OldRacingCars.com

Grand Prix of Oklahoma

War Bonnet, 16 Jun 1968

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Lou Sell Eagle Mk 5 [501] - Chevrolet V8
50 1h 19m 05s
87.24 mph
2 George Wintersteen Eagle Mk 5 [502] - Chevrolet V8
(see note 1)
50 1h 20m 41s
3 Kurt Reinold McKee Mk 8 - Chevrolet V8
49
4 Mike Hiss (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT21A - Ford twin cam
(see note 2)
48
5 Bobby Brown Lola T140 [SL140/3] - Chevrolet V8
48
6 John Gunn Lola T140 - Chevrolet V8
47
7 Bill Brack (FB) 1.6-litre Lotus 41C - Ford twin cam
46
8 Roy Grange (FC) 1.1-litre Lotus - Ford
45
9 Charlie Adams (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT6 - Ford twin cam
(see note 3)
45
10 Dick Smothers (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT21A [4] - Ford twin cam
(see note 4)
44
11 Ted A. Clark (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT15 - Ford twin cam Cosworth Mk 13
(see note 5)
44
12 Randy Scheffer (FC) 1.1-litre Beach T-11 [104] - Alfa Romeo
42 retired - unknown
13 Bill Gubelmann (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT23F [1] - Ford twin cam
(see note 6)
29 blown engine
14 Joe Alves (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT21A [7] - Ford twin cam
(see note 7)
26 broken cam follower
15 Stuart Wright (FB) 1.6-litre LeGrand Mk 3B - Ford twin cam
24 retired - unknown
16 Gerhard Klose (FB) 1.6-litre LeGrand
24 broken coil
17 Gregg Brumm (FB) 1.6-litre Lotus 41C - Ford twin cam BRM
22 retired - unknown
18 Pete Helferich Lola T140 [SL140/11] - Chevrolet V8
20 burned feet from overheated cockpit
19 Oliver Grant (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT15 - Ford twin cam
(see note 8)
20 retired - unknown
20 Doug Champlin (FB) 1.6-litre LeGrand
19 water leak
21 Chuck Trowbridge Lotus 24 [941] - Ford V8
19 shift linkage
22 Jack Eiteljorg Eisert 68 - Chevrolet V8
8 hole in radiator
23 Henry Candler Lola T140 - Chevrolet V8
4 retired - unknown
24 Steve Durst Vulcan - Chevrolet Traco V8
3 broke transmission adaptor
25 Mak Kronn McKee Mk 8 - Chevrolet V8
3 retired - unknown
26 Bill Simpson (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT21A - Ford twin cam
(see note 9)
2 retired - unknown
DSQ Spurgeon May (FA) 3-litre Cooper T53 - Chevrolet II Ansen 4
disqualified (push start)
DSQ Joe Starkey (F5000) 4.5-litre McLaren M1B/FA - Oldsmobile V8
48 disqualified (push start)
DNS Brian Follon (FB) 1.6-litre LeGrand Mk 3B - Ford twin cam
Did not start
(crankshaft)
DNS Ray France (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT21A - Ford twin cam
(see note 10)
Did not start
(gearbox)
DNS Dave Rines (FA) Brabham BT7 [F1-2-63] - Climax FPF 4
Did not start
(overheating)

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Qualifying
1 Lou Sell (F5000) 5-litre Eagle Mk 5 [501] - Chevrolet V8 1m 31.2s
2 George Wintersteen (F5000) 5-litre Eagle Mk 5 [502] - Chevrolet V8 1m 35.4s
3 Joe Starkey (F5000) 4.5-litre McLaren M1B/FA - Oldsmobile V8
4 Bobby Brown (F5000) 5-litre Lola T140 [SL140/3] - Chevrolet V8
5 Bill Gubelmann (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT23F [1] - Ford twin cam
9 Kurt Reinold (F5000) 5-litre McKee Mk 8 - Chevrolet V8
14 Mike Hiss (FB) 1.6-litre Brabham BT21A - Ford twin cam

Notes on the cars:

  1. Eagle Mk 5 [502] (George Wintersteen): See full history: Eagle 'Mk 5' 502.
  2. Brabham BT21A (Mike Hiss): To Mike Hiss (Laurel, MD) to replace the earlier Brabham that he "demolished" in practice for the Bridgehampton National in July 1967. He raced the BT21A for the last two Pro races, finished third at Lake Tahoe. Retained for 1968, finishing third at Palm Beach in February and then winning at Marlboro in March. Second in Bridgehampton National and won a Regional at Marlboro but less successful in the Pro series. Last seen when crashed at Lime Rock in September 1968 following a suspension failure. Hiss had by that time moved up to Formula A with a Lola T140 and it is not known whether the Brabham was rebuilt.
  3. Brabham BT6 (Charlie Adams): Charlie Adams (Hermosa Beach, CA) bought a 1963 Formula Junior Brabham from Ian Raby (Brighton) in August 1965, and had it updated to 1965 rear magnesium uprights and driveshafts, and shipped to the US. In correspondence that Adams has retained, Raby described the car as a "practically brand new" Brabham FJ, having been "completely rebuilt, with a new chassis". Adams campaigned the car in Formula B and in Formula C from late 1965 through to early 1968 when he replaced it with a new BT21C. When he advertised the BT6 in March 1968, it had a Hewland Mk 5 gearbox and a Ford twin cam engine prepared by Frank Monise. Subsequent history unknown.
  4. Brabham BT21A [4] (Dick Smothers): Sold new to Lou Sell (Fullerton, CA) and first seen in the Pro Formula B race at War Bonnet in late June where Sell qualified on pole and finished second. Then raced in SCCA Regionals and occasional Nationals in California, and in the pro races at Mont-Tremblant and Lake Tahoe at the end of the season. Sold to Sell's backer Dick Smothers (Woodland Hills, CA) for 1968, although Sell also raced it in one SoPac National early that year. To Fred Opert late 1968 in part-exchange for a new Chevron and from him on to Ken Duclos (Boxboro, MA) for 1969. Duclos believes he returned it to Opert at the end of 1969 when he acquired his new BT29 and it next turns up in 1971 with John Sorbello (Lafayette, MA) who widened the cockpit section into a two-seater and added a Chevron B16 body. However, it is possible that the dates of this are wrong and that Bob Isnor (Newton, MA) raced it as a FB before it went to Sorbello. Later to John Kauffman who thought he had bought a Chevron and then to Joe Maria (White Plains, NY) in the early 1990s. It was restored by David Irwin to BT21A spec and was still with Maria in 2007. To Bob Lima (Meadowbrook, PA) by October 2009 and later repainted in Sell's colours.
  5. Brabham BT15 (Ted A. Clark): Ted Clark (DeKalb, IL) raced a Brabham BT15 in Formula B in 1968, equipped with a Cosworth Mk 13 engine and running as #56 and typically entered by Team Nappi of Rockford, Illinois. Clark advertised the car in April 1969, saying that it had a Hewland 5-speed gearbox and 7" and 9" wheels. Nothing more known.
  6. Brabham BT23F [1] (Bill Gubelmann): Sold to Bill Gubelmann (Oyster Bay, NY) and fitted with a Vegantune Ford twin cam engine for SCCA 'Pro' and NEDiv Formula B. Raced through 1968 and retained for a few races in 1969 as Gubelmann's BT29 was late arriving. Sold to Al Justason (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) who used it in both the Canadian and US Pro series in 1970 and again in the Canadian FB series in 1971. Sold to Michael Houselander who appeared at two Canadian national events in 1972, Later sold to ‘Dino Delousis’ who fitted a turbocharged 2-litre Ford Pinto engine for libre events but found the car to be undrivable and stored it from about 1974 to 2004 when sold to Dave Darrow (Mississauga, Ontario) and fully restored. Retained until 2007 when sold via race-cars.com to Murray Bryden (Melbourne, Australia). Sold to David Kloster (Kinglake, Victoria) September 2011.
  7. Brabham BT21A [7] (Joe Alves): New to Dave Webster (Newport Beach, CA) for Formula B in 1967, finishing second in SPDiv division. To Joe Alves (Sherman Oaks, CA), who raced it from the start of 1968 to mid-1969, finishing fourth in SoPac FB in 1968 and fifth in 1969. Then to John Coolick (Wilmington, CA) who raced it in local Formula B, generally at Riverside, from 1970 to 1975. Advertised by Coolick with a big valve twin cam engine in October 1975. Subsequently to Eric Stromwall 1977, then Todd Bishop 1979, and then John Dixon 1989. Bought by Tim Kuchel (Adelaide, Australia) in early 2006, then sold to Frank Arronis (Sydney, Australia) in 2020.
  8. Brabham BT15 (Oliver Grant): Oliver Grant (Norfolk, VA/Wheaton, MD) raced a Brabham in Formula B in late 1967 and the first half of 1968. A Revs Institute photograph shows that it had a 1966 bodywork section but short rear uprights, implying that it was a 1966 Brabham BT15. Nothing more known.
  9. Brabham BT21A (Bill Simpson): During a trip England over the 1967-68 close season, Bill Simpson (Los Angeles, CA) bought a new Brabham to replace his FB-spec Lotus 51. It was described as a Brabham BT21A but if it was new in January/February 1968 then it is more likely to have been a BT21C. He raced the car in west coast SCCA and FRA events during 1968, usually as #58. After the Riverside SCCA Regional at the start of August, Simpson was charged with unsafe driving and unsportsman-like behavior, and his licence was suspended for 90 days. When he returned to racing, it was with USAC, and the fate of the Brabham is unknown.
  10. Brabham BT21A (Ray France): Terry Petmecky (Austin, TX) raced a Lotus 22 in SWDiv Formula B in 1967 but met with little success against the dominant Gus Hutchison team of Lotus 41Cs. Right at the end of the year he took delivery of a Brabham BT21A and finished second in the National at Selma in this car. In 1968 he took the Brabham to Bob Winkelmann but was forced to give up racing due to eyesight problems. F1 driver Alan Rees was holidaying in the Las Vegas area in early 1968 when he raced the car for Winkelmann in the SCCA National at Stardust Raceway. Winkelmann also entered it for Tony Settember at the Tuscon National in April 1968 and it is likely to be the car in which Settember scored 6 points in SoPac FB in 1968. Winkelmann advertised the car in CP&A 23 Mar 1968 as a "Winkelmann-Brabham BT21" with Winkspeed engine. To Ray France (Redondo Beach, CA), and raced during 1968 and 1969, entered as #2 by Centaur Racing Associates. This may have become the basis of the blue-and-gold #29 "Centaur Brabham" raced by France in 1970.

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.

1968 US information has been taken from SCCA results sheets with additional information from Autoweek race reports and from some entry lists. Thanks to David McKinney and Wolfgang Klopfer for providing these. Identifying the classes and model of some entries has proved very difficult so all new information would be welcomed.

1969-1971 US information has been collated by Chris Townsend using Autoweek reports. All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome.

1972-1976 US information was originally collated by Wolfgang Klopfer, converted to database format by Dawn Harrison and checked by Jim Thurman and Don Capps. Wolfgang's main sources are Autoweek and individual SCCA results bulletins but Autosport, Autocourse and Road Racing Annual have also been consulted.

US SCCA Runoffs, Nationals and Regionals results were collated by Wolfgang Klopfer from Autoweek reports. These reports were usually very brief so the information on the majority of races is limited just to the identity of the FA class winner.

Some race programs have also been used for entry lists and other information. My thanks to Richard Coe for the generous contributions from his collection.

All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen if you can add anything.