The History of Formula 5000

Formula 5000, a brief history.

For 1965, the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) created three new single-seater formula. Formula A, for 3-litre racing engines, Formula B (later know as Formula Atlantic) for 1.6-litre production-based engines and Formula C for 1.1-litre engines. Formula A matched the new regulations for Formula 1 but it struggled to raise any worthwhile entries in its first few seasons. The SCCA national championship for Formula A was not even competed in 1965 so the first national champion in Formula A was Harry McIntosh in 1966 who beat a small field in his ex-F1 Brabham. The following year Chuck Kirkbride won in a Lotus 24 but he was the only finisher in his class and three laps behind the leading Formula B car. A lucrative professional series was started in 1967 but this was dominated by Formula B cars.

For 1968, the SCCA opened up Formula A to stock block engines of up to five litres, thus allowing the 302ci Chevrolet engine to become the engine of choice. major manufacturers built cars for the 5-litre rules, notibly Eagle, winners in 1968 and 1969: McLaren, winners with the M10B in 1970 and 1971: and Lola, whose T330/T332 range dominated from 1973 to 1976. Here in New Zealand, George Begg built a number of F5000 cars, FM2, FM4, FM5, and his last car the 018. Graham McRae constructed and raced the very successful McRae GM1. 14 were built in Australia local constructors were Elfin, MR5, ML6, MR8, and the MR9 (the only fround effects F5000 built) and Matich, A50, A51, A52 and the A53.

Meanwhile, a British F5000 series had been launched in 1969 and the South African, New Zealand and Australian national championships were opened to F5000 cars in 1968, 1969 and 1970 respectively.

After six seasons where F5000 racing seemed to have taken over the world, the decline was very rapid. The South Africans went first, adopting Formual Atlantic for 1976, New Zealand went the same way early in 1976, the US series was dropped at the end of that year and the British series turned into the British F1 series in 1977 and wouldn't allow F5000 cars to compete after 1978. Australia continued with F5000 until early 1982.

The US Formula 5000 series was replaced by Single Seat Can-Am for 1977. This allowed owners of F5000 cars to rebody them and continue racing. Re-bodied Lola T330/T332 cars continued to race up to 1986.

Today, a number of owners now race these cars in the Tasman Revival Series in New Zealand, Australia and other historic events around the world, competeing on the circuits that made these cars famous during their hey day.

This article reproduced with thanks to OldRacingcars.com