Rothmans F5000 Championship round

Thruxton, 27 May 1974

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Lola T330 [HU17] (Ian Ashley): See full history: Lola T330 HU17.
2. Chevron B28 [28-74-02] (Peter Gethin): See full history: Chevron B28 74-02.
3. Lola T332 [HU36] (Bob Evans): See full history: Lola T332 HU36.
4. Lola T330 [HU15] (Derek Bell): See full history: Lola T330 HU15.
5. Lola T330 [HU2] (Tom Belsø): See full history: Lola T330 HU2.
6. Trojan T102 [1] (Keith Holland): Built in late 1973, but unsold until March 1974. To Ian Ward Racing for Keith Holland to race in UK in 1974. It proved fast in practice, but due to variety of problems failed to start its first five races. It had only started four races when Ian Ward withdrew from F5000 in late June. The team and car reappeared at the last four races of the season for Steve Thompson to drive. After that, the car was acquired by Mick Hill, who used the front suspension and the whole back end for his 1976 "VW Beetle" super saloon project. Everything he didn't use was eventually acquired by Roger Hurst (Folkestone, Kent) and he advertised this in 1984. The whole project was acquired by Tim and Tony Barry (Sittingbourne, Kent) in 1985 and has been owned by them ever since. Tim Barry raced the car in libre in 1987 and 1988, and also in HSCC racing in the 1990s. He returned to the Trojan for HSCC Derek Bell events since wrecking the brothers' March 76A in an accident in 2005, but Tim describes it as "as much of a pain in the butt as it was when new".
7. Chevron B28 [28-74-01] (Teddy Pilette): See full history: Chevron B28 74-01.
8. Trojan T101 [104] (Patrick Sumner): See full history: Trojan T101/104.
9. Lola T330 [HU18] (Lella Lombardi): See full history: Lola T330 HU18.
10. Lola T332 [HU34] (Guy Edwards): See full history: Lola T332 HU34.
11. Lola T330 [HU16] (Nick Wattiez): See full history: Lola T330 HU16.
12. March 74A [2] (Mike Wilds): Dempster Developments UK 1974: entered for Ian Taylor alongside Wilds at R3 but left in the transporter after Taylor's sponsor did not appear. For Wilds at R4 Oulton Park Good Friday 12 Apr (retired), R5 Brands Hatch (pole position), R6, R7 and R8 Thruxton (crashed while lapping Tony Dean's Chevron and "extensively damaged"). Autosport report the "huge" accident on page 2 (Autosport 30 May 1974) and Wilds wrist and leg injuries, also mentioning that Dempster "have a spare chassis, originally intended for Ian Taylor". Three weeks later, the same publication mentions that Wilds is recovering and "hopes to return ... driving the back-up Dempster March". It is safe to assume that 74A/2 was written off in this accident and Wilds continued in 74A/1.
13. Chevron B24 [24-73-01] (Tony Dean): Built for 1973 season. Tony Dean: raced in UK 1973, US 1973, UK 1974 (crashed at R1 - Dean then buys B24-73-08), also used to settle a bet at the BARC Harewood hill climb 4 Aug 1974; UK 1975 (driven by Dean 3 races, Alain Peltier 1 DNS, Roelof Wunderink 1 DNS). Presumably the car raced by Dean at the Easter Rufforth meeting, winning the libre event. Raced by Dean at Aintree 19 Apr 1975, setting a new circuit record as he won the libre race by over a lap. Crashed and written off by Wunderink Zandvoort (practice) 17 May 1975. Wreckage scrapped.
14. Lola T332 [HU40] (Brian McGuire): See full history: Lola T332 HU40.
15. Lola T330 [HU21] (Clive Santo): See full history: Lola T330 HU21.
16. Lola T330 [HU6] (Trevor Twaites): New to Australian Colin Hyams who raced it in the UK series in early 1973. To Trevor Twaites June 1973, and raced by him in the UK series in 1973, 1974 and 1975. Later to John Jordan (UK), who entered it for Tom Belso in 1977, and raced it himself in libre in 1978. Entered by Jordan for Dave Williams in libre racing 1983, and then for Tony Trimmer in the BRSCC Libre Championship from 1984 to 1989, winning the championship in 1986 and finishing second in 1987 and in 1988. At some point between 1985 and 1988, the T330 was dismantled and parts used by Dave Finnigan (Biggleswade, UK) to construct T332 "HU42" for Jordan's team. The original HU6 chassis remained with Finnigan until early 2000 when sold to Richard Lines (UK), then to Kevan McLurg (UK) 2005 and built into a complete car by McLurg and then by John Crawford's Motorsport Solutions NZ Ltd by July 2009. Owned by this time by Lindsay Willis of Wilco Racing (Rotorua, NZ), and raced by his son Brett Willis (Rotorua, NZ) in the F5000 Tasman Revival series every season from 2010/11 to 2017/18. More information about Lola T330 HU6
17. Surtees TS8 [007] (Colin Andrews): New for Peter Revson at the 1971 Questor GP then for Alan Roillinson in UK series. To Alan Brodie 1972 and raced by Brodie and by Steve Thompson. To Servis Appliances Racing Team 1973 and raced by Ray Allan early in the season. Then possibly the Robin Darlington car in Sep 1973 Reappeared with Colin Andrews (Banbury, Oxfordshire) 1974, then to Steve Cuff (Frome, Somerset) 1975 for hillclimbs. To Alan Richards (Cheltenham) and used in sprints and occasional hill climbs in 1976 and 1977. Used in sprints and occasional hill climbs by Bob Clapham in 1978 and 1979. Then unknown until sold by Brian Redman to Dave Swigler (Panama City, FL) in 1986. Dave believes Brian got it from Richard Attwood about two years earlier. Retained until Swigler sold his collection to Harin De Silva (Palos Verdes Estates, CA) in 2009. Restored by Virtuoso Performance and first raced at Laguna Seca in August 2011. Also raced in New Zealand in the 2011/12 Tasman Revival series and at the Phillip Island Classic in March 2013.
18. Chevron B24/B28 [24-73-07] (Chris Craft): New to VDS for Chris Craft in 1973 UK series, then for Peter Gethin in 1974 Tasman series. Loaned to Adlards Crowne Racing for Craft UK 1974; returned to VDS, converted to B24/B28 specification and used by Vern Schuppan to win at Brands Hatch October 1974. Sold to Tony Dean for the UK and US series in 1975, but confiscated by UK Customs & Excise on its return from the US. Bought by Don Gray (Sittingbourne, Kent) at auction, and raced in UK 1977. To Keith Holland for 1978 Australian Internationals 1978, and sold there to Barry Singleton 1978, who raced it in Australia in 1978/79. To Jim Lowe 1980/81, but crashed at Surfers Paradise in early 1981 and heavily damaged. Wreck sold to Russel Gomersall, then to Peter Phillips, then Laurie O'Neill, then Dr Bill Marshall sometime around 1985. Run in Australian historic racing 1986-1988. To George Parlby early 1990s. To Aaron Lewis (Cessnock, NSW) late 2005, and raced in the F5000 Tasman Revival series from 2006 to 2010. Robert Tweedie (Sydney, NSW) 2012, and raced by his son Tom Tweedie, in historic racing from 2013 onwards. More information about Chevron B24 B24-73-07
19. Lola T330 [HU4] (Damien Magee): See full history: Lola T330 HU4.
20. Lola T332 [HU37] (Vern Schuppan): See full history: Lola T332 HU37.

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.

1969-1976 UK results have been researched and collated by Chris Townsend based primarily on material in Autosport and Motoring News. Information has been added from the growing collection of entry lists from programs.

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.