Brighton Speed Trials

Brighton, 9 Sep 1978

Notes on the cars:

1. McRae GM1 [012] (Dave Harris): See full history: McRae GM1/012.
2. Brabham BT35X [2] (Terry Smith): New to Tony Griffiths (Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands) for 1971, and fitted with a 5-litre Repco 740 V8 engine for the British Hill Climb Championship and occasional rounds of the British Sprint Championship. Won one round of each series. Retained for 1972 when Griffiths again one one round in each series. To Malcolm Dungworth (Sheffield, South Yorkshire) for 1973 when he shared it with John Cussins (Leeds, West Yorkshire). They shared the car again in 1974 and in 1975, when Cussins won a championship round at Barbon Manor, then Dungworth ran it alone in 1976 and 1977. Sold to Terry Smith in October 1977, and he raced it in the Sprint series in 1978. He raced it again in 1979, but in June he transferred the Repco engine into a March 75A/761 and the BT35X was sold to Mike Remnant in south-west England. Remnant did not race it, sticking to his BT30, and sold it to Roger Jordan who fitted a Ford twin cam and ran it in SW events from about 1981, later replacing the engine with a Rover V8. It was raced by Mark Haynes, still with the Rover V8, at Werrington Park in 1985. In 1986, Jordan sold it to Ted Walker (Dursley, Gloucestershire) who sold it to Shaun Mooney. Mooney had it restored by Simon Hadfield, fitted a Cosworth BDA, and raced it in historic racing from 1991 to 1996. In 2002, the car was sold to Japan and ran in Japanese historic events where it was noted having the name "E. Sekiya" on the side. It changed hands in 2004 and rebuilt by the Mecca racing garage at Tsukuba circuit in 2008. It was offered for sale by its Japanese owner in August 2015, and acquired by Ross Drybrough (Worthing, West Sussex). At this point it was in "F2" specification with a BDA engine. Restored and raced by Drybrough in HSCC F2 in 2022.
3. Chevron B32 [32-75-01] (Noel le Tissier): New to John Cussins (Leeds, West Yorkshire) with a 5.7-litre Chevrolet V8 for the British Hill Climb Championship in 1975 and 1976. Then to Noel le Tissier and Tom Coughlan in Guernsey for 1977 and 1978, and raced by Brian Redman in a bike versus car challenge on the Isle of Man in 1979. Then to Andy Sauvarin for Sprints in 1980, then unknown until owned by Roy Lane in 1984, and run in Sprints by Ken Ayers. To Chevron enthusiast Richard Budge (Retford, Notts) by 1990 and driven by Mike Wilds in historic events. To Richard Maurice Jones (Rhyl, North Wales) and was rebuilt in 2002 with a 5-litre Chevrolet V8. Then to Mike Wrigley (Ashbourne, Derbyshire), then to Hamish Paterson (Auckland, New Zealand) in 2008. Raced by Paterson in the Tasman Revival series in 2009, 2010 and 2011, after which it was stored for five years before being sold to Karl Zohs (Rotorua, New Zealand), who raced it in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The car was then for sale until Zohs' death in October 2021. In November 2021 it was sold to Alastair Chalmers (Hastings, New Zealand). More information about the Chevron B32
4. Surtees TS8 [007] (Alan Richards): 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.
5. March 772/782 [10] (David Franklin): Built by March using "several second-hand components", fitted with a front radiator and March 771B nose, and sold to David Franklin in January 1978. Franklin used the car in the British Hillclimb Championship, winning the 1978 title, and in sprints. Sold to Alan Richards for 1979, and used in sprints and hillclimbs. Converted to Hart power for 1980, when it was entered by Richards as a 772P. Returned to BMW power for 1981, but Richards rarely qualified for Top 10 run-offs during that season. Sold to John Meredith for 1982, who used a 2.1-litre BMW engine. Sold to Rodney Eyles for 1983, now fitted a BDA engine for the 1600cc class. Not seen in 1984, but Eyles returned to the "772/782" for 1985, now using a 2.5-litre Hart engine. Wrecked in Eyles accident at Blackpool in 1985.
6. Brabham BT38 [17] (Paul Edwards): Brand new for Richard Scott at Oulton Park at the end of March 1972, and used by him through the 1972 F2 season. To Alan Padgett (Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire) for 1973, fitted with an 1850cc Cosworth BDE and used in hillclimbs. To David Baumforth (North Newbald, East Riding of Yorkshire) for hillclimbs and prints in 1974, then to John Hinley (Knowle, Warwickshire) for sprints in 1975. It was acquired by Tony Griffiths (Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands) for 1976, then to chef Paul Edwards (London), who used it extensively in sprints in 1977 and 1978. To Ron Cumming (Kemnay, Aberdeenshire, Scotland) for libre racing in 1979, when it still had a 1800cc BDE engine. Cumming crashed the car in a race at Ingliston, probably in May 1979, and rebuilt it using a replacement monocoque supplied by Jim Stevenson. The car was then sold, less engine, to somebody in Essex. About seven years later, it was acquired by Chris Perkins (Ashbourne, Derbyshire), still in the distinctive orange-and-white livery used by Cumming in 1979 and with evidence of where the March 79B-style sidpods had been fitted, but now with a Buick V8 engine in the process of installation. Perkins's recollection is that he bought the car in the Brighton area in the mid-1980s; Autosport mention his purchase in December 1987.
7. March 702 [6] (Peter Fisk): Although given the number 702/6 by March, this was the development F2 car built using the very first Arch Motors frame. It raced just once in 1970 when Howden Ganley appeared in it at Mantorp Park in August. At the start of 1971, it was fitted with a Vegantune twin cam for Formula Atlantic, and was driven by David Morgan at the Mallory Park round in March, taking pole position and winning. He was second in the next race at Castle Combe, but then the car was advertised by March, and bought by John Nicholson, who used it for the rest of that season. Advertised by Nicholson (Ashford, Middlesex) in August 1972. Bought from Nicholson in October 1972 by Martin Steele (Faringdon, Oxfordshire) and used in sprints in 1973 and the first half of 1974. Sold in July 1974 to Peter Fisk (Cambridge) who raced it in speed events from 1974 to 1979. The car was fitted with a BDA engine, and Fisk sometimes shared with Robert Glass, also of Cambridge. Fisk advertised the car in October 1980 and sold it back to Steele in March 1981. Steele restored it and used it in UK historic racing in 1985 and 1986. Retained until sold in November 1998 to Mike Scott (Exeter, Devon) who drove it in FORCE events in 2003, and later appeared with it in Masters events in 2006. Sold in 2009 to Satoshi Onishi (Miharuno, Japan) and used by him in Japanese historic events.
8. Brabham BT28 [17] (Paul Squires): To Frank Williams Racing Cars and entered for John Kendall in mostly British F3 in 1969. Retained for 1970 until August when Kendall moved the car to Paul Watson Racing Organisation where it was driven by Richard Scott. To Peter Hull for 1971 who advertised it as a BT28 with BT30 chassis. To Bob Shellard for hillclimbs in 1972, then to Phil Kidsley & Paul Squires who ran it in sprint and hillclimbs until at least 1989, using a Cosworth MAE at first but later with a supercharged 1100cc Ford BDA. Said to be with Tommy Reid in 2006. In 2016, Mark Pangborn was racing a BT28 that was said to be ex-Kendall and ex-Squires/Kidsley.
9. Chevron B36 [B26 74-02] (Bob Marsland): Although described by some sources as the "prototype", the Gunston-liveried car raced by John Watson and Jody Scheckter in the 1973-74 Springbok series in South Africa was the second B26, chassis 74-02. This car was then sold to Derek Buller-Sinfield and prepared by Roger Hire's Forge Mill Racing for John Lepp (Altrincham, Cheshire) to drive in Europe in 1974. Then the "works development car" advertised by Hire and the "ex-works development" "B36" raced by Bob Marsland (Bromsgrove, Worcestershire) from 1976 to 1978. Sold to Richard Simms (Ossett, West Yorkshire) late in the 1978 season and used briefly in libre racing before being converted over the close season into a Skoda "Super Saloon". Raced in this form from 1979 to 1981 and then restored to B36 specification for use in Thundersports in 1983 and 1984, sharing with Warren Booth. After passing through several more hands in England and, it would seem, Sweden, it was sold to Jack Russeli (Ohio) in June 1997. To Murray Smith (Washington, CT) in 2005. To Roger Wills (London) 2011.

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.

The British Sprint Championship results were originally provided by Paul Parker and Steve Wilkinson and are based on material drawn from Motoring News, Autosport and Speedscene magazines plus results sheets and programmes provided by former competitors and by the organising clubs.

The identification of individual cars is based on the Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 5000 and Formula Atlantic research work presented elsewhere on the site.

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.