Howden Ganley

James Howden Ganley (born 24 December 1941 in Hamilton) is a former racing driver from New Zealand. From 1971 to 1974 he participated in 41 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix. He placed 4th twice and scored points 5 times for a total of 10 championship points (only the top 6 places scored points). He also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula One races.

Howden Ganley
Born (1941-12-24) 24 December 1941
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality New Zealander
Active years1971 – 1974
TeamsBRM, Iso–Marlboro, March, Maki
Entries41 (35 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points10
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1971 South African Grand Prix
Last entry1974 German Grand Prix

Personal and early life

When he was thirteen years old, he attended the 1955 New Zealand Grand Prix at Ardmore[1] which inspired him and provided him with an impetus to follow a career in racing.[2] Immediately after leaving school, Ganley became a reporter for the Waikato Times[3] and wrote a column for Sports Car Illustrated.[3] He moved to the United Kingdom in 1961 and pursued a career as a mechanic.[1]

Career

Early career

Between 1960 and 1962, Ganley competed in many events throughout New Zealand driving a Lotus Eleven.[3] Throughout this period, he was earning a living by working as a foreman for a concreting company.[3]

In 1970, Ganley finished second to Peter Gethin in the European Formula 5000 championship.[1] This caught the attention of the BRM Formula One team, who signed him to a contract for 1971.

Formula 5000

In 1970, Ganley finished the European Formula 5000 Championship in 2nd place with help from his friend and mechanic Barry Ultahan.

Formula One

In 1971, Ganley started off the season promisingly with fifth place at the non-championship Race of Champions.[4] At the end of 1971, having scored two points finishes during the year, Ganley was awarded the Wolfgang von Trips Memorial Trophy for the best performance by a newcomer to Grand Prix racing.[3] In 1972 Ganley raced for the Marlboro BRM team and finished 13th in the Championship with 4 points. His highest finish for the season was 4th at the Nürburgring.[5] For the 1973 season Ganley signed up to drive an Iso–Marlboro car for Frank Williams Racing. At the 1973 Canadian Grand Prix he was almost declared the winner because of a timing mix up with the pace car; when the results were corrected, Ganley was classified sixth.

A suspension failure in practice for the 1974 German Grand Prix while driving for the Maki team left Ganley with serious foot and ankle injuries that ended his Grand Prix career.[3]

Ganley F1 Car

In 1975 a Ganley F1 project was initiated. The Ganley-Cosworth 001 car was hand-built by Howden Ganley on his premises at Windsor. It was almost readied, and Ganley had two DFV engines at hand, but it never ran in anger.[6] Ganley eventually used the equipment to start Tiga Race Cars with fellow driver Tim Schenken the following year.

Sportscars

Ganley and François Cevert drove a Matra-Simca MS670 to second place in the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Tiga Race Cars
1983 Tiga SC83 Sports 2000 car

In 1976 Ganley and former Formula One driver Australian Tim Schenken founded Tiga Race Cars as a British-based race car constructor and race team.[7] The team had plans to compete in Formula One in 1978, but the project did not proceed due to sponsorship withdrawal.[8]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 WDC Points
1971 Yardley Team BRM BRM P153 BRM P142 3.0 V12 RSA
Ret		 ESP
10		 MON
DNQ		 NED
7		 FRA
10		 GBR
8		 GER
Ret		 15th 5
BRM P160 AUT
Ret		 ITA
5		 CAN
DNS		 USA
4
1972 Marlboro BRM BRM P160B BRM P142 3.0 V12 ARG
9		 RSA
NC		 ESP
Ret		 BEL
8		 FRA
DNS		 13th 4
BRM P180 MON
Ret
BRM P160C GBR GER
4		 AUT
6		 ITA
11		 CAN
10		 USA
Ret
1973 Frank Williams Racing Cars Iso–Marlboro FX3B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG
NC		 BRA
7		 RSA
10		 19th 1
Iso–Marlboro IR ESP
Ret		 BEL
Ret		 MON
Ret		 SWE
11		 FRA
14		 GBR
9		 NED
9		 GER
DNS		 AUT
NC		 ITA
NC		 CAN
6		 USA
12
1974 March Engineering March 741 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG
8		 BRA
Ret		 RSA ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA NC 0
Maki Engineering Maki F101 GBR
DNQ		 GER
DNQ		 AUT ITA CAN USA

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year Team Co-drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
pos.
1972 France Equipe Matra Simca Shell France François Cevert Matra-Simca MS670 S 3.0 333 2nd 2nd
1973 United Kingdom Gulf Research Racing United Kingdom Derek Bell Mirage M6-Cosworth S 3.0 163 DNF DNF
1975 Germany Gelo Racing Team Australia Tim Schenken Porsche 911 Carrera RSR GTS 106 DNF DNF
1976 Germany Gelo Racing Team Germany Clemens Schickentanz Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Gr. 5 SP 74 DNF DNF

Footnotes
  1. Bruce Jones, ed. (1998). The Complete Encyclopedia of Formula One. Carlton Books. p. 105. ISBN 1-85868-515-X.
  2. "Drivers: Howden Ganley". GrandPrix.com. Retrieved 8 January 2007.
  3. "Howden Ganley – BRDC Archive Biography". British Racing Drivers Club. Archived from the original on 6 December 2006. Retrieved 8 January 2007.
  4. "Race of Champions Brands Hatch 1971". Gerald's Motor Sport Pictures. Archived from the original on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2007.
  5. "Germany gp 1972". Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2016 – via YouTube.
  6. "Grand Prix Cars that never raced". 8W. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  7. "AD Team Tiga – Event Partner at Spa Franchorchamps". tigaracecars.com. 27 September 2013. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  8. "Interview with Mikko Kozarowitzky". F1 Rejects. Archived from the original on 15 November 2004. Retrieved 8 January 2007.
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