1975 Long Beach Grand Prix

  1975 Long Beach Grand Prix
Race details
Race 7 of 9 in the 1975 SCCA/USAC F5000 Championship season

Date September 28, 1975
Official name Long Beach Grand Prix
Location Long Beach, California, United States
Course Temporary street course
2.02 mi / 3.25 km
Distance 50 laps, 101 mi / 162.5 km
Weather
Pole
Driver Tony Brise Theodore Racing
Time
Fastest Lap
Driver Tony Brise Theodore Racing
Time 1:19.905 (on lap of 50)
Podium
First Brian Redman Haas Racing
Second Vern Schuppan Jorgensen AAR
Third Eppie Wietzes Formula Racing

The 1975 Long Beach Grand Prix was the inaugural running of the Grand Prix of Long Beach. The race was held September 28, 1975, on a 2.02-mile (3.25 km) temporary street circuit. The race was round 7 of the Sports Car Club of America/USAC Formula 5000 Championship. An estimated 65,000 spectators saw Brian Redman win the race.[1]

Contents

Background

In 1974 the city of Long Beach began a billion-dollar redevelopment program of the downtown area.[2] Chris Pook, a British travel agent working in Long Beach, proposed holding a street course race in the vein of the Monaco Grand Prix. In order to prepare for a Formula One race the following year, the organizers decided to hold a Formula 5000 race.[3][4]

Qualifying

Qualifying times were set in two sessions on Saturday. Seeded drivers had one 45-minute session and one 1 hour, 15 minute session, while non-seeded drivers had two 45-minute sessions.[5] Starting positions were set by two heat races, with the finishers from Heat 1 starting in odd positions and Heat 2 in even positions.

Pos Driver Team Car Time
1 Mario Andretti Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:21.297
2 Al Unser Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:21.948
3 Tony Brise Theodore Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:22.036
4 Jackie Oliver Phoenix Racing Shadow DN6-Dodge 1:22.799
5 Tom Pryce Phoenix Racing Shadow DN6-Dodge 1:23.346
6 Brian Redman Carl A. Haas Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:23.602
7 Vern Schuppan All American Racers Eagle 755-Chevrolet 1:23.674
8 Graham McRae Eddie Lewis Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:24.039
9 Elliott Forbes-Robinson Francisco Mir Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:24.091
10 Jody Scheckter Hogan Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:24.168
11 John Gunn Racing Consultants Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:24.204
12 Eppie Wietzes Formula Racing Lola T400-Chevrolet 1:24.223
13 Gordon Johncock Patrick Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:24.264
14 David Hobbs Hogan Racing Lola T330-Chevrolet 1:24.491
15 Jon Woodner Interscope Racing Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 1:24.817
16 John Cannon Anglo American Racing March 73A-Chevrolet 1:24.909
17 John Morton Krinitt Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:25.347
18 Brett Lunger Chris Oates, Ltd. Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:25.529
19 Warwick Brown McCormack/Burke Racing Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 1:25.734
20 Danny Ongais Interscope Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:26.090
21 Bob Earl T.P. Racing Lola T330-Chevrolet 1:26.183
22 Evan Noyes Evan Noyes Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:26.357
23 John Korn Jomar Racing Lola T330-Chevrolet 1:26.846
24 George Follmer Lance Smith Racing Lance LSR1-Chevrolet 1:26.947
25 Randy Lewis Wrangler Wracing Team Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:26.966
26 Chris Amon McCormack/Burke Racing Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 1:27.167
27 Tuck Thomas Lancer Stores Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:27.574
28 Benny Scott Black American Racers Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:27.645
29 Bob Nagel Nagel Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:28.562
30 Roger Bighouse Roger Bighouse Chevron B24-Chevrolet 1:28.570
31 John David Briggs Briggs & Fodge Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:28.650
32 John Benton Formula Magazine Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:29.252
33 Bob Allen Manteca Motors Eagle 74A-Chevrolet 1:29.743
34 Arlon Koops Solazure IV, Ltd. Lola T330-Chevrolet 1:29.801
35 Michael Brockman J. Levitt Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 1:30.086
36 Bill Baker Barbara Baker Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:31.310
37 Bill Simpson E. J. Simpson Berta Argentina BA-3-Chevrolet 1:31.894
38 Skeeter McKitterick AME Racing Chevron B24-Chevrolet 1:31.952
39 Gary Wilson Sting Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 1:33.219
40 Ron Dykes J. B. Quality Products Lola T192-Chevrolet 1:33.496
41 Jim Gustafson Jim Gustafson Racing March 73A-Chevrolet 1:36.831
42 Michael Brayton Ill-Eagle Eagle Mk.5-Chevrolet 1:37.730
43 Garth Pollard G. W. Pollard Lola T330-Chevrolet 1:38.810
44 Steve Durst J. Levitt Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 2:05.826
[6][7]

Heat races

Heat 1

Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid
1 64 Tony Brise Theodore Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 12 16:32.444 2
2 5 Mario Andretti Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 12 Finished 1
3 00 Tom Pryce Phoenix Racing Shadow DN6-Dodge 12 Finished 3
4 48 Vern Schuppan All American Racers Eagle 755-Chevrolet 12 Finished 4
5 33 Elliott Forbes-Robinson Francisco Mir Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 12 Finished 5
6 4 Warwick Brown McCormack/Burke Racing Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 12 Finished 10
7 91 Jon Woodner Interscope Racing Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 12 Finished 8
8 28 Randy Lewis Wrangler Wracing Team Lola T332-Chevrolet 12 Finished 13
9 19 Bob Earl T.P. Racing Lola T330-Chevrolet 12 Finished 11
10 20 Gordon Johncock Patrick Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 12 Finished 7
11 50 John Korn Jomar Racing Lola T330-Chevrolet 12 Finished 12
12 75 Bob Nagel Nagel Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 12 Finished 15
13 71 John David Briggs Briggs & Fodge Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 12 Finished 16
14 69 Michael Brockman J. Levitt Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 12 Finished 18
15 97 Bob Allen Manteca Motors Eagle 74A-Chevrolet 11 + 1 lap 17
16 46 John Morton Krinitt Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 11 + 1 lap 9
17 8 Gary Wilson Sting Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 9 Retired 20
18 26 Michael Brayton Ill-Eagle Eagle Mk.5-Chevrolet 7 Retired 21
19 39 John Gunn Racing Consultants Lola T332-Chevrolet Retired 6
20 96 Steve Durst J. Levitt Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet Retired 22
DNS 88 Tuck Thomas Lancer Stores Lola T332-Chevrolet Did not start
DNS 65 Bill Simpson E. J. Simpson Berta BA-3-Chevrolet Did not start
[6][8]

Heat 2

Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid
1 51 Al Unser Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 12 16:30.391 1
2 1 Brian Redman Carl A. Haas Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 12 Finished 3
3 3 Jody Scheckter Hogan Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 12 Finished 5
4 10 David Hobbs Hogan Racing Lola T330-Chevrolet 12 Finished 7
5 94 Eppie Wietzes Formula Racing Lola T400-Chevrolet 12 Finished 6
6 2 Chris Amon McCormack/Burke Racing Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 12 Finished 13
7 9 John Cannon Anglo American Racing March 73A-Chevrolet 12 Finished 8
8 13 Ron Dykes J. B. Quality Products Lola T192-Chevrolet 11 + 1 lap 20
9 45 George Follmer Lance Smith Racing Lance LSR1-Chevrolet 11 + 1 lap 12
10 30 Skeeter McKitterick AME Racing Chevron B24-Chevrolet 11 + 1 lap 19
11 12 Benny Scott Black American Racers Lola T332-Chevrolet 11 + 1 lap 14
12 55 Bill Baker Barbara Baker Lola T332-Chevrolet 11 + 1 lap 18
13 22 John Benton Formula Magazine Lola T332-Chevrolet 11 + 1 lap 16
14 6 Graham McRae Eddie Lewis Lola T332-Chevrolet Retired 4
15 0 Jackie Oliver Phoenix Racing Shadow DN6-Dodge 8 Accident 2
16 63 Danny Ongais Interscope Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet Retired 10
17 73 Garth Pollard G. W. Pollard Lola T330-Chevrolet Retired 22
18 82 Jim Gustafson Jim Gustafson Racing March 73A-Chevrolet Retired 21
19 85 Arlon Koops Solazure IV, Ltd. Lola T330-Chevrolet 2 Accident 17
DNS 24 Evan Noyes Evan Noyes Lola T332-Chevrolet Did not start
DNS 25 Brett Lunger Chris Oates, Ltd. Lola T332-Chevrolet Did not start
DNS 18 Roger Bighouse Roger Bighouse Chevron B24-Chevrolet Did not start
[6][8]

Race

At the start, Al Unser led from 2nd on the grid. On lap 3, polesitter Tony Brise had taken the lead and Mario Andretti took over second place. Brise led until lap 15, when both Andretti and Unser got by. Brise re-passed Unser on the next lap, and battled with Andretti until he re-took the lead on lap 29. On lap 33, Andretti retired with transmission problems, and one lap later Brise retired with a broken driveshaft. Brian Redman took the lead and pulled away to a nearly 30-second victory over Vern Schuppan and Eppie Wietzes. Redman also clinched the season points championship.[9][10]

Result

Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid
1 1 Brian Redman Carl A. Haas Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 50 1.10:12.042 4
2 48 Vern Schuppan All American Racers Eagle 755-Chevrolet 50 +29.938 7
3 94 Eppie Wietzes Formula Racing Lola T400-Chevrolet 50 Running 10
4 2 Chris Amon McCormack/Burke Racing Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 49 + 1 lap 12
5 10 David Hobbs Hogan Racing Lola T330-Chevrolet 49 + 1 lap 8
6 4 Warwick Brown McCormack/Burke Racing Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 49 + 1 lap 11
7 24 Evan Noyes Evan Noyes Lola T332-Chevrolet 48 + 2 laps 27
8 19 Bob Earl T.P. Racing Lola T330-Chevrolet 48 + 2 laps 17
9 46 John Morton Krinitt Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 48 + 2 laps 28
10 30 Skeeter McKitterick AME Racing Chevron B24-Chevrolet 46 + 4 laps 20
11 12 Benny Scott Black American Racers Lola T332-Chevrolet 40 + 10 laps 22
12 64 Tony Brise Theodore Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 34 Driveshaft 1
13 5 Mario Andretti Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 33 Transmission 3
14 50 John Korn Jomar Racing Lola T330-Chevrolet 33 Battery 21
15 3 Jody Scheckter Hogan Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 29 Halfshaft 6
16 91 Jon Woodner Interscope Racing Talon MR-1A-Chevrolet 27 Accident 13
17 33 Elliott Forbes-Robinson Francisco Mir Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 27 Camshaft 9
18 13 Ron Dykes J. B. Quality Products Lola T192-Chevrolet 27 Suspension 16
19 28 Randy Lewis Wrangler Wracing Team Lola T332-Chevrolet 20 Rod 15
20 51 Al Unser Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 17 Suspension 2
21 00 Tom Pryce Phoenix Racing Shadow DN6-Dodge 14 Gearbox 5
22 75 Bob Nagel Nagel Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 14 Mechanical 23
23 55 Bill Baker Barbara Baker Lola T332-Chevrolet 14 Black flagged 24
24 20 Gordon Johncock Patrick Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet 11 Rod 19
25 39 John Gunn Racing Consultants Lola T332-Chevrolet 9 Overheating 25
26 9 John Cannon Anglo American Racing March 73A-Chevrolet 6 Halfshaft 14
27 6 Graham McRae Eddie Lewis Lola T332-Chevrolet 1 Accident 26
28 45 George Follmer Lance Smith Racing Lance LSR1-Chevrolet 0 Wheel 18
[6][11]

References

  1. ^ "Brian Redman Formula Winner". The Spokesman-Review. AP (Spokane, Washington). 29 September 1975. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Wi9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2287%2C5754570. Retrieved 11 August 2011. 
  2. ^ "Circuits: Long Beach". Grand Prix Encyclopedia. Inside F1, Inc.. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/cir-038.html. Retrieved 13 August 2011. 
  3. ^ Richardson, Darcy Leigh (13 April 2010). "Jim Michaelian: The Man Behind The Grand Prix". Gazettes.com. Archived from the original on 16 August 2011. http://gazettes.com/article_305ddb6e-e4d9-522d-90d6-5ce1513cbc3f.html. Retrieved 16 August 2011. 
  4. ^ Huffman, John Pearley (August 2008). "Walking With Giants - Long Beach Grand Prix". Modified. Archived from the original on 16 August 2011. http://www.modified.com/features/0808_sccp_long_beach_grand_prix/index.html. Retrieved 16 August 2011. 
  5. ^ "Schedule of Events". Media package. Long Beach Grand Prix Association. Archived from the original on 3 August 2011. http://www.myf5000.com/images/long_beach_ticket_package_4.jpg. Retrieved 3 August 2011. 
  6. ^ a b c d Klopfer, Wolfgang. "Long Beach Grand Prix". In Allen Brown. Old Racing Cars. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. http://www.oldracingcars.com/results/result.php?RaceID=L75G. Retrieved 11 August 2011. 
  7. ^ "Untitled". Independent Press-Telegram. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. http://www.myf5000.com/files/long_beach_q_grid_heat.pdf. Retrieved 11 August 2011. 
  8. ^ a b "Long Beach F5000 Grid". Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. http://www.myf5000.com/files/long_beach_grid.jpg. Retrieved 11 August 2011. 
  9. ^ Aldrich, Adria Allen, ed. "SCCA Race Results". Inaugural Formula 5000 Grand Prix Race. California Sports Car Club Region. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. http://www.fototime.com/B71FEE3B6AC0AB2/orig.jpg. Retrieved 13 August 2011.  in ""F Sheff at…" Pages". http://home.roadrunner.com/~fsheff/covlb975a.htm. Retrieved 13 August 2011. 
  10. ^ "Redman Formula Victor". The Leader-Post. AP (Regina, Saskatchewan): p. 15. 29 September 1975. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0zdVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ID4NAAAAIBAJ=&pg=4119%2C3791916. Retrieved 13 August 2011. 
  11. ^ "Long Beach Grand Prix". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on 4 August 2011. http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=9794. Retrieved 4 August 2011. 
Preceded by
1975 Atlanta Grand Prix		 1975 SCCA/USAC F5000 Championship Succeeded by
1975 Monterey Grand Prix
Preceded by
none		 Grand Prix of Long Beach Succeeded by
1976 United States Grand Prix West