MCD Open Single Seater Championship Race

Brands Hatch, 13 Jun 1976

Notes on the cars:

1. Ralt RT1/75 [7] (John Wingfield): New to John Wingfield (London NW11), fitted with a Swindon BDG and raced in the F2 events at Silverstone and Zolder in 1975, entered by Marshall-Wingfield Racing. Retained for 1976 when Wingfield used it in Shellsport Group 8 and the MCD Open Single Seater Championship. Later in the season it was raced by Ray Mallock in the F2 races at Hockenheim and Rouen. In September 1976, Wingfield crashed at the Thruxton G8 race, sliding off at Village at hitting the concrete Marshal's post side-on. Wingfield died instantly. The Ralt was severely damaged and it is highly unlikely that it was rebuilt.
2. Lola T400 [HU8] (Keith Holland): New to McKechnie Racing Org and raced by Richard Scott and Bob Evans in UK series 1975. To Len Gibbs for Keith Holland UK 1976 and early 1977. To Gerry Amato, then Allan Kayes for Group 8 in 1977. Then unknown until 'found in a garage in Cambridge' by Mike Connor and raced in a libre race at Castle Combe in April 1980. This must be the car Peter Allnutt drove in a libre race at the same circuit in August 1980. Next seen with Mick Hill 1982, who converted it into a "BMW M1" with 7.4-litre Chevrolet V8 for "GT" racing: raced in Donington GT series 1983 (shared between Hill and Kevin Riley). Also raced in Thundersports, co-driven by Riley 1983 and 1984 … advertised by Straight Six (Tony Hildebrand) 1986 … David Sheppard: raced in Thundersports, co-driven by Gary Dobbin, 1989 … Ian Higgins (Boston, Lincolnshire) about 1990, and taken apart to recreate the Lola T400. To Shayne Windelburn (Auckland, New Zealand) around 1991. Raced by Windelburn in Australian and New Zealand historics from 2000 (or earlier), and raced regularly in the F5000 Tasman Revival from its start in November 2003, when he won the feature race at the opening round, to the 2017/18 season. More information about Lola T400 HU8
3. Brabham BT30 [11] (Philip Guerola): Sold to John Watson (Craigavad, County Down, Northern Ireland) for F2 in 1970, replacing a Lola T100 that Watson had used with great success in Irish libre. Retained for F2 in 1971, during which time it was partly updated to BT36 specification. To Bob Howlings (Congleton, Cheshire) for libre 1972 and fitted with a 1800cc Cosworth FVC mid-season. Sold to Tony Dean (Leeds, West Yorkshire) in August so he would have a car for the Rothmans 50,000. To Phillip Guerola (Bickley, Kent) 1973 and raced in libre until the end of 1976. Advertised ("ex-Watson") as a rolling chassis from an Aylesbury number in January 1978 and bought by Barrie Dutnall (Medway, Kent) in 1979 or 1980 but not used. Advertised by Dutnall as a rolling chassis in June 1981. Said to have been owned by Jon Bradburn, David Rishworth (Leamington, Warwickshire) and Kelvin Lambeth before bought by David McLaughlin in or before 2003. To David Brown (Ashford, Kent) 2003. To Ian Gray (Mansfield, Nottinghamshire) 2004.
4. Lola T362 [HU18] (Mike King): Described as "the 1976 prototype", this car was loaned by Lola to the Wella team for Ted Wentz to drive in the last few races of the 1975 British Formula Atlantic season after Wentz' regular car was wrecked in testing at Silverstone by Roy James. It was loaned to Tony Trimmer for the start of the 1976 season, now as a Lola T362, and Trimmer won the first two races, only for the car to be sold from under him to Bruach Racing for Mike King, who raced it in Indylantic and Shellsport Group 8 for the rest of that season. Somehow then to Carl Liebich (Plymouth, WI) as a spare car to his Lola T460. Exactly when it was used is not known. Crashed at some point, and sold, still unrepaired, to Cy Moreland (Trainer, PA). Still with Moreland in 2003. Later to Steve Maxted (UK), fitted with a Cosworth BDG and raced by him in HSCC F2 races from 2006 to 2011. To Mark Piercy for HSCC F2 from 2012 onwards.
5. March 753 [14] (Ken Silverstone): Originally a car belonging to the B&O team in 1975, when used by Pierre Dieudonné. Chassis number for this car and its sister, driven by Hervé Regout, observed by AF at Oulton Park 4 October 1975. Sold to Ken Silverstone for the 1976 season [Autosport 2 Sep 1976 p33 says his car is ‘ex Dieudonné.) To Wyatt Stanley in mid 1977 and retained by him for the 1978 season.
6. Trojan T101 [102] (Jim Kelly): See full history: Trojan T101/102.

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

Autosport.