Players (Canadian) Formula Atlantic Series Race
Halifax, 18 Aug 1974
Results | Laps | Time/Speed | |||||||
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1 | Bill Brack | Chevron B27 [27-74-08] - Ford BDA Hart #1 STP Lotus (see note 1) |
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2 | Bobby Brown | Chevron B27 [27-74-18] - Ford BDA Smith #79 B&B Racing Enterprises (see note 2) |
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3 | Tom Klausler | Lola T360 [HU2] - Ford BDA Cosworth #63 (see note 3) |
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4 | Howdy Holmes | Chevron B27 [27-74-15] - Ford BDA Hart #8 Fred Opert Racing (see note 4) |
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5 | Bruce Jensen | March 74B [6] - Ford BDA Hart #41 Jenmac Racing (see note 5) |
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6 | Syd Demovsky | March 74B (side rads) - Ford BDA Greatorex #33 Greatorex Racing Ltd (see note 6) |
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7 | Chip Mead | Chevron B27 [27-74-03] - Ford BDA Nicholson #23 Doug Shierson Racing (see note 7) |
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8 | Peter W. Broeker | Chevron B27 [27-74-17] - Ford BDA Hart #21 Stebro (see note 8) |
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9 | Gilles Villeneuve | March 74B (side rads) [13] - Ford BDA Greatorex #13 Schweppes/Cyma (see note 9) |
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10 | Al Justason | Rondel M1 - Ford BDA #32 (see note 10) |
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11 | Hugh "Wink" Bancroft | Chevron B27 [27-74-05] - Ford BDA Hart #6 Fred Opert Racing (see note 11) |
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12 | Chris O'Brien | Rondel M1 [204] - Ford BDA #12 Rondel March (see note 12) |
Oil leak | ||||||
13 | Bill Eagles | Brabham BT40 [24] - Ford BDA #46 Tex Made Racing (see note 13) |
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R | Ron Cohn | March 73B [7] - Ford BDA (see note 14) |
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R | Peter Ferguson | Chevron B20 [72-5] - Ford BDA #3 Samsonite Chevron (see note 15) |
29 | Black flagged | |||||
R | James King | Chevron B27 [27-74-04] - Ford BDA Nicholson #22 Doug Shierson Racing (see note 16) |
28 | Accident: hit hay bale | |||||
R | Gary Magwood | Lola T360 [HU6] - Ford BDA #27 (see note 17) |
27 | Accident: hit hay bale | |||||
R | Craig Hill | Brabham BT40 - Ford BDA #4 CTV/Castrol/Goodyear (see note 18) |
0 | Engine | |||||
R | Bill O'Connor | Lola T360 [HU3] - Ford BDA Smith #62 (see note 19) |
0 | Fuel pump | |||||
UNK | Fred Beyer | Brabham BT35 [10] - Ford twin cam (see note 20) |
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UNK | David Fram | Brabham BT40 [13] - Ford BDA #10 Parkwood [Fred Opert Racing?] (see note 21) |
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DNS | Mauro Lanaro | March 71BM [10?] - Ford twin cam #35 (see note 22) |
Did not start (Accident) |
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DNS | Bruce MacInnes | March 73B [17] - Ford BDA (see note 23) |
Did not start (Engine) |
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DNSC | Charles T. Gibson | March 73B [71BM-15] - Ford BDA Hart (see note 24) |
Did not start (crashed) | ||||||
DNA | Tim Cooper | March 73B - Ford BDA #19 March 732 Merlyn (see note 25) |
Did not arrive | ||||||
DNA | Dave Morris | March 74B [8] - Ford BDA #74 (see note 26) |
Did not arrive | ||||||
  | David Loring | March 73B - Ford BDA Race Shop #18 (see note 27) |
On entry list |
All cars are 1.6-litre F/Atl unless noted.
Qualifying | |||||
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1 | Bill Brack | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-08] - Ford BDA Hart | 1.07.600 | ||
2 | James King | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-04] - Ford BDA Nicholson | 1.07.757 | ||
3 | Howdy Holmes | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-15] - Ford BDA Hart | 1.08.416 | ||
4 | Tom Klausler | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Lola T360 [HU2] - Ford BDA Cosworth | 1.08.473 | ||
5 | Hugh "Wink" Bancroft | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-05] - Ford BDA Hart | 1.08.482 | ||
6 | Gilles Villeneuve | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 74B (side rads) [13] - Ford BDA Greatorex | 1.08.787 | ||
7 | Chip Mead | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-03] - Ford BDA Nicholson | 1.08.897 | ||
9 | Bobby Brown | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-18] - Ford BDA Smith | 1.09.783 | ||
10 | Bruce Jensen | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 74B [6] - Ford BDA Hart | 1.10.320 | ||
14 | Peter Ferguson | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B20 [72-5] - Ford BDA | |||
15 | Peter W. Broeker | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-17] - Ford BDA Hart | |||
24 | Gary Magwood | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Lola T360 [HU6] - Ford BDA | no time |
Notes on the cars:
- Chevron B27 [27-74-08] (Bill Brack): New to Fred Opert Racing and raced by US-domiciled Swede Bertil Roos in North American Formula Atlantic, and later in the season by a number of guest drivers, including Richard Melville, Bill Brack and Héctor Rebaque. This is then believed to be the "ex-Roos" B27 used by Jim Crawley (Frenchtown, NJ) in a number of SCCA Nationals in 1975, allowing him to qualify for the FB Run-Offs. At the same time, Crawley raced a newer B29 in the British series. The B27 was advertised in November 1975 by George Walsh of Intercontinental Marketing in Philadelphia, PA, Crawley's sponsor at the Run-Offs, describing it as ex-Roos, ex-Crawley and noting track records at Bridgehampton and Palm Beach. Subsequent history unknown.
- Chevron B27 [27-74-18] (Bobby Brown): Chevron build record says sold to Bobby Brown of B&B Racing Enterprises, June 1974. The car was badly damaged in an accident at Trois Rivieres in 1974. Brown says that the remains were returned to Chevron in p/x for two B29s in 1975. However, advertised by Brown in May and June 1975 as 'not raced since complete rebuild at Chevron' which suggests that the car came back to him. Sold later in 1975 to Thomas Christ (Racine, WI), and raced by him in SCCA Nationals in late 1975, then in Pro Formula Atlantic and SCCA Nationals in 1976 and 1977. To John Scola (Kenosha, WI) for 1978 and 1979, and raced by him as late as July 1981. Then unknown until owned by Daniel Sauriol (Appleton, WI) in 1984. Sold to Cliff Ebben (Appleton, WI) at the end of the 1984 season, then sold by him to Comprep (i.e. Dennis Eade of ComPrep (Competition Preparation) in Zenda, WI) for ComPrep customer Alan Lewis (Indianapolis, IN). Run by ComPrep for Eade. Sold to Alan Azar (O'Fallon, IL) in 1999. With dealer Chuck Haines of Can-Am Cars Ltd (St. Louis, MO) in 2018.
- Lola T360 [HU2] (Tom Klausler): Sold via North American agent Carl Haas to Tom Klausler (Palatine, IL) and run for him by Traylor Engineering in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1974. Klausler won two rounds, and the Pro races at Road America, Trois-Rivières and Waterford Hills. Sold to Mike Hall (Twin Lakes, WI) for 1975, and raced in the Players series. There is no sign of Hall racing it again after 1975, but he advertised it in the early months of 1977, after which it appears to go back to Carl Haas Racing. In January 1978, it was advertised by Dassig Engineering (Northbrook, IL) as the "ex Klausler/Hall" T360. To Guy Revesz (Des Plaines, IL) for 1978, and raced in Central Division SCCA events for the next four seasons, scoring two points in 1978, ten points in 1979, seven in 1980 and seven in 1981. He advertised the car in March 1981 as "Klausler's successful Atlantic car". According to Chris Townsend, Revesz retained the car until 1982, when it went to Patrick Garmyn in a trade for a Ralt RT4. It later moved to Mike Carder (Columbus, OH) who raced it until the end of 1983, winning the CenDiv regional championship that year.
- Chevron B27 [27-74-15] (Howdy Holmes): Consigned to Fred Opert in July 1974 for "a Californian SCCA driver", but very likely to be the Fred Opert #8 team car that appears in Formula Atlantic in July 1974 for Howdy Holmes (Ann Arbor, MI), which was described as 'brand new'. Used by Tom Pryce at Trois Rivieres on 1 Sep, and badly damaged. Presumably rebuilt for Holmes at Watkins Glen on 4 Oct. Advertised by Opert in April 1975 as "ex-Holmes" and "4 races from new". Very probably the car sold to Dan Neuman (St Paul, Minnesota) early 1975, and advertised by Neuman as "ex-Pryce" in 1976. Subsequent history unknown.
- March 74B [6] (Bruce Jensen): New to Bruce Jensen (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada), and raced by him in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series. He competed in all seven rounds of the series, with a best result of second place at Edmonton in June, and took pole position at Sanair in July. He then competed in the Trois-Rivières race in September, and in the two Pro Formula B races later in the season, at Waterford Hills in September, and the US GP support race at Watkins Glen in October. The car was sold for 1975 to Jean Beaulieu (Quebec City, Quebec, Canada), who appeared very briefly at the start of the 1975 series, but he failed to start the opening race after a number of problems that culminated with a rod through the side of the engine. He sold the car to Ron Rogers (Trenton, Ontario), who raced it mostly in club events in 1976 and 1977 before selling it to Jim Close. Rogers ran the car for Close until Close took it back to California. Sold back to Rogers in the early 1990s, and retained until November 2020, when it was sold to Tom Smith of TS Historics (Newbury, Berkshire).
- March 74B (side rads) (Syd Demovsky): Syd Demovsky (Chicago, IL) raced a March 74B hired to him and run by Tom Greatorex (Montréal, Quebec, Canada) in the 1974 Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series. From the start of the season, the car had the works F2 long nose with a right-hand side radiator. The nose, cockpit and engine cover at the first race were white, but the tub sides were a darker colour, suggesting that the car was originally one of the dark blue cars. Raced by Demovsky in all Players rounds and at Trois-Rivières. Subsequent history unknown, but based on its colour, specification, and location in Montréal, it is likely to be the car raced by Peter Broeker in 1975.
- Chevron B27 [27-74-03] (Chip Mead): New to Doug Shierson Racing via Fred Opert for Chip Mead (Dayton, OH) to race in Formula Atlantic, initially in the opening races of the British series, then in North America. The car was blue and ran in North America as #23. Sold to Keith Feldott (LaGrange, IL) and raced in SCCA Central Division Formula B in 1975, scoring 11 points to finish ninth in the division. Retained for 1976, when Feldott finished second at Mid-America Raceway and at Grattan Raceway in May, and again at Grattan in July to finish the season on 37 points, tied for second in the division, and racing at the Runoffs. Retained again for 1977, but seen more rarely as Feldott moved into Trans-Am. Subsequent history unknown.
- Chevron B27 [27-74-17] (Peter W. Broeker): Chevron build record says sold to Peter Broeker, June 1974. This car was destroyed in a trailer fire in late 1974 on the way to Trois Rivieres.
- March 74B (side rads) [13] (Gilles Villeneuve): A yellow March 74B sold to US agent Joe Grimaldi in "semi kit" form. This appears to have been the car raced by Ecurie Canada driver Gilles Villeneuve at Edmonton at the start of June, after which the car was converted to the latest F2 specification, which involved moving the main radiator to the left side of the engine, a new extended nose, and a rear wing 18 inches further back. Villeneuve raced it in this form at Gimli , but then wrecked it at Mosport Park in July. A new car was built out of the wreck and was raced by David Loring at Sanair and St Johns later that month. Villeneuve returned to the car to race it at Halifax, Trois-Rivières and Watkins Glen. Subsequent history unknown but Joe Grimaldi told Kevan McLurg in April 2020 that the car came back to Grimaldi and he sold it to a farmer in the Midwest, who also acquired a spare tub at the same time.
- Rondel M1 (Al Justason): Al Justason (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) raced a Rondel M1 in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1974. According to Chris Townsend, when this car arrived, it was still in the Rondel colour scheme with Pescarolo's name on it, implying it was chassis 206, although Justason had no record of the chassis number himself. When Justason "retired" at the end of the 1974 season, he rented the car to Bob Beyea for a couple of Canadian Formula Atlantic races in 1975. He recalls that he later sold the car to Bill Bovenizer in Toronto, and Bill's recollection is that he sold it about 1982 to Jeremy Hill who wanted the engine for his Formula Atlantic March. Subsequent history unknown. Subsequent history unknown.
- Chevron B27 [27-74-05] (Hugh "Wink" Bancroft): An Fred Opert team car, used by Hugh "Wink" Bancroft (Costa Mesa, CA) in the US series in 1974. The car was owned by Bancroft, who according to Formula and Sports Car retained it unraced in 1975, and then wheeled it out again for a few SCCA South Pacific Division races in early 1976. Advertised in May 1976, and then by Fred Opert in November 1976. The car now owned in 2009 by Bud Morrison had an SCCA log book showing it was owned by Ken Valan (Wilmington, DE) in August 1978, so it is assumed that this was the "B29" that Valan raced from the start of the 1977 season. The logbook then shows that it went to Frank Shober (Chatham, NJ) and was raced by him from early 1979 to 1985. In October 1988, it was bought from Bruce McQuiston at the Bertil Roos Racing School (Blakeslee PA) by Monte C. Shalett (New Orleans, LA), who sold it via Grand Prix Classics (La Jolla, CA) to Paul Wesselink (Dana Point, CA/Huntington Beach, CA) in June 1997. From Wesselink to Emmet "Bud" Morrison (Tempe, AZ) in May 2005.
- Rondel M1 [204] (Chris O'Brien): The car used by Jody Scheckter as part of the Motul Rondel team at the first two F2 races of 1973. In June, Titan Properties, the company owned by Chris Meek and Malcolm Wayne, sponsored this car for Tom Pryce to make his F2 debut for Motul Rondel. He drove it until Rouen in June, where he retired with a blown engine, but then had a new car, chassis 208, when he returned to F2 in August. Chassis 204 was sold at the end of the season via Fred Opert to Chris O'Brien (Ottawa, Ontario /Halifax, Nova Scotia) and raced in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1974. O'Brien crashed the car at Mosport in July 1974 and it was rebuilt on a new monocoque in time for Sanair two weeks later. It was advertised in December 1974 as "ex-Scheckter" with spares that included a monocoque, presumably the one damaged at Mosport. O'Brien recalls that he sold the car back to Opert. Unknown in 1975, but to Dean Lundgreen (Milwaukee, WI) for 1976, when he scored eight points in Central Division Formula B, and 1977, when he scored 18 points and qualified for the Runoffs. To Ron Drew (Milwaukee, WI) and fitted with a Cosworth BDJ for Formula C in 1978 and 1979, then to Tim Joyce April 1980, then to Greg Dauterman (Fond du Lac, WI) February 1981 and used in Formula Continental up to June 1985. Dauterman sold it Bill Schley at Schley Motor Cars in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and from him it was sold to Jurg Dubler in Switzerland in January 1990. Then sold to Jody Scheckter in June 1999, and picked up by Kerry Adams who then looked after his cars. It has since been immaculately restored to original condition, and is in the care of Sam Kendle of Kendle Adams Motorsport Limited at Scheckter's Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire.
- Brabham BT40 [24] (Bill Eagles): New to Bill Eagles (Lasalle, Montréal, Quebec, Canada), and raced in the Players Canadian Formula B series in 1973, entered by Tex-Made Racing, Ville La Salle. Also driven by Allan Lader at Sanair in June. Retained by Eagles for 1974, again entered at #46, and fitted with a Cosworth BDA engine after the opening round. Eagles did not continue in Formula Atlantic after 1974, but in 1975 his car appeared at a race at Bushy Park, Barbados. It was still in Eagles' green/yellow #46 livery but it is not clear who was driving it that day. It was later owned and raced by David Kerr in Jamaica, and then sold by him to Richard Knox (Trinidad). Some time later, Knox sold both his Brabhams to UK dealer Bobby Howlings. The movements of the car are then unknown, but by 2005 it was in Tommy Reid's collection, still with Knox's name on the side.
- March 73B [7] (Ron Cohn): New to Ron Cohn (Modena, NY), and run as a two-car team with Bruce MacInnes in 1973, entered by DRC Formula Racing Inc in Players Canadian and SCCA Formula B races, running as #56. Retained for 1974, running in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series and in the US GP support race at Watkins Glen in October. To Eric Kerman (Hempstead, NY/Glen Cove, NY) for 1975 and updated with new orange bodywork, entered as #81 or #87, and running as a 75B. Raced by Kerman in SCCA Nationals from 1975 to 1979. Later to Oran Bushey (Huntingdon, NY) and raced until 1982. Subsequent history unknown, but this is a leading candidate for the car used by Cory Mayo with a Chevrolet V6 engine in the RCCA series in the 1980s. .
- Chevron B20 [72-5] (Peter Ferguson): Sold via Fred Opert and entered for Brian Robertson (Brockville, Ontario, Canada) in Formula B in 1972. To Ferguson/Wilson Racing Team for 1973 and raced by former Miss Canada pageant finalist Linda Wilson in Canadian Formula B. Due to be driven by Ric Forest at Trois-Rivières in September but teammate Peter Ferguson "wiped out" the sister car on the Saturday so took over Wilson's car for the race. Only one of the B20s was seen in 1974, driven by Ferguson, and it seems likely it was the ex-Wilson car. Advertised by Fred Opert in June 1975, suggesting it had returned to Opert in part exchange for Ferguson's new Chevron B29. Advertised again by Opert in early November 1975. Subsequent history unknown until bought as a rolling chassis by Ed Swart from somebody on the east coast who had been trying to restore it. It was black at that stage, and Ed repainted it to orange, the Dutch racing colours, and fitted a BDA engine as he completed the restoration. Raced by Swart from 1989 to February 1993, winning VARA's historic Formula Atlantic West coast title in 1992. Swart then acquired a Chevron B45, and the B20 was sold to Richard Morrison in Tennessee in February 1996.
- Chevron B27 [27-74-04] (James King): Chevron build record says sold via Fred Opert to Doug Shierson Racing. According to Chevron the car used by James King at Mallory Park before being shipped to the USA. (King and Mead owned their own cars in the Shierson team.) Badly damaged by King at Mosport in July 1974 and rebuilt around a new tub. Formula Mar 75 p29 reports, 'King is trying to sell the B27 he drove in 1974 under Shierson's management'. (King still has the plate for this car.) Sold to Lloyd Callaway (Chicago, IL) and used in SCCA racing in 1975 and early 1976, and in some pro races. Callaway advises that the car was sold to Fred Opert in early 1976 in p/x for a new Chevron B34. It was bought from Opert by John Connolly (Brooklyn, NY) who raced it in local SCCA and EMRA events in 1976 and 1977. After Connolly bought a new Ralt RT1 in early 1978, he advertised the Chevron B27 in September 1978 and sold it to Bertil Roos (Blakeslee, PA), who won the Formula Atlantic race at the SCCA 'Bonus' National at Charlotte in April 1979. He then attached fenders to the car and used it in Can-Am, still with its 1600cc Cosworth BDD engine. Roos bought a different Chevron B27 for 1980, and, according to Doug Waters, his 1979 car was sold to someone in California who planned to use it as a sports car with an Alfa Romeo V8 engine. Many years later, in 1999, Sandy Dells Racing (San Diego, CA) sold two B27 tubs to Jim Sparks (San Diego, CA). Dells restored one of these to running condition for Sparks, then sold the other tub and parts on Sparks' behalf to Mike Winebrenner (Louisville, KY) in 2004. Winebrenner was able to identify his monocoque by its SCCA Chicago Region stamping as Lloyd Calloway's 1975 car, but the 74-04 chassis plate is on Sparks' car. Winebrenner's parts were sold in early 2009 to Bud Morrison (Tempe, AZ), who already owned 74-05 and 74-07. It would appear that Sparks' car is built on the original tub, and Morrison's is the replacement tub.
- Lola T360 [HU6] (Gary Magwood): New via North American agent Carl Haas and Canadian agent Brian Robertson to Jack Burnett for Gary Magwood (Toronto, Ontario) to race in the Canadian John Player Formula Atlantic series in 1974. Also raced by Magwood at the US GP Formula Atlantic support race at Watkins Glen in October 1974, but then not seen until Magwood returned to Formula Atlantic in July 1976. Comprehensively destroyed in Magwood's accident at Halifax in August 1976.
- Brabham BT40 (Craig Hill): Craig Hill (Missassagua, Ontario, Canada) raced a white #2 Brabham BT40 in the Players Canadian Formula B series in 1973, entered by Fother Hill Ltd with sponsorship from Castrol GTX. Retained by Hill for 1974 and fitted with a Cosworth BDA engine for the new Formula Atlantic series, when it ran as #4. Unknown in 1975. It was bought from Opert Racing's Brian Robertson by Howard Kelly (Kingston, Ontario), and raced at the IMSA Formula Atlantic race at Road Atlanta in April 1976, then at a couple of later Players rounds in Canada. Kelly traded it to Jerry Jolly (Denver, CO) for a Lola T322/4 Formula Super Vee. Owners after Jolly are believed to have been George Gettel (Denver, CO) - so it would be the Brabham he raced in 1979 - then Sherry M Fagans in 1981, then Jim Christiansen and then Ron Doyle, who had been Fagans' mechanic at one stage. It was then owned by a man named Forrest Grove (Denver, CO) in 1984, and raced by him with a Mazda engine in ASR in 1985 and 1986. Grove won the MiDiv Regional title in ASR in this car in 1986. After Grove's death, it was acquired from his son by John Streeter (Ford Collins, CO) in 2009.
- Lola T360 [HU3] (Bill O'Connor): Sold via North American agent Carl Haas to Bill O'Connor (Highland Park, IL) and run for him by Traylor Engineering in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1974. O'Connor won the US GP support race in this car in October 1974. Retained for 1975, when it was used in the Canadian series and at least once in SCCA Nationals, entered by United Racing Ltd. To John Kowalski (Berea, OH), who won Central Division Formula B in 1976 in the car, qualifying for the Runoffs. Kowalski only scored nine points in a Lola in Central Division FB in 1977. Subsequent history unknown.
- Brabham BT35 [10] (Fred Beyer): New to Brian Robertson (Brockville, Ontario, Canada) and raced by him in the Canadian Formula B series in 1971, entered by Fred Opert Racing. To Al Justason (Toronto, Ontario) for Canadian FB in 1972 and 1973. To Fred Beyer (Ottawa, Ontario) for the Players (Canadian) Formula Atlantic series in 1974 and 1975. History then unknown until it was acquired from Bobby Brown in November 2006 by Kent Copeland (Dallas, TX). Brown is believed to have acquired it from Frank Costey in 2004. Copeland commented that it had been owned in Colorado in 1988, and its last races were believed to have been in 1986. It was red when acquired, but restored to a blue colour. Copeland died in July 2014 and, in May 2015, Todd Upp was advertising the car on behalf of his wife Holly. Sold in August 2022 to Stephen Temple (Santa Cruz, CA).
- Brabham BT40 [13] (David Fram): New for Brian Robertson (Brockville, Ontario) and raced by him in the Malaysian Grand Prix at Batu Tiga in April 1973, but wrecked the following weekend during practice at the Singapore Grand Prix. The car was rebuilt and raced a few times in Canada as part of Fred Opert's team, including by David Fram at Halifax in October 1974, and by Bob Beyea at Trois-Rivières two weeks later. Then sold to Mike Rand (Greenwich, CT) in time for the 1974 SCCA Runoffs, replacing a crashed Rondel M1, after which Rand raced the BT40 in Northeast Division SCCA Formula B in 1975. For 1976, Rand converted the car to Formula C. He bought a Modus for 1977, and the Brabham was sold to Larry Snover (Langsdale, PA) who raced it in FC and then in FB again. He sold it after the 1979 season to someone who planned to add sportscar bodywork for Can-Am. However, this never happened, and the car was offered for sale by Rick Parent (Asheville, NC) in June 2018, still in Snover's livery, noting that "the car has been sitting since 1980".
- March 71BM [10?] (Mauro Lanaro): The talented but cash-strapped Ian Coristine (Montréal, Quebec) had run his own March 71BM in 1971, but for 1972 rented an updated car from Ecurie Canada. The 71BM, probably Wilson Southam's old car, was updated to side-radiator 722 specification by team mechanic Tom Greatorex. Coristine stayed with the team for 1973 but the car was put back to 71BM specification. The team almost ran out of money mid-summer, but were rescued by a sponsorship deal with Schweppes. The 71BM was then sold to Mauro Lanaro (Montréal, Quebec) and used in Canadian Formula Atlantic in 1974. Coristine recalls that this car was destroyed in a transporter fire on its way to a race at Debert, but the exact date of this has yet to be determined. Lanaro then bought another 71BM to replace it.
- March 73B [17] (Bruce MacInnes): New to Bruce MacInnes (Sharon, CT) and raced as part of a two-car team with Ron Cohn. Raced in the Players Canadian FB series and in the SCCA Pro FB races at Road America and Watkins Glen. Retained for 1974, and raced in the Players Canadian series again, and in the US GP support race at Watkins Glen in October. Sold to Joe Ostrowski (Trenton, NJ), and raced in NEDiv SCCA Nationals in 1975 and 1976. Presumably the March he raced in NEDiv in 1977 and 1978. Retained by Ostrowski until early 1982 when it was bought by Seann Burgess (Caledon, Ontario). Burgess won the CASC Ontario Formula Atlantic championship and the BARC Drivers Championship in 1982 as well as appearing in 'pro' events. After two more seasons of Atlantic, he converted the car to Can-Am specification at the end of 1985 and then fitted a McLaren M1B body and a Mazda 13B rotary engine for 1986. This "March RX10-B" was raced through the 1986 season. Burgess kept the Can-Am body after the car was retired from racing and sold the March to Richard Smith (Barrie, Ontario) who raced it in 1989 and 1990, still with the Mazda engine, and fitting 1975 bodywork for 1990. He sold it to Chuck Sieber (McLean, VA) who imported it back to the US in January 1991. He raced it in Solo events in 1991, and maybe in one or two more seasons until selling it back to Seann Burgess. Burgess initially restored it to MacInnes' 1973 livery, but at the request of the Villeneuve Museum traded his 73B bodywork to Marchives for a set of 1975 bodywork, and rebuilt the car to resemble Gilles Villeneuve's Skiroule March 75B. By May 2010, it was on display in the Musée Gilles Villeneuve (Berthierville, Quebec).
- March 73B [71BM-15] (Charles T. Gibson): New to US dealer Joe Grimaldi and supplied in red bodywork. New to Mike Rand (Greenwich, CT) in time for the SCCA Runoffs, where he crashed in practice. Raced in Pro FB and SCCA Nationals in 1972. Sold to Charlie Gibson (Poughkeepsie, NY) for 1973, and again raced in Pro FB and in SCCA Nationals. Retained again for 1974, when it was run in the Canadian series in 73B specification. Also raced more rarely in 1975, before Gibson advertised it in early 1976. According to current owner Simon Perkins, it was sold for 1976 to "Eric Schneider who only did a few events and then neglected the car when he went off to college". In 1989, Charlie Gibson reacquired the car and resold it to Chris Smith, who had it refurbished by Derek Matthews at Ark Racing in 1989/1990. After racing it occasionally, Smith sold it to Perkins (North Newington, Oxfordshire) who did a few US Vintage races in 2002 and 2003 before bringing the car back to the UK in 2004. He has since raced it in HSCC and European F2 races.
- March 73B (Tim Cooper): Roy Folland (Montréal, Quebec) had a purple #6 March 73B for 1973 but crashed at Trois-Rivières in Sept and after being repaired, the 73B was sold to Ecurie Canada for guest driver Eppie Wietzes to race at the Watkins Glen Pro FB race five weeks later. Then sold to Tim Cooper (Kansas City, MO) who raced the "ex-Ecurie Canada" 73B at a Willow Springs Regional in December 1973. Raced extensively in SCCA racing early in 1974 and then in the Pro F/Atlantic series, prepared by Charlie Williams Racing. Cooper hired a new 75B and ran as part of Doug Shierson Racing in 1975, and the subsequent history of the 73B is unknown.
- March 74B [8] (Dave Morris): New to Dave Morris (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) and raced by him in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series until a major accident at Mosport Park in July. Morris rebuilt the car with a new monocoque from March, and advertised it as an unraced 75B in October 1975. Subsequent history unknown.
- March 73B (David Loring): In July 1974, David Loring raced a Formula Atlantic March at Mosport Park. Canadian Motorsport Bulletin reported that it was "a nice March 73 owned by Dale Lang and supplied by Joe Grimaldi". At the next race, Seb Barone raced what CMB called "the Grimaldi March that Loring had driven at Mosport". From this, it seems highly likely that this was the same car that Grimaldi had raced at the opening two races of the 1974 Canadian series, at Westwood and Edmonton. Richard Paul recognised the car as the March Grimaldi had raced at Trois-Rivières in September 1973, so we can trace this 73B that far back at least. It may even be the car Lang drove at several other races in 1973, but we cannot yet be clear about that. Presumably the car raced by Grimaldi at Waterford Hills in September 1974, but this is uncertain as Grimaldi had a 74B by this time. In 1975, Grimaldi joined forces with Doug Shierson Racing, and DSR ran an older updated March for Price Cobb. Cobb described this in an interview as a 73B, and Grimaldi, when talking to Kevan McLurg in 2020, said that Cobb got Lang's old car. So this seems to be a 73B starting in September 1973, possibly earlier, and continuing until Cobb's last race in it at Trois-Rivières in August 1975. Subsequent history unknown, but this car was unusual for a "75B" in that it had no left-hand radiator, so may have been the Joe Shepherd 75B in 1976.
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 Formula and On Track, information drawn from Canadian newspapers and 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.
Individual sources for this event
Autosport 22 Aug 1974 p8, Championship points summary sheet [OMH], CMB [OMH], Chevron build records and March 74B build records