T540 HU32 is currently owned by Rob Katz in the USA. It was shipped from Huntingdon to Carl A. Haas Automobile Imports in Highland Park, Illinois on June 30, 1979 as a completed car (engine number: TFR79044, gearbox number: H9 2974, Sports Car Club of America identification number: 032-429, original color: Desert Yellow).
Its first owner, Greg Atwell of Texas, qualified the car on the pole for the 1979 SCCA Formula Ford national championship race at Road Atlanta. Midwesterner Gary Hackbarth made it an all-T540 front row.
True to Formula Ford tradition, the contest was a thrilling race-long duel for the title involving five cars. While battling for the lead on the last lap, 1980 CART IndyCar Rookie of the Year Dennis Firestone and Atwell approached the downhill, extremely fast Bridge Turn, inches apart. Whether the pair touched was never determined, but Firestone flipped upside down into the tire wall (he was unhurt) and Atwell salvaged third place. However, the post-race inspection found the pole-sitter's cylinder head to be askew of the regulations.
HU32 has spent most of its post-national championship career in the American Midwest, racing at circuits such as Blackhawk Farms, Brainerd International, GingerMan, Indianapolis Raceway Park, Mid-Ohio, Road America and Route 66 Raceway. After Atwell, its subsequent owners were Keith Brown (1979-1987), Jim Harayda (1987), Jim Krausch (1987-1991) and Bill Bergeron (1991-1997).
Bob Roemer purchased the car in October 1997 to race in the SCCA's Club Formula Ford (Classic Formula Ford) category. HU32 competed in the 40th Anniversary of Formula Ford in America on July 25-26, 2009 at Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The event attracted 520 cars of all marques and years.
With Bill Bonow at the wheel, HU32 came sixth in the Club/Classic Formula Ford race, starting 10th in a field of 66. Not only was his finish impressive, his performance made HU32 the fastest Lola of the memorable weekend.
