Can-Am Challenge Race

Road America, 25 Jul 1982

All cars are 5-litre Can-Am unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. VDS 002 (Al Holbert): New for the VDS team in 1982 and raced that season by Al Holbert, but exactly when he used VDS-001 and when he used VDS-002 is still uncertain. Acquired by Norwood-Walker Racing for 1983, together with the brand new VDS-003, but VDS-003 was destroyed at its first race. VDS-002 was driven by Michael Roe in 1983. The team was renamed Dallas Motorsports Inc for 1984 and VDS-002 was modified to side-radiator form for 1984, joined later by a new car VDS-004 in normal front-radiator form. Roe dominated the season, winning seven races. VDS-002 reappeared once more at Mosport Park at the start of 1985 when Dallas Motorsports boss Don Walker crashed it heavily in practice. The car remained dismantled for some time while Jack Smith repaired the monocoque. Dallas Motorsports cars and equipment were sold to Frank D'Aquanno (Monterey, CA) in 1987, and in 1989 VDS-002 was restored and sold to Jimmy Landrum (Dallas, TX). In August 2014, Craig McCormick reported that this car was "in a private collection in the Dallas, TX area, completely restored".
2. Lola T496 (Jeff Miller): Four Lola T496s were built in 1976, intended for SCCA C Sports Racing with Cosworth BDH engines. Jeff Miller bought one of the cars but fitted a two stroke Kohler engine, originally developed for snowmobiles. Miller won the Run-Offs in this CSR car in 1978 and also competed in Can-Am between 1978 and 1980, running the car with a 6-cylinder 1600cc engine. Many years later, Miller bought the car back from the man he'd sold it to and continues to run it in vintage events in the Midwest.
3. Lola T332 [T330 HU2] (Horst Kroll): See full history: Lola T330 HU2.
4. March 822 [812-7] (Jim Trueman): Jim Trueman's 1982 Can-Am car is described in a variety of ways in that season's entry lists, ranging from a 822-Hart at Mid-Ohio to a Special at Caesars Palace. However, March records show that chassis 812-7 was invoiced to Trueman's Red Roof Inns on 28 May 1982 (invoice 5027). A list of March cars built in 1982 shows no sign of a 822 going to Trueman so his car must have been this 812.
5. Lola T530 [HU9] (Mike Freberg): Built July 1980. New to Garvin Brown Racing for driver Danny Sullivan, replacing the Intrepid GB1. Raced for the rest of 1980 but Garvin Brown then acquired the ex-Rosberg car from Newman Racing and Sullivan raced that car instead at the start of 1981. Assumed for now that HU9 remained as Sullivan's backup car through the 1981 season. Sold to Mike Freberg (Toronto, Ontario) and raced by him through the 1982 Can-Am season but heavily damaged at Laguna Seca in October 1982. Mike Brayton is reported to have bought this car, repaired it and sold it to Burke Ratcliffe but the exact details are not known. Subsequent history unknown.
6. Chevron B29 [29-75-14] (Jerry Molnar): New to Bruce Jensen (Kitchener, Ontario) and used in the Canadian Players Formula Atlantic series in 1975, sponsored by Jensen Exotic Plants. Retained by Jensen for 1976, and retained again for 1977. Leighton Irwin, who crewed for Jensen at this time, recalls that it was sold in early 1978, he thinks to Michigan. Subsequent history unknown, but believed to be the car later converted to A Sports Racing by Lou Infante Motoracing and raced by Jerry Molnar (Lathrup Village, MI) in Can-Am in 1982. To Frank Jellinek (N. Hampton, NH), and used by him at two Can-Am races in 1983. Later sold to a "Dave", and Roger Sieling reports that it was stolen from him some time in the mid-1980s near Cleveland Ohio along with his tow truck, trailer, and an Austin-Healey Sprite. The car was never recovered.
7. Lola T530 [HU4] (Rex Ramsey): Built April 1980. New to VDS Racing for 1980 and used as Geoff Brabham's T-car for the first part of the season, becoming his race car after HU3 was destroyed in a practice accident at Road America in July. Retained for 1981 and raced by Brabham until the team's new T530-based VDS-001 was ready. Sold to Rex Ramsey 1982 but very heavily damaged in an accident at Laguna Seca in October. The damaged and disassembled car sold to Mike McComas (Pampa, TX) 1988 and sold by him to Paul Sauer (Woodside, CA). In 2002, the car was still completely apart with the new tub still under construction.
8. Chevron B24/B28 [24-73-02] (Dan Johnson): New for 1973 season. Doug Shierson for Peter Gethin: raced in UK 1973 (won Race of Champions) and US 1973. To Roger Bighouse (Eastlake, OH): raced in US 1974 (7 races); US 1975 (4 races + 1 DNS) - Pat McGonegle (Cincinnati, OH): raced in US 1976 (1 race) and Can-Am 1977 (4 races + 1 DNS); probably the car entered by McGonegle as 'Mannix MX-2' in Can-Am 1978; advertised April 1979 - Danny Johnson (Kewanee, IL) 1979: raced in Can-Am 1979 (1 race), Can-Am 1981 (5 races), Can-Am 1982 (6 races) - Brian R Taylor (now Clive, Iowa) for Mike Engstrand (Des Moines, Iowa): raced in Can-Am 1985 (3 races) - Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) - Anthony Taylor (Blackburn, UK) 2001: due to be rebuilt and raced in FORCE Historic F5000 series (UK) 2001. Then unknown until owned by Greg Thornton in 2011 and raced in UK and New Zealand 2011/12. Badly damaged in a fire at Thornton's garage in June 2012 but completely reconstructed.
9. March 77S/802 [77ST-1] (Charles Monk): Built new for 1974, fitted with a BMW engine and entered by March Engineering for Jean Ragnotti in the European 2-litre Sports Car championship, with Antar sponsorship. Fitted with a Richardson FVC after the first few races, and later with a Cosworth BDG. Retained by March for 1975, fitted with a Hart 420R engine, updated to 75S specification and plated as '75S-U2' for John Lepp to race. The car was retained again for 1976, now to 76S specification and reportedly using the identity '76S-1', now raced by Lepp as part of the Ultramar team. Sold to Bobby Brown (Hicksville, NY) for the 1977 Can-Am season, now using the identity '77ST-1'. Sold to Greg Sorrentino (Troy, Michigan) and raced in 1979. In 1980, it was converted to centre-seat specification with a new body fabricated by Dave Craddock and campaigned in this form by Sorrentino in 1981, described as a March 802. To Charlie Monk (Sarnia, Ontario) for 1982, and then via John Adams Racing & John Kalagian to J. Byron Walker (Detroit, Michigan). Raced by Walker in 1983 and 1984 before being stored. Walker later acquired the 1977 bodywork from EB Lunken, who had used it on his March 73S, and found Lepp's Ultramar livery under the layers of paint. In 2013, Walker was in the process of restoring the car to its 1975 specification.

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.