LASTB4TAKESTO THETRACKAGAIN
Goldcupoutingforchevronracedbyfounderderekbennett
The only Chevron B4 sportsracing car, first raced by Chevron founder Derek Bennett, returned to racing at Oulton Park after 47 years away from the track.
The Chevron B4, now owned by Swedish Chevron collector Kent Abrahamsson, was a prototype for the later B6 and B8 designs, which were celebrated during the Gold Cup weekend.
Initially simply called a Chevron GT, the only B4 was built in 1966 and Bennett raced it from new, starting at Crystal Palace in August.
It was the first Chevron with a BMW engine and the first to race in the US when taken to Daytona in February 1967 for Peter Gethin, Roy Pike and Fred Opert. It later went to Le Mans in 1971 but failed to qualify and had not raced since that season.
Abrahamsson, who owns around 10 Chevrons including an example of all of the key sports-racing cars from the B1 from the early 1960s through to the B26 of the mid-1970s, said: “It was in the south of England and the owner’s friend started to restore it.
“But the friend died before it was finished, unfortunately, so the project stalled.
“The owner decided to sell it and I went straight there and bought it late last year.
“We have restored the whole car. We were a little bit short of time to be ready for this race, but we really wanted to bring it to this event and it is a very special car.”