Posted 26 April 2024 - 22:41
My article on Carl Liebich in early 1976, written when 15.5 years old.
[Editor clarifications added for clarity of local or US terms]
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Liebich Has Guts, Talent
Carl Liebich went to the Road Atlanta Runoffs confident for a win in either his D Production Jensen-Healey or his Formula Ford Lola T342. His outlook was strengthened when he turned times strong enough for the front row — in both classes! That was after the first of the two qualifying days provided.
When Thursday came around, Carl was just getting up to speed when his luck turned sour. Coming down the hill after turn nine, Chuck Pittenger thought he’d draft by on the inside of turn ten — a high-speed bend where passing is rare. But Carl already had the inside line and Pittenger ran into Liebich’s left-rear wheel with his right-front, forcing Carl into a quick joust with the right-side clay bank. He came to rest almost immediately, as did Pittenger, but it was Carl who got it the worst. He had a broken collarbone and a bruised lung, both on his left side.
The car? Carl said “only the engine, a wheel, and a few suspension parts were saved.”
The gutsy, 28 year-old shook off the accident and purchased a Chevron B29 F-Atlantic car, which Hector Rebaque used in the F2 series. He’s getting it through Fred Opert, Rebaques’s entrant, planning to run the full Player’s Series and “A few Nationals, probably the [Road America June] Sprints.”
He also may run the Jensen-Healey in Cen. Div. [SCCA’s Central Division] next year, but that’s up to his entrant and car owner, the boss of Neenah’s Valley Imports.
Carl has a pretty interesting background, and has done things that few people have heard of.
He started in ‘69 in a BP [B Production] Shelby GT350, got his license, and purchased a FB Brabham BT29 for the 1970 season. He used that for a year, then bought a Chevron B18 “B” which he used for assorted races, both amateur and pro.
For 1972 he used the same B18 and participated in “about” 13 races, equally divided between the U.S. and Canada (How do you do half a race?), his best placings being a pair of 3rds in Canada.
Later that year, he went to a race in Venezuela, in order to perhaps take on a few “big” names, which he did, gracefully.
The race was run in a two-heat format, Carl qualified second and led the first for 15 lap, ahead of such notables like Andrea de Adamich, F-Atlantic “Rookie of the Year” Bobby Dennett, and thrice F-Atlantic champion Billy Brack. He ended up second, behind de Adamich and a good ways in front of Brack.
In the second heat, de Adamich won again just ahead of Dennett who was ditto to Carl. Based on points, Carl finished second overall — quite impressive!
For 1973 he bought a Titan Mk6C Formula Ford, but that year was only an introduction to ‘74 as he then made it to Road Atlanta [the SCCA Runoffs], finishing 8th behind some fine drivers and better cars.
This past season was his best. Two wins, three 2nds, and a third brought his total to a well-deserved 40, with the Jensen taking three wins, two 3rds, and a DNF 6th — a total of 36 points. The combined total: 70 points, more than any other Cen Div driver!
He may surprise a good many people in ‘76.
Copyright by this postmaker, 1976