A look back: 1975 Laguna Seca F5000 Race

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, 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