14 replies to this topic

[The Mountaineer]

It had its first and only European start with Italian driver "Lucky" at Vallelunga on November 18th, 1962. In December 1962' it was already in Houston, Texas, in the hands of Mecom Racing Team. There is a photo in Willem Oosthoek's "Sports Car Racing in the South 1961/62", but we couldn't find any further information about the US career of that car. Another (European) picture is available, but I am not able to post it.

 

Who can help with US results, stories, pictures etc ?

[Michael Ferner]

US Formula Junior results are not my forte, but I have two leads for you: at Sebring (March 21), a preview stated that two De Tomaso/Fords were entered, no more details unfortunately. Also, at Green Valley Raceway in Texas on October 6, Delmo Johnson was entered in a De Tomaso junior, and he was also entered in "the Mecom junior" for Austin August 11, which would probably be the same car. Unfortunately, I don't have results for either race. Another lead would be driver John Henry Kirby III, who is said to have driven " a series of Mecom Formula Junior and Formula Senior cars" in another Austin preview.

[Michael Ferner]

Okay, you know I can't resist and I found the Green Valley results, where one "John Kirk" (i.e. Kirby) finished third. I also found this:

 

[raceannouncer2003]

Some De Tomaso Formula Junior results at this link:

 

https://www.racingsp...aso/Junior.html

 

Also, part of the Competition Press article on the Corpus Christi race:

 

 

Vince H.

Edited by raceannouncer2003, 11 July 2021 - 05:42.

[The Mountaineer]

That's what I call a good reaction. I didn't expect so much in just two days. Thanks a lot, Michael and Vince.

 

By the way, has anyone got a good source apart from Racing Sports Cars for US FJunior race reports and results?

[nexfast]

For results there are the two volumes dedicated to Formula Junior by Paul Sheldon of Black Books fame with  Ducan Rabagliatti and Yves de la Gorce. They are hardly complete in the edition I got ( I guess from the nineties), don't know if they were updated afterwards.

[raceannouncer2003]

 

 

By the way, has anyone got a good source apart from Racing Sports Cars for US FJunior race reports and results?

 

There are some results from 1963 here:

 

https://web.archive....FJ63_IndexW.htm

 

Vince H.

[The Mountaineer]

Thank you, nexfast. We must both have the same edition, but there was a lot more going on in the States.

[Roger Clark]

For results there are the two volumes dedicated to Formula Junior by Paul Sheldon of Black Books fame with  Ducan Rabagliatti and Yves de la Gorce. They are hardly complete in the edition I got ( I guess from the nineties), don't know if they were updated afterwards.

I have an edition dated 2007, credited to Paul Sheldon, Duncan Rabagliati and Richard Page.

 

PS: I also have the original edition.  I haven't done a detailed comparison but there are certainly extra races in the second edition.

Edited by Roger Clark, 13 July 2021 - 09:38.

[Michael Ferner]

Yeah, I started with the FOR data, too, but soon discovered that it was only the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Newspaper archives provide a lot of additional info, but researching SCCA races is no fun! I limit my interest to open wheel stuff (for sanity reasons!), but it's often difficult to determine what is what with the SCCA. Newspapers are often not really helpful in that respect, listing cars only as "Cooper" or "Lotus", or confusing type numbers.

[Rupertlt1]

Here are some pictures at Revs:

 

Bob Schroeder, SCCA National Lake Garnett, 1962:

 

https://library.revs...ion=p17257coll1

 

https://library.revs...ion=p17257coll1

 

United States Grand Prix, Sebring, 1959:

(Car number 14, a Cooper-OSCA, driven by Alejandro de Tomaso. There are six pictures in this set.)

 

https://library.revs...ion=p17257coll1

 

https://library.revs...ion=p17257coll1

 

https://library.revs...ion=p17257coll1

 

https://library.revs...ion=p17257coll1

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 14 July 2021 - 07:08.

[Rupertlt1]

See: https://forums.autos...a/#entry9608077

 

Vernon Alencaster, De Tomaso Formula C, at Austin, Texas, 1969

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 16 September 2021 - 13:06.

[The Mountaineer]

Thank you, Rupert.

[Rupertlt1]

Cajun Grand Prix II, Lockheed (formerly Chennault) Air Base, Lake Charles, La., 31 May-1 June, 1969

"Rod Kennedy came in second in his Formula C DeTomase (sic) beating two Formula B cars and taking over the divisional lead in Formula C." Austin American-Statesman (Austin, Texas) Friday 6 Jun 1969, Page 31

 

Rod Kennedy was from Austin, Texas, where he had a car museum — Texas Speed Museum — and the car may have been connected to post #12.

 

See photo #2 FC rear-engined, accident at Aqua Festival, Austin: The Austin American (Austin, Texas) Monday 4 Aug 1969, Page 19

 

Also raced a Stanguellini FC — said to be ex-Count von Trips.

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 18 September 2021 - 14:13.

[RAP]

It had its first and only European start with Italian driver "Lucky" at Vallelunga on November 18th, 1962. In December 1962' it was already in Houston, Texas, in the hands of Mecom Racing Team. There is a photo in Willem Oosthoek's "Sports Car Racing in the South 1961/62", but we couldn't find any further information about the US career of that car. Another (European) picture is available, but I am not able to post it.

 

Who can help with US results, stories, pictures etc ?

 

I am one of the partners in the Formula One Register and have just seen your question. In recent years, the Register has greatly expanded its North American FJ records. For example, in 1962 some 150 races are now recorded, albeit sometimes only the winner. But, of course, many regional races only had two or three FJs so only knowing the winner is not such a great shortfall as it may sound!

 

Could I suggest you email us at formulaoneregister@gmail.com.

 

Richard Page

Formula One Register