THE RIGHT RACING RECIPES, AND CAKE

THE RIGHT FORMULA FOR 50 YEARS

If a Top Fuel dragster sits atop the horsepower list of open-wheel racing cars, then cars designed for the massively successful Formula Ford (FF) category are close to the opposite end. Invented in the mid 1960s as a cheap alternative to Formula 3 for racing schools, the concept was staggeringly simple: introduce the Ford Kent pushrod to a spaceframe chassis, keep engine modifications to a minimum, same tyres for all, ban aerodynamic appendages, and you get the most phenomenally successful single-seater class of racing car the world has ever seen.

The first-ever race for these 1600cc mini Grand Prix (GP) cars took place in England in July 1967, but it quickly took off. The US and Australia were among the earliest adopters. It took us a little longer because we had the muchloved National Formula, comprising predominantly Brabhams, Ken Smith’s Lotus, and Graham McRae’s gorgeous self-built cars, all powered by the Lotus-Ford Twin Cam. After a memorable championship in 1968/’69 the class was nearly on its knees a year later. The quality was still