OldRacingCars.com

Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières

Trois-Rivières, 2 Sep 1979

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Howdy Holmes March 79B - Ford BDD
#8 Doug Shierson Racing (see note 1)
42 1h 02m 25.798s
84.77 mph
2 Tom Gloy Ralt RT1/76 [34] - Ford BDD Jennings
#38 Lane Sports (see note 2)
42 1h 02m 44.989s
3 Jeff Wood March 79B [17] - Ford BDD
#2 Jeff Wood Racing
42 1h 02m 50.134s
4 Jacques Villeneuve Sr March 79B [78B-13] - Ford BDD
#7 Bill Brack Racing
42 1h 03m 00.411s
5 Price Cobb March 79B - Ford BDD
#59 Marvin-Clegg Racing (see note 3)
42 1h 03m 04.146s
6 Rick Bell Ralt RT1/78 [127] - Ford BDD
#98 Rick Bell Racing
42 1h 03m 55.082s
7 John Mortensen March 79B - Ford BDD
#9 Stimola Race Preparation
41
8 Ken Duclos Ralt RT1/78 [119] - Ford BDD
#84 Ken Duclos Automotive
41
9 Tommy Grunnah March 79B - Ford BDD
#53 Relco Racing Enterprises (see note 4)
41
10 Ken Briggs March 79B - Ford BDD
#89 Stimola Race Preparation
41
11 Mike Follett Ralt RT1/78 [128] - Ford BDD
#21 Follett Motorsport Racing
40
12 Larry Bergman Ralt RT1/77 [88] - Ford BDD
#87 Briggs Racing (see note 5)
40
13 Mark McCaig Chevron B45 [45-78-03] - Ford BDD
#11 Rick Shea Racing (see note 6)
40
14 Rejean Vincent March 78B [15] - Ford BDD
#6 Bill Brack Racing
38
15 John Paul Jr Ralt RT1/79 [96] - Ford BDD
#18 John Paul Racing
37
16 Don Breidenbach March 79B [20] - Ford BDD Pacific
#50 Tropicana Hotels
37 Out of fuel
17 Cliff Hansen March 79B - Ford BDD
#27 Team Kiwi (see note 7)
33 Gearbox
18 Kevin Cogan Ralt RT1/79 [132?] - Ford BDD
#33 Ralt American Arciero/K&K Investments/Quaker State
32 Collision with Wood
19 Jon Norman March 79B - Ford BDD
#58 Marvin-Clegg Racing
26 Accident
20 Derek Daly March 79B [21] - Ford BDD
#88 Fred Opert Racing (see note 8)
24 Engine
21 Bob Earl Ralt RT1/78 [142] - Ford BDD
#19 NTS Racing
21 Accident
22 Jean-Pierre Alamy Ralt RT1/79 [148] - Ford BDD
#13 Dinorivera Auto Sales/CKTM-TV
18 Clutch
23 Rick Koehler March 79B [9] - Ford BDD
#51 Ecurie Excalibur
11 Brakes
24 Ralph Manaker March 79B [6] - Ford BDD
#23 RM Racing/Site Hill Farms
10 Clutch
25 John David Briggs March 79B [19] - Ford BDD Pacific
#79 Briggs Racing
6 Suspension
UNK Marco Tolama Chevron B45 [45-78-02] - Ford BDD
#5 Fred Opert Racing (see note 9)

DNS Bruce MacInnes Ralt RT1 - Ford BDD
#57 Connolly Racing
Did not start
DNS Tim Coconis Ralt RT1/78 [96] - Ford BDD
#48 John Paul Racing
Did not start
  Skeeter McKitterick Ralt RT1/78 [136] - Ford BDD Jennings
#12
On entry list
  James King March 79B [16] - Ford BDD
#25 (see note 10)
On entry list
  Joe Sposato March 79B [13] - Ford BDD
#28
On entry list
  Ken Duclos Ralt RT1/78 [119] - Ford BDD
#34
On entry list
  Bruce Jensen Ralt RT1/78 [95] - Ford BDD
#41
On entry list
  Frank Bramante March 79B [78B-4] - Ford BDD
#44
On entry list
  Len Campbell March - Ford BDD
#70
On entry list
  Chris Gleason Ralt RT1/78 - Ford BDD
#75
On entry list
  Rick Bell Ralt RT1/78 [127] - Ford BDD
#78
On entry list
  Terry Knight March 79B [78B-1] - Ford BDD
#88
On entry list
  Marc Dancose Ralt RT1/77 [79] - Ford BDD
#96 (see note 11)
On entry list

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

Qualifying
1 Howdy Holmes (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.27.069
2 Kevin Cogan (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/79 [132?] - Ford BDD 1.27.514
3 Jeff Wood (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [17] - Ford BDD 1.28.030
4 Tom Gloy (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/76 [34] - Ford BDD Jennings 1.28.283
5 Bob Earl (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [142] - Ford BDD 1.28.648
6 Jacques Villeneuve Sr (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [78B-13] - Ford BDD 1.29.269
7 Rick Bell (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [127] - Ford BDD 1.29.968
8 Derek Daly (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [21] - Ford BDD 1.30.020
9 John David Briggs (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [19] - Ford BDD Pacific 1.30.485
10 Price Cobb (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.30.589
11 Cliff Hansen (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.30.680
12 Ken Duclos (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [119] - Ford BDD 1.30.721
13 Rick Koehler (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [9] - Ford BDD 1.31.081
14 Larry Bergman (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/77 [88] - Ford BDD 1.31.195
15 John Mortensen (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.31.288
16 Mike Follett (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [128] - Ford BDD 1.31.877
17 Don Breidenbach (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [20] - Ford BDD Pacific 1.31.901
18 Rejean Vincent (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [15] - Ford BDD 1.32.118
19 Jon Norman (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.32.382
20 Ken Briggs (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.32.672
21 Tommy Grunnah (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B - Ford BDD 1.32.690
22 Jean-Pierre Alamy (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/79 [148] - Ford BDD 1.32.748
23 Bruce MacInnes * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1 - Ford BDD 1.32.892
24 Tim Coconis * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [96] - Ford BDD 1.33.310
25 John Paul Jr (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/79 [96] - Ford BDD 1.33.664
26 Mark McCaig (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B45 [45-78-03] - Ford BDD 1.34.058
27 Ralph Manaker (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 79B [6] - Ford BDD 1.35.120
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. 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.
  2. Ralt RT1/76 [34] (Tom Gloy): New to Brian Robertson's Quick-Trans/Gabriel International Warranty team in the middle of the 1976 season, replacing the team's Lola T460s, and run for Richard Spenard in the 1976 Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series in yellow Planter's Peanuts livery. Both the Robertson team cares were offered for sale by Fred Opert in early 1977 so this must be the yellow RT1 that was bought from Opert by Dave Webber (Mississauga, Ontario) and raced in the Labatts Formula Atlantic Championship in 1977. Badly damaged in a practice accident at St-Félicien in August and Webber spent much of 1978 rebuilding it. Webber advertised the car in February 1979 with a Can-Am body. This is then very probably the car acquired by Tom Gloy (Lafayette, CA) as a spare to his newer RT1/79 for the 1979 season, when he was run by Lane Sports. Retained by Lane Sports for 1980. CT
  3. March 79B (Price Cobb): 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.
  4. March 79B (Tommy Grunnah): New to Tommy Grunnah (Barrington, IL) and raced in Pro races and SCCA Nationals in 1979. Unknown after 1979.
  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. 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 [21] (Derek Daly): Long-time Chevron importer Fred Opert acquired a March 79B for 1979 and ran it alongside the Chevron B45 he had left from 1978. It was raced once by team driver Marco Tolama and also by European F2 stars Derek Daly (at Trois-Rivières) and Eje Elgh (at Montréal). It went to Carl Liebich for 1980, who recalls buying a car from Opert that had previously been driven by Daly. Retained for 1981 but Liebich does not recall who he sold it to. History then unknown until the early 1990s when it was part of "the Indy Car Experience" at Phoenix International Raceway. It was acquired by Todd Cook of TCE Performances Products (Tempe, AZ) around 1994, then to Jon Gibson, then Jim McDonald, and then to Don Sandy and Art Hebert (San Rafael, CA) in early 2011. It was advertised on motorsportsmarket.com in early 2015 and sold to Charles Arton in South Africa, who ran the car at Killarney in February 2015 in Martini livery and still with Hebert's name on the side. In May 2017, following the Simola Hill Climb, the 79B was destroyed when a transporter containing six cars bound for Cape Town caught fire.
  9. 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.
  10. March 79B [16] (James King): New to James King and first raced in June 1979. Raced primarily in SCCA Nationals but also used in the CASC Pro races at Road America and Montréal that year, at Long Beach and Road America in 1980, and at Road America again in 1981. Sold to Dennis Eade at Comprep after the 1982 season, but Eade was only interested in the engine and the car remained stored at Comprep for some time. Bought by Barry Rosenblum from Eade at some point and used in historic racing.
  11. Ralt RT1/77 [79] (Marc Dancose): New to Gilles Léger (Lachute, Quebec), first appearing at Trois-Rivières in September 1977. Raced by Léger mainly in the Canadian rounds of the Labatts Formula Atlantic Championship in 1978. Then used as a rental car by Léger for Marc Dancose to race at Quebec in June 1979 and Monique Proulx at Montréal in September. Sold to Bob Hoff (Long Beach, CA) for 1980, when it was run for him in the North American Formula Atlantic series by Gas Saleen Racing. CT

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.