SCCA National (San Diego Region)

Holtville Aerodrome, 20 Mar 1977

All cars are 1.6-litre FB unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Ralt RT1/76 [10?] (Kevin Cogan): New to Brian Robertson's Quick-Trans/Gabriel International Warranty team in the middle of the 1976 season, replacing the team's Lola T460s, and run for Craig Hill at Mosport Park in August 1976, a round of the 1976 Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series. Then used by Kevin Cogan in the IMSA race at Laguna Seca in late 1976 and retained as his main car in 1977 when he also had RT1/75-10 as a spare car. Then retained by Cogan as an unused spare car in 1978, and advertised by him in October 1978. Retained again as a spare car in 1979, and still owned by Cogan in early 1980. [CT]
2. March 75B [722?] (Frank Monise): Vern Schuppan raced in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1975 in a March 722 prepared by Rick Shea's Shea Racing. The car was yellow-and-white, in 73B (or 74B) bodywork, and ran as #11 with support from Rapid Movements. Later in the season, the car was raced by Shea himself at Brainerd in September. At the start of the 1976 season, Shea ran the car for Dave Walker. It was now described as a March "72-75" and was black, but still entered as #11. After Walker drove it in the first four races, it was later raced by Bob Beyea, Shea himself, and by Damien Magee at Trois-Rivières in September. The car was then sold to Frank Monise (Pasadena, CA), so is presumably the blue-and-white #25 March "75B" that he raced in southern Californian SCCA Nationals in 1977 and 1978. Advertised by Monise in September 1978 as a March "72 updated to 76" with "fresh CRW BDD". It was traded by Monise to Pierre Phillips in part-exchange on one of Rahal's Ralts in 1979.
3. GRD 373 (Jules Williams): In late 1975, Jules Williams of Automotive Development (Orange, CA) announced that he would be running the ex-Tony Brise GRD 373 in Formula C car in Southern Pacific Division Nationals in 1976. The car was to be powered by an 1100cc Fiat engine developed by PBS Engineering (Garden Grove, CA) with a four-valve head based on the company's 1300cc C Sports Racing engine. Williams qualified for the SCCA Runoffs at Road Atlanta but retired after a single lap. He returned in the car in 1977, when he finished second in the Division. He scored points again in SPDiv in 1979 with the "PBS".
4. Brabham BT21 (Dick Moody): Ron Southern (San Rafael, CA/San Jose, CA) raced a green-and-gold #24 Brabham in Formula C from 1970 to 1972. It was identified as a BT18 in 1970 but as a BT21B by the end of 1971. Southern bought a BT40 for 1973 and the BT18 was sold to Gayle Cox for 1973, who entered it as a BT18/21. Then to Dick Moody by 1976, who called it a BT21. Nothing more known.
5. Brabham BT40 [33] (John Angus): New to Ted Titmas (Van Nuys, CA) for the British Formula Atlantic series in 1973, but not raced until late in the season. This is presumably the "brand new", "never used" BT40 advertised from Reigate and London numbers in June 1973. Titmas ran the car in September and October, and Cyd Williams used it for one race in October. Titmas reappeared with the car briefly at the end of the 1974 season. He then took the car to the US, and entered it for Ron Dykes to drive in Californian Formula Atlantic races in 1976. To John Angus for 1977 (or to Wilbur Bunce and run by him for Angus). Then to Marc Bahner 1978, who restored it with a stock nose and sold it to George Seydel. In early 1980 it was sold to Finish Line editor Bob Schilling. Later owners have been given as Ken Patch, Perry Sands, Kevin Roggenbuck, who raced it in the 2011 Pacific Northwest Historics, and then David Rugh. Rugh sold it to Chris Rose (Mill Valley, CA) in 2018.
6. Brabham BT28 [19] (Gary Jarlson): Reputedly one of a pair of cars built by MRD specifically for SCCA Formula C and fitted with a fuel-injected 1100cc Cosworth SCC engine. Believed to have raced initially on the East Coast, possibly by New England ex-Porsche racer Joe Potter, but first known when raced by Darrell W. Green (Burbank, CA) in southern Californian FC in 1970. Appeared at Riverside and Laguna Seca races for the next four seasons until sold to Rex Twaites (Pomona, CA) at the end of 1973. Entered by Twaites for Skeeter McKitterick in Nationals at the beginning of 1974. Sold to Gary Jarlson (Capistrano Beach, CA) later that season, and raced by him for the next three years. He then parked the Brabham until he could afford a new Cosworth BDJ but only raced it sparingly after that. Rebodied during this time with March 73/74 panels supplied by Marc Bahner. Eventually disassembled with the intention of restoration but still apart when sold to Dick James (Novato, CA) in 1985. It then passed to Jerry Friedricks (Camarillo, CA), who restored it around 1986/87. Friedricks retained the car, and in 2016 it was on display at his home in Santa Paula, CA.
7. March 77B [1] (Jeff Wood): New to Jeff Wood (Studio City, CA) for the 1977 South Pacific Division Formula B season and then the Labatts Formula Atlantic Championship. Entered at different times that season by Great Plains Motor Racing, Steve Jennings Team, Robert Wood and R&R Racing. Sold for 1978 to Allen Karlberg (Seattle, WA). Karlberg recalls selling it to Don Courtion of Seattle, WA, a gentleman racer who never raced the car. Then unknown until 1989, when Nancy James (Fremont, CA) raced it as a C Sports Racer.

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

Formula July 1977 p30; Sports Car Jun 1977 p36