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Derek Bennett was the individual responsible with the formation of Chevron Cars Ltd. He was a brilliant engineer, mostly self-taught, and had a talent for modifying, repairing, and sculpting automobiles. Near the close of the 1950's he began working in a shop in North England where he quickly developed a name for himself. When he was not working at the track, he could often be seen at nearby tracks where he raced mostly custom-built racing cars.
Changes in racing regulations had many producers of racers scrambling to create a formidable contender that conformed to the new rules. Bennett had been contemplating purchasing a new racer but with the new changes, he felt he could produce a better machine than other marques were fielding. With no drawings and all the details in Bennett's head, he began construction beginning with a tubular space-frame chassis. Power was from a modified Ford Kent engine that had been taken from an Anglia. When the vehicle was complete, it carried the marque name 'Chevron'; the name had been inspired from a Highway Code symbol. Up to this point, his vehicles he had constructed were dubbed Bennett Specials.
The newly created racer, dubbed the B1, made its inaugural appearance in 1965 at Kirkistown, Ireland. Little testing had been done but the car still managed to set an impressive pace and finished in first pace. For the next few years Bennett created racers and gave them various designations. The B1 was introduced in 1965 and followed a year later by the B2. Both were Clubmans which was a British national formula series for open-top sports cars with Ford engines placed in the front of the cars.
The B3 was Bennett's first attempt at Gran Turismo competition. The 1.6-liter twin-cam Ford engine was mounted behind the driver and in front of the rear axle. The car was constructed for Alan Minshaw who had seen a small-scale model on Bennett's desk and had immediately produced funds to finance its construction. The initial estimates to create the car fell short of the actual figure and Digby Martland stepped in to provide the additional funds needed to complete the project. Once the project was complete, Bennett created a second racer, dubbed the B4, and fitted it with a BMW 2-liter engine.
During some initial trial runs of the Martland B3 racer, it attracted the attention of Peter Gethin who immediately ordered one for himself. The B3 made its racing debut a short time later where it emerged victorious. The Ford powered car was very impressive whereas the BMW powered B4 suffered from lubrication problems. The reason for this was the way the BMW engine was installed which sat vertically which prevented the oil to properly drain. A custom dry-sump lubrication system was later installed and resolved these issues.
After securing a deal with BMW Motorsports to supply engines through a dealership at discounted price, Bennett began creating more examples of the B4 GT car.
The B5 was powered by a BRM 2-liter V8 engine. Brian Redman drove a B5 in international competition in a Group 6 at Brands Hatch where he emerged victorious. This was Chevron's first international race win. Redman would go on to become a works driver for Chevron.
The B6 was very similar to the B4 but with a fiberglass body. It competed in Group 6 prototype competition against tough competition from Ferraris and other big-named marque's. After enough examples were created to homologate the cars, they were then able to compete in Group 4 GT competition. 50 examples had been required in order to compete; not all 50 were created - when the FIA stopped by Bennett's shop to perform the count, Bennett proved he had enough materials to create the racers. Only 44 examples were ever created.
The B7 was a single seat racer which competed in Formula 3 competition. The B8 was the 1968 version of the GT racer. The B9 was a Formula 3 car. The B10 was a Formula 2 racer.
The replacement for these two-liter cars came with the B16 and was quickly replaced with the B16 Spyder which had bodywork inspired by the Porsche 908 Spyder. The Chevron was a continuation of the B8 with styling help from Jim Clark. It had a spaceframe chassis, monocoque design, tubular frames, and a fiberglass body. The engine and gearbox was both placed midship. To make the vehicle easy to maintain, it had a removable front subframe. A 1790cc FVA Cosworth engine was used which provided an impressive 245 horsepower.
The B16 made its inaugural debut at the 1969 Nurburgring 500km race where it was driven by Brian Redman and qualified for pole position. From the start of the race, Redman led the pack and continued this for three-and-a-half hours before crossing the finish line victorious. The car was surprisingly fast though it did suffer from under-steer due to not enough down-force. The problem was later solved by adding two orange box rear spoilers
During the 1970 season, Lola introduced the T210 which had Redman struggling to maintain the lead. It was not long before the T210 was consistently beating Redman and the B16. Redman approached Bennett requesting an open car that was lighter and more nimble. The result was the B16 Spyder of which only one was ever created. This would set the foundation for the rest of the cars for years to come.
The B19 was introduced in 1971 and the B21 in 1972. These were used in Group 6 competition. The B23 was introduced in 1973; the B26 was also a 1973 car; the B31 was the final iteration of Group 6 cars introduced in 1975.
In 1972 the B24 was introduced and intended for F5000 competition. Continuing the tradition of Chevron cars, it won its inaugural race. Driven a year later by works driver, Peter Gethin, it became the first F5000 car to beat the F1 cars. The B24 were impressive racers but the Lola T330 cars were faster. Chevron would finish the season with 32 Top 3 finishes from 35 races while Lola managed 39 Top 3 finishes.
It is believed that eight examples (possibly 10) of the B24 were constructed. One was later rebuilt to B28 specification.
Other interests of the Chevron company during this time were Formula competition such as Formula Atlantic and Formula Two. Examples include the B25, B27, B29, B35 Formula Atlantic/Formula Two cars.
Derek Bennett's passed away after a hang-gliding accident. The company continued for a number of years. Ownership passed through the hands of a few owners.
Changes in racing regulations had many producers of racers scrambling to create a formidable contender that conformed to the new rules. Bennett had been contemplating purchasing a new racer but with the new changes, he felt he could produce a better machine than other marques were fielding. With no drawings and all the details in Bennett's head, he began construction beginning with a tubular space-frame chassis. Power was from a modified Ford Kent engine that had been taken from an Anglia. When the vehicle was complete, it carried the marque name 'Chevron'; the name had been inspired from a Highway Code symbol. Up to this point, his vehicles he had constructed were dubbed Bennett Specials.
The newly created racer, dubbed the B1, made its inaugural appearance in 1965 at Kirkistown, Ireland. Little testing had been done but the car still managed to set an impressive pace and finished in first pace. For the next few years Bennett created racers and gave them various designations. The B1 was introduced in 1965 and followed a year later by the B2. Both were Clubmans which was a British national formula series for open-top sports cars with Ford engines placed in the front of the cars.
The B3 was Bennett's first attempt at Gran Turismo competition. The 1.6-liter twin-cam Ford engine was mounted behind the driver and in front of the rear axle. The car was constructed for Alan Minshaw who had seen a small-scale model on Bennett's desk and had immediately produced funds to finance its construction. The initial estimates to create the car fell short of the actual figure and Digby Martland stepped in to provide the additional funds needed to complete the project. Once the project was complete, Bennett created a second racer, dubbed the B4, and fitted it with a BMW 2-liter engine.
During some initial trial runs of the Martland B3 racer, it attracted the attention of Peter Gethin who immediately ordered one for himself. The B3 made its racing debut a short time later where it emerged victorious. The Ford powered car was very impressive whereas the BMW powered B4 suffered from lubrication problems. The reason for this was the way the BMW engine was installed which sat vertically which prevented the oil to properly drain. A custom dry-sump lubrication system was later installed and resolved these issues.
After securing a deal with BMW Motorsports to supply engines through a dealership at discounted price, Bennett began creating more examples of the B4 GT car.
The B5 was powered by a BRM 2-liter V8 engine. Brian Redman drove a B5 in international competition in a Group 6 at Brands Hatch where he emerged victorious. This was Chevron's first international race win. Redman would go on to become a works driver for Chevron.
The B6 was very similar to the B4 but with a fiberglass body. It competed in Group 6 prototype competition against tough competition from Ferraris and other big-named marque's. After enough examples were created to homologate the cars, they were then able to compete in Group 4 GT competition. 50 examples had been required in order to compete; not all 50 were created - when the FIA stopped by Bennett's shop to perform the count, Bennett proved he had enough materials to create the racers. Only 44 examples were ever created.
The B7 was a single seat racer which competed in Formula 3 competition. The B8 was the 1968 version of the GT racer. The B9 was a Formula 3 car. The B10 was a Formula 2 racer.
The replacement for these two-liter cars came with the B16 and was quickly replaced with the B16 Spyder which had bodywork inspired by the Porsche 908 Spyder. The Chevron was a continuation of the B8 with styling help from Jim Clark. It had a spaceframe chassis, monocoque design, tubular frames, and a fiberglass body. The engine and gearbox was both placed midship. To make the vehicle easy to maintain, it had a removable front subframe. A 1790cc FVA Cosworth engine was used which provided an impressive 245 horsepower.
The B16 made its inaugural debut at the 1969 Nurburgring 500km race where it was driven by Brian Redman and qualified for pole position. From the start of the race, Redman led the pack and continued this for three-and-a-half hours before crossing the finish line victorious. The car was surprisingly fast though it did suffer from under-steer due to not enough down-force. The problem was later solved by adding two orange box rear spoilers
During the 1970 season, Lola introduced the T210 which had Redman struggling to maintain the lead. It was not long before the T210 was consistently beating Redman and the B16. Redman approached Bennett requesting an open car that was lighter and more nimble. The result was the B16 Spyder of which only one was ever created. This would set the foundation for the rest of the cars for years to come.
The B19 was introduced in 1971 and the B21 in 1972. These were used in Group 6 competition. The B23 was introduced in 1973; the B26 was also a 1973 car; the B31 was the final iteration of Group 6 cars introduced in 1975.
In 1972 the B24 was introduced and intended for F5000 competition. Continuing the tradition of Chevron cars, it won its inaugural race. Driven a year later by works driver, Peter Gethin, it became the first F5000 car to beat the F1 cars. The B24 were impressive racers but the Lola T330 cars were faster. Chevron would finish the season with 32 Top 3 finishes from 35 races while Lola managed 39 Top 3 finishes.
It is believed that eight examples (possibly 10) of the B24 were constructed. One was later rebuilt to B28 specification.
Other interests of the Chevron company during this time were Formula competition such as Formula Atlantic and Formula Two. Examples include the B25, B27, B29, B35 Formula Atlantic/Formula Two cars.
Derek Bennett's passed away after a hang-gliding accident. The company continued for a number of years. Ownership passed through the hands of a few owners.
| Can-AmCanAm, short for Canadian-American Challenge Cup, was a sports car racing series that persisted from 1966 through 1974. It used the FIA Group 7 category with two races occurring in Canada and four races in the United States. Funding was initially provided by J-Wax. The CanAm series was astonishing and 'wide open.' There were minimal regulations on the aerodynamics, engine sizes, and vehicle mechanics. The main rules were a body that enclosed the wheels, complied with the safety requirements, and had seating for two. In Europe, the Group 7 cars were mostly designed for short distance races rather than the endurance racing. There were no homologating requirements and limited regulations. In North America, the CanAm series was appealing for many reasons. The price money was good and the competition and the races were exciting. The cars were faster than the Formula 1 cars of that era. The sport evolved to having cars well over 1000 horsepower with low weight, aerodynamic bodies, and large wings to create necessary down-force. Turbo-charging and supercharging were widely used. The bodies and mechanical components were made of exotic metals such as titanium. The series became a testing ground for many manufactures interested in examining technology without the worries of new or imposing regulations. Among the top manufacturers in the series were BRM, Shadow, Porsche, Chaparral, Lola, and McLaren. The first Can-Am race was on September 1966 at St. Jovite Raceway. Famous drivers, manufacturers, and cars were entered, totaling 34 entrants. John Surtees of England entered a Chevy small-block powered V8 Lola T-70. George Follmer, Kiwis Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon, and John Cannon also showed up with powerful cars ready to contend for the first ever Championship of Can Am Racing. At the end of the season it was Surtees who was crowned the champion after winning three of the races. Dan Gurney captured a victory at Bridgehampton while driving a Ford powered racer. For 1967, McLaren entered a potent M6A racer which dominated the season with Bruce McLaren easily capturing the championship. The M6A was powered by a small-block Chevy V8 capable of producing over 520 horsepower. McLaren continued their dominance for the next four years. Dennise Hulme won the Championship in 1968 and 1970 with Bruce McLaren securing another championship victory in 1969. Bruce McLaren was was killed while testing a McLaren Can-Am car and was not around to compete during the 1970 season. Many of the cars were quick but suffered from either reliability issues or were underdeveloped when compared to the McLarens. The Chaparrals and Lolas were especially fast and offered plenty of competition for the McLarens. By 1968, most of the cars were powered by all-aluminum big-block Chevrolet engines producing over 620 horsepower. Manufacturers from other racing series were lured into CanAm racing due to the prize money. Ferrari even entered the ring with their 612P driven by Chris Amon. With a V12 engine and using engines that were 6.2 and 6.9 liters in capacity, it was very quick but not as perfected as some of the other cars in the circuit. The Porsche 917/10 was similar to other 917's but purposely built for Group 7 of American CanAm racing. It used even more lightweight materials and a larger fuel tank. The larger tank allowed the vehicle to complete a 200 mile race without needing to refuel. During its first season of racing, it was not as successful as hoped. The 12-cylinder engine was not powerful enough to compete for first place. So the 917 was fitted with turbochargers. With the turbochargers and 950 horsepower, the driver needed to be very cautious due to the sudden power increases produced by the turbochargers. The Lola T220 provided the most competition for the McLaren team but was unable to secure the championship. One of the team drivers for Lola, Peter Revson, left Lola in 1971 to drive for McLaren in their new M8F car. Lola entered their newest creation, the T260 driven by F-1 Champion Jackie Stewart. The cars once again provided McLaren with competition but it was not enough. Revson finished first in the championship followed by Hulme, both in McLarens. Stewart and his Lola finished in third place. During the 1972 season Mark Donohue and George Follmer drove the Porsche's in competition. Donohue was faster but due to an accident was unable to complete the season. Follmer was left to capture the championship, which he did. In 1973, Porsche 917/30 was outfitted with twin-turbochargers and a 5.4 liter, 12-cylinder engine. It was capable of produced between 1100 and 1500 horsepower. It could go from zero to sixty in 2.1 seconds and had a top speed of 238 mph. The 917/30 was only available for Team Penske's driver Mark Donohue. It dominated and demolished the Can-Am series with Mark Donohue winning the championship. In 1974 it was banned from racing in the CanAm series because the CanAm series had begun to lose its fan base since there was no competition. Regulations were created that limited the fuel capacity of the vehicles. The Chevrolet powered vehicles were again contenders. Jackie Oliver and George Follmer, driving a Shadow DN4, proved to be the fastest of the season. The other manufacturers were using outdated cars and were unable to keep pace. 1974 was the final year for the CanAm series. The demise of the Can Am Championship series was due to a number of issues. North America was experiencing a recession and an oil crisis. The cost of creating competitive cars had skyrocketed. The general public was loosing interest and sponsorship was withdrawing. At the close of the 1974 season, the Series was canceled. In 1977 the SCCA reintroduced a revised Can Am series allowing Formula A/5000 series cars to be entered. The series never gained much popularity had a limited lifespan. In modern times many of these Can Am race cars are still being raced at vintage races. Their legacy and power are still impressive and the ear-deafening roar of the engine is enough to put a smile on any enthusiasts face. |
| Photos grouped by event | |
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Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca |
 Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen |
1972 Chevron B21 |
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| Year | 1972 |
| Make | Chevron |
| Model | B21 |
| Engine Location | Mid |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Production Years for Series | 1972 |
| Combined MPG | 0.00 |
| Chassis / Engine Numbers Shown | |
| Chassis Number | 72-10 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Configuration | V |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Aspiration/Induction | Normal |
| Displacement | 2.90 L | 177 cu in. | 2901 cc. |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Petrol |
| Standard Transmission | |
| Gears | 5 |
| Transmission | Manual |
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| Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca |
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| B19 |
| B23 |
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