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MidWest Division SCCA Formula B 1976

Bob Young retained his Lola T360 and won the Division again, his third successive title, although both Barry Findley and Jackie Cooper provided spirited opposition. James King had the newest kit in the Division, a March 76B, but was not a regular competitor in Nationals. Also in Marches were Porter Brownlee, who had King's previous car, a heavily updated March 73B, Findley with the ex-Tom Outcault March 74B, Jackie Cooper in his 74B, Bill Nees in a March 73B acquired from E. Jay Erickson, and Tulsa's Fred Lee whose March remains unidentified.

Young and the Lola won five Nationals, at Hutchinson, Ponca City, Pueblo, Lake Afton, and La Junta. Findley won at Chennault Field in February, at Greater Southwest Raceway in May, and at Mid-America Raceway in September, and was second behind Young at Hutchinson in June.

Of the non-March runners, David Pence had acquired Porter Brownlee's Merlyn Mk 21, Dorsey Schroeder was back for a third season in his old Brabham BT35, Bill Brown retained his old Brabham BT29, and Ken Keifer had an ex-FF CrosslĂ© 31F.

Final standings

1. J Robert YoungLola [T360]Colorado48 pts 
2. Barry FindleyMarch 74BArkansas43 pts 
3. Jackie CooperMarch [74B]Wichita40 pts 
4. Dorsey SchroederBrabham BT35St Louis22 pts 
5. James KingMarch 76BS. Illinois18 pts 
6. Porter BrownleeMarch [73B]Arkansas16 pts 
7. David PenceMerlyn [Mk 21]Arkansas13 pts 
8. Fred LeeMarch [71BM]NEOkla11 pts 
9. Ken KeiferCrossle [31F]Kansas City8 pts 
10. William BrownBrabham [BT29]Mid South2 pts 
11. Bill NeesMarch 73BKansas City2 pts 

Midwest Division SCCA Nationals in 1976

25 Apr 1976Stuttgart AirportArkansas Region
09 May 1976Mid-America RacewaySt Louis Region
16 May 1976Roswell Municipal AirportRio Grande Region
30 May 1976Hutchinson Naval Air StationWichita Region
13 Jun 1976Hutchinson Naval Air StationKansas & Kansas City Regions
04 Jul 1976Ponca CityOklahoma Region
18 Jul 1976Pueblo Motorsports ParkColorado Region
01 Aug 1976Mid-America RacewaySt Louis & Des Moines Valley Regions
15 Aug 1976Lake AftonWichita Region
05 Sep 1976La Junta Municipal AirportColorado Region
12 Sep 1976Mid-America RacewaySt Louis Region
19 Sep 1976Roswell Municipal AirportRio 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.