I had a nice phone call from John Starkey, the Foremost Lola Historian, and the Author of several great Lola books, today who found some further documents that clarify the History of my Lola.
SL71/32.
Sold to Roger Penske in mid 1966 with Hewland gearbox number: LG 500-48, (but no noted engine), from John Mecom, the Lola distributor from Houston, Texas.
SL71/32 was Roger Penske’s second T70 for Mark Donohue, the first, SL71/21 having been crashed and burned at Watkins Glen. The development of /32 is well documented in Donohue’s “The Unfair Advantage”.
Briefly, Donohue won his first USRRC race with it at Kent, Washington in July, 1966 and it then did the Can Am season, which started in September. Donohue won at Mosport, and then took a further third place and two fourths.
Afterwards, /32 went to Nassau in December where Donohue won again.
SL71/32 was, in all likelihood used by the Penske/Donohue team for the 1967 USRRC Championship.
We believe, taking all the evidence into account, that SL71/32 was involved in a tire testing accident in July 1967 at Riverside, which resulted in her being "pensioned off" and SL71/47, (bought from Norman Smith in August, 1967), taking her place. SL71/32 was then repaired and, in January, 1968. SL71/32 was sold to John Meyer in March, 1968, who raced it successfully in SCCA races in 1968 and 1969, setting the all-time record at the Mount Equinox hillclimb.
In 1970, John Meyer sold /32 to Philip Vanscoy-Smith, who sold it to the present owner and who had it couped and has driven it over 20,000 miles on the road.
The present owner got the set up papers from Penske Racing and John Meyer when he bought the car. (There was no chassis plate, that was sent by Lola cars later on).
Jim Hall saw it at Goodwood in 1998 and said that he put the spoiler on it.
Eno Di Pasquale, Lola mechanic,.remembered it as being: “The car used by Donohue, I was present when it was being sold to John Meyer”.
1966: USRRC Season.
30/7: Kent, Washington, USRRC: Donohue;1st O.A.
To Jim Hall’s for tests and adjustments. Front airdam and rear spoiler fitted.
29/8: Mid-Ohio. USRRC: Donohue; DNF.
1966 Can Am Season:
11/9: Can-Am Round 1. Mont Tremblant-St Jovite: Donohue, #6; DNF.
18/9: Can-Am Round 2. Bridgehampton: Donohue, #6; 5th.
24/9: Can-Am Round 3. Mosport. Canadian G.P, #6; Donohue; 1st.
16/10: Can-Am Round 4. Laguna Seca: Donohue, #61; 4th.
30/10: Can-Am Round 5. Riverside: Donohue, #61; 4th.
13/11: Can-Am Round 6. Las Vegas. Stardust G.P. .Las Vegas: Donohue, #61; 3rd.
9/12: Governor’s and Tourist Trophy, Nassau Bahamas: Donohue, #7; DNF
12/12: Nassau Tropy, Bahamas: M. Donohue, #7; 1st.
1967 USRRC: (Donohue won the Championship).
23/4: Stardust Raceway, Las Vegas. USRRC. Donohue. 1st.
30/4: Riverside, USRRC. Donohue. 1st.
07/5. Laguna Seca, USRRC. Donohue. 3rd.
21/5: Bridgehampton. USRRC. Donohue. 1st.
25/6: Watkins Glen G.P. USRRC. Donohue. 1st.
18/7: Pacific Raceways. USRRC. Donohue. 1st.
1967:
??/7: Riverside: Firestone tire tests. Crashed.Repaired.
1968: January: Sold to John V. (Jack) Meyer from Connecticut who raced the car in SCCA and Can-Am races in late 1960's. Won SCCA 1968/9 ‘A’ Championship.
1968: 1st at Mount Equinox hillclimb,(all-time record).
1970: Sold to Philip Vanscoy- Smith. Still retained Sunoco blue paintwork,
1971: Sold to present owner.
Re-bodied with coupe bodywork. Blue. Used on the road.
2003: Chassis rebuilt with all new panels. Original bulkheads kept.
I will have her at Quail for those out there in August.
SL71/32.
Sold to Roger Penske in mid 1966 with Hewland gearbox number: LG 500-48, (but no noted engine), from John Mecom, the Lola distributor from Houston, Texas.
SL71/32 was Roger Penske’s second T70 for Mark Donohue, the first, SL71/21 having been crashed and burned at Watkins Glen. The development of /32 is well documented in Donohue’s “The Unfair Advantage”.
Briefly, Donohue won his first USRRC race with it at Kent, Washington in July, 1966 and it then did the Can Am season, which started in September. Donohue won at Mosport, and then took a further third place and two fourths.
Afterwards, /32 went to Nassau in December where Donohue won again.
SL71/32 was, in all likelihood used by the Penske/Donohue team for the 1967 USRRC Championship.
We believe, taking all the evidence into account, that SL71/32 was involved in a tire testing accident in July 1967 at Riverside, which resulted in her being "pensioned off" and SL71/47, (bought from Norman Smith in August, 1967), taking her place. SL71/32 was then repaired and, in January, 1968. SL71/32 was sold to John Meyer in March, 1968, who raced it successfully in SCCA races in 1968 and 1969, setting the all-time record at the Mount Equinox hillclimb.
In 1970, John Meyer sold /32 to Philip Vanscoy-Smith, who sold it to the present owner and who had it couped and has driven it over 20,000 miles on the road.
The present owner got the set up papers from Penske Racing and John Meyer when he bought the car. (There was no chassis plate, that was sent by Lola cars later on).
Jim Hall saw it at Goodwood in 1998 and said that he put the spoiler on it.
Eno Di Pasquale, Lola mechanic,.remembered it as being: “The car used by Donohue, I was present when it was being sold to John Meyer”.
1966: USRRC Season.
30/7: Kent, Washington, USRRC: Donohue;1st O.A.
To Jim Hall’s for tests and adjustments. Front airdam and rear spoiler fitted.
29/8: Mid-Ohio. USRRC: Donohue; DNF.
1966 Can Am Season:
11/9: Can-Am Round 1. Mont Tremblant-St Jovite: Donohue, #6; DNF.
18/9: Can-Am Round 2. Bridgehampton: Donohue, #6; 5th.
24/9: Can-Am Round 3. Mosport. Canadian G.P, #6; Donohue; 1st.
16/10: Can-Am Round 4. Laguna Seca: Donohue, #61; 4th.
30/10: Can-Am Round 5. Riverside: Donohue, #61; 4th.
13/11: Can-Am Round 6. Las Vegas. Stardust G.P. .Las Vegas: Donohue, #61; 3rd.
9/12: Governor’s and Tourist Trophy, Nassau Bahamas: Donohue, #7; DNF
12/12: Nassau Tropy, Bahamas: M. Donohue, #7; 1st.
1967 USRRC: (Donohue won the Championship).
23/4: Stardust Raceway, Las Vegas. USRRC. Donohue. 1st.
30/4: Riverside, USRRC. Donohue. 1st.
07/5. Laguna Seca, USRRC. Donohue. 3rd.
21/5: Bridgehampton. USRRC. Donohue. 1st.
25/6: Watkins Glen G.P. USRRC. Donohue. 1st.
18/7: Pacific Raceways. USRRC. Donohue. 1st.
1967:
??/7: Riverside: Firestone tire tests. Crashed.Repaired.
1968: January: Sold to John V. (Jack) Meyer from Connecticut who raced the car in SCCA and Can-Am races in late 1960's. Won SCCA 1968/9 ‘A’ Championship.
1968: 1st at Mount Equinox hillclimb,(all-time record).
1970: Sold to Philip Vanscoy- Smith. Still retained Sunoco blue paintwork,
1971: Sold to present owner.
Re-bodied with coupe bodywork. Blue. Used on the road.
2003: Chassis rebuilt with all new panels. Original bulkheads kept.
I will have her at Quail for those out there in August.
