Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières

Trois-Rivières, 2 Sep 1979

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

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 (Tom Gloy): Tom Gloy (Lafayette, CA) acquired a Ralt RT1 of unknown vintage 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 when it was driven by Gloy and by Kip Penske. [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. 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.
5. 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. He continued to race the car, but only in local events, and advertised it in August 1981. [CT]
6. March 79B (Tommy Grunnah): New to Tommy Grunnah (Barrington, IL) and raced in Pro races and SCCA Nationals in 1979. Unknown after 1979.
7. 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]
8. 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]
9. 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.
10. Ralt RT1/79 [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]
11. 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.
12. Ralt RT1/79 [132?] (Kevin Cogan): A white Ralt RT1/78 invoiced to Ralt importer Brian Robertson for his Ralt American Racing team in mid-May 1978. It is likely to have been used by Kevin Cogan in 1978, but photographs found of Cogan's cars so far show an older car with bolted rollhoop supports. This was probably Cogan's car in 1979, but he had a spare car that season, so we cannot be sure when he used each car. In 1979 he took pole position at Long Beach, and won from pole at Westwood and Québec City. He won again at Mosport Park, but in his spare car after damaging his principal car in practice. Cogan retained chassis 132 as a spare for Long Beach in 1980, then sold it to Kent Combs (Laguna Beach, CA) who raced it in 1981 and 1982. It was then sold to Tom Ballentyne (Westlake Village, CA) and converted to C Sport Racing specification using a Cicale body. Ballentyne raced it in the SCCA CSR Runoffs in 1983 and 1984. It was later raced by Frank Monise until it was retired in 1993. It was restored to original specification by Frank's son, Howard Monise, between 2002 and 2006, and sold to David S. Morrison (Long Beach, CA) in 2007.
13. 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.
14. 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) ad 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]
15. 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.
16. 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]
17. 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.
18. 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. He continued to race the car, but only in local events, and advertised it in August 1981. [CT]
19. Ralt RT1/78 [95] (Bruce Jensen): New to Bruce Jensen (Kitchener, Ontario) and raced in the North American Pro Formula Atlantic series in 1978. Retained for 1979, when he again raced it in the Pro series. To John R Fowler (Charleston, WV) for 1980, and used in SCCA Nationals and at least one Pro race. Retained by Fowler for 1981. Then sold to Mike Pinney (Mansfield, OH) for the 1982 and 1983 seasons. [CT]
20. March 79B [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.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. 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

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.