JBS

Allen R. Kuhn: FIII in California

March 14, 2022 By pete

Torrey Pines January 15, 1956, Harry Morrow JBS close up view. Photo by Allen R. Kuhn

Photos by Allen R. Kuhn
Story by Pete Vack with Jim Sitz

Following up on our Formula III series, we had not written anything on the class in America. But were there 500 cc events in the States?

Yes, they were raced throughout America but no one paid much attention. Says Jim Sitz, “Formula III never took off in California or the U.S.A. since the fans wanted to see the big, powerful and noisy cars. The most popular events for a normal weekend of racing were the Corvette and modified classes. The FIII cars were noisy but did not appear to be very fast.”

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Unheralded Predecessors: Opposition

February 14, 2022 By pete

1951 Kieft Norton CK51 would be Stirling Moss’s new mount.

By Pete Vack
Photos by Jonathan Sharp from the Goodwood Revival, 2015.

Of the three victories achieved by non-Cooper cars in 1950, Frank Aikens of Wingco fame won at Silverstone with the Dick Ceasar-designed Iota-Triumph. The Jonsson-driven Effyh won another, and the third defeat was, of course, dealt at Rheims by the JBS, the most serious contender so far. Alfred J. Bottoms’ short career was both wild and meteoric. He was an ex-motorcycle racer who embarked upon an F3 effort in 1950, modifying another special with his own revised rear suspension.

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