Lola T350 and Lola T360 car-by-car histories
Sandy Shepard in his Lola T360 at Greater Southwest Raceway in 1975. Copyright Sandy Shepard 2019. Used with permission.
The Lola T360 was Lola's 1974-1975 Formula Atlantic car, building on the success of the company's FSV and FF designs in the US. A Formula 3 derivative, the T350, was not a success and was converted to T360 specification.
Lola had a great deal of success in US road racing in the early 1970s, both with their large Can-Am and F5000 cars, as well as at the smaller end with Formula Ford and Formula Super Vee. American agent Carl Haas sold huge numbers of these cars, including 54 T200 Formula Ford in 1970 alone, and 23 T250 Formula Super Vee in 1971. The last Formula Atlantic model had been the 1972 T240, built for F2 and F/Atlantic, but although successful at Division level, it achieved little in the two Pro series. In 1973, Haas sold 17 of the latest Formula Super Vee, the T320, and such was its success that another 12 updated T322s were sold for 1974. Also in 1973, Lola started work on a new design for Formula 3 and Formula Atlantic, categories then dominated by March Engineering's products. The Formula Atlantic T360 was the priority, as Carl Haas would be able to sell it in significant numbers, and the F3 version, the T350, followed later.
The product of Lola boss Eric Broadley and his Chief Engineer Bob Marston, the T350/T360 was similar to the T322 FSV, consisting of a three-quarter monocoque of L72 and NS4 aluminium alloy, with a sub-frame at the back allowing the engine to be a semi-stressed member. Suspension was entirely orthodox, with double wishbones and outboard springs at the front, and reversed wishbones, radius rods and outboard springs at the rear. A full-width nose, not dissimilar to that the the 1973 March 732 and 73B, housed the main radiator. It was fitted with the Hewland FT200 gearbox.
Carl Haas was a bit busy selling a staggering 71 Formula Ford Lola T340s in the American market, but the FF model had been available from November 1973, whereas the T360 did not make its first appearance until April 1974, and only started to show potential when Richard Scott put the works development car on the front row at Silverstone in May. Two cars were then ordered by the Traylor Engineering pairing of Bill O'Connor and Tom Klausler, and the talented Klausler won first time out in the Players Canadian series race at Gimli in June. Further Haas sales were made to top Canadian Gary Magwood, with a number more being readied for the 1975 season. Klausler won two rounds of the Canadian series, but as his car had not been ready until June, he narrowly lost the title to Bill Brack. However, Klausler then won the major non-championship Pro races at Road America, Trois-Rivières and Waterford Hills to end 1974 as the fastest driver in Formula Atlantic. Teammate O'Connor also won the high-profile US GP support race in his T360. Meanwhile, sales in the UK were limited to just Nigel Clarkson, although Lola loaned out the development car to Ken Bailey and later to Ted Wentz.
Klausler got a new T360 for 1975, one of ten that practiced for the opening race of the 1975 Players Canadian series, including the two-car Bill Scott Racing team of FSV alumni Howdy Holmes and Elliot Forbes-Robinson, as well as two future stars in Bobby Rahal and Tom Gloy. In a highly competitive year with Lola, Chevron and March very closely matched, "EFR" won two rounds, and Klausler had a string of podium finishes which left him third in the championship. There were no 1975 sales in the UK, where Nick May had the ex-Clarkson car and Ted Wentz contined with the works development car, winning one race and generally being near the front of the field. Late in the season, after Roy James had written off the works car in a test, Ted Wentz was loaned the "1976 prototype" T360 for the last few races.
A new T460 design was sold in 1976, and the American T360s moved down into SCCA Divisional level, winning Central and Midwest Divisions in 1976. In the UK, Tony Trimmer won the opening two round of the 1976 Indylantic series in the works development car, but it was then sold to Mike King, who was unable to repeat Trimmer's performances.
Robert Joubert's Lola T350, wearing the nose from Dave Walker's T360, at Mosport Park in 1975. Copyright Peter Viccary (gladiatorroadracing.ca) 2021. Used with permission.
South African Robert Joubert and Belgian Patrick Neve were expected to appear in a two-car team of Formula 3 Lola T350s in 1975, but Neve's sponsorship fell through. The car was pictured testing in March, but engine failure prevented Joubert starting at Thruxton on its debut. Another engine failure in practice put him out of the Monaco GP, after which he had the car converted to T360 specification and bought a second T360 for teammate Dave Walker. Joubert raced the T350 four times in the Players Formula Atlantic series in Canada, and then dropped out. Walker drove the T350 in the Trois-Rivières race in August. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Robert Joubert and Dave Walker. First race: Mont-Tremblant (R4), 6 Jul 1975. Total of 3 recorded races.
Richard Scott in his Lola T360 at Silverstone in April 1974. Copyright Ted Walker 2019. Used with permission.
Ken Bailey in his Lola T360 at Silverstone in June or July 1974. Copyright Ted Walker 2019. Used with permission.
The first Lola T360 made its first race appearance when loaned to Formula Atlantic championship leader Richard Scott for the International Trophy support race at Silverstone in April 1974. It had gone well in testing, but was understeering severely at Silverstone and was taken away. Scott returned to it at Silverstone again in May, and was impressively second in practice, led, and set fastest lap before retiring. Scott returned to his own F2 car and won the next round. The works T360 was next seen in May, when it was loaned to Ken Bailey for the remainder of the season. Wrecked at Silverstone on 28 July when Bailey spun at Copse on the opening lap and took off Spitzley, Musetti, Smiley and Wentz, and replaced with a new car.
Driven by: Richard Scott and Ken Bailey. First race: Silverstone (R6), 12 May 1974. Total of 5 recorded races.
Tom Klausler in his Lola T360 at Atlantic Motorsport Park, Halifax, in August 1974. Copyright Dave Munroe 2021. Used with permission.
Sold via North American agent Carl Haas to Tom Klausler (Palatine, IL) and run for him by Traylor Engineering in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1974. Klausler won two rounds, and the Pro races at Road America, Trois-Rivières and Waterford Hills. Sold to Mike Hall (Twin Lakes, WI) for 1975, and raced in the Players series. There is no sign of Hall racing it again after 1975, but he advertised it in the early months of 1977, after which it appears to go back to Carl Haas Racing. In January 1978, it was advertised by Dassig Engineering (Northbrook, IL) as the "ex Klausler/Hall" T360. To Guy Revesz (Des Plaines, IL) for 1978, and raced in Central Division SCCA events for the next four seasons, scoring two points in 1978, ten points in 1979, seven in 1980 and seven in 1981. He advertised the car in March 1981 as "Klausler's successful Atlantic car".
According to Chris Townsend, Revesz retained the car until 1982, when it went to Patrick Garmyn in a trade for a Ralt RT4. It later moved to Mike Carder (Columbus, OH) who raced it until the end of 1983, winning the CenDiv regional championship that year. Subsequent history unknown, but see 'the Doug Moe car'.
Driven by: Tom Klausler, Mike Hall and Guy Revesz. First race: Gimli (R3), 16 Jun 1974. Total of 15 recorded races.
Bill O'Connor's Lola T360 at Mosport Park in July 1975. Copyright Peter Viccary (gladiatorroadracing.ca) 2021. Used with permission.
Sold via North American agent Carl Haas to Bill O'Connor (Highland Park, IL) and run for him by Traylor Engineering in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1974. O'Connor won the US GP support race in this car in October 1974. Retained for 1975, when it was used in the Canadian series and at least once in SCCA Nationals, entered by United Racing Ltd. To John Kowalski (Berea, OH), who won Central Division Formula B in 1976 in the car, qualifying for the Runoffs. Kowalski only scored nine points in a Lola in Central Division FB in 1977. Subsequent history unknown. According to Lola Heritage, this car is owned by Chris Reinke.
Driven by: Bill O'Connor and John Kowalski. First race: Gimli (R3), 16 Jun 1974. Total of 26 recorded races.
Dan Marvin in Jon Norman's Lola T360 at the SCCA Runoffs in 1976. Copyright R. Allen Olmstead 2011. Used with permission.
Sold to North American agent Carl Haas, where it is almost certainly the car acquired by preparer Dan Fodge. Said to have been run by Fodge for Kenny Briggs, but Briggs did not appear in Pro Formula Atlantic and there is no mention of him in the SCCA's Finish Line or The Wheel magazines covering SCCA racing in California. Then said to have gone to Jon Norman (Oakland, CA) for 1975, but Norman raced an older Lotus in 1975, winning Northern Pacific Division, and no Lola was mentioned at the time. Its first known usage is 1976, when Norman ran it for Dan Marvin (El Sobrante, CA) in Pro Formula Atlantic and in SCCA FB. Sold at the end of 1976 to Cal Huartson (Bellingham, WA), who used in in Regional Formula B in 1977. This is presumably the T360 used by Bruce Yeo (Burnaby, BC, Canada) in ICSCC in 1978, then by Bruce Shaughnessy (Maple Ridge, BC/Coquitlam, BC) in 1979 and 1981 and, in the Formula Libre class, in 1982 and 1983. Shaughnessy advertised the car in 1993, and this is then reported to be the T360 raced by Udo Pietsch between 1996 and 2003. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Dan Marvin, Cal Huartson, Bruce Shaughnessy and Udo Pietsch. First race: Laguna Seca (R2), 2 May 1976. Total of 23 recorded races.
John Morrison in his Lola T360 at Silverstone in April 1977. Copyright Ted Walker 2019. Used with permission.
New to Nigel Clarkson (Cirencester, Gloucestershire) and raced by him and by Richard Scott (London) in British Formula Atlantic, backed by Hurford Jones Ltd. To Nick May (Sutton, Surrey) for the 1975 British series, entered as a T360B with Strakers of Wimbledon Ltd sponsorship and run by Dave Price Racing. To Brian Robinson (Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham) and fitted with a 2-litre Cosworth BDG engine for Shellsport Group 8 races in 1976. To John Brown for John Morrison (Warwick) to drive in Shellsport G8 and libre racing in 1977, then to Kevin Bowditch (Maidenhead) for a few race appearances in 1978. It was sold to Martin Mansell (Middlesex), who raced it as a Lola "FA79" with Winchmore Hill Garage sponsorship in Formula Atlantic in 1979. Mansell crashed heavily at Brands Hatch in April 1979, and did not appear again. It was next seen in 1990 when it was bought by Robert McGimpsey (Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland) from a dealer somewhere in the English midlands. It was then fitted with a 3-litre Weslake engine, and McGimpsey used it for one season in hillclimbing before the engine and chassis were sold separately. It was bought by two friends in 1993 or 1994, and in 2012 they still had it. In February 2019, the restoration remained stalled due to other priorities.
Driven by: Nigel Clarkson, Richard Scott, Nick May, John Nicholson, Brian Robinson, John Morrison, Kevin Bowditch and Martin Mansell. First race: Brands Hatch (R9), 20 Jul 1974. Total of 44 recorded races.
Gary Magwood in his Lola T360 at Atlantic Motorsport Park, Halifax, in August 1974. Copyright Dave Munroe 2021. Used with permission.
New via North American agent Carl Haas and Canadian agent Brian Robertson to Jack Burnett for Gary Magwood (Toronto, Ontario) to race in the Canadian John Player Formula Atlantic series in 1974. Also raced by Magwood at the US GP Formula Atlantic support race at Watkins Glen in October 1974, but then not seen until Magwood returned to Formula Atlantic in July 1976. Comprehensively destroyed in Magwood's accident at Halifax in August 1976.
Driven by: Gary Magwood. First race: St Johns (R6), 27 Jul 1974. Total of 5 recorded races.
Believed to be the new car loaned to Ken Bailey in August for British Formula Atlantic, after he had wrecked his original loan car at Silverstone two weeks earlier. Sold to Planer, owners of the Wella brand, for Ted Wentz, starting with the televised Thruxton race in November 1974. Raced by Wentz through 1974 until it was heavily damaged by Roy James in a testing accident in early October 1975. Wentz hired the works development car for the rest of the season, so it is assumed that HU7 was not repairable.
Driven by: Ken Bailey and Ted Wentz. First race: Mallory Park (R6), 11 Aug 1974. Total of 21 recorded races.
Bob Young in his Lola T360 at the 1975 SCCA Runoffs. Copyright Paul Nemy 2020. Used with permission.
Nick Pink's Lola T360 at Brands Hatch for testing in March 2018. Copyright Alan Brown 2018. Used with permission.
New via North American agent Carl Haas to Robert Young (Snowmass Resort, CO) to replace Young's earlier Lola T242, but apparently not raced until 1975, having sat in stock in late 1974. Young used the car mainly in SCCA Midwest Division Formula B, winning the Division in 1975, 1976 and 1977. It was retained by Young until just after he won the Lake Afton GP in August 1978, then sold to Ron Clawson (Canon City, CO) who raced it at La Junta in early September. The car's SCCA Logbook shows further ownership changes were to Jerry King 4 Sep 1982, Kenny Dahlmann 3 Oct 1988, Keith Young Jan 1990, Steve Torrance 18 Apr 1990, Randy Johnson (Dallas, TX) 28 Mar 1992 and then Cecil Boyd, by which time the car had been fitted with a replacement Marc Bahner monocoque. For a time this car was claimed to be the ex-Bobby Rahal car, a confusion that has now been resolved. Sold to Russell Sewell (Australia) 2008 and then to Leigh Turner (Western Australia) 2009. History then unknown until a car with this chassis number raced in the Formula Atlantic class of the HSCC Formula 2 series by Nick Pink in 2017 and 2018.
Driven by: J Robert Young, John Young and Ron Clawson. First race: Hutchinson Naval Air Station, 4 May 1975. Total of 30 recorded races.
Bobby Rahal's Lola T360 at Mosport Park in July 1975. Copyright Peter Viccary (gladiatorroadracing.ca) 2021. Used with permission.
New via North American agent Carl Haas to Bobby Rahal (Glen Ellyn, IL) January 1975, and raced in SCCA Nationals in the early months of 1975, winning at PBIR and Stuttgart, then in the Canadian Players Formula Atlantic series. To George Herscher (Charleston, WV) January 1976, replacing a Lola T240, and raced in SCCA Northeast Division and Southeast Division FB. Returned to Carl Haas in May 1977 and sold on to Paul Kelleher (Little Lake, Michigan) in October 1977. To Art Filip (Chicago, IL) in March 1979 and raced in SCCA Central Division, then to Dennis Tobin May 1989, Carl Haas again February 1990, almost immediately to Carl Thompson, and retained until sold to Bobby Rahal February 2000. Retained by Rahal until sold late 2012 via Grand Prix Classics (La Jolla, CA) to Steve Miller (Cape Town, South Africa). It was then sold to Brad Oldenbrook around 2015, and from him to Andrew Wait (Greenbrae, CA) in May 2019.
Driven by: Bobby Rahal, George Herscher, Paul Kelleher and Art Filip. First race: Palm Beach International Raceway, 23 Feb 1975. Total of 14 recorded races.
Mike Brodie's ex-Howdy Holmes Lola T360 in 2009. Copyright Mike Brodie 2009. Used with permission.
New via North American agent Carl Haas to Bill Scott Racing, and run for Howdy Holmes (Ann Arbor, MI) in the 1975 Canadian Players Formula Atlantic series. Also raced by Harry MacDonald at the SCCA Pro race at Brainerd in September 1975. Subsequent history unresolved, but the car was with Mike Brodie by 1988/89, when Doug Phelps remembers painting it for him. It was acquired from Brodie by Daniel Glanz (Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire) of Legends Automotive In 2010, and offered for sale with a history that said it had had only two owners from new, and had last been raced by Bill Brodie in 1996. Raced by Glanz in the Formula Atlantic classes of HSCC F2 and Derek Bell Trophy races from 2011 to 2015. Sold by Glanz to Andy Langridge (Wimborne, Dorset) in 2021.
Driven by: Howdy Holmes and Harry MacDonald. First race: Edmonton (R1), 25 May 1975. Total of 8 recorded races.
Elliot Forbes-Robinson's Penthouse Lola T360 at Mosport Park in July 1975. Copyright Peter Viccary (gladiatorroadracing.ca) 2021. Used with permission.
New via North American agent Carl Haas to Bill Scott Racing, and run for Elliot Forbes-Robinson (La Crescenta, CA) in the 1975 Canadian Players Formula Atlantic series with Penthouse sponsorship. Forbes-Robinson won two rounds of the Canadian series in this car. Sold to John Weakley (Nashville, IN) for 1976, who ran as part of the Bill Scott Racing team, but he ran out of finance and the car was sold to Ivan Roland (Asheville, NC) in 1979. Roland's son Russ Roland (Arden, NC) raced the car in SCCA Formula Atlantic, scoring three points in 1980 and 14 in 1981. He also ran it at the Chimney Rock Hillclimb in 1981 and 1982. It was advertised in 1982. It was later sold to someone in update New York, so may be the Walter Nelson car.
Driven by: Elliot Forbes-Robinson, John Weakley and Russ Roland. First race: Edmonton (R1), 25 May 1975. Total of 12 recorded races.
Rick Koehler in his "Excalibur EE1B" at the 1977 SCCA Runoffs. Copyright Peter Viccary (gladiatorroadracing.ca) 2021. Used with permission.
Sold via North American agent Carl Haas to Tom Klausler (Palatine, IL) and run for him by Traylor Engineering in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1975, replacing the earlier T360 HU2 he drove in 1974. Sold to James Cushing and Tom Price (Mt Prospect, IL), who raced it during 1976, Cushing in an IMSA race and at the Road America June Sprints, and Price in Midwest Council races, tying for the FB title that year. In August 1976, Price advertised the Lola T360 which he described as being "ex Klausler". As Klausler's 1974 T360 HU2 was still with Mike Hall at this time, this must have been Klausler's 1975 HU12, as must Rick Koehler's "ex-Klausler" car in 1977. Rick Koehler (Mequon, WI) raced the Lola in Central Division Formula B in 1977, winning the division with 43 points, one ahead of Jerry Hansen's newer Lola. The car was described at some races as an "Excalibur EE1B", including at the Runoffs, but this is believed to be the same car. Koehler converted the car to Formula C specification for 1978, and Pat Buckley set the lap record at PBIR on its only outing of 1978. Koehler advertised the car in August 1979, saying that it was "ex-Klausler", had not raced in 1979, had only been raced once in 1978, and reiterating the lap record holder at PBIR. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Tom Klausler, James Cushing, Tom Price, Rick Koehler and Pat Buckley. First race: Edmonton (R1), 25 May 1975. Total of 25 recorded races.
Larry Bergman in his Lola T360 at Sears Point some time between 1975 and 1977. Copyright Vincent Puleo 2020. Used with permission.
Sold via Carl Haas and Pierre Phillips to Allen Karlberg (Seattle, WA). Karlberg raced it in the opening round of the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series, finishing an impressive fifth, but did not race at the second round as the car was not running well. Sold to Larry Bergman (Los Gatos, CA), who was seen very infrequently with it during 1976 and 1977. The Lola was advertised by Bergman in March 1977, then by Don Breidenbach in April 1977. Then unknown for three seasons until owned by Patrick Murphie (Seattle, WA) from 1980 to 1984, fitted with a 2-litre Lotus 907 engine and raced in SCCA North West region and - somehow! - in the WCAR race at Seattle in 1984. To Michael Bledsoe (Seattle, WA) 1988 and raced in SCCA North West region. To David D. Weldon (Manhattan Beach, CA) November 1990, and stored at first, then restored and raced with VARA from 2001 to 2003, still with the Lotus 907 engine.
Driven by: Allen Karlberg, Larry Bergman and Patrick Murphie. First race: Edmonton (R1), 25 May 1975. Total of 7 recorded races.
Sold via Carl Haas and Pierre Phillips to Tom Weichmann (Kent, WA) and raced in the first two rounds of the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series, but not raced again in 1975. Advertised by Phillips at the end of 1975, and next seen when advertised by J Rogers (Portland, OR) in May 1976 when it was described as “ex-Weichmann" and still only "raced twice". Sold to Sans Thompson (Banks, OR), the Phillips team's chief mechanic, and used in ICSCC races in 1977. Advertised by Thompson in October 1978. Sold in early 1979 to Bill Mol (Vashon, WA) and raced in ICSCC that year, entered by Burien Imports Ltd. Also raced by Jack Scher (Seattle, WA) at two ICSCC races. Raced by David Dedrickson (Bellevue, WA) in ICSCC in 1980. Still owned by Dedrickson in June 2020.
Driven by: Tom Weichmann, Sans Thompson, Bill Mol, Jack Scher and David Dedrickson. First race: Westwood (R2), 1 Jun 1975. Total of 14 recorded races.
Tom Gloy in his Lola T360 at Sears Point in April 1975. Copyright Vincent Puleo 2020. Used with permission.
Sold via Carl Haas and Pierre Phillips to Tom Gloy (Lafayette, CA), and raced in SCCA Nationals at the start of the 1975, then in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series, sponsored by Hanna Industries. Rented by James Heath for an SCCA National at Willow Springs in October 1975. Sold to Phil Threshie (Alamo, CA), and raced in an SCCA National at Sears Point in April, then in three Californian rounds of the 1976 IMSA series. Advertised by Threshie in November 1976. Subsequent history unknown. Owned by Dean Baker in February 2021.
Driven by: Tom Gloy, James Heath and Phil Threshie. First race: Sears Point, 27 Apr 1975. Total of 14 recorded races.
Sandy Shepard in his Lola T360 at Fort Worth in 1975. Copyright Sandy Shepard 2019. Used with permission.
New to Sandy Shepard (Denton, TX) for 1975, and given its first race in a Green Valley Racing Association event at Green Valley Raceway. Then raced in the SCCA National at Greater Southwest Raceway in June, and in other Southwest Division Formula B events that year. Engine failures limited him to two race wins, but he won Southwest Division FB in 1975 with those 18 points, and went to the Runoffs. Shepard used the T360 again at the start of the 1976 season, before trading it back to Carl Haas for a Lola T460 which was delivered in May 1976. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Sandy Shepard. First race: Greater Southwest Raceway, 29 Jun 1975. Total of 3 recorded races.
Described as "the 1976 prototype", this car was loaned by Lola to the Wella team for Ted Wentz to drive in the last few races of the 1975 British Formula Atlantic season after Wentz' regular car was wrecked in testing at Silverstone by Roy James. It was loaned to Tony Trimmer for the start of the 1976 season, now as a Lola T362, and Trimmer won the first two races, only for the car to be sold from under him to Bruach Racing for Mike King, who raced it in Indylantic and Shellsport Group 8 for the rest of that season. Somehow then to Carl Liebich (Plymouth, WI) as a spare car to his Lola T460. Exactly when it was used is not known. Crashed at some point, and sold, still unrepaired, to Cy Moreland (Trainer, PA). Still with Moreland in 2003. Later to Steve Maxted (UK), fitted with a Cosworth BDG and raced by him in HSCC F2 races from 2006 to 2011. To Mark Piercy for HSCC F2 from 2012 onwards. Raced by Piercy at Paul Ricard in September 2018.
Driven by: Ted Wentz, Tony Trimmer, Mike King and Carl Liebich. First race: Oulton Park (R7), 4 Oct 1975. Total of 21 recorded races.
Sold via North American agent Carl Haas to Fred Phillips (Shreveport, LA) in June 1975, and run for him by Bill Scott Racing in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1975. He also raced it in Texas Region's SCCA National on 14 September, scoring four points which gained him an invitaion to the Runoffs, where he finished 12th. The T360 was rented to Harry MacDonald (Southfield, Michigan) for the IMSA race at Road Atlanta 1976. Sold to James Maetzold (Valley Centre, Kansas) and raced at Hutchinson and Lake Afton in SCCA Midwest Division in 1977. After being unused in 1978, the Lola was sold to John Whitaker (Kansas City, MO) who raced it in 1979, then on to Gene Forsthofel (Olathe, Kansas) in August 1979. Raced by Forsthofel in Midwest Div events to the end of 1981, then sold to Chad Ward (Lathrop, Missouri) who raced it from 1982 to 1984, then once more in 1988. Sold to Bill Formwalt in September 1989, then sold to Cy Moreland (Trainer, PA) in May 1991. For sale by Moreland on www.race-cars.com in 2005 with refurbished Bahner tub. Sold to James Frank in October 2005. Used by Frank in SVRA events in 2012 and in 2015. Jim was still using the car from time to time in 2021, mainly in Autocross but also in The Coatesville Invitational Vintage Grand Prix" in (Coatesville, PA).
Driven by: Fred Phillips, Harry MacDonald, James Maetzold, John J. Whittaker, Gene Forsthofel and Chad Ward. First race: Mont-Tremblant (R4), 6 Jul 1975. Total of 18 recorded races.
New to South African Robert Joubert to join his converted Lola T350 in a two-car Formula Atlantic team in the 1975 Canadian Players series. The T360 was driven by his teammate Dave Walker, and was brand new at Edmonton. Joubert did not appear at Trois-Rivières at the end of August, and the entry numbers used suggest Walker drove Joubert's T350. The subsequent history of the T360 HU21 is unknown, but it may have been David Westgate's car at Trois-Rivières in 1975, then that of Victor Larose in 1976. In 1983, Peter Dragffy (Montréal, Quebec) raced HU21 in two WCAR races. It was later bought from the Dragffys by John Arnold in 1989, and was inherited by his son Michael Arnold in 2015. It was being restored by Michael in 2020, and in late 2023 was advertised on his behalf.
Driven by: Dave Walker and Peter Dragffy. First race: Westwood (R2), 1 Jun 1975. Total of 7 recorded races.
Doug Phelps poses with his newly acquired Lola T360 in 1986. Copyright Doug Phelps 2020. Used with permission.
Dean Baker's Lola T360 HU22, one of three Lola T360s that he owns. Copyright Dean Baker 2021. Used with permission.
New to Bill Scott (Libertyville, IL) in early August 1975. This was William Hansen Scott, born 1953, not to be confused with William Henry Scott IV of McLean, VA, born 1938, who was the Bill Scott running two Lola T360s for Howdy Holmes and Elliott Forbes-Robinson at the same time. The Libertyville Scott scored eight points in CenDiv FB in 1975, which would correspond to his second place on his debut at Blackhawk Farms in August and fifth place at IRP in September. In 1976, Scott shared a VW Scirocco with Milt Minter in Trans-Am racing, and the Lola T360 was entered in matching livery for Minter to drive at Mosport Park in August 1976. The T360 was traded back to Carl Haas for a Lola T328. The T360 is then unknown through 1977. According to the car's SCCA Log Book, it was owned from 1978 onwards by Jim O'Brien (North Haledon, NJ), who was entered in the car by O'Brien Nissan in the neighbouring New Jersey township of Hawthorne. O'Brien sold the car in 1986 to Doug Phelps (Hillsborough, NJ), who raced it in New England Region Regionals until 1991. In May 2006 Dean Baker (Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada) reported in 10 Tenths that he owned this car. Still owned by Dean Baker in February 2021.
Driven by: Bill Scott and Milt Minter. First race: Blackhawk Farms, 17 Aug 1975. Total of 3 recorded races.
Believed to be the prototype T360, which was tested at Silverstone and then used to facilitate construction of production jigs. It was a complete car when acquired by Don Baker of Dolphin Racing and Lola agent Glen Abbey, but dismantled and shipped to Australia in parts, where it was given the identity 'AU1'. Fitted with a Ford twin cam engine for ANF2, and raced by Chris Farrell, Graeme Lawrence, and Kevin Bartlett. Acquired by Fred Gibson from the Bartlett-Abbey organisation in mid-1974. To Doug McArthur for 1975 and 1976, then to Andrew Miedecke and rebuilt as a Formula Pacific for the 1977 New Zealand series. Returned to Australia for John Davis to race as an ANF2 in 1977, then converted to the new single-cam ANF2 and raced by Davis in 1978. Then to Jim Hunter but remained unused until it reappeared in historic racing in 1989. Bought by Colin Haste (Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia) in 2002, and still with him in 2013. In March 2021, Peter Simms mentioned on Facebook that he owned this car.
Driven by: Chris Farrell, Graeme Lawrence, Kevin Bartlett, Andrew Miedecke and John Davis. First race: Oran Park (R2), 23 Jun 1974. Total of 9 recorded races.
The 1975 mystery cars
At the Trois-Rivières street race at the end of August 1975, which was after the end of the Players season, two Canadians appeared with unidentified T360s, David Westgate and Jacques Desjardins. One of these could have been Robert Joubert's HU21, as Joubert did not race at Trois-Rivières and his teammate Dave Walker drove Joubert's converted T350. Chris Townsend points out that Jacques Desjardins' car was reported to have a Nicholson BDA, which were very rare in Canada in 1975. Joubert's team had used Nicholson BDAs, suggesting Desjardins had acquired or hired Joubert's HU21. However, the history given for HU21 by later owners suggests Westgate was involved with it.
If one of these newcomers was using HU21, what was the other using? Not Rahal's HU9, Holmes' HU10, Forbes-Robinson's HU11, Klausler's HU12 or Gloy's HU16, as all were in the same race. Gary Magwood's HU6 based in Toronto, and Allen Karlberg's HU14 in Washington state can be discounted as both Magwood and Karlberg are sure their cars were never hired out. HU5, HU7 and HU18 were in England. That leaves Mike Hall's HU2 and Bill O'Connor's HU3, both of which were at Brainerd a week later, the mystery HU4 in California, Robert Young's HU8 in Colorado, the Pierre Phillips/Tom Weichmann HU15 in Washington state, Sandy Shepard's HU17 down in Texas, and Bill 'Libertyville' Scott in Illinois. None of these seven seem very plausible hire deals.
That leaves only one other possibility: the car run by Bill Scott Racing for Fred Philips. Philips missed Trois-Rivières but was at Brainerd, allowing for a one-off hire deal at Trois-Rivières, but if that had been the case, Philips' car would have been expected to run with its usual number 93. Both Desjardins (#87) and Westgate (#71) ran with numbers that had not previously been used in the series. Westgate's car was later entered by him for Victor Larose in 1976, so could not have been a hire deal in 1975. To make it even more complicated, Desjardins later advertised two Lola T360s in 1976, suggesting these two cars stayed together. Could Desjardins and Westgate have bought both Joubert's cars, leaving Walker, who was in town anyway, to hire a different T360?
Jacques Desjardins (Ste-Thérèse, Quebec, Canada) raced a Lola T360 at Trois-Rivières in August 1975, and at Road Atlanta in April 1976. In December 1976, Desjardins advertised two March 75Bs and two Lola T360s. He advertised all four cars again in April 1977. Nothing more known.
Driven by: Jacques Desjardins. First race: Trois-Rivières, 31 Aug 1975. Total of 2 recorded races.
Victor Larose's PDW Lola T360 at Mosport in August 1976. Copyright Peter Viccary (gladiatorroadracing.ca) 2021. Used with permission.
David Westgate (Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec, Canada) raced a Lola T360 at Trois-Rivières in August 1975. In 1976, Westgate entered a T360 for Victor Larose (Mount Royal, Quebec) at Mont-Tremblant, Mosport Park and Trois-Rivières. Nothing more known.
Driven by: David Westgate and Victor Larose. First race: Trois-Rivières, 31 Aug 1975. Total of 4 recorded races.
The 1976 mystery cars
It appears that 21 T360s were built, with chassis numbers running from HU1 to HU22, but excluding HU13. Additionally, a car was sold in parts that is known only as 'AU1', but HU19 does not appear in Lola records. Also included here is the Lola T350, which had been rebuilt by Lola to T360 specification and sold to Robert Joubert with T360 HU21. By the end of 1975, HU1, HU6, and HU7 had been destroyed, leaving a total of 19 T350/T360s remaining.
Fifteen of the T360s can be tracked through the 1976 season: Mike Hall retained his ex-Tom Klausler HU2 unused; Bill O'Connor's HU3 went to John Kowalski; the puzzling HU4 was with Jon Norman; Nick May's ex-Nigel Clarkson HU5 went to Brian Robinson; HU8 was retained by Robert Young; Bobby Rahal's HU9 went to George Herscher; the Elliot Forbes-Robinson BSR HU11 went to John Weakley; Tom Klausler's HU12 went to Tom Price and James Cushing; Allen Karlberg's HU14 went to Larry Bergman; Tom Weichmann's HU15 went to Sans Thompson; Tom Gloy's HU16 went to Phil Threshie; Ted Wentz' HU18 went to Tony Trimmer; Fred Phillips's HU20 was retained; Bill 'Libertyville' Scott retained HU22 for Milt Minter to drive; and the 'AU1' mystery was still in Australia.
The four cars that are not known after the end of 1975 include Howdy Holmes' BSR HU10 and Robert Joubert's two cars: T360 HU21 and T350 HU1. Also, Sandy Shepard's HU17 was traded back to Carl Haas around May 1976.
The two late-1975 mystery cars of David Westgate and Jacques Desjardins remain unresolved, to which can be added the two unresolved T360 owners in 1976 identified so far: FSV graduates Joe Colantonio and John Barringer. Colantonio is likely to have bought the Howdy Holmes BSR HU10. Barringer, who had driven for Bill Scott Racing in FSV, only appeared once in a Lola T360, entered by Bill Scott Racing at Road Atlanta in April. Colantonio was in the same race, so it is likely that Barringer and Colantonio were in the two Bill Scott Racing T360s. That would suggest Barringer was in the car that went to John Weakley shortly afterwards.
Kurt Buess (Gelterkinden, Switzerland) raced a Lola T360 in Swiss championship events in 1976 and 1977, and in French hillclimbs in 1977 and 1978. The car was fitted with a Cosworth BDH engine and ran in the 1300cc class. In July 1978, the engine was changed to a 2-litre Cosworth BDE. Last seen at Dunières in July 1978. By 1980, Henri Petitjean (Liestal, Switzerland) was racing a Lola T360, and he may well have had it the season before. He raced it in 1980 with a 1600cc engine, and was then said to be using a 2-litre BMW in 1981. He crashed heavily at Wissembourg in July 1981, hitting a stone bridge, and did not race again. After his death in 2016, his obituary said that he had raced the Lola T360 from 1979 to 1981, at first with a 1300cc engine and later with a 2-litre engine. Given the severity of the accident, it is assumed this car no longer exists.
Driven by: Kurt Buess and Henri Petitjean. First race: Dijon-Prenois (R1), 11 Apr 1976. Total of 33 recorded races.
Joe Colantonio's Lola T360 at Mosport in August 1976. Copyright Peter Viccary (gladiatorroadracing.ca) 2021. Used with permission.
Joe Colantonio (Glenolden, PA) raced a Lola T360 in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series and the IMSA Formula Atlantic Championship in 1976. His car was white with a black stripe, and carried support Dynacord and Barcus Berry. In May 1977, he advertised the car, noting that it had a new monocoque in April 1977 and had been "completely gone over". Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Joe Colantonio. First race: Road Atlanta (R1), 11 Apr 1976. Total of 4 recorded races.
The later mystery cars
Chris Townsend's research has discovered a few more Lola T360 drivers, about which little is yet known. Nick Karabetsos, from the Chicago area, used a Lola T360 for SCCA Drivers School in 1977, and then ran CenDiv Regionals with it in 1978. The idea that it could have been HU2 does not work now that more results have been discovered. Bernard Dennison, from Columbus, Ohio, also had a T360 for Northeast Division and Central Division Regionals in 1978, and Dean Lundgreen (Franklin, WI) had a T360 in 1979. Dennison's could have gone to Lundgreen. One of these cars is likely to be the ex-John Kowalski HU3, another may be Sandy Shepard's HU17, which is known to have returned to Carl Haas in May 1976, and if there was a third car, it might have been either the ex-Howdy Holmes HU10 or the ex-Phil Threshie HU16.
The Lafontaine family also had a T360. In July 1978, Billy Lafontaine raced a Formula Atlantic Lola in Mohawk Hodson's Lime Rock Regional. In October 1978, Dave Lafontaine (Mystic, CT) was seeking Lola T360 spares. Don Lafontaine (Mystic, CT) advertised a T360 in November 1984.
Niki Karabetsos (Chicago, IL) drove a #83 Lola T360 in SCCA Driver School and at least one SCCA Regional in 1977, and then in SCCA Regionals and Midwest Council events up to the end of 1978. Karabetsos acquired a T460 for 1979, and the subsequent history of the T360 is unknown.
Driven by: Niki Karabetsos. First race: Blackhawk Farms, 25 Jun 1978. Total of 3 recorded races.
Doug Moe (Bremerton, WA) owned a Lola T360 in the 1980s, which had been fitted with sports car bodywork and a Mazda engine. Exactly when Moe started racing the Lola is unclear, as he had a series of BSR class "Mazron" sports racing cars that he used in ICSCC events from 1977 (the "Mk 1"), 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981 (the "Mazron Mk V"). The name would suggest a Chevron-Mazda combination. Moe was reported to be driving the Lola T360 in 'B' Sports Racing with Mazda engine in September 1985, and as he does not appear in the ICSCC points table for the 1983 or 1984 seasons, that would suggest he first raced it in 1985. The T360-based car was raced by Bill Hill in the CAT championship in 1987, after which it was reportedly stored. Early in 2003, Moe sold the car to Allan T. Chou (Westfield, NJ), and in 2009 it was being restored. Bought from Chou in 2012 by Guilbert Twiss (Pittsfield, MA). Bought from Twiss by Dean Baker (Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada) in 2022.
Driven by: Doug Moe and Bill Hill. First race: Westwood, 15 Sep 1985. Total of 5 recorded races.
Walter Nelson (Patterson, NY) raced a Formula B Lola T360 in the SCCA Northeast Division's regional championship, then in the North Atlantic Road Racing Championship from the early 1980s until 1992, when his stepson John Nelson wrecked the car. In 2023, this car re-emerged when it was acquired by Andrew Graham (Ridgewood, NJ). He had bought it from the widow of a man who had bought it from Walter Nelson.
In addition to the above, unknown Lola T360s were driven by John Barringer, Bernard Dennison, Billy Lafontaine and Gary Heath.
Please contact Allen Brown (allen@oldracingcars.com) if you can add anything to our understanding of these cars.
Acknowledgements
Much of the ground work and heavy lifting on these histories was performed by Chris Townsend, using both Lola records and Carl Haas' records, and also ploughing through classified advertisements in Competition Press & Autoweek and contacting many former owners. Our thanks also to Alan Brown, Adam Ferrington, David McKinney and Bryan Miller; to original drivers Allen Karlberg, Carl Liebich, Gary Magwood, Bobby Rahal, Sandy Shepard, Sans Thompson and Doug Phelps; to John Scott regarding his brother's car; and to current owners Dean Baker, Colin Haste, James Frank, Allan Chou, Michael Arnold, Guilbert Twiss and Andrew Wait.
Thanks also to Peter Viccary for generously allowing the use of his pictures from his website gladiatorroadracing.ca.
These histories last updated on .