British Sprint Championship Round
Oulton Park, 1 Apr 1978
| Results | Time | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Franklin | 2-litre March 772/782 [10] - BMW M12/7 Euroracing (see note 1) |
47.25s | |||
| 2 | Dave Harris | 5-litre McRae GM1 [012] - Chevrolet Smith V8 (see note 2) |
47.74s | |||
| 3 | Alan Richards | 2-litre March 742/772 ["U1"] - Cosworth FVC Richardson (see note 3) |
50.05s | |||
| 4 | Simon Riley | 3-litre Brabham BT33 [3] - Cosworth DFV V8 |
51.87s | |||
| 5 | Geoff Breakell | (Sports racing) 1.8-litre Chevron B21/B23 - Cosworth FVC |
54.51s | |||
| 6 | Richard Lester | 1.6-litre March 73B [722-5] - Ford (see note 4) |
54.85s | |||
| 7 | Johnty Williamson | 5.7-litre McLaren M14A [2-2] - Chevrolet V8 |
56.25s | |||
| 8 | Bob Penzer | (unknown) 1.6-litre Brabham BT30 (see note 5) |
59.76s | |||
| 9 | John Quayle | (clubmans) 1.6-litre Mallock U2 Mk 14 - Ford |
60.83s | |||
| Qualifying | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying information not available |
Notes on the cars:
- 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.
- McRae GM1 [012] (Dave Harris): See full history: McRae GM1/012.
- 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.
- March 73B [722-5] (Richard Lester): New for STP-March number two driver Niki Lauda for F2 in 1972 (won at Oulton Park in March), then for Pedro de Lamare in Torneio do Brasil. To Robert Cooper (High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire) for Formula Atlantic 1973, and rebuilt mid-season to 73B spec. Retained for early 1974, then sold to Dairmuid McFeeley (Clonee, Dunboyne, County Meath, Ireland) for Irish Formula Atlantic in 1974, 1975 and early 1976. To John Ledlie in 1976, then sold to Richard Lester (Yoxall, Staffordshire) for sprints from 1978 to 1984. With Keith Wanklyn (Wimborne) for hillclimbs from 1985 to 1990. Via three other owners to John Gale (Sydney, NSW, Australia) 2006. Sold to Australian-resident Englishman Steve Weller (Sydney, NSW) in 2017, who moved the car to the UK.
- Brabham BT30 (Bob Penzer): Tony Street (Wellesbourne, Warwickshire) raced a Brabham BT30 in sprints and hillclimbs in 1973. The origins of the car are currently unknown but Malcolm Orme recalls that the car he and Bob Penzer used in speed events between 1976 and 1978 had previously been driven by Street. Penzer had bought the car from John Hinley (Knowle, Warwickshire) so this would be the BT30 that John Hinley ran at Curborough in 1974 and advertised in May 1974 with a 1930cc BDA. It is also likely that this was the 2-litre "BT30/35" used at Curborough in June 1975 by Tony Sofiano (Harborne, Birmingham) and John Parsons, managers of The Elbow Room nightclub in Aston. Parsons advertised this car with a 1920cc BDG and mentioning BT35 fuel tanks in October 1975. The last known appearance of this car was when driven by Bob Penzer in a sprint at Oulton Park in April 1978. Penzer later sold the Brabham back to Hinley in a deal on the Lola T332C that Penzer drove in 1979. Subsequent history unknown.
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.