WCAR Formula Atlantic Championship Round

Sears Point, 9 Oct 1983

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

Notes on the cars:

1. March 77B [76B-13] (John Herne): Doug Shierson Racing ran an maroon/red #8 March 76B in 1976 for Price Cobb. In early 1977, it was entered by Doug Shierson Racing in SCCA Nationals for Steve "Gas" Saleen (Whitter, CA), but when the Pro series started in May, his entrant was Clayton Racing Team. The car's log book states that it was chassis 76B-13. Run by Clayton Racing for Frank Beetson (San Diego, CA) in 1978, when it was entered as a 77B. Also seen once in mid-1979 with Beetson, and later adbertised by him in February 1980. Its history is then unknown until 1983, when it reappeared in the hands of John Herne (Santa Ana, CA). He retained it for WCAR in 1984, then sold it in early 1985 to John Blizzard (Prescott, AZ), who raced it in WCAR that season. Blizzard remembers selling it to someone in Phoenix, AZ. Subsequent history unknown.
2. Argo "JM8" [044-FA] (Jim Burnett): Believed to be a new car supplied to Mike Nugent for 1980, built on a new monocoque but incorporating parts of Nugent's previous JM5. The monocoque of the new car was wider and longer than on the older car, extending either side of the engine. This car appears in Argo records as "JM8-044-FA" and was described by Nugent as a JM8, but it is not related to the 1981 F3 car that also used that designation. Raced by Nugent in the Irish Formula Atlantic series in 1980 and at one raced at the start of 1981, but Nugent went off on warm up lap. Then sold to Jim Burnett (Bellevue, WA) and raced by him in WCAR events in 1983 and 1984. The car remained with Burnett until his death in May 2012, at which point both Burnett's Argos were acquired by Allen Karlberg (Seattle, WA), who raced the "JM8" in 2013. Sold to Douglas Schumacher (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) in early 2015, and he ran it at Road America later that year, only for it to be damaged when a freak gust of wind blew a golf cart onto it. Raced at Mid-Ohio in 2016 and at again Road America in 2017, then taken to Kirkistown in 2019 where it was tested by original owner Mike Nugent. Bought by Nugent, and in the process or restoration in Northern Ireland during 2020.
3. March 77B (Ron Householder): Cal Huartson (Bellingham, WA) raced a March 77B in SCCA Natiomnals at Portland in 1978. Sold to Ron Householder (Portland, OR) and raced in ICSCC events in 1979, 1980 and 1981, as well as occasional SCCA Nationals. He retained the car again for 1982, racing it Portland in April 1982. He then appeared in the June Sprints SCCA National at Laguna Seca in June 1983, and in WCAR events in 1983, 1984 and 1985.
4. March 77B (Wyatt Gerrells): Wyatt Gerrells (Campbell, CA) raced a March 77B in SCCA San Francisco Region events in 1982 and 1983, and in at least one WCAR event. Gerrells had previously scored points in North Pacific Division Formula Atlantic in 1981 but his car that season is thought to have been a Lola. 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 On Track and Sports Car, plus 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.