Trofeo Carlo Benelli

Imola, 3 Jun 1973

Notes on the cars:

1. Lola T292 [HU55] (Chris Craft): Originally sold to Martin Birrane's Crowne Racing for Chris Craft to run in the 1973 European 2-litre Sports Car championship. The car was fitted with the new Cosworth BDG engine and the team was managed by Keith Greene. Craft won at Misano and Imola and took two further second places to win the championship. In 1974, the car was due to be fitted with the new Tecno P82 flat-8 engine but the project ran late and Birrane eventually sold the car in frustration to the Pederzani brothers. When the Lola-Tecno did finally appear, at Misano in July, it was driven by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud but retired with overheating problems. According to later sale descriptions, HU55 was then sold to well-known Sicilian hillclimb specialist Angelo Giliberti, continuing to Giuseppe Tornatore (Sardinia) in 1980, to Gianpaolo Casazza (Florence) in 2000 and then to Pietro Silva (San Marino) soon after. It returned to England in 2009 and was offered for sale by Maxted-Page in 2011.
2. Chevron B23 [73-08] (John Burton): John Burton joined Red Rose Racing for 1973 and drove a new Chevron B23, chassis 73-08. The car was advertised in October 1973 and was sold to young Scottish hillclimber (and future double British Touring Car Champion) John Cleland for British hillclimbs. He used a 1930cc Alan Smith engine and fitted a Chevron B26 rear end to the car. John recalls selling the car to Roger Nathan and delivering it to London but the movement of the car are unknown for the rest of 1975. It was run in French courses de côte by Jean Pierre Lecomte in 1976 and 1977, by Jacques Heuclin from 1978 to 1980 and by Gérard Ferré in 1982. The car was then rebodied as the Sthémo and ran like this from 1985 to 1991.
3. GRD S73 [041] (Dave Walker): A DART-backed works GRD S73 was due to be campaigned by John Miles in 1973 but it only raced at Paul Ricard before a lengthy disappearance. Dave Walker drove it when it returned late May and he won the second heat at Imola on 3 Jun. He comfortably led at Vila Real in July before the engine went off and led at Estoril a week later before the suspension collapsed and he crashed heavily, doing significant damage. A works car was raced at Fuji on 2 Sep by Vern Schuppan and, with extensive modification, by Tim Schenken at Fuji on 10 October but it is not clear whether this was the same car. The car then travelled from Japan to South Africa for the brief Springbok series at the end of 1973.
4. Abarth Osella SE021/72 (Gianfranco Trombetti): "Gianfranco" (Gianfranco Trombetti) raced an Osella Abarth in Italian domestic racing in 1973, winning at Siena in September, and at two rounds of the European 2-litre championship. A photograph of the car identifies it as a 1972-spec SE021, appearing unchanged from when Merzario drove it, right down to the Scuderia Bescia Corse stickers over the head lights.
5. Abarth Osella PA1 (Franco Pilone): A photograph of Franco Pilone racing his Osella Abarth in hillclimbs in 1973 shows that he had acquired a new PA1.
6. Chevron B21/B23 [72-16] (Roger Heavens): Roger Heavens replaced his Chevron B16 with a new B21, chassis 72-16, and raced extensively across Europe as well as the Angolan and South African series. The car was updated to B23 specification for 1973 and raced up to the Angolan series in July. It was then sold to local driver Waldemar Teixeira (with a 1930cc FVC) and raced by him later in 1973 and in the first part of 1974. It was almost certainly the car that went to Bandeira Vieira later in 1974. The Angolan civil war then intervened and the B21 remained in storage in Angola until 1985 when it was sold to Stein Johnsen (Halden, Norway). The car was shipped back to Europe in 1991, and a restoration was started by Steve Sheldon. The restoration was not completed and the Chevron was then not seen for some years until sold at Bonhams' Stoneleigh auction in February 2006 to Eddie McLurg. McLurg later sold it to Mike Fisher (Swindon), who had the restoration completed by Jeremy Bennett of Nemesis Racing in Gloucestershire, and repainted it from the yellow livery it wore in 2006, to maroon with black and white stripes. It was sold by Silverstone Auctioins about 2011, and subsequently went to France. In May 2015, the car was offered again by Bonhams at their Spa auction, but did not sell.
7. Lola T292 [HU42] (Gérard Larrousse): Invoiced via Bonnier to Team Archambeaud, this was Gérard Larrousse's regular Schnitzer BMW car for 1973. Sold to José Uriarte for 1974 and converted back to FVC power. Uriarte returned for 1975 with the car upgraded to T294 specification as part of Roger Hire's team and with sponsorship from Miles Roystone. This car was raced at the Spa 1000 km in May and the Nürburgring 1000 km in June. It was raced by Richard Scott at Brands Hatch on 22 Jun at which point it was said to be owned by Miles Roystone. Scott crashed into the guardrail in heat 1 and the car was not seen again. It is possible that this monocoque was repaired and was part of the package sold with HU67 to Martial Legou in 1976 and 1977, and possibly then to Michel Elkoubi and contributed its components to the T294/6s built up by Elkoubi for Le Mans in 1978 and 1979.
8. Chevron B21/B23 [72-26] (Martin Raymond): Bought relatively late in the 1972 season by Martin Raymond (London) to replace his Daren Mk. 3, B21-72-26 was used for the last three races of the European series and then, in upgraded B23 form, for the whole 1973 season. It was unused in 1974 and was advertised by Raymond in November that year. Bought by John Blanckley (London) for 1975 and raced by him and John Calvert that season, after which it was sold to Rolf Götz (Waldenbuch, Germany) and raced from 1976 to 1978, latterly described as a B26. For 1979, Götz bought Blanckley's newer B31 and the fate of the B21 is unknown. Between 1980 and 1982, a car with this identity was advertised by Bob Speak's Barrowford Garage (Nelson, Lancashire) but how it had got from southwestern Germany to Lancashire is unclear.
9. Lola T292 [HU54] (Hervé Bayard): One of four Lola T292s invoiced by Lola to Ecurie Bonnier for customer Archambeaud, HU54 is identified in Sport Auto as the BMW-powered car driven by Bayard. It has been identified by Lola specialist Philippe Rafesthain on Autodiva as the car sold to Jean Belin for 1974. Belin finished second in the G5-7 class of the French hillclimb championship in 1974. He raced the car regularly through 1974 and 1975, and appeared for a couple more events in 1976. The car was then retired to Michel Pont's Abarth museum at the Château de Savigny lès Beaune in France until 1986, when it was sold to Jean Proyart and Jean Martin to race again. After Martin's death, Proyart kept the car from 1987 to 1991, when it was prepared for historic racing. After a severe testing accident, it was extensively rebuilt at Lola in 1992. It was sold on in 1999 or 2000. Subsequent history unknown.
10. Lola T292 [HU58] (Jean-Louis Lafosse): Acquired in May 1973 by Jean-Louis Lafosse to run in 2-litre racing as part of Ecurie Filipinetti, who also ran Lafosse's Gitanes-backed 3-litre Lola T282. The project was badly effected by the death of Georges Filipinetti. Lafosse retained the car for the 1974 season and after an unsuccessful run with Osella, moved to the ROC team and raced the T292 at Mugello in September fitted with one of ROC's Simca engines. The car appears to have become part of the ROC equipe and was raced by Xavier Lapeyre at Jarama in October and is believed to have stayed with ROC through 1975. Then likely to be the "ex-Filipinetti" Lola T292 with which Georges Morand won the 2-litre class at Le Mans in 1976. After that it appears to have gone via Heini Mader to Michel Elkoubi and been used in French national races in 1977, for example at the Treffort hillclimb. It was rebuilt for Le Mans again in 1978 as one of Elkoubi's two Pronuptia entries. However, it is unclear which of the #24 and #25 entries it was and, because of this, its later history has not yet been determined.
11. Lola T292 [HU40] (Guy Edwards): Described consistently as the "prototype" T292, HU40 first appeared at Jarama 5 Nov 1972 where it was raced by Richard Scott. It was then Guy Edwards' works car throughout 1973 after which it was updated to T294 specification and sold by Lola to Martin Raymond for 1974. It went to Stewart Chubb for 1975 and continued to race in the European series. In 1976, Chubb sold the car to Steven Payne-Herbert and it was used in Can-Am and SCCA BSR racing until 1980. Payne-Herbert kept the car until 1989 when it was sold for vintage racing and, three owners later, it was being offered for sale by Grand Prix Classics in February 2011.
12. Alpine A440 [4400] (Jean-Pierre Jabouille): The first Alpine A440, which had the slightly confusing chassis number 4400, was Jean-Pierre Jabouille's car until September and then became the team mule. After winter testing, the car vanished but is believed to have gone to Equipe Archambeaud as a source of spares for their sister A440, chassis 4401. The fate of the two A440s is not yet clear but they are believed to have gone from Larrousse's team to a Frenchman called Barbier and then 4400 is believed to have gone to Jean-Marie Jung for hillclimbs. Jung did not have an engine for the car and is reported to have used a 1600cc Gordini engine. (This may be the Alpine A440 1600 raced by Volet in 1980.) Jung raced the car from about 1982 onwards and was reported to still have the car, fully restored, near Angouleme in 2009.
13. Chevron B23 [73-12] (John Lepp): The second Red Rose Racing Chevron was driven by John Lepp in 1973 and he was allocated chassis B23-73-12. The B23 was advertised by Red Rose at the end of the season and bought by Bob Howlings in March 1974 who intended to race it. However, the car is not seen again and is believed to have been sold by Howlings to a Japanese customer.
14. Lola T292 [HU51] (Jim Busby): SCCA driver Jim Busby bought a new Lola T292 for 1973 and competed in the European championship as part of Guy Edwards' semi-works Barclays International Racing team. He departed for his native California after the September Nürburgring race, leaving him time to secure the SCCA Southern Pacific Division BSR title. He was second in the Run-Offs to Jerry Hansen's sister car, HU60. For 1974, the car was sold to Noah Lacona (W. Des Moines, IA) who ran it in SCCA MidWest Division BSR racing for many years, finishing third at the Run-Offs as late as 1983. In 1977, HU51 was raced by Bobby Rahal at the Road America Can-Am. The car was later sold by Lacona to Joe Buzzetta (St James, NY) who also retained it for many years. He sold it to Larry Connor (Centerville, OH) who sold it to Greg Galdi (Lloyd Harbor NY) in February 2011. Since 1994, it has been looked after by Mark Wehrmann of Wehrmann Engineering (Hauppauge, NY).
15. Lola T212 [SL210/14] (Rolf Skoghag): Terry Croker bought SL210/14 in August 1970 to replace his Lola T70 for use in the Interserie championship. Croker used it in the 1971 European 2-litre series, sharing with Guy Edwards at the Nürburgring in September. It was sold to Rolf Skoghag for 1972 who continued to race it until June 1973. It is then reported to have passed through the hands of Mike Gue and John Webb before reaching Bill Sainsbury (Vancouver, Canada) for 1976. After racing in DSR in 1976 it is reported to have passed via MacKenzie Racing 1977 and at least one other Canadian owner to Robert Grant (UK) in 1985 who sold it to Bengt Ljungbergh (Sweden) later that year. Ljungbergh retained it to 2007 when it was sold via Chris Fox to Geoff Lister. It was for sale in November 2010.
16. Chevron B23 (Stefano Buonapace): Stefano Buonapace raced one or more Chevrons from 1971 to 1973 but it currently appears that all were based on his original B19. His 1971 car was described as having either a 1600cc Alfa Romeo or 2-litre Abarth engine but over the next two seasons he generally ran in the 1300cc class in Italian domestic races. His "B21" or "B23" in 1973 ran with a Armaroli-tuned Ford 1300cc engine. The subsequent history of Buonapace's car is not yet known.
17. Chevron B23 [73-09] (Javier Juncadella): Acquired by Roger Hire a few races into the 1973 season and quickly completed using some B21 parts to run as part of the Hire International/Scuderia Montjuich team. Raced by José Juncadella, Javier Juncadella, Jorge de Bagration and Tim Schenken in European 2-litre events in 1973. Maybe the car raced by Rafael Barrios at Paul Ricard in April 1974 for Hire's Forge Mill Racing. Also appeared at Jarama 20 Oct 1974 for De Bagration. Advertised by Hire at the end of 1974 but not known in 1975 and 1976. With Laurence Jacobsen 1977 and with Tony Sugden for libre racing late 1978. Rebodied as a Skoda Super Saloon for 1979 and raced until at least 1981. Advertised by Malcolm Johnstone 1983. Reported to be with Mike Burtt 1988.
18. GRD S73 [055] (Jörg Obermoser): Jorg Obermoser ran a pair of GRD S73s during 1973 and his own car was identified by Sport Auto at Clermont-Ferrand in June as chassis 055. It is assumed that he ran the same car all season. In 1974, the two GRDs were extensively modified by Obermoser's TOJ company and entered as Toj SS02s. The individual history of the two SS02s has not yet been determined.
19. Lola T292 [HU46] (TBA): Invoiced by Lola to Jo Bonnier for customer Archambeaud and then identified by Sport Auto as Hervé Bayard's car at Paul Ricard in April. This was the team's only FVC-engined car and Autosport noted that this was the car used by Gérard Larrousse in the Le Mans test. It was kept as a spare car after Paul Ricard but was not used again. According to 'Parping', a poster on the Autodiva forum, this car was sold to the ROC team for 1974 and was the T292 in which their Max Funda-built Simca engine was first used at Le Mans that season as the team's #43 entry. ROC acquired a newer T292 for 1975, chassis HU64, and the fate of HU46 has not yet been established. It is prime candidate to be the ROC-powered T292 of Klaus Oestreich from late 1974 onwards.
20. Lola T290 [HU5] (Fred Stalder): This car was acquired by Ecurie Bonnier and run for customer Claude Swietlik throughout 1972, also being raced by Mario Cabral, Gilbert Salles and Hervé Bayard on occasion. In 1973 it was sold to Fred Stalder who founded Racing Organisation Course (ROC) and was used throughout the season in both European 2-litre racing and in French hillclimbs. Based on photographic evidence, this car was retained by ROC for 1974 as a backup for for hire purposes. It appears to be the car used by Albert Dufrêne in French hillclimbs in 1974 and is then believed to have passed to Christian Riehl around 1976.
21. Lola T290 [HU14] (Jacques Henry): Raced by Nello Chelli in 1972 in French hillclimbs, winning the G5-7 class at Neufchatel-en-Bray (11 May) and at Glouneaux (25 Jun) and winning overall at Abreshwiler (14 May) and at Angouleme (21 May). Also used in some circuit racing. Sold to Jacques Henry for 1973, and run alongside Fred Stalder's T290 HU5 in European 2-litre racing, at Le Mans and in French hillclimbs. Unknown in 1974 but identified by Philippe Rafesthain as the 1600cc car of André Chevalley in Swiss events in 1975. Unknown again in 1976, but reappeared in French hillclimbs in 1977, driven by Bernard Verdier, who was noted to be one of Fred Stalder's clients. This would then be the "ex-Verdier" car raced by Serge Vidal in the early weeks of the 1981 season. A car bearing this number was later bought by Matt Slinn from France in 1999. It was restored by Tollbar Racing in Matlock, fitted with a BDG engine and subsequently sold to Richard Hope. Retained by Hope in 2007.
22. Chevron B23 [73-05] (Ian Grob): Bought new by Ian Grob and used mainly in minor British and French events at first. Grob took his car to the Springbok series at the end of 1973 and then did a full European campaign in 1974. For 1975, he bought a new Chevron B31 and the B23 was sold to Scottish club racer Tony Charnell. Charnell then bought Grob's B31 for 1976 and the fate of the B23 in unknown.
23. Lola T292 [HU52] (Ray Fallo): New to Ecurie Bonnier for customer Ray Fallo. It first appeared at the Monza 1000 km in April 1973, driven by Fallo at José Dolhem, but the car then became part of the BIP Ecurie Bonnier team and was shared by Carlos Gaspar and Jorge Pinhol in the Spa 1000 km and the Nürburgring 1000 km in May. It was raced by Gaspar at Clermont-Ferrand in mid-June, and in the Portuguese races at Vila Real and Estoril in early July. Then taken to Angola for Fallo to drive at Luanda and Benguela in July/August 1973, then for Fallo again at Imola in September, for Gaspar at Nogaro, and finally Pinhol at Barcelona and Estoril. Ecurie Bonnier did not continue into 1974 and the car's subsequent history is unknown. The two surviving BIP cars, HU52 and HU64, are likely to have been the Swiss cars of Ruedi Jauslin and Henri Bürgisser in 1974.

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.

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.

Individual sources for this event

Autosport 7 Jun 1973 pp8-10, Motoring News 7 Jun 1973 pp9,11, Autosprint 4-11 Giugno 1973 pp32-34 (entry list 28 Maggio-4 Giugno 1973 p17).