WRE Formula A car-by-car histories
Nick Dioguardi's Formula A WRE at Stardust Raceway in February 1968. Copyright Bill Wolfe 2025. Used with permission.
Built by John Wadsworth, the WRE Formula A car was a regular in Californian SCCA racing from 1968 to 1970. Two were built, for Nick Dioguardi and Rex Ramsey.
English fabricator John Wadsworth was a former RAF pilot who had worked for John Willment on his sports cars. He moved to Modena in Italy to develop a 2-litre sportscar with Maserati 200 S engine for American driver Tony Settember. The car was called a WRE, which stood for World Racing Enterprises in 1959 and later for Wadsworth Racing Enterprises. Settember won first time out in the car and two further models were built, fitted with handsome Williams and Pritchard aluminium bodies, and all three were successful in Italy from 1959 to 1961. Wadsworth then moved to Los Angeles, and was successful racing a Chevrolet-engined WRE in C Modified races in 1965. After a stint working as a mechanic at the Indy 500, Wadsworth built a single-seater in 1968 for Nick Dioguardi to use in the SCCA's Formula A category. Formula A had been devised in 1965 to parallel F1, but had not taken off. For 1968, 5-litre stock block engines were to be allowed, allowing the 289 ci (4.7-litre) Ford Cobra engine, as developed by Carroll Shelby, and the 302 ci (5-litre) "small block" Chevrolet V8. Wadsworth fashioned a spaceframe chassis made from chrome-moly tubing with aluminium panels riveted between them. Ventilated Airheart brakes were used, and hubs and wheels were by Halibrand. A ducktail was the only aerodynamic feature, and what Sports Car Graphic called its "exceptionally hefty" steel suspension brought it up to a weight of 1285 lbs. Dioguardi used a Cobra in his WRE, mated to a ZF 5DS-25/2 5-speed gearbox, and debuted the car at Stardust International in February 1968, the first SCCA National held to the new formula. His competition consisted of Bruce Eglinton in the LeGrand Mk 7, also locally built, Stew McMillen in a converted ex-USAC Eisert, and Chuck Trowbridge in an ex-F1 Lotus 21. Eglinton and McMillen had taken the Chevrolet option, while Trowbridge had a Cobra engine like Dioguardi. The WRE "came a cropper in the slick Turn 1" while Eglinton went on to a convincing win. Dioguardi won the FA class at Willow Springs in April, despite a long pitstop for water, and at San Diego Stadium in August, but had minimal competition. Rex Ramsey also had a Chevrolet-powered WRE built for him by Wadsworth which Ramsey wanted to call a Shadow. Ramsey nearly won in his car at Bonneville in August, but retired close to the finish line while leading.
Both WRE drivers qualified for the SCCA Runoffs. Ramsey decided to race the factory LeGrand instead, while Dioguardi retired his WRE. Dioguardi raced the WRE again in 1969, and at some point moved to a Chevrolet engine with Lucas/Kinsler fuel injection.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
The ex-Ron Goldleaf WRE Formula A in storage in 2025. Copyright Ben Mellors 2025. Used with permission.
New to Nick Dioguardi (Glendale, CA) for SCCA Formula A in 1968. Retained for a few races in 1969. Retained again for a few races in 1970. Then unknown until advertised by Charlie Harris (California) in Finish Line December 1976, at which time it was fitted with a roll cage, "nerf bars" and mufflers for oval track racing. Subsequent history unknown, but by 1994 the car was owned by Ron Goldleaf (New York, NY), who used it in US vintage racing. After Ron Goldleaf's death, the car stayed with his family.
Driven by: Nick Dioguardi and Dino Dioguardi. First race: Stardust International (R1), 25 Feb 1968. Total of 13 recorded races.
New to Rex Ramsey (Sherman Oaks, CA), first appearing at Riverside in August. 25-year-old Ramsey was a successful A Production racer in his 427 Corvette. After Ramsey nearly won in the WRE at Bonneville Raceway Park later in August, it was rarely seen again. He moved to the LeGrand team for the Runoffs and stayed with them for 1969. The subsequent history of his WRE Shadow is unknown.
Driven by: Rex Ramsey. First race: Riverside (R6), 4 Aug 1968. Total of 2 recorded races.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Wolfgang Klopfer, Ron Goldleaf and Rex Ramsey for their help on this topic, and to Bill Wolfe for the use of his photograph of the car on its debut.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
These histories were last updated on .