The GTU Championship was now used to run separate races in conjunction with the traditional GT races, mixing every category. This season had reached a new peak, with a lot of racing actions and three drivers winning most of the races. At the end, it was Jim Downing who clinched the GTU Championship, but it was mainly due to his ability to finish all but one race. He won three races and earned many top five finishes. Two drivers may have had some regrets not entering more events : Logan Blackburn and Joe Varde who could have won both the Championship. They had five wins and were runner ups to Jim Downing. It was a very competitive season, with a lot of action and the arrival of Toyota Celicas entered by Kent Racing. A special mention should be made to Wayne Baker, who accomplished great feats with his underpowered Personalized Autohaus Porsche 914/4.
The 1982 GTU season had begun as per usual, with the Daytona and Sebring rounds. These two races had seen two different Mazda wins : the Kent Racing car driven by Lee Mueller-Alan Moffat-Kathy Rude at Daytona and the Roger Mandeville-Amos Johnson-Jeff Kline at Sebring. It seemed once again that Mazda would still hold the GTU points one more year. Unlike many GTO teams, most of the factory-backed cars were to enter every race.
However, things were to change as soon as for the Road Atlanta round. Logan Blackburn, already the fastest qualifyer, won easily the race over George Alderman, who drove a Datsun too. Third was the best Mazda driver, Jim Downing, in the Haynes Manuals car, who edged his rival Roger Mandeville. The next race was a classical GT race and Jim Cook and Jim Mullen won the GTU class over Jack Dunham and Jeff Kline. Both teams drove Mazda RX7s.
The next race was held at Laguna Seca, in California. It would be a perfect sweep for Mazdas, but the winner was not the expected one. It was the first time Kent Racing entered a pair of Toyota Celicas. Unfortunately, the cars were completely new ones and needed to be further developed.The pole position was held by Wayne Baker, who drove his Personalized Autohaus Porsche 914/4, but he would not finish the race. Joe Varde drove the Trinity Racing Mazda RX7 to a win, beating Jim Downing and Jack Dunham, who drove similar cars. The best Datsun was Frank Carney's car, who placed only sixth. This race was to feature SP2 cars, which are less developed cars. Danny May won this category, driving a Datsun 710. A strong thirty seven car field took the start of the race.
At Charlotte, Logan Blackburn and George Alderman won the race in the Columbus Datsun 280ZX, entered by Alderman Racing over Jim Downing and John Maffucci who drove a Mazda RX7.
At Mid Ohio, twenty three cars were to take the start of the race, again with Wayne Baker on the pole!
The Mid Ohio race start with Wayne Baker on the pole. He would not last more than one lap.
Copyright Mark Windecker
But this time, he would not last for more than one lap. Jim Downing emerged as the winner over Bob Leitzinger on his Datsun 280ZX. Joe Varde set the fastest lap but had to settle only for eighth. Don Anderson won the SP2 class in his Datsun 510.
A very thin sixteen car field was to be seen at Lime Rock but the main title contenders were present. At the end, it was again Joe Varde who took the win over George Alderman and Roger Mandeville. Kurt Roehrig had entered his beautiful BMW 320, but he could not do better than eleventh, with a dnf.
The next race was held at Summit Point, for a special GTU race, with twenty one starters. Once again, it seemed that Joe Varde would dominate the race, as he was the fastest qualifier. He actually did dominate the race, and set the fastest lap in the process. Second was Roger Mandeville who finished seventeen seconds behind him. Logan Blackburn was third with Rick Knoop fourth in his Kent Racing Toyota Celica. It was a very encouraging result for the new car. Bill Coykendall won the SP2 class in his Datsun 200SX.
Joe Varde won five races in 1982, but he finished third after missing four races
Copyright Mark Windecker
The Paul Revere 250 Miler was won by Logan Blackburn and George Alderman who drove a Datsun 280ZX turbo. They won over Jim Downing and Roger Mandeville finished third. Both soloed in that particular night race.
At Brainerd, it was again Logan Blackburn who took the class win in his non turbo Datsun over Joe Varde and Roger Mandeville. At Sears Point, the same scenario was nearly seen with Joe Varde again winning the race after been fastest in practice, and winning overall over Roger Mandeville and Jim Downing. Casey Mollett was the best Datsun finisher in his 280ZX. Doug Peterson was the winner in the SP2 class with his Renault 5 Le Car.
At Portland, Roger Mandeville took his revenge and won the race over Joe Varde who was again the fastest in practice. Third was Lee Mueller in his Toyota Celica. Mike Rickman was the SP2 winner in a Datsun 200SX.
The remainder of the season was a string of six Camel GT races, including every GT class. The next race was held at Mosport for the now traditional 6Hour race and it was Roger Mandeville and Amos Johnson who won the class, but the Toyota Celica driven by Rick Knoop and Ron Grable had its best race of the season and took a very good second place in class. Third was the New Raytown Datsun driven by Frank Carney and Dick Davenport. A very unusual entry for that race was the Alps Restoration Audi 80 Coupé driven by Peter Aschenbrenner, who was partnered by German driver Edgar Dören and Vicki Smith. They finished sixth in GTU, twenty eight laps down.
At Road America, Mazda won again with Joe Varde and Jeff Kline took the class win over Logan Blackburn and George Alderman. They were very far away from third place finisher, a Porsche 914/6 driven by Tim Selby and Earl Roe.
At the Mid Ohio 6Hour race, Logan Blackburn and George Alderman were again the winners, driving the #32 car, this time easily ahead of Joe Varde and Jeff Kline. Rick Knoop and Ron Grable took third in their Toyota Celica.
Lee Mueller had a very tough season with his Kent Racing Toyota Celica. He is seen here at Mid Ohio.
Copyright Mark Windecker
Things were a little bit different at Road Atlanta where Mazda took over. Roger Mandeville and Amos Johnson were the class winners on this very fast course. Rick Knoop and Ron Grable were again second and ahead of the two Mazdas driven by Jim Downing and John Maffucci and the Dunham Trucking car driven by Jack Dunham and Jim Mullen. Logan Blackburn and George Alderman took only fifth. At that point, Roger Mandeville was the series GTU leader, and two races were left.
At Pocono, it was Jim Downing and John Maffucci who took the win with Jack Dunham and Jim Mullen second. George Alderman was partnered by Carson Baird to take third in his Alderman Racing Datsun 280ZX. Logan Blackburn had entered his own car, but had moved to the GTO class, intentionally or not, for that race. He took no GTU point, of course.
The last race of the season was the Daytona Finale, which secured JIm Downing the Championship. He effectively won the race over Doug Carmean and Ed Pimm, driving the Red Roof Inns Mazda RX7, and Jack Dunham and Jim Mullen, who drove consistently to a third place finish. Logan Blackburn was partnered by Bob Leitzinger on the latter's car, but he could do no better than sixth.
Jim Downing finally won the GTU Championship, thanks to a very good end of season. However, he had to fight hard for it. Mazda won the manufacturers Championship, but it was no domination at all. It was very tight and Datsun missed the win, mainly due to a lack of races. And to finish, Toyota did have some good races, but did not win any race. Kent Racing entered a Mazda for the last race of the season. For the next year, Toyota was to be entered by Dan Gurney's All American Racers. But it would be another story.
