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1982 CART Road America winner at auction to benefit MSHFA

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emailBy RACER Staff | 7 hours ago

On Saturday, July 18, a significant and rare piece of motorsports history will cross the block at the Mecum Indy 2020 Auction with all proceeds to benefit the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA).

“This is a chance for one very lucky racing enthusiast to own an important part of IndyCar and Indianapolis 500 history,” said MSHFA President George Levy. “The winning bidder will not only acquire a significant race car but will also support the vital work of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in preserving the legacy of our sport.”

March 82C No. 1 — the first March 82C built — was purchased by Forsythe Racing for former Formula 1 driver Hector Rebaque, who scored an upset victory over Al Unser, Bobby Rahal and Rick Mears at that year’s CART Road America 200 IndyCar race. It was the Mexican driver’s first and only IndyCar victory and his greatest international win.

The Robin Herd-designed chassis was purchased at the end of the season by McLaren Engines, Inc. in Livonia, Mich., to serve as a test bed for the development of the 209 cubic inch “stock block” Buick V6 turbo engine that would debut at the Indianapolis 500 in 1984.

Later in the decade, March 82C chassis No. 1 was adorned with its current Jim Crawford/Mac Tools/King Motorsports livery (below) to serve as a show car for Buick’s later Indianapolis 500 efforts. It was donated to the MSHFA in the early ’90s and has been on static display since.

This historic March-Buick IndyCar, Lot S94, will cross the auction block Saturday, July 18 at Dana Mecum’s 33rd Original Spring Classic Indy Auction at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. You can bid in person or online at https://bidnow.mecum.com/auth/login.

All proceeds from the sale will benefit the MSHFA, located on the grounds of Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. which preserves the history of the sport and honors motor racing’s “Heroes of Horsepower.”

The 2020 MSHFA inductee class includes NASCAR’s first premier series champion Red Byron (Historic), 7-time AMA Grand National champion Chris Carr (Motorcycles), motorsports publisher, promoter and competitor Floyd Clymer (At Large), IndyCar winner and chief steward Wally Dallenbach (Open Wheel), one of NASCAR’s most successful owners Rick Hendrick (Stock Cars), 1979 Can-Am champion and endurance star Jacky Ickx (Sports Cars), 1963 Daytona 500 and NASCAR Grand American champion Tiny Lund (Historic), 8-time NHRA champion “Ohio George” Montgomery (Drag Racing), and 10-time off-road champion Ivan “Ironman” Stewart (Off Road).

IndyCar, Vintage Motorsport / Historic