Race Hamilton, also known as the Labatt's Hamilton Championship, was a 1978 auto race held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada featuring a round of the Formula Atlantic Labatt Championship Series. The event featured future driving stars Bobby Rahal, Keke Rosberg and Danny Sullivan competing for $10,000 in first-place prize money.[1]

Labatt's Hamilton Championship
Atlantic Championship
LocationHamilton, Ontario, Canada
43°15′21″N 79°52′23″W / 43.25583°N 79.87306°W / 43.25583; -79.87306
Corporate sponsorLabatt Brewing Company
First race1978
First Atlantic Championship race1978
Last race1978
Laps39
Duration47m 24.585s
Most wins (driver)Finland Keke Rosberg (1)
Most wins (team)Excita/Fred Opert Racing (1)
Most wins (manufacturer)Chevron B45 - Ford (1)
Circuit information
SurfaceAsphalt
Length1.3 mi (2.1 km)
Turns10
Lap record1m05.964s (Price Cobb, March 78B - Ford, 1978, Formula Atlantic)

The race took place on August 7 on a 2.092 km (1.30 miles), 10 turn temporary street circuit in downtown Hamilton with the start/finish line located between the Hamilton City Hall and the Art Gallery of Hamilton.[2]

The race attracted an estimated 60,000 fans, half of those watched for free from the roofs of surrounding buildings and by breaking down barriers.[3][4] After a five-hour delay due to insurance issues with the safety barriers around the course, only 39 of the scheduled 73 laps took place due to darkness. Only 16 of the 29 cars entered, completed the race.[5]

Race results

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Pos No. Driver Team Chassis/Engine Laps Time Speed
1 4   Keke Rosberg Excita/Fred Opert Racing Chevron B45 - Ford 39 47m 24.585s 68.113 mph
2 22   Price Cobb Ecurie Canada March 78B - Ford 39 47m 25.208s 68.098 mph
3 2   Bobby Rahal Pierre's Motor Racing Ralt RT1 - Ford 39 67.704 mph
4 34   Danny Sullivan Bluebonnet Foods/Quaker State March 78B - Ford 39 67.394 mph
5 6   Divina Galica Fred Opert Racing/Olympus Chevron B39 - Ford 39 66.255 mph
6 31   Chip Mead Hanna Car Wash/Pierre's Motor Racing Ralt RT1 - Ford 38
7 9   John Mortensen Doug Shierson Racing March 78B - Ford 38
8 51   Rick Koehler Brooks Stevens Excalibur EE2B - Ford 38
9 19   Bob Earl James Brolin Chevron B-34 - Ford 38
10 78   Rick Bell Ralt RT1 - Ford 38
11 13   Jean-Pierre Alamy March 78B - Ford 38
12 15   Mike Rocke BDN March 77B - Ford 37
13 72   Gilles Leger Ralt RT1 - Ford 37
14 50   Jeff Smith Starr Racing Chevron B34 - Ford 37
15 58   Jon Norman Norman Racing March 78B - Ford 37
16 71   John Connolly Ralt RT1 - Ford 36
17 20   Jeff Wood Great Plains Racing March 78B - Ford 35 Accident
18 66   Peter Robinson Chevron B39 - Ford 34 Accident
19 33   Kevin Cogan Brian Robertson/Ralt American Ralt RT1 - Ford 29 Cross member
20 38   Tom Gloy Tom Gloy/Lane Sports March 77B - Ford 26 Transmission
21 7   Bill Brack STP Special/Ecurie Canada March 78B - Ford 22 Accident
22 8   Howdy Holmes Jiffy Mixes/Doug Shierson Racing March 78B - Ford 10 Mechanical
23 67   R.J. Nelkin Hunter Mountain March 78B - Ford 10 Mechanical
24 21   Michael Follett Ralt RT1 - Ford 10 Spun
25 63   Ralph Manaker R.M. Racing March 76B - Ford 3 Mechanical
26 62   Cliff Hansen Charles Gladding March 78B - Ford 2 Suspension
25 54   Carl Liebich Liebrau Racing Lola T-560 - Ford 0 Accident
28 75   Chris Gleason Whalley BMW Sales March 77B - Ford 0 Accident
29 79   Bobby Brown Automatic Radios March 78B - Ford 0 Accident
30 24   Bertil Roos Racetune/Acme March 77B - Ford 0 Pulled off

[6][7][8]

References

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  1. ^ Zimmermann, John (1998). A Quarter Century on the Road to Stardom (The Atlantic Championship Series). USDC Publishing. pp. 28–32. ISBN 9782930120232.
  2. ^ "Hamilton Street Circuit (1978)". theracingline.net. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  3. ^ Miller, Tim (Jan 2, 2011). "Hamilton loved 1978 Formula race, but financially it failed". The Hamilton Spectator. Hamilton: Metroland Media Group. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  4. ^ Webster, George. "Formula Fiasco". PRN Ignition. Performance Publications Media Group. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Formula Atlantic – in Hamilton". Henleys Hamilton 1. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Formula Atlantic Labatts Championship Series Race - Hamilton, 7 Aug 1978". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  7. ^ "1978 CASC/SCCA Labatt Challenge Series". champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  8. ^ "1978 CASC Formula Atlantic Labatt Championship Series". autocourse.ca. Retrieved 25 November 2013.