Cannon Race

Karlskoga, 12 Aug 1973

All cars are 2-litre F2 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 732 [6-2] (Jean-Pierre Jarier): STP March Engineering works car for Jean-Pierre Jarier, winning the two opening rounds at Mallory Park and Hockenheim, but then crashed at the third race at Thruxton in April. Rebuilt on a new tub and raced by Jacques Coulon at Nivelles-Baulers in June. Thereafter Jarier's regular car, winning at Rouen, Mantorp Park, Karlskoga, Enna-Pergusa and Estoril. This may be the March 732 that was later exhibited in the BMW Museum, which is exhibited wearing the #23 that Jarier used at Rouen. A visit by Motor Sport magazine in early 1975 (Motor Sport March 1975 p245) mentioned a 732 being on display, and the car has been spotted on subsequent occasions.
2. Chevron B25 [25-73-07] (Peter Gethin): Chassis number given by Motoring News (MN) 12 Apr 1973 p11 for the works car for Peter Gethin in the 1973 European F2 championship round at Hockenheim. Used by Birrell at Pau in Gethin's absence, after Birrell had damaged chassis 9 at the Eifelrennen, with the rear end of that car grafted on to the Gethin tub. Gethin returns to the car at Nivelles, 10 June (MN 14 June 1973) reporting it was the first time he had used it since Thruxton. Probably the car entered for Gagliardi but DNA at Monza Lotteria. Used by Lepp at Estoril in October 1973, with an FVC engine fitted. Sold to Reg Phillips (Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire) for hill climbs in 1974 and fitted with a 2-litre BDA engine. It was retained by Phillips for 1975, when it was called a B25/B27, and for 1976, when the engine was enlarged to 2150cc. This is likely to be the 2.2-litre B25/B27 used in hill climbs by John Stuart (Bridgnorth, Shropshire) in 1977 and 1978. It was last seen in Stuart's hands at Doune in September 1978 when Stuart used it to uproot a tree stump. Sold, still damaged, to Jeremy Bouckley (Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands) who advertised it in early 1979 (together with a complete F/Atlantic B25), with the intention of breaking it for use in Super Saloons. Bouckley recalls that the car was broken up, but has no note of who acquired parts of it.
3. Surtees TS15 [02] (Torsten Palm): New for Jochen Mass as a works FINA Team Surtees entry for the first two races of the 1973 F2 season. Then driven by Carlos Pace at Thruxton in April. Then used as a third works entry for Torsten Palm at Kinnekullering in May, and then later for Palm again at Mantorp Park and Karlskoga in July and August. Then this was reported to be the car raced by Pace at Enna two weeks later, but as this was also said to be a "development F5000 chassis", that may have been a newer car travelling on the carnet of 02. The Enna car had a streamlined body with side wings, and enclosed rear section and revised bodywork, but the Italian scrutineers declared the body illegal, and it had to be converted to normal specification. When Pace later went off into the barrier, the new suspension also had to be replaced before the race. This car was not seen again, so it could be one of the cars that went to Japan, or the car that was destroyed over the winter in a transporter fire.
4. Motul M1 [205] (Tim Schenken): The car raced by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud for Motul Rondel in F2 in 1973, and believed to be the same car all season. Also raced by Tim Schenken at Karlskoga in August. Subsequent history unknown, but the car later raced by Iain McLaren was described as "ex-Jaussaud".
5. March 732 [7] (Jacques Coulon): Ecurie Filipinetti for Jacques Coulon with Antar sponsorship, completed on the Saturday morning of the opening Mallory race, but did not start. Transferred to Brian Lewis Racing after Georges Filipinetti's death in May. To Gérard Pillon (Geneva, Switzerland) 1974 and used in Swiss national events. In 1977, Pillon loaned it to his fellow Genevois Laurent Ferrier for the European F2 races at Hockenheim and Vallelunga, but Ferrier could not qualify the old car for either race. Pillon then appeared at three F2 events in 1978 in a March-BMW variously described as a 762 or a 782, and it is possible that this was the old 732 again. The 732 was next seen in 1979, driven by Ami Guichard, son of the Automobile Year editor of the same name, in French hillclimbs. After driving Pillon's new 782 in 1978, Guichard returned to the 732 and was still racing the car in Swiss championship events in 1988, when it was described as being largely original. The car remained with Pillon thereafter, and was still in Switzerland in 2015.
6. March 732 [8] (Colin Vandervell): For Colin Vandervell, run by Brian Lewis Racing. Vandervell became disillusioned with F2 and the car was rented out to other drivers, notably Motoharu Kurosawa. Unknown after 1973 but there are no unexplained 732s in Japan to suggest Kurosawa took it home. This could be the unexplained 732 of Jean Lapierre in French hillclimbs in 1974.
7. March 732 [11] (Bill Gubelmann): New to Bill Gubelmann (Oyster Bay, NY) for F2 in 1973 and retained for 1974 when run by Brian Lewis Racing. Clay Regazzoni was due to drive the car at Vallelunga in October, but did not arrive, so a deal was done for Gabrielle Serblin to drive after he damaged his usual 742 in practice. Not seen in 1975, when the intention had been to sell the car to Stuart Chubb Racing, but Gubelmann returned for the 1976 Shellsport G8 series with the car updated to 752 specification, fitted with a Hart BDG, and run by Bob Gerard. Gubelmann also appeared in a handful of F2 races in 1976, but after failing to qualify for the Rouen race, quickly moved to Mallory Park in time to qualify for the Shellsport race. He was involved in a nasty accident in the race when he clipped the rear of Mike Wilds' F1 Shadow, rode up over its back wheel and hit the bank at the Esses very hard. He was taken to hospital with head injuries. The March is believed to have been destroyed.
8. Chevron B25 [25-73-12] (Brett Lunger): New to Brett Lunger and run for him by Space Racing in F2 in 1973, starting at Nivelles-Baulers in June. To Nick May (Sutton, Surrey) in 1974, and converted to Formula Atlantic specification for the British series. Then to Gerry Kinnane (Belfast, Northern Ireland), and entered for John Pollock to race in the 1975 Irish Formula Atlantic series. Sold to Bill Gowdy (Banbridge, County Down, N. Ireland) for 1976, but crashed twice that year. Crashed again during 1977, and at some point in this period, the car is believed to have had a new chassis. Sold by Gowdy to Paddy Farrelly (Lucan, Dublin) for 1978, and again used in Formula Atlantic, but now quite uncompetitive. Sold to Tony Skinner (Terenure, Dublin, Ireland) and raced at Phoenix Park in 1981. He raced it again early in 1982, but then moved over to a friend's B42 later in the season. Tony sold the B25 to Cyril Lynch, who fitted a 4.4-litre Rover V8 engine, and first ran the car in the Galway MC Ballyvaughan in mid-1983. For 1984, Lynch ran the car for Shay Lawless, who dominated the Pioneer Hi-Fi Hill Climb Championship, setting nine records. It was sold to Paul Deveney for 1985, and he continued to run it in hillclimbs. The hillclimb championship was cancelled after 1986, and the Chevron was sold to Ken Moore (Iver Heath, Bucks), rebuilt by Bob Egginton of ASD in 1988/1989, and used in libre racing at Lydden. Then to Lew Wright (Haslemere, Surrey) who got HSCC papers for the car in 1999. By 2001, it was with Nick Overall (Petworth, West Sussex) who entered it in HSCC Derek Bell events, and still had it in 2006. Sold to Markus Kalbermatten (Grellingen, Switzerland) in 2006, and used in historic Bergrennen.
9. GRD 273 (Bertil Roos): The works Formula 2 entry intended for Dave Walker to drive in 1973, entered by "DART racing with GRD", a tie-up between GRD and Scottish industrialist Dennis Dobbie. Walker was injured, and the car was due to be raced at Malory Park, the opening F1 race, by Tom Walkinshaw, but he wrecked it in a test at Snetterton a few days before the race. The car was repaired later in the season and hired by Fred Opert for his driver Bertil Roos to race at Mantorp Park in July, and at three later races at Karlskoga, Albi and Estoril. Subsequent history unknown, but a "little used", "ex-Bertil Roos" GRD 273 rolling chassis was advertised from Northampton in March 1981 and this is the only GRD Roos raced.
10. GRD 273 [054-F2] (Hiroshi Kazato): New to Hiroshi Kazato, and run for him in 1973 F2 events by GRS International. Kazato used Racing Services alloy Ford BDA engines at first, then moved to Cosworth BDG, and then had a new car built to take a Schnitzer BMW, retained chassis 054 as a spare. Chassis 054 is thought to have been sold to Chris Oates for 1974, and the "ex-Kazato" car that he ran in Formula Atlantic for Richard Morgan and then Frank Sytner, but this may have been an older car. Chassis 054 reappeared in 1976 when it was run in libre racing by Alan Clennell, described as a B73 and using Swindon BDA engines. Retained by Clennell for sprints and hillclimbs in 1977 and 1978. Advertised by Clennell (Southam) as an ex-works 273 in November 1978. Subsequent history unknown.
11. Surtees TS10 [07] (Silvio Moser): A new car built up for the Matchbox Team Surtees F2 team in mid-1972, and first raced by Dieter Quester at the Österreichring in early July. Raced later in the season by Carlos Pace, John Surtees and Mike Hailwood. It is almost certainly the car raced by Lian Duarté in the F2 Torneio do Brasil. Sold to Silvio Moser for 1973, repainted in Marlboro livery, and used regularly through the 1973 F2 season. Raced by Alberto Colombo at Vallelunga at the end of the season. According to Beat Schenker, Moser's mechanic, the Surtees was sold to a Mr Herber, from Ticino, who planned to use it in the Swiss national championship. Beat recalls that he crashed on his second or third outing, and believes the car may have been a total loss.
12. GRD 273 [061-F2] (Sten Gunnarson): Sold to Picko Troberg's Team Pierre Robert and identified by Autosport at Kinnekulle in May 1973 as the regular car of Sten Gunnarson. Presumed to be his car at all races in 1973. In October 1974, Pierre Robert Racing Team advertised chassis 061 as a rolling chassis updated to 1974 specification, together with two BMW F2 engines and a racing transporter. Subsequent history unknown.
13. Surtees TS15 [12] (Mike Hailwood): A new car for Jochen Mass as a Team Surtees FINA entry at Mantorp Park in July, replacing chassis TS15/03 which had been badly damaged at Monza. Then raced by Mike Hailwood at Karlskoga, by Mass at Enna, by Pace at Salzburgring, then by Mass again at Albi and Vallelunga. In that final race, Mass was running second in the final stages of Heat 1 when he understeered into one corner, slid across the grass and hit the Armco, wiping the suspension off one side of the car and "putting a huge dent in the monocoque".
14. March 732 [13] (Roland Salomon): To Roland Salomon for Swiss championship events from June onwards, replacing a GRD 272, and also some F2 races that season. After winning the Swiss title, the car was damaged in a hillclimb near the end of the season and rebuilt on a new tub in time for the Estoril F2 race. Salomon continued with the car in 1974 but focused on national events. Sold to Beat Blatter 1975 for Swiss Championship events. Then sold to Alain Jaccard (Thônex, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland) in 1976, when the car moved to eastern France, fitted with a 1600cc Ford engine, and used in the 1600cc class of French course de côte. To Michel Salvi (Malbuisson, Franche-Comté, France) for the 1978 hillclimb season, agai with the 1600cc Ford. Retained by Salvi for 1979, then sold to Jacques Bonnot (Chalon-sur-Saône, Franche-Comté) as a rolling chassis with Hewland FG400 gearbox but not raced by him. Later sold to Sébastien Brisard and being prepared in 2023 for historic racing.
15. GRD 273 [071-F2] (Jo Vonlanthen): Jon Vonlanthen (Frauenfeld, Switzerland) moved up to F2 in 1973 with a new GRD 273. He raced the car in the European series and in the Swiss Championship, using Alan Smith and David Wood BDA engines. For 1974, the car was sold to Jurg Dubler (Oberhasli, Switzerland) but other commitments meant that he did not race it until October. He continued with the car in French hillclimbs in 1975, appearing at Saint-Pierre in April, Turckheim-Trois-Epis in June and Poissons in August. Otto Stuppacher also drove Dubler's GRD at the Bergrennen Bad Mühllacken in 1975 and 1976. Many years later, this car was fully restored with Marc Widmer (Eiken, Switzerland) in 2014.
16. GRD 273 (Brendan McInerney): Raced by Brendan McInerney in F2 in 1973, entered by GRD's racing offshoot GRS International. McInerney crashed the car heavily at Karlskoga in August and it was "totally destroyed". He then took over the ex-Tetsu Ikuzawa car as Ikuzawa had returned to Japan.
17. March 732 [15 as '9'] (Andy Sutcliffe): A new car for Andy Sutcliffe at Karlskoga run by Brian Lewis Racing and replacing 732-9, crashed by Mike Beuttler earlier in the year. To save paperwork, the team put the "732/9" chassis plate onto the car and it still wears it today. Sold to Ken Smith in New Zealand after Sutcliffe's money did not appear and raced by him in the 1974 Tasman series. Then rebuilt as a ANF2 car with a Ford twin cam for the 1974 Australian Formula 2 series and sold to Ken Shirvington mid-season. The car remains in Australia in 2012.
18. Motul M1 [208] (Tom Pryce): New for Tom Pryce at Mantorp Park F2 in July 1973, and at three more F2 races that season. Believed to be the car raced by Chris Meek in a formule libre race at Croft in October 1973. Sold via Fred Opert to Roger Seacrist (Chicago, IL) for SCCA Formula B and Canadian Formula Atlantic in 1974. Retained for SCCA Nationals in 1975, when he finished third in a strong field at Blackhawk Farms in August and scored five points in Central Division FB. Advertised in Autoweek in March 1976 from an address in central Chicago, quoting the chassis number. In 2011, this car was reported to be "currently resting in rural Illinois".
19. GRD 273 [062-F2] (Reine Wisell): Sold to Picko Troberg's Team Pierre Robert and identified by Autosport at Kinnekulle in May 1973 as the car driven on that occasion by Reine Wisell. Presumed to be his car at all races in 1973 except at Hockenheim in April where he drove the spare and at the Nürburgring where he drove 063. Also presumed to be the BDA-powered car used by Mikka Arpiainen for two races in 1974. The car then sat in a museum in Sweden until it was acquired as part of a package of five or six by Chris Halford in 1999. He sold it to Andrew Butcher, a Brit then living in Germany in 2000, and he sold it on to Jonny Dimsdale in 2006. Dimsdale restored the car for historic racing with a Gathercole BDG and advertised it in late 2014. In early 2019, it was sold to Glenn Eagling who raced it at Silverstone in May 2019.
20. Motul M1 [207] (Bob Wollek): The car raced by Bob Wolleck for Motul Rondel in F2 in 1973, and believed to be the same car all season. Like most of the team's cars, this went to Fred Opert for 1974 to be converted for use in SCCA Formula B and Canadian Formula Atlantic. Assuming Wolleck used the same car all season, this would then be "ex-Wolleck" car that Seb Barone (Portland, CT/Middletown, CT/Dilliner, PA) remembers buying for 1974. After a season in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series, Barone traded it back to Opert for his 1975 Chevron B29. According to Cy Morland, who owned chassis 207 from 1998 to 2008, the car was owned after Barone by John Stowe in New England for an extended period, so would be the Rondel raced by Stowe in New England Region SCCA Regionals in 1976. Morland had the tub completely rebuilt by Marc Bahner, and then sold the car back to England. Subsequent history unknown.
21. March 732 [10] (Jean-Pierre Jarier): STP March Engineering works car for Jean-Pierre Beltoise at Hockenheim and later by Jean-Pierre Jarier at two races. Probably the car used by Jacques Coulon at Hockenheim, by Beltoise at Albi and by Stuck at Estoril. To Brian Lewis Racing for 1974 and updated to 742 spec for Andy Sutcliffe as '742-10b', then run for hire drivers later in the year. To Roger Heavens for Antônio Castro Prado for F2 in the latter part of 1975, then sold via Hervé Le Guellec to Jimmy Mieusset as a backup car for French hillclimbing at the start of the 1976 season. Also used by Roger Rivoire in May 1976, and then sold to Jean-Pierre Simon in June 1976. Retained by Simon for 1977, still with its BMW engine. Unknown in 1978, when it could have been the 742-BMW of, for example, Robert Despratx in southwest France. Then to Maurice Crozier and raced in 1979 and 1980 with a 1600cc Ford engine. Advertised by Crozier with or without its 1600cc Cosworth FVA engine in November 1980. It was next seen with Michel Goutarel, who raced it in courses de côte in the Lyon area in 1981 and 1982. Goutarel appears to have kept this car for some time, as he is noted as the winner of the Course de côte régionale de Vals-prés-Le-Puy in September 1986.
22. March 732 [1] (Jean-Pierre Jarier): STP March Engineering works car for Jean-Pierre Beltoise at the first race, then for Hans-Joachim Stuck at two races and then for Jean-Pierre Jarier at two races. A new car, 732-10, was later built for Beltoise so this 732-1 became what March called the "training car" and was used by Stuck later in the year and was then the third spare car remaining in March's transporter at several races. Probably for Mário Cabral at Estoril. Then unknown until June 1975 when acquired by John Calvert for libre racing in 742 spec. To Geoff Friswell mid-1976, rebuilt for him by Brian Lisles and fitted with a Hart 420R engine, but wrecked in practice at Oulton Park in September. Rebuilt on a 742 chassis and raced in two late-season events. Later to Jonathan Buncombe who fitted an FVC engine for libre races. Sold to Roger Orgee and further modified to 772P specification for Formula Atlantic in 1979. Sold after the 1979 season to Harry Vickers' Cowgate Motors in Newcastle and was used in the construction of their Group 5 Lotus Elan HV/80/S2 for Nicky Ellis. This car used a standard Elan backbone chassis with the suspension from the ex-Orgee 732/742/772 and a Swindon BDX. All that would have been left of Orgee's car would have been the monocoque, and as this was a replacement 742 tub, the March 732 had effectively ceased to exist.
23. GRD 273 (Hiroshi Kazato): A "brand new" GRD 273 built in time for the Mantorp Park race in August 1973 and fitted with a Schnitzer BMW engine for Hiroshi Kazato, entered by GRS International. The car was then an unused spare at Karlskoga as no engine was available, after which Kazato drove the car at Enna and Albi. Subsequent history unknown but two "ex-Kazato" GRD 273s are known later, one run by Alan Clennell in hillclimbs and one on display in Japan. One of these will be chassis 054, but the other is likely to be this ex-BMW car.

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.