Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, 3 Sep 1978
Results | Laps | Time/Speed | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bill Brack | March 78B [15] - Ford BDN Nicholson #7 Ecurie Canada |
21 | 0.58.51.990 44.94 mph |
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2 | Price Cobb | March 78B - Ford BDN Morris #22 Ecurie Canada |
21 | 0.58.53.303 |
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3 | Didier Pironi | March 78B - Ford BDN Morris #96 Ecurie Canada-Ramada Inns |
21 | 0.58.54.689 |
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4 | Bobby Rahal | Ralt RT1 [109] - Ford BDN Willis #2 Pierre's Motor Racing |
21 | 0.59.02.23 |
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5 | Ken Duclos | Ralt RT1/78 [119] - Ford BDN Duclos #84 |
21 | 0.59.05.28 |
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6 | Robert J. Nelkin | March 78B [8] - Ford BDN Stimola #67 Hunter Mountain |
21 | 0.59.07.54 |
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7 | Rick Bell | Ralt RT1 [127] - Ford BDN Cosworth #78 |
21 | 0.59.13.02 |
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8 | Jean-Pierre Alamy | March 78B [7] - Ford BDN Hine #13 |
21 | 0.59.15.74 |
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9 | Chip Mead | Ralt RT1/78 [106] - Ford BDN Willis #31 Pierre's Motor Racing |
21 | 0.59.18.36 |
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10 | Rick Koehler | Excalibur EE2B [March 77B] - Ford BDN Cosworth #51 Brook Stevens |
21 | 0.59.33.01 |
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11 | John Connolly | Ralt RT1 - Ford BDN #71 |
20 | ||||||
12 | John Mortensen | March 78B [20?] - Ford BDN Race Shop #9 Doug Shierson Racing |
20 | ||||||
13 | Bertil Roos | Ralt RT1/78 [111] - Ford BDN Jennings #24 AME Racing |
20 | ||||||
14 | Jeff Wood | March 78B - Ford BDN Willis #20 Great Plains Racing (see note 1) |
19 | Electrics | |||||
15 | Jeff Smith | Chevron B34 [34.76.15] - Ford BDN Smith #50 Starr Racing |
18 | ||||||
16 | Mike Follett | Ralt RT1 [128] - Ford BDN Cosworth #21 |
17 | ||||||
17 | Dan Marvin | March 76B - Ford BDN Cosworth #59 Norman Racing (see note 2) |
17 | ||||||
18 | Cliff Hansen | March 78B [17] - Ford BDN Willis #62 Charles Gladding |
17 | ||||||
19 | Howdy Holmes | March 78B [1] - Ford BDN Race Shop #8 Doug Shierson Racing |
16 | Battery | |||||
20 | Skeeter McKitterick | Ralt RT1/78 [136] - Ford BDN Jennings #12 AME Racing |
16 | ||||||
21 | Jon Norman | March 76B [3] - Ford BDA Cosworth #58 Norman Racing (see note 3) |
14 | ||||||
22 | Bob Earl | Chevron B34 [34.76.34] - Ford BDN Cosworth #19 James Brolin |
14 | ||||||
23 | Kevin Cogan | Ralt RT1 - Ford BDN Willis #88 Ralt American |
14 | ||||||
24 | Mike Rocke | March 77B [29] - Ford BDN Nicholson #15 (see note 4) |
8 | Accident | |||||
25 | Danny Sullivan | March 78B - Ford BDN Stimola #34 Bluebonnet Foods/Quaker State |
2 | Accident | |||||
26 | Chris Gleason | Ralt RT1/78 [135] - Ford BDN Jennings #75 Whalley BMW Sales |
0 | ||||||
DSQ | Arturo Merzario | Chevron B45 [45-78-04] - Ford BDN Smith #5 Fred Opert Racing (see note 5) |
21 | Overtaking under white flag | |||||
DNS | Riccardo Patrese | Chevron B39 - Ford BDN Smith #6 Fred Opert Racing |
Did not start (Wet electrics on pace lap) |
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DNS | Gilles Léger | Ralt RT1 - Ford BDN Cosworth #72 |
Did not start | ||||||
DNS | Giovanni Distasio | March 77B [75B-12] - Ford BDN Jennings #46 Bluebonnet Foods/Quaker State (see note 6) |
Did not start | ||||||
DNS | Ralph Manaker | March 76B [8?] - Ford BDN Cosworth #63 RM Racing (see note 7) |
Did not start | ||||||
DNS | Sans Thompson | March 722/77B - Ford BDN #36 Pierre's Motor Racing (see note 8) |
Did not start | ||||||
DNS | Pierre Gadoury | Chevron B29 [29-75-08] - Ford BDN #91 |
Did not start | ||||||
DNA | Len Campbell | March 74B [733] - Ford BDN #70 |
Did not arrive | ||||||
DNA | John Bauer | March 77B [28?] - Ford BDN #73 |
Did not arrive |
All cars are 1.6-litre F/Atl unless noted.
Qualifying | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bill Brack | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [15] - Ford BDN Nicholson | 1.28.643 | ||
2 | Jeff Wood | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B - Ford BDN Willis | 1.28.679 | ||
3 | Howdy Holmes | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [1] - Ford BDN Race Shop | 1.28.789 | ||
4 | Danny Sullivan | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B - Ford BDN Stimola | 1.29.235 | ||
5 | Bobby Rahal | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1 [109] - Ford BDN Willis | 1.29.238 | ||
6 | Cliff Hansen | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [17] - Ford BDN Willis | 1.29.337 | ||
7 | Dan Marvin | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 76B - Ford BDN Cosworth | 1.29.347 | ||
8 | Ken Duclos | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [119] - Ford BDN Duclos | 1.29.382 | ||
9 | Riccardo Patrese * | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B39 - Ford BDN Smith | 1.29.455 | ||
10 | Kevin Cogan | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1 - Ford BDN Willis | 1.29.574 | ||
11 | Price Cobb | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B - Ford BDN Morris | 1.29.771 | ||
12 | Bertil Roos | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [111] - Ford BDN Jennings | 1.29.805 | ||
13 | Didier Pironi | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B - Ford BDN Morris | 1.29.993 | ||
14 | Arturo Merzario | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B45 [45-78-04] - Ford BDN Smith | 1.30.180 | ||
15 | Jon Norman | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 76B [3] - Ford BDA Cosworth | 1.30.565 | ||
16 | Chip Mead | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [106] - Ford BDN Willis | 1.30.877 | ||
17 | Robert J. Nelkin | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [8] - Ford BDN Stimola | 1.30.941 | ||
18 | Bob Earl | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B34 [34.76.34] - Ford BDN Cosworth | 1.31.076 | ||
19 | Mike Rocke | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B [29] - Ford BDN Nicholson | 1.31.252 | ||
20 | Mike Follett | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1 [128] - Ford BDN Cosworth | 1.32.270 | ||
21 | Rick Bell | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1 [127] - Ford BDN Cosworth | 1.32.278 | ||
22 | Gilles Léger * | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1 - Ford BDN Cosworth | 1.32.406 | ||
23 | John Mortensen | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [20?] - Ford BDN Race Shop | 1.32.520 | ||
24 | Chris Gleason | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [135] - Ford BDN Jennings | 1.33.133 | ||
25 | Jean-Pierre Alamy | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 78B [7] - Ford BDN Hine | 1.33.137 | ||
26 | Skeeter McKitterick | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1/78 [136] - Ford BDN Jennings | 1.33.511 | ||
27 | Jeff Smith | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B34 [34.76.15] - Ford BDN Smith | 1.33.651 | ||
28 | Rick Koehler | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Excalibur EE2B [March 77B] - Ford BDN Cosworth | 1.33.929 | ||
29 | Giovanni Distasio * | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B [75B-12] - Ford BDN Jennings | 1.34.301 | ||
30 | Ralph Manaker * | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 76B [8?] - Ford BDN Cosworth | 1.34.173 | ||
31 | Sans Thompson * | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 722/77B - Ford BDN | 1:34.973 | ||
32 | John Connolly | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Ralt RT1 - Ford BDN | 1:37.697 | ||
33 | Pierre Gadoury * | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre Chevron B29 [29-75-08] - Ford BDN | 1:38.065 | ||
34 | Len Campbell * | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 74B [733] - Ford BDN | no time | ||
35 | John Bauer * | (F/Atl) 1.6-litre March 77B [28?] - Ford BDN | no time | ||
* Did not start |
Notes on the cars:
- March 78B (Jeff Wood): Jeff Wood (Studio City, CA) drove a March 78B for Great Plains Racing in Formula Atlantic in 1978 and raced the same car in New Zealand in December 1978 and January 1979. He moved to a 79B for 1979 and the 78B is believed to have been sold to Greg Sun who ran it (as a 78-79B) in SCCA events in 1979. It was then acquired by Bob Schader and raced on through 1980 and early 1981, including appearances at the Long Beach and Road America pro races in 1980 and at Long Beach again in 1981. Schader then moved into FSV and the 78B was sold to Dorsey Schroeder (Manchester, MO) and used extensively in SCCA in 1981 and 1982.
- March 76B (Dan Marvin): Dan Marvin (El Sobrante, CA) drove a #59 March 76B in 1977 as part of Jon Norman's Boxtrom-Berglen Norman Racing team. The car was built up using a tub that Norman had fabricated himself, using an unknown number of parts of unknown origin. It was, in effect, a new car. Marvin raced the car in bothPro Formula Atlantic and in SCCA Nationals in 1977 and 1978.
- March 76B [3] (Jon Norman): Tom Pumpelly (McLean, VA) raced a yellow #34 March 76B, entered by National Tire Wholesale. The only yellow 76B shown in March records was chassis 76B-3. Pumpelly raced the car until it was damaged in a collision with Bancroft at Mosport Park in August, after which it was acquired by Ecurie Canada whose regular driver Gilles Villeneuve had damaged both his cars. It is therefore believed to be the car driven by Villeneuve to win at Trois-Rivières and Road Atlanta in September but this is by no means certain. Then bought by John Lane who rented it back to Pumpelly for the SCCA Run-Offs at Road Atlanta, where Pumpelly crashed it again. Sold to John Norman (Oakland, CA) who raced it as part of a two-car team with Dan Marvin in 1977 and 1978. Norman then sold the car but later bought it back and restored it to Villeneuve's livery.
- March 77B [29] (Mike Rocke): New Mike Rocke (Livermore, CA), who raced the car through 1977 and 1978 until a serious accident at Trois-Rivières which left Rocke very badly injured and destroyed the 77B.
- Chevron B45 [45-78-04] (Arturo Merzario): To Fred Opert Racing for North American Formula Atlantic as a second car. Used as a spare by Keke Rosberg and as his race car at Lime Rock. Also raced by Eje Elgh and by Arturo Merzario at Trois-Rivières. Raced by Rosberg at Macau in November 1978. Then sold to Mike Peers and entered in the revived British series for Jim Crawford. Fitted with a BDX engine for 1980 and run by Plygrange Racing for Crawford in the F2 class of the Aurora series. Stayed with Plygrange for 1981 when raced by Vin Malkie (Northwich, Cheshire) in libre racing. Reappeared in 1983 when raced by Duncan Gray in the British Formula Atlantic series. It was entered by Peers himself in libre in 1984. Then to Steve Raine for Sprints, co-driven by Robin Boucher, and then hired to Bob Fearnley's RK Racing for Tiff Needell to drive in a pair of races in India in early 1985. Then reportedly to Stuart Ridge for 1986. To John Lloyd then to Simon Hadfield (Shepshed, Leicestershire) but damaged in an accident at Mallory Park. Restored with original Excita condoms bodywork and sold in 1998 to Jeff Wright, a Scotsman then living in Canada. Still with Wright (Wilmington, NC) in 2014 and raced regularly in vintage racing.
- March 77B [75B-12] (Giovanni Distasio): A yellow March 75B invoiced by March to Shierson. Unknown in 1975, but logbooked to Giovanni Distasio (Edgewater, NJ) and raced by him in SCCA events. Few of Giovanni Distasio's results in the car have yet been found, but he raced in two Pro events in 1978 with a March "77B" that is assumed to be this same car. The SCCA logbook shows that it went to Chuck Coleman for 1978, then to Darryl Foster in 1979, then Robert W. Kennedy, then Cliff Wheeler in 1987, and Sam Pontier in 1989. It was acquired by Bill Fickling in 2004, restored into Vittorio Brambilla's F2 Beta livery, and raced in US historic racing.
- March 76B [8?] (Ralph Manaker): Doug Shierson Racing ran a red March 76B for Dale Lang (Wilton, CT) in 1976. The only red 76B in March build records was 76B-8, suggesting this was Lang's car. Lang retained this car for 1977 and then sold it to Ralph Manaker (Erieville, NY) who raced it in 1978. Advertised by Manaker as a 76-77B in October 1978.
- March 722/77B (Sans Thompson): Tom Crowther (Kentfield, CA, later Novato, CA) raced a March in Formula B/Atlantic from 1974 to 1976 and this is believed to have been the same March 722 throughout. At first the car was entered by "Pollard Racing, a division of Donald Pollard Associates". By the start of 1975, it had Falconer bodywork, but later that season it had acquired 75B bodywork, and was entered as a 75B at the 1975 Run-Offs and at a single Pro appearance in late 1976. Crowther ran the "75B" regularly through 1977, winning the Portland National in September. It was then sold via Pierre Phillips to Nick Lingren and was driven by Sans Thompson at Trois-Rivières in 1978. In February 1979, Pierre Phillips Racing was advertising the "ex-Crowther March" as a rolling chassis. Subsequent history unknown.
Sources
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' original results.
North American Formula Atlantic race results have been compiled by Chris Townsend based on material in Formula and On Track, information drawn from Canadian newspapers and results sheets where available.
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.