OldRacingCars.com

Michael Angus in the Ralt RT4/83 with which he would win the 1985 ECAR title.  Seen here at Blackhawk Farms in 1984.  Copyright Mark Windecker 2014.  Used with permission.

ECAR Formula Atlantic 1985

In the first season of ECAR, only two drivers competed the full season: Michael Angus, whose wife Holly had first had the idea of an east coast equivalent to WCAR; and Florida Ferrari dealer Steve Shelton, whose wife took the opposite approach of never talking to Steve's brother Tom after he introduced his younger sibling to motor racing. Shelton beat Angus in a 1-2 finish at Summit Point in July only for Angus to reverse the order at Brainerd two weeks later. Shelton's season was then disrupted by a crash at Lime Rock in August and he then damaged his brand new Ralt RT4/85 in a practice accident at Trois-Rivi?res. As Angus continued with podium finishes at all six races, a run of three retirements left Shelton far behind him.

Apart from a couple of rarely seen Tigas, the only non-Ralts that were anything other than antique were Peter Heckmann's rare Lola T860, a F/Atlantic derivative of the F2 Toleman TG280, and Louis Baldwin's March 81A. A couple of cars took part that dated all the way back to the dawn of Formula Atlantic in 1974. Of the Ralts, four new 1985 cars appeared at some point during the season but Mike Greenfield's was the only regular. One of only two 1984 Ralts in the country also appeared but these newer cars were outnumbered by 1982 and 1983 Ralts. Both Angus and Shelton started the season in 1983 models and visiting westerners Dan Marvin and Riley Hopkins both won races in their 1982 cars.

The races

07 Jul 1985 > Summit Point

21 Jul 1985 > Brainerd

28 Jul 1985 > Granby

10 Aug 1985 > Lime Rock

01 Sep 1985 > Trois-Rivières

13 Oct 1985 > St Louis International Raceway

03 Nov 1985 > St Petersburg

ECAR Formula Atlantic Championship events shown in bold

1985 ECAR Formula Atlantic Championship table

1Michael AngusRalt RT4/83 - Ford BDD Jennings102 pts2 wins
2Steve SheltonRalt RT4/83 - Ford BDD48 pts1 win
3James OppermannRalt RT4/83 - Ford BDD42 pts 
4Michael GreenfieldRalt RT4/85 - Ford BDD41 pts1 win
5James KingRalt RT4/82 - Ford BDD38 pts 
6John LloydRalt RT4/82 - Ford BDD36 pts 
7Gene GrieselRalt RT4/81 - Ford BDD
Ralt RT4/83 - Ford BDD
34 pts 
8Paul PooreMarch 79B - Ford BDD29 pts 
9John TimkenRalt RT4/84 - Ford BDD24 pts 
10=Dan MarvinRalt RT4/82 - Ford BDD Hasselgren22 pts1 win
10=John ChristianRalt RT4/81 - Ford BDD Hasselgren22 pts 
10=Peter HeckmannLola T860 - Ford BDD Jennings22 pts