CONTACT: Rick F o l t z Gene Mason Racing 74 Maple S t r e e t

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Stoneham, Mass.

Skip Barber i s the biggest t h r e a t to the Hogan Racing domina­

t i o n of the L&M Continental S e r i e s . Skip i s the number-one d r i v e r

for the Gene Mason Racing Team. He w i l l be p i l o t i n g the r a d i c a l l y

changed March 711. The new c a r has been completely re-engineered

from c h a s s i s design to cooling system by the capable engineers at

the Gene Mason shop located i n Stoneham, Massachusetts.

Skip i s the type of d r i v e r everyone r e s p e c t s , and i s consid­

ered by many to be one of the best s i n g l e - s e a t d r i v e r s i n North

America. He has a determined and confident a t t i t u d e about himself

and the people he works with. I t i s t h i s strong c h a r a c t e r , coupled

with a keen mental awareness, that f i r s t e x c e l l e d Skip through Har­

vard U n i v e r s i t y , and then, to many i n d i v i d u a l achievements i n

amateur r a c i n g .

In 196 7 Skip placed higher than any other independent i n the

Can-Am s e r i e s standings. He won the National Championship for

Formula Ford i n 1969. The Formula B championship was added to h i s

c r e d i t i n 1970 as w e l l as s u c c e s s f u l l y defending h i s Formula Ford

t i t l e . S t a r t i n g a t the back of the f i e l d i n the Formula Ford race,

he outdrove the eighteen best d r i v e r s i n the country to become the

only National Champion i n two c l a s s e s t h a t year. I n 1971 Skip cam­

paigned Gene Mason's March i n the Grand P r i x C i r c u i t . This year

the L&M Continental Championship i s t h e i r goal.

GENE MASON^ OWNER

The t a l l handsome f e l l o w you see i n the p i t s holding Skip

Barber's l a p board i s Gene Mason, the formidable P h i l a d e l p h i a

a t t o r n e y . Gene i s a pa r t n e r i n Stassen Kostos and Mason, the

w e l l known f i r m t h a t handles corporate f i n a n c e , mergers, and

a c q u i s i t i o n s i n the I n t e r n a t i o n a l and domestic business world.

Gene f i r s t entered r a c i n g i n 1968 when he r e c e i v e d h i s

N a t i o n a l SCCA l i c e n s e . I n 1969, Gene assiamed the immense respon­

s i b i l i t y of promoting the Tecno formula c a r s . Tecno had never

s o l d c a r s i n t h i s country, but Gene Mason soon made t h e i r name

synonymous with winning. He sponsored B i l l Rutan i n a FC Tecno

i n 1969, and B i l l went on t o win the National Championship. Skip

Barber drove the Tecno FB c a r to the National Championship i n

19 70 with Gene t a k i n g 3rd i n the Northeast D i v i s i o n s FB c l a s s .

I n 1971, Gene f i n i s h e d 2nd i n the Southeast's FB c l a s s and entered

h i s f a c t o r y backed March 711 i n four Grand P r i x with Barber a t

the helm.

Th i s year the L&M Co n t i n e n t a l s e r i e s i s where Gene Mason

w i l l l eave h i s mark. His super competitive a t t i t u d e has already

been f e l t by the b e s t teams i n t h i s great s e r i e s . With such

r a p i d success one wonders what w i l l be i n s t o r e f o r Gene Mason

i n the f u t u r e . He w i l l most c e r t a i n l y continue h i s winning

ways i n SCCA pro events and don't be ̂ surprised i f you see the

Mason crew a t the Indy 500 next year. Gene Mason i s very s e r i o u s

about r a c i n g , p a r t i c u l a r l y winning.

DAVID B. REILLY, CHIEF DESIGNER

Dave R e i l l y came almost a c c i d e n t a l l y i n t o r a c i n g , and uncovered

a t a l e n t t h a t today makes him one of the most sought-after competition

experts i n the Northeast. Dave was r e s p o n s i b l e for the preparation

of Bob Sharp's Datsuns from 1966 to 1971. During h i s f i v e years with

Bob Sharp, R e i l l y ' s c a r s garnered an unprecedented s e r i e s of v i c t o r i e s ,

culminating i n the American Road Race of Champions. I n 1970 h i s

240Z, i n i t s f i r s t season of competition a g a i n s t the B r i t i s h Leyland-

backed team of Triumphs led by Bob T u l l i u s , was a winner the f i r s t

time out, while the SRL 311 he'd prepared the previous season took

s i x v i c t o r i e s i n a row. I n 1971 Dave e s t a b l i s h e d h i s own company

near h i s home i n R i d g e f i e l d , Connecticut. His new business has

already become a magnet for d r i v e r s seeking a f i n e competitive edge

for t h e i r c a r s .

T his season Dave has taken on the d u t i e s of team manager and

c h i e f designer for Gene Mason Racing. I n a very short period of

time Dave has coordinated the team e f f o r t and produced one of the

most competitive c a r s i n the L&M Continental s e r i e s . His unprece­

dented knowledge of cam design and suspension m o d i f i c a t i o n s , along

with h i s f r i e n d l y and c h e e r f u l a t t i t u d e toward h i s s t a f f , are a

d e f i n i t e a s s e t to Gene Mason.

DOUG GARNER, CHASSIS DESIGNER

Twenty-eight-year-old Doug Garner i s the man res p o n s i b l e for the

design and maintenance of the March 711. They c a l l him "Mr. Super

Tweak," but whatever h i s name, he's the man who b u i l d s competitive

c a r s . Doug worked i n r e s e a r c h and development for Lotus from 1965

to 1967 when he took over the engine shop for Team Lotus. I n 1968

he helped b u i l d the Indy turbine car for Graham H i l l . I n 1969 Doug

b u i l t the FWD Ford Indy c a r s for H i l l and Mario A n d r e t t i . He was

Graham H i l l ' s c h i e f mechanic a t Indy t h a t year. The World Champ­

ionship came to Team Lotus i n 1970 thanks to Doug's e f f o r t s and

s u p e r l a t i v e d r i v i n g by the l a t e Jochen Rindt and Emerson F i t t i p a l d i .

Doug took the number-three c a r to the United S t a t e s Grand P r i x , gave

i t one of h i s super tweaks, and F i t t i p a l d i drove home to v i c t o r y .

Doug j o i n e d Gene Mason Racing l a t e i n 1971 and prepared the March

for the German, Dutch, Canadian and U.S. Grand P r i x . He enjoys the

L&M Con t i n e n t a l s e r i e s immensely, and ap p r e c i a t e s the competitive s p i r i t .

TERRY SECKER, ENGINE BUILDER

Terry has been involved with c a r s s i n c e s t a r t i n g h i s apprentice­

ship a t age f i f t e e n . He took over the d u t i e s as head of the engine

shop f o r Alexander Engineering i n 1960. I n the Haddenham, England

shop Terry developed the f i n e s t engine speed equipment a v a i l a b l e i n

England. He came to the United St a t e s i n 1963 with Peter Sachs to

b u i l d h i s Lotus 23. Terry stayed with Sachs u n t i l 1965 when he j o i n e d

Skip Barber on a s i m i l a r venture. He b u i l t both the Formula Ford

engines and the Formula B engine t h a t c a r r i e d Skip to h i s National

Championships i n 1969 and 1970. He joi n e d Gene Mason l a t e i n 1969

and b u i l d s a l l of the engines f o r the L&M Continental s e r i e s . Terry

runs one of those shops where you can l i e down on a work bench with­

out worrying about g e t t i n g d i r t y .

ALLEN COSTA, PARTS MANAGER

A l l e n i s the newest member of the Gene Mason crew. He's a

Southern I l l i n o i s U n i v e r s i t y graduate who w i l l have to be reckoned

with on the race t r a c k i n the near f u t u r e . U n t i l t h a t time he handles

the b a s i c l o g i s t i c s of the Gene Mason Team and makes sure a l l of the

r i g h t p a r t s are i n stock and a t the t r a c k f o r emergency use. A l l e n

i s the person you meet on the a i r p l a n e on h i s way to get a new engine.

SPECIFICATIONS GENE MASON MARCH 711

ENGINE

Type

Performance

Torque

Fu e l i n j e c t i o n

I g n i t i o n

Spark plugs

TRANSMISSION

Gearbox

FRAME-SUSPENSION

Cha s s i s

Bodywork

Suspension

Brakes

Wheel rims

T i r e s

F u e l c e l l

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase

Length o v e r a l l

Width o v e r a l l

Weight

Height

Track

DFV Cosworth Ford, 3 l i t e r s (182.64 c i d )

430 bhp a t 10,000 rpm

245 f t / l b a t 8,500 rpm

Lucas

T r a n s i s t o r with r e v - l i m i t i n g device

Champion

Hewland FG 400 u t i l i z i n g a Cosworth du a l - p l a t e c l u t c h

March 711-5 monocoque

Aluminum and f i b e r g l a s s

Double A-arm with c a s t magnesium uprights f r o n t and r e a r . Inboard f r o n t springs and shocks by Koni, outboard i n r e a r .

V e n t i l a t e d d i s c , IOJ5 inches by G i r l i n g . Inboard on back, outboard i n the f r o n t .

Cast magnesium, 13" d i a by 11" wide up fr o n t ; 13" d i a by 16" wide i n the r e a r

Goodyear

Fo a m - f i l l e d , 26 g a l c a p a c i t y

100 inches

162 inches

79 inches

12 35 pounds

41% inches to top of a i r scoop for i n j e c t o r s

62% inches f r o n t and r e a r

GENE MASON RACING FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Edmonton was the f i r s t race for the Gene Mason "Red Rocket."

" I t was a shake-down and t e s t i n g week-end fo r us. We r e a l l y wanted

to i r o n out some suspension problems under race c o n d i t i o n s , " s a i d

Mason. The team l e f t Edmonton with a f i f t h p l a c e f i n i s h o v e r - a l l

and the confidence t h a t they could win i t a l l at Watkins Glen.

The Glen was an i n t e r e s t i n g week-end. Skip blew the good

engine i n p r a c t i c e and the new engine was s t i l l i n t r a n s i t from

England. The old p r a c t i c e s p e c i a l was i n s t a l l e d f o r q u a l i f y i n g and

Skip managed to turn the s i x t h f a s t e s t time with an engine as t i r e d

and unprepared as Martha M i t c h e l l . The f i r s t heat brought the

s p e c t a t o r s to t h e i r f e e t when Skip turned the f a s t e s t lap of the day

to capture the " B a l l a n t i n e Trophy" and f i n i s h second, a mere .238

seconds behind Redman. In the second heat a broken r e a r wing s t r u t

dropped Skip from the lead and d i s a b l e d the c a r to the point of

motoring around as i f on a Sunday d r i v e through the B e r k s h i r e s . A

t i e f o r second place o v e r - a l l was a big disappointment to everyone.

Skip grabbed the pole p o s i t i o n a t E l k h a r t Lake, an easy 1 second

ahead of the next f a s t e s t c a r . He had a 5 second lead on the fourth

lap when a small o i l leak i n the l i n e to the o i l pressure gauge

appeared. Rather than chance damaging the engine Skip e l e c t e d to

DNF and p u l l e d o f f the course allowing McCrae to win. Skip s t a r t e d

dead l a s t on the g r i d i n the second heat due to the DNF. But as they

say on the squash court, you can't keep a good Harvard man down, and

Skip i s not the type of guy to disappoint t r a d i t i o n . He passed ten

c a r s on the f i r s t lap and by the t h i r t e e n t h lap had an i n c r e d i b l e 4

second lead. He won the heat with a comfortable 9 second margin over

McCrae. A l l B r i a n Redman had to say was "That c a r of Barber's bloody

goes". The "Red Rocket" went by Sam Posey so f a s t on the u p h i l l s t r a i g h t

t h a t poor Sam thought h i s engine had q u i t . Eh Sam?

Gene Mason Racing

For immediate r e l e a s e

Lime Rock Park w i l l be the next b ig t e s t f o r Skip

Barber and the Gene Mason Racing crew. The March 711 should

be super competitive and Skip has to be picked as the favor­

i t e on the t i g h t winding Connecticut course.

The March 711 Formula-One c a r has a l l of the advantages

of braking and handling on a t i g h t course over the behemouth

F5000 c a r s .

The Gene Mason team needs a win here a t Lime Rock to

secure a shot a t the o v e r a l l L&M C o n t i n e n t a l Championship.

Skip ranks f o u r t h o v e r a l l i n the standings, a mere four

p o i n t s behind second p l a c e Posey.

L o g i s t i c a l problems with p a r t s shipments from England

have kept Skip from having a super engine i n the past, with

the exception of E l k h a r t Lake, and we a l l remember what

happened t h e r e . T h i s problem w i l l be solved for the Lime

Rock Race t h i s weekend. A welcomed s i t u a t i o n a f t e r a

d i s a p p o i n t i n g t h i r d - p l a c e f i n i s h a t Road A t l a n t a due to TWA's

a i r f r e i g h t - a i r l a t e l I f you remember, t h a t ' s the a i r l i n e

with Ambassador S e r v i c e 1

Standings to date; 1. Graham McRae 75 2. Sam Posey 42 3. B r e t t Lunger 40 4. Skip Barber 38

For p r e s s information, c o n t a c t Rick F o l t z Gene Mason Racing 74 Maple S t r e e t Stoneham, Mass.