#7 Watson, Brabham-Alfa, Q 3 F 12; #26 Laffite Ligier-Matra, Q 10 F7
Today, Sep 20, is the premier of Ron Howard’s film “Rush” in the US. I understand that Rush premiered Sep 13 in the UK, and possibly other markets. It chronicles James Hunt’s only F1 championship. Niki Lauda bookended Hunt’s win in’ 76 with F1 championships in “75 and ‘77. But Hunt claims to have bedded more young nubile chickie babes in that time than did Lauda. Lauda disputes this according to the latest issue of AutoWeek.
I love the tire sizes back then. Made race cars look like race cars. Thanks Bernie Ecclestone for effing us on this.
Unfortunately I didn’t attend an F1 event in ‘76. Possibly because I married the lusty Sue shortly after the the US GP at Watkins Glen, New York in early October. We had a three week honeymoon planned in our ‘72 Fiat 128 to the western states. Sue accompanied me to the ‘77 US GP as she had once before.
All photos shot with an Olympus OM 1 with Olympus 200 or 300 mm lenses on Kodak Ektachrome (bad decision). It was a dark and rainy day.
#1 Hunt McLaren-Ford
James Hunt found time amongst his philandering in 1976 to win the F1 championship. That would not happen again for this fantastic talent. Although he finished first at The Glen in ‘77, Lauda won the ‘77 championship.
#5 Andretti Lotus-Ford Q4 F 2
After winning the Daytona 500 in ‘67 and Indy 500 in ‘69, Mario had set his sights on F1 driving for Colin Chapman at Lotus. In 1977 Andretti finished 2nd in the F1 championship. He would win the title the following year, only the second “Merican” to accomplish this feat since Phil Hill in 1961. Dan Gurney was the first US driver/constructor to win an F1 race at Spa in 1967. More to follow at a later date.
Interesting aside: Up until about the mid to late ’60s, the general convention at Indianapolis was to name all cars “Specials”. Possibly Colin Chapman’s association with the Brickyard played a part in this car’s appellation.
Schecter #20 Wolf-Ford, Q 9 F 3
Jody Schecter, a spectacular South African talent, won the F1 championship in 1979. At the Glen in ‘77 he would finish 3rd driving a Wolf-Ford. In 1977 Schecter won GPs in Argentina, Monaco, and Canada. These were the only wins Wolf Racing would have.
Wolf Racing was owned by Walter Wolf, a Canadian, but operated out of England. The team won the first GP they entered, the 1977 Argentinian GP. The team’s last race was the 1979 US GP. Wolf sold his operation to Emerson Fittipaldi.
#22 Regazzoni Q19 F 5; #7 Watson Q 3 F 12
Clay Regazzoni qualified 19th but finished 5th in this Tissot Ensign-Ford.
#4 Lauda Ferrari Q 7 F 4
The Austrian Lauda won the F1 title in 1975 and ‘77, in spite of not driving in the final two races in ‘77. Having clinched the ‘77 F1 championship with two races to go. Lauda, who had no love for Enzo Ferrari, told him to eff-off. Ferrari was well known for its disdain for his drivers, and drivers more often than not reciprocated.
#4 Depailler Tyrrell-Ford Q 8 F14
Everyone was mesmerized by the Tyrrell P34. I think that we all wanted it to do well, but good wishes weren’t enough. Although the Tyrrell P34 won the Swedish Grand Prix in 1976 (finishing 1-2 with Schecter and Depailler), similar results were not to happen for Tyrrell thereafter.
#12 Carlos Reutemann, Q 6 F 6
Lauda’s Ferrari team mate, Carlos Reutemann, started 6th and finished 6th. Reutemann raced in F1 from 1972 through 1982. He qualified on the pole six times, and won 12 times. He drove for Martini, Ferrari, Williiams, and TAG among others. After racing he became an Argentinian politician. What’s worse-politics or racing for Enzo?
#1 Hunt McClaren-Ford, Q 1 F1, #7 Watson Brabaham-Alfa, Q 3 F 12
John Watson, the Northern Irish Brabham driver, finished two laps down to Hunt. Watson won five GPs during his career. His best finish in the standings was third for McLaren in 1982.
#5 Andretti Lotus-Ford, Q 4 F 2
I don’t recall it raining heavily that day, but obviously rain was present as evidenced by the spectators clad in rain gear and Andrettiti’s opposite lock attitude here. The photos also make it clear that at treaded tires were used.
#5 Andretti; #12 Reutemann; #7 Watson
Andretti passes both Reutemann and Watson.
#3 Peterson Tyrrell-Ford Q 5 F 16; #2 Mass Q 15 DNF
#28 Fittipaldi, Q 18 F 18
The Fittipaldi Automotive chassis (sometimes called a Copersucar) fielded cars for Emerson Fittipaldi from 1976 through 1982. It scored a total of three podiums during that time but no wins. Fittipaldi went on to drive, with considerably more success, for Roger Penske in CART.
#24 Keegan Hesketh-Ford Q 20 F 8
Rupert Keegan drove this Hesketh 308E for Hesketh Racing, a team put together by Lord Hesketh and Anthony ‘Bubbles’ Horsley. Hesketh Racing had one GP win with James Hunt at the wheel in the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix. After his GP days, Keegan spent some time in CART and endurance racing. Hesketh blew his inheritance on high times, fast women and fast cars, but would till appear to be a member of Parliament.
#15 Jaboulle, Q 14 DNF
Jean-Pierre Jabouille picked up two GP wins for Renault. Today would not be one of those occasions. The engineer lasted only 30 laps before his alternator packed it up.
#8 Stuck Brabham-Alfa, Q 2 DNF
Hans-Joachim Stuck was a successful touring car driver for both Ford and BMW. In his 74 GP starts he had two podiums but no wins. He had completed only 14 laps at The Glen before becoming involved in an accident which ended his day.
#4 Depailler Q 8 F 14; #1 Hunt Q 1 F 1
Despite starting the race in eighth, Patrick Depailler finished the race three laps down in 14th. Here he is being passed by James Hunt putting him another lap down.
#26 Laffite, #18 Binder, #5 Andretti, #4 Lauda
This is when I start sounding like an old fart (which I am). When the US GP ran at The Glen, the entire 3.4 mile (5.4 km) track was used. I took all of my photos from Turns 6 through 7. Today, of course, F1 no longer runs at The Glen (fu Bernie), only sports cars and NASCAR. NASCAR only runs the short course, cutting out “the boot”, Turns 6 through 9, which offered some of the best vantage points, and photo ops of all of the tracks that I have been to. Any guesses as to owns The Glen these days? If you said ISC, you win! And if you also said that ISC is wholly owned by NASCAR, you get bonus points. Let’s see, if we eliminate the esses and Turn 10, we practically have an oval!
My 1972 Fiat 128 at The Glen
Motels book early on race weekends, especially when the GP circus is in town. So my wife and I, like so many others, simply reclined the seats in our car and spent the night there. As I recall, camping was $5 for the weekend.
Hunt had his priorities straight: Dollies first, F1 championship second.
“Rush” begins limited release today, general release next weekend. Unfortunately for me, the Richmond area doesn’t get it’s first showing until 8pm on Thursday the 26th. Maggie and I will be there.
First review I’ve read of the movie was in this morning’s Wall Street Journal and was quite good, the only complaint is that Ron Howard, as usual, downplayed art in favor of commerce. Er, isn’t that why his movies have been so successful? High quality, good scripts, yet the punter in the seats can understand and be entertained by what’s going on on the screen?
Really, really looking forward to seeing the film after having gone thru all the previews. To those born after 1970, yes, that’s how we lived back then. Sex was a lot of fun when you didn’t have to worry about dying from it, and the first practical result of feminism is that women didn’t feel obligated to automatically say “no” anymore.
One of my few regrets of the period is that, although I followed F1 religiously, I never managed to get to a race. And television coverage was incredibly spotty. Print media, other than what hard core racing mags were out there, gave the sport only occasional coverage.
I had a crush on James Hunt and the other playboy racer Barry Sheene.The 6 wheeled car was eventually banned and Lord Hesketh blew the rest of his money building the Hesketh motorcycle an expensive dud which sure enough found few takers.
You know that, if you want, you can buy a brand new Hesketh, built to order today. With all the retro-fitted transmission fixes. A sad ending to the bike that, back in 1984, was going to be the savior of the British motorcycle industry.
The Hesketh motorcycle ended up generating a great bit of humor regarding the new definition of heaven/hell: The press-tested prototype/the production model.
Just the same, the world is a much poorer place without the like of Lord Hesketh and those of his mind.
No thanks,if I want a big V twin it’d be a Sportster or Bolt.
Great pix and recap of the race (well, season I guess). It’s great to see these old photos come out and be enjoyed by everyone. I’ve seen a few of these cars run at the Monterey Historics over the years where you can get up close in the paddock, wonderful to see how they really sometimes look like they were practically put together in a shed. Also, there are definitely noticeable differences in construction quality between the teams with more funding compared to the more shoestring operations.
Thanks! Hopefully you have more of these to share down the road.
Of course I’m a gear-head. That’s why I read this blog religiously. I got my provisional driver’s license in 1975. At the time my father drove a BMW 3.0 (a Bavaria with power windows and leather seats). In April of that year I found an immaculate 1971 BMW 1600 (a 2002 with a smaller engine) and Dad let me purchase it even though I had only a “learner’s permit.” It turned out he actually enjoyed driving it too. Surprise!
That preamble leads to the fact that I was a big fan of racing and more so F1 than other forms. I was though a big fan of Indy and A. J. Foyt being a native Houstonian as well. I followed Hunt’s and Lauda’s exploits closely. I really got a kick out of what Alexander Lord Hesketh was pulling off too. “Squandered his fortune?” I think that is a matter of opinion 🙂 I’m really looking forward to the release of Rush locally.
By the way in 1975-76 I happened to wear my blond hair about the same way Hunt wore his (not that I was weird for James Hunt, it was just the ‘style’ then). My father, who was cool enough to drive a BMW before 320i’s and sorority girls ruined it for everybody else, thought my long hair was abominable. He didn’t rant and insult me but he never missed an opportunity to tease (pardon the pun) me about my “mane.”
Oh, and, Kevin, great pix and captions. I really enjoyed it.
Along the lines of he spent his money on high times, fast women and fast cars, the rest he wasted?
I ran across this area by accident while on vacation. Knew nothing about it and don’t know much now. The area is beautiful. My personal highlight is the Curtis aviation and motorcycle museum. Wouldn’t mind going back at all.
Wasn’t Curtis involved in some financial scandal with Packard around the time of Packard’s demise?
Thanks for sharing. The picture of your car confirms what I have been told about the mud in the parking and spectator areas that the USGP was known for. The Renault Renault is a favorite of mine and I wonder if you or anyone else in 77 could have predicted the turbo formula would rise to dominance over the next 5 years.
And are my memories correct of The Bog, and the drunken fans burning a bus in The Bog one year?
I have a coworker from Elmira, New York, who swears that all the Bog stories are true. And yes, the Bog Critters barbecued a bus at (I think) the ’69 race, the first victory for Rindt. Never got up there, sure wish I had.
Nice pics. For what it’s worth, the initial team that Carlos Reutemann drove for was Brabham. Martini was merely the title sponsor at the time. Also, the six-wheel Tyrrell P34 that you mentioned was quite competitive in ’76. Problem was that the front tires were never developed any further and so they could never keep pace with the more conventionally engineered four-wheel brethren!
Wolf Racing may have had some motorcycle involvement as well. I have seen several of grey import Canadian spec Suzuki RG500 Gammas with Wolf Racing livery. BTW the RG500 is worth a quick writeup since it is copy of Suzuki’s GP bike circa 1980 powered by a 500cc 2 stroke square 4 with disc valve induction.
While I never made it to the Glen, my childhood includes fond memories of IMSA GTA and Showroom Stock racing at Lime Rock in the mid 70s.
I did go to the Curtiss Musuem and a Bully Hill Winery ox roast when I went to college in the Southern Tier.
I attended the 1978 USGP at Watkins glen. I drove my 1971 MBG up from New Brunswick, NJ where I was in my Junior Year at Rutgers College.
It was a little muddy, rained a little and yes, a few cars got burned in “The Bog”. I saw them being towed out on Sunday morning. Since I knew nothing about the history of the place, I thanked my lucky stars for not parking there.
I rented a room from a nice couple in Watkins Glen for my lodging. My parents’ didn’t want me sleeping in the car.
I’ve got some unscanned photos. If I ever scan them, I’ll post them.
I think it’s Lunger in the background of the penultimate shot
Was there for 76 77 78. Great times did need a tow in 77. Camped in my van loved the Kodak tent lots of great tech help. Unfortunately I don’t know how to post slide images. Burned 20 rolls of Koda chrome each race great stories and great memories