Group 5 Racing circa 1972
1973-1974 body style - being restored by John McHenry

Group 5 Racing

-By John Scott McHenry

In 1972-1973, Group 5 (the race team name) was based out of the Ocelot racing shop in Jaynesville Wisconsin. They ran very unique sleds with liquid cooled motors made from free air cylinders and their own heads in SWSRA and USSA. I believe six of the sleds were made. The water pumps were from Saab sonnets. One surviving sled in Minnesota and mine have a body on it that were to be run the 73-74 season with Polaris free-air motors. The ones pictures here were from 72-73.

Team member Guineth Johnston was killed at a race in Milwaukee February 1973. The team just sort of dissolved after that. Some of the sleds are in the old body design and I only know where one of those is. I would like to find one of those body styles so I could put the liquid cooled motors I have in it. I am also gathering memorabilia from the team members.

If anyone would like to share information on these racers and the team, please email me.

UPDATE:
From George Johnston:
"I raced The Ocelot 340 and a 250 Arctic EXT in SWSRA and USSA. Guineth raced the 250 EXT in Ladies mod class. It was the newer style than the EXT. The Ocelot group 5 racers were built by Ocelot out of Madison, Wi by the collective genius of Larrie Schnieder and Gene Davis. They had a baackground of building Sports racing cars, some of which are still racing in SCCA and vintage racing. The Members of Group 5 were: Dr Curt Gonstead, Dr George Johnston, Guineth Johnston, Ned Thornton, and Jim Scott with his kids Bill and Susie.

For the record Guineth never went by the name Quinny. In addition to the sled that Jim Scott is restoring, my 340 is now owned by my son Kevin in NW WI. It had been converted to free air in 1973 as the newer Polaris barrels had much better port timing than the prior models and was more competitive. This was raced that season by Dick O'Connor. Ned Thornton is trying to trace the Ocelot he raced." --George Johnston