OldRacingCars.com

Canadian American Prototype Thunder Car Race

Willow Springs, 3 May 1987

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Buddy Lazier March 85C [08] - Chevrolet V8
#19 Tivoli Lodge (see note 1)
48 1h 03m 18.68s
2 Bill Tempero March 85C [51] - Chevrolet V8
#2 Bud Light Special (see note 2)
48 1h 03m 27.63s
3 Bill Scott McKee Mk 18A ['1'] - Chevrolet V8
#44 (see note 3)
44
4 Mark Bailey Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU24] - Chevrolet V8
#88 (see note 4)
44 2:Clutch
5 John Macaluso Frissbee-Lola [HU11] - Chevrolet V8
#10 Sorrento Cheese
43 2:Wing failure
6 Al Lamb Frissbee GR2 - Chevrolet V8
#13
42 2:Accident
7 Horst Kroll Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU2] - Chevrolet V8
#1 Horst Kroll Racing (see note 5)
27 1:DNF
8 Dave Smith Shadow DN10 [DN8/3A] - Dodge V8
#4
35 2:Bodywork
9 Jim Gradel March 847 [01] - Chevrolet V8
#18 Gradel Racing
22 1:Ignition; 2:Oil pressure
10 Gene Forsthofel Penske PC9B [005] - Chevrolet V8
#77 L.T. Interprises
27 1:Overheating; 2:Oil leak
11 Mike Snow (Can-Am) March 85C [11] - Pontiac
#26 (see note 6)
18 1:Shift linkage
12 Gerald Nelson Longhorn LR03 - Chevrolet V8
#57 (see note 7)
21 1:Overheating; 2:Gearbox
13 Chuck McConnell Frissbee - Chevrolet V8
#46
15 1:Bent valves
14 Ray Reimer Frissbee-Lola T332 [HU46] - Chevrolet V8
#64 Ray Reimer Racing (see note 8)
12 1:Engine
15 Stuart Baumgard VDS 004 - Chevrolet V8
#24 (see note 9)
10 1:Gearbox
16 Bruce Langson Langson 02 - Chevrolet V8
#22 The Gunite Company of Houston, Texas
4 2:Bodywork
17 Wayne Rutherford March 85C - Chevrolet V8
#21 Texas American Race Teams
12 2:Handling
18 Lou Sell March 85C [44] - Chevrolet V8
#5 (see note 10)

DNA Cliff Dawson (Can-Am 2l) 2-litre March 832 [2] - Hart 420R
#52 Trebas Institute of Recording Arts
Did not arrive
  Randy Zimmer (Can-Am) 5.9-litre March 83C - Chevrolet 358 ci V8
#14 Texas American Race Teams
On entry list

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

Qualifying
1 Buddy Lazier (Can-Am) 5-litre March 85C [08] - Chevrolet V8 1m 16.12s
2 Bill Tempero (Can-Am) 5-litre March 85C [51] - Chevrolet V8 1m 16.92s
3 Chuck McConnell (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee - Chevrolet V8 1m 17.54s
4 Lou Sell (Can-Am) 5-litre March 85C [44] - Chevrolet V8 1m 17.98s
5 Stuart Baumgard (Can-Am) 5-litre VDS 004 - Chevrolet V8 1m 18.16s
6 Horst Kroll (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU2] - Chevrolet V8 1m 19.4s
7 Al Lamb (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee GR2 - Chevrolet V8 1m 19.68s
8 Jim Gradel (Can-Am) 5-litre March 847 [01] - Chevrolet V8 1m 25.98s
9 Mark Bailey (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU24] - Chevrolet V8 1m 26.34s
10 Dave Smith (Can-Am) 5-litre Shadow DN10 [DN8/3A] - Dodge V8 1m 27.39s
11 Ray Reimer (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee-Lola T332 [HU46] - Chevrolet V8 1m 27.76s
12 Bill Scott (Can-Am) 5-litre McKee Mk 18A ['1'] - Chevrolet V8 1m 27.8s
13 Gene Forsthofel (Can-Am) 5-litre Penske PC9B [005] - Chevrolet V8 1m 27.8s
14 John Macaluso (Can-Am) 5-litre Frissbee-Lola [HU11] - Chevrolet V8 1m 31.34s
15 Gerald Nelson (Can-Am) 5-litre Longhorn LR03 - Chevrolet V8 1m 33.06s
16 Mike Snow (Can-Am) March 85C [11] - Pontiac 1m 38.83s
17 Bruce Langson (Can-Am) 5-litre Langson 02 - Chevrolet V8
18 Wayne Rutherford (Can-Am) 5-litre March 85C - Chevrolet V8

Notes on the cars:

  1. March 85C [08] (Buddy Lazier): Buddy Lazier's #19 March 85C Can-Am car was identified at Willow Springs in 1987 by Martin Spetz as 85C-08 "ex-Rahal".
  2. March 85C [51] (Bill Tempero): Bill Tempero's #2 March 85C Can-Am car was identified at Willow Springs in 1987 by Martin Spetz as 85C-51 "ex-Rahal".
  3. McKee Mk 18A ['1'] (Bill Scott): 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. Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU24] (Mark Bailey): See full history: Lola T330 HU24.
  5. Frissbee-Lola T330 [HU2] (Horst Kroll): See full history: Lola T330 HU2.
  6. March 85C [11] (Mike Snow): Mike Snow's #26 March 85C-Pontiac Can-Am car was identified at Willow Springs in 1987 by Martin Spetz as 85C-11 "ex-Rahal runner Indy '85".
  7. Longhorn LR03 (Gerald Nelson): Although Gerald Nelson's 1986/87 Can-Am car is listed as a Williams in some entry lists, it was identified at Willow Springs in 1987 as an ex-Unser Longhorn LR03.
  8. Frissbee-Lola T332 [HU46] (Ray Reimer): See full history: Lola T332 HU46.
  9. VDS 004 (Stuart Baumgard): Built up by Dallas Motorsports for 1984, using components built by VDS before the team was sold to Norwood-Walker Racing. Raced by Michael Roe in 1984, winning most of its races. Reappeared when used in the filming of a Peugeot TV commercial at Riverside in 1986. Raced in CAT in 1987 by Stuart Baumgard.
  10. March 85C [44] (Lou Sell): Lou Sell's #5 March 85C Can-Am car was identified at Willow Springs in 1987 by Martin Spetz as 85C-44 "ex-Michael Andretti Kraco".

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.