CASC North American Formula Atlantic Series Race

Mexico City, 26 Oct 1980

All cars are 1.6-litre F/Atl unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Ralt RT1 (Tom Gloy): Tom Gloy (Lafayette, CA) acquired a Ralt RT1 of unknown vintage as a spare to his newer RT1/79 for the 1979 season, when he was run by Lane Sports. Retained by Lane Sports for 1980 when it was driven by Gloy and by Kip Penske. CT
2. March 79B (Tom Phillips): New to Dan Marvin (El Sobrante, CA) and raced in the CASC North American Formula Atlantic series in 1979, entered and prepared by Marvin-Clegg Racing. Also raced by Price Cobb at Trois-Rivières. To Tom Phillips (Portland, OR) for 1980. Advertised in February 1981.
3. Ralt RT1 (Whitney Ganz): Whitney Ganz raced a Ralt RT1 in 1980, but its identity has not been determined. It could be a 1978 or 1979 car. Nothing more known.
4. Ralt RT1/78 [127] (Rick Bell): New to Rick Bell (Lakeville, CT) and used in the 1978 Labatts Formula Atlantic championship. Retained for 1979, again in the North American Pro series. Retained for a third season in 1980, and again raced regularly in the North American Pro series. In 1981, he sold the car, and believes it went through three other drivers until it was bought by a friend of Bell's. Bell has been racing the car in historic racing, mainly at Lime Rock, since then.
5. March 75B/77B (Gustavo Bolaños): Ted Titmas (Van Nuys, CA) registered a Formula B March with the SCCA Cal Club Region in Southern California in June 1977. That SCCA log book gives the chassis number as '722-33', but it is unclear why the car had not already been logbooked by the SCCA before June 1977. However, Titmas had two very similar cars, one red and one orange, and it not yet clear which was the old 722. Titmas ran a March "78B" or "77B" for a number of hire drivers from 1977 onwards. In 1977, he is said to have run it for Dennis Firestone (Los Angeles, CA), but Firestone focused on Formula Ford that season, and it is not clear where he raced the March. In 1978, Titmas ran it for Ben Schilachi (Beverley Hills, CA), at which time it was blue and entered as #22. He retained it for 1979, when it was entered for Dick Gamble at the Long Beach race, and then Titmas sold it to Juan Carlos Bolaños. Bolaños advertised a March 73B in July 1979, which only deepens the mystery of this car. Subsequent history unknown.
6. March 80A [9] (John Mortensen): Run in 1980 by Doug Shierson Racing for John Mortensen in North American series then to Howard Cherry for 1981 and 1982 (prepared and run by Dennis Eades of Competition Preparation). Sold to an Italian-American 1982 and disassembled; to John Barrett 1990 and rebuilt with the help of Ed Midgley but not raced; to Jim Ozane 1999 (used in vintage racing); to Christian Forrer 2005 (US vintage racing); to Kim Jones (Australia) 2008.
7. March 78B [19] (Ed Midgley): Sold new to Jerry Hansen and used in SCCA Nationals, winning the 1978 Run-Offs. Sold to Ed Midgley for 1979 and used again only in Nationals. Updated to 79B specification for 1980 and raced by Midgley in the Pro championship until wrecked at Trois Rivieres. Midgley completed the season in a borrowed 78B. The damaged car sold to Carl Berggren and rebuilt. Later with Bruce Cambern.

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.

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.