1973 T294  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
1972 Lola T290 news, pictures, and information | ||
| Tweet | ||
 |  |  | Sports Roadster Chassis Num: HU26 |
The Lola T70 would be successful in the Can-Am racing series and would be followed by several other Lola cars in the years to come. By as the years rolled on, competition became very fierce. The turbocharged Penske-Porsche cars and the dominant McLarens proved took most of the top finishes in the late 1960s and early 1970s. For Lola, the cost was extremely steep to remain competitive in the CanAm Sport, and it was more beneficial for them to focus their efforts on smaller displacement cars that could be sold to a wider audience of customers. This meant the Lola T310 was the final Lola car produced for the Can-Am series.
They continued to focus their efforts on F2 and Formula 5000 with innovative, effective, and attractive cars such as the T330 and the T332. Lola won the manufacturer's crown with a T212 in the 2-liter Sports Car Class for 1971.
In the FIA Sports Racing Car category, their 3-liter T280 powered by a Formula 1 Cosworth DFV engine proved to be a very impressive and effective racing machine. The T290 family of cars was built with the help of Patrick Head and John Barnard. The T290 series would earn many impressive successes during the 1970s and dominated numerous European championships. These successes lead to Lola designing and building sports racing cars for major manufacturers, such as Chevrolet, Nissan and Mazda, during the 1980s.
By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2009
 |  |  | Sports Roadster Chassis Num: HU-34 |
In 1974, Bobby went on to win the Central Division SCCA B Sports Racing Championship in the car, now fitted with a two-liter Cosworth engine. That same year, he finished third at the SCCA's National Championship at Road Atlanta.
The Rahals sold #HU-34 in November of 1974 to David Johnston of Kitzhener, Ontario. Bobby repurchased the car in 1999 and continues to race the car in historic races throughout North America and Europe. Bobby considers this car to be the one he used to get into the fast lane of an auto racing career.
In 1961 Eric Broadley formed the Lola Racing Car Company. The first cars were front-engined sports cars followed by Formula Junior racers. Soon, Lola was one of the top chassis suppliers in sports car racing.
In 1965 the Lola Racing Cars Group introduced the T70. During its lifetime from 1965 through 1969 over 100 examples were produced in three versions. They were designed for endurance racing with excellent aerodynamics and flowing lines. The chassis was constructed of aluminum monocoque that was both lightweight and rigid. The project was undertaken by Eric Broadley of Lola Cars with assistance from F1 world champion John Surtees. Originally, Broadley had been considered by Ford to build a racer which could defeat Ferrari at LeMans. Colin Chapman of Lotus and Cooper were also considered. After some consideration, the project was given to Broadley of Lola. Ford had been impressed with the Lola Mark VI mid-engined racer which was powered by a Ford 4.2-liter engine and produced around 350 horsepower. The sleek body had been created by John Frayling and utilized some of the most exotic materials available. By 1965 Ford had their Ferrari slayer and Broadley was ready to again work under his own supervision. He was not fond of how the GT40 had progressed and felt that it had gone in too many directions with each decision being analyzed by a committee. Work began on the T70 which would share many similarities to the GT40. In a sense, the Lola T70 was a result of Enzo Ferrari, since the GT40 had been created to defeat Ferrari at Le Mans. The first version was the MKII open-roofed version. The second version was the MKIII Coupe-version followed by the MK IIIB.
The straight back end soon gave it the nickname of 'breadvan' as it resembled delivery trucks of that era. The rear body shape was the result of lessons-learned from the GT40 project and its handling on the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans. It was designed to eliminate some of the lift created a high speeds. The GT40 created 300 kg of lift at speed while the Lola T70 only created 200 kg of down force though it did increase drag.
Though designed for endurance racing, the T70 proved most potent on the short sprint races where its lightweight body and superior handling made it very competitive. Reliability issued plagued the car on races of more than three hours. The Chevrolet small-block power-plant was unsuitable to utilize the high octane fuels which powered other racers. The engine was unable to fully utilize European fuels and as such, did not perform as well as intended in international competition.
The T70 MKII was entered in the competitive and newly formed CanAm series where it dominated at nearly ever race it entered, winning five of the six rounds. John Surtees won the title after winning three of those races in a factory car. The cars were also successful in Group 7 racing until the series came to a halt in 1966. 1966 was the final year for a successful season for the Lola T70s in CanAm racing as McLaren would dominate the following year. The T70 would win only one CanAm race in 1967. The powerful McLaren M6 racers easily overpowered the T70. In retaliation, the T70 IIIB was introduced which improved power and performance. The front was improved to separate the airflow between the bottom and top of the car, thus, minimizing pressure underneath the vehicle. Power came from a 327 small-block Chevrolet engine which was later upgraded to a 350 cubic-inch unit. It would go on to win many international endurance races. One of the most famous of its victories was the 1969 Daytona 24 Hours driven by Mark Donohue and Chuck Parsons. The demise of the racer occurred when rule changes which limited the size of then engine made it obsolete. This benefited the Ferrari 312 and Porsche 917 as their F1 engines were appropriate and highly tuned.
By 1968 a new car was needed; Lola introduced the T160 which was lighter and more powerful than its predecessor. Various other Lola cars were created for Group 6 Competition including the T212, T28x, 29X, 38X, and 39X. When the CanAm Series was revived in the late 1970s, the Lola cars dominated the sport.
In the early 1980s, Lola introduced their T600/T10 range which was intended for IMSA GTP competition.
By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2007
For more information and related vehicles, click hereIn 1965 the Lola Racing Cars Group introduced the T70. During its lifetime from 1965 through 1969 over 100 examples were produced in three versions. They were designed for endurance racing with excellent aerodynamics and flowing lines. The chassis was constructed of aluminum monocoque that was both lightweight and rigid. The project was undertaken by Eric Broadley of Lola Cars with assistance from F1 world champion John Surtees. Originally, Broadley had been considered by Ford to build a racer which could defeat Ferrari at LeMans. Colin Chapman of Lotus and Cooper were also considered. After some consideration, the project was given to Broadley of Lola. Ford had been impressed with the Lola Mark VI mid-engined racer which was powered by a Ford 4.2-liter engine and produced around 350 horsepower. The sleek body had been created by John Frayling and utilized some of the most exotic materials available. By 1965 Ford had their Ferrari slayer and Broadley was ready to again work under his own supervision. He was not fond of how the GT40 had progressed and felt that it had gone in too many directions with each decision being analyzed by a committee. Work began on the T70 which would share many similarities to the GT40. In a sense, the Lola T70 was a result of Enzo Ferrari, since the GT40 had been created to defeat Ferrari at Le Mans. The first version was the MKII open-roofed version. The second version was the MKIII Coupe-version followed by the MK IIIB.
The straight back end soon gave it the nickname of 'breadvan' as it resembled delivery trucks of that era. The rear body shape was the result of lessons-learned from the GT40 project and its handling on the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans. It was designed to eliminate some of the lift created a high speeds. The GT40 created 300 kg of lift at speed while the Lola T70 only created 200 kg of down force though it did increase drag.
Though designed for endurance racing, the T70 proved most potent on the short sprint races where its lightweight body and superior handling made it very competitive. Reliability issued plagued the car on races of more than three hours. The Chevrolet small-block power-plant was unsuitable to utilize the high octane fuels which powered other racers. The engine was unable to fully utilize European fuels and as such, did not perform as well as intended in international competition.
The T70 MKII was entered in the competitive and newly formed CanAm series where it dominated at nearly ever race it entered, winning five of the six rounds. John Surtees won the title after winning three of those races in a factory car. The cars were also successful in Group 7 racing until the series came to a halt in 1966. 1966 was the final year for a successful season for the Lola T70s in CanAm racing as McLaren would dominate the following year. The T70 would win only one CanAm race in 1967. The powerful McLaren M6 racers easily overpowered the T70. In retaliation, the T70 IIIB was introduced which improved power and performance. The front was improved to separate the airflow between the bottom and top of the car, thus, minimizing pressure underneath the vehicle. Power came from a 327 small-block Chevrolet engine which was later upgraded to a 350 cubic-inch unit. It would go on to win many international endurance races. One of the most famous of its victories was the 1969 Daytona 24 Hours driven by Mark Donohue and Chuck Parsons. The demise of the racer occurred when rule changes which limited the size of then engine made it obsolete. This benefited the Ferrari 312 and Porsche 917 as their F1 engines were appropriate and highly tuned.
By 1968 a new car was needed; Lola introduced the T160 which was lighter and more powerful than its predecessor. Various other Lola cars were created for Group 6 Competition including the T212, T28x, 29X, 38X, and 39X. When the CanAm Series was revived in the late 1970s, the Lola cars dominated the sport.
In the early 1980s, Lola introduced their T600/T10 range which was intended for IMSA GTP competition.
By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2007
| Final Countdown Underway To South Florida's Premier Collector Car Auction | |
 | • Auctions America kicks off its 2013 auction season, March 22-24 with its highly anticipated Fort Lauderdale Collector Car Auction • Celebrating its 11th year, the multi-day auction features more than 550 quality collector cars • Latest feature attractions include an outstanding 1963 Shelby Cobra and a 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS • Digital catalog now available for download at auctionsamerica.com AUBURN, Indiana (February 27, 2013) – With the final countdown underway to its highly an...[Read more...] |
| GEORGE FOLLMER NAMED GRAND MARSHAL FOR HMSA'S CAN AM REUNION SET FOR MONT-TREMBLANT IN JULY | |
 | The Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) announced today that Can Am champion George Follmer will be the grand marshal for the Sommet des Légendes historic races at Mont-Tremblant July 11-14, 2013. This year's event will feature the Can Am Championship, celebrating the fearsome cars and great drivers from that historic series. The very first Can Am race took place at Mont-Tremblant in 1966 and was won by that year's Can Am champion, John Surtees. The Lola T70 that Surtees raced that day ...[Read more...] |
| Limited-Edition Ford Racing History Artwork Unveiled at SEMA; Limited-Edition Print Sales to Benefit JDRF | |
 | •Special limited-edition Ford Racing history artwork is unveiled at the annual SEMA show as part of the Ford press conference •Famed automotive artist Sam Bass created the artwork at the request of Edsel B. Ford II, with proceeds from sales of limited-edition autographed prints benefiting JDRF •Drivers and Ford race vehicles featured on the special artwork include Henry Ford (Sweepstakes), Trevor Bayne (No. 21 Fusion), Dan Gurney/A.J. Foyt (Ford Mark IV), Bob Glidden (NHRA Thunderbird), Jack...[Read more...] |
| 1968 Belgian Grand Prix: A First for McLaren | |
 | McLaren and Formula One are truly synonymous. Over the course of its history, McLaren has completed 714 races and have garnered no less than 178 victories. But while McLaren and victory in Formula One are an almost certainty, the very first would be anything but a complete surprise. In December of 1959, Jack Brabham would be leading the way in his Cooper T51 with Bruce McLaren following along not all that far behind. The final lap of the United States Grand Prix held at Sebring, Florida has j...[Read more...] |
| Goodwood - Lotus Headlines the Loudest Summer Festival of Them All | |
 | The peace and tranquillity of Lord March's estate will be shattered from 29th June to 1st July as Lotus takes centre stage at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed, which celebrates Lotus innovation, engineering, heritage and style. Forty Lotus cars will fire up the hallowed hill climb this year, spanning seven decades and showcasing Lotus' incredible racing pedigree; from championship winning F1 cars to famous GT and rally racers, some driven by Lotus greats including Emerson Fittipaldi...[Read more...] |
 1972
Lola
models |
| Lola T240 |
| Lola T280 |
| Lola T292 |
| Lola T300 |
| Lola T310 |
| Similar Automakers | |
| Chevron | Gulf |
| March | Sauber |
| Lola: 1971-1980 |
| Similar Automakers |
| Other models by Lola |
| 29X MK1 | Mk4 T-596/596C/598/598C | T160 Series T190 | T192 T202 | T212 T332 | T370 T590/592/592S | T600 T70 | T97/20 |
| 1973 T294 |
