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World Sportscar Championship
1972 Chevron B21

Works Team Car — Prototype B23

Chassis No: B21-72-31
Team: Chevron
Drivers: Jochen Mass, Gerry BirRell, Peter Gethin
Engine: Cosworth Hart BDA 2.0 Liter DOHC 16-valve four cylinder
Horsepower: 250

1972 Springbok Series Champion

Derek Bennett was the founder of Chevron Cars Ltd. He was a brilliant engineer, mostly self-taught, and had a talent for modifying, designing, and fabricating racecars.

Chevron moved into international competition when the B16 made its inaugural debut at the 1969 Nürburgring 500km. Driven by Brian Redman it qualified for pole position. Redman pointed out that with heavy coupe bodywork it would be beaten on most circuits by lighter open-topped Spyders from marques like Abarth and Lola. The B16 Spyder was introduced in 1970, with a body inspired by the Porsche 908 (which Redman also drove!) and this started a long line of successful two-litre sports racers (B19, B21, B23, B26, etc.).

This particular B21 was the works entry for the 1972 South African Springbok series. It was the last B21 built and was actually the prototype for the B23 model. The car competed in all five events in the Springbok series winning four of them on their way to clinching the 1972 championship.

Hart Racing Engines
Founded in 1969 by British engineer Brian Hart, the company initially concentrated on servicing and tuning engines from other manufacturers for various independent British teams at all levels of motorsport. Hart found particular success with develoments of Ford's FVA engine, eventually leading Ford to approach Hart to develop the Ford BDA (Belt Driven A-type) engine for the 2.0L class. The European Formula Two title was won in both 1971 and 1972 with Ford engines built by Hart. The 2.0L BDA engine would go on to power the majority of Ford's 1970s rallying successes.

Jochen Mass
Mass participated in 114 Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, debuting on July 14, 1973. He won the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, achieved eight podiums, and scored a total of 71 championship points. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Porsche in 1989.

Gerry Birrell
Birrell began racing in Formula Ford, against drivers such as Emerson Fittipaldi. He progessed to Formula 2 in 1970. In 1972 he won his class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans driving a Ford Capri. In 1973 he was slated to replace Jackie Stewart at Tyrrell in Formula One before his untimely death in a Formula 2 race in France.

Peter Gethin
Gethin participated in 31 World Championship Formula One Grand Prix, debuting on June 21, 1970. He won the 1971 Italian Grand Prix with the fastest average speed in Formula One history. In 1974, Gethin won the Tasman Series driving a Chevron B24 Formula 5000 car.