Hawke DL28, 1970 DL28 | Conceptcarz.com - Pictures, Pricing, Information, Wallpaper, History

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David Lazenby has been credited with being one of the primary producers of Formula Ford racing series. He was the manager of Lotus Components and the creator of the Hawke Formula Ford open-wheel race car,

The first racer created under the Hawke marque was the DL-1. In 1969, the racer became known as the DL-2 when it became a production car.

The Hawke Company went out of business due to financial difficulties. With financial backing from Mac McKinstry, the Hawke was able to re-open for business. The DL-12 series was created. It was a popular model that sold well. Later, due to the oil crisis, the company was once again in financial despair. With further funding from outside sources, Hawke was once again able to produce vehicles. However, Lazenby was not. In 1978, he left the company. A year later, Hawke was out of business.

Formula Ford

The Formula Ford series was established in 1967. The series was an economical means of pursuing racing in a league that was fiercely competitive due to strict guidelines. This meant the focus was on the talent of the driver rather than advanced racing components. A strict budget of £1000 kept the playing-field level.
The machines used were open wheel, open body work, single seat racers. Firestone F100 treaded road tires were permitted, all others were not. The use of aerodynamic aids, such as wings, were not permitted. The standard engine was the 1600 cc Ford overhead valve. Since monocoque chassis were expensive, they were not permitted. Instead, space-frame chassis construction was utilized throughout the series.

In 1979, the pre-'74 Championship was created. This allowed owners of cars built before 1974 an opportunity to once again compete against vehicles that were similar in specifications to their own. A 1974/1978 has also been created with the same purpose as the pre-74 Championship series. The series was later renamed to 1974/1980 as vehicles built up to 1980 were included.

The pre-'74 cars were later classed as 'Class A'. The pre-'82 series cars, which included 1974 through 1981, were referred to as 'Class B'.