CASC North American Formula Atlantic Series Race

Bridgehampton, 16 Sep 1979

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

Notes on the cars:

1. Ralt RT1/79 [147] (Tom Gloy): A white Ralt RT1 invoiced to Ralt importer Brian Robertson in mid-January 1979. The name of the customer in Ralt records appers to say Gloy. To Lane Sport In for Tom Gloy (Lafayette, CA/Pacheco, CA) to race in the CASC North American Formula Atlantic series. His car was yellow and entered as #38. He won at Long Beach in April 1979 and scored five more second places (two in his spare car) to win the championship. Retained by Lane Sports for 1980, whehn it was raced by Rogelio Rodriguez as the team's No 2 entry. The car was retained again by Lane Sports in 1981, when it was driven by Norm Hunter in the opening round at Long Beach. It was entered for Daniel Muñiz at the next race but did not appear. Thereafter the team used Ralt RT4s for all three team drivers, and the old RT1 was not seen again.
2. March 79B (Howdy Holmes): New to Howdy Holmes (Ann Arbor, MI) and raced in the CASC North American Formula Atlantic series in 1979, entered and prepared by Doug Shierson Racing and sponsored by Jiffy Mixes. Unknown after 1979.
3. Ralt RT1/78 [146] (Bob Earl): A white Ralt RT1/78 invoiced to Ralt importer Brian Robertson in early December 1978. To Bob Earl (Novato, CA) and raced at a SCCA National at Riverside in February 1979, where it was described as new. However, when Earl raced it at Long Beach in April, it was called "ex-Cogan". Raced by Earl in the 1979 North American series, sponsored by National Treaty Services and entered by NTS Racing. Raced by Earl at Macau in November 1979. Retained for the 1980 North American series, when it was entered by Earl Motor Racing, and again raced at Macau as part of the Flying Tigers Racing Team. Towards the end of 1980, it was again described as a ex-Cogan. Sold to Andy Mahood (Vancouver, BC) and raced in ICSCC and SCCA events in 1981 and 1982. Sold to Martin Pang (Seattle, WA) and raced in WCAR events in 1984, 1985 and 1986. [CT]
4. Ralt RT1/78 [96] (John Paul Jr): 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]
5. Ralt RT1/77 [88] (Larry Bergman): New to Brian Robertson's Ralt America as a late-season car for the CASC Formula Atlantic series, probably intended for Eddie Cheever to drive at Trois Rivieres, but he did not appear. To Larry Bergman (Los Gatos, CA) for SCCA Formula B in California. Bergman retained the car for 1979, winning the Northern Pacific Division Formula Atlantic title but also competing in most rounds of the North American Formula Atlantic series. Then to Steve Millen in New Zealand, and raced in the Aurora AFX New Zealand Formula Pacific series in January 1980, then in the 1980/81 season. To Eric Morgan for the 1981/82, 1982/83 and 1983/84 seasons. [CT]
6. Chevron B45 [45-78-03] (Mark McCaig): New to Rick Shea Racing and in North American Formula Atlantic in 1978, with backing from Jethro Tull. Raced by Shea at the first round, and by Marcel Talbot, Skeeter McKitterick, Bob Earl and Tom Gloy at later races, Retained by Shea for 1979 and raced by Mark McCaig (Calgary, Alberta) in the Pro series. To Colin Tuckey (Calgary, Alberta) for 1980, and entered in the Pro series by FBM Racing. Retained by Tuckey for 1981. Later raced by David Farmer (Niagra Falls, Ontario) in 1983. The car ended up with another Chevron in a museum in Canada, until 1989, when they were spotted by Peter Hemming. The B45 was acquired by Ed Swart in February 1993, and prepared for historic racing. He raced the B45 from October 1993 with a BDA engine in the Formula Atlantic class, and after about five years ran it with a 2-litre BDG engine in F2 classes.
7. Chevron B45 [45-78-02] (Marco Tolama): 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.
8. March 79B (Dan Marvin): New to Dan Marvin (El Sobrante, CA) and raced in the CASC North American Formula Atlantic series in 1979, entered and prepared by Marvin-Clegg Racing. Also raced by Price Cobb at Trois-Rivières. To Tom Phillips (Portland, OR) for 1980. Advertised in February 1981.
9. Ralt RT1/76 [10] (John Connolly): New to Eddie Pinto's Team Gunston for Roy Klomfass at the end of 1975 and fitted with a Swindon BDA for the 1976 South African Formula Atlantic season. It was also fitted with a centre-post rear wing fabricated by GP Metalcraft, the only Ralt not to have an end-plate-supported rear wing. It was used through the 1976 season in South Africa, during which time it was extensively modified. In early 1977 it was sold "to a guy in Los Angeles". This must have been Kevin Cogan (Torrance, CA, in southwestern Los Angeles County), who raced his newer RT1/76-33 in 1977 but kept chassis 10 with its distinctive centre-post rear wing as a spare car for the first part of 1977. It was borrowed by Pierre Phillips at Mosport Park in May for Juan Cochésa to race after the Venezuelan crashed his intended car in practice. Then very probably the car acquired from Brian Robertson by John Connolly (Brooklyn, NY) and raced by him at Trois-Rivières in September. The car is thought to have remained with Connolly until advertised by him in early 1982, but he also had a newer RT1/78 and a Ralt RT4. After Connolly, the car may have gone to James Malapanis (Carlisle, MA) 1982-83 and then Richard Mullins (Hannover, PA) up to 1993. We would be keen to make contact with Malapanis or Mullins. [CT]
10. Ralt RT1/78 [136] (Skeeter McKitterick): A white and blue Ralt RT1/78 invoiced to Ralt importer Brian Robertson in August 1978. To AME Racing for Skeeter McKitterick (San Diego, CA/Woodland Hills, CA), debuting at Trois-Rivières in early September. Also raced by McKitterick at the Macau Grand Prix in November as part of the Flying Tigers team. Retained by McKitterick for 1979, when he had sponsorship from CAM 2 Motor Oil. Raced in the North American series and again in Macau, entered by Flying Tigers Dunhill Racing Team. Entered a few times in 1980, but rarely seen. Sold to Kyle Buxton (Trabuco, CA) who raced it in Formula Atlantic in 1981 and 1982, then fitted a sports car body for Can-Am racing later in 1982, using a Ford BDP engine. To Dennis Brisken, and used in ASR class racing in 1984, but later wrecked at Sears Point. Sold to Carl Olsson (San Diego, CA) and rebuilt as a FC, and later as a CSR. Then to Tom Nelson (San Francisco area, CA) who rebuilt it again as an improved CSR. [CT]
11. March 78B (Robert Silvestro): Run by Stimola for Robert Silvestro (Patterson, NY) to drive in SCCA Nationals and some Pro races in August and September 1979 season. The car was yellow and was entered as #99 with sponsorship from BTG Investments. It had a late-style front rollhoop. Silvestro recalls that it was "was Danny Sullivan's Bluebonnet car" and that the BTG team bought the car in McLean, Texas. Silvestro's last race in the car was at Bridgehampton in mid-September, where it was "bent around a tree". The tub was replaced with a Bahner tub and it was sold, but Silvestro was not imvolved with the sale. Subsequent history unknown.
12. Ralt RT1/78 (Tim Coconis): John Paul Racing ran a second entry in the 1979 North American Formula Atlantic series for David Loring (Concord, Mass) alongside the Ralt RT1/78 raced by John Paul Jr. Loring only raced the car at Long Beach and Mexico City in April. Later in the season the team entered a second car for Tim Coconis (Palo Alto, CA), presumably the same car, at Trois-Rivières and Bridgehampton. It was then sold to Joe Castellano (Orlando, FL), who remembers buying an "ex-John Paul Ralt RT1" which was "light blue and yellow".
13. Ralt RT1/79 (Terry Knight): Terry Knight (Westport, CT) raced a Ralt RT1 in Northwest Division SCCA Nationals and a few CASC North American Formula Atlantic series races in 1979. His car was black with a gold pinstripe, and was run for him by Joe Stimola's Stimola Racing. Knight was the former manager of Grand Funk Railroad, a popular beat combo, and his car was entered by the notorious Norman's Cay Bahamas. At his last appearance in the RT1, the Pro race at Bridgehampton in September 1979, Knight was involved in a multi-car accident on the pace lap and did not start. When he returned to racing in 1980, it was in a newer Ralt RT4. Knight died in 2004. The subsequent history of his Ralt RT1 is unknown.
14. Ralt RT1/78 [127] (Rick Bell): New to Rick Bell (Lakeville, CT) and used in the 1978 Labatts Formula Atlantic championship. Retained for 1979, again in the North American Pro series. Retained for a third season in 1980, and again raced regularly in the North American Pro series. In 1981, he sold the car, and believes it went through three other drivers until it was bought by a friend of Bell's. Bell has been racing the car in historic racing, mainly at Lime Rock, since then.
15. Ralt RT1/79 [148] (Jean-Pierre Alamy): New to Jean-Pierre Alamy (Montréal, Quebec) and raced in the CASC North American Formula Atlantic series in 1979. It was run by Colin Hine Racing and sponsored by Dino Rivera Auto Sales and CKTM-TV. It was red with white cockpit bodywork at Trois-Rivières in September. Retained by Alamy for 1980, but he only appeared at a few races. Unknown in 181. Sold for 1982 to Bob Roy (Montréal, Quebec) and raced in the CASC series but also in Can-Am, for which it was fitted with sports car bodywork by Carrera Motors in Montréal. To Sylvain Perigny (Trois-Rivieres, Quebec) and raced as a Formula Atlantic at Montréal in June, but then fitted with a Mazda engine for further use in Can-Am. Raced again by Perigny in 1984, and returned again for the CAT series in 1987.
16. March 78B [4] (Frank Bramante): 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.
17. March 79B (Tommy Grunnah): New to Tommy Grunnah (Barrington, IL) and raced in Pro races and SCCA Nationals in 1979. Unknown after 1979.
18. Ralt RT1/78 [128] (Mike Follett): New to Mike Follett (Lewiston, Idaho) and raced in the North American Formula Atlantic series from 1978 to 1980. He kept the car until the end of 1983 when he crashed heavily in a WCAR race at Sears Point. [CT]
19. 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.
20. Ralt RT1/78 (Chris Gleason): Chris Gleason (Johnstown, PA) raced a white #75 Ralt RT1 in the Labatts Formula Atlantic Championship in 1978 from early July onwards, with sponsorship from Whalley BMW Sales. Gleason and Bertil Roos had been running together with a pair of March 77Bs earlier in the season, and both moved to Ralts at about the same time. Gleason retained the Ralt for 1979, when he was backed by Keystone Auto Products. This car looks like a new 1978 model, so could be chassis 135, a white Ralt invoiced to Robertson in late June. Retained by Gleason for 1979 when he ran at most rounds up to Road America in July, when he retired with engine failure. He entered for the next three races but does not appear in the results for any of them. Subsequent history unknown.
21. Ralt RT1/78 [119] (Ken Duclos): New to Ken Duclos (Boxboro, MA) and used in SCCA Nationals and three Pro races in 1978. Duclos finished second in Northeast Division, breaking a run of six successive titles. He finished second at the SCCA Runoffs. Retained by Duclos for 1979, when he raced in the Pro series. It was bought from Duclos by Dennis Vinciguerra (Laguna Beach, CA). This car was next seen at Long Beach in April 1981 when it was driven for Vinciguerra by Dick Ferguson. It was advertised by Vinciguerra from California in August 1981. Vinciguerra cannot recall who he sold it to. Subsequent history unknown. [CT]

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.