American Road Race of Champions (FB and FC classes)

Road Atlanta, 27 Nov 1971

All cars are 1.6-litre FB unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 71BM [4?] (Bob Lazier): Robert Lazier (Vail, CO) raced a black March 71BM in the SCCA Pro Formula B series and in SCCA Nationals in 1971. The car was sold to James King ( East St Louis, IL) for 1972, when it was repainted green and yellow and entered as #22 in Pro FB and in Nationals. King qualified the car for the 1972 Runoffs, but retired. This may be the car he raced at Mid-America Raceway in May 1973, before his March 73B was delivered. Subsequent history unknown.
2. Brabham BT35 [9] (Allan Lader): New to Nick Craw, and raced initially in the British Formula Atlantic series at the start of 1971 before moving to the North American SCCA series in May. Borrowed by Alan Lader for the 1971 SCCA Runoffs. Raced by Craw at Bogotá in early 1972, then sold to Bob Schutt (Kirkwood, MO) for Midwest Division SCCA FB in 1972 and 1973. Sold to Dorsey Schroeder (Manchester, MO) and raced by him 1974, 1975 and 1976. Then to Mike Mahan in 1976 or 1977 for autocross, and next to Greg Scharnburg in 1980, also for autocross. In October 2001, it was bought from Scharnburg by Mike Winebrenner (Sellersburg, Indiana).
3. March 71BM [3] (Ron Dykes): New to Chuck Willis's CRW Racing (Anaheim, CA) and leased to Jean de la Bruyere (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) for Max Mizejewski (Woodland Hills, CA) to race in SCCA Formula B in 1971 as "The Edmonton Flyer". De la Bruyere then split from CRW and Ron Dykes (Marina del Rey, CA) then took over the 71Bm for Pro Formula B races and SCCA Nationals for the rest of 1971. Sold to Bob Newton (Cupertino, CA) and run in Pro FB and SCCA Nationals in 1972, 1973 and 1974. It was also raced by Craig Fraser (Santa Cruz, CA) in 1973 and 1974 before Newton's last known appearance in it in late 1974. To Jim Van Horn (Orange, CA) and raced in Cal Club Regionals in late 1975. Van Horn bought a newer Chevron B27 for 1976, but returned to the March for 1977, which was rebuilt to 76B specification by Marc Bahner and fitted with a BDA engine. The car was registered with the SCCA in September 1977, but curiously used the chassis number of a March 722, 722-38. Van Horn raced this car up to 1980. To Bill Hill (Olympia, WA) in 1981, fitted with a Mazda engine and a sports car body and raced the car in SCCA ASR and in Can-Am as the "Marzda" or the "Banana Crate". Crashed in an SCCA Regional (NW Region) at Olympia Airport in September 1986. Hill then bought a Lola T360 and the March chassis stayed in the rafters of his garage for many years. After Hill died, the car was sold to Phil Creighton (Georgia) in mid-2017, and then by him to Kevan McLurg (Brighton, UK) in 2018. Sold to Bruce Balchin (Southampton) in July 2019.
4. Brabham BT35 (Mike Hall): New to Michael Hall (Chicago, Illinois) for CenDiv SCCA Nationals and some local Pro FB events in 1971, acquiring the BT35 relatively late in the season after starting the year in a BT29. He retained the car for 1972, winning the CenDiv FB title. In October 1972, the "ex-Mike Hall" red BT35 was advertised by Fred Opert, noting that it had a "Rondel sports car nose". Subsequent history unknown.
5. Brabham BT29 [48] (Thomas E. Kornell): Sold new to Tom Kornell (Seal Beach, CA) and raced in SCCA Divisional and Pro Formula B in 1971 and 1972. Kornell added a sports car nose and a more substantial rollhoop amongst other changes. He ordered a Brabham BT41 for 1973 and the BT29 went to Fred Opert as a trade. Subsequent history unknown.
6. Lola T240 [HU12] (Quin Calhoun): Identified as the #8 Lola T240 raced by Quin Calhoun (Chicago, IL) in CenDiv FB events in 1971, scoring 16 points in FB that season. Retained and raced again in CenDiv in 1972 but only scored 1 point. To Carmon Solomone (Woodridge, IL) for 1973 and raced in Pro and CenDiv events over the next two seasons. History then unknown until 1981, when it was bought from somebody in Chicago by Dan Walker (Oyster Bay, NY). He autocrossed it for a couple of years, advertising it in December 1983, then sold it to somebody in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Again its history is then unknown, but it is said to have been bought by an unknown owner c1991 and owned for 20 years before being advertised c2011. Mentioned by Kim Baker of vintageracecarsales.com as traded to him around July 2013. A car with this number advertised by Greg Jacobs of Ignite Performance in January 2014.
7. Brabham BT29 [7] (Howie Fairbanks): This car was still unraced when Howie Fairbanks (St Paul, MN) bought it in 1970 "still on its shipping pallet from a shop in Philadelphia". He fitted a SCA engine and ran the car in Formula C in 1971, taking seven wins and second place at the Run-Offs. His partner Jim Blomquist drove it in 1972 and took third at the Run-Offs. Fairbanks then sold it to Art Jaworski who continued to run it in FC and, later, in its successor Formula Continental into the mid-1980s. The car was then sold for vintage racing and was owned by Richard Balsley in 2011.
8. Brabham BT21 [BT9 F3-6-64] (Chuck Grauel): Identified by the Formula 1 Register as the car raced by Patrick Dal Bo in 1964 and by Jean Sage briefly at the end of 1965. Then sold back to England via Stephen Conlan and owned by David Wragg (Leeds) in early 1966 then to Malcolm Smith (Clitheroe, Lancashire) later that year. Sold by Smith via Fred Opert to the US, where dealer Pierre Phillips imported it into Portland, OR. He sold it to Win Casey, also of Portland, who raced it in ICSCC and SCCA FC in 1967 with a MAE engine. Then to another Portland driver, Neil Hansen, for NorPac FC in 1968 when it was described as a BT14. It was later owned by Chuck Grauel (Kansas City, KS) and raced in MWDiv Formula C in 1970 and 1971, then via midget racer Frank Dickerson (Wichita, KS), John Stokes and others to Jerry Strickfaden (Los Alamos, NM) 1987, during which time it was regarded as a BT15. Researched by Jerry Strickfaden and identified as a BT9. To Wayne Mitchell 1988. To Robs Lamplough (Hungerford, Berkshire) 2011.
9. Brabham BT21 (Dick Seelye): Dick Seelye (Milwaukee, WI) ran a red #95 Brabham BT21 in Central Division Formula C in 1970 and 1971. He qualified for the Run-Offs both seasons. Nothing more known.
10. Brabham BT21 (Don Flores): Don Flores (Schenectady, NY) raced a Brabham in Formula B from 1969 to 1971. By 1971, it was reported to be a BT21, and it is assumed he had the same car throughout. It appears that Flores relocated to the southeast during 1971, and he scored six points in SEDiv Formula B that season, as a member of the short-lived Gator Region, based in in Jacksonville, Florida. From 1972 to 1974, he is recorded appearing in Florida Region events at Palm Beach International Raceway, so it is likely that it is his Brabham that was registered with Florida Region with logbook number '11-067' in early 1972. That car was acquired by Wayne Mitchell (San Diego, CA) from Tony Cox (Chicago, IL) about 1990, and although it had lost its chassis plate, it had Arch Motors number AM222DC, indicating a 1967 car, and was stamped with the Florida Region number '11-067'. Mitchell sold this car to Robs Lamplough in 2011.
11. Brabham BT21 (Ron Southern): Ron Southern (San Rafael, CA/San Jose, CA) raced a green-and-gold #24 Brabham in Formula C from 1970 to 1972. It was identified as a BT18 in 1970 but as a BT21B by the end of 1971. Southern bought a BT40 for 1973 and the BT18 was sold to Gayle Cox for 1973, who entered it as a BT18/21. Then to Dick Moody by 1976, who called it a BT21. Nothing more known.
12. Chevron B20 [71-1] (Jim Grob): The prototype Chevron B20 was completed in Formula B specification delivered to Jim Grob (Ft Lauderdale, FL) in time for the 1971 Run-Offs. Grob then raced the orange car at the Bogotá races in early 1972 and then in Southeast Div and Pro FB in 1972. He retained the car for 1973 and 1974, racing it in a total of four Run-Offs, before selling it to Peter Symonds (Rowley, MA) for the 1975 season. Symonds only raced it four times: two SCCA Regionals in 1975 and another two in 1976. Symonds advertised it in 1977. Its next owner was Jack Van Dell who raced it in Regionals in 1985. It was sold to Pierre Haverland (Belgium) in 1988 and then to Nelson Todd (Belfast, Northern Ireland) in 2000. To Laurent Fort (Arles, Provence, France) in 2006, then to Michael Henderson (Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland) in 2007.
13. Chevron B15b (Steve Mandy): Dr Steve Mandy drove a yellow-and-red #21 Chevron B15b in SCCA Formula B in 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974. He was a member of Florida Region at this time, but working at a USAF base at Biloxi, Mississippi. Subsequent history unknown.
14. Brabham BT15 [F3-18-65] (Jerry Wilson): New to Jens-Christian Legarth, and raced in F3 in Denmark and around Europe in 1965. To Ole Vejlund for 1966, and raced in Danish F3 events. To Kurt Seerup for 1967, and again raced in Scandinavian F3 events. Then unknown in 1968, but said to have been driven by Tom Watson in the US in 1969. To Gerry Wilson (Prairie Village, KA) and raced in SCCA Formula C in 1970 and 1971, qualifying for the Runoffs both years. Al Essig (Overland Park, KS), Wilson's partner in Goodman Motor Parts, took over the car for 1972, but crashed heavily at Lake Garnett when his car hit water-filled retainer barrels. Essig was badly injured and the car completely wrecked. Essig sold the remains of the car to Stephen Wood (Australia) in 2006. Sold to Ed Holly (Sydney, NSW, Australia) in 2018.
15. Chevron B17 [17.70.04] (Ron Cohn): New to New Zealander Bert Hawthorne and raced in British F3 using Holbay engines. Hawthorne wrecked the car in late May, and after trying a couple of other cars, settled on the new Tui F3 car. The Chevron was repaired at the factory and sold via Fred Opert to Ron Cohn (Modena, NY) to be used in SCCA Formula C in 1971. It was later sold to Bill Anspach (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) and is presumably the car he raced in 1973, 1974 and 1975, winning the FC class at the 1974 Run-Offs. To Sandy Brandt (Ft Lauderdale, FL/Pompona Beach, FL) for SEDiv FC in 1976 and 1977. To Ric Capone (Riviera Beach, FL) for FC in 1978, qualifying for the Runoffs, and advertised by him in October 1978. Subsequent history unknown. In 2017, a car with this claimed history was acquired from Ed Lamantia at Huffaker Engineering in the US by a customer of Damon Milnes in the UK.
16. Lotus 69B [71/69.4.FB] (Bob Hebert): New to "J Silver" in March 1971 with red bodywork according to the Lotus built record. This would have been John Silver, owner of the Barrington House restauarant in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, who sponsored Bob Hebert (Monterey, MA). Raced by Hebert in Northeast Division SCCA Nationals in 1971 and 1972. Sold to George Liebman Jr (New York, NY), who raced it in New England Region NARRC Formula B at Lime Rock in April 1973, but it appears it was borrowed back by Hebert for the Lime Rock National on 7 July where he raced it with Liebman's entry number #77. Then raced by Liebman at a New York Region SCCA Regional at Bridgehampton in October 1973, having earlier been entered in such a car for the Pro FB race that supported the Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. Subsequent history unknown, but Jeff Hailand (Clayton, MO) ran a Formula B Lotus 69 in historic racing between 2014 and 2018 that was registered with the Lotus Formula Ford Register as chassis "71/69/4FB".
17. Titan Mk3 [68306] (Fred Roehr): New to Charles Sawyer-Hoare and raced in British F3 in 1968 up to Brands Hatch in August 1968. Then to Fred Roehr (Portland, OR) and raced in Formula C in the US from 1969 to 1971. According to a June 2010 feature on Curtis Jacobson's BritishRaceCar.com, the car then went to Don Starr who fitted a Kawasaki motorcycle engine, presumably still for Formula C. Several owners later it was acquired by Bob Erickson and Don Snyder who are believed to have converted it to Formula B specification with a Ford twin cam engine. In the mid-1990s it passed to Brad and Dean Baker (Bowmanville, Ontario) who raced it in historic events. In February 2004 it was acquired by Bill Bovenizer (Ajax, Ontario, Canada) who continued to use it in vintage racing, still with a Lotus-Ford twin cam engine.
18. Brabham BT29 (Steve Louden): Larry Harley (Dallas, TX) bought a Brabham BT29 for the 1970 season, using it in the Southwest Division FB title race - where he finished just a single point behind winner Roy Maze - and in a couple of Pro events. After finishing ninth in the Run-Offs, the car passed to Steve Louden (also Dallas) who raced it in 1971 and 1972, winning the SWDiv title in 1971 and tying in 1972.
19. Lola T240 (Bill Middleton): Bill Middleton (Newport Beach, CA) bought a yellow #31 Lola T240 late in the 1971 Southern Pacific FB season to replace an elderly Brabham BT21C. He won enough points in this car to clinch second place in the division. Retained for 1972 and used in both Pro and SPDiv events, winning the division by a considerable margin. Last seen in late July 1972, after which Middleton acquired a Brabham BT38B. Advertised by Fred Opert in October 1972 and again in February 1973, implying it had gone to Opert in part-exchange when Middleton bought the Brabham. Subsequent history unknown.
20. Brabham BT35 [31] (Mike Hansen): New to Mike Hansen (Belmont, CA) and Steve Marx (Fremont, CA) of Hansen-Marx Racing (or Marx-Hansen Racing) and raced by them in SCCA Regionals and Nationals predominately in southern California in 1971. Retained by the pair for 1972, and raced by Hansen in SCCA Nationals up and down the west coast, and then in Pro events later in the season. To Bill Cooper (San Jose, CA) for 1973, and used in SCCA Regionals. Retained by Cooper for 1974 and raced in SCCA Nationals. Seen less often in 1975, and advertised by Cooper with a BDA engine from September 1975 to July 1976. It is reported to have gone to Tom Smith after Cooper. It was bought from Tommy Smith in July 1978 by John Hafkenschiel and raced in Californian Formula Atlantic before selling it in the winter of 1984. In November 2016, Ron Hornig (Laramie, Wyoming) bought the car and has thoroughly restored it. Note that Hornig also has two F3 BT35s which he uses in historic racing.
21. Brabham BT29 (Sandy Shepard): Sandy Shepard (Denton, TX) raced a new black #59 Brabham BT29 from the start of the 1970 season. With support from his father's KDNT Radio Station, Shepard competed in every round, finishing second in his 'home' race at Dallas. He also raced the car in the Polar Prix SCCA National in February 1971 before it to Fred Opert who had it lined up for a Mexican customer.
22. March 703 (Fred Ashplant): Walter L. Nelson (Great Neck, NY) scored four points in NEDiv Formula C in 1971 in a March, and later in the season, his March 703 was raced at the Runoffs by Fred Ashplant, who had raced his own 703 earlier in the year. Nelson advertised a "March 703 Formula C with strong downdraft" in October 1972, and later a "March 703 FC with 1100 BDA" in January 1976. How many times Nelson raced the car during that time is unknown. He may also have loaned it to other drivers, for example his Long Island neighbour Victor Gagliano (Floral Park, NY) who raced a 703 in NEDiv FC in 1972. Subsquent history unknown.
23. March 71BM [15] (Mike Rand): New to US dealer Joe Grimaldi and supplied in red bodywork. New to Mike Rand (Greenwich, CT) in time for the SCCA Runoffs, where he crashed in practice. Raced in Pro FB and SCCA Nationals in 1972. Sold to Charlie Gibson (Poughkeepsie, NY) for 1973, and again raced in Pro FB and in SCCA Nationals. Retained again for 1974, when it was run in the Canadian series in 73B specification. Also raced more rarely in 1975, before Gibson advertised it in early 1976. According to current owner Simon Perkins, it was sold for 1976 to "Eric Schneider who only did a few events and then neglected the car when he went off to college". In 1989, Charlie Gibson reacquired the car and resold it to Chris Smith, who had it refurbished by Derek Matthews at Ark Racing in 1989/1990. After racing it occasionally, Smith sold it to Perkins (North Newington, Oxfordshire) who did a few US Vintage races in 2002 and 2003 before bringing the car back to the UK in 2004. He has since raced it in HSCC and European F2 races.

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

Competition Press & Autoweek 18 Dec 1971 p12. Formula B and Formula C were run together in 1971.