OldRacingCars.com

Indylantic Championship Round

Croft, 31 May 1976

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Richard Scott Modus M3 [027-FA] - Ford BDA Swindon
#111 Dicksons of Perth-Fife and Kinross Motor Auctions
(see note 1)
35 40m 28.2s
90.80 mph
2 Tony Rouff Boxer PRA76 [002] - Ford BDA Swindon
#21 Netherton & Worth/Boxer Cars
35 40m 51.2s
3 Alo Lawler Chevron B29 [29-75-06-2] - Ford BDA Swindon
#10 L&B Excavations (see note 2)
35 40m 51.4s
4 Ted Wentz Lola T460 [HU15] - Ford BDA Swindon
#9 Swan Lager Racing (see note 3)
35 41m 13.2s
5 John Bicht Swift SA1 (Lotus 69) [71/69.8.FB] - Ford BDA Swindon
#34 (see note 4)
34
6 Norman Dickson Modus M3 [025-FA] - Ford BDA
#707 Dicksons of Perth-British Caledonian Airways
(see note 5)
32
7 Steve Prior McLaren M21 - Ford BDA Nicholson
#194 Capital Radio-Applied Racing Techniques
(see note 6)

8 Adrian Russell GRD 372 - Ford BDA Swindon
#23 (see note 7)

R Derek Cook Chevron B27 [27-74-06] - Ford BDA Cook
#24 (see note 8)
28 Accident
R Steve Carvill Surtees TS15 [06] - Ford BDA Swindon
#208 Radio Luxembourg/Applied Racing Techniques
(see note 9)
25 Engine
R David Winstanley Brabham BT40 [21] - Ford BDA Swindon
#69 Withers of Winsford (see note 10)
13 Accident
R Terry Perkins Sana RD9 - Ford BDA Eden
#5 Harrisons of Birmingham/Graham Eden Racing
11 Brakes
R Phil Dowsett Chevron B29 [29-75-19] - Ford BDA
#6 Sangria Designs (see note 11)
0 Accident
R Mike King Lola T362 [HU18] - Ford BDA Nicholson
#7 Bruach Racing (see note 12)

DNS Jeremy Rossiter Chevron B29 [29-75-29] - Ford BDA Cook
#3 Spax Dampers/CCC Magazine (see note 13)
Did not start
(Accident)
DNS Ken Bailey Chevron B29 [29-75-04] - Ford BDA Nicholson
#12 (see note 14)
Did not start
(Rear wing)
DNA Bob Brown Chevron B27 [27-74-10?] - Ford BDA Swindon
#15 (see note 15)
Did not arrive
DNA Ivor Goodwin Van Diemen GRD A75 - Ford BDA Cook
#18
Did not arrive
DNA Alan Crocker March 74B [1] - Ford BDA Cosworth
#45 (see note 16)
Did not arrive
DNA John Walker March 74B [742-23] - Ford BDA Gardner
#96 Withers of Winsford (see note 17)
Did not arrive
DNA Philip Sharp Modus M3 [047-F3] - Ford BDA Nicholson
#257 Radio Tees (see note 18)
Did not arrive

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

Qualifying
1 Ted Wentz (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Lola T460 [HU15] - Ford BDA Swindon 1.02.2
2 Richard Scott (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Modus M3 [027-FA] - Ford BDA Swindon 1.03.04
3 Norman Dickson (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Modus M3 [025-FA] - Ford BDA
4 Tony Rouff (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Boxer PRA76 [002] - Ford BDA Swindon same time as Dickson
5 Phil Dowsett (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B29 [29-75-19] - Ford BDA 1.04.0
6 Alo Lawler (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B29 [29-75-06-2] - Ford BDA Swindon
7 Derek Cook (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B27 [27-74-06] - Ford BDA Cook
8 Steve Carvill (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Surtees TS15 [06] - Ford BDA Swindon
9 John Bicht (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Swift SA1 (Lotus 69) [71/69.8.FB] - Ford BDA Swindon
10 Philip Sharp * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Modus M3 [047-F3] - Ford BDA Nicholson
11 Steve Prior (F/Atl) 1.6-litre McLaren M21 - Ford BDA Nicholson
12 Alan Crocker * (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 74B [1] - Ford BDA Cosworth
13 David Winstanley (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Brabham BT40 [21] - Ford BDA Swindon
14 Adrian Russell (F/Atl) 1.6-litre GRD 372 - Ford BDA Swindon
15 Terry Perkins (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Sana RD9 - Ford BDA Eden no time
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Modus M3 [027-FA] (Richard Scott): New to Dicksons of Perth, and entered for Richard Scott to drive with sponsorship from Fife & Kinross Motor Auctions in the Indylantic Championship, the ShellSPORT Group 8 series and in libre racing. The Nicholson BDA engine was swapped for 1970cc Swindon BDX engine for the Group 8 series, and Dickson also used this engine for the Ingliston Formule Libre series. Sold to Gerry Kinnane for 1977, and fitted with a Swindon BDA for Mike Nugent to drive in the Irish Formula Atlantic. Whether Kinnane continued to own this car is unclear. For Nugent again in 1978. To Tyrrell Arnold late 1979, and retained for 1980. It was then sold to Patrick Plunkett (Dublin, Ireland). Marcus Pye reports that Plunkett crashed it very heavily on The Corkscrew hillclimb, at Ballyalban, County Clare, in the 1980s. He still the wreck in 2003, and still intended to start rebuilding it.
  2. Chevron B29 [29-75-06-2] (Alo Lawler): New to Alo Lawler (St Helens, Merseyside) and raced in the 1975 British Formula Atlantic championship, sponsored by L&B Excavations Ltd. Also used in the Irish championship that year, and in libre racing. Retained by Lawler for 1976, when he raced it in the Shellsport G8 championship, the Irish Formula Atlantic championship, the British Indylantic championship, and in libre racing. Sold to John Eastwood and raced in the Irish Formula Atlantic series. To Joe Greenan (Belfast, Northern Ireland) for 1978, and entered by Irish Racing Cars in Irish Atlantic, then raced by Ken Fildes (Clonskeagh, Dublin) in 1979 and 1980. Sold to English wheeler dealer Bobby Howlings (Alderley Edge, Cheshire) for 1981, and raced by Howlings in rounds of the reintroduced British Formula Atlantic championship. Sold to Stuart Harte (Littleborough, Greater Manchester) and fitted with a 2.2-litre Hart 420R engine for sprints and hillclimbs. After Harte's death, the car was retained by his family until 2011, when it was sold to Jon Waggitt. Waggitt sold it to Chris Porritt in July 2011, and he spent some years returning it to running condition. He first raced it at Laguna Seca in March 2020, then brought it back to the UK later that year.
  3. Lola T460 [HU15] (Ted Wentz): New to American Ted Wentz and raced in the 1976 Indylantic series, entered by Swan Lager Racing. The car remained in Lola's ownership, and was sold at the end of the season via Albert Poon to Indonesian racer Beng Soeswanto, who raced it in the New Zealand Formula Pacific Internationals in January 1977, then in Southeast Asian races later that year. He crashed the car at Penang in May 1977, but was back out for the Macau GP in November. Believed to have been retained for 1978.
  4. Swift SA1 (Lotus 69) [71/69.8.FB] (John Bicht): Built for stock with white bodywork according to the Lotus built record. Fitted with a Cosworth FVC engine for Tetsu Ikuzawa to drive in the JAF Grand Prix in May 1971, then returned to Europe and converted to Formula 2 specification for Reine Wisell to drive. Advertised by Lotus Cars Ltd in March 1972 and apparently unused until early December when Ian Mawby (Cambridge) acquired the "ex-Wisell" car to replace the Lotus 69 he had wrecked at Brands Hatch at the end of November. Raced by Mawby until an accident at Snetterton in July 1973 left him badly injured. Mawby started to rebuild this car with a new chassis, but it was still incomplete when sold to John Bicht, an American expat. Bicht rebuilt the car with a number of his own ideas, including narrower front track and a Lola T360 nose, and raced it in Indylantic in Britain in 1976 as the "Swift SA1". He advertised the car in 1977, and eventually sold it to a friend in the US. Bicht made further improvements, including narrower rear track and a March nose. It was later sold by this owner to Joe Grimaldi. Subsequent history unknown.
  5. Modus M3 [025-FA] (Norman Dickson): New to Dicksons of Perth, and entered for Norman Dickson to drive with sponsorship from British Caledonian Airways in the Indylantic Championship, the ShellSPORT Group 8 series and in libre racing. The Nicholson BDA engine was swapped for 1970cc Swindon BDX engine for the Group 8 series, and Dickson also used this engine for the Ingliston Formule Libre series. Sold to Gerry Kinnane for 1977, and fitted with a Swindon BDA for Des Donnelly to drive in the Irish Formula Atlantic. Retained by Kinnane for Donnelly in 1978. Retained by Kinnane again for 1979 and driven by Patsy McGarrity, using Fred Smith BDA engines. Subsequent history unknown but David Plunkett recalls that McGarrity crashed the car. It is believed to have been rebuilt using the monocoque from M3/048, and thereafter took the identity of the donor tub. This means that M3/025 has effectively ceased to exist. Some remaining suspension parts may have been used on George Scott's Scottclimber Special hillclimb car.
  6. McLaren M21 (Steve Prior): One of two cars entered by Astor Club Racing International in British Formula Atlantic in 1975, this car was raced by Steve Prior. Prior returned for Indylantic in 1976, now sponsored by Capital Radio and Applied Racing Techniques. This car is then unknown until acquired at auction by Chris MacAllister in the late 1990s. Retored by Kerry Adams for MacAllister, at the same time another car was restored for Jody Scheckter with help from McLaren International who owned the ex-Tony Trimmer car. As none of the three cars had chassis plates, McLaren International gave MacAllister a '3' chassis plate.
  7. GRD 372 (Adrian Russell): Richard Wallinger (Hinkley, Leicestershire) raced a GRD 372 in libre racing in 1974, using 1600cc BDA engines built by John Robinson Racing Services of Northampton. It was described by Autosport as being of unknown Swedish driver ownership. He retained the car for libre in 1975. Sold in early 1976 to Adrian Russell, who used it in the Shellsport G8 series and in libre races. To Terry Fisher for Group 8 and libre in 1977. Subsequent history unknown.
  8. Chevron B27 [27-74-06] (Derek Cook): New to Fred Opert Racing and the car raced by Bertil Roos in the British Formula Atlantic race at Brands Hatch in mid-March. Then fitted with a 2-litre Brian Hart Ford BDA for Roos at two F2 races, Montjuich Park and Hockenheim. Apparantly returned to Formula Atlantic specification and run by the Opert team in the UK series, initially for Héctor Rebaque, and later for Johnny Kastner, William Henderson III and then local man Jim Crawford. Sold to Derek Cook (Rotherham, South Yorkshire) for early 1975 Formula Atlantic races before being replaced by a newer B29. Retained for 1976 when Cook ran it in Indylantic, Shellsport G8, and libre racing, with either a Formula Atlantic BDA or a self-built 2-litre BDA. Retained again for early 1977 and used in F2 and in Shellsport, now with a 2-litre Alan Smith BDG, before Cook acquired a F1 Williams. Subsequent history unknown.
  9. Surtees TS15 [06] (Steve Carvill): 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.
  10. Brabham BT40 [21] (David Winstanley): 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 23-year-old Formula Ford drivers David Winstanley (Winsford, Cheshire) of Withers of Winsford for 1976, and raced in the Indylantic championship with sponsorship from Roosters night club.
  11. Chevron B29 [29-75-19] (Phil Dowsett): New to Stephen Choularton (Hale Barns, Cheshire) and raced in British Formula Atlantic in 1975, entered by SDC Racing. To Phil Dowsett (Chelmsford, Essex) for the Indylantic Championship in 1976, entered by Sangria Designs and Capital Radio. Then sold to John Ledlie for the Irish series in 1977 but badly damaged at Phoenix Park in September 1977 when Ledlie hit a tree. As one of relatively few B29s left in Britain and Ireland by this time, it may be the car raced by Trevor Templeton in May 1979 and then by Nelson Todd later in 1979, sponsored by Belfast car dealer Isaac Agnew. Subsequent history unknown.
  12. Lola T362 [HU18] (Mike King): Described as "the 1976 prototype", this car was loaned by Lola to the Wella team for Ted Wentz to drive in the last few races of the 1975 British Formula Atlantic season after Wentz' regular car was wrecked in testing at Silverstone by Roy James. It was loaned to Tony Trimmer for the start of the 1976 season, now as a Lola T362, and Trimmer won the first two races, only for the car to be sold from under him to Bruach Racing for Mike King, who raced it in Indylantic and Shellsport Group 8 for the rest of that season. Somehow then to Carl Liebich (Plymouth, WI) as a spare car to his Lola T460. Exactly when it was used is not known. Crashed at some point, and sold, still unrepaired, to Cy Moreland (Trainer, PA). Still with Moreland in 2003. Later to Steve Maxted (UK), fitted with a Cosworth BDG and raced by him in HSCC F2 races from 2006 to 2011. To Mark Piercy for HSCC F2 from 2012 onwards.
  13. Chevron B29 [29-75-29] (Jeremy Rossiter): New to Derek Cook (Wath-upon-Dearne, Rotherham, South Yorkshire) in August 1975, and raced in British Formula Atlantic with support from George Cooper Lubricants. To Jeremy Rossiter (Kidlington, Oxfordshire) for 1976, and raced in Shellsport G8 and Indylantic races. The series died at the end of 1976, and the car was unused until August 1977 when it was sold to John Pollock (Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland), who raced for Gerry Kinnane's team in Irish Formula Atlantic. Pollock raced it at Phoenix Park and Mondello Park in September 1977, but it was then sold to Tom O'Leary (Dalkey, County Dublin), Pollock taking O'Leary's older Brabham BT40 in part-exchange. Raced by O'Leary in the Irish series in 1978 and 1979.
  14. Chevron B29 [29-75-04] (Ken Bailey): New to Tom Wheatcroft in February 1975, and tested by Richard Morgan who would be driving it in British Formula Atlantic. Raced by Morgan in the early races of the season, winning one race, until crashed at Brands Hatch in April. Morgan then drove the new Wheatcroft R18, and the Chevron was sold to Brett Riley, who drove it for the rest of 1975. To Ken Bailey (Stretford, Greater Manchester) and raced in Indylantic in 1976. Stored unused during 1977 and advertised by Bailey in November. Sold to Eddie Jordan (Dundrum, County Dublin, Ireland) and used in Irish Formula Atlantic in 1978 in Marlboro livery, winning both the All-Ireland and Duckhams Formula Atlantic Championships. Raced by his teammate Vivian Candy in Ireland in 1979, then sold via Phil Bennett to David Ward (Hesketh Bank, Lancashire) for British libre racing in 1980 and 1981. With Terry Cole for Monoposto racing in 1983, then reportedly broken up for spares by Chevron Cars.
  15. Chevron B27 [27-74-10?] (Bob Brown): Sold in May 1974 to Team Harper, and used by David Purley in the European F2 championship. Probably the car driven by David Purley at the Brands Hatch Boxing Day libre race at the end of the season. Team Harper advertised both their Chevron B27s as rolling chassis in January 1975. This car is likely to be the "late 1974 F2 car" used by Doug Thomson (Edinburgh, Scotland) in Scottish libre, sprints and hillclimbs in 1975, and offered for sale in January 1976 with a Swindon BDA and Hewland FGA400 gearbox. Thomson recalls that he sold the car to UK-resident American Bob Brown (not Bobby Brown) who occasionally raced what is described by Autosport as an ex-Harper B27 in Indyatlantic and Formula Libre in 1976, after buying the car late in 1975. Brown was backed by Oceaneering International, a Texas company, and is believed to have been a diver working in the North Sea oil field. He appears to have taken the car back to the US. Then unknown until an "ex-Purley" B27 was raced by Bobby Brown in SVRA and HSR vintage racing. Sold to Skip Jones (Portland, OR) and used in ICSCC and SOVREN vintage racing, fitted with a 2-litre Wenz Cosworth YBM engine. Sold in August 2016 back to Bobby Brown.
  16. March 74B [1] (Alan Crocker): 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.
  17. March 74B [742-23] (John Walker): New to Bob Harper, an American Ford and BMW importer based in Hong Kong, and entered in 1974 F2 under the banner of Team Harper. The team was run for him by Mike Earle from the Lec workshops in Bognor Regis, with mechanics Greg Field and Tony Harvey. Chassis 742/23 is believed to be the car raced by David Purley at two races early in the season, before Harper replaced the Marches with Chevron B27s. It was acquired for Chris Meek to race at two events in Ceylon, but he did not have the right licence and the 742 was next seen raced by Graham Perry (Birmingham) in Formula Atlantic in 1975, sponsored by Harrisons of Birmingham. For 1976, it was sold to John Walker (Lancaster) but only seen rarely. Retained by Walker for libre racing in 1977, and by the end of that season it was being described as a 772. To Paul Gardner (Preston, Lancashire) for 1978, again for libre racing.
  18. Modus M3 [047-F3] (Philip Sharp): New to expat Kiwi Philip Sharp (Colnbrook, Berkshire) for the 1976 Indylantic series. The car was built up by Sharp at Dave Price Racing and the chassis may previously have been used as a F3 development car. Sharp also raced it in ShellSPORT Group 8 races, and rented by Derek Daly for the Phoenix Park Formula Atlantic race in September. Then taken by Sharp to New Zealand for the Formula Pacific series in January 1977, but crashed in practice for Bay Park and crashed again at Pukekohe. Sold to Steve Emson who rebuilt it and raced it at Wigram. Raced by Emson in the 1977/78 New Zealand Gold Star but crashed heavily at Timaru in October 1977 and effectively wrote the car off. A new tub was built locally and Emson raced it in the 1978 Internationals but was still injured from the Timaru accident. Later sold to Robin Irving who raced it from 1980 to 1982. According to Graham Vercoe's Historic Racing Cars of New Zealand, Irving sold it to Gary Devon, after which it went to Kenny Smith, then Dennis Thompson, then back to Kenny Smith again, all by 1991. In 1991, it was acquired by Vivian King (Sydney, Australia), restored, and raced in historic events.

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.