Sigma Series for Formula Atlantic Cars Race

Killarney, 16 Apr 1983

Notes on the cars:

1. March 832 (Ian Scheckter): New to Ken Howes' Team Gunston for Ian Scheckter to drive in the South African Sigma series in 1983. It arrived as a monocoque and front suspension and was completed using the rear end of a March 822. Raced by Scheckter for the rest of the 1983 season, easily winning the championship. Retained by Scheckter and Howes for 1984, again winning the title. Scheckter then left the Sigma series again, and Howes acquired a newer March 842 for new driver John Moni to drive in 1985. The March 832 was sold by Team Gunston to Michele Peter, who raced the car in 1985. It was then exported by Gavin Hards to Marcus Hotz in Switzerland. By 2004, it had been acquired by Felix Haas, when it still had its Mazda engine and was still in the red #7 livery used by Peter during 1985. A few years later, the car was sold to Jakob Eckhart (Switzerland) who fitted a turbo Mazda engine. Some time after that, it was sold to Lance Robinson (Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire), who restored it and has tested it since, but not raced it.
2. Maurer MM82 [04] (Tony Martin): New for Beppe Gabbiani to drive for Maurer Motorsport in F2 in 1982. Sold to Ian Martin's BP-backed South Coast Motors team for the start of the 1983 Formula South Africa season, to be raced by Tony Martin. Martin bought a new Maurer MM83 for 1984, but the older MM82 remained with the team until In May 1985, when it was sold to Herbert Krottenberger for Dave Charlton to drive for the rest of the season under the Scuderia S. Giuricich banner. According to later owner Peter Kernick, it passed to Lew Baker in 1986, then to Gordon Capper in 1999 before Kernick bought it in 2012. Sold to Andrew McCarthy in Australia in late 2021.
3. March 822 [82A-2] (Graham Duxbury): New for Graham Duxbury to drive in the South African Sigma Mazda series, entered by Hekro/Propart/BP. It was always known as a March 822 in South Africa, but it appears in March records as a March 82A. Retained for Duxbury for 1983, when it was entered by Brut/Boss Paving/BP. In early 1983, parts of the car were used by Ken Howes to build up a new March 832 for Duxbury. The rest of the car remained with Howes until late 1984 when it was acquired by Keith Horwood and rebuilt using parts from the ex-Fred Goddard March 822/802 that had been crashed by Derick Irving. This hybrid 82A/822/802 was raced for Horwood by Mike Needell in early 1985, and by Horwood later in the season. It was then acquired by Gavin Hards and exported from South Africa. It was acquired by Roy Woodhouse in the UK, who regarded it as the ex-Scheckter 822. He fitted it with a turbocharged 3.5-litre Rover engine and used it in Sprints in 1987 and 1988. It is believed that he wrecked the car in late 1988 or early 1989, as he returned to his older March 772/782 in 1989. In 2006, speed event specialist Steve Wilkinson reported that Richard Prosser was restoring Roy Woodhouse's "ex-Ian Scheckter 822".
4. Maurer MM83 [03?] (Trevor van Rooyen): Bernard Tilanus drove a Maurer for DAW at the start of the 1983 season that was said to be an MM83, despite appearing two months before the Maurer's F2 cars. It cannot have been chassis MM83-01 as that appeared in F2, but may have been MM83-03. Tilanus was dropped from the DAW team in March 1983, and Trevor van Rooyen continued as DAW's sole driver using the ex-Tilanus MM83. DAW then acquired a second MM83 for the 1984 season. The older car was then partly dismantled and its rear end was used to rebuild DAW's Tiga SC83 Group C Jr sports car. This Tiga was raced by Van Rooyen and Peter Morrison in the Kyalami 1000km in November 1984 but lost a wheel and crashed. The Maurer was reconstituted for 1985, when DAW ran both their MM83s, this car being the No 4 entry for Graham Duxbury and Matt Keyser at least once. At the end of 1985, both of DAW's MM83s were sold to a central European owner. One of the ex-DAW MM83s is currently in Australia and the other is in Germany. The car in Germany is said to be the one built specifically for the South African series but there remains some uncertainty about the identities.
5. Lant RR83 ['3'??] (Dave Charlton): Built new in early 1983 for Rack Rite Racing to use the Formula South Africa series, presumably built to replace the Lant wrecked by Dave Charlton at Kyalami in January. It is believed to have been first raced by Charlton at Killarney in April 1983, then by Roy Klomfass at Kyalami on 31 May 1983. It is very difficult to know for sure what happened next, but the most likely scenario is that Klomfass drove the team's older Ralt on 16 July, and the new Lant ended up being raced by Bernard Tilanus for Fred Goddard's Petromark team. Tilanus recalls swapping cars with Klomfass after that race, which would suggest Klomfass drove the new Lant at the remaining races of 1983. The history of the car from this point onwards is uncertain. In 1984, this is likely to be the #14 Lant raced by Roy Klomfass early in the season, then taken over by Matt Keyser from the Aldo Scribante race onwards. Assuming Keyser stayed with the same car in 1984, this is likely to have been the #13 Lant 83A raced by Dave Charlton in the final race of the 1984 season, and would then be the car retained by Rack-Rite for 1985, when it was raced by American Mike Nish at Kyalami in January 1985 and crashed heavily at Wesbank corner.
6. Lant RR82 [Ralt RT4 272?] (Bernard Tilanus): New to Rack Rite Racing for Trevor van Rooyen to race in the 1982 Formula South Africa series. When van Rooyen moved to the team's new Lant RR82 in May, the Ralt was retained as a spare car and was raced at least once by Andre du Plessis. It is thought to have been the "Lant" raced by du Plessis at Kyalami on 24 July 1982 and by Roy Klomfass at Kyalami on 4 Sep 1982, but this remains uncertain. Then raced as a Lant during 1983 and early 1984 until damaged in Wayne Lahner's accident with Peter Haller at Goldfields on 3 March 1984. The monocoque was thrown away at this point, and the gearbox and other salvaged parts used in a sports car project.
7. Ralt RT4/82 [325] (Brian Ferris): New to Brian Ferris in mid-1982 for the Formula South Africa series, where he was entered by his own Dealer Lamborghini operation. Ferris retained the Ralt for the 1983 season, when he was usually entered by Dealer Maserati. Ferris missed the first half of the 1984 season, but had returned by the time of the East London race in August. In 1985, this was one of two cars available to Wayne Taylor to race in the South African series. His car was always entered as a Lant but photographs show he used the Ralt at Goldfields in March and at Kyalami in July, so it is likely he used it at other races. It is assumed here that he also raced the Ralt at Aldo Scribante in August and Killarney in September. Taylor rented a different Ralt for the start of the 1986 season but crashed the Ralt in private testing, writing it off, and returned to chassis 325 for the second half of the season, winning the title with it. Taylor's career then took him to the US, and the Ralt was left in storage with a friend for many years. Around 2006, it ws nearly stolen, so Taylor decided to sell it. It was bought by Colin Ellison, and its identity was confirmed at that point by its FT200 gearbox number. Subsequently sold to the Scribante family collection where it awaits a full restoration.
8. Maurer MM81 [02?] (John Moni): Ian Martin's BP-backed South Coast Motors team acquired a Maurer MM81 for the start of the 1982 Formula South Africa season, to be raced by Tony Martin. Martin won four races in the car and finished third in the championship. It was then sold to John Moni, who raced it through the 1983 Formula SA season with Duckhams sponsorship. The car is believed to have been sold to Switzerland in trade for the March 832 that Moni acquired for 1984. Subsequent history unknown, but this may be the car owned by Fritz Wagner and converted to sports car specification in 1989.
9. March 78B [782-2(B)] (Peter Haller): After Paul Smith wrecked his ex-Toleman March 782-2 at Mallory Park in March 1979, he built up a new car using a tub fabricated by Mo Gomm. As the "782-2" plate remained on the original tub, and this was later repaired, this Gomm-built car is regarded here as a new car 'PS1'. The new 'PS1' was used by Smith in Formula Atlantic and F2 in 1979 and 1980. It was sold together with the remains of 782-2 to Bernard Tilanus "in the autumn of 1981" and shipped to South Africa. Tilanus converted 'PS1' to use Sigma Mazda engines and raced it in early 1982. It was sold in March or April 1982 to Hekro for Ian Scheckter to race, but he did not like the car, and it was taken over by his Hekro teammate Peter Haller. At some point in 1983, probably at Kyalami on 30 April 1983 where Haller retired, 'PS1' was damaged. It is believed that the unrepaired tub ended up with Keith Horwood. It passed via Ivan Glasby to a hotel owned by one of the Toleman brothers in the Eastern Transvaal, where it was hung on the wall of the bar. The tub was thrown away around 2005, when the hotel changed hands.
10. Ralt RT4/82 [330-2] (Wayne Taylor): New to Pete Fouché's Pretoria Brick Racing in mid-1982 for Wayne Taylor to race in the Formula South Africa series. Severely damaged in practice at Kyalami in early September when Taylor went off on oil. Rebuilt on a new monocoque for Taylor for 1983. In August 1983, Taylor "parted company" with Pretoria Brick and moved to Brian Ferris's team. He continued the drive the same Ralt for the rest of the season, renting it from Pretoria Brick, but now painted blue. The car was hired to Bernard Tilanus for 1984, and run for him by Fred Goddard with sponsorship from Camec Cranes. He retained the Ralt for 1985, again run by Goddard and with sponsorship from Duckhams and Camec, although the car was entered as a Lant RR84 at two races early that season. In 1986, the car was hired by Wayne Taylor, who had sponsorship from BP and Whoosh, and started the season very well, winning the first three races. The car was then written off in a testing accident, and Taylor rented RT4-325 to replace it. Taylor returned the remains of 330 to Pretoria Brick. The Ralt tub was so badly damaged that it was thrown away and an unused Lant tub then sat with the parts as a potential future project. This stayed with Piet & George Fouché until around 2005 when the complete rear end of '330 was sold to Fanie Brand (Cape Town) who intended to use it to upgrade a Tiga Sports 2000. This package included the Hewland FT200 which was verified as the original fitted to 330, together with Ralt rear uprights, brakes and other parts. The remaining front end parts were thrown away, and the unused Lant tub ended up hung on the wall of a garage.
11. March 77B [8] (Klaus Grogor): New to Eddie Pinto and Team Gunston for Roy Klomfass to race in South African Formula Atlantic in 1977, using Swindon BDA engines. Retained by Team Gunston in 1978 for new driver Trevor van Rooyen. Retained again by Team Gunston for the 1978/79 season, when it was a spare car to Van Rooyen's new March 79B and was driven that season by Basil Van Rooyen at Kyalami in October 1978 (when Trevor was unwell), by Dave Charlton at Killarney later that month, and then by Trevor at two races. Later in 1979, it was raced twice by John Love. It was unused in 1980, then sold to Jeff Waberski after his DAW Supplies team's ex-Ian Scheckter March 78B was destroyed in a transporter fire. The 77B was fitted with a Mazda engine and raced by Bernard Tilanus for DAW Supplies from June 1981 onwards. It was raced by Dave Charlton for DAW around March/April 1982, then by Billy Maloney as a DAW entry later in 1982. Maloney crashed the car at some point, and acquired a March 782 to replace it in April 1983. The 77B was sold to Klaus Grogor's House of Sports Cars team for Grogor to drive in the 1983 season, and then retained by Grogor unused through 1984 and 1985. It was then sold to Gary Harrison who intended to convert it into a sports car for the 'Can-Am' series that absorbed Formula SA in 1986, but he only used in single seater form. The car was acquired by Dorino Treccani during the 1990s and sold to Andrew and Stuart Thompson in 2000.
12. March 792 [79A-27] (Roy Moss): New to Team Lexington for Ian Scheckter to drive in South African Formula Atlantic in 1979. The new "wing car" was delivered in time for Scheckter to race it in the Highveld 100 at Kyalami on 27 January, and he won five of his first six races in the car. It was fitted with a Fiat engine for the start of Formula SA but this was quickly replaced with a Mazda rotary engine, and Scheckter won the last four races of the season. The 79A was sold to Bokomo Racing for Tommy Dunne in 1980. It was then sold to Pieter Fouché's Pretoria Brick team, where it was raced by Jan du Plessis in 1981 and by Roy Carr in 1982. In mid-1982, Fouché reorganised the team to focus on a Ralt RT4/82 for Wayne Taylor, and the 79A was sold to Roy Moss. He raced it for the remainder of 1982 and through 1983, during which time he fitted a March 802 rollhoop. It was then sold to Steve Herbst who converted it to flat-bottomed specification by removing the sidepods. He also fitted side-mounted radiators and a March 802 nose. He ran it in this form in 1984 and 1985. The tub and bodywork were later exported by Gavin Hards to John Brannigan, but by the time they arrived the chassis plate was no longer with them. John's stock book from the time shows that he sold it all to Richard Parkin as a kit, but as the car Richard received had no chassis plate but a 1980 nose and 1980 rollhoop, he advertised it as an 80A. He remembers getting no interest in it and believes he may have sold it through the trade, perhaps to Roger Hurst. Subsequent history unknown.
13. March 722 [11] (Gavin Lahner): New to Brett Lunger, and entered by Space Racing for him in F2 in 1972. Bob Sparshott's partner John 'Ace' Woodington was in charge of the F1 team, with ex-Surtees mechanic Roger Flynn. Lunger also raced the car in the Torneio do Brasil in October and November 1972. March records show that this car was sold to Guy Tunmer in December 1972, although press reports at the time said Tunmer had bought the ex-Ronnie Peterson car. Tunmer (Sandton, South Africa) had acquired the 722 for the new "F2" class of the South African national championship, and had it fitted with an 1800cc Cosworth FVC and raced it through 1973. The car was not seen in 1974, but is believed to have been kept as a spare to Tunmer's new Chevron. In 1975, it was sold to André Verwey (Johannesburg, South Africa) who planned to rebuild it with a BMW F2 engine and Hewland FG400 gearbox, but when Formula Atlantic was announced, he updated it with bright red 74B bodywork and a Nicholson BDA engine. Used in this form by Verwey in two races late 1975, and then into 1976. Sold back to the Tunmers in mid-1976 for Mervyn Tunmer to use, when it was reclothed in March 76B bodywork. Unused in 1977, but then sold to Andrew Thompson in 1978, converted to a Ford V6 engine for the new formula, and raced in that form by Bobby Scott in 1979. At this time it had mostly 77B bodywork but with a front radiator and 79B sidepods, and was sponsored by Rembrandt through its Kronenbräu 1308 Lager brand. After Rembrandt's withdrawal, it was sold to Mel Lahner's Rackrite team for 1980, and raced by Derek Ziman and John McNicol. It was rebuilt with a Mazda engine mid-season. Retained by Rackrite for 1981, when it was entered for McNicol, Ziman and Lahner, then raced by Bernard Tilanus for a few races before he left the team, then by his replacement Trevor van Rooyen, and finally McNicol took it over again. Both Tilanus and van Rooyen won races in it that season. It was retained again for 1982, when Lahner's son Wayne drove it, and by this time it was in standard March 77B bodywork, but with a 79B rear wing. It was retained by the Lahner family until 2004, when it was sold back to Andrew and Stuart Thompson.
14. Maurer MM81 [01?] (Matt Keyser): Jeff Waberski's DAW Supplies team acquired a Maurer MM81 partway through the 1982 Formula South Africa season for Bernard Tilanus to drive, replacing his March 782. DAW acquired a newer Maurer for 1983, and the MM81 was raced by Trevor van Rooyen in the early part of the season. In early March 1983, DAW dropped Tilanus from the team and van Rooyen became No 1 driver, taking over Tilanus's newer Maurer. The MM81 was then sold to Roley Noffke of Roray Racing for Matt Keyser to drive for the rest of 1983. Keyser raced it again for the first few months of 1984 until he moved to the Rack Rite team. The Maurer was sold to Keith Horwood later in 1984, and retained by him for the 1985 and 1986 seasons. The car was then exported, and is understood to have gone to the UK. Other sources report that it went to Germany.
15. March 78B [782-2(A)] (Bill Maloney): Rad Dougall's race car at Thruxton 27 Mar 1978 and presumably the one he then wrecked in practice at the Nürburgring 30 Apr 1978. Presumably "Toleman's second" 782 driven by Tiff Needell at Hockenheim 26 Sep. To Paul Smith for Formula Atlantic in 1979, but wrecked on Smith's first outing, at Mallory Park in March 1979. The car was rebuilt on a new tub fabricated by Mo Gomm, but the original tub was also repaired and retained by Smith incomplete. As the "782-2" plate remained on this car, the Gomm car is regarded here as a separate car, 'PS1'. The new 'PS1' and the remains of 782/2 were both sold to Bernard Tilanus "in the autumn of 1981" and shipped to South Africa. Tilanus raced 'PS1' for the DAW Supplies team in the Sigma Mazda series in early 1982 but then sold it to Hekro for Ian Scheckter to drive. The team then built up a second car on the original 782/2 tub, distinguished by its black dash roll hoop, and Tilanus raced that car at Killarney, Welkom and Kyalami in May 1982. It was then raced by Braam Smith for DAW in late 1982 and early 1983. In April 1983, it was sold to Billy Maloney, replacing his March 77B, and was raced by him for the rest of 1983. He retained the car for 1984, but damaged it in a practice accident at East London in August. It is believed to have been sold to Arthur Christie in January 1985. It was sold back to Bernard Tilanus for the 'Can-Am' season in 1986. After that, it went to Keith Horwood who planned to use it for a sports car project in 1987, but that did not go ahead and the car remained unused for two years. It was then rebuilt by Andrew Thompson as a show car for the Rembrandt Group's Heidelberg Motor Museum. The museum was acquired by BAT in 1999, who closed it in 2003. The following year, the car collection was acquired by Johann Rupert, son of Dr Anton Rupert and moved to the L'Ormarins Estate in Franschhoek. The Franschhoek Motor Museum, named after Johan Rupert, was opened in May 2007, and the March 782 remains on display in Ian Scheckter's 1978 livery. Scheckter's Lexington March 78B was, of course, a completely different car, and was destroyed in 1980.

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.

The Formula South Africa race results from 1979 to 1986 have been compiled by Allen Brown and Ian Hebblethwaite using many official results sheets from Ian's archive, as well as race reports in Autosport and Motoring News until their reports stopped in 1979, and then in the Rand Daily Mail and other South African publications. Adri Bezuidenhout's 'Wheels' yearbook, which listed the surnames of the top six finishers at each race but gave no other details, has been useful for races at Aldo Scribante and Goldfields Raceway where it has proved more difficult to find information. Articles in Formula South Africa race programmes have also proved very useful. Please help us complete that collection of scans.

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

Entry list contributed by Marius Matthee and Tony Kent, official results sheet contributed by Duncan Rabagliati. Rand Daily Mail 12 Apr 1983 p2, 18 Apr 1983 p3. A preview in RDM said that Tilanus had "lost his place in the DAW Maurer team and has taken over the ex-Scheckter March 822, which he will race under the Petrochem Oil banner". Scheckter "will have a new March 823" (i.e. 832) and Braam Smith has "also lost his DAW drive".