Players (Canadian) Formula Atlantic Series Race

Mosport Park, 1 Jul 1974

All cars are 1.6-litre F/Atl unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Chevron B27 [27-74-08] (Bertil Roos): 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Brabham BT38B [18] (Mikeal Bystrom Jr): Thomas M. Shelton (Plantation, FL/Fort Launderdale, FL) raced a red-and-white Brabham BT38B in South-East Division FB in 1972. The car arrived relatively late in the season and was still being described as immaculate and new at the Palm Beach National in September. Tom recalls that the engine broke at the Road America Pro race in August 1973, and he diverted to Chicago on his way home and traded the car to Carl Haas. Haas sold it to Mikeal Bystrom Jr (Minneapolis, MN), who had previously raced a Brabham BT18 in FC, and still recalls the chassis number of the BT38B as being BT38B/18. He broke the Hart twin cam at his first race and fitted a BDA instead, racing it in US Pro races in 1974 and then in the Canadian series in 1975. He sold it to Steve Fossett (Chicago, IL), then a commodities trader in Chicago, but later more famous for his ballooning exploits. Fossett raced it in SCCA Formula Atlantic in 1977.
9. Brabham BT35 [19] (Hugh Cree): 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".
10. Chevron B20 (Joe Shepherd): Dan Carmichael (Columbus, OH) raced a Chevron B20 at the Road America June Sprints and at the 1972 SCCA Runoffs. He finished the season with 25 points, indicating that he used the car at a minimum of three other SCCA Nationals during 1972. Carmichael acquired a new Brabham BT40 for 1973 and the Chevron was sold to Joe H. Shepherd (Indianapolis, IN), who raced it in Canadian and SCCA Pro Formula B in 1973, entered by Xanadu Racing, and also scored three points in SCCA Central Division FB. Retained by Shepherd for Players Canadian Formula Atlantic and SCCA Formula B in 1974, but he did not score any points in Central Division that season. He appeared again in 1975, but his only certain outing that season was in the Hoosier Grand Prix SCCA National at IRP in September. The car was advertised by Shepherd in January and February 1976, and his recollection is that it went to someone in the southeast US, perhaps on the coast.
11. 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).
12. 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.
13. March 73B [12] (Frank Del Vecchio): New to Frank DelVecchio (Trumbull, CT) and raced in SCCA Formula B and in rounds of the Players (Canadian) Formula B series in 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976. When Formula B changed in 1975 to accept the BDA engine, Frank continued with a fuel-injected Ford twin cam engine. He recalls that he sold the car to Peter Neumahr, who had raced a 71BM/733 in 1976 and would progress to a new 77B in 1977, but is thought to have raced this 73B briefly in late 1976 and early 1977. Neumahr sold the car to Jack Deaso (New York, NY), who DelVecchio recalls crashing it at Lime Rock first time out. Subsequent history unknown.
14. 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.
15. March 73B [10] (Ric Forest): New to James King (East St Louis, IL) and used in Central Division SCCA Formula B, one round of the Players Canadian series, and the Watkins Glen Pro race in October. Raced briefly in SCCA Nationals in early 1974 before his new Chevron B27 arrived from England, then leased to Ric Forest and Fred Phillips for the 1974 Players Canadian series. King took over the car again for 1975, rebuilt it on a new tub, fitted a March 742 nose and side radiators, and raced it in the Players Canadian series. It then went to Porter Brownlee (Little Rock, AR) who raced it in Midwest Division Formula B in 1976 and 1977. After blowing the engine, he sold it to Mike Winn (Little Rock, AR) who raced it for one season before selling it to Chuck Blair (North Little Rock, AR), who had previously maintained it for Brownlee. Blair ran it a couple of times before selling it, scoring two points in Midwest Division Formula Atlantic in 1980. Subsequent history unknown.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. Rondel M1 [207] (Seb Barone): The car raced by Bob Wolleck for Motul Rondel in F2 in 1973, and believed to be the same car all season. Like most of the team's cars, this went to Fred Opert for 1974 to be converted for use in SCCA Formula B and Canadian Formula Atlantic. Assuming Wolleck used the same car all season, this would then be "ex-Wolleck" car that Seb Barone (Portland, CT/Middletown, CT/Dilliner, PA) remembers buying for 1974. After a season in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series, Barone traded it back to Opert for his 1975 Chevron B29. According to Cy Morland, who owned chassis 207 from 1998 to 2008, the car was owned after Barone by John Stowe in New England for an extended period, so would be the Rondel raced by Stowe in New England Region SCCA Regionals in 1976. Morland had the tub completely rebuilt by Marc Bahner, and then sold the car back to England. Subsequent history unknown.
19. March 74B [73B-2] (Richard Paul): New to Richard Paul (North Hollywood, CA), and first raced it at the Phoenix SCCA National in February 1973 where it was entered as #48, sponsored by Fire Suppression Inc. Paul crashed heavily at Trois-Rivières in September. Paul retained the car for 1974, when it was usually described as a 74B, but wrapped it around a lamppost in practice for the St Johns Formula Atlantic race in July 1974. The car was rebuilt but may have used an older 722 monocoque. Paul entered it as a 742 in races in early 1975. Subsequent history unknown.
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. 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.
25. 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.
26. Brabham BT40 (Mike Hall): Mike Hall (Twin Lakes, WI) raced a brand new Brabham BT40 at the SCCA Run-Offs, known then as American Road Race of Champions, at Road Atlanta 25 Nov 1972, the first BT40 to race. Hall then raced this car in Formula B and Formula Atlantic in 1973 and 1974. He replaced it with a Lola T360 for 1975 and the Brabham was then raced by John Elder (Rosemount, Minnesota) in SCCA Nationals in 1975, winning his class at Brainerd in July. Hall had modified his car with a wide nose and a higher and fuller tail, and Elder's car showed the same modifications. The car was then advertised, as "ex-Mike Hall" by Richard Prather's Prather Racing (Wheeling, IL) in November 1976. There is a good chance this was the car raced by Peter Robinson (Madison, Wisc) in 1976 and 1977. Subsequent history unknown.
27. Brabham BT38B [13] (Reg Scullion): New to Eligio Siconolfi (Montréal, Quebec, Canada), who raced in the Canadian FB series in 1972, sponsored by Downtown Datsun Ltd. To Peter Overing (Montreal, Quebec) for 1973, but only seen at Sanair in June. Entered by Overing for Reg Scullion (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Montréal, Quebec) in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1974, but still with a Ford twin cam engine. Overing then acquired a March 74B for Scullion, and the Brabham was sold to Cliff Dawson (Mount Royal, Quebec), who fitted a BDA engine and raced it in Formula Atlantic in 1975, 1976 and 1977. After racing it in Regionals in the late 1970, Dawson converted the car to Can-Am specification with a body built in Montreal by Francis Cordolle and ran it in this form in Can-Am from 1980 to 1983, still with the 1600cc Cosworth BDA engine. According to Doug Waters, it was "sold in July 1984 to Martin Handforth in Ottawa, who soon sold it to Pennsylvania". (Note that Handforth had owned and raced a different BT38 in Quebec events in 1981.) Subsequent history unknown.
28. 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.
29. March 73B (Luke de Sadeleer): New to Gary Magwood (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), and raced in the Players Canadian series. Magwood was increasingly absorbed with his racing school at Mosport Park, and the March 73B was raced once by Luke de Sadeleer in 1974 before Magwood had his first race of the year in it at Sanair in July. After qualifying third, he hit the pit wall during the race, and wiped out the left side of the car. Magwood acquired a new Lola T360, but the March was eventually repaired and was advertised by Magwood in June and December 1977. Subsequent history unknown.
30. 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.
31. 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.
32. March 74B (Gilles Léger): Gilles Léger (Lachute, Quebec) raced a white #72 March 74B in the second half of the 1974 season, first appearing at Mosport Park in early July. To Reg Scullion (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Montreal, Quebec) in time for the Trois-Rivières race in September. Also raced by Scullion at Watkins Glen in October, when it was described as being red/white/blue, and at a couple of races in 1975. Scullion was sponsored by Peter Overing's Dicom shipping company. Subsequent history unknown.
33. 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).
34. Chevron B18C (Dean Lundgreen): Dean Lundgreen (Franklin, MN) raced a Chevron B18 or B18C in SCCA and MCSCC Formula B in 1973. What is probably his first race in the car came in the MCSCC season opener at Blackhawk Farms on 13 May when a "D Lundquist" retired his #74 Chevron FB. The number 74 was previously used by Freddy van Beuren on his Chevron B18, and as his car had been adverised by Fred Opert just a few months earlier, it seems likely that Lundgreen had bought that car. He changed to using #91 later in the season. Lundgreen retained the car for 1974, when it was described as a B18C and entered at #11. He again retained it for 1975, racing in SCCA Nationals, and scored three points in CenDiv FB for his fourth place at Blackhawk Farms in June. Lundgreen advertised his car in December 1975 as a Chevron B18 rolling chassis with Hewland FT200 gearbox, but had a fresh Hart BDA available. Subsequent history unknown.
35. March 71BM (Peter W Nye): Raced by Geoff Freeman (Yellow Springs, OH) in SCCA events in Central Division in 1971 but this 71BM did not appear in Pro events until bought by Peter Nye (Fostoria, OH) for the 1972 season. It may be the "ex-works 712 FB" advertised by 'Forward March' of Yellow Springs in February 1972. Nye crashed the car early in the season but rebuilt it on a new tub supplied by March and raced through 1972 and 1973 in Pro events and in SCCA. After relocating to Texas, Nye scored points in Southwest Division in 1974 and won his class in the Texas Region National in September 1975. Nye also loaned the car to Galen Lyons (Austin, TX) and he raced it in one or two SCCA Nationals before it was sold to the Northwest US where its new owners planned to rebuild it as a sports car.
36. March 71BM (Norm Joy): Ken Huband (Ottawa, Ontario) raced a #9/#8 red-and-white March 71BM in Canadian Formula B in 1973, with support from Tangent Travel Ltd. When Huband advertised the March, together with his older Brabham BT29, in CMB in September 1973, he said it had five races from new. Sold to Norm Joy (Montréal, Quebec) for 1974, with support from T.G.Yachts of Canada Ltd, but he failed to qualify at the opening race, and then skipped the second round. Then to David Westgate (Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec) for the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. Subsequent history unknown.
37. Brabham BT38B [12] (Ron Rogers): New to Barry Fox (Edmonton, Alberta) and raced in the Canadian Formula B series. To Lorne Progosh (Ottawa, Ontario) for 1973, but crashed during practice at Edmonton when the throttle stuck open. The car was badly damaged and Progosh was unable to continue. He towed it back to Ottawa and sold it to Ron Rogers (Trenton, Ontario), who repaired it with his racing partner Vince Murray and fitted an ex-Craig Hill Ford twin cam. Rogers raced it in mainly club events in 1973 and 1974, and appeared in at least one Players event in 1975, only for the engine to break during practice. In 1975 or 1976, he sold it to Steve Van Vlaenderen (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and maintained it for him for a season or two. Van Vlaenderen advertised the car in February 1977. What must surely be the same car was advertised by Stew McNair (Winnipeg) in April 1980, then with a "tired Hart 416B" engine, and it is likely that this was the car raced by Martin Handforth (Kanata, Ontario) in Quebec events in 1981. The car then somehow found its way to Ron Hunter (Denver, CO) who fitted a Cosworth BDJ (a 1300cc engine used in C Sports Racing) and used the car for a record attempt at Bonneville before breaking the engine. After Hunter died in 1987, the car was bought from his stepson Rick Graham (Denver, CO) by Cameron MacArthur (Loveland, CO). He prepared it for historic racing, at first with a pushrod engine and then with a Cosworth BDD, racing it until around 1997 or 1998 when he recalls selling it "to a dentist from Summit County". Subsequent history unknown.
38. March 722 Falconer (James R Modrall): Charles Hansen (Tenafly, NJ) raced a yellow #75 March 722 with Falconer bodywork at a few SCCA Northeast Division Nationals and in the Pro races at Sanair and Trois-Rivières in 1973. He ended the season with 13 points in NEDiv. The 722 was then sold to Jim Modrall (Westport, CT), who had been driving Hansen's previous Brabham BT29 for Erv Falk (Westport, CT) in 1973. Modrall raced the March in a New England Region SCCA Regional at Lime Rock in April 1974, finishing second, and was also entered in it by Falk Racing Inc for the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic race at Mosport in July. After Modrall left the team, the car was also used in practice sessions at Lime Rock by Jeff Gay (Norwalk, CT), but he preferred to race his Brabham BT29. Subsequent history unknown.
39. Chevron B18 [18.71.1] (Paul Wheatley): A new car built for Brian Redman after he wrecked the development B18 while testing in South Africa. Fitted with a 1.8-litre Cosworth FVC engine and raced by Redman in two races in South Africa in January 1971. This car returned to Bolton and became the works entry in F2 for Chris Craft during the 1971 F2 season. It was then sold to Canadian John Powell and rebuilt to Formula B specification. Powell raced it in the Brands Hatch Boxing Day meeting at the end of 1971 and then loaned it to Brian Robertson to race in the two Bogotá FB races in February and March 1972. Raced by Powell (Ottawa, Ontario) in the Canadian FB series in 1972, Sold to Paul Wheatley (Montréal, Quebec) and raced in the Canadian series in 1973. Wheatley appeared on a couple of early-1974 entry lists but the car was not seen again until he advertised it in April 1975.
40. Rondel M1 [208] (Roger Seacrist): New for Tom Pryce at Mantorp Park F2 in July 1973, and at three more F2 races that season. Believed to be the car raced by Chris Meek in a formule libre race at Croft in October 1973. Sold via Fred Opert to Roger Seacrist (Chicago, IL) for SCCA Formula B and Canadian Formula Atlantic in 1974. Retained for SCCA Nationals in 1975, when he finished third in a strong field at Blackhawk Farms in August and scored five points in Central Division FB. Advertised in Autoweek in March 1976 from an address in central Chicago, quoting the chassis number. In 2011, this car was reported to be "currently resting in rural Illinois".
41. March 74B [3] (Charles "Chuck" Hansen): Believed to be the Ecurie Canada entry for Gilles Villeneuve (Berthierville, Quebec, Canada) at the opening race of the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic season with Schweppes sponsorship. Villeneuve appears to have then moved to a newer car, and 74B/3 was used by Chuck Hansen (Tenafly, NJ) at Edmonton and Sanair. It then returned to March importer Joe Grimaldi, and was raced as a Race Shop entry by Dale Lang at Road America in late August, before being updated to the latest F2 specification for George Follmer to drive as an Ecurie Canada entry at Trois-Rivières. Raced by Bertil Roos at Watkins Glen in October, then hired by Grimaldi to Eric Kerman for the SCCA Runoffs. Sold by Grimaldi to Tom Pumpelly and run for him by Cavanaugh Racing (Ambler, PA) in early 1975. Pumpelly then moved to Doug Shierson Racing but exactly and apparently updated to 75B specification. Advertised the car in January 1976 as a "74-75B", "ex-Follmer/Roos", and sold to Peter Dodge (New York, NY/Stamford, CT), for SCCA Nationals and IMSA Formula Atlantic in 1976. Sold to Omer Norton (Vernon, CT), who owned it from 1978 to 1983, and then to Ed Capullo (Norwich, CT), who crashed it in a test session at Lime Rock in 1984 and sold it off for parts. Subsequent history unknown.
42. 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. .
43. 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).
44. Chevron B27 [27-74-07] (Allan Lader): Chevron build record says sold via Fred Opert to George Sabin. Used by Alan Lader as well in 1974. Sold to Bobby Fisher (Lafayette, CA) for 1975 and used in some early-season Nationals and one Pro race. To Jim Van Horn (Orange, CA) for 1976 and run in west coast Pro and SCCA racing. Then a strong candidate for the car of Californian Mike Morris in SCCA races in 1977 though this may have been the ex Hayes car from 1975-76. Either this or the Hayes car likely to be the B27 for sale by Crosslé Cars Pacific in 1982. In February 2007, Emmet "Bud" Morrison (Tempe, AZ) bought what he believes to be B27-74-07 from Neil Johnson via Fantasy Junction (Emeryville, CA).

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

Globe & Mail, Autosport, Championship points summary sheet [OMH], CMB [OMH], Chevron build records and March 74B build records