Gold Cup

Oulton Park, 29 May 1972

All cars are 3-litre F1 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Chevron B24 [24-72-01] (Brian Redman): Built for 1972 season. Works for Brian Redman: raced in UK 1972 (debut at Oulton Park 29 May 1972 - 5 races 3 wins) and US 1972 (Redman 4 races 1 win, Gethin 1 race) - Keith Holland for John Player Challenge Trophy at Brands Hatch 22 Oct - Alan Brodie for Steve Thompson: raced in Tasman 1973 and UK 1973. Badly damaged in a severe testing accident at Silverstone on 24 May when a tyre burst at Woodcote at 140 mph, and Thompson was lucky to escape with bruising. The car was written off, and Brodie acquired a brand new 1973 B24.
2. McLaren M18 [500-05] (Ray Allen): Built for 1971 season. Run by Team Trojan in the British F5000 series for Ulf Norinder in four races in May and June 1971. Then to Jackie Epstein's Speed International Racing for 1972 and raced by Ray Allen at most races in the British series, but also by David Prophet at Mallory Park in March and by Gijs van Lennep at Oulton Park in October. Not seen in 1973 and ended up being used by Shell as a show car. To dealer Jon Bradburn (Wolverhampton) by 1984 and sold by him to Gerry Walton, who raced for many years in HSCC racing before crashing it at Oulton Park. Repaired but then damaged when a lorry reversed into it! Subsequently sold to Martin Cowell (Hereford) in 1995 or 1996. The car's last outing with Cowell was at Shelsley Walsh in August 2005, and it was sold by him to Dave Roberts (Worcester) in December 2017.
3. Lola T190 [190/F1/7] (Ian Ashley): New to Doug Hardwick's Henley Forklift team for the 1970 British Formula 5000 series. Raced by Mo Nunn (2 races), Davey Powell (7 races + 2 DNS) and Trevor Taylor (6 races) in 1970. To Kaye Griffiths (2 races + 1 DNQ), Terry Sanger (1 race only), Ian Ashley (3 races) and Tony Trimmer (1 race only) in 1971, during which time it was acquired by Rocky Plumridge. Retained by Plumridge for 1972 and raced by Ian Ashley (9 F5000 races, and DNQ for the Rothmans 50,000). Subsequent history unknown.
4. McLaren M18 [500-04] (Ray Calcutt): See full history: McLaren M18 500-04.
5. McLaren "M10H" [400-06 (B)] (Keith Holland): Keith Holland's replacement car. Used in the 1971 British F5000 series during which time it was modified along the lines of McRae's successful car. Retained for 1972 but crashed at Brands in April, after which the car was even further modified and dubbed "M10H". By July 1972, it had side radiators, a wedge nose and had been lengthened by 3½in. Sold to Clive Baker August 1972 and raced in the British series in 1972 and 1973. Then via Chris Oates to Spencer Elton (Westbury, Wilts) late 1973 and advertised. To Stephen Cuff (also Westbury, Wilts) late 1973 and advertised with a 5.7-litre Chev Jan to Apr 1974. To Bob Leckie (Aberdeen) for libre racing that summer. Advertised by Leckie in July 1974 but not seen again. Spencer Elton recalls that Leckie converted the M10B to a Skoda Super Saloon. Subsequent history unknown.
6. Lotus 70 [06] (Jock Russell): Jock Russell (Ford V8) UK 1970 (debut Mallory Park May 1970), UK 1971, UK 1972 (first rounds only); retained by Russell for many years - Peter Denty (date unknown): restored and raced in UK by Peter's son, James Denty. Raced by James at the Silverstone Classic in 2005 and at Watkins Glen in 2008. Offered for sale by Peter Denty (Thetford, Norfolk) in 2010. Raced again by James Denty at Watkins Glen in 2012 but on behalf of new owner Nick Grewal (Gilford, NH).
7. Kitchmac [M10B 400-05] (John Kendall): Barry Newman for Howden Ganley: UK 1970 (18 races, five second places) - Gordon Spice: Argentinean GP 1971; UK 1971 (11 races + 1 DNS). Rebuilt as 'Kitchmac' by Tony Kitchiner for 1972 season: driven by Gordon Spice (UK: 7 races + 1 DNS), John Kendall (UK: 2 races; US : 1 race only R3 Watkins Glen), Fred Saunders (UK: 1 DNS only), Alan Rollinson (UK: 1 race only), Roger Williamson (UK: 3 races); UK 1973: driven by Kaye Griffiths ( 1 race only), Richard Knight (5 races + 1 DNS). Not seen again after the end of 1973. It has been reported that this car was wrecked in an accident but it appears to have survived its final race in 1973 intact. Subsequent history unknown.
8. Leda LT27 [003] (Trevor Taylor): Built for 1972 season as a Leda LT27 and entered by Leda Cars for Trevor Taylor in the UK series until Graham McRae bought the Leda Cars operation. Rebranded as a McRae GM1 (plated "LT27 GM3") and sold to Jock Russell (Midlothian, Scotland) July 1972. Raced by Russell in the 1972 UK series (also raced by Brett Lunger at two races). Raced again by Russell in the UK series in 1973. From Russell to Noel Butler (Birmingham), then to Roy Lane 2000, and restored in Lane's orange colours. To Peter and Aaron Burson (New Zealand) Oct 2006, and raced regularly by Peter in the F5000 Tasman Revival series from 2007/08 onwards. More information about Leda LT27-003/McRae GM1-003
9. Leda LT27/GM1A [005] (Graham McRae): See full history: McRae GM1/005.
10. Surtees TS8 [007] (Steve Thompson): New for Peter Revson at the 1971 Questor GP then for Alan Roillinson in UK series. To Alan Brodie 1972 and raced by Brodie and by Steve Thompson. To Servis Appliances Racing Team 1973 and raced by Ray Allan early in the season. Then possibly the Robin Darlington car in Sep 1973 Reappeared with Colin Andrews (Banbury, Oxfordshire) 1974, then to Steve Cuff (Frome, Somerset) 1975 for hillclimbs. To Alan Richards (Cheltenham) and used in sprints and occasional hill climbs in 1976 and 1977. Used in sprints and occasional hill climbs by Bob Clapham in 1978 and 1979. Then unknown until sold by Brian Redman to Dave Swigler (Panama City, FL) in 1986. Dave believes Brian got it from Richard Attwood about two years earlier. Retained until Swigler sold his collection to Harin De Silva (Palos Verdes Estates, CA) in 2009. Restored by Virtuoso Performance and first raced at Laguna Seca in August 2011. Also raced in New Zealand in the 2011/12 Tasman Revival series and at the Phillip Island Classic in March 2013.

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.

3-litre Formula 1 Non-championship events 1966-1983

These results were initially compiled by Allen Brown, but these were in the very basic form required to track individual car histories. Since then further details, such as laps completed, qualifying times and so on, have been added from Rob Ryder's extensive database.

All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen (allen@oldracingcars.com) if you can help with our research.

Individual sources for this event

Autosport 1 Jun 1972 p6-8 (by Michael Kettlewell) Motoring News 1 Jun 1972 p8 (uncredited). Motor Sport July 1972 p785 (very brief uncredited report). Autocourse 1972-73 pp136-137 (very brief report by Mike Kettlewell).

The eight F1 cars were a P180, a P160 and a P153 from BRM, two Lotus 72s, a March, a McLaren and a Surtees. MN gave most of the chassis numbers and provided sufficient information to identify the cars, and Autosport, as would be expected from someone of Kettlewell's precision, gave precise details for all eight cars. Lotus 72-6 had new outer skins since its accident at Silverstone, and Schenken's Surtees had a new monocoque since Monaco. Peterson's March was said by MN and AS to be a brand new chassis 721X/3, and had the Alfa gearbox in between the chassis and engine replaced with a Hewland FG400 in the standard position, and had 721 rear suspension with outboard coil/damper units. Pritchard also called it 721X/3, but when the same car appeared at the Belgian GP it was called 721X/2. It was a great weekend for McLaren whose cars won the Indy 500, the Gold Cup and the Crystal Palace F2 race.