This 82G race car is the first of four examples produced by March Engineering in 1982 for use in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class of the IMSA GT Championship. Chassis 1, referred to as the 82G prototype, secured pole position in its debut at the Daytona 24 Hours, and in its subsequent running at the Sebring 12 Hours went on to claim pole position along with a 2nd overall finish as part of the Bob Garretson team with Bobby Rahal, Jim Trueman and Mauricio de Narváez at the wheel. Former air-race pilot Jimmy Leeward later acquired the car and campaigned it in a handful of races before retiring it in the mid-1980s. In the early 2010s, he commissioned refurbishment work noted to have been performed by Jack Deren Racing Enterprises of Carbondale, PA. Upon completion of the project in 2011, it was presented at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, and the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, reportedly winning a class award during the latter event.
The Kevlar-and-carbon-fiber bodywork is finished in a number 9 Red Roof Inns livery and mounted over an aluminum monocoque chassis with an integrated tubular-steel roll cage. Power is provided by a 350-ci Chevrolet V8 equipped with a fuel-injection system, while shifting is via a 5-speed manual gearbox. The car rides on 16-inch BBS center-lock wheels and is further appointed with independent double-wishbone suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, an air-jack system, a ducted nose, polycarbonate windows and a rear wing. Inside, a single fixed seat fitted with a multi-point harness is accompanied by a fire-suppression system and a quick-release steering wheel. Acquired by the selling dealer in 2023, this 82G is now offered on a bill of sale in Bedford Hills, NY.
(Introductory description courtesy of Bring a Trailer.)
