OldRacingCars.com

MidWest Division SCCA Formula B 1971

Somewhat out of the blue, Formula B exploded in the Midwest Division in 1971 with the the number of point scorers doubling from seven to 14 and the number of points scored more than tripling from 52 in 1970 to 174 in 1971. There had also been an almost complete turnover in competitors, only two of the 1970 drivers still in Formula B in 1971.

Leading this new charge were Bob Lazier in a brand new March 71BM and Gordon Smiley with a new Merlyn Mk 21. Other new cars of note were the Chevron B18 of Warren Flickinger and the LeGrand Mk 14 of Gene Forsthofel but Bob Criss, who would die just a couple of years later testing an Indy car, also had a March.

Final standings

1. Bob LazierMarch [71BM]Colorado33 pts 
2. Gordon SmileyMerlyn [Mk 21]Kansas City27 pts 
3. Bob SchuttBrabham [BT18?]St Louis17 pts 
4. Gene ForsthofelLeGrand [MK 14]Kansas City17 pts 
5. Warren FlickingerChevron [B18]Colorado16 pts 
6. Ken KeiferLotus [61M]Kansas City13 pts 
7. Keith SaundersWinkelmannColorado11 pts 
8. James KingRoyale [RP3]S. Illinois10 pts 
9. Van Durrett JrBrabham [BT18]NEOkla9 pts 
10. Jim PyleTitanOklahoma9 pts 
11. Bob CrissMarchColorado4 pts 
12. Jim EllingsonBrabham [BT18]Colorado3 pts 
13. Jerry WilsonBrabham [BT15]Kansas3 pts 
14. Howard ErlangerMerlynSt Louis2 pts 

Midwest Division SCCA Nationals in 1971

18 Apr 1971Stuttgart AirportArkansas Region
02 May 1971Mid-America RacewaySouthern Illinois Region
13 Jun 1971Mid-America RacewayNebraska & St Louis Regions
04 Jul 1971Ponca CityOklahoma Region
25 Jul 1971Olathe AirfieldKansas City Region
08 Aug 1971Hutchinson Naval Air StationWichita Region
22 Aug 1971Lake AftonWichita Region
19 Sep 1971Mid-America RacewaySt Louis Region
03 Oct 1971Continental DivideColorado Region
10 Oct 1971Fort SumnerRio Grande Region

Midwest Division sources

Race results for Midwest Division Nationals from 1970 to 1978 have been kindly provided by veteran MiDiv historian Rocky Entriken. We also have some background information from Competition Press up to about 1973, when its interest in such events waned considerably, but we know little of the goings-on away from these events and are are keen to acquire or borrow 1960s, 1970s and 1980s copies of SCCA regional publications from this Division. The key ones are:

  • Checkpoint (Kansas City Region)
  • Course Record (Arkansas Region)
  • The Echo (Southern Illinois Region)
  • Exhaust Notes (Nebraska) - full archive available at nrsccahistory.com.
  • Gasket Gazette (Oklahoma Region)
  • Neokla Observer (NE Oklahoma Region), renamed Sports Car Observer in 1980
  • The Offside Undo (Kansas Region)
  • Redline (Colorado Region)
  • Steerin’ Column (Mid-South Region)
  • Wheelspin (St. Louis Region)
  • Witches Wail (Wichita Region)

We are also keen to get scans of entry lists from SCCA Nationals for this division.