SCCA Goes Pro!

SCCA Goes Pro!
Shadow DN4; McLaren M8E.
photo by Peter Darnall
Part Four Of The Series On The Beginning Of SCCA Professional
Road Racing: Can-Am 1966-1974 The Greatest Racing Series!
-by Dan Davis
Photos: All from Historic Can-Am races
Can-Am Cars! They were the fastest,
wildest, most spectacular cars in the world
in their time. Faster than Indy Cars, faster
than Formula One, and better yet they were
unlimited in concept and design. They all
looked different, strange and awesome. A
shock wave of sound and violence hit the
spectators as they thundered by. The drivers
knew they had the hammers of the gods under
their accelerators. They had big engines of eight
and twelve cylinders, some turbo charged, some
had multiple engines. Up to 1500 qualifying
horsepower by 1973 some said. The SCCA in
1966 created the worlds greatest road racing
series for the most awesome sports racing
cars building on the success of the big Sports
Racing Cars in the United States Road Racing
Championship created in 1963.
The clash was between US and International
drivers from the ranks of Sports Cars, Grand
Prix, Indy and NASCAR: John Surtees, Parnelli
Jones, Jim Hall, Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme,
Peter Revson, George Follmer, Mark Donahue,
Jackie Oliver, Mario Andretti, Jackie Stewart,
Dan Gurney, Vic Elford, Jody Schecter, Jack
Brabham, Sam Posey, Bud Tinglestad, Chuck
Parsons, etc.
The Canadian American Challenge Cup
Series is, in many racing fans’ minds, North
America’s greatest road racing series ever. CanAm grew from the United States Road Racing
Championship, USRRC, for Sports Racing and
GT cars formed in 1963 by Tracy Bird, then
head of the SCCA, in consultation with Jim Hall
of USRRC and Chaparral fame. In 1965, the
Canadian Automobile Sports Club, CASC, and
the Sports Car Club of America, SCCA, along
Lola T-70.
40
June 2011
photo by John Wright
• Victory Lane
with the race tracks and promoters recognized
the fan appeal of unlimited sports racing cars
and created the Can-Am series for 1966. The
six race 1966 Can-Am began in Canada at St.
Jovite – Mont Tremblant circuit and soon raced
at Watkins Glen, Riverside, Mid-Ohio, Road
Atlanta and all the great road racing circuits in
North America. It was an instant success.
photo by Bob Harrington
Lola T-70 coupe.
In addition to the millions of dollars of prize
money posted by tracks the series, car and
contingency sponsors included: Johnsons Wax,
Reynolds Aluminum, Sunoco, Castrol, Heuer,
L & M Cigarettes, Shell, Valvoline, Autolite,
Union 76, STP, Fram, Champion, Olsonite,
Union Oil Pacific, Ring Free, Premier Fasteners,
Autocoast, Elf, RC Cola, Chevrolet, Ford,
Porsche and Ferrari.
The Can-Am continued through 1969 with
virtually no rules: four tires, four fenders,
two seats and go racing. Attendance grew,
tracks were added in the US and Canada. A
similar series was created in Europe called he
InterSerie. Can-Am was a crowd, constructor
and driver favorite. Denny Hulme, World
Driving Champion in F1, openly said he
preferred Can-Am racing to Formula One: it
was faster, harder and more satisfying! John
Surtees, driving a Lola T-70 powered by Chevy
was the first Can-Am Drivers Champion in 1966.
Team McLaren drivers won from 1967-1971 and
were always challenged by drivers of the crowd
favorite, great white Chaparrals and the factory
Lola Chevys managed by Carl Haas.
“You knew you had overcome something big
when you finished a Can-Am! The cars were
a challenge over those long race distances of
that era. So much power it twisted the chassis.
You could feel it work under you and with 80
gallons of fuel the car changed from understeer
to oversteer back to understeer as the race
progressed. So much harder to drive and so
much more satisfying to win in a Can-Am car
than a Formula One!” said World F-1 and CanAm Champion Denny Hulme as told to Dan
Davis of the Historic Can-Am Association and
Victory Lane Magazine after their drives in the
1992 Road America Historic Can-Am feature.
The Can-Am began to change in 1970, Bruce
McLaren was killed in a testing accident,
innovation was restricted, first banning high
suspension mounted wings and then next year
banning the radically innovative “Sucker”
Chaparral. Team McLaren continued to
dominate in 1970 and 1971, its last championship
year. Hall, the ultimate innovator, quit the series
frustrated with the ban on innovation. Porsche
and Team Penske with Follmer and Donahue in
Turbo Porsches out horsepowered the opposition
in ’72 and ’73. The 1973 fuel crisis brought in
mileage rules and out went the turbo Porsches
for 1974. A last flicker of design elegance, the
Shadow DN4 won the final ’74 series and it
was over.
They’re Back! While the original Can-Am is
gone, the cars came back on the track in Historic
Can-Am Features under the auspices of the
Historic Can-Am Association for the Victory
Lane Historic Can-Am events that began in
1990. These are held annually at Road America,
alternating yearly between the July Kohler
International Challenge and the September
VSCDA Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival. They are
held also at other tracks across North America.
photo courtesy Virtuoso Performance
Lola 310.
photo by Gordon Jolley
Lola T-163.
FIA Appendix K for Historic Cars – opening
statement says “Historic Competition is not
simply another formula in which to acquire
trophies, it is a discipline apart in which one of
the essential ingredients is the devotion to the
cars and their history.” The vintage Can-Am
series honors those words.
Can-Am Drivers: 1966-1974
Dennis Aase
Andrea de Adamich
Tony Adamowicz
Jim Adams
Warren Agor
George Alderman
Bill Amick
photo by Gordon Jolley
Lola T-163.
Marius Amiot
Chris Amon
Mario Andretti
Clif Apel
Richard Attwood
Fred Baker
Skip Barber
Dick Barbour
Charles Bartlebaugh
Derek Bell
Max Biemer
Bob Bondurant
Jo Bonnier
Jack Brabham
Merle Brennan
Ranier Brezinka
Mike Brockman
Bob Brown
Dick Brown
Ronny Bucknum
Jim Butcher
Tom Butz
Joe Buzzetta
Harry Bytzek
L. Bruce Campbell
John Cannon
Dave Causey
Francois Cevert
Harley Cluxton
John Cordts
Ron Courtney
Jacques Couture
www.victorylane.com
The exciting, awesome historic Can-Am cars
of the original 1966-1974 unlimited era vintage
racing on great road racing circuits in Victory
Lane Historic Can-Am Features represent that
Spirit. They are owned and raced by vintage
racers who are passionate about that history.
The emphasis is on competition in the spirit
of sportsmanship with, “Historic Can-Am
Only” period prepared cars of the type than
ran the 1966-1974 original era real CanAm. The weekends are complete with special
hospitality, parties and awards for entrants,
owners, drivers, crews and sponsors. The crowd
revels in the noise, the ground shaking presence
as in the past.
The Historic Can-Am Association, HCAA,
was formed in 1987. HCAA maintains a
registry of cars, crews, drivers and participants
Jerry Crawford
Bill Cuddy
Bill Cupp
A. de Adamich
Alain de Cadnet
Candido DaMota
Tony Dean
Don Devine
Gordon Dewar
H.P.K. Dibly
Robert Dini
Nick Dioguardi
Steve Diulo
Mark Donohue
Brooke Doran
George Drolsom
Dick Durant
Steve Durst
Tom Dutton
Ron Dykes
George Eaton
photo by Greg Petrolati
McKee;
USRRC/Can-Am Car.
Vic Elford
Jerry Entin
Bill Eve
Howie Fairbanks
Len Faustina
Chuck Federick
George Felter
Gene Fisher
George Follmer
E. Forbes Robinson
A.J. Foyt
Rich Franzese
Rich Galloway
Howden Ganley
Bud Gates
Peter Gethin
Ron Goldleaf
Mike Goth
Ron Grable
Jerry Grant
Ross Greenville
Dave Greenblaft
Peter Gregg
Mastin Gregory
Dick Gulstrand
John Gunn
Miles Cupton
Dan Gurney
Eric Haga
Jim Hall
Ed Hamill
Jerry Hansen
Bob Harris
Kris Harrison
Eric Hauser
Charlie Hayes
Paul Hawkins
Hurley Haywood
Ludvig Heimrath
Ron Herrera
Harry Heuer
Ron Heyser
Tom Heyser
Graham Hill
Phil Hill
Jay Hills
Mike Hiss
David Hobbs
Doug Hooper
Danny Hopkins
Skip Hudson
Denny Hulme
James Hunt
David Hurley
Leonard Janke
photo by Greg Petrolati
Genie Mk10B.
participating in the original and historic Can-Am.
The HCAA organizes multiple Historic CanAm Invitational Features each year for period
correct cars. All Features are organized for the
Historic Can-Am Association by Victory Lane
Motorsports Marketing. For information call
Dan Davis, HCAA Chairman or Pam Shatraw,
HCAA Events Manager 650-321-1411 (CA).
Jean-Pierre Jarier
Don Jensen
Alan Johnson
Earl Jones
Jeff Jones
Parnelli Jones
Dave Jordan
Reinhold Jost
Frank Kahlich
Willi Kauhsen
Hiroshi Kazato
Charlie Kemp
Bob Kiempel
Charlie Kolb
Oscar Koveleski
Roy Kumnick
Lynn Kyser
Gerald Larrousse
Graeme Lawrence
Bob Lazier
Gijs van Lenep
Joe Leonard
Ed Leslie
Jim Lockhart
Brett Lunger
Steve Matchett
Frank Matich
Jim Matuska
Roger McCraig
Roger McClusky
Bruce McLaren
Wes McNay
Arturo Merzario
Jack Millikan
Milt Minter
Don Morin
Bud Morley
William Morrow
photo by Chuck Andersen
McLaren M8FP; Matich SR3 Can-Am.
Victory Lane
•
June 2011
41
A Historic Can-Am Lap
-by Dan Davis
Dan Davis, winner of Best CanAm Driver Performance Award,
#11 M12 McLaren and Wes
McNay, #29 McLaren M8E,
Wes owned both cars.
The big Can-Am McLaren, loaned to me by
Wes McNay, rumbles up to the grid spot where
the grid girls indicate. My forward view is
between the big bulging front fenders covering
the twelve-inch wide front tires on fifteen-inch
diameter wheels. The Chevy 350 cubic inch
engine burbling as the big vertical inlet stacks
hiss and pop waiting to suck in 600 horsepower
worth of Wisconsin air at full throttle through 16
inch wide rear tires.
Seventh on the grid is not so bad – at least we,
the car and I, are ahead of all the other small
block powered cars even though six big block
powered cars are in front. The heavy multiplate clutch must not be slipped, so getting to
the grid is tricky, especially with the in or out,
face dog gear engagement of the big Hewland
LG500 transaxle with only four gears due to
great engine torque. I’m mentally running the
photo by Bob Harrington
Lola T163.
L. Motschenbacher
Hanns Muller-Perschl
Herbert Mueller
first few laps as the Canadian and United States
anthems are played, nervously watching the
engine temperature rise while no air is being
forced through the big front radiator. I scan all
the gauges and mentally hope we move soon. As
the pace car moves off and the cars ahead move,
I methodically depress the clutch and give more
throttle then quickly move my foot cleanly off the
clutch and we are off on the first of two pace laps
around the 4.2 mile incredible circuit enjoying
the vivid green scenery and colorful crowds
lining the fences for the last time. They would
soon be a blur during the 30-minute race.
Two pace laps later we approach the rise on the
front straight at about 70 mph in 2nd gear at 4,500
rpm anticipating the green. As we glimpse the
green flag wave, I quickly squeeze the accelerator
to the floor, the roar of some tens of thousands of
horsepower surrounds us, but I concentrate on
shifting methodically to third, then fourth as we
reach marker three, braking gently and dropping
to third gear, holding position to those around,
as agreed in the HCAA drivers’ meeting, as the
pack squeezes into a rough single file through
the right sweeper of turn one.
Now we’re racing! Smartly squeeze down
on the accelerator to peak revs as we track
out then reach for fourth quickly through the
gentle non-turn, called two, then a stab of the
brakes and snatch third for the hard right turn
three. Hard now on the accelerator, drift to the
left edge. Wow, the acceleration off turn three
takes us quickly to max revs, another deliberate
shift to fourth and as the scenery blurs in our
peripheral vision, we approach the crest of the
small hill and the bend called turn four. Big
decision, we get light and unstable over the crest
at 170+, but we know from practice that we can,
if pressed, brake after the top as the car settles
Jerry Mull
Rick Muther
Bob Nagel
Vic Nelli
Jackie Oliver
Brian O’Neil
Bill Overhauser
Carlos Pace
Chuck Parsons
Scooter Patrick
Jim Paul
Tom Payne
Lou Pavesi
and still make the second gear hard left turn
five. This time, we do just that with a little tire
chirp and pull off tire smoke, thinking I won’t
do that very often. Another eyeball jiggling
burst of unbelievable acceleration out of the very
sharp left turn five, quickly through the gears,
threading the needle up the hill and hurtling
under the crossover bridge feeling like were on
a space rocket launch, setting up for the quick
third gear sweeping left turn six, compromising
the track-out so that the fast downhill right,
turn seven, can be late apexed for the downhill
run on a short straight to left-hand turn eight, a
quick burst out of the turn to set up for the long,
long right-hand semi-circle carousel, turn nine,
taken at about 140 in fourth. Done right, the
car slides out to the left edge at exit with a little
puff of dust from the outside wheels for a run
down a few hundred yard straight into the “flat
out,” although a confidence building front end
loading lift is strongly recommended, fearsome,
right hand “kink,” turn 10. It is a real test of
precision and discipline. The run down through
Thunder Valley with its gentle swerves and bends
rewards keeping your eye in the mirror for faster
cars and planning for a possible pass on slower
cars. Hard breaking for the right-hand, 3rd gear,
turn twelve, while setting up for the under the
bridge left hand turn thirteen tracking out on to
the right hand apron for a burst down the short
straight to the very important right hand fast turn
14 leading to the long uphill straight where again
our small block powered car reaches 190+ mph
and the big blocks top 220 mph.
Repeat mistake free for about 30 minutes and
you have competed in the Historic Can-Am
Feature on the great Road America road racing
circuit. It is just perhaps the greatest experience
in vintage racing.
file photo
McLaren Can-Am Car.
Robert Peckham
Horst Peterman
Steve Pfeifer
Fred Pipin
Sam Posey
Hugh Powell
George Ralph
Brian Redman
Peter Revson
Bobby Rinzler
Pedro Rodriguez
Jack Ryan
photo by Bob Harrington
Lola T-70.
SCCA continued on pg. 60
J.R. and Eileen Mitchell’s
TIME FOR FUN
20 Years of Experience
Providing
• Expert Race Preparation
• Race Proven
Trackside Service
• Quality Ground Up
Vintage and Historic Race Car
Restorations
www.gmtracing.com
(203) 270-8441 • 16 Commerce Rd Newton, CT 06470
42
June 2011
• Victory Lane
FYI
Mike Odell
Hi Mike. What a nice surprise when I opened
my newest issue of Victory Lane. Enjoyed the
story very much indeed.
The car is still running strong and did quite
well at Monterey last year. I believe I finished
fourth in our group of some 40 cars. No Ferraris
ahead of me. Here is a picture that was taken
from that event as I round turn #11. Note the
new roll bar and lack of tech stickers. Hope all
is well and keep a lookout for pictures.
Thanks,
Les
Pam: Mike and Les what a great huge, small
world vintage racing is. It is great to hear that
the car is still admired and raced!
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Dear Pam,
OOPS I started the article about windshields
failing at LeMans by saying it was June of 1968.
It actually was June of 1967, the last year of
SCCA continued from pg. 42
Swede Savage
David Saville-Peck
Jody Scheckter
Skip Scott
Phil Seitz
Johnny Servos-Gavin
Tonhy Settember
Hap Sharp
Monte Shelton
Jo Siffert
Jigger Sirois
Dick Smith
Norm Smith
Mike Spence
Gen Stanton
Jackie Stewart
Spence Stoddard
John Surtees
Tom Terrell
Ralph Tieschmann
Bud Tinglestadt
Jerry Titus
Tom Tobin
Al Unser Sr.
Bobby Unser
Eppie Wietzes
Herb Wetanson
Hans Wiedmer
Jonathan Williams
Jack Williamson
Gary Wilson
Bill Wonder
Roy Woods
Lee Roy Yarbrough
Bill Young
60
June 2011
the big Ford effort. Sorry, but at age 77 things
don’t come out of the dumpster of my mind like
they used to. Thanks to Curt Vogt of Cobra
Automotive for being the first of many to point
out my little error.
Larry Dent
Pam: Larry, your Rearview Mirror articles are
well read and enjoyed by this community. Keep
up the good work…and like much in history…
don’t let the facts get in the way of a marvelous
story! As an aside, we found Jack Passino’s son
in Texas. More to come.
In
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rt g
ta in
t S ac
Ge ge R
o
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w int
Ho V
Pam,
I race with CVAR and last year the HCICA
cars visited us and one of them had a Hilton
decal on the side of the engine cowling. I
wanted to duplicate that decal for my car and
was wondering if you could get in touch with
the owner.
Thanks for your help,
Herb
[email protected]
Pam: Help this guy out please email him or
better yet send a few his way.
✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢
Good Morning Pam,
Just got back from Road Atlanta on Monday
and the latest VL issue was delivered with the
held mail yesterday. Couldn’t help but notice as
I flipped though it with my morning coffee the
VARA at Buttonwillow
Raceway Park, CA
AZ/SCCA at
Phoenix Int’l Raceway, AZ
Have we got our picture uploading app.
Working? I don’t have many pictures yet, but
they should be rolling in soon. I do have a few
great shots of the runners for our relay race
Friday afternoon. I’ll be assembling a packet of
entrants, cheat sheet for car #’s, and results and
will get that off by next week.
I guess I need to update our ad with a spot
color one. I’ll check with Mike and get back to
you on that one.
Keep up the good work.
Sandra Jackson Registrar, VDCA
Pam: We all thank you Sandy for the kind
words. Your colorful advert is very visible
and well liked. Keep me posted as to any
modifications. Perhaps a new event to add.
photo by Bob Pengraph
Mann
McLeagle
McLaren Mk1
McLaren Mk1B
McLaren Mk2
• Vintage Events Schedule
• Vintage Race Reports
• Vintage Cars for Sale
• Vintage Rally News
• Vintage Auctions
• and much more!
VDCA at
Roebling Road Raceway, GA
Lola T70 MkII
Lola T70 MkIII
Lola T70 MkIIIb
Lola 160/TS-1
Lola 160
Lola 162
Lola 163
Lola 165
Lola 220
Lola 222
Lola 260
Lola 310
Lotus 19
Lotus 30
Lotus 40
Mac’s it
March 707
Matich SR3
Matich SR4
McKee Mk VI
McKee Mk VII
McKee 4WD
McKee-Chevette
Mirage
Burnett Special.
®
March 2011 - VOLUME 26, NO. 3
$4 USA $5 CANADA
✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢
Gregg Young
Cars of the Original Can-Am Era (1966-1974)
Autocoast TI 22 Mk1
Autocoast TI 22 Mk2
ASR
Burnett Mk1
Burnett Mk2
BRM 154
Caldwell D7
Caldwell D7B
Chaparral 2E
Chaparral 2G
Chaparral 2H
Chaparral 2J
Chaparral/McLaren M12
Cooper Monaco
Costello SP7
Costello SP8
Ford GT40
Ford 429er
Ford G7A
Ford G7B
Ferrari 206SP
Ferrari 312P
Ferrari 330P3
Ferrari 330P4
Ferrari 512M
Ferrari 512 S
Ferrari 612
Ferrari 712
Genie Mk8
Genie Mk10
Honker II
Hamill SR3
Lola T70
• Victory Lane
placement of our ad. Very nice. Cover shot,
Bob’s article, VL Vee series ad: you guys are on
a roll. I think the VSCDA crowd is bringing a
whole truckload of Vees to VIR.
0 3>
Alexander providing an update. I’ve also
attached his recent photo of the #91 Corvette
in action.
74470 75527
Letters continued from pg. 11
McLaren M6
McLaren M6A
McLaren M6B
McLaren M8
McLaren M8A
McLaren M8B
McLaren M8C
McLaren M8D
McLaren M8F
Lola.
photo by Dave Maves
McLaren M8R
McLaren M12
McLaren M20
Porsche 906
Porsche 908
Porsche 910
Porsche 917K
Porsche 917PA
Porsche 917-10
Porsche 917-30
Shelby Can-Am
Sting GW1
Shadow AVS
Shadow MkII
Shadow MkIII
Shadow DN2
Shadow DN4
Stanton Special