<< Prev Page 2 of 2 The first Chevron B1 that was ready was Bennett's own car, which he entered in a libre race at Kirkistown, Ireland on July 3rd of 1965. It was actually completed on the way to the track and did not turn a wheel until it got to Kirkistown. Following an eventful shakedown, during which a wheel came off, Bennett lined up for what would be Chevron's very first race. Both driver and car performed superbly, winning the race and setting the fastest lap in the process. It would turn out that a debut victory would become a bit of a Chevron speciality. The B1 had achieved its objective of eclipsing the Lotus 7 courtesy of the independent rear suspension.
For the next race, at Eire, the B1 was entrusted to Robert Ashcroft, who had helped fund the trip to Ireland. With Ashcroft behind the whee, the B1 won again, beating a young John Watson in his Crossle. Upon the team's return to England, the second B1 was finished. In the remainder of the year, Bennett and Classick would dominate the Clubmans races, often finishing first and second. Understandably, there was a strong demand for more cars from new customers. For 1966, a subtly revised B2 was offered to these customers, it featured a fibreglass body built using moulds taken from the original B1's aluminium panels.
A winner straight out of the box, the simple but highly effective B1 paved the way for the many great racing cars produced by Chevron during the next two decades. The great results during the second half of the 1965 season not only helped attract customers, they also gave Bennett the confirmation that he was a more than capable designer despite his lack of formal training. The first Chevron also formed the inspiration for the B1 Mk2 road car, produced during the early 2000s. Coming full circle, the idea for the road car was formed during the restoration of Brian Classick's B2. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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The first Chevron B1 that was ready was Bennett's own car, which he entered in a libre race at Kirkistown, Ireland on July 3rd of 1965. It was actually completed on the way to the track and did not turn a wheel until it got to Kirkistown. Following an eventful shakedown, during which a wheel came off, Bennett lined up for what would be Chevron's very first race. Both driver and car performed superbly, winning the race and setting the fastest lap in the process. It would turn out that a debut victory would become a bit of a Chevron speciality. The B1 had achieved its objective of eclipsing the Lotus 7 courtesy of the independent rear suspension.