Riverside Grand Prix

Riverside, 20 Apr 1969

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. McLaren M10A [300-05] (Lothar Motschenbacher): See full history: McLaren M10A 300-05.
2. Lola T142 (George Wintersteen): George Wintersteen (Villanova, PA) raced a white #12 Lola T142 through the 1969 US series. Entered by his own team, Wintersteen Racing Inc, Wintersteen was highly competitive, finishing second behind Sam Posey's Eagle at Laguna Seca in May, and second again behind Posey's McLaren M10A at Lime Rock in September. He also had two third place finishes, two fourths and a fifth. The car met its end at St Jovite in September when Wintersteen triggered a huge first-lap accident. Coming out of the second turn, a downhill right-hander, Wintersteen came off the track and hammered into the earth bank on the outside of the track, careered across the track, collecting two other cars on the way, and hit the opposite bank, the Lola bursting into flames. Wintersteen was able to get out of the car very quickly, and a marshall had the fire under control in less than 30 seconds, but it is highly unlikely that the car would have been repairable.
3. McLaren M10A [300-02] (George Eaton): See full history: McLaren M10A 300-02.
4. Lola T142 [SL142/28] (Bud Morley): Invoice date 5 Mar 1969 (Sold to Haas). New to Bud Morley (Denver, CO) and raced through the 1969 US series, when it was red and entered as #14 . He advertised the car in November 1969 and again in August 1970. Sold in April 1971 to Dan Harper (Eureka, CA) who raced it at the Laguna Seca Pro race 2 May 1971 despite only having had a chance to drive it briefly at Vacaville earlier in the week. He intended to race in SCCA Nationals for the remainder of 1971 but a broken bulkhead required a lengthy rebuild and he did not score any points at SCCA level that season. He had planned to follow all the west coast Pro races in 1972, and appeared on the entry list for race at Laguna Seca on 7 May 1972 but there is no record of his participation. He also raced the car at the Laguna Seca June Sprints in 1973. Harper advertised the car in August 1974, describing it as "Best T-142 in the country; rebuilt throughout, new fabroids, etc; fresh Al Bartz engine; have full history of car; never bent". He recalled to Mike Matune in 2021 that he sold it in April 1975 to Don Korntved (Weaverville, CA) and his son Chris, who ran it in Redwood Sports Car Club (RSCC) events from 1975 to 1977. They ran the car in the RSCC's Lord Ellis Hillclimb at Blue Lake, the Keno Hill Climb near Klamath Falls, Oregon and the Virginia City Hill Climb in Nevada. Chris Korntved also won RSCC Autocross events at Samoa Field, a former airstrip in Eureka, northern California, July 1976, September 1976 and July 1977, and competed at Chico, CA, Redding, CA, and Medford, OR. He advertised the T142 at the end of 1977 and traded it to Jerry Dulski (Plymouth, MN) for Dulski's A Sedan Camaro. Dulski ran the car in Midwest SCCA Formula A until an accident at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota, when his wing collapsed in the high speed Turn 1 and he left the track, hitting a telephone pole. The car continued airborne through a number of trees before coming to a stop upside down still in the trees. Dulski was very lucky to walk away unharmed, but the Lola was a complete loss. Dulski salvaged the Hewland gearbox and used it in his next car, a Lotus 70, and the Chevy engine was later used in a Trans-Am Camaro in historic racing. A part from a few suspension parts that were sold, nothing else remained of the Lola.
5. Lola T142 [SL142/21] (Chuck Dietrich): See full history: Lola T142 SL142/21.
6. Lola T142 (Rich Galloway): Rich Galloway (Golden, CO) raced a yellow #27 Lola T142 through the 1969 US series. It was generally entered as a T142 but was entered as a T140 at R4 Sears Point. Galloway was involved in the first lap accident triggered by George Wintersteen at St Jovite in early September and the Lola hit the Armco on the outside of the track head on before being hit by two other cars and coming to a rest against the bank on the opposite side. Galloway was able to exit the car quickly, but it appeared to be heavily damaged. Subsequent history unknown.
7. Lola T140 [SL140/8] (John Mahler): New to Jerry Hansen for the 1968 US series, then to John Mahler (Bettendorf, IA) for the 1969 series. Subsequent history unknown but believed to be the car acquired by Wayne "Bing" Sherer (Buffalo, NY) in 1972 and raced in SCCA Nationals. To Phil "Butch" Hollenbeck for 1973, then to Art Cross (Auburn, NY) who ran it in to Florida for several years. Via Owen Starr, Lou Pavesi and Rick McLean to Mark Rincon (Redding, CA) and Hal Williams by 1994, for historic racing. Later sold to Richard Cross, then via Rincon to John Bryant (Adelaide, Australia) at the Monterey Historics in August 2007 and imported into Australia. Crashed at Philip Island March 2008, but rebuilt and raced in the 2011/12 Tasman Revival series. More information about Lola T140 SL140/8
8. Lola T142 (Dick Simon): Dick Simon (Salt Lake City, UT) US 1969 (yellow #66 from R1) - (maybe with Hayes 10 Dec 1969?). In the book "The Boys of Indy" (Phil Berger & Larry Bortstein, 1977), Simon is quoted as saying the car was "used". But he also says he won one race (true) and finished in the top six five times in his six races (not so). Simon used this season to get into USAC. Maybe to Hayes. Then to Mel Andrus (Salt Lake City, UT): US 1970 (two races: R2 Edmonton 24 May and R5 Sears Point 28 Jun); US 1971 (only appeared at R1 Riverside 25 Apr: crashed in practice and Andrus was killed). The car was stripped and the remaining damaged section of the chassis lay in a wrecking yard for many years.
9. Lola T140 [SL140/10] (Pierre Phillips): New to Pierre Phillips (Portland, OR) for Formuila A in the Pacific Northwest in 1968, then taken to New Zealand for one race in December 1968. Unknown in 1969, but sold by Phillips to Denny Erickson's Repco Northwest Competition Motors (Spokane, WA) for 1970. Sold to Tom Kagi (Spokane WA) in 1971, but its subsequent history is unknown. Reappeared with Dr Grant Hill (Okotoks, Alberta) in 1988, then to ex-F5000 driver Lou Pavesi (Los Altos, CA) in 1989 or 1990. To Bill Blake (San Carlos, CA) and Bruce Sevier (Sacramento, CA) late 2004, and restored for historic events.
10. Eisert 69 (Stew McMillen): Stew McMillan had a brand new Eisert for the 1969 SCCA Formula A season, replacing the 1965 car that he raced raced in the US and in New Zealand in 1968. The car was smartly presented in red bodywork and entered as #5. He qualified an impressive eighth at Riverside, the opening race of the Pro season, but retired with an oil leak. He ran again at Laguna Seca two weeks later but after being scalded twice in practice and qualifying he decided "somebody was trying to tell me something", and retired from racing. He took the car back to Eisert and asked him to sell it but still it was still unsold by July, when McMillan picked up the car and ran it for Fred Baker to drive at Brainerd in early August. It then remained in McMillan's garage until Eisert found a buyer for it and Eisert's mechanic arrived to take it away. Subsequent history unknown.
11. Chevron [B10 F2.1?] (Horst Kwech): Frank Lythgoe ran Chevron's first F2 car, the B10 chassis F2.1, at five early season races but the car was then dropped, re-emerging briefly when Frank Williams entered it for American Samuel Brown at Enna-Pergusa on 25 August (Speed World International 7 Sep 1968 p27). Brown crashed in practice and broke an upright, a spare part that Williams hadn't packed. The car was not seen again but is likely to have headed to the US where it is believed to be the car used by Horst Kwech (Gurnee, IL) in Formula A with a 2.7-litre Alfa V8. Subsequent history unknown. Patrick Jamin was reported to have this car in France in the late 1980s. From 1992 to 1997, this car was advertised by BB One Exports (Los Angeles, CA) but said to be located in France. In 2001, it was for sale by Giannandrea Calderazzo (Paris) and then said to be located in Italy. In 2005, the car was still in Italy and advertised by Autospeak. In November 2016, it was sold at RM Sotheby's Duemila Ruote auction in Milan, when it was said to be "under an order of seizure". Despite the auctioneers had little information about it, it sold for €76,000.
12. Lola T142 (Bill Moore): Bill Moore (Scottsdale, AZ) raced "a new Lola T142" in an SCCA Regional at War Bonnet 13 April 1969 and then in the Pro race at Riverside 20 Apr 1969, where he crashed. He later advertised a #69 Lola T142 ""one race, like new" in November 1969. [The website my5000.com reports that Moore advertised a Lola T140 from Ponca City, OK on 14 Jun 1969.] Subsequent history unknown but the car's location in Arizona hints that it could the T142 bought by Horst Kroll to replace the car he crashed heavily at Seattle 7 Jun 1970.
13. Lola T142 (Ron Courtney): Ron Courtney (Chicago, IL) had a Lola T142 for the 1969 season but had an incident during practice at Riverside in April with Sam Posey, and the car "exploded in flame". Two photographs provided by Mike Kramer show that it was a standard Lola T142. Kramer worked for Carrera Motors in Lombard, Illinois, 20 miles due west of Chicago, and recalls that the car was light blue and brand new.
14. LeGrand Mk 7 [002] (Rex Ramsey): A new car replacing the original works Mk 7 sold to Don Richardson, and shaken down by Bruce Eglinton at Whitman stadium June 1968 where he crashed and was badly burnt. The car was rebuilt and loaned to Jerry Entin, fitted with his Chevrolet engine and ZF gearbox, and taken to Road America for the Badger "200" on 27 July 1968, but the timing gear broke before the race, and Entin did not start. Entin won a National at Riverside in August and two Regionals later in the year. Dick Guldstrand took over the car for the Laguna Seca 'Pro' race in October and it was then driven by Rex Ramsey at the ARRC, and at the Monaco International Trophy in New Zealand at the end of December. Ramsey continued to drive the car in 1969, winning three SCCA Nationals but was well off the pace in Pro races. It was then shared by Chuck Elliott and Bruce Eglinton in SCCA Regionals and Nationals respectively in 1970 and 1971. Then sold to Mal Patterson (San Jose, CA), who entered it for the Pro race at Laguna Seca 7 May 1972, but does not appear to have raced it very often. It was then sold to Ken Owen (Union City, CA) and used in local SCCA racing in 1975 and 1976. Then sold to Skip Pack (Hollister, CA) and Dennis McLaughlin , who autocrossed the car in the late 1970s and early 1980s before they sold it to Butch Gilbert in October 2009. Sold to John F Boxhorn (Mukwonago, Wisconsin) in October 2010, and restored during 2011 and 2012. Sold to David Zavetsky (Wellesboro, PA) in 2019. See full history: LeGrand Mk 7 002.
15. Lotus 35 [35-F-18] (Vernon Shields): Very probably the Lotus 35 sold new via Lotus Southwest to Wayne Jones (Burbank,CA) and fitted with a 2.5-litre Coventry Climax FPF engine for the SCCA's new Formula A in 1965. First raced in an SCCA Regional at Santa Barbara in October 1965 and raced again by Jones in 1966. Sold to Ed Marshall (Kentfield, CA) and raced again in FA. For 1968, this car moved to Vernon Shields (Los Angeles, CA) and was fitted with a 4.7-litre Ford V8 engine to fit the increased capacity limit of Formula A. Also driven for Shields by Bob West (Hollywood, CA). Subsequent history unknown but owned by John Dimmer in 2009.
16. WRE Shadow (Nick Dioguardi): 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 in Finish Line December 1976, at which time it was fitted with roll cage, "nerf bars" and mufflers for oval track racing. Subsequent history unknown.
17. Nike 1A (Mike Goth): Mike Goth (Riverside, CA) appeared at the Riverside Formula A race in May 1969 in a very curious car entered as a Nike 1A. A picture on the Revs Institute website shows a rather upright car, with very primitive front suspension and a sturdy rollcage. It had no wings, and looked very out of place! Although it has been identified as a product of Ken Nichols' Nike company in England, that seems unlikely. Goth only raced the car once, and bought a Surtees TS5 instead.
18. Gilbert 68 ['1'] (Bill Simpson): The #28 Gilbert was the first Gilbert to appear in 1968 and was raced by George Follmer in the early races of that season as George R. Bryant's #28 entry. Follmer took over the sister #41 car at the Indy 500 and the #28 was run in practice by Rick Muther but crashed. After Bryant died in June 1968, the #28 reappeared at the end of 1968 when it was raced by Bill Simpson (Los Angeles, CA) at Riverside in December as his #28 Simpson Safety Equipment entry. Retained by Simpson for the 1969 season when it was fitted with a Chevrolet engine and used in both USAC and SCCA Formula A races. Raced regularly by Simpson again in 1970 as the #28 Carborundum-Kynol car in Indy races and last seen at Milwaukee in August. Sold in mid-1970 to Chuck Elliot (Playa del Rey, CA) who prepared it for Bruce Eglinton to drive at the Riverside USAC race. The car did not appear, but Elliott later used it in local SCCA Regional Formula A races. Advertised by Charles W. Elliott (Manhattan Beach, CA) as a "Gilbert-Brabham" in December 1974. Sold to Art Evans in 1985 and raced in vintage events from 1985 to 1987 by drivers including Jack Brabham and Rodger Ward. Evans started a restoration in 2001 but that stalled until the car was bought by Tim Kuchel (Adelaide, Australia) in 2005. It was then restored by Greg Mobbs in Adelaide. Sold in September 2016 to Steve Francis (New Milford, CT) and shipped to the US.
19. Lola T142 (John Gunn): New to John Gunn (Miami, FL), and raced in the US series in 1969. The car was yellow and entered as #39. Gunn's last known race in the car was an SCCA National at Virginia International Raceway in September 1969, and he advertised the car in November. A local newspaper reported that month that Tampa car importer Dave Heinz had bought the car, but Randy Blessing also had a T142 in Florida in 1970, and his recollection is that his was the ex-Gunn car. As they raced against each other, and as John Hood raced the ex-Gunn T140 at the same time, this is an unresolved puzzle.

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.

1968 US information has been taken from SCCA results sheets with additional information from Autoweek race reports and from some entry lists. Thanks to David McKinney and Wolfgang Klopfer for providing these. Identifying the classes and model of some entries has proved very difficult so all new information would be welcomed.

1969-1971 US information has been collated by Chris Townsend using Autoweek reports. All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome.

1972-1976 US information was originally collated by Wolfgang Klopfer, converted to database format by Dawn Harrison and checked by Jim Thurman and Don Capps. Wolfgang's main sources are Autoweek and individual SCCA results bulletins but Autosport, Autocourse and Road Racing Annual have also been consulted.

US SCCA Runoffs, Nationals and Regionals results were collated by Wolfgang Klopfer from Autoweek reports. These reports were usually very brief so the information on the majority of races is limited just to the identity of the FA class winner.

Some race programs have also been used for entry lists and other information. My thanks to Richard Coe for the generous contributions from his collection.

All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen if you can add anything.