Sarasota Café Racer and RRDC member, Archie Urciuoli, steers clear of the carnage in his Spyder for a Group 5 podium finish at the U.S Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.
Eric Broadley, the British designer of dozens of notable, high profile racecars, founded Lola Cars in 1958. Included in Broadley’s portfolio are the seminal American V8-powered Lola MK6 GT, forerunner of the original Ford GT40, and various sports cars to Indy racers.
The Lola T70 Spyder was a hugely successful competitor in the mid-and late-1960s in FIA, Can-Am and SCCA racing. Racing greats Bob Bondurant, Mark Donohue, Walt Hansgen, David Hobbs, Denny Hulme, Parnelli Jones, Roger Penske, Brian Redman, Jackie Stewart and John Surtees have had podium finishes in Lola T70 Spyders.
Archie Urciuoli’s 1966 Lola T70 Mk II Spyder (SL71/36) is one of the 67 original Spyders built. It has a lightweight composite body mounted on a steel and aluminum monocoque chassis and is powered by a mid-mounted, blueprinted 350-inch (5.7-liter) Chevy with a Hewland LG500 four-speed.
The small-block is fitted with Weber side-draft carbs on a cross-flow manifold and produces approximately 500 hp. Ready to race weight: approximately 1,800 pounds.
Spyder SL71/36 was purchased in 1966 from John Mecom, the original Lola U.S. distributor. Sponsored by Colorado Plastics owner Richard Galloway it was raced successfully by New Zealander, Ross Greenville in the Can-Am series and in SCCA events at Bridgehampton, Laguna Seca, Las Vegas, Riverside, Road America and Watkins Glen.
After a crash at Bridgehampton, Galloway traded the Spyder to Carl Haas, who later became the Lola’s U.S. distributor, for a MK III. The MK II Spyder was repaired and sold to John McDonald, who raced it in SCCA events in the Denver area. The racecar was subsequently sold to Lola enthusiast Mac McClendon who restored it to original condition, using much of the original chassis and many of the original components.
Archie Urciuoli purchased the Spyder, which has been certified by the FIA (Technical Passport Number 29064), in 2007 and has been successfully competing in historic events for more than three years.
“It was a little hairy out there. A car locked up its gearbox, spun and stalled in the middle of the exit of the blind left-hander, Turn 9. Then another car clipped it. Next two more came together trying to avoid it. Corner workers had the yellow flags flying, the entire time, but I guess the red mist prevailed,” said Urciuoli, right, who got through it unscathed and finished Third at the Vintage Grand Prix at the Glen last weekend.
For complete results and photos from the U.S Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, please visit,
http://www.sportscardigest.com/us-vintage-grand-prix-watkins-glen-2010-results photos/?awt_l=5_CW_&awt_m=1ZlcEysBeOs.C0
For more information about the Sarasota Café Racers, please visit, http://www.sarasotacaferacers.com/
For more information about the RRDC (Road Racing Drivers Club), check out, www.rrdc.org