THE LOLA T490
All pictures copyright Lola Heritage unless otherwise stated.
A publicity shot of the T490.
Sports 2000 was introduced in 1977 as a relatively inexpensive way for drivers to compete in sports car racing, a sports car version of Formula Ford. With their success in 2-litre racing it was not surprising that Lola were very interested in producing a chassis for this potentially exciting new formula and their design, the T490, would prove to be even more successful than they could have dreamt of.
The T490 comprised a straightforward monocoque with a forward braced roll hoop giving additional stiffness and a front-mounted water radiator. Suspension was conventional Lola, at the front outboard spring/dampers with upper and lower wishbones. At the rear the spring/dampers were again outboard with a top link, reversed lower wishbone and twin radius rods and inboard brakes. The engine was the 2-litre 4-cylinder Ford Pinto engine although the official Ford designation was the TL20. Power was 126-128 bhp transmitted to the road via a Hewland Mk9 gearbox.
The first season of Sports 2000 saw a 20-round Championship with sponsorship from SodaStream and the T490 hit the ground running when Divina Galica won the opening round at Oulton Park and that was the start of almost total domination from Lola. Of the twenty rounds the T490 won nineteen with Galica wining ten, John Cooper five and Chris Alford, John Brown, Rad Dougall and Derek Daly taking one each. The inaugural Championship went to Cooper through greater consistency than Galica but arguably the real winner was Lola as sales of their 1978 model, the T492 went through the roof following this success.
Year(s) of Construction: 1977
Total Built: 10
Press Release SPORTS 2000 is the first—ever formula devised utilising the combined efforts of Britain's race promoters and racing manufacturers. Featured above with the first production car, a Lola, are (L to R) John Webb (Managing Director (Motor Circuit Developments), John Wickham (Thruxton Circuit), Jimmy Brown (Silverstone Circuit), Eric Broadley (Managing Director, Lola Cars Ltd), Tony Salmon (British Racing Drivers Club) and Peter Browning (British Racing & Sports Car Club). Sitting at the wheel of the Shellsport Lola T490 is its driver Divina Galica, Britain’s top lady racing driver.
T490 CHAMPIONSHIP WINS
YEAR |
CHAMPIONSHIP |
WINNER(S) |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship | John Cooper | Lola T490-Ford |
| 1983 | Pace-BARC Sprint Championship Class Winner | Mike Smith | Lola T490-Ford |
| 1986 | British Columbia Region CASC Sports Racing Championships | Vic Nightscales | Lola T490-Ford |
| 1987 | British Columbia Region CASC Sports Racing Championships | Vic Nightscales | Lola T490-Ford |
| 1988 | British Columbia Region CASC Sports Racing Championships | Vic Nightscales | Lola T490-Ford |
| 1990 | International Conference of Sports Car Clubs - C Sports Racing Champion | Vic Nightscales | Lola T490-Ford |
T490 SIGNIFICANT RACE WINS
1977
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8th April | Oulton Park – Gold Cup | Divina Galica | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 1 - Lola wins first ever Sports 2000 race |
| 11th April | Silverstone - BRDC Easter Bank Holiday Meeting | John Brown | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 2 |
| 24th April | Brands Hatch- BRSCC | John Cooper | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 3 |
| 1st May | Silverstone - BARC | Divina Galica | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 4 |
| 8th May | Brands Hatch - BRSCC | Divina Galica | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 5 |
| 22nd May | Mallory Park - ShellSport International | Divina Galica | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 6 |
| 5th June | Brands Hatch - Capital Radio Jubilee Raceday | Divina Galica | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 7 |
| 6th June | Thruxton - Spring Bank Holiday ShellSport International | Divina Galica | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 8 |
| 19th June | Brands Hatch - Rochester Motor Club | Divina Galica | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 9 |
| 3rd July | Silverstone - BRSCC Midland Centre | Chris Alford | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 10 |
| 9th July | Oulton Park - BRSCC NW Centre | Rad Dougall | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 11 |
| 31st July | Donington Park - BARC | John Cooper | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 12 |
| 7th August | Snetterton - BARC | Divina Galica | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 13 |
| 29th August | Brands Hatch - BRSCC | Divina Galica | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 14 |
| 4th September | Silverstone - BARC | John Cooper | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 15 |
| 11th September | Thruxton - BARC Radio 210 Raceday | John Cooper | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 16 |
| 24th September | Oulton Park - BARC NW | Derek Daly | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 18 |
| 16th October | Donington Park - BARC | John Cooper | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 19 |
| 23rd October | Snetterton - BARC | Divina Galica | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 20 |
1978
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st May | Mallory Park - BRSCC (MC) | John Trevelyan | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 6 |
| 7th May | Donington Park - BRDC | John Trevelyan | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 7 |
| 29th May | Oulton Park - BRSCC (NW) | John Trevelyan | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 8 |
| 11th June | Brands Hatch - BARC | Chris Alford | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 9 |
| 1st July | Castle Combe - BRSCC (SW) | John Trevelyan | SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 11 |
| 9th July | Snetterton - BARC Sports Car Festival | John Trevelyan | Eastern Electricity/SodaStream Sports 2000 Championship - Round 12 |
| 22nd October | Mondello Park - IMRC | John Sheldon | Motoradio 4000 Sports 2000 race |
1978
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12th August | Regis Sprint - Goodwood | Dennis Downey (T490/2) | Sprint event - Class Winner |
1983
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th April | Brands Hatch | John L. Webb | Round of the Grand Prix International British Sports 2000 Championship - Winner Pre '80 Class |
| 14th May | Lydden Hill - BARC (L&HC) |
Mike Smith | Round 3 of the Pace Petroleum/BARC Sprint Championship and Round 2 of the RAC British Sprint Championship - Class Winner |
| 4th June | New Brighton |
Mike Smith | Round 4 of the Pace Petroleum/BARC Sprint Championship - Class Winner |
| 7th August | Goodwood - Bognor Regis MC | Mike Smith | Round 7 of the Pace Petroleum RAC British Sprint Championship - Class Winner |
| 4th September | Goodwood - BARC (L & HC) | Mike Smith | Round 7 of the Pace Petroleum RAC British Sprint Championship - Class Winner |
1984
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28th-29th April | Donington Park | Dave Karaskas | Round of the Grand Prix International British Sports 2000 Championship - Winner Pre '80 Class |
Divina Galica sitting in the T490.
The T490 less rear bodywork.
Divina Galica always wore.....
....the number 13 on all the cars she drove.
