Lola T600
Encyclopedia
The Lola T600 was a racing car introduced in 1981 by Lola Cars as a customer chassis
. It was the first GT prototype race car to incorporate ground-effect
tunnels for downforce. The revolutionary aerodynamic design of the T600 was widely imitated throughout the 1980s by International Motor Sports Association
(IMSA) and Group C prototype cars. The Lola T600 ran initially in the U.S.-based IMSA GT series and later in European Group C races.
Turbo would continue to dominate the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)
Championship. Fearing that fans would lose interest in a series dominated by a single marque, IMSA officials announced the new Grand Touring Prototype category. The GTP category was also consistent with the FIA's plan to introduce a prototype formula to the World Endurance Championship in 1982 (Group C), superseding production-based "silhouette" cars like the Porsche 935.
Brian Redman
asked for Lola Cars to develop a GTP spec racer based on a T70 chassis, fitted with a new bodywork and a Chevy
6.0L V8 engine developing around 600 bhp. Lola's Eric Broadley
however, wanted a new chassis and bodywork developed specifically for the new IMSA GTP regulations. He hired aerodynamicist Max Sardou to design a ground effects underbody for the car. Cooke-Woods Racing also helped develop the car.
Cooke-Woods Racing entered chassis #HU01 for the fifth race of 1981 season, at Laguna Seca
, with Redman driving. The team achieved victory in its debut race, followed by wins at Lime Rock
, Mid Ohio
, Portland
and Road Atlanta
. The car proved extremely reliable, winning the IMSA title and knocking Porsche from the top of the championship standings for the first time since 1977. Lola Cars sold 12 additional T600s on the strength of this performance. Among the drivers fielding T600s were Chris Cord
and John Paul Jr. (chassis #HU04 and #HU05), though neither achieved the success of Cooke-Woods effort.
1982
Cooke-Woods Racing became Cooke Racing after Roy Woods and Redman left the team, and never again approached its dominant form of 1981. J.L.P. Racing and Cord Racing returned, while additional Lolas from Interscope appeared in the grid, raced by Danny Ongais
, Ted Field
and Bill Whittington
. Interscope won four races but John Paul Jr. took the Championship driving both a T600 and Porsche 935s, scoring one of his seven victories in the Lola. Field finished second in standings.
1983
Ted Field fitted a 700 hp Chevrolet
V6 3.4L turbo engine in one of the Interscope T600s, which proved to be a fast but unreliable combination. Other Lolas fielded by John Kalagian and Conte Racing employed the ubiquitous Chevy V8, while Bayside Racing installed a Porsche 935 turbo engine in their T600. Newer GTP designs from March
and Jaguar, however, eclipsed the aging Lola. T600s scored a handful of podium finishes, but its days as a front-running chassis were numbered.
1984 onwards
Largely reduced to the role of grid filler, Lola T600s occasionally posted top-ten finishes, powered variously by engines from Chevy, Ford and Porsche, but the design proved too outdated to be competitive. A T600 appeared for the last time at an IMSA race in 1987.
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
. It was the first GT prototype race car to incorporate ground-effect
Ground effect in cars
Ground effect is term applied to a series of aerodynamic effects used in car design, which has been exploited to create downforce, particularly in racing cars. This has been the successor to the earlier dominant aerodynamic theory of streamlining...
tunnels for downforce. The revolutionary aerodynamic design of the T600 was widely imitated throughout the 1980s by International Motor Sports Association
International Motor Sports Association
The International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
(IMSA) and Group C prototype cars. The Lola T600 ran initially in the U.S.-based IMSA GT series and later in European Group C races.
Development
At the end of the 1980 season, it seemed that the Porsche 935Porsche 935
The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976, as the factory racing version of the Porsche 911 turbo prepared for FIA-Group 5 rules. It was an evolution of the Porsche Carrera RSR 2.1 turbo prototype which had scored 2nd overall in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans....
Turbo would continue to dominate the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)
International Motor Sports Association
The International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
Championship. Fearing that fans would lose interest in a series dominated by a single marque, IMSA officials announced the new Grand Touring Prototype category. The GTP category was also consistent with the FIA's plan to introduce a prototype formula to the World Endurance Championship in 1982 (Group C), superseding production-based "silhouette" cars like the Porsche 935.
Brian Redman
Brian Redman
Brian Herman Thomas Redman is a British racing driver from England....
asked for Lola Cars to develop a GTP spec racer based on a T70 chassis, fitted with a new bodywork and a Chevy
Chevrolet Small-Block engine
The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
6.0L V8 engine developing around 600 bhp. Lola's Eric Broadley
Eric Broadley
Eric Broadley MBE is a British entrepreneur, engineer, and founder and former chief designer of Lola Cars, the motor racing manufacturer and engineering company. He is arguably one of the most influential automobile designers of the post-war period, and over the years Lola has had a hand in many...
however, wanted a new chassis and bodywork developed specifically for the new IMSA GTP regulations. He hired aerodynamicist Max Sardou to design a ground effects underbody for the car. Cooke-Woods Racing also helped develop the car.
IMSA Championship
1981Cooke-Woods Racing entered chassis #HU01 for the fifth race of 1981 season, at Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, originally constructed in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, USA....
, with Redman driving. The team achieved victory in its debut race, followed by wins at Lime Rock
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner...
, Mid Ohio
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside of the village of Lexington...
, Portland
Portland International Raceway
Portland International Raceway is located in Portland, Oregon, USA's, Delta Park complex on the former site of Vanport, just south of the Columbia River. It is west of a light rail station and less than a mile west of Interstate 5....
and Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta is a 2.54-mile road course located just north of Braselton, Georgia, USA. The facility is utilized for a wide variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams...
. The car proved extremely reliable, winning the IMSA title and knocking Porsche from the top of the championship standings for the first time since 1977. Lola Cars sold 12 additional T600s on the strength of this performance. Among the drivers fielding T600s were Chris Cord
Chris Cord
Chris Cord is a race car driver and is a grandson of Errett Lobban Cord, the founder of the Cord Corporation which also ran Cord Automobile.In 1987, he won the IMSA Camel GT Driver's Championship.-IROC Involvement:...
and John Paul Jr. (chassis #HU04 and #HU05), though neither achieved the success of Cooke-Woods effort.
1982
Cooke-Woods Racing became Cooke Racing after Roy Woods and Redman left the team, and never again approached its dominant form of 1981. J.L.P. Racing and Cord Racing returned, while additional Lolas from Interscope appeared in the grid, raced by Danny Ongais
Danny Ongais
Danny Ongais is a former racecar driver from the United States.He is the only native Hawaiian to compete at the Indianapolis 500...
, Ted Field
Ted Field
Frederick Woodruff "Ted" Field is an American media mogul and entrepreneur and film producer.-Biography:Field was born in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, the son of Katherine Woodruff Fanning, an editor of the Christian Science Monitor, and Marshall Field IV, who owned the Chicago Sun-Times. He is...
and Bill Whittington
Bill Whittington
Bill Whittington is an American racing driver from Lubbock, Texas who won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans together with his brother Don Whittington and Klaus Ludwig in a Porsche 935. The German professional Klaus Ludwig, multiple winner at Le Mans and elsewhere, did most of the driving in the heavy...
. Interscope won four races but John Paul Jr. took the Championship driving both a T600 and Porsche 935s, scoring one of his seven victories in the Lola. Field finished second in standings.
1983
Ted Field fitted a 700 hp Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
V6 3.4L turbo engine in one of the Interscope T600s, which proved to be a fast but unreliable combination. Other Lolas fielded by John Kalagian and Conte Racing employed the ubiquitous Chevy V8, while Bayside Racing installed a Porsche 935 turbo engine in their T600. Newer GTP designs from March
March Engineering
March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...
and Jaguar, however, eclipsed the aging Lola. T600s scored a handful of podium finishes, but its days as a front-running chassis were numbered.
1984 onwards
Largely reduced to the role of grid filler, Lola T600s occasionally posted top-ten finishes, powered variously by engines from Chevy, Ford and Porsche, but the design proved too outdated to be competitive. A T600 appeared for the last time at an IMSA race in 1987.
Further reading
- Akamatsu, Ivan (2009). Group C Sport Prototype Racing Cars. Extrema Publishers Inc. Ch. 3. pp. 123–125, 147