Kendall Cup Races (Northern New Jersey Region SCCA National)

Lime Rock, 4 Jul 1977

All cars are 1.6-litre FB unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 77B [5] (Joe Sposato): New to Joe Sposato and used in SCCA Nationals in 1977. Retained for Pro Formula Atlantic for first half of 1978, then sold to Charles Crotts (High Point, NC) for remainder of 1978. Believed to be the car retained by Crotts and run in SCCA events up to 1985.
2. Chevron B39 [39-77-05] (Ken Duclos): New to Ken Duclos (Boxboro, MA) and raced in Northeast Division SCCA Nationals in 1977. Sold to Gaston Andrey (Framingham, MA) for SCCA Nationals in 1978, and advertised by Andrey in August 1981. According to a later history of the car, it was acquired by Rick Stone in the 1980s, and then acquired by Tim Gaffey who sold it to Cy Moreland (Trainer, PA). It was bought from Moreland in 2002 as a pile of parts by Lee Chapman and restored. Sold by Chapman in December 2010 to Chris Locke (San Francisco, CA), who raced the "ex-Ken Duclos" Chevron B39 in US historic racing in 2011 and 2012, and at the Monterey Historics in 2013. Locke still had the car in 2014, when it was driven by Lyn St James. In late 2014 or early 2015, the car was sold to Robert Gray Gregory (Houston TX), and was raced during his ownership by Gregory and by Ethan Shippert. Acquired from Gregory by John Taphorn (Kingwood, TX) in 2024 following a full restoration by J & L Fabricating.
3. Chevron B29 [29-75-20] (John Higgins): New to Joe Sposato (Ridgefield, CT) and used in SCCA Northeast Division Formula B in 1975, entered by Spoasto Motoracing (Waccabuc, NY). Also used in one Players Canadian Formula Atlantic race at Mosport. Retained for 1976, again in NEDiv SCCA Nationals and for two IMSA Formula Atlantic Championship races. To John Higgins (Elizabeth, NJ) for 1977, and raced in NEDiv SCCA events. Presumably the Chevron he raced in 1978. Chris Townsend advises that the car then went to Mike Cronin, and was retained by him until it was sold to Mike Malley (Greenville, NC) in April 2001. Malley crashed the car at Summit Point in 2003, breaking his back, and the car was then rebuilt using "a new tub by Chevron" and sold to Dick Ward (Australia) in 2007 or 2008. Ward raced it in events at Waneroo Park from 2009 to 2014, before selling it to Gwyn Pollard in the UK in 2015. Pollard had the car extensively rebuilt by Vin Malkie, then fitted a Gathercole BDG and raced the car in HSCC racing from 2016 to 2019, prepared by Gerry Wainwright Motorsport.
4. March 722 [20] (Gerald Lieberg): Paul Keeler (Greenwich, CT) raced a #38 white-and-green March 722 in NEDiv SCCA Nationals and some Pro FB races in 1972. He was sponsored by Analube, and entered by Gracie Racing Enterprise Ltd of Greenwich, CT. Retained for 1973, when Keeler drove the Analube March at Lime Rock in July. In 1974 it was raced by Gerald Lieberg (Milford, CT) at a few SCCA races, and at the Watkins Glen Pro race. He continued to race the car in New England in 1975, 1976 and 1977. For 1978, it was bought from Lieberg by Jimmy Santos (Sunnyvale, CA), and rebuilt by Newman-Dreager to 76B specification. He raced it until 1982, and then sold it in April 1983 to Richard Lempe (aka Rick Sutherland). Lempe sold it in December 1984 to John Hafkenschiel (Palo Alto, CA), who kept it until January 1996 when it was sold to Keith Lively. Later owner Michael Vanderhurst belives it went from Lively to Tom Morgan in 2003. It then moved to Sam Simpson in 2003, and he sold it to Michael Vanderhurst (Saratoga, CA) in 2007.
5. March 75B [12] (Giovanni Distasio): A yellow March 75B invoiced by March to Shierson. Unknown in 1975, but logbooked to Giovanni Distasio (Edgewater, NJ) in August 1976 and raced by him in SCCA events in 1976 and 1977. The SCCA logbook shows that it went to Chuck Coleman (Jacksonville, Arkansas) for four races in 1978, then to Darryl Foster in 1979 who raced it every season until 1985. It then passed via Robert W. Kennedy to Cliff Wheeler in 1987, neither of whom raced it, and then to Sam Pontier in 1989. Pontier died before he was able to race it, and it was sold by his widow to Bill Fickling (San Clemente, CA) in 2004, restored into Vittorio Brambilla's F2 Beta livery, and raced in US historic racing.
6. Lola T300 [HU5-2] (Ted Wenz): See full history: Lola T300 HU5.
7. Lotus 69 (Robert Silvestro): An "ex-Jacques Couture" Lotus 69 bought from Joe Grimaldi by Victor Gagliano (Floral Park, NY) and Bob Silvestro (Patterson, NY). They raced the car in SCCA Northeast Division Formula B and then Formula Atlantic from 1974 to 1979, appearing at Bridgehampton, Lime Rock and Watkins Glen. The car was often entered by VAS Enterprises, Gagliano's company, which had previously been the entrant of his Formula C March 703, or by Continental Automotive. Silvestro sold the car to Keith Park (San Diego, CA) in about 1993, and later heard that Park had sold it to Dave Bean (San Andreas, CA). The car was still owned by Bean when he died in 2017.
8. Chevron B34 [34-76-07] (Diana Black): New to Bobby Brown (Hicksville, NY) and used in the Players Canadian championship and in SCCA Nationals, entered by Bob Brown Racing with crew chief Carroll Smith, and sponsored by Audiovox. In June, Brown bought a March 76B instead, and the Chevron passed to Diana Black (Kew Gardens, NY/Briarwood, NY) who raced it for the rest of the season. Retained by Black for 1977 and 1978. Advertised by Black as "ex-Bobby Brown" in September 1978. This car is reported to have been used by Harry Crispen in EMRA racing for some years, and is believed to be the car driven by Bernard Juchli, General Manager of Jay Leno's Big Dog Garage, between 2006 and 2014.
9. Chevron B27 [27-74-04] (John Connolly): Chevron build record says sold via Fred Opert to Doug Shierson Racing. According to Chevron the car used by James King at Mallory Park before being shipped to the USA. (King and Mead owned their own cars in the Shierson team.) Badly damaged by King at Mosport in July 1974 and rebuilt around a new tub. Formula Mar 75 p29 reports, 'King is trying to sell the B27 he drove in 1974 under Shierson's management'. (King still has the plate for this car.) Sold to Lloyd Callaway (Chicago, IL) and used in SCCA racing in 1975 and early 1976, and in some pro races. Callaway advises that the car was sold to Fred Opert in early 1976 in p/x for a new Chevron B34. It was bought from Opert by John Connolly (Brooklyn, NY) who raced it in local SCCA and EMRA events in 1976 and 1977. After Connolly bought a new Ralt RT1 in early 1978, he advertised the Chevron B27 in September 1978 and sold it to Bertil Roos (Blakeslee, PA), who won the Formula Atlantic race at the SCCA 'Bonus' National at Charlotte in April 1979. He then attached fenders to the car and used it in Can-Am, still with its 1600cc Cosworth BDD engine. Roos bought a different Chevron B27 for 1980, and, according to Doug Waters, his 1979 car was sold to someone in California who planned to use it as a sports car with an Alfa Romeo V8 engine. Many years later, in 1999, Sandy Dells Racing (San Diego, CA) sold two B27 tubs to Jim Sparks (San Diego, CA). Dells restored one of these to running condition for Sparks, then sold the other tub and parts on Sparks' behalf to Mike Winebrenner (Louisville, KY) in 2004. Winebrenner was able to identify his monocoque by its SCCA Chicago Region stamping as Lloyd Calloway's 1975 car, but the 74-04 chassis plate is on Sparks' car. Winebrenner's parts were sold in early 2009 to Bud Morrison (Tempe, AZ), who already owned 74-05 and 74-07. It would appear that Sparks' car is built on the original tub, and Morrison's is the replacement tub.
10. March 77B [13] (Peter Neumahr): New to Peter Neumahr (White Plains, NY/Bronzville, NY), and raced in SCCA Nationals in 1977. The car's Mahoning Valley Region SCCA log book shows it first racing with the SCCA at Lime Rock on 4 July 1977. Sold to John Timken (Lyme, CT), who raced it in 1978 and 1979, until he crashed at Lime Rock in June 1979, and the car was not repaired. Timken eventually sold the damaged car in 1997 to Cy Moreland (Trainer, PA), who had the monocoque repaired by Marc Bahner and then rebuilt the car. Moreland sold it to Joe Griffin, who sold it in 2001 to Martin Handshy, but he did not race it. Then in 2006 it was sold to Elliot Kaplan (Stilwell, KS).
11. Brabham BT29 [46] (Paul Thomas): Allan Lader had raced as part of the Fred Opert team during the latter half of 1970 but in 1971 he returned to running his own car with Pacifico Inc backing. He again raced a Brabham BT29, his third, and continued his run of excellent results by winning the opening two rounds of the Pro series from pole. At the third round, at Mexico City, he crashed heavily and the BT29 was wrecked. Lader quickly bought a new Brabham BT35 and the wrecked BT29 frame went via Opert to Carl Whitney and some components from it were salvaged to be used on the Formula C BT29 that he built up for the 1972 season. The remains of the wreck were sold (with another wreck) to Ken Duclos to help keep his FB BT29 running. Marty Handshy (Ridgefield, CT) then bought both sets of remains from Duclos. It is unclear how this car was identified as BT29-46 but a reproduction plate was created at the time of the restoration when the frame was reconstructed by Dave Irwin's Lime Rock Motors in 1999. He retained the car until some time between 2004 and 2005 when it was sold by Handshy to Shelby Mershon (Springfield, OH), who raced it at the Vintage GT Challenge at Road America in 2005. Sold by Dan Mershon to Joel Quadracci (Hartland, WI/Sussex, WI), who raced it in historic racing from 2009 onwards.
12. Lotus 59/69 [59-FB-15] (Walter Nelson): In 1970, John F. Sirmons (Weston, CT) and Vincent Dileo (Greenwich, CT) shared a Lotus 59C, Sirmons driving it in rounds of the SCCA Continental Championship, and Dileo competing in SCCA Nationals and in Area 1 Regional Championship races. This is almost certainly the car used by Ian Ashley to win a libre race at Brands Hatch in November 1969, as the car was said to be for an American customer, and Sirmons' car was later said to be a former Ashley car. Dileo won two Area 1 races at Thompson Raceway in July and August, but Sirmons had little success in Pro events. Sirmons and Dileo acquired a Lola T240 for 1971, and the Lotus is likely to have gone to Lola agent Carl Haas in trade. The car is unknown in 1971, but may have remained in stock with Carl Haas, because at some point in 1972 it was acquired from Haas by Phil Raeder (Delmar, NY), his Formula C Lotus 35 being traded in the other direction. Raeder fitted a Renault Alpine Gordini engine and ran the car in Formula C, qualifying for the Runoffs in 1973 where he finished in an impressive fourth place. He was entered during this time by Terri Novotny. Raeder then updated the car with Lotus 69 bodywork and other modifications and ran it as the PRD in 1974 and 1975, still with its Gordini engine. Pearce Raeder recals that the car was then sold to Walter Nelson (No. Haledon, NY/Great Neck, NY). Nelson raced a Lotus in Northeast Division Formula C in 1976, 1977 and 1978. Photographs show that it had Lotus 69 bodywork but Lotus 59 front suspension mounts, consistent with it being the ex-Raeder car. The car was later acquired by Chuck Sieber (McLean, VA), who used it in Solo II events from 1981 to 1989. He had bought the car less engine, and used a 1760 Ford twin cam, followed by an 1840cc BDA. Sieber sold the car to Ian Giles (Didcot, Oxfordshire) at the end of 1990. Its history over the next six years is unknown, but by 1996 it had been acquired by Peter Studer in Switzerland, and he restored it to F2 specification, using the Gold Leaf Team Lotus livery that was used in Formula 3. The car was still owned by Studer when he died in May 2018.
13. Chevron B34 [34-76-18] (Rick Bell): To Rick Bell (Lakeville, CT) and used in Northeast Division Formula B, entered by Bell Racing. Also raced in two Pro races in Canada in July and August. Retained for 1977 again for NEDiv FB, but also taking in two Pro races at Trois-Rivières and Québec City. Subsequent history unknown.
14. March 74B/75B [3] (Peter Dodge): Believed to be the Ecurie Canada entry for Gilles Villeneuve (Berthierville, Quebec, Canada) at the opening race of the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic season with Schweppes sponsorship. Villeneuve appears to have then moved to a newer car, and 74B/3 was used by Chuck Hansen (Tenafly, NJ) at Edmonton and Sanair. It then returned to March importer Joe Grimaldi, and was raced as a Race Shop entry by Dale Lang at Road America in late August, before being updated to the latest F2 specification for George Follmer to drive as an Ecurie Canada entry at Trois-Rivières. Raced by Bertil Roos at Watkins Glen in October, then hired by Grimaldi to Eric Kerman for the SCCA Runoffs. Sold by Grimaldi to Tom Pumpelly and run for him by Cavanaugh Racing (Ambler, PA) in early 1975. Pumpelly then moved to Doug Shierson Racing but exactly and apparently updated to 75B specification. Advertised the car in January 1976 as a "74-75B", "ex-Follmer/Roos", and sold to Peter Dodge (New York, NY/Stamford, CT), for SCCA Nationals and IMSA Formula Atlantic in 1976. Sold to Omer Norton (Vernon, CT), who owned it from 1978 to 1983, and then to Ed Capullo (Norwich, CT), who crashed it in a test session at Lime Rock in 1984 and sold it off for parts. Subsequent history unknown.

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.

Individual sources for this event

SCCA Sanction 77-N-36S. Official results kindly provided by New England Region archivist Donna Stevens. Also Formula October 1977 p43.