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A look back: 1975 Laguna Seca F5000 Race

Posted by AR1 staff

The next-to-last race of the 1975 F5000 series was held at Laguna Seca and the Monterey GP was a tight battle all the way between Vels-Parnelli Viceroy teammates Mario Andretti and Al Unser Sr.

Mario Andretti in a Lola T332 Chevrolet won the pole by 0.5s over his teammate in the identically prepared Lola. Both Andretti and Unser won their heat races and in the race Andretti led every lap and held off Unser by 2 secs at the finish.

1975 Laguna Seca F5000 front-row: Polesitter Mario Andretti and his teammate Al Unser Sr.

‘The Race was run before the track was lengthened to its current configuration.

In the above photo, note the crowd in attendance, it dwarfs the current IndyCar crowd at Laguna Seca.

Jackie Oliver in the Shadow leads Brian Redman. Redman would eventually pass him to take 3rd.
Laguna Seca back in 1975

Laguna Seca, Oct 12, 1975

Results Laps Time/Speed
1 Mario Andretti Lola T332 [HU29] – Chevrolet V8
#5 Viceroy		 50 49m 55.61s
114.16 mph
2 Al Unser Lola T332 [HU35-2] – Chevrolet V8
#51 Viceroy/Hilton		 50 49m 57.59s
3 Brian Redman Lola T332 [HU45] – Chevrolet V8
#1 Boraxo 		 50 50m 11.98s
4 Tony Brise Lola T332 [HU37] – Chevrolet V8
#64 Theodore Racing 		 50 50m 29.05s
5 Jackie Oliver Shadow DN6 [3A] – Dodge V8
#0 UOP		 50 50m 42.78s
6 David Hobbs Lola T332 [HU30] – Chevrolet V8
#10 Hogan Racing		 50 50m 45.46s
7 Elliot Forbes-Robinson Lola T332 [HU48] – Chevrolet V8
#33 Evel Knievel		 50 50m 46.08s
8 Graham McRae Lola T332 [HU46] – Chevrolet V8
#6 Armour All		 50 50m 53.20s
9 Warwick Brown Talon MR-1A – Chevrolet V8
#4 Norris Industries		 49
10 John Cannon March 73A/751 [“75AM”] – Chevrolet V8
#9 J.G. Lane		 49
11 Jon Woodner Talon MR-1A – Chevrolet V8
#91 Interscope		 49
12 John Morton Lola T332 [‘K2’] – Chevrolet V8
#56 Krinitt		 48
13 John Gunn Lola T332 [HU47] – Chevrolet V8
#39 Racing Consultants 		 48
14 David E. ‘Tuck’ Thomas Lola T332 [HU38 (B)] – Chevrolet V8
#88 Lancer Stores		 47
15 Danny Ongais Lola T332 [‘K3’] – Chevrolet V8
#63 Interscope/Bell Elec. 		 47
16 Randy Lewis Lola T332 [HU39] – Chevrolet V8
#28 Wrangler 		 46
17 John David Briggs Lola T332 [HU50] – Chevrolet V8
#71 Briggs & Fodge 		 45
18 John Korn Lola T330 [HU24] – Chevrolet V8
#50 Pyett-Boone West 		 44
19 Steve Durst Talon MR-1 [“007”] – Chevrolet V8
#96?		 44
20 Skeeter McKitterick Chevron B24/B28 [24-73-05A] – Chevrolet V8
#30 AME Aero		 43
21 Eppie Wietzes Lola T400M [HU9] – Chevrolet V8
#94 Formula Racing		 29 oil pressure
22 Vern Schuppan Eagle 755 [01] – Chevrolet V8
#48 Jorgensen		 28 right front suspension
23 Bob Allen Eagle 74A [002] – Chevrolet V8
#97 Manteca Motors		 18 retired – unknown
24 Bob Nagel Lola T332 [HU33] – Chevrolet V8
#75 Thermo King		 16 retired – unknown
25 Evan Noyes Lola T332 [HU51] – Chevrolet V8
#24 Eagle Creek 		 12 retired – unknown
26 Gary Wilson Lola T332 [HU52] – Chevrolet V8
#2 Sting Racing		 10 retired – unknown
27 Gus Hutchison Lola T330 [HU16] – Chevrolet V8 2 retired – unknown
28 Michael Brockman Talon MR-1 – Chevrolet V8
#69 J. Levitt		 2 retired – unknown
DNSF Dick Kantrud Lola T330/T332 [HU15] – Chevrolet V8
#43 Gordon Oftedahl 		 Did not start final
DNRH Benny Scott Lola T332 [HU53] – Chevrolet V8
#12 Viceroy/Black Am. Racer 		 Retired/Did not restart heat
DNRH Bob Earl Lola T330 [HU3] – Chevrolet V8
#19 T.P. Racing 		 Retired/Did not restart heat
DNRH John Benton Lola T330 [HU26] – Chevrolet V8
#22 Formula Magazine 		 Retired/Did not restart heat
DNRH Bill Baker Lola T332 [HU41] – Chevrolet V8
#55 Barbara Baker		 Retired/Did not restart heat
DNS Ron Dykes Lola T192 [HU30] – Chevrolet V8
#13 Justice Brothers		 Did not start
DNS Gordon Johncock Lola T332 [HU44] – Chevrolet V8
#20 Sinmast 		 Did not start
DNS Luis Di Palma Berta BA3 – Chevrolet V8
#65 der Wienerschntitzel		 Did not start
DNS Garth Pollard Lola T300 [HU10] – Chevrolet V8
#73?		 Did not start
DNS Arlon J. Koops Lola T330 [HU20] – Chevrolet V8
#85 Solazure IV 		 Did not start
DNS Rodney Green McRae GM1 [010] – Chevrolet V8
#95 Rodney Green Racing 		 Did not start
DNSC George Follmer Lance LSR1 – Chevrolet V8
#45 Kendall GT-1		 Did not start (crashed)
UNKE Roger Bighouse Chevron B24 [24-73-02] – Chevrolet V8
#18 Minutemen 		 On entry list

All cars are 5-liter F5000 unless noted.

Heat 1 Laps Time Speed
1 Mario Andretti 27 26:41.50 115.31 mph
2 Brian Redman 27
3 Tony Brise 27
4 John Morton 27
5 Eppie Wietzes 27
6 Jon Woodner 26
7 Danny Ongais 26
8 Bob Nagel 25
9 Gary Wilson
10 Michael Brockman retired – unknown
11 Steve Durst retired – unknown
12 Dick Kantrud retired – unknown
Benny Scott Retired/Did not restart heat
Bill Baker Retired/Did not restart heat
Randy Lewis Retired/Did not restart heat
Bob Earl Retired/Did not restart heat
John Benton Retired/Did not restart heat
Gordon Johncock Did not start (no engine)
George Follmer Did not start (accident)
Heat 2 Laps Time Speed
1 Al Unser 27 26:46.93 114.92 mph
2 Graham McRae 27
3 David Hobbs 27
4 Warwick Brown 27
5 Jackie Oliver 27
6 Elliot Forbes-Robinson 27
7 Vern Schuppan 27
8 Evan Noyes 26
9 John Cannon 26
10 John Gunn 26
11 David E. ‘Tuck’ Thomas 26
12 John Korn 25
Bob Earl accident
Benny Scott accident
Bill Baker accident
John Benton accident
Gus Hutchison 0 Contact (Gunn)
Skeeter McKitterick Unknown (retired?)
John David Briggs Unknown (retired?)
Bob Allen Unknown (retired?)
Garth Pollard Unknown (DNS?)
Ron Dykes Unknown (DNS?)
Rodney Green Unknown (DNS?)
Luis Di Palma Unknown (DNS?)
Qualifying
1 Mario Andretti (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU29] – Chevrolet V8 58.267 57.774
2 Al Unser (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU35-2] – Chevrolet V8 59.149 58.279
3 Brian Redman (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU45] – Chevrolet V8 58.944
4 Graham McRae (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU46] – Chevrolet V8 1:00.805 59.214
5 Tony Brise (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU37] – Chevrolet V8 1:01.123 59.354
6 David Hobbs (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU30] – Chevrolet V8 1:01.144 59.556
7 John Morton (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [‘K2’] – Chevrolet V8 1:01.336 59.854
8 Warwick Brown (F5000) 5-litre Talon MR-1A – Chevrolet V8 1:00.895 59.879
9 Eppie Wietzes (F5000) 5-litre Lola T400M [HU9] – Chevrolet V8 1:00.882 59.940
10 Elliot Forbes-Robinson (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU48] – Chevrolet V8 1:01.242 1:00.248
11 Jon Woodner (F5000) 5-litre Talon MR-1A – Chevrolet V8 1:00.398 1:00.248
12 Jackie Oliver (F5000) 5-litre Shadow DN6 [3A] – Dodge V8 1:00.523 1:00.265
13 Gordon Johncock * (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU44] – Chevrolet V8 1:02.624 1:00.415
14 John Gunn (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU47] – Chevrolet V8 1:00.689
15 Vern Schuppan (F5000) 5-litre Eagle 755 [01] – Chevrolet V8 1:01.208 1:00.745
16 Bob Earl (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330 [HU3] – Chevrolet V8 1:00.996 1:00.714
17 Danny Ongais (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [‘K3’] – Chevrolet V8 1:01.092 1:00.746
18 John Cannon (F5000) 5-litre March 73A/751 [“75AM”] – Chevrolet V8 1:01.653 1:01.113
19 Benny Scott (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU53] – Chevrolet V8 1:01.562 1:01.188
20 Gus Hutchison (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330 [HU16] – Chevrolet V8 1:03.301 1:01.432
21 Randy Lewis (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU39] – Chevrolet V8 1:03.065 1:01.597
22 Evan Noyes (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU51] – Chevrolet V8 1:02.494 1:01.667
23 Michael Brockman (F5000) 5-litre Talon MR-1 – Chevrolet V8 1:07.097 1:02.051
24 David E. ‘Tuck’ Thomas (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU38 (B)] – Chevrolet V8 1:03.286 1:02.278
25 Bill Baker (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU41] – Chevrolet V8 1:03.745 1:02.634
26 John Korn (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330 [HU24] – Chevrolet V8 1:02.850 1:02.57
27 Bob Nagel (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU33] – Chevrolet V8 1:03.325 1:03.071
28 Luis Di Palma * (F5000) 5-litre Berta BA3 – Chevrolet V8 1:03.214
29 John Benton (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330 [HU26] – Chevrolet V8 1:03.325 1:03.301
30 John David Briggs (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU50] – Chevrolet V8 1:05.742 1:03.730
31 Steve Durst (F5000) 5-litre Talon MR-1 [“007”] – Chevrolet V8 1:04.123
32 Ron Dykes * (F5000) 5-litre Lola T192 [HU30] – Chevrolet V8 1:04.124
33 Gary Wilson (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU52] – Chevrolet V8 1:04.466
34 Bob Allen (F5000) 5-litre Eagle 74A [002] – Chevrolet V8 1:04.793
35 Arlon J. Koops * (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330 [HU20] – Chevrolet V8 1:07.125
36 Skeeter McKitterick (F5000) 5-litre Chevron B24/B28 [24-73-05A] – Chevrolet V8 1:07.266 1:05.55
37 Dick Kantrud (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330/T332 [HU15] – Chevrolet V8 1:09.357
38 Rodney Green * (F5000) 5-litre McRae GM1 [010] – Chevrolet V8 1:15.536
39 George Follmer * (F5000) 5-litre Lance LSR1 – Chevrolet V8 1:24.258
40 Garth Pollard * (F5000) 5-litre Lola T300 [HU10] – Chevrolet V8 No time
* Did not start