CASC North American Formula Atlantic Series Race

Long Beach, 3 Apr 1982

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

Notes on the cars:

1. Ralt RT1/76 (Ed Donnelly): Ed Donnelly (Long Beach, CA) scored six points in Southern Pacific Division Formula Atlantic in 1979 in a Ralt. This was presumably the Ralt RT1 he raced in the North American Formula Atlantic series in 1980. He finished seventh in Southern Pacific Division that season, with 17 points, then finished second in the Division in 1981, qualifying for the Runoffs. He raced it again in 1982, when he ran at Long Beach, and it was still being raced by Donnelly in 1985. [CT]
2. March 77B [21?] (Bill Fickling): 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.
3. Brabham BT38 [‘33’] (Warren "Bud" Pauge): A "new chassis" replacing the ASCA team's Brabham BT38 wrecked by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud at Rouen. It was raced by teammate Adam Potocki at Imola, where Potocki failed to qualify, and was then Jaussaud's car for the rest of the season. ASCA entered Jaussaud in the Brazilian F2 Torneio, but he was involved in the startline accident at the second Interlagos race, and the Brabham was badly damaged. According to Chris Townsend's research, this car was acquired by Fred Opert Racing and raced by Héctor Rebaque in the Caracas Formula B race in March 1973, then by Brian Robertson in the JAF Grand Prix in May 1973. It is not clear what else Opert used it for in 1973, but in January 1974, he sold it to John Bernadine (Tulsa, OK) for SCCA Formula B. Then to Warren Pauge (Hacienda Heights, CA) in August 1975, replacing his well-used Brabham BT21. Pauge retained the BT38 for many years, even running it as a Can-Am car once in 1982. After he finally stopped racing it in 1988, he sold it to Marc Bahner, then it went to George Steven in 1992, Tom Stapleton about 2008, and Paul Skilowitz (Stuart, FL) in 2016.
4. Ralt RT1/78 [136] (Kyle Buxton): 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]
5. March 76B [722-20] (Jimmy Santos): Paul Keeler (Greenwich, CT) raced a #38 white-and-green March 722 in NEDiv SCCA Nationals and some Pro FB races in 1972. He was sponsored by Analube, and entered by Gracie Racing Enterprise Ltd of Greenwich, CT. Retained for 1973, when Keeler drove the Analube March at Lime Rock in July. In 1974 it was raced by Gerald Lieberg (Milford, CT) at a few SCCA races, and at the Watkins Glen Pro race. He continued to race the car in New England in 1975, 1976 and 1977. For 1978, it was bought from Lieberg by Jimmy Santos (Sunnyvale, CA), and rebuilt by Newman-Dreager to 76B specification. He raced it until 1982, and then sold it in April 1983 to Richard Lempe (aka Rick Sutherland). Lempe sold it in December 1984 to John Hafkenschiel (Palo Alto, CA), who kept it until January 1996 when it was sold to Keith Lively. Later owner Michael Vanderhurst belives it went from Lively to Tom Morgan in 2003. It then moved to Sam Simpson in 2003, and he sold it to Michael Vanderhurst (Saratoga, CA) in 2007.
6. Ralt RT1/76 [11] (Stu Hayner): New to Chip Mead (Dayton, OH) and raced by him in the 1976 Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series, run for him by Cavanaugh Racing in dark blue livery. Retained by Mead for 1977, when it was run for him by Pierre's Motors. It was then sold to Rick Shea Racing but unused as Shea ran a newer Chevron B45 for hire drivers. Retained by Rick Shea Racing for 1979 when it was used by Mark McCaig at Long Beach, although his regular car that season was Shea's Chevron B45. To Carlos Bobeda (Northridge, CA) late 1979 and raced by him in 1980 and 1981. It was rebuilt on Marc Bahner tub during this time. Sold to Stu Hayner (Yorba Linda, CA) for 1982. It then went to Dennis d'Angelo (Duck Key, FL) in 1988, Randy Goodman in 1989, Chris Cunningham (Cold Spring, NY) in 1991, Peter McLaughlin (Hannover, NH) in 2004, Fred Kaimer (Concord, CA) in 2006 and Danny Baker in 2021. It was sold to Dave Vegher of Veloce Motors West (Petaluma, CA) in 2022 and then to Dave Zurlinden (Monterey, CA) in 2023. [CT]
7. Ralt RT4/81 [267] (Dave McMillan): Ralt sales record says sold to Theodore Racing, delivered 16 Oct 81. [Tub no: 81/135; gearbox FT1488; fuel cell JM37176 10/81] Dave McMillan's car at Bay Park 3 Jan 82 is described by NZMN as Lees's car from Macau, 1981. Chassis number given NZMN 21 Jan 83 p16 for the car of Dave McMillan at Bay Park, 2 Jan 83. Presumed to be the car used by McMillan for the first part of the 1982 North American season, before he was given a 1982 specification car to use [alternatively this may have been RT4-205]. Chassis number given for McMillan's car at 1982 AGP, [AMSYB-82 p167]. [CT]
8. Ralt RT4/81 [255] (John Bowe): Ralt sales record says sold to Graham Watson/John Bowe, without delivery date. [Tub no: 80/109; gearbox: FT1469; fuel cell: JM34734 11/80]. Chassis number given for Bowe's car in report of 1981 AGP, 6 Nov 81 [NZMA 23 Nov 81 p4] and presumed to be Bowe's car earlier in the Australian season. Retained by Bowe for the 1982 season and taken by him to the race at Long Beach as well. Report of the Gold Star round at Oran Park says Bowe 'rushed getting car ready after Long Beach' [NZMA 7 May 82 p20]. Chassis number given for Bowe's car at 1982 AGP. [CT]
9. March 74/2 [73B] (Wes Dawn): British-domiciled Australian John Gillmeister (Harrietsham, Kent) had a red and white March 73B in British Formula Atlantic 1974. Gillmeister had a workshop making bodywork for March, and acquired a monocoque, suspension and other parts. This was built up for him by Ralph Hume over the winter of 1973/74 using a Richardson BDA engine with the intention of running in the British series. After a sponsor pulled out, Gillmeister sold the car mid-season to Gil Nickel Racing, and it was run by Bob Eggington for Wes Dawn to drive. Dawn was from Hollywood, California, and was a very successful makeup artist in film and TV. He and Gil Nickel (Park Hill, Oklahoma) finished fifth in the 1975 Cannonball Run in a Mercedes-Benz 450SL. He later took the 73B/74B back to the US where he used it in minor Formula Atlantic races. Dawn advertised the car in 1983, but still had it when he died in 1990, aged just 51. His widow sold the car in April 1991. Subsequent history withheld.
10. Ralt RT1/78 [132] (Kent Combs): 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.
11. Chevron B34 (Harry Greenwood): Harry Greenwood raced a blue and yellow Chevron B34 in west coast SCCA Regional events between 1979 and 1982. Greenwood was from New Jersey, but took a job with Lloyds Bank in California in 1979 and the Chevron was part-sponsored by his new employer. Nothing more known.

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.