British Sprint Championship Round

Longridge, 18 Jun 1978

Notes on the cars:

1. 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 with 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. Eyles wrecked the car in an accident at Blackpool in 1985, and later sold the wreck to brothers Roy and Doug Woodhouse, who also owned 772/6. After both brothers died, Doug's son Chris Woodhouse passed both cars to Nick Harrison (Worcester). Chassis 772/6 was reconstructed first, and by August 2025 772/10 was also nearing completion.
2. McRae GM1 [012] (Dave Harris): See full history: McRae GM1/012.
3. March 742/772 ["U1"] (Alan Richards): Built by March as the development car for the new March 742 series, but using a leftover 732 monocoque. Employed as the spare car for the Elf-sponsored works team in 1974, it was raced by Patrick Depailler at Montjuich Park, by Michel Leclère at Hockenheim in June, by Depailler to win at Mugello, by Ronnie Peterson to win at Karlskoga, and by Depailler again at Enna. It was not seen in 1975, but then sold in December 1975 to David Franklin (Portbury, Somerset) and used in British hillclimbs in 1976, with sponsorship from Wendy Wools. Retained for 1977, when it was fitted with 1977 bodywork. For 1978, it was sold to Alan Richards (Prestbury, Gloucestershire), fitted with a 2-litre Cosworth FVC and used in sprints and hillclimbs. To Norrie Galbraith (Lanark, Scotland) for 1979, and used in Scottish speed events. Retained by Galbraith for 1980, but rebuilt over the winter by Robin Smith to 782 configuration, and fitted with a Hart 420R engine. In December 1980, the car was advertised from a Frome, Somerset, phone number, described as being ex-Depailler and ex-Galbraith, modified by Smith. It has been suggested that Stephen Cuff was the advertiser. Subsequent history unknown.
4. March 722 [29] (Peter Riley): New to John Calvert (Seaham, County Durham), and raced in Formula Atlantic and libre racing in 1972. The car regularly wore #77, and was described as white or blue. Sold to Mike Mather (St Helens, Merseyside) and used by him, and once by brother Kim Mather, in Formula Atlantic and libre in early 1973. Sold to John Kitchen in mid-season, and used by him in sprints and hillclimbs in late 1973, 1974, 1975 and early 1976, using a BDA engine. Then to Peter Riley (Crosby, Liverpool), again for sprints and hillclimbs. At first it was said to have a Cosworth FVA engine, but it had a Richardson BDA in 1977. Riley was still using the 722 in speed events as late as 1984. According to speed event historian Steve Wilkinson, Riley retained the car, complete but dismantled, and stored in his garage. Riley died in 2011, and the car passed to Paul Gardner and Alan Newton, and Gardner started the restoration. When Newton died, the car was sold to Chris Simpson in 2014, but he did not use it. It went to Ashley Hodge in 2016, and then to Daniel Clayfield in 2017.
5. 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 mentioned his purchase in December 1987.
6. Lotus 69 [69.F2.1?] (Clive Astley): New for Emerson Fittipaldi to race in F2 in 1970. The F3 star was initially entered by Jim Russell, and the car was prepared by Russell mechanic Ralph Firman, but by the third race of the season it was entered by Team Bardahl and had changed to Bardahl yellow, with Russell having vanished from the operation. The Lotus 69 was sold to the new works-backed LIRA tea, for 1971, and raced by Reine Wisell in F2, winning at Pau in April. To Stephen Choularton (Hale Barns, Cheshire) for British Formula Atlantic in 1972, and also driven by his young mechanic Jim Crawford in libre at Croft. Unknown in 1973 and 1974, but to Warren Booth (Blackburn, Lancashire) for libre in 1975. Retained for 1976 and 1977, when it was fitted with a 2-litre Richardson BDA. Believed to be the 2-litre Lotus 69 then raced by Clive Astley in north-western sprints in 1977 and 1978. Subsequent history unknown, but according to historian David McKinney, the car was found in a north of England pigsty in the late 1980s, and acquired by Fredy Kumschick (Lucerne/Luzern, Switzerland), who restored it for historic racing. Raced regularly by Kumschick through the 1990s.
7. Lola T460 [T450 HU1] (David Render): New to Ardmore Racing, fitted with a Swindon BDX F2 engine and raced by Ray Mallock in the opening Shellsport Group 8 race at Mallory Park in March 1976. As the race started, Mallock was pushed into the pits Armco and the Lola was heavily damaged. It was repaired at Lola and hired by Ian Ashley for the F2 race at Thruxton in April, but the car's handling was so poor in practice, he elected not to race it. It was returned to the factory, and was still there awaiting modifications in early June. Then converted to Formula Atlantic specification and sold to Adrian Russell (Thornton Heath, Surrey) for Indylantic and Group 8 in 1976, and in libre for the first half of 1977. Then fitted with a 2-litre Swindon BDX bought from Val Musetti, and used in Shellsport G8 for the remainder of the season. To David Render for 1978, and used in sprints and hillclimbs with a 1600cc BDA but only rarely used from 1978 to 1983. Sprinted by Jonathan Skinner and Anthony Lane later in 1983, and in 1984. Sprinted by Mike Lane from 1984 to 1986. Sold by Lane to Rod Fisher for sprints with a 2-litre BDA in 1988 and 1989. Sold by Fisher to David Dedrickson in about June 2001, and run in Seattle area historic events.
8. Brabham BT35 [BT30-15?] (Stan Billington): Sold new 1970 to Bob Gerard and used in European F2 by Henri Pescarolo and Peter Gaydon. Retained 1971, and run in the early part of the season in F2 for Brian Hart. However, financial constraints forced Gerard to cut back and he then ran the car in Atlantic for his mechanic, Bob Salisbury. Replaced as the team's main car by a BT35 late in the 1971 season but retained and continued to appear on occasion. Sold to Martin Webb (Solihull, West Midlands) in 1972 for Libre races, when it was red. Webb acquired a new Chevron B25 for 1973, and the Brabham was sold to John Skellern (Worcester), a motor cycle racer who was looking for something more sensible to drive. After a couple of test sessions on the Silverstone circuit, he drove the Brabham in two Silverstone Formule Libre races in July and August 1973. He did not race it again, and it is unclear where it went next. It was advertised by Webb from a Shirley, Birmingham telephone number in March 1974, complete with Cosworth FVA and Hewland FT200, suggesting it returned to him when Skellern bought Webb's Chevron B25 for 1974. It is then likely to be the maroon BT30 raced by Peter Vincent (Byfleet, Surrey) in Silverstone Formule Libre races in 1974, using a Racing Service BDA engine. Then a year or two later it was presumably the "ex-Pescarolo" BT30 with FVA engine advertised by Bobby Howlings in 1975 and 1976, which Howlings said in October 1976 was "unused" for four years. This would be the "ex-Pescarolo" BT30 acquired from Howlings by David Ward (Hesketh Bank, Lancashire) in early 1977 and fitted with a Hart BDA for libre racing, sharing with Stan Billington. Then to novice racer John Travis (Tarleton, Lancashire) who raced it in libre in 1978 and 1979, again sharing with Billington sometimes, and like Ward calling it a BT35. Traded back to Bobby Howlings for a March 742 for 1980. By early 1985, this ex-Travis, ex-Howlings car was with Marcus King and raced in HSCC events, but by that time its identity was not known. It was then believed to have been recently owned by Graham Galliers, and Galliers had advertised a BT30 from a Shrewsbury number in September 1982. Subsequent history unknown but a car with this chassis number restored by Bob Salisbury in 2003 for owner Richard Kendle. This car with David Brown (Ashford, Kent) by 2007.
9. Brabham BT35 [BT30-15?] (John Travis): Sold new 1970 to Bob Gerard and used in European F2 by Henri Pescarolo and Peter Gaydon. Retained 1971, and run in the early part of the season in F2 for Brian Hart. However, financial constraints forced Gerard to cut back and he then ran the car in Atlantic for his mechanic, Bob Salisbury. Replaced as the team's main car by a BT35 late in the 1971 season but retained and continued to appear on occasion. Sold to Martin Webb (Solihull, West Midlands) in 1972 for Libre races, when it was red. Webb acquired a new Chevron B25 for 1973, and the Brabham was sold to John Skellern (Worcester), a motor cycle racer who was looking for something more sensible to drive. After a couple of test sessions on the Silverstone circuit, he drove the Brabham in two Silverstone Formule Libre races in July and August 1973. He did not race it again, and it is unclear where it went next. It was advertised by Webb from a Shirley, Birmingham telephone number in March 1974, complete with Cosworth FVA and Hewland FT200, suggesting it returned to him when Skellern bought Webb's Chevron B25 for 1974. It is then likely to be the maroon BT30 raced by Peter Vincent (Byfleet, Surrey) in Silverstone Formule Libre races in 1974, using a Racing Service BDA engine. Then a year or two later it was presumably the "ex-Pescarolo" BT30 with FVA engine advertised by Bobby Howlings in 1975 and 1976, which Howlings said in October 1976 was "unused" for four years. This would be the "ex-Pescarolo" BT30 acquired from Howlings by David Ward (Hesketh Bank, Lancashire) in early 1977 and fitted with a Hart BDA for libre racing, sharing with Stan Billington. Then to novice racer John Travis (Tarleton, Lancashire) who raced it in libre in 1978 and 1979, again sharing with Billington sometimes, and like Ward calling it a BT35. Traded back to Bobby Howlings for a March 742 for 1980. By early 1985, this ex-Travis, ex-Howlings car was with Marcus King and raced in HSCC events, but by that time its identity was not known. It was then believed to have been recently owned by Graham Galliers, and Galliers had advertised a BT30 from a Shrewsbury number in September 1982. Subsequent history unknown but a car with this chassis number restored by Bob Salisbury in 2003 for owner Richard Kendle. This car with David Brown (Ashford, Kent) by 2007.

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.

Individual sources for this event

Entry list posted on Facebook by Christopher David Lee