fbpx

West Coast

16. Oct 2022 
by Pierre Van Vliet
7612 views

One year before the first Formula One Grand Prix at Long Beach, a Formula 5000 race was organised in September 1975, in order to homologate the track situated close to the Pacific Ocean. A beautiful field of 40 cars forced promoter Chris Pook to organise two qualifying rounds and one feature race.

On this image, one can observe the two Shadow DN6‘s powered by Dodge engines of Jackie Oliver (#0 in the foreground) and of Tom Pryce (#00 just behind), on the grid: the Welch driver, seen here on the foreground holding his helmet, will finish third in the first round, behind the Lola T332 Chevrolet of winner Tony Brise (Theodore Racing) and the second placed Mario Andretti (Vel’s Parnelli Jones Racing).

The second round was dominated by the Lola-Chevys of Al Unser (Parnelli), Brian Redman (Haas) and Jody Scheckter (Hogan), the final being won by Brian Redman in front of Vern Schuppan (Eagle).

A few months later, everything was ready for Long Beach to welcome the Formula 1, and Clay Regazzoni won the first US Grand Prix West, aboard his Ferrari 312 T2.

Source: Victor M. Oliver

Leave a comment