OldRacingCars.com

John Player (British) Formula Atlantic Series Race

Mallory Park, 10 Mar 1974

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 John Nicholson Lyncar 005 [005] - Ford BDA Nicholson
#2 Pinch (Plant) Ltd
40 36m 29.2s
88.8 mph
2 Jim Crawford March 73B ['SDC1'] - Ford BDA Hart
#7 S.D.C Racing (see note 1)
40 36m 29.4s
3 Richard Scott Scott - Ford BDA Richardson
#19 (see note 2)
40 36m 36.8s
4 Stephen Choularton March 73B [1] - Ford BDA Hart
#6 S.D.C Racing (see note 3)
39 37m 03.8s
5 Bev Bond March 74B [U1] - Ford BDA Holbay
#14 Custom Made/Harry Stiller Racing
(see note 4)
39 37m 05.4s
6 Cyd Williams Brabham BT40 [21] - Ford BDA Eden
#11 Graham Eden (see note 5)
39 1' penalty
7 Ken Bailey March 73B [20] - Ford BDA LEC
#4 H&J Quick Group Ltd (see note 6)
38 36m 36.4s
8 Ted Wentz March 74B [1] - Ford BDA Swindon
#21 Wella International Hair Cosmetics
(see note 7)
38 36m 49.6s
9 Ray Mallock Ensign LNFB/74 - Ford BDA Swindon
#10 The Chequered Flag
38 37m 03.0s
10 Geoff Friswell March 73B [18] - Ford BDA Hart
#5 (see note 8)
38 37m 04.8s
11 Hugh "Wink" Bancroft Chevron B27 [27-74-05] - Ford BDA Hart
#25 Opert Racing [USA] (see note 9)
38 36m 36.4s
NC Jas Patterson March 73B - Ford BDA Hart
#9 Renoir International Racing (see note 10)
36 37m 26.0s
NC Val Musetti Royale RP11A [6] - Ford BDA Wood
#23 (see note 11)
35 37m 26.0s
R James King Chevron B27 [27-74-04] - Ford BDA Nicholson
#27 Douglas Shierson Racing (see note 12)
33 Out of fuel
R Chip Mead Chevron B27 [27-74-03] - Ford BDA Nicholson
#26 Douglas Shierson Racing (see note 13)
28 Gear selectors
DNS Matt Spitzley March 74B [733-7] - Ford BDA Hart
#22 Rapid Movements Ltd
Did not start
(Clutch)
DNS Bobby Brown March 74B [9] - Ford BDA Smith
#20 B&B Racing Enterprises of Derby
(see note 14)
Did not start
DNS Woody Harris Genie Mk 13 - Ford BDA Emery
#30
Did not start
DNS Peter Wardle Surtees TS15 [06] - Ford BDA Eden
#8 STP Racing Team (see note 15)
Did not start
DNS Chris Oates March 73B [21] - Ford BDA
#18 (see note 16)
Did not start
DNA Robert Cooper March 73B [722-5] - Ford BDA
#12 (see note 17)
Did not arrive
DNA Tom Walkinshaw March 74B - Ford BDA
#15
Did not arrive
DNA Vern Schuppan March 722 Falconer [722-40] - Ford BDA Richardson
#16 (see note 18)
Did not arrive
DNA John Gillmeister March 73B - Ford BDA Richardson
#17 Prototype Tooling [Kent] Ltd
(see note 19)
Did not arrive
DNA Tony Walker Ensign - Ford BDA Nicholson
#24 Lowdel Racing Ltd
Did not arrive
DNA Roy Baker MRE 74 - Ford BDA Hart
#28
Did not arrive
DNA Gordon Smiley Merlyn Mk 21 [445/F3/73] - Ford BDA
#31 Colchester Racing Developments
(see note 20)
Did not arrive

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

Qualifying
1 John Nicholson (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Lyncar 005 [005] - Ford BDA Nicholson 1.05.8
2 Matt Spitzley * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 74B [733-7] - Ford BDA Hart 1.06.8
3 Cyd Williams (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Brabham BT40 [21] - Ford BDA Eden 1.08.0
4 James King (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-04] - Ford BDA Nicholson 1.08.1
5 Chip Mead (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-03] - Ford BDA Nicholson 1.08.1
6 Richard Scott (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Scott - Ford BDA Richardson 1.09.6
7 Jim Crawford (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 73B ['SDC1'] - Ford BDA Hart 1.10.0
8 Jas Patterson (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 73B - Ford BDA Hart 1.11.4
9 Ray Mallock (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ensign LNFB/74 - Ford BDA Swindon 1.11.6
10 Bobby Brown * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 74B [9] - Ford BDA Smith 1.12.8
11 Bev Bond (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 74B [U1] - Ford BDA Holbay 1.13.4
12 Ken Bailey (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 73B [20] - Ford BDA LEC 1.14.2
13 Woody Harris * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Genie Mk 13 - Ford BDA Emery 1.14.4
14 Ted Wentz (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 74B [1] - Ford BDA Swindon 1.14.6
15 Hugh "Wink" Bancroft (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-05] - Ford BDA Hart 1.15.2
16 Val Musetti (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Royale RP11A [6] - Ford BDA Wood 1.16.2
17 Geoff Friswell (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 73B [18] - Ford BDA Hart 1.16.8
18 Stephen Choularton (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 73B [1] - Ford BDA Hart 1.17.0
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. March 73B ['SDC1'] (Jim Crawford): Over the 1973/74 winter, Jim Crawford built up Steve Choularton's March 73B spares in to a second car. He raced the car with great success in the two British Formula Atlantic series in 1974, winning two John Player races and narrowly losing the title to John Nicholson after the two collided at the last race. He also won one race in the Southern Organs series, before crashing at Brands Hatch at the end of September, which resulted in the car being rebuilt on a new tub from March. The car was then raced at least once by Choularton, while Crawford moved over to Fred Opert's Chevron B27 for the last two races, winning both, and taking the title. The 73B that appeared for Cyd Williams in May 1975 is thought to be Choularton's 73B/1. The ex-Crawford car was sold to Derek Cook (Wath-upon-Dearne, Rotherham, South Yorkshire) in July 1975 but in practice for his first race, the British GP support race, Cook spun off and hit Val Musetti's March, writing off both cars.
  2. Scott (Richard Scott): New for Richard Scott to race in European F2 in 1973, fitted with an iron block 1970cc Geoff Richardson BDA engine. Scott crashed in practice for the opening race at Mallory Park, but raced the car in the F2 rounds at Hockenheim, Thruxton and Nürburgring in April. He then crashed again in practice at Pau, seriously damaging the car. It was rebuilt as a Formula Atlantic for 1974, and Scott proved highly competitive, finishing third in the opening round at Mallory Park, then winning his second and third Formula Atlantic races, at Brands Hatch in March and at Snetterton in April. He then crashed again at Oulton Park at the start of May when a tyre deflated and he slid off into the sleepers at Knickerbrook, severely damaging the car. The car was sold to dealer Bob Howlings, who repaired it and entered it for Scott at the British GP meeting support race, but he retired with handling problems. It was then sold to Phil Bennett (Pool-in-Wharfedale, West Yorkshire) and fitted with a Cosworth BDG engine for sprints, hillclimbs and libre in 1975 and 1976. Sold to Warren Booth (Blackburn, Lancashire) for 1977, and used in northern Formula Libre in 1977 and the first half of 1978, winning at least six races at Croft and Longridge. Booth also used it in three Aurora AFX British F1 Championship rounds in 1978. Then sold to Neville Robinson (Leeds, West Yorkshire) for libre in 1979 and 1980. It was not seen in 1981, but returned to competition in 1982 when owned by Geoff Lumb (Brighouse, West Yorkshire) and fitted with a Cosworth FVA for 1600cc class hillclimbs. He ran the car again in 1983, when it had a 1600cc BDA engine. It was not seen in 1984 or 1985, but in 1986 it was acquired by Peter Voigt (Haywards Heath, Sussex), and remained in his collection until sold to Chris Perkins (Ashbourne, Derbyshire) in 2020.
  3. March 73B [1] (Stephen Choularton): Stephen Choularton (Hale Barns, Cheshire) acquired the first production March 73B and raced it in libre events and in the British F/Atlantic series with support from Autovita Developments Ltd. His mechanic Jim Crawford also raced this car in a libre race that year. Choularton continued with the car in 1974 when it was driven by Crawford in one round, at Brands Hatch in September, after Crawford had damaged his usual car. The car was next seen in May 1975 when Choularton dusted it off for Cyd Williams to drive after Williams had wrecked Graham Eden's Brabham BT40. Choularton retained the car, unused, until 1977 when it was sold to Paul Gardner (Preston, Lancashire) and used in libre racing in 1977. It then travelled out to the West Indies, quite possibly via Manchester-based racing car dealer Bobby Howlings, who would have known Gardner well, and was a regular visitor to the West Indies series. Raced by Mark Moodie in 1978 and 1979, winning the 1979 Jamaican National Championship. Subsequent history unknown, but it may have gone to Gordon Gonsalves in Trinidad.
  4. March 74B [U1] (Bev Bond): New to Harry Stiller Racing and entered for Bev Bond in a few late-season 1973 Formula Atlantic races, but only appeared once. Rebuilt by March to 74B specification over the winter and appeared as 74B chassis 'U1' for Bond in 1974, until he announced his retirement in June 1974. Alan Jones took over the drive for the rest of the season and won three races. Advertised by AW Brown (London) in January 1975. Briefly to Frank Blanchard in early 1975 but then to Bill Gowdy (Belfast, Northern Ireland) for Irish Formula Atlantic. To Gerry Kinnane for Des Donnelly to drive in 1976, then to Eddie Jordan (Dundrum, County Dublin, Republic of Ireland) for 1977. Subsequently to Colin Simpson (Dundee, Scotland) for Scottish hillclimbs in 1978 and 1979, when it was fitted with a 1800cc Cosworth BDE. It was then sold to Graham Brown, a Scot who emigrated to Australia and took two Formula Atlantic cars with him. Brown raced it in Scottish hillclimbs in 1980 before it went. Raced by Geoff Nicol in Australian Formula Pacific in 1981, and by John Blennerhasset in 1982. Then to Michael Miller, brothers Peter and Terry Simms, then the Kendall family, then to Bryan Miller in 2002. Sold by Bryan to Richard Carter (Berry, NSW) in September 2018, and shortly afterwards sold to Richard Ellingworth.
  5. Brabham BT40 [21] (Cyd Williams): New to Graham Eden Racing, and driven by Cyd Williams in the 1973 British Formula Atlantic championship. Retained by Eden and Williams for 1974. After Williams crashed the car at Brands Hatch in September 1974, it was raced by Richard Morgan and Tony Trimmer later that season. Retained by Eden again for 1975, with Cyd Williams again driving. To David Winstanley (Winsford, Cheshire) of Withers of Winsford for 1976, and raced in the Indylantic championship.
  6. March 73B [20] (Ken Bailey): New to Charles Lucas (Ellington, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire) in July 1973, and raced in British Formula Atlantic. In September, he took the car to Ireland for the Phoenix Park for the Player's No 6 GP and was running in an aggregate second place near the end of the second heat when he left the road at Phoenix Corner and wrapped the March round a tree. He was still classified third. The March was rebuilt and sold to Ken Bailey (Stretford, Greater Manchester) for 1974, but sold on again in May to touring car driver Andy Rouse (Leamington Spa, Warwickshire). Rouse crashed it at Snetterton at the end of October, and it was not seen again. Ralph Broad, Rouse's touring car boss at Broadspeed, then insisted Rouse choose between single-seaters and touring cars, and Rouse wisely chose the latter. He would be British Saloon Car Champion four times. The fate of the March 73B is not known.
  7. March 74B [1] (Ted Wentz): New to Ted Wentz (Philadelphia, PA) and raced in the 1974 British Formula Atlantic season. To New Zealander Alan Crocker, who had moved to England to race in the 1975 British series, but a blown engine curtailed his season. Used occasionally in the 1976 Indylantic series and in libre racing. Croker took the car to New Zealand and raced it in the 1977 Formula Pacific series, then sold it there to Ken Smith, who rented it to Ken Sager to drive in the 1977/78 Gold Star series, and to Robbie Booth for the 1978/79 season. It reappeared with Robbie Hislop in 1981/82, then to Tony Batchelor for 1982/83. Last seen when raced by Keith Laney in 1984/85, and sold by him back to Kenny Smith some time before 1988. Later sold by Smith to Richard Carter in Australia to donate parts to Carter's rebuild of March 73B/8. The remains of the car were sold with the 73B to George Makin (Melbourne, Australia) about 2005.
  8. March 73B [18] (Geoff Friswell): According to surviving March records, this was a F/Atlantic car built for Geoff Friswell (Coventry) and raced by him in the UK series through 1973 and 1974. It was then sold to Andy Barton (Newcastle upon Tyne) as a libre car and upgraded to 74B and then 75B spec over the next two seasons, also acquiring a F2 BDG engine at times in 1976. Barton sold it to Bob Rollo (Prestonpans, Scotland) for 1977, as an Atlantic again, and it then went to Stewart Robb (Alloa, Scotland) during 1978 in F2 spec. The car was rebuilt on a "new" 752 tub after a crash in 1978 and then rebuilt to 782 spec by Robin Smith after the 1979 season. It was raced again by Robb as a "March 75/782" with steel 2-litre Cosworth BDG engine from 1980 to 1982 and was sold to Roger Andreason at the new Chevron Cars Ltd around 1984. A "March 75/782" which had been "completely rebuilt over winter" was advertised from an Epsom number in August 1985.
  9. Chevron B27 [27-74-05] (Hugh "Wink" Bancroft): An Fred Opert team car, used by Hugh "Wink" Bancroft (Costa Mesa, CA) in the US series in 1974. The car was owned by Bancroft, who according to Formula and Sports Car retained it unraced in 1975, and then wheeled it out again for a few SCCA South Pacific Division races in early 1976. Advertised in May 1976, and then by Fred Opert in November 1976. The car now owned in 2009 by Bud Morrison had an SCCA log book showing it was owned by Ken Valan (Wilmington, DE) in August 1978, so it is assumed that this was the "B29" that Valan raced from the start of the 1977 season. The logbook then shows that it went to Frank Shober (Chatham, NJ) and was raced by him from early 1979 to 1985. In October 1988, it was bought from Bruce McQuiston at the Bertil Roos Racing School (Blakeslee PA) by Monte C. Shalett (New Orleans, LA), who sold it via Grand Prix Classics (La Jolla, CA) to Paul Wesselink (Dana Point, CA/Huntington Beach, CA) in June 1997. From Wesselink to Emmet "Bud" Morrison (Tempe, AZ) in May 2005.
  10. March 73B (Jas Patterson): Jas Patterson (Roslyn Heights, NY) raced a March 722 in British Formula Atlantic in early 1973 and after a couple of accidents in the car reappeared for the British GP support race in July in a March 73B. He raced this car for the remainder of the 1973 season, and retained it for 1974, again running in the British Formula Atlantic series. He then raced the 73B at the US Grand Prix Formula B support race in October 1974. Photographic evidence shows that this was the March 73B raced by Diana Black (New York, NY) in minor Formula B races at Lime Rock and Bridgehampton in 1975 and 1976. Later in 1976, she moved to the former Bobby Brown Chevron B34, and the March was sold to David Laemmle (Wiscasset, ME) who continued to race it in SCCA Regionals that year. Laemmle recalls that he sold it to someone from New York state. Subsequent history unknown.
  11. Royale RP11A [6] (Val Musetti): New factory car for Tom Pryce to drive, replacing the one wrecked at the 1972 Monaco GP F3 race. To Reystan Racing for 1973 for Andy Sutcliffe to drive, but Sutcliffe left the team in April, and his seat was taken over by Val Musetti, who had written off his own RP11 in testing. Raced by Musetti through to the end of the season. Converted to Formula Atlantic specification for 1974 and raced by Musetti in the British championship up to May. Sold later in the year to Mike Franey and raced in libre racing. Raced by Franey in a couple of British Formula Atlantic races in 1975. Subsequent history unknown.
  12. Chevron B27 [27-74-04] (James King): Chevron build record says sold via Fred Opert to Doug Shierson Racing. According to Chevron the car used by James King at Mallory Park before being shipped to the USA. (King and Mead owned their own cars in the Shierson team.) Badly damaged by King at Mosport in July 1974 and rebuilt around a new tub. Formula Mar 75 p29 reports, 'King is trying to sell the B27 he drove in 1974 under Shierson's management'. (King still has the plate for this car.) Sold to Lloyd Callaway (Chicago, IL) and used in SCCA racing in 1975 and early 1976, and in some pro races. Callaway advises that the car was sold to Fred Opert in early 1976 in p/x for a new Chevron B34. It was bought from Opert by John Connolly (Brooklyn, NY) who raced it in local SCCA and EMRA events in 1976 and 1977. After Connolly bought a new Ralt RT1 in early 1978, he advertised the Chevron B27 in September 1978 and sold it to Bertil Roos (Blakeslee, PA), who won the Formula Atlantic race at the SCCA 'Bonus' National at Charlotte in April 1979. He then attached fenders to the car and used it in Can-Am, still with its 1600cc Cosworth BDD engine. Roos bought a different Chevron B27 for 1980, and, according to Doug Waters, his 1979 car was sold to someone in California who planned to use it as a sports car with an Alfa Romeo V8 engine. Many years later, in 1999, Sandy Dells Racing (San Diego, CA) sold two B27 tubs to Jim Sparks (San Diego, CA). Dells restored one of these to running condition for Sparks, then sold the other tub and parts on Sparks' behalf to Mike Winebrenner (Louisville, KY) in 2004. Winebrenner was able to identify his monocoque by its SCCA Chicago Region stamping as Lloyd Calloway's 1975 car, but the 74-04 chassis plate is on Sparks' car. Winebrenner's parts were sold in early 2009 to Bud Morrison (Tempe, AZ), who already owned 74-05 and 74-07. It would appear that Sparks' car is built on the original tub, and Morrison's is the replacement tub.
  13. Chevron B27 [27-74-03] (Chip Mead): New to Doug Shierson Racing via Fred Opert for Chip Mead (Dayton, OH) to race in Formula Atlantic, initially in the opening races of the British series, then in North America. The car was blue and ran in North America as #23. Sold to Keith Feldott (LaGrange, IL) and raced in SCCA Central Division Formula B in 1975, scoring 11 points to finish ninth in the division. Retained for 1976, when Feldott finished second at Mid-America Raceway and at Grattan Raceway in May, and again at Grattan in July to finish the season on 37 points, tied for second in the division, and racing at the Runoffs. Retained again for 1977, but seen more rarely as Feldott moved into Trans-Am. Subsequent history unknown.
  14. March 74B [9] (Bobby Brown): New to Bobby Brown (Hicksville, NY) and raced in the British Formula Atlantic series at the start of the year, then moving to North America in May for the Canadian Players series. In June, Brown acquired a new Chevron B27, and the March was traded to Fred Opert as part of the deal. However, Brown demolished the Chevron in September and used a 74B, presumably this one, to completely dominate an SCCA National at Bridgehampton on 22 September. Advertised by Opert in June and November 1975, and shown as "in stock" in November 1975, with a comment that it had not raced since June 1974. Next seen in late 1978 and again in late 1979, when raced by Peter Moodie (Kingston, Jamaica) in a series of Jamaica National Championship races. Subsequent history unknown
  15. Surtees TS15 [06] (Peter Wardle): New to Peter Wardle (Wimbledon, London) and raced in British Formula Atlantic in 1973, winning from pole position at one race Brands Hatch in August. Retained for 1974, again in British Formula Atlantic, and then retained for a third season in 1975. However, towards the end of 1975, Wardle was entering Steve Carvill (Wimbledon, London) in some races, and it is unclear whether the team had a second TS15 by this point, as the pair never appeared together in the same race. Wardle acquired sponsorship from Radio Luxembourg and Applied Racing Techniques for 1976, and both Wardle and Carvill appeared in Indylantic and in Shellsport G8 during that season, presumably both still in chassis 06. Wardle advertised a TS15 in 1983, with FG400 but no engine and a mountain of spares. According to researcher David McKinney, chassis 06 and chassis 07 were with Tony Collinson in 1990, and chassis 06 appears to stayed with its sister through the ownership of Gerry Wainwright, John Elliott, Mark Griffiths and Crispian Besley, who had both cars in 2010. Beesley sold chassis 06 to Dean Forward in 2019, still in unrestored component form.
  16. March 73B [21] (Chris Oates): New to Stan Mathews (Wicken, Wolverton, Bucks) in June 1973, and raced in British Formula Atlantic. To Chris Oates (Kimberley, Notts) for 1974, but sold mid-season to Val Musetti (London). Retained by Musetti for 1975, when it was updated to 74B specification. It was also rebuilt on another tub about this time, but the details are obscure. Damaged by Derek Cook's March 73B in practice at Silverstone in July, and rebuilt in time for the race on the car's original tub - only to be crashed and damaged again in the race. At the end of 1975, Musetti built up a March "742", which could be said to have inherited the identity of 73B-21, but as the tub had been changed, the chassis plate had long gone, and its appearance and description were radically different, it could be argued that 73B-21 had dissipated by the end of 1975. The successor "742" later went to Bill Wood, then Ray Rowan, before spending much of the 1980s in Monoposto and then being rebuilt as a "712M" for historic racing in the late 1980s.
  17. March 73B [722-5] (Robert Cooper): New for STP-March number two driver Niki Lauda for F2 in 1972 (won at Oulton Park in March), then for Pedro de Lamare in Torneio do Brasil. To Robert Cooper (High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire) for Formula Atlantic 1973, and rebuilt mid-season to 73B spec. Retained for early 1974, then sold to Dairmuid McFeeley (Clonee, Dunboyne, County Meath, Ireland) for Irish Formula Atlantic in 1974, 1975 and early 1976. To John Ledlie in 1976, then sold to Richard Lester (Yoxall, Staffordshire) for sprints from 1978 to 1984. With Keith Wanklyn (Wimborne) for hillclimbs from 1985 to 1990. Via three other owners to John Gale (Sydney, NSW, Australia) 2006. Sold to Australian-resident Englishman Steve Weller (Sydney, NSW) in 2017, who moved the car to the UK.
  18. March 722 Falconer [722-40] (Vern Schuppan): New to Australian Vern Schuppan to drive in the British Formula Atlantic championship. Fitted with a BRM Ford twin cam engine, and first seen in practice at Mallory Park in late March, but Schuppan left before the race to catch a flight to the Singapore GP. Schuppan finished second in Singapore, and third in the Malaysian GP a week later. Then returned to the British series, now with a BDA, and won four rounds. The car was then fitted with Falconer bodywork and an Amon-Woods engine rebuilt by Geoff Richardson, and raced in the Rothmans 50,000 and in two late-season F2 races. After a single F2 race in 1973 fitted with a Richardon BDG, the car went to Southeast Asia, winning the Singapore GP with a Ford twin cam fitted, then competed in the JAF Grand Prix at Fuji with the BDG, and back to the 'twink' for Macau. He raced the car in British Formula Atlantic briefly in early 1974, then sent it back to Asia where he won the Macau GP in November, by which time it had been fitted with 732 bodywork and a Lola T360 rear wing. It then became a fixture at Macau up to 1977, being driven by Alan Jones and Derek Daly. Patrick Tambay also raced for Theodore Racing in the Malaysian and Penang Grands Prix in 1977, where it was still in 732 form but was billed as a 752. It reappeared at Macau for Schuppan in 1979, now in 76B bodywork. After one more race in the hands of Roberto Moreno, the car was retained by Yip and placed in the Macau Grand Prix Museum.
  19. March 73B (John Gillmeister): Australian John Gillmeister 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.
  20. Merlyn Mk 21 [445/F3/73] (Gordon Smiley): New to Bernard Vermillio for British F3 in 1973, but he failed to arrive for most of his races and had a poor season. The car was acquired from from Vermilio by Gordon Smiley (Mirriam, Kansas) who had come to England to race a works Merlyn Mk 25 in Formula Ford, and the Mk 21 was converted for him to also race in the Formula Atlantic series. His only race in the Mk 21 was in the Brands Hatch race in mid-March supporting the Race of Champions. He crashed during the very wet race and according to Clive Hayward, he "stuffed it pretty thoroughly". Smiley moved to the Elden F3 team.

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.