Lola T70 Spyders
SL71/32

Sold to John Mecom.
Gearbox number: LG 500-48.

Sold to Roger Penske in mid-1966, SL71/32 was Roger Penske’s second T70 for Mark Donohue, the first, SL71/21, having been crashed at Watkins Glen. The development of /32 is well documented in Donohue’s “The Unfair Advantage”. Briefly, Donohue won his first USRRC race with it at Kent, Washington in July 1966 and then undertook tire testing, where it suffered minor damage and was quickly repaired in time for the Can Am season, which started in September. Donohue won at Mosport, and then took a further third place and two fourths.

Afterwards, /32 went to Nassau in December where Donohue won again.

In January 1968, /32 was sold to John Meyer, who raced it successfully in SCCA races in 1968 and 1969, setting the all-time record at the Mount Equinox hillclimb.

In 1970, John Meyer sold /32 to Philip Vanscoy-Smith, who sold it to the present owner and who had it couped and has driven it over 20,000 miles on the road.

The present owner got the set-up papers from Penske Racing and John Meyer when he bought the car. (There was no chassis plate – that was sent by Lola cars later on.)

Jim Hall saw it at Goodwood in 1998 and said that he put the spoiler on it.

Eno Di Pasquale, Lola mechanic, remembered it as being: “The car used by Donohue – I was present when it was being sold to John Meyer”.

1966: USRRC Season
30/7: Kent, Washington, USRRC: Donohue; 1st O.A.

To Jim Hall’s for tests and adjustments. Front airdam and rear spoiler fitted.

29/8: Mid-Ohio. USRRC: Donohue; DNF.

??/8: Riverside Firestone tire tests. Crashed.
Repaired.

11/9: Can-Am Round 1. Mont Tremblant-St Jovite: Donohue, #6; DNF.
18/9: Can-Am Round 2. Bridgehampton: Donohue, #6; 5th.
24/9: Can-Am Round 3. Mosport. Canadian G.P, #6; Donohue; 1st.
16/10: Can-Am Round 4. Laguna Seca: Donohue, #61; 4th.
30/10: Can-Am Round 5. Riverside: Donohue, #61; 4th.
13/11: Can-Am Round 6. Las Vegas. Stardust G.P. .Las Vegas: Donohue, #61; 3rd.
9/12: Governor’s and Tourist Trophy, Nassau Bahamas: Donohue, #7; DNF.
12/12: Nassau Trophy, Bahamas: M. Donohue, #7; 1st.

1968: January: Sold to John V. (Jack) Meyer from Connecticut, who raced the car in SCCA and Can-Am races in the late 1960's. Won SCCA 1968/9 ‘A’ Championship.
1968: 1st at Mount Equinox hillclimb,(all-time record).
1970: Sold to Philip Vanscoy-Smith. Still retained Sunoco blue paintwork.
1971: Sold to present owner.

Re-bodied with coupe bodywork. Blue. Used on the road.
2003: Chassis rebuilt with all new panels. Original bulkheads kept.