http://www.canamfilm.com/
As fast as these cars were, modern LMP1 and LMP2 cars are a LOT faster around the course, with about half the horsepower. I still rather watch Can-Am, as there was so much variety in the cars. Modern cars, although substantially faster, are plain boring to me.... This 1948 MM video on You-tube, although short, is WONDERFUL!! I can list every car in the video if someone wants the information... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaDbmb9N6lc
The Porsche LMP2 car is not diesel powered, and it is even faster than the Audis around the course (although slower in a straight line). I think Porsche will win LeMans next year if they actually decide to enter.
Jim, those were the days when I loved going to the races. The cars were built by people, not robots and computer controlled machines, it didnt take a laptop to start them, and innovative experimentation was everywhere. There was access to the paddock and you could see the cars and the people up close and get a feel for what was going on,especially the difference between the organizational abilities of the different nationalities. Were you at Watkins Glen for the "Five star weekend" in 1972 0r maybe three? CanAm, Manufactureres championship,TranAm, FormulaFord, and one other I have forgotten, probably happened while I was trying to get the AlfaRomeo out of the bog. Malcolm
great find jim. lmp-1 and lmp-2...when compared to the great beasts of the original can -am's seem sterile! can am was the most aggressive test bed for aerodynamics as we know it and the sheer grunt was out of this world! these cars were the cars that men could test their mettle...and by the way, they were THE men of motorsports!! revson, donahue, oliver, stewart, amon, surtees, and others...those were THE days!!!! thanks jim. i have run this video 4 times now. pcb
As long as we're reminiscing about the good old days; my story is that all during college I was a grid marshal at Pacific coast races. For the entire time of the Can Am series I would stand in the middle of 20+ car grids multiple times during the weekend, enraptured by the sound & fury. I didn't need earplugs, I was young and immortal! I have 50% hearing loss in both ears as a result. And yes, I still think it was worth it......standing right in the middle of 15,000 hp revving up in anger......??? Oh yeah..... James
Nice preview. Reminds me of standing along the back straight at Riverside and watching Denny Hulme and Bruce McLaren thundering nose-to-tail towards Turn 9 on the first lap having already created an enormous gap between themselves and the rest of the field. Impressive!
Motorsport Collector http://www.motorsportcollector.com have confirmed they will have European region DVDs. Nathan
Just a side note for MalcolmB: I agree with all that you said, but in 1966 I visited the factory and was astonished to see a huge machine the size of some people's apartments, fully enclosed in see-through walls, fully machining engine blocks from casting to finished block. Remember, Enzo was a machinery builder during WW II. So it wasn't ALL done "by hand". Cheers.
The first race I ever went to was a Can-Am event at Road Atlanta in 1970- I was 4 years old. I don't remember much, except we had a picnic at the top of the hill looking down at the esses- the cars were coming up towards us, and it was unbelieveably loud, and the coolest thing ever- hooked on cars for life. My Mom made me wear earplugs, and I actually fell asleep as the day went on.
I've been counting the days until the release of that dvd as I was born too late to appreciate Can-Am in person. Closest I've come is visiting Jim Hall's Chaparrals in Midland. I can't imagine what it was like seeing (feeling!) in person a grid full of those cars and drivers going at it in full fury.
As far as I'm concerned the CanAm was the greatest series ever. Brutal, ground-pounding monsters driven by guys with names like Gurney, Donahue, Stewart, Revson, McLaren, Hulme, Amon, Follmer, Elford, Siffert, Cevert, Oliver, Rodriguez, etc. I was fortunate to see three of these races. I wish I could have seen every one of them. There will likely never be another series like the original CanAm. Jack
I sat near Surtees during the post-race interview for the Stardust GP which he'd just won in his red Lola. I enjoyed his explanation when asked by a member of the press how the team calculated how much fuel to carry on-board. Anyone else remember this?
