The Cars

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Lola T87/50 F3000 

Jeff Farmer

Jeff appeared with an F3000 Lola in July 1988 (anyone know which chassis?), a year in which he won seven Libre events around Britain and Ireland, but the bumps of Combe... as ever they really didn't suit the contemporary suspension (or lack there of..) ! 

Farmer won another Libre race in early 1989 when he also took in the new British F3000 series but like fellow libre regular Roger Orgee he didn't enjoy any success. He later moved into Historic F1 racing

There is a YouTube clip of Farmer in this  car battling with Lawler's M30 at Kirkistown in 1988 

Lola T87/50 F3000 

Richard Fuller

In the final event of 1989, brewery magnate Richard Fuller (stop sniggering those who read my recent gaff about brewery names on TNF !) appeared with an F3000 Lola of the type already raced by Jeff Farmer at the time. 

The weather was dreadful ,as you can see. Anyone know the history of the car or which chassis it was?

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March 792 Hart F2  

John Travis

Future  Indycar designer for Lola and Penske,  Travis campaigned an immaculate March 792 Hart 420R, usually running just behind Trimmer's Lola and often in close company with Lawler's Ralt and Orgee's Lyncar. It's pictured her at the July 1984 event where it finished 2nd to Lawler's Ralt and was named 'best prepared car' at the meeting.

For some reason I recall that commentators at the track referred to the car as a "self-build 792 lookalike" and the name BRD was mentioned... maybe I'm dreaming that? (There was a BRD sport prototype that appeared in Sprints in the early 90s and was, I think involved in a tragic accident at Aintree?)

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RAM Cosworth F1  

John Travis

For 1985 Travis acquired a 1983 F1 RAM (chassis 02 originally raced by J-L Schlesser and Eliseo Salazar) to run the in LEP sponsored National Libre series. 

 Travis went on to pen the Nissan GpC car and a succession of Lola and Penske Indy cars throughout the 1990s . Later he was technical director of the now-defunct A1GP series and later held the same post with the Intersport ALMS team.

(Photo : Peter Howarth)

March 821 Cosworth F1 

John Brindley

Most famous as the (faster) co-driver for John Foulston in the all-conquering Lola T530 THUNDERSPORTS car, Brindley ran the 1982 F1 March during 1984-5 in Historic F1 and Libre events - resplendent in it's (almost) original ROTHMANS livery but with a rather odd looking rear wing - they were never that tall in 1982 I'm sure.

It was chassis number RM11 which was driven by Mass, Keegan and Boesel during the 1982 Grand Prix season. It's currently residing in the USA. At Combe in July 85 he was 3rd behind Trimmer and Lawler.

(Photo : Peter Howarth)

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McLaren M29 Cosworth F1 

James Stevenson

The Scotsman appeared at Combe in September 1985 with a 1980 McLaren 29, won the race but didn't return.

This was chassis 4 the ex Watson/South/Prost/DeCesaris/Arnold Glass car (Glass owned chassis 2 as well) 

(Photo : Peter Howarth)

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March 822 BMW F2 

Eddie McLurg

Driving the beautiful looking 822-23, at Combe in May 1989 McLurg won outright despite larger engined opposition from the Trojan of Narcisi, Lola LC88 of Cox and REynatd 88d of Orgee.

Eddie also raced this one with a Can-Am body in one 1988 Thundersports race and in Interserie events  from 1990-92, then in the EuroBoss series in the mid 1990s.

The car had  previously run in Can-Am in the USA with Enrique Mansilla in 1984  but does anyone know who raced it in F2 back in 1982? And where - Europe or Japan?

 

 

Lola T530 Can Am  

Alan Fowler

Surprise entry in 1984 was the ex Foulston/Brindley Thundersports Lola Chevrolet, which had begun life as a Haas Team car in Can Am driven by future Ferrari F1 star Patrick Tambay.

 It's exact Can Am history is a big vague, it may have won at Sears Point in May 1980 or just been the unraced spare all season. Certainly once it arrived in Britain it became one of the most successful and famous cars on the national scene, dominating Thundersports in it's early years

At Combe the car ground to an early halt.

 It's now said to be in Canada.

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