OldRacingCars.com

Can-Am Challenge Race

Road America, 18 Jul 1983

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 John Fitzpatrick (Group C) 2.6-litre Porsche 956 [110] - turbo 6
#11 JDavid Racing
40 1h 28m 24.84s
108.580 mph
2 Jacques Villeneuve Sr Frissbee GR2 - Chevrolet V8
#6T Canadian Tire
40 1h 28m 36.45s
3 Charles Monk Frissbee-Lola T333CS - Chevrolet V8
#30 Charles Monk Racing
40
4 Bertil Roos (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Scandia B-3 [March 812] - Hart 420R
#69 Bertil Roos Racing
40
5 Marzio Romano (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Ralt RT2/79 [154] - Hart 420R
#20 Genoa Racing
40
6 Eddie Wachs (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Toleman T850 [HU2-2] - Hart 420R
#15 Ausca International Racing (see note 1)
39 DNF
7 Wally Dallenbach (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Ralt RT2/79 [153] - Hart 420R
#16 Ausca International Racing
39
8 Walt Bohren Escort - Chevrolet V8
#10 Herb Adams Racing
37
9 Jerry Molnar (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Invader 002 (March 802) [13] - BMW M12/7 Heidegger
#8 Molnar Racing
35
10 John Macaluso Lola T332 [HU49?] - Chevrolet V8
#84 Macaluso Racing (Brabert FWH 001)
(see note 2)
34
11 Jim Crawford (Can-Am) 3.3-litre Ensign N180B [MN15] - Cosworth DFL V8
#7 Fernley Racing
33 Blown engine
12 J. Kurt Roehrig (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Cicale-Ralt RT1½ [RT1-106] - BMW M12/7
#71 Roehrig Racing
33 Unknown
13 Robert Goulet Sabre 001 [McKee Mk18 '1'] - Chevrolet V8
#94 Sunbury Racing (see note 3)
32
14 Michael Roe VDS 002 - Chevrolet V8
#26 Norwood-Walker Racing (see note 4)
26 Ring & pinion
15 Horst Kroll Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU2] - Chevrolet V8
#37 Horst Kroll Racing (see note 5)
26 Engine
16 Jerald Dulski Lotus 70 [03] - Chevrolet V8
#73
24 Mechanical
17 Jeff Miller (Can-Am 2l) 1.6-litre Lola T496 - Kohler
#0 Wynnfurst (see note 6)
22 Unknown
18 Robert Meyer Frissbee-Lola T333CS - Chevrolet V8
#39 Hohstadt Meyer Racing
8 Mechanical
19 Frank Joyce Holbert CAC-2 - Chevrolet V8
#51 Fel-Pro Racing
8 Gearbox
20 Randy Zimmer (Can-Am 2l) 2.6-litre Rondel M1 [201] - Mazda 13B twin rotor
#42 Zimmer Racing (see note 7)
6 Spun out
21 Jim Gustafson Lola T332/Riley [HU33] - Chevrolet V8
#27 G Team (see note 8)
6 Spun out
22 Gerre Payvis Lola T332 [HU53] - Chevrolet V8
#31 Race Power (see note 9)
3 Mechanical
DNS Mike Freberg (Can-Am) 3.8-litre Ralt RT1/Cicale - Chevrolet 229 ci V6
#33 Storrie Racing (see note 10)
Did not start
DNS Frank Jellinek (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Chevron B29 [29-75-14] - Ford BDG
#58 New England Racing Enter. (see note 11)
Did not start
DNS E. B. Lunken (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Invader 002 (March 802) [18] - BMW M12/7 Heidegger
#61 Scuderia Racing
Did not start
T/C Jacques Villeneuve Sr Frissbee GR3 - Chevrolet V8
#6 Canadian Tire
(Crashed in practice)

All cars are 5-litre Can-Am unless noted.

Qualifying
1 John Fitzpatrick (Group C) 2.6-litre Porsche 956 [110] - Porsche turbo 6 2m 00.622s
2 Jacques Villeneuve Sr (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee GR2 - Chevrolet V8 2m 01.752s
3 Jim Crawford (Can-Am) 3.3-litre Ensign N180B [MN15] - Cosworth DFL V8 2m 03.080s
4 Michael Roe (Can-Am) 5-litre VDS 002 - Chevrolet V8 2m 03.563s
5 Horst Kroll (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU2] - Chevrolet V8 2m 07.33s
6 Eddie Wachs (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Toleman T850 [HU2-2] - Hart 420R 2m 11.195s
7 Robert Meyer (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee-Lola T333CS - Chevrolet V8 2m 11.468s
8 Marzio Romano (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Ralt RT2/79 [154] - Hart 420R 2m 11.591s
9 Charles Monk (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee-Lola T333CS - Chevrolet V8 2m 11.744s
10 Bertil Roos (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Scandia B-3 [March 812] - Hart 420R 2m 12.164s
11 Frank Joyce (Can-Am) 5-litre Holbert CAC-2 - Chevrolet V8 2m 12.905s
12 Jerry Molnar (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Invader 002 (March 802) [13] - BMW M12/7 Heidegger 2m 14.693s
13 J. Kurt Roehrig (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Cicale-Ralt RT1½ [RT1-106] - BMW M12/7 2m 16.109s
14 Wally Dallenbach (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Ralt RT2/79 [153] - Hart 420R 2m 16.62s
15 Walt Bohren (Can-Am) 5-litre Escort - Chevrolet V8 2m 20.888s
16 Jeff Miller (Can-Am 2l) 1.6-litre Lola T496 - Kohler 2m 23.329s
17 Jerald Dulski (Can-Am) 5-litre Lotus 70 [03] - Chevrolet V8 2m 25.790s
18 Randy Zimmer (Can-Am 2l) 2.6-litre Rondel M1 [201] - Mazda 13B twin rotor 2m 27.575s
19 Frank Jellinek * (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Chevron B29 [29-75-14] - Ford BDG 2m 28.117s
20 Gerre Payvis (Can-Am) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU53] - Chevrolet V8 2m 28.334s
21 John Macaluso (Can-Am) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU49?] - Chevrolet V8 2m 28.542s
22 Robert Goulet (Can-Am) 5-litre Sabre 001 [McKee Mk18 '1'] - Chevrolet V8 2m 33.300s
23 Jim Gustafson (Can-Am) 5-litre Lola T332/Riley [HU33] - Chevrolet V8 no time
24 Mike Freberg * (Can-Am) 3.8-litre Ralt RT1/Cicale - Chevrolet 229 ci V6 no time
25 E. B. Lunken * (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Invader 002 (March 802) [18] - BMW M12/7 Heidegger no time
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Toleman T850 [HU2-2] (Eddie Wachs): New to Docking Spitzley for Kenny Acheson to race in F2 in 1981. Identified by Autosport as Acheson's car at Silverstone in March, and presumably the same car used up to his accident at Pau. The car at Pau was a write off, but at the start of 1982, Autosport reported that Carlo Rossi was racing the ex-Acheson chassis with revised bodywork for the Docking Spitzley team. Sold to Eddie Wachs' Ausca Racing when the F2 season ended in August, and fitted with fenders by Docking for Can-Am racing. Wachs' regular car in 1982, and also used by him in 1983 and early 1984. Also driven by Cheryl Glass, Bill Alsup and Wally Dallenbach in 1984. The car is then unknown until June 1994, when Frank Zucchi (Livermore, CA) raced it in a San Francisco Region SCCA vintage event at Thunderhill Raceway Park. Raced by Zucchi in VARA events later that year. Next seen just over a year later, when it was bought by Paul Flowers (Dothan, Alabama) from Robert W. Keelips (Deland, FL) in February 1996. Flowers entered it as a #17 1980 Toleman F2 at the 5th Annual Jefferson 500 at Summit Point in May 1996. He also raced it in the SVRA Zippo Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1999. Seen again in 2004, by which time it was being prepared for him by Lee Chapman. Reported to have been raced until 2010, and then sold to Takuya Arai (New Paltz, NY) who only uses it for track days.
  2. Lola T332 [HU49?] (John Macaluso): See full history: Lola T332 HU49.
  3. Sabre 001 [McKee Mk18 '1'] (Robert Goulet): New for Dick DeJarld (Joliet, IL) in 1972, and raced in SCCA Formula A events. Appeared at the Michigan Pro F5000 event in 1973 but did not qualify from the heat. Raced by DeJarld until sold to Ed Midgley (Geneva, IL) for 1976, when it was also raced by Jerry Hansen at Blackhawk Farms. To Robert Goulet (Wauwatsoa, WI) for 1977, and raced in SCCA Formula A. Goulet converted the McKee to sports car bodywork for 1979, appearing at Brainerd in July that year in the ASR class. Raced in Can-Am in 1980 and 1981, then renamed the "Sabre 001" for Can-Am again in 1983, and again in 1985. To Bob McKee and raced by Bill Scott in CAT races in 1986 and 1987. Then restored to its original specification for new owner Tom Simpson (Peoria, IL), and used in vintage racing, appearing at the Chicago Historic Races at Road America in 1988. It ran alongside several other McKee cars in historic races at Road America in the early 1990s, and also ran at HSR Mid-Ohio in August 1993. After a 20-year gap, Simpson ran the Mk 18 again in historic events in 2006.
  4. VDS 002 (Michael Roe): New for the VDS team in 1982 and raced that season by Al Holbert, but exactly when he used VDS-001 and when he used VDS-002 is still uncertain. Acquired by Norwood-Walker Racing for 1983, together with the brand new VDS-003, but VDS-003 was destroyed at its first race. VDS-002 was driven by Michael Roe in 1983. The team was renamed Dallas Motorsports Inc for 1984 and VDS-002 was modified to side-radiator form for 1984, joined later by a new car VDS-004 in normal front-radiator form. Roe dominated the season, winning seven races. VDS-002 reappeared once more at Mosport Park at the start of 1985 when Dallas Motorsports boss Don Walker crashed it heavily in practice. The car remained dismantled for some time while Jack Smith repaired the monocoque. Dallas Motorsports cars and equipment were sold to Frank D'Aquanno (Monterey, CA) in 1987, and in 1989 VDS-002 was restored and sold to Jimmy Landrum (Dallas, TX). In August 2014, Craig McCormick reported that this car was "in a private collection in the Dallas, TX area, completely restored".
  5. Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU2] (Horst Kroll): See full history: Lola T330 HU2.
  6. Lola T496 (Jeff Miller): Four Lola T496s were built in 1976, intended for SCCA C Sports Racing with Cosworth BDH engines. Jeff Miller bought one of the cars but fitted a two stroke Kohler engine, originally developed for snowmobiles. Miller won the Run-Offs in this CSR car in 1978 and also competed in Can-Am between 1978 and 1980, running the car with a 6-cylinder 1600cc engine. Many years later, Miller bought the car back from the man he'd sold it to and continues to run it in vintage events in the Midwest.
  7. Rondel M1 [201] (Randy Zimmer): The prototype Rondel was used for testing in late 1972, before the first production cars were built. It was taken to Hockenheim 8 April 1973 as team spare, and to Pau as a spare for Tim Schenken, but not raced. Its history is then unknown until 1974, and it appears it has been acquired by Fred Opert to use as a set of spares. After Mike Rand crashed his car, wrecking the monocoque, 201 was supplied to Ron Ignatowski (Milford, CT), who rebuilt Rand's car on 201's tub with a BRM 1-litre engine and used it in SCCA Formula C. In 1980 it was sold to Randy Zimmer (Buffalo, NY) as the basis for his Can-Am car. He raced it with a Volkswagen engine in 1982 and then with a Mazda rotary engine from 1983 to 1986. Zimmer then entered it for Jim Del Russo in the 1987 CAT championship, and raced it a few more times himself in 1989, 1990 and 1994. Then retained for many years until Zimmer sold it to Seann Burgess (Markdale, Ontario) in 2019.
  8. Lola T332/Riley [HU33] (Jim Gustafson): See full history: Lola T332 HU33.
  9. Lola T332 [HU53] (Gerre Payvis): See full history: Lola T332 HU53.
  10. Ralt RT1/Cicale (Mike Freberg): Hugh Kleinpeter (Key Biscayne, FL/Hiawassee, GA) had a Cicale-bodied Ralt RT1 for Can-Am in 1979, but only appeared once, at Road America in July where he failed to start. He retained the car for 1980, again appearing only once in Can-Am, at Road Atlanta in September, but also appeared at least once in SCCA Nationals, scoring six points in Southeast Division A Sports Racing. For 1981, the car was sold to John Graham (Willowdale, Ontario) and entered by Midland Racing Enterprises for him in three Can-Am races that season. He returned for 1982, but after competing in two early-season races, the car was not seen until driven by Scott Goodyear at Mosport Park in September. The Cicale-Ralt then went to Chuck Storrie, who installed a Chevrolet V6 engine for the 1983 Can-Am season. Mike Freberg drove the car for Storrie Racing but it did not prove competitive with the 5-litre cars in its class. Freberg drove it again in early 1984 as a Mike Freberg Racing entry. Subsequent history unknown, but this may be the ex-Cicale Ralt RT1 that later turned up in Northern Ireland.
  11. Chevron B29 [29-75-14] (Frank Jellinek): New to Bruce Jensen (Kitchener, Ontario) and used in the Canadian Players Formula Atlantic series in 1975, sponsored by Jensen Exotic Plants. Retained by Jensen for 1976, and retained again for 1977. Leighton Irwin, who crewed for Jensen at this time, recalls that it was sold in early 1978, he thinks to Michigan. Subsequent history unknown, but believed to be the car later converted to A Sports Racing by Lou Infante Motoracing and raced by Jerry Molnar (Lathrup Village, MI) in Can-Am in 1982. To Frank Jellinek (N. Hampton, NH), and used by him at two Can-Am races in 1983. Later sold to a "Dave", and Roger Sieling reports that it was stolen from him some time in the mid-1980s near Cleveland Ohio along with his tow truck, trailer, and an Austin-Healey Sprite. The car was never recovered.

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.

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.