INTEREST in the first Formula Atlantic races for more than 30 years anywhere in the United Kingdom is building ahead of the Tom Pryce Memorial Race Meeting at Anglesey Circuit.

To be run as part of the Historic Sports Car Club’s first race meeting at the spectacular track, a representative grid of Formula Atlantics is being assembled for the pair of races, which will be sponsored by Raceparts (UK) Ltd and will be held from July 13-14.

The first major historic race meeting to be held in Wales will honour Pryce with a programme that includes the inaugural stand-alone races for Formula Atlantic as a historic category.

Pryce was a star of Formula Atlantic during his rise to stardom and the pair of races will be run for a Trophy named in his honour.

Iain Rowley, the man behind the initial idea to run a dedicated Formula Atlantic race, said: “We’ve had such a good response. We’re very pleasantly surprised at the people coming back out. We’re getting enquiries from drivers with cars that have not raced for some time.

“We’ve had interest from all over the world and we’re hoping to get some cars from Ireland to come to Anglesey.”

Among the cars already confirmed for Anglesey is the Chevron B34 of Australian racer Martin Bullock.

From new in 1976, it went from the Chevron factory in Bolton to Albert Poon who raced it in Malaysia and at Macau.

Another car pledged for Anglesey is the March 722 owned by Formula Junior racer Bob Birrell. The car came back to the UK late last year and arrived in excellent condition from North America, where it had spent all of its racing life.

Andy Dee-Crowne, CEO of the HSCC, added: “Interest in the Formula Atlantic races at Anglesey is coming along really well.

“I’m particularly pleased that we are getting interest from cars and drivers that are not currently racing.”