The CanAm Series 1966-1974......1977-1986

To me the Sports Car Club of America's CanAm series was the world's most exciting road racing series.  I followed it from 1966-1974, which I believe were the golden years. I remember so well the Mclaren and Lola Chevys, the ground hugger, winged Chevy Chaparral of Jim Hall.  Then there was the "atomic bomb" type Porsche's driven by Mark Donahue and George Follmer. It was magic!

The information below, including the book cover photos, came from Deep Throttle
http://www.deepthrottle.com

Year Driver Chassis Engine Wins

1966 John Surtees (GB) Lola-Chevrolet 3

1967 Bruce McLaren (NZ) McLaren-Chevrolet 2
sbee-Chevrolet 3

1986 Horst Kroll (CDN) Frissbee-Chevrolet 1

CanAm Clips

1966:The Can-Am, which evolved from the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC), with its "almost anything goes" philosophy, debuts, creating some of the greatest sports racers ever seen on the track. John Surtees wins first ever Can-Am race on the Mont Tremblant circuit in St. Jovite, Quebec. 1969: At Road America, Bruce McLaren beats teammate Denny Hulme by .01 seconds in the closest finish in series history. 1969: So dominating were Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme after the first qualifying session at Bridgehampton, that the entire team skipped the afternoon qualifying session to go water skiing. 1970: Jim Hall debuts his Chaparral 2J Ground Effects Vehicle at Watkins Glen. A.K.A., The Fan Car. One of the most bizarre creations in racing history. 1973: Mark Donohue debuts the all powerful Porsche 917/30 capable of racing with 1,100 hp (with 1,500 hp seen on the dyno) and wins the last six races in a row as Porsche ends the McLaren era. And effectively, the Can-Am. 1974: Jackie Oliver wins four of the five events, the first four in a row. The final race in Riverside is canceled, and the series is suspended. 1977: The Can-Am returns after a two hiatus. However, this time the series is restricted -- some would say strangled -- to a 5-liter engine maximum, and essentially full-bodied F5000 and Indy cars. Patrick Tambay wins six of the last seven races. 1979: A 2-liter class is formed. 1980: Patrick Tambay wins the first six races he enters. 1983: This Jacques Villenueve is the brother of Gilles, and the uncle of the younger Jacques. 1984: Michael Roe sets Can-Am season records for wins (7), pole positions (10), and fastest race laps (10). 1985: Lou Sell becomes first 2-liter entrant to win a Can-Am race outright, taking the overall victory at St. Petersburg. He'll repeat that feat the following year in St. Louis. 1986: Paul Tracy becomes the youngest winner at the age of 17 in the second Mosport event. Only four events are held and there is no 2-liter class champion awarded as interest in the Can-Am wanes, eventually leading to its demise.

For future posts I am looking at any or all of USAC's divisions, The SSCA Trans Am Series and maybe the history of, or a current look at NASCAR's Modified Division.