|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Jocko Formula Junior was built in 1959 by 'Jocko' Maggiacomo of New York who had created a reputation for building competitive stock cars. It is powered by a 1100cc Fiat engine with dual-side draft Weber carburetors which is placed in the front and attached to a ladder type frame. The front suspension is an independent setup while the rear is a live axle configuration. Braking is provided by drums and the transmission is a four-speed unit. Both brakes and gearbox were courtesy of Fiat, just as was the rack-and-pinion steering.
Jim Haynes drove the vehicle at the 1960 Sebring Formula Junior race where he finished in ninth. This was also Sam Posey's first racing car. He later went to Can Am racing and then to the Trans Am series. He has raced at the Indianapolis 500 and the 12 Hours of Sebring. He raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans ten times. His racing career is vast; once he retired from racing he became a racing commentator for ABC Sports.
The current owner is Chris Shoemaker who has continued to race the vehicle in vintage events, including the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix where most of these photos were taken.
Jim Haynes drove the vehicle at the 1960 Sebring Formula Junior race where he finished in ninth. This was also Sam Posey's first racing car. He later went to Can Am racing and then to the Trans Am series. He has raced at the Indianapolis 500 and the 12 Hours of Sebring. He raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans ten times. His racing career is vast; once he retired from racing he became a racing commentator for ABC Sports.
The current owner is Chris Shoemaker who has continued to race the vehicle in vintage events, including the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix where most of these photos were taken.
| Formula JuniorIn October of 1958, the Controller of International Motorsport (CSI), now FIA, adopted the formula racing class 'Formula Junior'. Formula Junior is a single-seater racing class started by Count Giovganni 'Johnny' Lurani and intentioned for young and inexperienced drivers. It was a way for gaining experience in the racing environment while using inexpensive components from ordinary automobiles. Even though the class was short-lived, ending in 1964, it was responsible for revolutionizing technology and car design and ultimately helping bring about Grand Prix competition. The sport became a victim of its own success. Due to the popularity, the technology in the cars was being enhanced in ever area possible. This included more horsepower from the engines and lighter vehicle designs that were more aerodynamic. For many, the costs associated with being competitive became too expensive. The original rules for Formula Junior stated the vehicles were to be powered by a production-based 1000cc engine for a car weighing less than 792 pounds. If the car weighed 880 pounds, an 1100 cc engine could be used. Components such as the cylinders, head, block, brakes, and transmission had to come from a production vehicle. Safety was paramount and roll-bars were required. Single or twin overhead camshafts and limited-slip differentials were not allowed. There were few production based engines that could accommodate the strict rules. Many Italians favored the 1100 cc Fiat engine. There were no rules to where the engine was to be mounted. Some favored the front while other favored the rear of the vehicle. Much of the decision was based on optimal weight distribution achieving the best performance possible. During the first year of competition, the Stanguellini's dominated the racing circuit. The Swiss driver Michael May won the first International Championship for Formula Juniors in 1959 driving a Stanguellini. Other competitive vehicles consisted of the German based Mitter and Hartmann vehicles powered by the DKW engines. France had the Ferry and DB vehicles, both powered using Renault engines. In Britain, the Elva 100 series sports cars produced by Frank Nichols were a popular favorite. In April of 1959 The Elva 100 was the first Formula Junior vehicle to start a British race. It was also the first mass-produced Formula Junior vehicle from Britain. Later, other names such as Gemini (Moorland), Lotus and Lola, to name a few, would enter the racing scene. Things were different in the 1950's and 1960's than they are today. Cosworth Engineering was not a name-plate; rather they were broke engineering's looking for a 'nitch' in the automotive industry. Their big-brake came from a pair of 1959 Ford Anglia engines which they used to power their vehicles. From their, their racing success skyrocketed and their line of vehicles became legendary. Cooper used the chassis from their Formula One cars for the Formula Junior class. A BMC A-series engine provided the power. Lotus entered the scene with their Lotus 18 featuring an 1100 cc. Ford Anglia engine. Later, the Lotus 20 and 22 were entered for competition. They featured tube-frame construction. In 1963, Lotus revolutionized the sport with their Lotus 27 which was built using monocoque construction. The sport continued to gain support and the list of manufacturers worldwide continued to grow. By the close of 1963, more than 500 manufacturers were producing vehicles to race in Formula Junior. Most were using rear-engine designs since the front-engine vehicles proved to be less competitive. The demise of the sport began when the cost of being competitive began to escalate. There were increasing costs associated with producing light-weight and sturdy chassis compounded with tapping into every available horsepower possible from the 1100cc engines. The sport was eventually taken over by Formula 3 which also had a short life span. Ultimately it would be Formula Vee and Formula Ford that would take the place of the single-seater, inexpensive racing sport and bringing it to a whole new level. Today, Formula Junior is still being raced in vintage race classes. Since there were so many manufacturers producing the cars, many still exist. Most are rear-engine vehicles, with the front-engine vehicles being the most sought-after due being more rare. Some of the designs suffered from under-steer, others were better at drifting through corners, but all provided a level of satisfaction, competitiveness, and fun that is hard to match. |
1959 Jocko Formula Junior |
|
| Year | 1959 |
| Make | Jocko |
| Model | Formula Junior |
| Engine Location | Front |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Body / Chassis | Ladder frame |
| Combined MPG | 0.00 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Configuration | I |
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Engine | Fiat |
| Aspiration/Induction | Normal |
| Displacement | 1100.00 cc | 67.1 cu in. | 1.1 L. |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Petrol |
| Fuel Feed | Carburetor |
| 2 Weber Sidedraft carburetors | |
| Standard Transmission | |
| Gears | 4 |
| Transmission | Manual |
| Fiat | |
| View Specifications |
| Similar Automakers |
| Add Review |
| Other models by Jocko |
 |
| Related Articles and Event Coverage |
| 2006 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix |
| Vehicle Spotlight | ||
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
