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Central Division SCCA Formula B 1977

Jerry Hansen started the 1977 season as favourite, as he had the latest Lola T560 on order. However, it was late arriving so he had to buy a 1976 T460 to start the season. This allowed Rick Koehler to take the title by the narrowest of margins in a Lola T360.

Unlike other divisions, CenDiv was well stocked with recent cars, including 1976 Marches, Lolas and Chevrons. The total of 26 points scorers was the highest of any division in the Formula B class since the category started in 1965.

Final standings

1. Rick KoehlerLola T360Blackhawk Valley43 pts 
2. Jerry HansenLola [T460 and T560]Land O'Lakes42 pts 
3. Tom OutcaultMarch [76B]Cincinnati33 pts 
4. Bobby RahalMarch [76B]Chicago22 pts 
5. Dean LundgreenRondel [M1]Milwaukee19 pts 
6. Dan CarmichaelMascot [March 75B?]Ohio Valley14 pts 
7. Paul HenryChevron [B34]NEOhio13 pts 
8. Peter RobinsonBrabham [BT40]Milwaukee13 pts 
9. James OppermannElden Mk12BChicago11 pts 
10. Chuck DietrichBrabham [BT38]NEOhio10 pts 
11. John KowalskiLola [T360]NEOhio9 pts 
12. Tom CooneyChevron [B27]Indianapolis6 pts 
13. Frank Mahaney IIILola T460Land O'Lakes6 pts 
14. Chip MeadRalt [RT1/76]Western Ohio6 pts 
15. Wayne DassingerMarch 725B [75B?]Cincinnati6 pts 
16. Ned ClarkBrabham BT40Western Ohio4 pts 
17. Tom ChristChevron [B27]Milwaukee3 pts 
18. Gary DassingerMarch 75BCincinnati3 pts 
19. Glenn GuerraMarch [75B]Chicago3 pts 
20. Thomas SokolyMarch 752 [75B]Milwaukee3 pts 
21. Dave WeitzenkoffZink3 pts 
22. Steve FossettBrabham [BT38]Chicago2 pts 
23. James MorganMarch [76B]NE Michigan2 pts 
24. Robert A LybargerLola [T460]Iowa2 pts 
25. Patrick GarmynChevron [B34]Fort Wayne1 pt   
26. Gary WallaceBrabham [BT40]Indiana NW1 pt   

SCCA Formula C

CenDiv was one of the centres of Formula C, and Jim Trueman had the most potent car, a March 77C built specifically for the formula with Cosworth BDJ engine. John Fowler was very quick with his Modus-BDJ, and the division also had two of the three Lola T480s built for FC in 1976. Also in CenDiv were four of the new Kohler snowmobile engined cars.

Final standings

1. Jim TruemanMarch [77B-BDJ]Ohio Valley51 pts 
2. John R. FowlerModus [M1]SW Virginia43 pts 
3. Harold LinvilleLola [T480-BDJ]Western Ohio26 pts 
4. Roger ShapiroLola [T252 - Kohler]Chicago25 pts 
5. Dave HendricksLola T340 [-Kohler]Land O'Lakes23 pts 
6. Dan NeumanDulon MP18C [-Kohler]Land O'Lakes18 pts 
7. Rod WhelanBrabhamNEOhio15 pts 
8. Dick JacobsLola [T342 - Kohler]Chicago12 pts 
9. Pat Buckley"Excaliber" [Lola T360-BDJ]Milwaukee10 pts 
10. Ray BesasieLola [T480-BDJ]Milwaukee6 pts 
11. Phil GurileTui BH3Ohio Valley3 pts 
12. Paul KelleherBrabham [BT21]Detroit1 pt   

Midwestern Council Championship final standings

As well as the SCCA's races, the Midwestern Council held 13 races at Blackhawk Farms and Milwaukee. Glenn Guerra won a couple of races in his newish March 75B, but the regular runners used much older cars, and typically finished behind the better Formula Fords.

1. J. Lecuyer Brabham MCSCC 349 pts
2. Mike Whelan Brabham MCSCC 317 pts
3. Ken Rochocki Lola [T240] MCSCC 125 pts
4. Glenn Guerra March [75B] MCSCC 100 pts
5. William Quaglio Chevron MCSCC 85 pts
6. Michael Zajicek Brabham MCSCC 85 pts
7. Don Hill Royale MCSCC 80 pts
8. Walter Modelski Lola [T240] MCSCC 75 pts
9. David Dassing Unknown MCSCC 3 pts
10. Joseph Kuck Unknown MCSCC 2 pts

Central Division SCCA Nationals in 1977

22 May 1977Nelson LedgesNEOhio Region
05 Jun 1977Road AmericaChicago Region
19 Jun 1977Blackhawk FarmsMilwaukee Region
26 Jun 1977Indianapolis Raceway ParkIndiana NW Region
10 Jul 1977BrainerdLand O'Lakes Region
17 Jul 1977Mid-OhioFort Wayne Region
14 Aug 1977Nelson LedgesNEOhio Region
21 Aug 1977Blackhawk FarmsBlackhawk Valley Region
05 Sep 1977BrainerdMilwaukee & Land O' Lakes Regions
18 Sep 1977Indianapolis Raceway ParkIndianapolis Region

Central Division SCCA Regionals in 1977

08 May 1977Blackhawk FarmsChicago Region
15 May 1977Blackhawk FarmsBlackhawk Valley Region
22 May 1977Indianapolis Raceway ParkIndianapolis Region
29 May 1977BrainerdLand O'Lakes Region
12 Jun 1977Waterford HillsDetroit Region
19 Jun 1977Mid-OhioOhio Valley Region
03 Jul 1977Blackhawk FarmsBlackhawk Valley Region
10 Jul 1977Waterford HillsDetroit Region
17 Jul 1977Blackhawk FarmsSouth Bend Region
24 Jul 1977Indianapolis Raceway ParkCincinnati Region
07 Aug 1977Indianapolis Raceway ParkFort Wayne Region
14 Aug 1977Road AmericaMilwaukee Region
04 Sep 1977Nelson LedgesNEOhio Region
04 Sep 1977BrainerdMilwaukee & Land O' Lakes Regions
18 Sep 1977Road AmericaChicago Region
25 Sep 1977BrainerdLand O'Lakes Region
02 Oct 1977Indianapolis Raceway ParkWestern Ohio Region
16 Oct 1977Indianapolis Raceway ParkIndiana NW Region

Central Division sources

Most of our knowledge of CenDiv racing comes from the SCCA's Sports Car magazine and from Competition Press & Autoweek. We are very keen to acquire, borrow or receive copies of 1960s, 1970s and 1980s SCCA regional publications from this Division. There were many such newsletters in this Division, including:

  • Auto-Graph (Indiana Northwest Region)
  • Backfire (Western Michigan Region)
  • Blower (Northeast Ohio Region)
  • Class Q and later CinChronizer (Cincinnati Region)
  • Clutch Chatter (Indianapolis Region)
  • Clutch Chatter (Northwestern Ohio Region)
  • Crashbox (Golden Triangle Region)
  • Down Shift (Central Illinois Region)
  • Downshift (Kentucky Region)
  • The Drift (Milwaukee Region)
  • Drifting (Des Moines Valley Region)
  • The Fifth Wheel (Northeastern Michigan Region)
  • The Four Wheel Drift (Fort Wayne Region)
  • Iowa Regional News (Iowa Region)
  • Newsletter (Central Kentucky Region)
  • Ohio Valley Regional News and Observers Stand (Ohio Valley Region)
  • Open Exhaust (Detroit Region)
  • Piston Patter (Chicago Region)
  • Pit Board (South Bend Region)
  • The Pit Stop (Southern Indiana Region)
  • The Racket (Tennessee Valley Region)
  • Recaps (Eastern Tennessee Region)
  • Rev Record (Western Ohio Region)
  • S.I.R. SCCA Newsletter (Southern Indiana Region)
  • Smoke Signals (Blackhawk Valley Region)
  • The Tonneau (Land O'Lakes Region)

Also relevant are some non-SCCA publications, notably that of the Midwestern Council of Sports Car Clubs (MCSCC), based in the Chicago area:

  • Klaxon (Midwestern Council of Sports Car Clubs)

We are also keen to get scans of entry lists from SCCA Nationals in this Division.