The Ultimate 1970s UOP Shadow Racing Team Time Capsule Lot
Category: Automobilia / Motorsport Memorabilia
Proposed Reserve Price: $20,000
Provenance & History
This historic lot represents an extraordinary, interconnected three-piece time capsule from Don Nichols’ legendary and enigmatic UOP Shadow Racing Team, spanning the peak era of North American open-wheel and Can-Am racing between 1973 and 1976.
The entire collection was acquired together by the current owner at a local garage sale in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, in the mid 1980s. This location holds immense historical significance; the team's primary corporate sponsor, Universal Oil Products (UOP), operated its massive global corporate headquarters right next door in Des Plaines, Illinois. It is highly probable that this museum-grade lot originally belonged to a senior UOP corporate executive or team affiliate who brought these pieces home from the corporate offices or regional tracks like Road America.
Carefully preserved in private storage by a single owner for over 40 years, this lot comprises an autographed low-slung paddock chair featuring a "Who's Who" of 1970s grid icons, a historic first-place in SCCA F5000 Race silver winner's trophy from Road America, and a pair of authentic magnesium racing wheel barrels configured for gallery display.
Item 1: 1973/1974 Paddock Autograph Low Folding Pit Chair
Design & Style: A standard short folding white-canvas pit/paddock chair featuring a black-painted metal frame and the period-correct lowercase "uop" logo stamped on the upper corner.
Signatures: This chair is one of a very few (6-8) as created by The UOP Shadow Racing Team in 1970's during Can-Am & F5000 race grids, acquiring remarkably crisp, dark, and highly legible signatures.
Backrest Panel: George Follmer (1972 Can-Am Champion for Shadow), Jackie Stewart (3x F1 World Champion), Peter Revson (d. 1974), and Jean-Pierre Jarier.
Seat Panel: Denis Hulme (1967 F1 World Champion), Mark Donohue (d. 1975), Bobby Unser (3x Indy 500 Winner), Hurley Haywood, Brian Redman, David Hobbs, Vic Elford, Jackie Oliver, and Shadow team owner Don Nichols.
Condition: The black-painted short frame remains structurally functional. The white canvas is exceptionally well-preserved for its age, showcasing dark text with minimal fading.
Item 2: 1976 Road America 1st Place SCCA Formula 5000 Silver Trophy Bowl
Significance: An original, beautifully mirrored silver winner's trophy bowl from the historic 1976 Formula 5000 Championship round at Road America.
Historical Context: On July 25, 1976, Shadow driver Jackie Oliver took a monumental victory at Road America in the UOP Shadow DN6B-Dodge, breaking years of Chevrolet's total dominance in the series. 1976 marked the final season of the North American F5000 championship.
Details: The exterior features a crisp engraving reading "1976 ROAD AMERICA". The interior base features an authentic, multi-colored Chicago Region SCCA emblem medallion fixed to the center.
Item 3: Pair of Original UOP Shadow Magnesium Racing Wheels
Design: A true pair of ultra-wide, multi-spoke center-lock magnesium racing wheel barrels originating from the 1970s Shadow team stables.
Patina & Markings: The outer barrels are finished in black and prominently display remnants of the team's signature bright yellow paint along the outer lips—the exact accent coloring used on the Shadow DN4 and DN6 entries. The inner barrels exhibit a gorgeous, authentic "salty" white magnesium surface oxidation patina.
Display Potential: These deep-dish wheels are ideally sized to serve as a turnkey pair of high-end automotive end tables. Set them up directly next to the autographed low pit chair and the mirrored silver trophy bowl to create a magnificent showroom or gallery corner.
Note to Buyer: Glass tops to make the wheels into distinctive Racing End Tables, are not included in the sale to prevent transit damage. Round pieces of tempered glass can be easily and affordably sourced by the winning bidder through any local glass or window shop to complete the tables.
