OCTOBER 30, 1976 AUTOWEEK PAGE 3

Rouff, Wentz Tie In Indylantic Series

Despite fining and endorsing the li.-
cense of Wentz, the Stewards did not see
fit to remove any of the winner' s first
place points.
Tony Roufi won the final round of the
Indylantic series for Formula Atlantic
cars Oct. 16 and tied for the series point
lead with rival American Ted Wentz.
Rouff, a 29-year-old native of Costa
Mesa, California, and an Autoweek corre-
spondent, led Mike King in a Lola T360 by
.4 second at the finish. King, driving
Wentz's 1975 championship-winning car,
was subbing for Tony Trimmer, who is in
Japan to test the new Maki Formula One
car.
King was followed by Alo Lawler,
Derek Cook, Steve Carvill and Phil Dow-
sett.
The race started with Wentz on the pole
position and Rouff on the outside. At the
drop of the flag, the pair pulled away from
the line together before Wentz's Swan
Lager Lola T460 snapped a driveshaft200
yards down the track. Rouff seized his
opportunity to move ahead and promptly
pulled out a four second lead in his
Netherton and Worth Boxer PR276A.
Meanwhile, Wentz's abrupt halt at the
head of the pack precipitated a four car
shunt. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Rouff was able to maintain a comfor-
table lead for much of the race and set the
fastest lap.
Holley To Make Original
Equipment Carb For Pontiac Four
WARREN, Mich.-Holley Carburetor
di vision of Colt Industries has announced
that it will furnish as original equipment
a new staged two-barrel carburetor for
use on Pontiac's new 2.5 liter four cylin-
der engine, to debut in 1977.
The new powerplant is the first to be
designed specifically for improved emis-
sion control by Pontiac and will be used in
selected Astre, Sunbird, and Ventura
models
The Holley 5210C carburetor features a
fully electric choke. The company claims
this feature promotes faster cold weather
starts, improved drive ability during war-
mup, and lower exhaust emissions dur-
ing the choke portion of the emission test
cycle.
It also uses four basic metering sys-
tems for greater fuel metering flexibility.
A separate idle system provides proper
fuel-air mixture for beth idle arid low
speed performance. The main metering
system provides an economical mixture
for all normal cruising speeds. A me-
chanically operated acceleration system,
in conjunction with the power enrich-
ment system, provides uniform perfor-
mance during periods of moderate to
heavy acceleration.
In addition, the carburetor is designed
with the primary bore slightly smaller
than the secondary bore, for better emis-
sion control and economy.
Other features of the 5210C include a
special check valve fuel inlet filter that
limits fuel spillage in case of rollover, an
electric bowl vent and hot idle compensa-
tion for better hot weather starts.
LATE NEWS
Continued From Page 1
ABC's televised racing coverage.
Buddy Baker has Signed again with Bud Moore for next year's
NASCAR season, but reportedly without Norris Industries
sponsorship. Baker currently is sixth in this year's NASCAR
standings.
The Formula One driver switch gossip mill grinds on, spewing
out the following speculations: Vittorio Brambilla to Surtees. Clay
Regazzoni to March, Alan Jones to McLaren, James Hunt to March,
and a long shot-Gilles Villeneuve to Williams.
Meanwhile on the U.S. car sales front, sales are showing the
impact of the UAW strike, with sales in general off 5.4%, and Ford
sales off 320/0. GM sales are up 8%, Chrysler sales are up 5%, and
Ford's market share is now down to 200/0, compared to a normal
28%.
A record $134,027 in contingency and manufacturers support
money has been posted for the 1976 Champion Spark Plug Road
Racing Classic being staged at Road Atlanta Oct. 25-31. An
additional $45,000 posted by the SCCA in travel fund money and
$15,000 posted by Road Atlanta for lodging expenses brings the
total available to competitors to $194,027.
And speaking off the SC CA runoffs, Syndicast Services, which
produces the Johnny Rutherford-narrated series "The Racers,"
will film two 30-minute segments for 1977 play at the runoffs this
year.
The IMSA Radial Challenge 1976 Manufacturers Champion-
ship comes down to a battle between the Dodge Colt and the Datsun
B210, separated by a paltry two points. The deciding race will be the
series final at Daytona Nov. 21.
If you liked David Hobbs' television commentary during the
USGP you'll be delighted to learn that Hobbs will help the CBS
crew broadcast the USAC Champ Car event at Texas World
Speedway Oct. 31 and the NASCAR Dixie 500 Nov. 7.
The Chevrolet Vega and Pontiac Astre now look to be
continued through the 1978 model year. There had been corporate
talk about killing those two models (really, the same car with a few
cosmetic differences) at the end of this model year.
The Chevrolet Division of General Motors now is selling one
truck for every two cars it sells. In the middle 10 days of October it
moved 35,786 trucks, a 300/0 increase over the old record, set in 1973.
, The Grand Prix last weekend was the first GP this
y.ear il'l' whichaH !runners were not, on Goodyear tires. The' two
Japanese entries were the odd men out, with Hasemi's Kojima
wearing Dunlop skins, and the car ofTakahari using Bridgestones.
IMSA regular Gene Felton will pilot Junie Donleavy's
NASCAR Ford in the Dixie 500 in Atlanta Nov. 7.
After the race Tony was asked if he was
sorry he had won without arch-rival
Wentz on the track.
"Not at all," replied Rouff. "Ted's won
before without me on the track."
Wentz, it will be remembered, has run
afoul of Tony and the Stewards on two
prior occasions. The first incident oc-
cured at the Thruxton round in August.
Ted was reprimanded by the stewards for
attempting a flying pass of race leader
Rouff and pushing him off the track in the
process.
At the October 3 Indylantic round at
Brands Hatch, Wentz was again repri-
manded after a controversial pass of
Rouff, who again was leading.
Wentz was fined his first-prize money
of 350 pounds (about $570) and had his
competition license endorsed after testi-
mony from the Chief Flag Marshall, who
maintained Wentz pushed Rouff off
course after he was continually unable to
get by.
The Boxer team has appealed the ruling
to the R.A.C.
The decision of the R.A.C. may well
decide who is awarded the championship.
Prior to the Oulton Park event, counting
first place points from Brands Hatch,
Wentz led by 25. Although he scored five
' points for pole position in today's event,
by virtue of a win and fast race lap Rouff
earned 30 points and the rivals have tied.
Earlier, Rouff had predicted the series
would go right down to the wire and he
would be first across. True to prediction,
the Californian was first across the line
today, but he was wrong on one account;
this is a series that will go past the wire.
According to R.A.C. rules, the series
will be awarded to Wentz as he has won
more races if his points from the con-
troversial Brands Hatch race are allowed
to stand. Otherwise, the series belongs to
Rouff.
The appeal is expected to be heard
within three weeks.
Hydrogen Bus Is Featured
AHraction At Energy Fair
By Walt Woron
LOS ANGELES-The great challenge
of the '70s-extending well into the next
century-is that of energy, said Los
Angeles mayor Tom Bradley in endors-
ing Energy Fair '76, "the first show of its
kiJ;ld in the nation."
Highlighted were exhibits, open to both
the industry and the public of all types of
alternative energy sources, including
F 1 Promoters
Organize
battery power. Since it wa's intended to
encompass all industries that consume or
produce energy-including the building
trade, stationary power plants and
transportation-there was everything
from "pyramid power" to wind machines
and from fiberglass insulation to solid
waste conversion.
Of interest to the automotive public
were a hydrogen bus, three electric
vehicles, a Subaru-powered sports car
built by Western Washington State Col-
lege and several accessories and modifi-
cations said to increase fuel economy.
An elec.triccarbq.Uderwho hopes to go
into productiollby the end of November
was inviting dealer inquiries and urging
customers to give "a $550 down payment
Formula One race organizers currently (to) give you a low serial number produc-
are considering the formation of a com- tion model.' Total cost of the vehicle is
pany that would have as its prime objec- $5500, f.o.b. San Diego.
tive the stabilization of the rising costs of The prototype of Electric Passenger
Formula One Grands Prix, Autoweek has Car's "Hummingbird" displayed was a
learned. VW Thing. The company hopes to pro-
The company, which would be called duce about 30 a month, but Peter H. Rubie,
World Championship Racing, is the president, said, "A lot depends on Volk-
brainchild of one Patrick Duffeler, late of swagen of Mexico." When imported the
the Marlboro Fl effort. Details at this cars will be complete except for engine.
point seem sketchy, but what does seem The standard gearbox and clutch are
clear is that a primary objective will be to connected to the electric motor and will
freeze the going price paid the Formula provide a total of eight speeds.
One Constructors' Assn. for an Fl event at The 10 golf cart-type batteries are split
$285,000, the amount the Constructors between the engine compartment and the
asked for-and got-for races this year. trunk. There will be an onboard charger
The constructors already have gone which can be plugged into a 115-volt
record as wishing to up the ante to outlet. Range before recharging becomes
$350,000 for each race next year. Accord- necessary is said to be 55 miles. A top
ing to Autoweek sources Duffeler will speed of 55mph is claimed for the 3100 lb.
meet with representatives of the Con- car with four persons aboard. That com-
structors in November to try to negotiate pares to about 68mph for the standard
a deal satisfactory to everybody. like-loaded (2600 lb.) VW Thing.
In a related move, the CSI recently Another electric car was a 1912 Baker,
voted to expand the number of Formula used by International Rectifier, El Segun-
One events necessary to qualify the do, Calif. to the use of solar
series as a World Championship from six energy. The original car, they point out, at
to two-thirds of the events listed on the a weight of 1200 Ibs. with 12 batteries and
CSI calendar. The implication here is that a three horsepower motor, was capable of
if the race organizers are successful in only 20m ph over a range of 50 miles.
consolidating their efforts, and if the Using a solar panel that generates 100
Constructors' Assn. cannot come to terms watts at 170 volts and their own new
with them on at least 10Fl events, the motor that reduces power loss from
series will lose its World Championship dissipation of heatfrom60%down to 10%,
status and the Constructors could stand a they say the car can travel. at a speed of
chance of losing sponsorship money that 60mph over a 50-to-60-mile range.
is interested only in World Championship The hydrogen bus was the second of
racing. such buses converted from a 19-
Among the items discussed at the passenger Winnebag9 by ' Bill-
November meeting, according . ings 'F;nergy' CQrp., first
munique issued by Duffeler in Japan, will traritnt;btlS-onaI3-
be "the respect of the spirit and terms of mile route from there to Orem. The one on
the three-year accord reached at - the .dis.pJaY,Jl.LEnergyFair was later deliv-
Brussels meeting of November 15, 1975, ered to the city of Riverside, Calif. for a
held under the aegis of the CSI; the non- one-year transit test.
interference from pressure groups in the The Chrysler 440cid-engine was
organizing sporting of Fl verted to run on hydrogen by replacing
events," and "the strict adherence to the the carburetor and fuelI:i"ump with a
sporting regulations whicll .hav8, been modif,iecl,Impco propane mixer and regu-
enacted after consultation with all parties lator, upping the comp:ression ratio to 12-
concerned." Continued On Next Page