Australian F5000

Which was the last year of the F5000s in Australia? I've seen some evidence which suggests the F5000s raced during the 1982 season, but all my results show Alfredo Costanzo won the 82 Australian Drivers champs in a Tiga FA81, ie Formula Atlantic. Could someone please help me with this one?

Thanks in advance.

www.fourwheeldrift.co.nz

The last time Formula 5000 raced for the Australian Gold Star was 1981, won by Alfie Costanzo in the Porsche Distributers McLaren M26-Chev, held over 3 rounds (from memory). By then the formula was ailing here, and the Australian Grand Prix was to be run the Formula Pacific regulations in 1981, and from 1982 that would be ANF1.

There could have been some F5000 races in 1982, but if there were they may have only been 'special events', rather than championship races.

There was an ARCO Graphic series in Aus which ran in 1982 but seems to have stopped abruptly when Cooper died.

Allen

Ahh, thanks guys. Now it all makes sense. Allen your site lists there being F5000 races in 82, but of course Alf Costanzo won the title in his Tiga that year so what you say about the ARCO series ties in with that. The 81 championship, according to the 82 Australian Motor Racing Yearbook said there were just two rounds in 81, the last time the F5000s competed for it. The grids must have been pretty small by then.

I sometimes wonder if the formula might have lasted longer had the USA not changed to their second generation Can-Am in 77.

George Begg, wrote "The modern race car a thing of beauty? Never. More like Venus de Milo with an anorak on. They can be admired for their sheer functional and technical excellence only".
Strange quote from Mr Begg,when the Begg 018 is the best looking F5000 I ever saw..:)

When was the last F5000 race in NZ?,some time in late '76 or early '77 I'm thinking.

The death of F5000..........weren't the fingerprints of Bernie Ecclestone found at the crime scene.....;)

Originally posted by Armco Bender


The death of F5000..........weren't the fingerprints of Bernie Ecclestone found at the crime scene.....;) Thats about one of the few things I dont recall BE being blaimed for! I think he did have something to do with the short lived Formula Mondiale world series,and subesquent demise of F.Atlantic/Pacific everywhere but North America.

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Ahh, thanks guys. Now it all makes sense. Allen your site lists there being F5000 races in 82, but of course Alf Costanzo won the title in his Tiga that year so what you say about the ARCO series ties in with that. The 81 championship, according to the 82 Australian Motor Racing Yearbook said there were just two rounds in 81, the last time the F5000s competed for it. The grids must have been pretty small by then.

I sometimes wonder if the formula might have lasted longer had the USA not changed to their second generation Can-Am in 77. Steve

What else does the 82 Australian Motor Racing Yearbook say about those two races. My knowledge of that season is sketchy at best.

One additional problem for F5000 in the US was that it was becoming Lola dominated and, specifically, Lola T332 dominated. That may have become a problem trying to lure in the big teams as, at that time, all the major series saw lots of constructor competition. The days of Ralt and other turning things into one-make series were some years away.

Allen

F5000 ran out in NZ at the end of the 75/76 season. The following season (Oct-May) was for Atlantic.

Not quite,,,
1975/76 was the last season both national and international series in NZ were run under the 5-litre formula
The 1976/77 Gold Star was open to both F5000 and Formula Paicific (Atlantic), though the international series was of course exclusively FP

Apparently, five rounds of the 1981/1982 ARCO GRAPHITE
F5000 series took place:

Round One: Sandown Park, September 13, 1981
1. Alfredo Costanzo McLaren M26
2. Rob Butcher Lola T332
3. Peter Middleton Elfin MR8

Round Two: Calder, November 8, 1981
1. John Wright Lola T400
2. Rob Butcher Lola T332
3. Garrie Cooper Elfin MR9

Round Three: Calder, February 28, 1982
1. John Wright Lola T400
2. Bruce Allison Elfin MR8
3. Garrie Cooper Elfin MR9

Round Four: Oran Park, March 21, 1982
1. John Wright Lola T400
2. Ken Shirvington Lola T400
3. Bob Minogue Lola T430

Round Five: Adelaide, May 2, 1982
1. John Wright Lola T400
2. Rob Butcher Lola T332
3. Peter Middleton Elfin MR8

Allen, sorry I don't have much info for you on 81. The Yearbook was mainly about Alf Costanzo saying he didn't consider his 81 championship to be of significance, as there were only two rounds. And it said he raced the 81 champs in a McLaren M26. And thats about it sorry.

There is a story in an MRA from a few years back detailing the Costanzo/PCA Mclaren, one of James Hunt's 1978 cars.

F5000 was ailing, but the switch to Formula Pacific really didn't help the situation. The fields only improved marginally, and there was always a good turnout of Pacifics at the AGP (but then look at how many F5000's turned out at the 1980 AGP)

The ARCO Graphite series replaced the Rothmans series did it not?

In addition to the mentioned 1981 ARCO Graphite Series races, there was also the 'Rose City 10,000' meeting held late in the year at Winton, won by John Wright, from Bob Minogue and Jon Davison.

According to the Racing Car News report, this race was an ARCO Graphite sponsored event, did this fall into the series?

Ah, turn7, my good friend, how nice to see you here again. First post here in nearly a year! Hope the new book is coming along well. Can you tell me your source for these Arco Graphite results? As usual, you have more that the F1 Register managed. Do you have more than the top 3?

Steve - yes, Alf Costanzo had Alan Hamilton's McLaren M26 with a Chevy in the back for the 1981 Gold Star. As far as I can tell, the car is retired at the end of 1981.

racer69 - do you have the date of the Rose City 10,000 in 1981? I knew there were Rose City 10,000 races at Winton in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979 and then an Australian Gold Star race at the same time of year in 1980. As you've found a 1981 Rose City 10,000, that means there may have been a 1982 race. Apart from 1980, the race had been an independent event. Does the RCN report give any more detail of the results?

The Blanden/Catford book on Elfin (p161) says that ARCOgraphite had agreed to sponsor a 1982/83 season as well but it looks as if 2 May 1982 was the very last Aussie F5000 race ... unless we find out Winton carried on alone.

Thanks to you all

Allen

Allen, all is well here. I checked (the rather short race
reports) in Australian Auto Action. Bob Minogue (Lola T430)
and Allan Nitschke (Begg FM5) placed fourth in Rounds Three
and Four, respectively.

Allen and co...

There was no Winton F5000 race in 1982, it was by then a round of the Gold Star for Formula Pacifics.

Thanks chaps.

turn7, do you have access to RCN for these races? That might carry more detailed reports. The F1R book has an entry list for R4 but it seems to include every F5000 that existed in Australia at the time. I wonder if it was a Marketing Departrment invention rather than genuine entries.

Allen

Allen

Id say it was marketing, lol, i remember the 1982 Oran park meeting had an entry of 21, and i think 9 started from memory, lol. John Smith who was a Formula pacific driver, drove Peter MIddleton's Elfin MR8 that day, but had a sticking throttle. Russell Davidson's March made a breif appearence in some of the Rounds, running at calder 82 and Oran park at least.

Australian Drivers’ Championship

Round 1

Circuit: Sandown Park Date: February 22, 1981
Length: 3.1 km Race: 20 laps, 62 km

Pos Driver Car Pract F/L Laps
1 Alfredo Costanzo McLaren M26 59.7s 60.6s 20
2 John Bowe Elfin MR9 62.9s 62.2s 20
3 Rob Butcher Lola T332 63.9s 65.9s 19
4 Peter Edwards Lola T332 65.6s 67.4s 19
5 Col Trengove Lola T332 69.7s 68.2s 19
6 Ray Hanger March 77B 71.9s 71.6s 17
7 Chris Middleton Elfin MR8 63.8s 70.7s 17

Retirements
Chas Talbot Lola T332 70.8s 65.8s 12
John Wright Lola T400 61.1s 63.5s 2

Race Time: 20m 53.7s
Fastest Lap: Alfredo Costanzo, 1m 00.6s (new record)



Round 2

Circuit: Amaroo Park Date: July 12, 1981
Length: 1.94 km Race: 20 laps, 28.8 km
x 2 heats
Heat One

Pos Driver Car Pract F/L Laps
1 Alfredo Costanzo McLaren M26 45.9s 47.2s 20
2 Rob Butcher Lola T332 47.8s 47.1s 20
3 John Wright LolaT400 46.6s 46.9s 20
4 Ivan Tighe Chevron B37 50.3s 50.9s 19
5 Barry Singleton Gardos 52.2s 51.4s 19
6 Ray Hanger March 77B 52.1s 51.5s 19

Race Time: 16m 13.2s
Fastest Lap: John Wright 46.9s

Heat Two

1 Alfredo Costanzo McLaren M26 45.9s 46.7s 20
2 Rob Butcher Lola T332 47.8s 47.4s 20
3 Bob Minogue Lola T430 51.8s 52.2s 19
4 Ivan Tighe Chevron B37 50.3s 52.3s 19
5 Ray Hanger March 77B 52.1s 52.3s 19
Race Time: 16m 22.3s
Fastest Lap: Alfredo Costanzo 46.7s

Overall Result
1 Alfredo Costanzo
2 Rob Butcher
3 Ivan Tighe
4 Ray Hanger
5 Bob Minogue
6 John Wright


These are the results of the 1981 Australian Drivers’ Championship.

Originally there were seven rounds scheduled but Oran Park, Winton, Baskerville, Wanneroo, Lakeside and Calder Park were cancelled for various reasons and Amaroo Park was added.

What the Motor Racing Yearbook refers to as “absent entries” at Amaroo were Peter Edwards (Lola T332), Andrew Miedecke (Ralt RT4) and Garrie Cooper (Elfin MR9).

Cooper was “spooked” by the handling of the MR9 during practice at Sandown and handed the car over to John Bowe. It was Cooper’s first run at the circuit at which he had almost lost his life in 1978 and he could not be sure if the handling woes were due to the car or himself, hence the driver switch.

Originally posted by allenbrown
racer69 - do you have the date of the Rose City 10,000 in 1981? I knew there were Rose City 10,000 races at Winton in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979 and then an Australian Gold Star race at the same time of year in 1980. As you've found a 1981 Rose City 10,000, that means there may have been a 1982 race. Apart from 1980, the race had been an independent event. Does the RCN report give any more detail of the results?

The 1981 'Rose City 10,000' was run on November 25.

From the RCN Report:
Race Results 40 laps
1. J.Wright (Lola) 39:26.6 (57.9) FASTEST LAP
2. R.Minogue (Lola) 39:41.5 (58.4)
3. J.Davison (Lola) 39:42.5 (58.0)
4. P.Edwards (Lola) 38 laps (60.1)
5. M.Trengrove (Elfin) 38 laps (61.0)
6. G.Doidge (Matich) 38 laps (60.4)

Grid no times given in report
1. J.Wright
2. J.Davison
3. R. Minogue
4. C. Middleton
5. Edwards
6. Nitscke
7. G.Doidge
8. M.Trengrove
9. Adams

Milan, racer69

Thank you both very much!

Could there have been any retirements in either heat at Amaroo Park? It seems odd that Minogue didn't start Heat 1. And could there have been retirements at Winton or should I list Middleton, Nitscke and Adams as DNS?

Allen

Now, as if I haven't asked enough, could anyone complete turn7's 1981/1982 ARCO GRAPHITE results?

Thanks

Allen

I've resolved the first of these:

Rose City '10,000'
Winton, 25 October 1981
1 John Wright, Lola T400 [HU15] - Chevrolet V8, 40 laps, 39m 26.6s (FL: 57.9s)
2 Bob Minogue, Lola T430 [HU1] - Chevrolet V8, 40 laps, 39m 41.5s (FL: 58.4s)
3 Jon Davison, Lola T332 [HU34] - Chevrolet V8, 40 laps, 39m 42.5s (FL: 58.0s)
4 Peter Edwards, Lola T332 [T330 HU23(B)] - Chevrolet V8, 38 laps, (FL: 60.1s)
5 Mike Trengove, Elfin 815 - Ford V8, 38 laps, (FL: 61.0s)
6 Greg Doidge, Matich A51 [005] - Repco Holden V8, 38 laps, (FL: 60.4s)
UNK Peter Middleton, Elfin MR8-C [8761] - Chevrolet V8, ? laps,
UNKP Ian Adams, Lola T330 [HU1] - Chevrolet V8, Unknown (practiced)
UNKP Allan R. Nitschke, Begg FM5 [2] - Chevrolet V8, Unknown (practiced)

Qualifying

1 John Wright
2 Jon Davison
3 Bob Minogue
4 Peter Middleton
5 Peter Edwards
6 Allan R. Nitschke *
7 Greg Doidge
8 Mike Trengove
9 Ian Adams *

* Did not start

The Elfin book refers to Middleton starting the race and calls Trengove's Elfin '815' the ex-Keen car. However this doesn't gel with information from Bryan so I've left out any chassis number. I have assumed the 'Adams' was Ian.

Allen

Allen.

Bob Minoque at Amaroo Pk. recollection that Bob totalled the car on the warm up lap , up over the top of the hill .

Bryan.

Originally posted by allenbrown
Milan, racer69

Thank you both very much!

Could there have been any retirements in either heat at Amaroo Park? It seems odd that Minogue didn't start Heat 1. And could there have been retirements at Winton or should I list Middleton, Nitscke and Adams as DNS?

Allen


The RCN report states that "Minogue was out of the race." No reason given.

Wright was a non-starter in heat 2 after a dropped valve had been diagnosed.

Singleton's Gardos "conked out" in heat 2.

Wright's practice time in RCN is 46.9s rather than the 46.6s shown in the Motor Racing Yearbook.

Here are the 1981 Rose City Trophy qualifying times and the results from Auto Action`s report:

1. John Wright Lola T400 57.3
2. Jon Davison Lola T332 57.7
3. Bob Minogue Lola T430 58.4
4. Peter Middleton Elfin MR8 59.9
5. Peter Edwards Lola T332 60.3
6. Allan Nitschke Begg FM5 60.6
7. Greg Doidge Matich A53 60.9
8. Mike Tengrove Elfin MR5/MR9 63.6
9. Ian Adams Lola T330 No time

Result
1. John Wright 40 laps
2. Bob Minogue 40 laps
3. Jon Davison 40 laps
4. Peter Edwards 38 laps
5. Mike Tengrove 38 laps
6. Allan Nitschke 38 laps
7. Peter Middleton 37 laps
8. Greg Doidge 36 laps
9. Ian Adams 28 laps

I have asked my friend Glenn to leaf through the magazine
collection in his garage for further details of the
ARCOGRAPHITE races.

Thanks chaps.

So here we go with the 1981 Aussie so far:

Australian Gold Star Race
Sandown Park, 22 February 1981
1 Alfredo Costanzo, McLaren M26E [4] - Chevrolet V8, 20 laps, 20m 53.7s (FL: 1m 00.6s (new record))
2 John Bowe, Elfin MR9 [80231] - Chevrolet V8, 20 laps,
3 Rob Butcher, Lola T330 [HU8] - Chevrolet V8, 19 laps,
4 Peter Edwards, Lola T332 [T330 HU23(B)] - Chevrolet V8, 19 laps,
5 Colin Trengove, Lola T332 ['071-084'] - Chevrolet V8, 19 laps,
6 Ray Hanger, March 77B, 17 laps,
7 Peter Middleton, Elfin MR8-C [8761] - Chevrolet V8, 17 laps,
R Chas Talbot, Lola T332 [HU36] - Chevrolet V8, 12 laps, retired - unknown
R John Wright, Lola T400 [HU15] - Chevrolet V8, 2 laps, retired - unknown
AP Garrie Cooper, Elfin MR9 [80231] - Chevrolet V8, Also practiced

Qualifying

1 Alfredo Costanzo, 59.7s
2 John Wright, 61.1s
3 John Bowe, 62.9s
4 Peter Middleton, 63.8s
5 Rob Butcher, 63.9s
6 Peter Edwards, 65.6s
7 Colin Trengove, 69.7s
8 Chas Talbot, 70.8s
9 Ray Hanger, 71.9s

Australian Gold Star Race
Amaroo Park, 12 July 1981
1 Alfredo Costanzo, McLaren M26E [4] - Chevrolet V8, 40 laps, 32m 35.5s (FL: 46.7s)
2 Rob Butcher, Lola T330 [HU8] - Chevrolet V8, 40 laps,
3 Ivan Tighe, Chevron B37 - Chevrolet V8, 38 laps,
4 Ray Hanger, March 77B, 38 laps,
5 Bob Minogue, Lola T430 [HU1] - Chevrolet V8, ? laps,
6 John Wright, Lola T400 [HU15] - Chevrolet V8, ? laps,
R Barry Singleton, Gardos BL1 - Repco Holden V8, ? laps,
DNA Andrew Miedecke, Ralt RT4, Did not arrive
DNA Peter Edwards, Lola T332 [T330 HU23(B)] - Chevrolet V8, Did not arrive
DNA Garrie Cooper, Elfin MR9 [80231] - Chevrolet V8, Did not arrive

[b]Heat 1

1 Alfredo Costanzo, 20 laps, 16m 13.2s
2 Rob Butcher, 20 laps,
3 John Wright, 20 laps,
4 Ivan Tighe, 19 laps,
5 Barry Singleton, 19 laps,
6 Ray Hanger, 19 laps,
Bob Minogue, ? laps, "out of the race"

Heat 2

1 Alfredo Costanzo, 20 laps, 16m 22.3s
2 Rob Butcher, 20 laps,
3 Bob Minogue, 19 laps,
4 Ivan Tighe, 19 laps,
5 Ray Hanger, 19 laps,
Barry Singleton, ? laps, "conked out"
John Wright, ? laps, did not start (dropped valve)

Qualifying

1 Alfredo Costanzo, 45.9s
2 John Wright, 46.9s
3 Rob Butcher, 47.8s
4 Ivan Tighe, 50.3s
6 Bob Minogue, 51.8s
7 Ray Hanger, 52.1s
8 Barry Singleton, 52.2s

Rose City '10,000'
Winton, 25 October 1981
1 John Wright, Lola T400 [HU15] - Chevrolet V8, 40 laps, 39m 26.6s (FL: 57.9s)
2 Bob Minogue, Lola T430 [HU1] - Chevrolet V8, 40 laps, 39m 41.5s (FL: 58.4s)
3 Jon Davison, Lola T332 [HU34] - Chevrolet V8, 40 laps, 39m 42.5s (FL: 58.0s)
4 Peter Edwards, Lola T332 [T330 HU23(B)] - Chevrolet V8, 38 laps, (FL: 60.1s)
5 Mike Trengove, Elfin 815 - Ford V8, 38 laps, (FL: 61.0s)
6 Allan R. Nitschke, Begg FM5 [2] - Chevrolet V8, 38 laps,
7 Peter Middleton, Elfin MR8-C [8761] - Chevrolet V8, 37 laps,
8 Greg Doidge, Matich A51 [005] - Repco Holden V8, 36 laps, (FL: 60.4s)
9 Ian Adams, Lola T330 [HU1] - Chevrolet V8, 28 laps,

Qualifying

1 John Wright, 57.3s
2 Jon Davison, 57.7s
3 Bob Minogue, 58.4s
4 Peter Middleton, 59.9s
5 Peter Edwards, 60.3s
6 Allan R. Nitschke, 60.6s
7 Greg Doidge, 60.9s
8 Mike Trengove, 63.6s
9 Ian Adams, no time

I don't know the identity of Hanger's March 77B or Meidecke's Ralt RT4. The Gardos was a one-off and the Elfin '815' was an updated MR5 but I don't know which one. All the other cars are identified from previous research.

Allen

Allen.

Ray Hanger's March is the ex. Gary Clare/n.z. car 77B-C1.
If the Elfin is ex Stan Keen it is 5724 .
Miedecke Ralt RT4 , car not del. in time , in the A.G.P. later in year he had ch.no.252, so one presumes it was the same car .

RE. Bob Minoque , he did start the race , according to Motor Racing Yearbook , so it must have been later in his time withn the car that he ''stuck it in ''at Amaroo Pk.

Bryan.

all these listings are making my head spin! (as interesting as they may be....)

So, a little earlier (late Seventies) at Warwick Farm.....

In the RCN report the Elfin 815 is desribed thus:

There was considerable interest in Trengrove's new car, which had the unusual designation of Elfin 815. The car is brand new, but based on the earlier Elfin MR5 and MR8 components, especially in regard to uprights, suspension and brakes. The tub is of an older type, but is fitted with ground effect side pods, and runs a Ford engine.
The whole car was an exercise in cost reduction, yet despite not having turned a wheel until practice day it not only finished but took fifth place with a best lap of 61.0s. And this was the first time that Mike had ever driven a formula 5000.

In a photo caption the car is called a "redesigned MR5".

Allen

This is all the additional info from the RCN reports.

Sandown – September 13, 1981

20 laps

Alfredo Costanzo – McLaren M26
John Wright – Lola T400 – retired
Rob Butcher – Lola
Garrie Cooper – Elfin MR9
Bob Minogue –
? Kostera –
Tim Slako – Elfin MR6
Barry Singleton – Gardos
Chris Middleton –
Alan Nitschke –
Ian Adams - ? – retired early , broken rocker arm
? Doidge - ?

Result
1. Porsche Dist.- A. Costanzo – McLaren – 21m 04.6s – 59.5s
2. John Blanden – R. Butcher – Lola – 21m 36.3s – 62.8s
3. Chris Middleton – C. Middleton – Elfin MR8 - ? – 63.4s


Calder – November 8, 1981

25 laps

12 starters

John Wright – Lola T400 – 39.2s
Bob Minogue – ex-Costanzo Lola T430 – 39.6s
Garrie Cooper – Elfin MR9 – 39.6s
Jon Davison – Lola T332 - ? - 4th on grid
Rob Butcher
Alan Nitschke – Begg FM/2
Peter Edwards – Lola T332

Result
1. John Wright – Lola T400 – 17m 02.9s – 39.9s
2. John Blanden – Rob Butcher – Lola T332 – 17m 08.5s – 40.2s
3. Garrie Cooper – Elfin MR9 – 17m 25.6s – 40.4s
Fastest Lap. Wright 39.9s

Davison retired two laps from home.


Calder – February 28, 1982

25 laps

15 starters – 13 finishers

John Wright – Lola T400
Bruce Allison – Elfin MR8
Rob Butcher – Lola T332
Garrie Cooper – Elfin MR9
Bob Minogue – Lola T430
Tim Slako – Elfin MR6
Peter Edwards – Lola T332
Alan Nitschke – Begg FM5/2
? Davison -
Ivan Tighe – Chevron

Result
1. John Wright – Lola T400 – 16m 58.48s – 39.78s
2. Elfin Cars – Bruce Allison – lElfin MR8 – 17m 07.96s – 39.72s
3. Elfin Cars – Garrie Cooper – Elfin MR9 – 17m 15.11s – 40.66
Fastest Lap – Allison – 39.72s


Oran Park – March 21, 1982

25 laps of the short circuit

21 entries – 9 starters

John Smith – Middleton’s MR8C
John Wright – Lola T400
Ken Shirvington – Lola T400
Jon Davison – Lola T332
Rob Butcher – Elfin MR8
Russell Davidson – March

Result
1. John Wright – Lola T400 – 18m 46.6s – 42.4s
2. Ken Shirvington – Lola T400 – 24 laps – 44.8s
3. Rob Butcher – Elfin MR8 – 24 laps – 43.9s
Fastest Lap – Wright – 42.2s

Smith retired on lap 1 with a stuck throttle


Adelaide – May 2, 1982

20 laps

9 starters – six finishers

John Wright – Lola T400
Rob Butcher – Lola T332
Peter (Chris) Middleton – ex-Garrie Cooper Elfin MR8C
Jon Davison – Lola T332C – accident on lap 6
Tim Slako – Elfin MR6
Mel McEwin – Repco Matich – pitted on lap 14 with broken waterhose
Bob Minogue – Lola T430 – crashed on lap 18
Allan Nitschke
Russell Davidson

Result
1. John Wright – Lola T400 – 17m 13.4s – 50.6s
2. Rob Butcher – Lola T332 – 17m 19.4s – 50.8s
3. P. Middleton – Elfin MR8C – 17m 41.0s – 52.1s
4. Allan Nitschke
5. Russell Davidson
6. Tim Slako

Milan, I believe the Mike Trengrove Elfin "815" was a modified old MR5. I think it retained most of MR5 tub and still had outboard suspension I think. The front of the tub may have been modified a little. It had completely new bodywork with sidepods, etc.

I think Winton may have been its only race.

I read that Garrie Cooper said that the MR5 was ideal for converting to ground effects as it had a tub that was narrow and tall, whereas the latter Elfin models had wider tubs.

I would be surprised if the car has not been converted back to MR5 specs and running around in historic racing.

Chris.
www.MotorsportArchive.com

Here are the grids (according to Auto Action) of ARCOGRAPHITE

Round Three

1. John Wright 39.07
2. Garrie Cooper 39.59
3. Bruce Allison 39. ?
4. Rob Butcher 40.42
5. Bob Minogue 40. ?
6. Mel McEwin 40. ?
7. Peter Edwards 41. ?
8. Tim Slako 41. ?
9. Allan Nitschke 41. ?
10. Greg Doidge 41. ?
11. Ivan Tighe 42.09
12. Russel Davidson 44.39

and Round Five

1. John Wright 50.3
2. Jon Davison 50.5
3. Peter Middleton 50.7
4. Rob Butcher 51.3
5. Bob Minogue 52.6
6. Allan Nitschke 53.4
7. Tim Slako 53.8
8. Russel Davidson 56.7
9. Mel McEwin 57.5

Hello again

I haven't seen Milan or Wolfgang here for a long while but I hope they're still receiving notifications when old threads spring back to life.

I had an email from the very excellent Barry Lake this morning with material from the never-published Cars and Drivers No 4. One of the stories was about Ken Shirvington's Lola T400/T332 being comprehensively wrecked in a hill climb event in March 1978. This helps explain the long gap between Ken racing in Feb 1978 and reappearing in March 1982.

So it made me think: what was that 'Lola T400' Shirvington raced in March 1982? Was it indeed his car repaired from four years before or was he guesting in Blanden's HU2 or maybe even the long-lost ex-Bartlett HU1? So I wonder if RCN or AAA make any mention of the car in their (brief) reports on this race?

Thanks

Allen

Elfin 815

The car was Stan Keens MR5,Gary built the ground effects kit to go on the old MR5 rolling chassis in 1981,hence 815.Car was built for Mike Adams Adelaide SA.It was never quick because the car was heavy,and the Ford engine was a hand grenade.Only making about 460HP.I bought the car in the mid 80's and fitted a Repco Holden F5000 mill,ran it a couple of times and did not enjoy it.I took off the G/Effect pods and converted it back to a MR5 and ran it in historics for a few years.I used an engine that John McCormack sold me,a flat plane Repco,used to sit in the car and watch everything rotating as the harmonics were dreadfull.The 815 pods are still under my house.Sold the car to David Doubtfire,first meeting out for him, he and i had a major coming together at Southern loop at Phillip Island,i was in the Elfin MR8(Cooper/ Perkins),The MR5 was a mess,to David's credit he got her fixed up,ran it for another year then sold it to Max Florieani,who still owns her.

Pete

Hi Pete

Thanks very much for that. Everything I ever needed to know about the 815 but didn't know who to ask!

Allen

Hello again

I haven't seen Milan or Wolfgang here for a long while but I hope they're still receiving notifications when old threads spring back to life.

I had an email from the very excellent Barry Lake this morning with material from the never-published Cars and Drivers No 4. One of the stories was about Ken Shirvington's Lola T400/T332 being comprehensively wrecked in a hill climb event in March 1978. This helps explain the long gap between Ken racing in Feb 1978 and reappearing in March 1982.

So it made me think: what was that 'Lola T400' Shirvington raced in March 1982? Was it indeed his car repaired from four years before or was he guesting in Blanden's HU2 or maybe even the long-lost ex-Bartlett HU1? So I wonder if RCN or AAA make any mention of the car in their (brief) reports on this race?

Thanks

Allen

There is no mention in RCN of which T400 Shirvington had at Oran Park in March 1982. There is a paragraph and a photo in 'Bits & Pieces' about him running the car around the Village Grand Prix complex at Blacktown on Friday night, March 19.

The previous month's RCN has a preview of the Oran Park race that states there were 20 entries received. Again no mention of Shirvington's car but the Chas Talbot car is described.

Chas Talbot has completely rebuilt Terry Hook's Lola T332, wrecked at Lakeside last year. Talbot built a complete new tub, an exact duplicate, rivet for rivet.

Hi Milan

Thanks for this.

That's a surprise. Talbot doesn't appear after Feb 1981 (according to the results I have) but by March 1982 his regular T332 (HU36) had been sold to the US so if he had been racing it would have had to have been in somebody else's car. Hook also doesn't appear but, according to the F1 Register factbook, he was on the entry list.

Hook's car was HU27, wrecked at Lakeside 21 Jun 1981 and not seen again until it was advertised by Murray Richards in 1993. Murray Sinclair had it in New Zealand a few yers ago but I haven't heard if it's changed hands again.

Allen

Milan

I forgot to ask - does RCN list the 20 entrants?

Thanks

Allen

Hi Milan
Murray Sinclair had it in New Zealand a few yers ago but I haven't heard if it's changed hands again.
Allen
If this is the ex-Lawrence car, he still has it - raced it at Brands Hatch and Silverstone earlier this year, and as recently as yesterday in NZ. There are pictures of it on another forum somewhere under the rather misleading heading of "NZ sports sedans"

Oh yes - I saw it at Brands last year. Duh!

To set the records straight. I still have the original t400 that was smashed up at calder, that tub is being repaired at the moment. The t400 tub your talking about that was used at oran park in 82 is the Barlett hu1 chassis with my t332 rear end fitted to it for that weekend. I still have the ex Bartlett T400 hu1 at present. The guy I purchased the tub from bought the car to make a sports car with the rear suspension the guy came from wollongong. I believe Barry Lock made the sports car chassis and body work. This will give you more to think about.
Ken

Hi Ken

Welcome! Wonderful that you're here on 10 Tenths. You've just solved several mysteries in one go.

What became of the T332 tub that you rebuilt the Calder crash with? I understand from Barry Lake that you crashed that at the Mount Panorama hill climb in March 1978.

Allen

Ken

When we asked Kevin Bartlett about T400 HU1, he recalled selling it to "a bloke with the last name of Campbell in Melbourne". Campbell raced it once (Bartlett thinks it was at Sandown) where he crashed it.

Does this sound like something that happened before you bought HU1?

Allen