OldRacingCars.com

Formula Atlantic Labatts Championship Series Race

Long Beach, 1 Apr 1978

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Howdy Holmes March 78B [1] - Ford BDN Race Shop
#8 Jiffy Mixes/Doug Shierson Racing
50 1h 14m 18.682s
82.364 mph
2 Tom Gloy March 76B - Ford BDN Jennings
#38 Tigre JD1 (see note 1)
50 1h 14m 32.478s
3 Kevin Cogan Ralt RT1/78 [96] - Ford BDN Willis
#33 Cogan Racing Ent. (see note 2)
50
4 Jeff Wood March 78B - Ford BDN Willis
#20 Great Plains/Wood Racing Enterprises
(see note 3)
50
5 Bob Earl Chevron B34 [34-76-34] - Ford BDN Cosworth
#19 James Brolin/Tourté Racing
(see note 4)
50
6 Bill Brack March 78B [15] - Ford BDN Nicholson
#7 STP/Doug Shierson Racing
50
7 Mike Rocke March 77B [29] - Ford BDN Nicholson
#15 Mike Rocke (see note 5)
49
8 Carl Liebich Lola T560 [T460 HU18] - Ford BDN Bertils
#54 Liebrau Racing (see note 6)
49
9 Bertil Roos March 77B - Ford BDN Morris
#24 Acme/Bertil Roos Racetune (see note 7)
49
10 Chris Gleason March 77B - Ford BDN Morris
#75 Whalley BMW Sales/C.K.Gleason
(see note 8)
49
11 Terry Visger March 77B - Ford BDN Cosworth
#55 Boxstrom-Bergon
49
12 Skeeter McKitterick March 75B/76B - Ford BDN Cosworth
#12 [Titmas Racing] (see note 9)
48
13 Divina Galica Chevron B39 [39-77-08] - Ford BDN Smith
#4 Valvoline/Fred Opert Racing (see note 10)
47 Engine
14 Dan Marvin March 76B - Ford BDN Cosworth
#59 Norman Racing Group (see note 11)
46
15 Willy T. Ribbs March 77B [23] - Ford BDN Hine
#78 Budweiser Spcl. [Colin Hine Racing]
(see note 12)
42 Throttle cable
16 Dick Ferguson March 77B - Ford BDN Cosworth
#44 ABC Mobile Brake Service (see note 13)
32
17 Brad Abbott March 77B [6?] - Ford BDN Stimola
#98 Stimola Racing (see note 14)
32
18 John Mortensen March 78B [20?] - Ford BDN Race Shop
#9 Doug Shierson Racing
32
19 James Crawley Chevron B39 [39-77-06] - Ford BDN Smith
#6 Valvoline/Fred Opert Racing (see note 15)
29
20 Ken Briggs March 78B - Ford BDN Morris
#30 Tropicana Hotel (see note 16)
23
21 Bobby Rahal Ralt RT1/78 [109] - Ford BDN Willis
#2 Morgan Ralt/Pierre's Motors
22 Halfshaft
22 Chip Mead Ralt RT1/78 [106] - Ford BDN Willis
#31 Hanna Car Wash/Pierre's Motors
20
23 Cliff Hansen March 78B [4] - Ford BDN Willis
#62 Chas. Wm. Gladding (see note 17)
13
24 Joe Sposato March 77B [5] - Ford BDN Stimola
#28 FATCOLA/Smokeguard/Sposato Motoracing
(see note 18)
9
25 Page Roos Chevron B39 - Ford BDN Cosworth
#14 Page Roos Racing (see note 19)
8
26 Robert J. Nelkin March 77B [14?] - Ford BDN Stimola
#67 Hunter Mountain Ford (see note 20)
7
27 Danny Sullivan March 78B - Ford BDN Stimola
#34 Bluebonnet/Chrismark Racing
(see note 21)
4 Punctured radiator
28 Price Cobb March 78B [14] - Ford BDN Morris
#22 Ecurie Canada
3
29 Eje Elgh Chevron B39 [39-77-12] - Ford BDN Smith
#5 Valvoline/Fred Opert Racing (see note 22)
0 Collision with Rahal on warm up lap
30 Keke Rosberg Chevron B45 [45-78-02] - Ford BDN Smith
#41 Fred Opert Racing (see note 23)
0 Engine
DNQH Steve "Gas" Saleen March 77B - Ford BDN
#39 (see note 24)
Did not qualify from heats
DNQH Fred Greenfield Tui BH2 - Ford BDN
#77 J.C. Lane Racing Team
Did not qualify from heats
DNQH Les Hill Ralt RT1/78 [111] - Ford BDN
#29 RPM Special (see note 25)
Did not qualify from heats
DNQH John Bauer March 77B [28?] - Ford BDN
#73 John Bauer Racing (see note 26)
Did not qualify from heats
DNQH Frank Beetson March 77B [76B-13] - Ford BDN
#39 Clayton Racing (see note 27)
Did not qualify from heats
DNQH Allan Turner March 78B - Ford BDN
#40 Weight Loss Clinics/Wilbur Bunce Racing
(see note 28)
Did not qualify from heats
DNQH Yves La France Lola T460 - Ford BDN
#45 Phoenix Racing Corp. (see note 29)
Did not qualify from heats
DNQH Rick Koehler Excalibur EE2B [March 77B] - Ford BDN
#51 Brooks Stevens Ecurie (see note 30)
Did not qualify from heats
DNQH Rich Bradley March 76B/77B - Ford BDN
#53 Lamont Cranston/Richard W. Bradley
(see note 31)
Did not qualify from heats
DNQH Jon Norman March 76B - Ford BDN Cosworth
#58 Norman Racing Group (see note 32)
Did not qualify from heats
T Robert J. Nelkin March 78B [8] - Ford BDN Stimola
#67 Hunter Mountain Ford (see note 33)
(Only used in practice)
DNA Juan Cochésa March 78B - Ford BDN Race Shop
#9 Doug Shierson Racing
Did not arrive
DNA Ian Ashley Ralt RT1 - Ford BDN
#11 Heavy Horses/Jethro Tull/Rick Shea Racing
Did not arrive
DNA Bobby Brown March 78B - Ford BDN
#79 Automatic Radios/B.Brown Racing Inc.
(see note 34)
Did not arrive
  Armando Trentini March 78B - Ford BDN
#17 Armando Trentini [Colin Hine Racing]
On entry list

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

Heat 1 Laps Time Speed
1Cliff Hansen
2Page Roos
3Robert J. Nelkin
4Terry Visger
5Brad Abbott
Steve "Gas" SaleenUnknown
Fred GreenfieldUnknown
Les HillUnknown
John BauerUnknown
Frank BeetsonUnknown
Allan TurnerUnknown
Yves La FranceUnknown
Rick KoehlerUnknown
Rich BradleyUnknown
Jon NormanUnknown
Qualifying
1 Bobby Rahal (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [109] - Ford BDN Willis 1.28.261
2 Howdy Holmes (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [1] - Ford BDN Race Shop 1.28.840
3 Eje Elgh (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B39 [39-77-12] - Ford BDN Smith 1.28.845
4 Danny Sullivan (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B - Ford BDN Stimola 1.28.986
5 Kevin Cogan (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [96] - Ford BDN Willis 1.29.123
6 Keke Rosberg (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B45 [45-78-02] - Ford BDN Smith 1.29.151
7 Tom Gloy (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 76B - Ford BDN Jennings 1.29.293
8 Dan Marvin (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 76B - Ford BDN Cosworth 1.29.365
9 Price Cobb (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [14] - Ford BDN Morris 1.29.797
10 Willy T. Ribbs (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B [23] - Ford BDN Hine 1.29.942
11 James Crawley (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B39 [39-77-06] - Ford BDN Smith 1.30.038
12 Bertil Roos (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B - Ford BDN Morris 1.30.215
13 Bob Earl (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B34 [34-76-34] - Ford BDN Cosworth 1.30.275
14 Chip Mead (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [106] - Ford BDN Willis 1.30.284
15 Divina Galica (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B39 [39-77-08] - Ford BDN Smith 1.30.322
16 Bill Brack (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [15] - Ford BDN Nicholson 1.30.352
17 Carl Liebich (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Lola T560 [T460 HU18] - Ford BDN Bertils 1.30.691
18 Jeff Wood (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B - Ford BDN Willis 1.30.721
19 Skeeter McKitterick (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 75B/76B - Ford BDN Cosworth 1.31.031
20 Ken Briggs (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B - Ford BDN Morris 1.31.068
21 Mike Rocke (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B [29] - Ford BDN Nicholson 1.31.163
22 Dick Ferguson (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B - Ford BDN Cosworth 1.31.463
23 Joe Sposato (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B [5] - Ford BDN Stimola 1.31.480
24 John Mortensen (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [20?] - Ford BDN Race Shop 1.31.492
25 Chris Gleason (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B - Ford BDN Morris 1.31.495
26 Cliff Hansen (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [4] - Ford BDN Willis 1st in qualifying race
27 Page Roos (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B39 - Ford BDN Cosworth 2nd in qualifying race
28 Robert J. Nelkin(T) (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [8] - Ford BDN Stimola 3rd in qualifying race
29 Terry Visger (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B - Ford BDN Cosworth 4th in qualifying race
30 Brad Abbott (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B [6?] - Ford BDN Stimola 5th in qualifying race

Notes on the cars:

  1. March 76B (Tom Gloy): Rick Shea Racing Team ran a #11 March 76B in 1977 for Tom Gloy (Lafayette, CA) but the origins of the car are unclear. The current owner of the ex-Gloy car has history indicating it is the ex-Gloy car but Shea's recollection is that this car was Mortensen's which can be identified with confidence as 76B-7. Shea and Gloy retained the car for 1978, when it was run as #38 and had a front-mounted radiator. Gloy last raced it at Hamilton in August, after which it was advertised by Bud Rude in September, noting that it had a new monocoque. It was then sold, still yellow and with its front radiator, to Gary Fernandez for 1979, who painted it red. Fernandez crashed the car in April 1979, and it was repaired by Arnie Loyning, who ended up owning it, and raced it a couple of times. It was subsequently traded (for a Sports 2000) to Bob Lesnett (Berkeley, CA), owner of Pfieffer Ridge Racing, so would be the "77B" he raced in SCCA Nationals in 1982, and during his ownership the tub was rebuilt by Marc Bahner. An "ex-Gloy" March was later advertised by Pfeiffer Ridge Racing in nearby Richmond, CA, in January 1984.
  2. Ralt RT1/78 [96] (Kevin Cogan): New to Kevin Cogan (Redondo Beach, CA) and raced in the Labatts Formula Atlantic Championship, entered by Ralt American. Sold to John Paul Jr (Lawrenceville, GA) for 1979 and used in the North American Formula Atlantic series. Paul had two Ralts, this car with bolted rollhoop stays and a newer car with welded stays, but it appears that he used the older ex-Cogan car in the Pro series. Then sold to Steve Overton (Belleville, IL) and used in Midwest Division SCCA Nationals in 1980, 1981 and 1982. According to the SCCA logbook with the car in 2022, its drivers after Overton were: Duane McLain (Omaha, Nebraska) who raced it in SCCA Nationals and Regionals in 1982; Bob Ericksen who raced it in SCCA Regionals in northern California in 1984, the WCAR event at Seattle in September 1984, and Regionals again in 1985; Joseph Holmes who raced it in SCCA Solo 1 and Regionals in 1985 and 1986; and then Gerald Lieberg who raced it SCCA Regionals at Lime Rock in 1990 and then in historic events from 1993 to 1995. After Lieberg it was owned by Ron Benadetti from 1998 to 2000, but he did not race it. It was then owned by Mike Agnifilo from 2001 to 2004 and used in SVRA and HSR historic events, and then by Greg Lane from 2004 to 2022. [CT]
  3. March 78B (Jeff Wood): Jeff Wood (Studio City, CA) had a pair of March 78Bs in 1978, entered by Great Plains Racing in Formula Atlantic in 1978 and he then raced one of them in New Zealand in December 1978 and January 1979. He started the 1979 season with one of the 78Bs at Long Beach, and then had a new 79B at either the second or third race. One of the 78Bs was sold to Greg Sun who ran it (as a 78-79B) in SCCA events in 1979. It was then acquired by Bob Schader (Boulder, CO) and raced by him in 1980 in 79B specification. Retained by Schader in for Long Beach in early 1981. Schader then moved into FSV and the 78B was sold to Dorsey Schroeder (Manchester, MO) and used extensively in SCCA in 1981, when he won Midwest Division Formula Atlantic, and in 1982. Later to John Strickler (St Louis, MO). Subsequent history unknown.
  4. Chevron B34 [34-76-34] (Bob Earl): New to Fred Opert Racing and believed to be the car raced by Alan Jones at Trois-Rivières in early September. To Butch Owsley (Aptos, CA/San Jose, CA) and raced in the IMSA race at Laguna Seca in early October. Retained by Owsley for SCCA Nationals and Regionals in 1977. Then raced by Bob Earl (Novato, CA) at a couple of late-season SCCA Regionals. The car was bought by actor James Brolin and run for Earl to drive by Ron Tourte's Tourté Racing in 1978, then Earl raced it in Pro events and SCCA Nationals. Earl did not get the results he expected, and also raced Doug Dreager's March 76B in one race, and ended the season in one of Fred Opert's newer Chevron B39s. The B34 went to Mike Buckenham (Stockton, CA) for 1979 and he raced it in SCCA Nationals until 1982 at least. The car was then taken by Joe Ordoqui (Boeing, CA) in partial payment for his March 80A. Ordoqui recalls that the Chevron sat in his garage for a couple of years but he is not sure where it went. Subsequent history unknown.
  5. March 77B [29] (Mike Rocke): New to Mike Rocke (Livermore, CA), who raced the car through 1977 and 1978 until a serious accident at Trois-Rivières which left Rocke very badly injured and destroyed the 77B.
  6. Lola T560 [T460 HU18] (Carl Liebich): New to Carl Liebich (Plymouth, WI/Two Rivers, WI) for Canadian and IMSA Formula Atlantic races late in the 1976 season. Liebich was said to have a new T560 for 1977, but it appears it was his nearly-new T460 updated. Retained for 1978, 1979, and the start of 1980. Chris Townsend's research shows this car was sold to Chuck Dietrich in 1980 and used by him in SCCA Central Division Formula Atlantic until 1982. It was then retained unraced by Dietrich until sold to Lowell Blossom (Zionsville, IN) in 1995. Raced by Blossom at Lime Rock in May 1996 and at Grattan Raceway in August 1997. It was sold by Blossom to Dave Jordano (Indianapolis, IN) in 2005. Subsequent history unknown, but believed to be the T460/T560 raced by Tom Thornton in HSCC Derek Bell Trophy races in 2010 and 2011.
  7. March 77B (Bertil Roos): To Ecurie Canada for Gilles Villeneuve to drive in the Labatts Formula Atlantic series in 1977, supported by Direct Film. The car was white, and ran as #69. The two Ecurie Canada cars, both now described as "ex-Villeneuve", went to Bertil Roos and Chris Gleason for 1978. Roos and Gleason are understood to have run together, and it is believed that Roos had Villeneuve's usual car. After four races, Roos moved to AME Racing to drive a Ralt, and the March was only used once more. Advertised by Joe Solvino Racing in December 1978, then sold to Paul Tavilla (Miami, FL), who crashed it Sebring in early 1979. Then to R.J. Capone (Riviera Beach, FL) and raced by him later in 1979. This car was later sold to Hubert Phipps and "destroyed" at Roebling Road in April 1980 in a collision with Sandy Brandt.
  8. March 77B (Chris Gleason): To Ecurie Canada for Richard Spenard to drive in the Labatts Formula Atlantic series in 1977, supported by Direct Film. The car was white, and ran as #96. The two Ecurie Canada cars, both now described as "ex-Villeneuve", went to Bertil Roos and Chris Gleason for 1978. Roos and Gleason are understood to have run together, and it is believed that Gleason had Spenard's usual car. After three races, Gleason acquired a new 1978 Ralt RT1, and the only other time the 77B was used was at Hamilton in August. Then sold to Giovanni Distasio (Edgewater, NJ) to replace his March 75B, and raced by him at Trois-Rivières and Montréal in September. Retained for 1979. Advertised by DiStasio in January 1980. Subsequent history unknown.
  9. March 75B/76B (Skeeter McKitterick): Ted Titmas (Van Nuys, CA) registered a Formula B March with the SCCA Cal Club Region in Southern California in June 1977. That SCCA log book gives the chassis number as '722-33', but it is unclear why the car had not already been logbooked by the SCCA before June 1977. However, Titmas had two very similar cars, one red and one orange, and it not yet clear which was the old 722. Titmas ran a March "78B" or "77B" for a number of hire drivers from 1977 onwards. In 1977, he is said to have run it for Dennis Firestone (Los Angeles, CA), but Firestone focused on Formula Ford that season, and it is not clear where he raced the March. In 1978, Titmas ran it for Ben Schilachi (Beverley Hills, CA), at which time it was blue and entered as #22. He retained it for 1979, when it was entered for Dick Gamble at the Long Beach race, and then Titmas sold it to Juan Carlos Bolaños. Bolaños advertised a March 73B in July 1979, which only deepens the mystery of this car. Subsequent history unknown.
  10. Chevron B39 [39-77-08] (Divina Galica): New to Fred Opert Racing and used in the Labatts Formula Atlantic Championship. One of two cars run by the team for Keke Rosberg, this one having narrower track, but Rosberg used a B34 at four races that season and exactly how he used this B39 remains uncertain. Retained by Fred Opert Racing for the 1978 New Zealand series, where it was Rosberg's main race car as he easily won the championship. Then believed to be the car raced by Divina Galica at Long Beach in early 1978. It was sold to Dean Lundgreen (Franklin, MN) later in 1978 and raced in SCCA Nationals, scoring 13 points that season. He scored 15 points in 1979, and continued to race the car in 1980 and 1981. Advertised by Lundgreen in April 1982 and February 1983 as "Rosberg's Tasman winner". Sold to Mike Rand (Amherst, Massachusetts) later in 1983, then sold on to Joe Ostrowski (Trenton, NJ) who raced it from 1984 to 1986 at least. The car remained in Ostrowski's garage until 2004, when he sold it to Mark Wehrman. It was then sold to Lee Brahin (Philadelphia, PA) in 2006 and raced by him in red bodywork with non-standard sidepods in 2008 and 2009. Then to Martin Lauber (Tiburon, CA) in August 2011 and raced by him in pink Excita livery (but still with the same distinctive sidepods) from 2012 to 2019. It was sold to Laurent Parmentier (Los Angeles, CA) in January 2020, and raced by him in 2020 and 2021.
  11. March 76B (Dan Marvin): Dan Marvin (El Sobrante, CA) drove a #59 March 76B in 1977 as part of Jon Norman's Boxtrom-Berglen Norman Racing team. The car was built up using a tub that Norman had fabricated himself, using an unknown number of parts of unknown origin. It was, in effect, a new car. Marvin raced the car in both Pro Formula Atlantic and in SCCA Nationals in 1977 and 1978.
  12. March 77B [23] (Willy T. Ribbs): New to Marcel Talbot (Granby, Quebec) and run for him by Colin Hine Racing Team in Formula Atlantic in 1977, sponsored by Tamaco. Retained by Colin Hine Racing for 1978, and entered for Willy T. Ribbs at Long Beach, then for Jean-Pierre Alamy at two further races. Alamy then acquired a March 78B. The 77B was driven in practice at Hamilton by Armando Trentini, who had been trying to raise capital to drive a March 78B for Hine, and is assumed to be the March he drove in the Palm Beach SCCA National in February 1979. Hine recalled that "the car was sold to a team in Mexico and shipped there in the winter of 1978/79". Subsequent history unknown. 28 years later, a car with the chassis plate was advertised on race-cars.com from Indianapolis, IN, in 2006, when it was blue and had just been restored by restoration by McNamara Motorsports/Adkins Racing. It was next seen in Historic F2, where it was fitted with a BDG engine, and driven by Bo Warmenius from 2007 to 2014. Photographs indicate this is then the car used by Alain Girardet and Gislain Genecand between 2017 and 2019.
  13. March 77B (Dick Ferguson): Dick Ferguson (Los Angeles, CA) raced a #44 March 76B/77B at Long Beach at the start of the 1978 Pro season, and made a couple of entries at races later in the season. Nothing more known.
  14. March 77B [6?] (Brad Abbott): Brad Abbott (Messapequa, NY) raced a March 77B in SCCA Nationals and then the Pro series in 1977, run by Stimola Racing. He retained the car for 1978, but was seen less often that season. Subsequent history unknown.
  15. Chevron B39 [39-77-06] (James Crawley): New to Fred Opert Racing and raced in the Labatts Formula Atlantic Championship. Believed to be the car raced by Francisco Romero at the opening round. Believed to be the car intended for Didier Pironi at St-Félicien in August, but crashed in practice. Repaired and entered for Patrick Depailler at Trois-Rivières and Québec City as the team's #2 car. Retained by Fred Opert Racing for the 1978 New Zealand series, where it was the team's #2 entry raced by Bobby Rahal. Then raced by Jim Crawley in two North American races in early 1978. It is then likely to be one of two B39s retained by the Opert team later in 1978, and as such may be the car raced by Rosberg at the final race of the season. Opert again had two B39s for the 1979 season, one in red bodywork and one in orange. He advertised both these cars in December 1979, one in "original red gelcoat" and one "repainted orange", describing them as ex-Rosberg and ex-Rahal cars. Rahal only drove 77-06, and as that was originally blue, it cannot have been the "original red gelcoat" car in the advert so must have been the orange car. Subsequent history unknown, but in December 2005 "Joe" from Northern New Jersey was seeking information about chassis "39-77-06". He said he had contacted Fred Opert who had told him that it had been used by Rosberg in New Zealand, and by Jacques Lafitte, Patrick Depailler and James Crawley in the Canadian series. It had orange bodywork, again indicating that it had been Tolama's orange car. "Joe" advertised it for sale on the Autosport Forum in January 2006. A restoration then began that included a new monocoque by Prince Race Cars and the car was advertised on race-cars.com in dark blue bodywork. It was next seen when restored by The Progress Group (Placentia, CA) in 2011/12 with pale blue B39 bodywork and white Excita signwriting, and raced by Chris Cord at the Monterey Historics in 2013.
  16. March 78B (Ken Briggs): New to Ken Briggs (Atherton, CA) and raced in SCCA Nationals and Labatts Formula Atlantic championship races in 1978, entered by Briggs Racing/Tropicana Hotel & Country Club (Las Vegas, NV). Photographs show this car had an early-style front follhoop so it is likely to have been chassis 78B/5. Last seen at the SCCA San Francisco Regional Championship race at Sears Point on 12 November 1978.
  17. March 78B [4] (Cliff Hansen): New via importer Doug Shierson Racing to Cliff Hansen (Laguna Beach, CA), identified by the invoice as chassis 78B/4. Entered by Charles William Gladding for Hansen to race in the Labatts Formula Atlantic championship in 1978. Sold to Frank Bramante (El Cerrito, CA/San Pablo, CA) for 1979 and used in the CASC North American series, when it was described as a 79B at several races. Retained by Bramante until 1982 at least, when it was rented to Gilberto Jimenez for the Mexico City race in June.
  18. March 77B [5] (Joe Sposato): New to Joe Sposato and used in SCCA Nationals in 1977. Retained for Pro Formula Atlantic for first half of 1978, then sold to Charles Crotts (High Point, NC) for remainder of 1978. Believed to be the car retained by Crotts and run in SCCA events up to 1985.
  19. Chevron B39 (Page Roos): In 1978, Formula Ford graduate Page Roos (Hillsborough, CA), an heir to the Roos-Atkins clothing store chain, raced a Chevron "B39" at the Long Beach Formula Atlantic race. In a preview of the car, Sports Car said Roos "lists on with Fred Opert", implying his car had come from Opert or was at least being run for him by Opert, but his entrant was given as "Page Roos Racing". The only photograph found of it so far shows it was red but the engine cover appears to be that of a Chevron B34, not a B39. Roos then advertised the car in The Wheel newsletter in May 1978 as a 1977 Chevron B39 with "three races on chassis". No further results have been found of Roos racing the car, but he advertised it again in January 1982 as "Keke Rosberg's Atlantic car 1977". Subsequent history unknown.
  20. March 77B [14?] (Robert J. Nelkin): Robert J. Nelkin (Roslyn, NY/Woodbury, NY) raced a March 77B in SCCA Nationals, run by Stimola Racing, and then the Pro series in 1977. He was sponsored by the Hunter Mountain ski resort. Nelkin retained for start of the 1978 season and raced it at Long Beach after he had engine trouble in his new 78B. He then sold the car to Tony Altomare in New York, who used it in SCCA Formula B in 1978. Subsequent history unknown.
  21. March 78B (Danny Sullivan): Danny Sullivan (Louisville, KY) raced a #34 March 78B in the Labatts Formula Atlantic championship in 1978, entered by Chris Mark Racing (or Chrismark Racing) and sponsored by Bluebonnet Foods and Quaker State.
  22. Chevron B39 [39-77-12] (Eje Elgh): New to Fred Opert Racing and raced in the Labatts Formula Atlantic Championship. This car was new for Keke Rosberg to race at Trois-Rivières in September 1977. It was retained by Opert for 1978, and raced by Eje Elgh at the opening two rounds as his #5 Sheik Condoms entry before his new Chevron B45 was available. The B39 is then thought to be the #5 car raced by Divina Galica at Hamilton in August 1978. As Opert's other B39s all seem to have been sold off, this is probably the #6 Opert entry for Riccardo Patrese at Trois-Rivières, the #4 Excita B39 driven by Keke Rosberg at Montréal on 24 September, and then later the pink #5 Chevron raced by Marco Tolama for Opert at Road America in July 1979 after preferring it to his regular B45 and Opert's new March 79B. Then probably the #4 entry for Doug Titus at Montréal later that season, where he did not start. Subsequent history unknown, but this is likely to be the red "ex-Rosberg" B39 advertised by Opert in December 1979 and in February 1982.
  23. Chevron B45 [45-78-02] (Keke Rosberg): New to Fred Opert Racing for Keke Rosberg to for race in North American Formula Atlantic in 1978, with backing from Excita. Raced by Bob Earl at Montréal in September when Rosberg drove an older B39. Retained by Opert for 1979, and driven by Marco Tolama. To Paul Fostini (SCCA New York Region) and used in NEDiv Formula Atlantic in 1981, scoring seven points that season. It was then sold to AJ "Buddy" Pugliese (New Rochelle, NY) in 1982, and used in Race Car Club of America (RCCA) races, the club formed by Pugliese in 1979 to promote the Club Ford format. In 1983, Pugliese started a new RCCA class called Formula American, for pre-ground-effect Formula Atlantic cars with their Cosworth engines limited to 9200 rpm but also allowing the use of the Chevrolet 60° V6 engine limited to 6500 rpm. The B45 was fitted with the V6 engine and Pugliese raced it through much of the 1980s. In the early 1990s, he loaned the car to Walter Nelson who crashed it and then took it to a fabricator at Dutchess County Airport for repairs, where it sat for some time after the fabricator's business closed. In February 2014, Pugliese sold the whole project to Ric Baribeault, who first had to locate the missing tub and then took it all to Bob Cavanaugh for restoration. The restoration progressed slowly and was stil incomplete in 2020 when Baribeault sold it to Cordell Secrest (Houston, TX). Secrest moved the project to the Danbury, CT, workshop of Mike Agnifilo (North Salem, NY), and it remained with him until he eventually acquired it partly in payment of storage fees. Agnifilo plans to rebuild the car to original specification.
  24. March 77B (Steve "Gas" Saleen): Steve "Gas" Saleen (Whitter, CA) raced a March 77B in 1978 for Clayton Bierke Racing, sometimes running alongside his older March 76B entered by Clayton for Frank Beetson. Saleen appeared in the car at Long Beach at the start of 1979, but then raced only in SCCA Nationals. Subsequent history unknown.
  25. Ralt RT1/78 [111] (Les Hill): New to Pierre Phillips for Les Hill to drive in SCCA Nationals and some North American Formula Atlantic series races in 1978. It was retained by Pierre's Motor Racing as a spare car in 1979, and was raced by Tony Rouff at Long Beach in April 1979, and by Kees Nierop at Westwood and Montréal later in the year. It was also raced by Tommy Phillips in ICSCC events that season. Sold to BTG Investments for 1980, one of three cars used by drivers Robert Silvestro and Paul Grundrich, but it is unclear exactly how they were used. All three cars then passed on to Tim Fortner's Fortner Lucini Motorsports for 1981, but again their usage that season has not been determined. [CT]
  26. March 77B [28?] (John Bauer): New to Cliff Hansen (Laguna Beach, CA) in time for the race at Edmonton at the beginning of July. Hansen wrecked it in practice at St-Félicien and it was rebuilt on a new monocoque. Crashed again at Trois-Rivières. Sold to John Bauer (San Luis Obispo, CA) and raced in 1978 and at the Long Beach race in 1979. Advertised by Bauer in February 1980.
  27. March 77B [76B-13] (Frank Beetson): Doug Shierson Racing ran an maroon/red #8 March 76B in 1976 for Price Cobb. In early 1977, it was entered by Doug Shierson Racing in SCCA Nationals for Steve "Gas" Saleen (Whitter, CA), but when the Pro series started in May, his entrant was Clayton Racing Team. The car's log book states that it was chassis 76B-13. Run by Clayton Racing for Frank Beetson (San Diego, CA) in 1978, when it was entered as a 77B. Also seen once in mid-1979 with Beetson, and later adbertised by him in February 1980. Its history is then unknown until 1983, when it reappeared in the hands of John Herne (Santa Ana, CA). He retained it for WCAR in 1984, then sold it in early 1985 to John Blizzard (Prescott, AZ), who raced it in WCAR that season. Blizzard remembers selling it to someone in Phoenix, AZ. Subsequent history unknown.
  28. March 78B (Allan Turner): Allan Turner (Marina City, CA) raced a March 78B in 1978, entered by Wilbur Bunce Racing and sponsored by Weight Loss Clinics. After failing to qualify from the heats at Long Beach, he was entered at Westwood in April and Hamilton in August but is not mentioned in reports or results for either. In between, he raced in the SCCA National at Riverside in late May where his car was blue with a late-style front roll hoop. This car is most likely to have been chassis 76B-16.
  29. Lola T460 (Yves La France): Yves LaFrance (Detroit, Michigan) appeared at Long Beach 1978 with a Lola T460. The son of Marcel LeFrance, Yves was from St Albert., Ontario, but then living in Detroit. He had previously raced in Central Division SCCA Nationals and Regionals with an old Brabham BT21C, entered by Phoenix Racing. La France also entered the Lola at Westwood, but did not appear. He then entered it for an SCCA Regional at Nelson Ledges, and entered it again at the Labatts race at Hamilton in August. Nothing more known.
  30. Excalibur EE2B [March 77B] (Rick Koehler): Rick Koehler (Milwaukee, WI) raced an Excalibur EE2B in Formula Atlantic in 1978, with sponsorship from Brooks Stevens. The car was essentially a March 77B and was described as ex-Shierson and ex-Brack in adverts in late 1978 and 1979. It was leased to Joe Castellano for the Long Beach race in April 1979, and then sat unused until August 1980 when it was sold to David Locke (Cambridge City, IN). Locke fitted the car with 79B bodywork and Bobsy fenders so that it could be used in Can-Am racing, using an 1850cc Hart BDA engine and Hewland FT200 gearbox. In October 1981, Locke ordered a Kevlar Cicale body for the car, and used it in this form in 1982 and 1983, but without success. He acquired a Hart 420R engine from Jim Trueman for 1984 and raced the car in Can-Am and then CAT until 1987. Chris Townsend advises that it was sold to Lee Johnson in Colorado in April 1988, and was still with Johnson in 2012.
  31. March 76B/77B (Rich Bradley): Richard W. Bradley (Sunnyvale, CA/Mountain View, CA) raced a #53 March 76B/77B in a couple of races at the start of the 1978 season, but did not arrive for the second Pro race of the season and was not seen again. Nothing more known.
  32. March 76B (Jon Norman): Ecurie Canada ran a pair of green #69 March 76Bs in 1976 for Gilles Villeneuve (Lasalle, Quebec) with support from Skiroulle. Skiroule's signature green colour suggests they were the two cars listed in March records as being "leaf green", 76B-10 and 76B-15. According to Ecurie Canada mechanic Graham Scott, Villeneuve used his main car for all his wins, only racing his spare car at Westwood. At the end of the season, Villeneuve's main car was returned to Shierson, who rented it to Tom Pumpelly for the SCCA Run-Offs at Road Atlanta, where Pumpelly crashed it. John Norman (Oakland, CA) bought the remains of the Road Atlanta wreck and rebuilt it, then racing it as part of a two-car team with Dan Marvin in 1977 and 1978. Norman sold the car around 1984 to Graham Scott, but he lacked the finance to restore it. He sold it back to Norman, in partnership with Paul Pfanner, and it was restored to Villeneuve's livery by Norman, Dan Marvin, and others.
  33. March 78B [8] (Robert J. Nelkin): New to RJ Nelkin (Roslyn, NY/Woodbury, NY) for the Labatts Formula Atlantic series and SCCA Nationals in 1978. Despite reports that Nelkin raced it at Palm Beach in February and had it as a spare car at Long Beach in April, its SCCA registration number indicates that it was first used at Charlotte's Super-National in mid-April. Nelkin finished 16th in the Labatts series and finished fifth in NEDiv, scoring 22 points. Chris Townsend advises that the car went to Paul Corazzo (Wethersfield, CT) for 1979, so would be the March he raced in SCCA Nationals in 1979 and is presumably the "79B" he had as late as 1987. The car was next seen in January 2004 when it was advertised from Virginia, having been raced in US historic racing in 1996. The car was acquired by Daryl Taylor and returned to the UK, but at some point was involved in a workshop fire and the tub was destroyed. A new tub was fabricated, and the car was raced by Taylor raced a March 78B in HSCC events from 2007 to 2014, during which time it was also driven by Bruce Fullerton, Simon Taylor, Ashley Taylor, Martin Trott and Robert Wainwright. In 2021, it was sold to Martin Wood (Faversham, Kent), and for the 2022 season, he converted it to 782 F2 specification with a BMW engine.
  34. March 78B (Bobby Brown): Bobby Brown (Hicksville, NY) raced a #79 March 78B in the Labatts Formula Atlantic championship in 1978, entered by Bobby Brown Racing and sponsored by Automatic Radio. Although he was entered for the opening race, his first known appearance was at Quebec City in June. His car had a late-style front roll hoop.

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.