) bought a yellow #31 Lola T240 late in the 1971 Southern Pacific FB season to replace an elderly Brabham BT21C. He won enough points in this car to clinch second place in the division. Retained for 1972 and used in both Pro and SPDiv events, winning the division by a considerable margin. Last seen in late July 1972, after which Middleton acquired a Brabham BT38B. Advertised by Fred Opert in October 1972 and again in February 1973, implying it had gone to Opert in part-exchange when Middleton bought the Brabham. Subsequent history unknown.
18. Brabham BT29 (Bob Criss): Stephen M. Cole (Orange, CA) raced a Brabham in SCCA Regionals in Cal Club Region in 1971, winning the Cal Club Regional FB title. Although the type of the Brabham was not identified, it was presumably the same car he then entered for Bob Criss (originally from Terre Haute, IN, but by 1972 of Newport Beach, CA) in Pro Formula B races in 1972. Criss also raced a Brabham the Fort Sumner National in October 1971, and it seems likely that would have been this same car. The car was blue and wore #64 when raced by Criss in 1972. Cole himself also raced in Nationals and is thought to have been racing the same car at Riverside in May 1972. Criss signed with Mary & Tom Page's Page Racing for Indy racing in 1973 but was killed in a testing session in April 1973. Criss was Robert Dale Criss, born 1938, and should not be confused with the Bob Criss from Bethel Park, PA, who drove an Austin-Healey Sprite in SCCA racing as a member of Steel Cities Region at about this time. According to Richard Paul, Cole sold the Brabham via Chuck Willis to Jeff Alkana (Azusa, CA), who registered it with CSCC in July 1974, and went on to race it in the Formula B class in southern California from July 1974 to March 1975. The car was given as chassis BT29-16, but had been rebuilt on a new frame "WM74" fabricated by Wayne Mitchell. The car passed to William Nair in 1975, then at some later date from Nair to Terry Peterson, this sale being brokered by Wayne Mitchell. The car was acquired from Peterson by Peter McGlone in 1991, and remained with him until sold to Mark Shillingburg in 2018.
19. Lola T240 [HU15] (Ted Titmas): Invoiced to Hayes Racing in late June 1971, but it is now known how this car was used in 1971. To Ted Titmas (Van Nuys, CA) for Formula B in 1972. Retained for the first race of 1973. History then unclear until February 1978 when acquired by Rob Mullaney (Pleasant Hill, CA), but the car was still wearing Titmas's #4 Autohaus livery so may not have been used since 1973. Raced by Mullaney in SCCA Regionals in San Francisco Region in 1978. To Tom Tampi in January 1979, and raced in one SCCA Regional, then to Nathan Burmeister (Manton, CA) September 1980, and raced from 1981 to June 1984, when the car was retired and stored. Restored by Burmeister 2001 to 2003, and advertised by him on race-cars.com in February 2005. The car was acquired at that time or soon after by Bob Yarwood (Lymm, Cheshire) and returned to the UK. Later to Tim Harrison (Ripon, North Yorkshire).
20. Brabham BT14 [FL-3-65] (Steve Jizmagian): This BT14 was bought new by John Mitchell and raced in northern English libre racing in 1965 and 1966. It was missing for most of 1967, but was sold late that year to Steve Pfeiffer (San Francisco, CA) and equipped with a BRM Phase 4 twin-cam for 1968 Formula B racing, now described as a BT21. It was sold to Bruce Redding (Monterey, CA) for 1969 but crashed early in the season and extensively rebuilt. Redding thereafter entered it in 1969 and 1970 as a Ford Special, Gravelle Special or even as a Honda Special. It was later sold to Steve Jizmagian (San Francisco, CA) in early 1971 and crashed again, then to Tom Gouldstone (Santa Rosa, CA/Napa, CA) in November 1972 and crashed again - each time at Laguna Seca. By 1975, Gouldstone was describing it as a BT18/21. It was sold to Dick McGovern in 1978. It was retained by McGovern until 1994 when sold to George Goodare (Sydney, NSW, Australia) and restored. Later to Brian Wilson in September 2000 then to John Gale in November 2001. Sold to Richard Longes late 2008 and raced in 2009 Tasman Revival races.
21. Lotus 41D/F2 (Robert Hall): Robert Hall (Oakland, CA) raced a Lotus 41C in SCCA Formula B in 1970 and 1971, then a "41D/F2" in 1972. Nick G. Babich (Redmond, WA) then raced a Lotus "41D" in SCCA and ICSCC Formula B in 1974, 1975 and 1976 and as they both raced as #34 and are the only people to refer to a "41D" specification, we can be confident it was the same car. Babich advertised the car in Northwest Sportscar News (August 1973) as a "41D F2" including wings, fuel cells, Hewland FT200 gearbox, and 10" and 14" wheels, describing it was "ex-Gus Hutchison". The inference here is that Hall had acquired Hutchison's 1967 Lotus 41C for the 1970 season and had updated it with F2 parts for the 1972 season before it went to Babich. Subsequent history unknown.
22. Brabham BT38B (Nick Craw): Nick Craw (Washington, DC) raced a yellow-and-blue #71 Brabham BT38 in the 1972 SCCA Pro Formula B series but is only known to have started two races. The car was entered by Fred Opert Racing, and is likely to have been a brand new BT38B. In October 1972 and again in February 1973, the "ex-Craw" car was advertised by Opert as "4 races from new". Photographs from the FB event at Autodromo de San Carlo, Caracas in March 1973 suggest that this was the car raced by Andrea de Adamich to win that event. Subsequent history unknown.
23. March 71BM [3] (Bob Newton): New to Chuck Willis's CRW Racing (Anaheim, CA) and leased to Jean de la Bruyere (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) for Max Mizejewski (Woodland Hills, CA) to race in SCCA Formula B in 1971 as "The Edmonton Flyer". De la Bruyere then split from CRW and Ron Dykes (Marina del Rey, CA) then took over the 71Bm for Pro Formula B races and SCCA Nationals for the rest of 1971. Sold to Bob Newton (Cupertino, CA) and run in Pro FB and SCCA Nationals in 1972, 1973 and 1974. It was also raced by Craig Fraser (Santa Cruz, CA) in 1973 and 1974 before Newton's last known appearance in it in late 1974. To Jim Van Horn (Orange, CA) and raced in Cal Club Regionals in late 1975. Van Horn bought a newer Chevron B27 for 1976, but returned to the March for 1977, which was rebuilt to 76B specification by Marc Bahner and fitted with a BDA engine. The car was registered with the SCCA in September 1977, but curiously used the chassis number of a March 722, 722-38. Van Horn raced this car up to 1980. To Bill Hill (Olympia, WA) in 1981, fitted with a Mazda engine and a sports car body and raced the car in SCCA ASR and in Can-Am as the "Marzda" or the "Banana Crate". Crashed in an SCCA Regional (NW Region) at Olympia Airport in September 1986. Hill then bought a Lola T360 and the March chassis stayed in the rafters of his garage for many years. After Hill died, the car was sold to Phil Creighton (Georgia) in mid-2017, and then by him to Kevan McLurg (Brighton, UK) in 2018. Sold to Bruce Balchin (Southampton) in July 2019.

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.

1970 US FB results were compiled from Autoweek reports by Jim Thurman; 1971 results were transcribed from Autoweek by Allen Brown and 1972 results were compiled by Chris Townsend from an SCCA results publication.

The US Formula B series did not continue in 1973 but a race was organised in Caracas in March 1973 that fits here probably better than anywhere else, as do the occasional SCCA F/Atlantic and FB races in 1974 and 1975.

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.