OldRacingCars.com

ARCO Trophy

Castle Combe, 12 Apr 1971

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Nick Craw Brabham BT35 [9] - Ford twin cam Hart
#17 Fred Opert Racing (see note 1)
15 16m 09.4s
102.49 mph
2 David Morgan March 702 [6] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
(see note 2)
15
3 Clive Santo Palliser WDF3/B4 - Ford twin cam Hart

4 Chris Oates Lotus 69 [71/69.1] - Ford BDA Smith
#10 Alida Else Racing Team (see note 3)

5 Ed Reeves Brabham BT35 [8] - Ford BDA Wood
#2 (see note 4)

6 John Gillmeister Brabham BT28 [21] - Ford twin cam
#8 (see note 5)

7 Nick Cook Brabham BT35 [6] - Ford twin cam Racing Services
#23 (see note 6)

R Graham Eden Chevron B18C [18.A.71.1] - Ford BDA Hart
#5 (see note 7)
10 Fire
R Bob Ellice Chevron B17 [B10 F2.2] - Ford twin cam Hart
#21 (see note 8)
Handling
UNK Philip Guerola Brabham BT21A [8] - Ford twin cam Rowland
#15 (see note 9)

UNK Stephen Choularton Alexis Mk17 - Ford twin cam
#12

UNK Norman Cuthbert Brabham BT29 [19] - Ford twin cam
#9 (see note 10)

UNK Peter Wardle Lotus 69 [59-XB/F3-38] - Ford BDA Rowland
#7 (see note 11)

UNK Mike Stow Brabham BT35 [BT28-2] - Ford twin cam
#4 (see note 12)

UNK Del Bennett Huron Mk1A [1] - Ford BDA Piper
#3 (see note 13)

DNS Hugh PK Dibley Palliser WDB4 [2] - Ford twin cam BRM
#11 (see note 14)
Did not start
DNS unknown unknown
Did not start
DNS unknown unknown
Did not start
DNA Ray Allen Royale RP8 [1] - Ford twin cam BRM
#22 D.J.Bond Racing
Did not arrive

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

Qualifying
1 Nick Craw (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Brabham BT35 [9] - Ford twin cam Hart
2 David Morgan (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 702 [6] - Ford twin cam Vegantune

Notes on the cars:

  1. Brabham BT35 [9] (Nick Craw): New to Nick Craw, and raced initially in the British Formula Atlantic series at the start of 1971 before moving to the North American SCCA series in May. Borrowed by Alan Lader for the 1971 SCCA Runoffs. Raced by Craw at Bogotá in early 1972, then sold to Bob Schutt (Kirkwood, MO) for Midwest Division SCCA FB in 1972 and 1973. Sold to Dorsey Schroeder (Manchester, MO) and raced by him 1974, 1975 and 1976. Then to Mike Mahan in 1976 or 1977 for autocross, and next to Greg Scharnburg in 1980, also for autocross. In October 2001, it was bought from Scharnburg by Mike Winebrenner (Sellersburg, Indiana).
  2. March 702 [6] (David Morgan): Although given the number 702/6 by March, this was the development F2 car built using the very first Arch Motors frame. It raced just once in 1970 when Howden Ganley appeared in it at Mantorp Park in August. At the start of 1971, it was fitted with a Vegantune twin cam for Formula Atlantic, and was driven by David Morgan at the Mallory Park round in March, taking pole position and winning. He was second in the next race at Castle Combe, but then the car was advertised by March, and bought by John Nicholson, who used it for the rest of that season. Advertised by Nicholson (Ashford, Middlesex) in August 1972. Bought from Nicholson in October 1972 by Martin Steele (Faringdon, Oxfordshire) and used in sprints in 1973 and the first half of 1974. Sold in July 1974 to Peter Fisk (Cambridge) who raced it in speed events from 1974 to 1979. The car was fitted with a BDA engine, and Fisk sometimes shared with Robert Glass, also of Cambridge. Fisk advertised the car in October 1980 and sold it back to Steele in March 1981. Steele restored it and used it in UK historic racing in 1985 and 1986. Retained until sold in November 1998 to Mike Scott (Exeter, Devon) who drove it in FORCE events in 2003, and later appeared with it in Masters events in 2006. Sold in 2009 to Satoshi Onishi (Miharuno, Japan) and used by him in Japanese historic events.
  3. Lotus 69 [71/69.1] (Chris Oates): Number given in Lotus build record for the car sold to Chris Oates (Kimberley, Notts) for 1971 (an unusual number since it does not include a formula code, and this is not the same car as 71/69.1.FB which was sold in North America). Entered by Alida Else Racing Team for Oates in Formula Atlantic and libre racing in 1971. To Bernard Hunter (Edinburgh, Scotland) for libre and sprints in Scotland in 1972. To John Barr (Edinburgh, Scotland) and used in libre, sprints and hillclimbs in 1973 and 1974. To Bob Rollo (Prestonpans, Scotland) for libre racing in 1975 and 1976.
  4. Brabham BT35 [8] (Ed Reeves): New to Ed Reeves for British Formula Atlantic in 1971, using Wood BDA engines. Also raced by David Morgan at a couple of late season races. Retained by Reeves for Morgan to drive in 1972, and fitted with an 1860cc Wood BDA for the F2 race at Mallory Park in March 1972 which, remarkably, Morgan won. Reeves then bought a new BT38 for Morgan, and the BT35 was sold via Alan Jones to John and Chrystal Millard in Australia, who fitted a Ford twin cam for the ANF2 category, but it was four years before the car ran again. Raced by John Millard until February 1978 when an accident at Sandown Park damaged the chassis. Bought by Denis Lupton in September 1978 still in damaged state and repaired but still not assembled until bought by Bryan Miller (Kiama, NSW) in 1999. Retained by Miller until May 2014 when bought by John Hughes and shipped back to England.
  5. Brabham BT28 [21] (John Gillmeister): New for Andy Sutcliffe for F3 late 1969 but crashed heavily at Brands Hatch in mid-October. To John Gillmeister for 1970 but his season stopped in July and the car was raced only once more in F3, by Roger Hurst (Folkestone, Kent). Converted to Formula Atlantic by Lenham Hurst Racing Organisation for Gillmeister for 1971 but replaced after a few races by a Palliser, and ended up at MRE. Bought by Fl Lt Des White (Bristol) and fitted with the Ford twin cam and Hewland FT200 from Mike Stow's BT28/BT35 after Stow acquired a BDA. Used by White in Bristol MC events at Colerne and Hullavington but not actually raced. Sold to Derrick Robinson (Radstock, Somerset) late 1973 and advertised by him in May 1974 as a rolling chassis with new FT200, commenting that it had only raced once. Subsequent history unknown.
  6. Brabham BT35 [6] (Nick Cook): New to Nick Cook and used in the British Formula Atlantic series in 1971. Retained for early 1972, but Cook does not appear in the UK after the end of April and this is probably the car taken to the USA to use in the SCCA series in 1972. Used by Rob Turnbull in British hillclimbs in 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976. Sold to Andrew Fraser (Newton Abbot, Devon), and shared by him and Tim Painter in Sprints in 1977. Retained by Fraser for 1978 and 1979, and appeared at Wiscombe Park events in 1980 and 1982. Then via David McLaughlin to Keith Norman about 1984 and used by him in HSCC events in the 1980s and 1990s. To Rob Haze (Netherlands) between 1992 and 1995, and then back to Norman again for Historic F2 in 1999. To John Dunham (Basingstoke, Hampshire) April 2001, then to Ben Tyler 2003, then Peter Shaw 2004, then Dr John Monson 2007.
  7. Chevron B18C [18.A.71.1] (Graham Eden): New to Graham Eden and delivered just in time for the Oulton Park Formula Atlantic race on 21 March 1971, the second round of the British series. Eden retired from driving shortly after and recruited Cyd Williams to drive the car. Williams won seven championship rounds and finished second in the 1971 championship. Eden ordered Ensigns for 1972 but cancelled the order and bought March 722s instead. Williams continued to drive the Chevron until his 722 arrived and won three of the first six rounds of the 1972 series. The car was later displayed at the London Racing Car show, where it was bought by Canadian Bob Armstrong (Winnipeg, Manitoba) for the Canadian Formula B series in 1973. Armstrong appeared in the early rounds of the series but made little impact and wasn't seen after June. Subsequent history unknown.
  8. Chevron B17 [B10 F2.2] (Bob Ellice): The second Chevron B10 was completed in July 1968 and raced by Bennett himself at a libre race before being sold to Mike MacDowel and Bob Jennings in August for hillclimbs. They ran it until the end of the season but then bought a new Brabham BT30X and the Chevron was sold to Graham Eden who first used an oversized Ford twin-cam and then returned the car to FVA specification. It was upgraded to B17 specification for 1970 and at the end of that season passed to Bill Creasey and then on to Bob Ellice for the 1971 season. Ellice ran it in the new Formula Atlantic series with a twin-cam engine, entered by John Deuxberry. Then to the US and used in FB by Mike Hickey (Portland, OR) from May 1972. To Richard Shepard (San Francisco, CA) January 1974 and converted to FC with an 1100cc Holbay-Cosworth engine. Later sold to Monte Shelton (Portland, OR), then from Shelton to Tom Black (Portland, OR) who acquired a new body and other parts from Ed Swart (all this around 1990) and sold it all to Gerry Kingen (Seattle, WA) in 1991. Restored for Kingen by Mike Gent for display in one of Kingen's restaurants. Sold by him to Ernie Spada Jr (Lake Oswego, OR) some time in the mid to late 1990s and restored again by Gent to running Formula B specification. To Jim Catchot (Rancho Murieta, CA) January 2014.
  9. Brabham BT21A [8] (Philip Guerola): Sold to Robert Lamplough (London) 1967, with Lotus Ford t/c and used by him and Mike Walker in Formula 2. First appeared at the Brands Hatch F2 in August 1967 but Walker did not quaify. Raced by Lamplough at Vallellunga, and then ballasted to F1 weight for the non-championship Spanish GP in NOvember. After efforts to sell it to the US as a Formula B car were unsuccessful, it went to Bill Dryden and was entered for him by Ecurie Ecosse in libre and hillclimbs in 1968. Unknown in 1969 but throught to be the BT21A with Lucas twin cam advertised by Paul Hawkins Racing (Slough) and then by Jackie Epstein (Dorking) during 1969. It reappeared in 1970 with Phil Guerola (Bickley, Kent) for libre racing and then used by him in the new Formula Atlantic in 1971. The car was wrecked in a libre and GT race at Castle Combe in August 1971 when Guerola crashed into a Healey 3000 "which had spun to a halt in the middle of the track on the exit of Camp". Guerola was helped from the car just before a Formula Ford Dulon spun into the Brabham. Guerola acquired a Brabham BT21B for 1972, so it would appear that the BT21A was not repairable.
  10. Brabham BT29 [19] (Norman Cuthbert): Sold to Steve Matchett but remained unraced in 1970. To Norman Cuthbert for 1971 and raced in British Formula Atlantic, at first with a Ford twin cam and then with a BDA later in the season. To John Sabourin for 1972 and continued in Formula Atlantic, and then briefly in libre racing in 1973. Sabourin recalls part-trading it to Bobby Howlings for a Chevron B19/B23. The BT29 is then believed to be the "nipple pink" BT29/35 raced by Mike Chapman (Preston/Blackburn) and Mike Utley (Preston) in sprints, hillclimbs and libre racing from 1974 to 1977. Then firmly identified as the car raced by a southern English hillclimber between 1978 and 1987. Subsequent history withheld.
  11. Lotus 69 [59-XB/F3-38] (Peter Wardle): History given for car when on sale on www.race-cars.com says that this Lotus 59 chassis remained unraced in 1970 [the number 38 suggests it to be a mid-late season build in 1969]. According to Lotus records this chassis was sold to Peter Wardle at the start of 1971 and run by him in Formula Atlantic. Retained by Wardle in 1972, then sold to Gary Ainscough in South Africa.
  12. Brabham BT35 [BT28-2] (Mike Stow): Delivered March 1969 to Clarke Mordaunt racing team for Mike Beuttler in UK F3 in 1969. To Jim Edwards for UK F3 in 1970. To Mike Stow for Formula Atlantic in 1971 when it was said to have been updated to BT29/35 specification. Sold to Dick Barker at the beginning of 1972 when it was said to have been 'brought up to FB BT29 specification last year'. However, Motoring News identified Barker's car as chassis number BT28-20 twice early in 1972 instead of BT28-2. BT28-20 was a different ex-Stow car with a clear history up to this point, implying MN's reporter made a mistake. Barker's car was heavily damaged at Crystal Palace at the end of May 1972 and was not seen again. Barker advertised a 'BT29/35' in April 1973 but the identity of that car is unknown.
  13. Huron Mk1A [1] (Del Bennett): The single car built by Huron in 1971 for Formula Atlantic and run for Del Bennett. The car was unusual in that it seems to have started with a BDA engine, and worked back to a t/c when the BDA installation proved troublesome. Huron went into liquidation at the end of 1971, but was purchased by Mike Chambers and Geoff Daly. Bennett's car was amongst the assets and run for him again in 1972. Probably the car run by Felstead Racing for Colin Selvage in early 1973.
  14. Palliser WDB4 [2] (Hugh PK Dibley): New for Vern Schuppan to drive as the Palliser Racing entry in the British Formula Atlantic series, built in April 1971. This new car was built on a quite different spaceframe chassis fabricated by Bert Ray, using bigger tubes and with a larger rollhoop. It was first driven by Hugh Dibley at Castle Combe in April but did not start. Then raced by Schuppan to win a libre race at Thruxton two weeks later, and then in Formula Atlantic, winning the 1971 Yellow Pages Championship. It was then sold to Dave Handford (Chingola, Zambia) in January 1972. It was later acquired by Fred Goddard in Zimbabwe, then called Rhodesia, and he raced it in the South African Formula Atlantic series in 1976, using a Broadspeed BDA engine. It was then sold to Ronnie Watt, and in 1980 it was fitted with a Mazda engine for Mike Wesson, whom Watt had been sponsoring in FV, to drive in Formula SA events. It was then retained by Watt until 2010, when he sold it to Ian Hebblethwaite. Stuart Thompson fully restored the car to 1971 specification for Hebblethwaite.

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.

The British race results have been compiled by Chris Townsend based on material in Autosport and Motoring News reports in the UK plus the information supplied by a wide range of contributors.

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.