1973  Formula 5000

       Carling  Lola T-330,  cont.

Mid-Ohio

    Kas Kastner was the overall team manager for Roy Woods Racing.  Roy had an Indy Eagle and a Can Am McLaren M20 for David Hobbs.  We beat him and Bret Lunger at Riverside, the first race.  I was able to do Carling commercials at Ontario in the Indy Eagle, my only chance in the car.  No chance of getting an Indy ride.

     The Formula 5000 Carling Lola T330 was considered last on the totem pole.  No offense to Poles everywhere.  Although Kas and I went back many years to the Triumph days and group 44, he saw the Indy and Can Am series as more important. 

    I managed to be somewhat competitive during the season despite the Lola breaking such things as a front shock/spring tower that collapsed at mid-Ohio under braking.  A rear axle broke at Watkins Glen going up the hill, turning me hard right into the guard rail not far from where Francois Cevert lost his life in a F1 Tyrrell.  I was given a ride back by Australian Frank Matich while hanging onto his roll bar and straddling the engine bay.  That must have been a sight, sure wish we had some photos of that.  The Matich 5000 car looked like a McLaren prototype in orange colors with a Holden engine.  Great guy, designer, lovely wife.

    Watkins Glen is where Jody Schecter got into a Lola for the first time, after he crashed his Trojan.  He was awesome after his crew changed engines and set the suspension in a back marker Lola.  Jody broke the existing Formula 1 lap record by 1-1/2 seconds.  Everyone was astonished, including Mark Donohue with his AMC powered trick Lola with Formula B rear tires on the front to compensate for understeer.  I asked Mark if he was really trying hard.  His response was: "I never tried so F##king hard in my life!"

     I knew then that Jody was destined to be great; and of course later with Ferrari he became F1 World Champion.  I was privileged to be on the front grid beside him at Mid Ohio.  We had some formidable drivers behind us:  Donohue, Redman, Hobbs, Lunger, EFR and more.  Takes my breath away thinking back.  My car gave out with the limited slip chicklets going away, so I got to watch Brian Redman and Jody interlock wheels during the race.

Posed heading the wrong direction in the Riverside esses with Turn 6 stands in background

Tony Adamowicz, Gary Wheeler, Tony a2z, Tony Adamowics, a2zRacer, Gary Wheeler, Tony Adamowicz

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Michigan International Speedway

Tony's Lola - from the same vantage point at Michigan International Speedway

The starting grid at 1973 Mid-Ohio F-5000 race.