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CASC North American Formula Atlantic Series Race

Long Beach, 7 Apr 1979

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Tom Gloy Ralt RT1/79 [147] - Ford BDD Jennings
#38 Lane Sport Inc.
51 1h 14m 57.000s
82.471 mph
2 Kevin Cogan Ralt RT1/78 [132] - Ford BDD Jennings
#33 Ralt American Racing
51 1h 15m 02.000s
3 Bill Brack March 78B [13?] - Ford BDD
#7 STP/Bill Brack Racing
51
4 Dave McMillan Ralt RT1/76 [36] - Ford BDD
#34 Ralt American Racing (see note 1)
51
5 Jeff Wood March 78B - Ford BDD
#2 Jeff Wood Racing (see note 2)
51
6 Geoff Brabham Ralt RT1/78 [89] - Ford BDD
#35 Pierre Phillips Racing (see note 3)
51
7 Jon Norman March 79B - Ford BDD
#58 Marvin-Clegg Racing
51
8 Steve "Gas" Saleen March 77B - Ford BDD
#39 Clayton Bierke
50
9 Tony Rouff Ralt RT1/78 [111] - Ford BDD
#36 Pierre Phillips Racing (see note 4)
50
10 Rick Bell Ralt RT1/78 [127] - Ford BDD
#98 Rick Bell Racing
50
11 Terry Knight March 79B [78B-1] - Ford BDD
#88 Stimola Race Preparation
49
12 Tommy Grunnah March 79B - Ford BDD
#53 Relco Racing Enterprises (see note 5)
49
13 Steve Anderson March 78B - Ford BDD
#40 X-A Cabinets/White Head
49
14 Howdy Holmes March 79B - Ford BDD
#8 Doug Shierson Racing (see note 6)
49
15 Ralph Manaker March 79B [6] - Ford BDD
#23 Ralph Manaker Racing/Site Hill Farms
49
16 Cliff Hansen March 79B - Ford BDD
#27 Constitution Savings & Loan/Team Kiwi/Cliff Furnas
(see note 7)
48
17 Dick Moody Ralt RT1 - Ford BDD
#78 Richard Moody Racing
48
18 Skeeter McKitterick Ralt RT1/78 [136] - Ford BDD Jennings
#12 AME Racing
47
19 Ken Duclos Ralt RT1/78 [119] - Ford BDD
#84 Trojan Tools/Ken Duclos Automotive
47
20 Dan Marvin March 79B - Ford BDD
#59 Marvin-Clegg Racing (see note 8)
47
21 John Bauer March 77B [28?] - Ford BDD
#73 John Bauer Racing (see note 9)
47
22 Marco Tolama Chevron B39 [39-77-12?] - Ford BDD
#5 Terramar/Fred Opert Racing (see note 10)
47
23 Joe Sposato March 79B [13] - Ford BDD
#28 First American Title Co/Sposato Motor Racing
43
24 John Paul Jr Ralt RT1/79 [96] - Ford BDD
#18 John Paul Racing
40 Retired
25 Chris Gleason Ralt RT1/78 - Ford BDD
#75 Keystone Auto Products
39 Retired
26 Mark McCaig Chevron B45 [45-78-03] - Ford BDD
#11 Rick Shea Racing (see note 11)
36 Retired
27 Ken Briggs March 79B - Ford BDD
#89 Briggs Tropicana Racing/Stimola Race Preparation
26 Retired
28 Bob Earl Ralt RT1/78 [142] - Ford BDD
#19 National Treaty Sservices
23 Transmission
29 Price Cobb March 78B - Ford BDD
#22 Chas Jourdan/Taurus Racing
19 Transmission
30 Rick Koehler March 79B [9] - Ford BDD
#51 Ecurie Excalibur
17 Retired
31 Tennyson Kwok March 77B [21?] - Ford BDD
#43 KWOK and Murray Promotions/Tennyson Kwok Racing
(see note 12)
10 Collision with Bauer
32 Mike Follett Ralt RT1/78 [128] - Ford BDD
#21 Follett Motorsport
7 Retired
33 Bob McGregor March 77B [6?] - Ford BDD
#52 - (see note 13)
7 Retired
34 David Loring Ralt RT1/78 [96] - Ford BDD
#81 John Paul Racing
3 Retired
35 John Mortensen March 79B - Ford BDD
#9 Stimola Race Preparation
2 Retired
36 Larry Bergman Ralt RT1/77 [88] - Ford BDD
#87 (see note 14)
0 Retired
DNS Chip Mead Ralt RT1/78 [106] - Ford BDD
#31 Bob Signom/Jerry Mong/Red Roos Inn's Racing
Did not start
DNS Dick Gamble March 75B/78B - Ford BDD
#66 Titmas Racing (see note 15)
Did not start
(Engine)
DNQ Giuseppe "Joe" Castellano March 77B - Ford BDD
Ecurie Excalibur (see note 16)
Did not qualify
T/S Jeff Wood March 79A - Ford BDD
#2T Jeff Wood Racing
(Spare - not used in practice)
T/S Howdy Holmes March 79A - Ford BDD
#8T Doug Shierson Racing
(Spare - not used in practice)
  Jim Trueman Bobsy 79B - Ford BDD
Jerry Mong/Red Roof Inn's Racing
On entry list

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

Qualifying
1 Kevin Cogan (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [132] - Ford BDD Jennings 1.26.700
2 Howdy Holmes (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.27.010
3 Tom Gloy (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/79 [147] - Ford BDD Jennings 1.27.640
4 Bob Earl (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [142] - Ford BDD 1.27.910
5 Bill Brack (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [13?] - Ford BDD 1.28.280
6 Cliff Hansen (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.28.320
7 Price Cobb (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B - Ford BDD 1.28.380
8 Dave McMillan (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/76 [36] - Ford BDD 1.28.400
9 Jeff Wood (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B - Ford BDD 1.28.550
10 Dan Marvin (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.28.680
11 Geoff Brabham (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [89] - Ford BDD 1.28.820
12 Steve "Gas" Saleen (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B - Ford BDD 1.28.860
13 Jon Norman (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.28.930
14 Ken Briggs (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.29.060
15 Rick Koehler (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [9] - Ford BDD 1.29.130
16 Tony Rouff (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [111] - Ford BDD 1.29.310
17 Ken Duclos (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [119] - Ford BDD 1.29.440
18 Chris Gleason (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 - Ford BDD 1.29.560
19 David Loring (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [96] - Ford BDD 1.29.750
20 Ralph Manaker (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [6] - Ford BDD 1.29.830
21 Joe Sposato (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [13] - Ford BDD 1.29.880
22 John Mortensen (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.29.900
23 Chip Mead * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [106] - Ford BDD 1.29.930
24 Skeeter McKitterick (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [136] - Ford BDD Jennings 1.30.310
25 Rick Bell (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [127] - Ford BDD 1.30.510
26 Larry Bergman (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/77 [88] - Ford BDD 1.30.620
27 Mark McCaig (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B45 [45-78-03] - Ford BDD 1.30.740
28 Steve Anderson (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B - Ford BDD 1.30.970
29 Mike Follett (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [128] - Ford BDD 1.31.150
30 Tommy Grunnah (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.31.310
31 John Paul Jr (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/79 [96] - Ford BDD 1.32.020
32 Tennyson Kwok (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B [21?] - Ford BDD 1.32.080
33 Dick Moody (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1 - Ford BDD 1.32.480
34 Terry Knight (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [78B-1] - Ford BDD 1.33.050
35 John Bauer (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B [28?] - Ford BDD 1.33.300
36 Bob McGregor (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B [6?] - Ford BDD 1.33.790
37 Marco Tolama (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B39 [39-77-12?] - Ford BDD 1.34.730
38 Dick Gamble * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 75B/78B - Ford BDD 1.34.740
39 Giuseppe "Joe" Castellano * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B - Ford BDD 1.37.100
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Ralt RT1/76 [36] (Dave McMillan): To Cavanaugh Racing and run for Kevin Cogan in two late-season 1976 Canadian Formula Atlantic races. Sold to David McMillan and raced in the 1976/77 New Zealand Gold Star season, and in the January 1977 New Zealand International Formula Pacific series. Taken back to Canada for McMillan to race in two Canadian series races in 1977, then back to New Zealand for the 1977/78 Gold Star series and the January 1978 International series. Retained by McMillan for the 1978/79 and 1979/80 seasons, while also used in a handful of North American races in 1979 and 1980. Rebuilt as a Formula Super Vee for McMillan in 1980. McMillan moved to Ray Lipper’s Centreline Wheels team in 1981 and the old RT1 was raced by Lipper that season. CT
  2. 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.
  3. Ralt RT1/78 [89] (Geoff Brabham): New to Pierre Phillips in October 1977 as a rental car for North American Formula Atlantic. Raced by James Morgan in an SCCA National at Riverside in February 1978, then by Les Hill in the SCCA National at Holtville in March. It was then Bobby Rahal's spare car at Long Beach at Westwood in the Pro series. After Westwood it went to Glen Finch (Brightwood, OR/Sandy, OR) and he raced it in Northern Pacific Division SCCA Nationals and the Runoffs (CSPRRC) later that year. It was returned to Phillips in early 1979 and was used by Geoff Brabham at Long Beach in April 1979. It was then sold to Frank Monise (Pasadena, CA) and used by him in SCCA Nationals in 1979 and 1980. CT
  4. Ralt RT1/78 [111] (Tony Rouff): New to Pierre Phillips for Les Hill to race in North American Formula Atlantic in 1978. It was also used by Tommy Phillips in ICSCC events that season. Retained by Pierre Phillips Racing for 1979, when it was raced by Tony Rouff at Long Beach in April 1979. Then raced as a Phillips rental by Kees Nierop at Westwood and Montréal later in 1979. 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
  5. March 79B (Tommy Grunnah): New to Tommy Grunnah (Barrington, IL) and raced in Pro races and SCCA Nationals in 1979. Unknown after 1979.
  6. 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.
  7. March 79B (Cliff Hansen): New to Cliff Hansen (Laguna Beach, CA) and raced in the CASC North American Formula Atlantic series in 1979. Unknown after 1979.
  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. 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.
  10. Chevron B39 [39-77-12?] (Marco Tolama): 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.
  11. 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.
  12. March 77B [21?] (Tennyson Kwok): Tennyson Kwok (Long Beach, CA) raced a March 77B at Long Beach in April 1979, and advised Chris Townsend that it was an ex-Holmes car that he bought the car from Wally Farrell who used it in SCCA Nationals with Cal Club in 1978. As 77B-22 is known to have gone to Dan Carmichael, Kwok's car is likely to have been 77B-21. Kwok then used it in a few SCCA events prior to Long Beach. It was sold to Bill Fickling (San Clemente, CA), who raced it at Long Beach in 1982, after three years in which it had barely been used. It was then sold to John Wink (Sacramento, CA) for 1983 but was wrecked at an SCCA National at Laguna Seca in 1984. The remains of the car were sold to Chuck Billington (Modesto, CA) who built them onto a CSR using a new monocoque. This is too late to be the Tracer TR2 that Billington raced in 1983, so may have been for a customer. Subsequent history unknown.
  13. March 77B [6?] (Bob McGregor): The history of this car in 1977 and 1978 is currently unresolved, but in 1979 it was raced by Bob McGregor (Burnaby, British Columbia) in Formula Atlantic. It then went to Mark Akerstream (Vancouver, BC) who used it in CASC regional events in 1980. It then went to Russ Thomson (Vancouver, BC) who used it for ICSCC races in 1981. A logbook still with the car shows that he used it with ICSCC as late as 1989. It then went to Bill Stevens (Portland, Oregon) in 1989, fitted a Mazda engine and raced it with ICSCC up to April 1995. Then to Martin Handshy (Connecticut) and restored to Formula Atlantic specification, and he raced it in SVRA vintage racing from February 1998 to October 2002. It was sold to the current owner in 2005.
  14. 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
  15. March 75B/78B (Dick Gamble): 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.
  16. March 77B (Giuseppe "Joe" Castellano): 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.

Sources

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' original 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.