OldRacingCars.com

Can-Am Challenge Race

Lime Rock, 2 Sep 1985

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Rick Miaskiewicz Frissbee GR3 - Chevrolet V8
#3 Mosquito Autosport/RCV
66 59m 46.968s
101.340 mph
2 Peter Greenfield (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Ralt RT4/82 [334] - Hart 420R
#41 Greenfield Industries (see note 1)
66 59m 48.565s
3 Lou Sell (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre March 832 [17] - BMW M12/7 Mader
#5 Lou Sell Racing
66
4 Horst Kroll Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU2] - Chevrolet V8
#37 Horst Kroll Racing (see note 2)
66
5 Jeremy Hill (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Photon JH2 [March 78B-15] - Hart 420R
#00 Sprott Securities (see note 3)
64
6 Diego Montoya Frissbee - Chevrolet V8
#82 B & T Racing
63
7 Randy Zimmer (Can-Am 2l) 2.6-litre Rondel M1 [201] - Mazda 13B twin rotor
#14 Output Improvements (see note 4)
62
8 Bill Vincent (Can-Am 2l) 2.3-litre Yorkshire KV5 - Mazda 12A twin rotor
#10 104 Octane Boost
62
9 Bill Tempero (Can-Am) 6-litre Longhorn LR02 [2] - Chevrolet 366 ci V8
#15 Tri Pak ('Williams')
62
10 Steve Johnson (S2000) 2-litre Lola - Ford Pinto ohc
61
11 Dennis Ehrie (Can-Am 2l) 2.3-litre Wise (Brabham BT40) [BT40-25] - Mazda 12A twin rotor
#35 Stanley Steemer
60
12 Cliff Dawson (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre March 832 [2] - Hart 420R
#11 Dawson Racing
58
13 Tony LaRosa (Sports racing) 2-litre Osella PA9B/84 [126] - BMW M12/7
#32 Tony Larosa (see note 5)
51 DNF
14 Bruce Langson Frissbee-Lola - Chevrolet V8
#70 Bruce Langson
48 Accident
15 John Gunn Phoenix 85 - Chevrolet V8
#39 Holly Racing
21 Engine
16 Giovanni Tartaglia (Sports racing) 2-litre Osella PA9 [110] - BMW M12/7
(may be the #2 of Fabio Mancini)
(see note 6)
5 Accident
17 Robert Goulet Sabre 001 [McKee Mk18 '1'] - Chevrolet V8
Sunbury Engineering (see note 7)
5 DNF
DNA Bruce MacInnes Lola T333CS [HU11] - Chevrolet V8
#1 Claridge Racing
Did not arrive
  Fabio Mancini (Sports racing) 2-litre Osella PA9B/84 [126] - BMW M12/7
#2 Fabio Mancini (see note 8)
On entry list
  Mark Rose March 847 [01] - Chevrolet V8
#6 Texas American Race Teams
On entry list
  Rod Cusumano Frissbee-Lola T333 - Chevrolet V8
#7 Will Petroleum
On entry list
  Oma Kimbrough (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre March 812 [9] - Hart 420R
#8 Le Café, NYC (see note 9)
On entry list
  David Locke (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Cicale-March 77B - Hart 420R
#12 David Locke (see note 10)
On entry list
  Robb Woltring Frissbee - Chevrolet V8
#17 Sheppard McNulty
On entry list
  Clive Bush 'Frissbee' - Chevrolet V8
#18 Lafayette Racing (see note 11)
On entry list
  Frank Sanchez Lola - Chevrolet V8
#19 Innovation Racing
On entry list
  Greg Harrington (unknown) Harrington - Buick
#21 Harrington Racing
On entry list
  Robert Meyer Frissbee-Lola T333CS - Chevrolet V8
#33 Meyer Racing
On entry list
  Mauro Lanaro (Can-Am 2l) 1.7-litre March 74B/77B [10] - Ford BDD
#47 Lanaro Racing (see note 12)
On entry list
  Tod Tuttle Chevron B51 [51-80-01] - Chevrolet V8
#51 A.D.I. Racing (see note 13)
On entry list
  Bill Blackledge (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Marguey CA84 [March 812] - Hart 420R
#67 Elite Racing
On entry list
  Ray Reimer Lola T332 [HU46] - Chevrolet V8
#68 Reimer Racing (see note 14)
On entry list
  Rick Parsons Conquest - Chevrolet V8
#76 Dy/Con Racing
On entry list
  Price Cobb March 847 - Chevrolet V8
#77 RK Racing/Summit Ford
On entry list
  Joe DeMarco Lola T300 [HU15] - Chevrolet V8
#88 Demrac Engineering
On entry list

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

Qualifying
1 Lou Sell (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre March 832 [17] - BMW M12/7 Mader 47.935s
2 Rick Miaskiewicz (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee GR3 - Chevrolet V8 48.988s
3 Horst Kroll (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU2] - Chevrolet V8 49.393s
4 Bruce Langson (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee-Lola - Chevrolet V8 50.62s
5 Randy Zimmer (Can-Am 2l) 2.6-litre Rondel M1 [201] - Mazda 13B twin rotor 51.848s
6 Diego Montoya (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee - Chevrolet V8 52.793s
7 Bill Vincent (Can-Am 2l) 2.3-litre Yorkshire KV5 - Mazda 12A twin rotor 54.102s
8 Bill Tempero (Can-Am) 6-litre Longhorn LR02 [2] - Chevrolet 366 ci V8 54.94s
9 Tony LaRosa (Sports racing) 2-litre Osella PA9B/84 [126] - BMW M12/7 55.015s
10 Giovanni Tartaglia (Sports racing) 2-litre Osella PA9 [110] - BMW M12/7 55.782s
11 Cliff Dawson (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre March 832 [2] - Hart 420R 59.734s
12 Peter Greenfield (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Ralt RT4/82 [334] - Hart 420R 59.822s
13 Jeremy Hill (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre Photon JH2 [March 78B-15] - Hart 420R
14 John Gunn (Can-Am) 5-litre Phoenix 85 - Chevrolet V8
15 Dennis Ehrie (Can-Am 2l) 2.3-litre Wise (Brabham BT40) [BT40-25] - Mazda 12A twin rotor
16 Steve Johnson (S2000) 2-litre Lola - Ford Pinto ohc
17 Robert Goulet (Can-Am) 5-litre Sabre 001 [McKee Mk18 '1'] - Chevrolet V8

Notes on the cars:

  1. Ralt RT4/82 [334] (Peter Greenfield): Martin Spetz observed the number '334' on Greenfield's '82 Ralt RT4 at Road Atlanta in 1984.
  2. Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU2] (Horst Kroll): See full history: Lola T330 HU2.
  3. Photon JH2 [March 78B-15] (Jeremy Hill): Jeremy Hill's 1984-86 'Photon' was based on a March 78B Formula Atlantic car but fitted with a 2-litre Hart 420R engine, and a Frissbee-inspired body. A later advert for the car on Race-cars.com gives the car as March 78B/15, an ex-Brack car used for a season by Hill in Formula Atlantic before being converted to Can-Am spec.
  4. 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.
  5. Osella PA9B/84 [126] (Tony LaRosa): Martin Spetz observed the number 'Osella PA9B/84-126' on Trentini's Osella at Road Atlanta in 1984. As Mancini's car was also entered by Fiorano Sports Cars of Houston, as Trentini's had been, it is assumed to be the same car.
  6. Osella PA9 [110] (Giovanni Tartaglia): Jacques Villeneuve Sr drove an Osella PA9-BMW sports car during the 1982 Can-Am season. This car had began life as a PA8, chassis 091, for Gimax in 1980 and had been converted to PA9 specification and renumbered 110 for Villeneuve's Can-Am run. The car reappeared briefly for Scott Goodyear to drive in 1983.
  7. 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.
  8. Osella PA9B/84 [126] (Fabio Mancini): Martin Spetz observed the number 'Osella PA9B/84-126' on Trentini's Osella at Road Atlanta in 1984. As Mancini's car was also entered by Fiorano Sports Cars of Houston, as Trentini's had been, it is assumed to be the same car.
  9. March 812 [9] (Oma Kimbrough): Martin Spetz observed the number '812-009' on Canizares' March 812-Hart at Road Atlanta in 1984.
  10. Cicale-March 77B (David Locke): Rick Koehler (Milwaukee, WI) raced an Excalibur EE2B in Formula Atlantic in 1978, with sponsorship from Brooks Stevens. The car was essentially a March 77B and was described as ex-Shierson and ex-Brack in adverts in late 1978 and 1979. It was leased to Joe Castellano for the Long Beach race in April 1979, and then sat unused until August 1980 when it was sold to David Locke (Cambridge City, IN). Locke fitted the car with 79B bodywork and Bobsy fenders so that it could be used in Can-Am racing, using an 1850cc Hart BDA engine and Hewland FT200 gearbox. In October 1981, Locke ordered a Kevlar Cicale body for the car, and used it in this form in 1982 and 1983, but without success. He acquired a Hart 420R engine from Jim Trueman for 1984 and raced the car in Can-Am and then CAT until 1987. Chris Townsend advises that it was sold to Lee Johnson in Colorado in April 1988, and was still with Johnson in 2012.
  11. 'Frissbee' (Clive Bush): Clive Bush (Lafayette, CA) was from New Zealand but settled in California in the 1980s. From 1980 to 1985, he raced in Can-Am with a car always entered as a "Conquest", but according to San Francisco Region's "The Wheel" magazine when it first appeared at the 1980 Laguna Seca June Sprints, it "looked a lot like a Lola". Doug Waters noted that "it was an ex-Chuck Jones T333" with "changed suspension geometry" and that Bush "got chassis in 1979". Chuck Jones did not have a T333, but Jones had previously owned T332 HU41, which Bill Baker (Pismo Beach, CA) had virtually destroyed at Laguna Seca in October 1975, rebuilt, then crashed again at Mosport Park in 1976. That car is reported to have been rebuilt for Can-Am, but was unused due to Baker's death during a stock car event at Sears Point in August 1978.
  12. March 74B/77B [10] (Mauro Lanaro): The early history of this car is unknown, but it may be the car raced by Gilles Léger (Lachute, Quebec) from Mosport Park in July 1974 onwards. By 1980 it was owned by Bob Roy ( Montréal, Quebec, Canada) and was being used in Can-Am. The car later went to Mauro Lanaro (Montréal, Quebec), and was raced by him in Can-Am then CAT races from 1984 to 1987. At some point, Lanaro found the monocoque had bent due to the Can-Am car's downforce, and replaced the tub with that of 74B/12. The tub and associated parts from 74B/10 remained with Lanaro until he sold his remaining stock to David Clubine (Brantford, Ontario) in 2018.
  13. Chevron B51 [51-80-01] (Tod Tuttle): Martin Spetz observed the number 'B51-80-01' on Tuttle's Chevron at Road Atlanta in 1984.
  14. Lola T332 [HU46] (Ray Reimer): See full history: Lola T332 HU46.

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.