Horst Kroll
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The Canadian drivers' championship switched to open-wheeled cars - called Formula A in Canada and Formula 5000 in the U.S - for 1969. Intent on defending his title, Kroll flew to England that April and bought a new Lola T142. But Eppie Wietzes dominated the Gulf Canada series; Kroll finished second behind him in four consecutive races and the first two in 1970, making him runner-up in the championship in successive years. His only win came when Wietzes failed to finish at Harewood Acres."Canadian Formula A-B, Results, 1969, 1979" oldracingcars.com. Retrieved February 10, 2025. |
The Canadian drivers' championship switched to open-wheeled cars - called Formula A in Canada and Formula 5000 in the U.S - for 1969. Intent on defending his title, Kroll flew to England that April and bought a new Lola T142. But Eppie Wietzes dominated the Gulf Canada series; Kroll finished second behind him in four consecutive races and the first two in 1970, making him runner-up in the championship in successive years. His only win came when Wietzes failed to finish at Harewood Acres."Canadian Formula A-B, Results, 1969, 1979" oldracingcars.com. Retrieved February 10, 2025. |
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Racing was tougher south of the border. Underlining the high standard in the SCCA Continental Formula 5000 Championship, Jody Scheckter, Alan Jones and Mario Andretti all advanced to Formula One world titles. |
Racing was tougher south of the border. Underlining the high standard in the SCCA Continental Formula 5000 Championship, Jody Scheckter, Alan Jones and [[Mario Andretti]] all advanced to Formula One world titles. |
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Kroll persevered, complaining that inadequate prize money awarded mid-field finishers made it difficult to improve. Whereas the top three in the 1972 season opener at Laguna Seca, CA, shared $27,060, eighth-place Kroll's reward was $600.{{Cite news |last=Orr |first=Frank |date=May 17, 1972 |title="Purse split brings boos from drivers" |work=The Toronto Star}} |
Kroll persevered, complaining that inadequate prize money awarded mid-field finishers made it difficult to improve. Whereas the top three in the 1972 season opener at Laguna Seca, CA, shared $27,060, eighth-place Kroll's reward was $600.{{Cite news |last=Orr |first=Frank |date=May 17, 1972 |title="Purse split brings boos from drivers" |work=The Toronto Star}} |
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He counted three top-five finishes among 19 top-10's in his next 39 races. His Volkswagen-Porsche repair shop funded his racing, but left him perennially short. His daughter, Birgit, described how he'd tour tracks' paddocks the night before races searching other teams' garbage bins for parts like camshafts. Although cast off as overly worn, they were good for a second life in Kroll's car.{{Cite news |last=Langan |first=Fred |date=November 18, 2017 |title=Can-Am champion raced on a shoestring |work=The Globe and Mail |pages=S12}} |
He counted three top-five finishes among 19 top-10's in his next 39 races. His Volkswagen-Porsche repair shop funded his racing, but left him perennially short. His daughter, Birgit, described how he'd tour tracks' paddocks the night before races searching other teams' garbage bins for parts like camshafts. Although cast off as overly worn, they were good for a second life in Kroll's car.{{Cite news |last=Langan |first=Fred |date=November 18, 2017 |title=Can-Am champion raced on a shoestring |work=The Globe and Mail |pages=S12}} |
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He became newly competitive in 1983 when his first major sponsorship enabled him to re-body his Lola T330 as a near clone to the Galles Frissbee that Al Unser Jr. drove to the 1982 championship and acquire a 550-horsepower VDS-built Chevrolet engine. This was Lola HU2, a F5000 car in which Alan Jones had won at Brands Hatch a decade earlier. |
He became newly competitive in 1983 when his first major sponsorship enabled him to re-body his Lola T330 as a near clone to the Galles Frissbee that [[Al Unser Jr.]] drove to the 1982 championship and acquire a 550-horsepower VDS-built Chevrolet engine. This was Lola HU2, a F5000 car in which Alan Jones had won at Brands Hatch a decade earlier. |
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Also working in Kroll's favour, front-running teams moved to Indy Car racing. Four-time champion Car Haas departed in 1982; VDS, Rick Galles and Paul Newman followed in 1983, levelling the Can-Am playing field by their absence.{{Cite web |access-date=February 10, 2025 |title=Can-Am Racing, 1983 |url=https://oldracingcars.com |website=oldracingcars.com.}} |
Also working in Kroll's favour, front-running teams moved to Indy Car racing. Four-time champion Car Haas departed in 1982; VDS, Rick Galles and Paul Newman followed in 1983, levelling the Can-Am playing field by their absence.{{Cite web |access-date=February 10, 2025 |title=Can-Am Racing, 1983 |url=https://oldracingcars.com |website=oldracingcars.com.}} |
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Miaskiewicz scored three victories and the 1985 championship with Kroll second behind him each time for second in points. In Mosport's 1986 opener he topped his first win by qualifying fastest and leading from the start, with IMSA star Bill Adam second in another Kroll entry, a Frissbee KR4.Can-am Mosport - 1986 Race Results." racingsportscars.com. Retrieved February 10, 2025. |
Miaskiewicz scored three victories and the 1985 championship with Kroll second behind him each time for second in points. In Mosport's 1986 opener he topped his first win by qualifying fastest and leading from the start, with IMSA star Bill Adam second in another Kroll entry, a Frissbee KR4.Can-am Mosport - 1986 Race Results." racingsportscars.com. Retrieved February 10, 2025. |
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After the SCCA announced the series would fold after four races, Kroll became its final champion by adding to the season-opening victory with a fourth at Summit Point, WV, second at St. Louis, MO and another second at Mosport's fall race. Paul Tracy took the Can-am finale in the Kroll team's KR4; it was the 17-year-old's first step beyond the starter formulas on the way to Indy Car stardom.{{Cite journal |last=Dealey |first=Arley |date=November 1986 |title="Can-Am Challenge Round Four Mosport Park Winner: Paul Tracy/" |url=https://www.scca.com |journal=Sports Car |pages=98}} |
After the SCCA announced the series would fold after four races, Kroll became its final champion by adding to the season-opening victory with a fourth at Summit Point, WV, second at St. Louis, MO and another second at Mosport's fall race. [[Paul Tracy]] took the Can-am finale in the Kroll team's KR4; it was the 17-year-old's first step beyond the starter formulas on the way to Indy Car stardom.{{Cite journal |last=Dealey |first=Arley |date=November 1986 |title="Can-Am Challenge Round Four Mosport Park Winner: Paul Tracy/" |url=https://www.scca.com |journal=Sports Car |pages=98}} |
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The Can-Am competitors tried salvaging their brand of racing by forming a new organization, Championship Auto Teams, adding a single race at Hallet, OK to the Can-Am races to create the CAT Thunder Car Championship. Kroll took its title along with his Can-Am laurels by finishing sixth at Hallett.{{Cite web |title=Can-Am, CAT Racing, 1986 |url=https://www.oldracingcars.com |access-date=February 10, 2025 |website=oldracingcars.com}} |
The Can-Am competitors tried salvaging their brand of racing by forming a new organization, Championship Auto Teams, adding a single race at Hallet, OK to the Can-Am races to create the CAT Thunder Car Championship. Kroll took its title along with his Can-Am laurels by finishing sixth at Hallett.{{Cite web |title=Can-Am, CAT Racing, 1986 |url=https://www.oldracingcars.com |access-date=February 10, 2025 |website=oldracingcars.com}} |
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