Tuesday May 26 Original Era Historic Can-AM cars are the Feature at the HSR-West 8th Annual Southern California Historic Sports Car Festival June 26-28 at the auto Club Speedway. For historic Can-Am entry contact Pam Shatraw at 650-321-1411 (CA).

Tuesday May 25, 2009The 40th Anniversary Reunion of McLaren Engines and all its past staff and customers will be Thursday July 30th at the Livonia, Michigan Facility with McLaren, Indy and Can-Am Cars on Display. Many of these cars will also be part of the Meadowbrook Concours, August 1-2. The facility was began by Bruce McLaren to build Can-Am Engines for his team. Wiley McCoy and Roger Meiners are organizing the event. The Historic Can-Am Association and the Historic Champ Indy Car Association have been asked to help secure display cars for the event. Historic McLaren Can-Am and Champ/Indy Car owners who are interested should call Dan Davis or Pam Shatraw 650-321-1441 (CA).

Tuesday May 25, 2009The Historic Can-Am Association HCAA is holding three HCAA sanctioned Historic Can-Am Features in the West for 2009, June 26-28 with HSR-West at Auto Club Speedway in the Southern California Historic Sports Car Festival, September 4-6 with SOVREN in the Columbia River Classic at Portland Raceway and September 25-27 in the CSRG Charity Challenge at Infineon Raceway.
Preliminary info is that in addition to these historic Can-Am Features there will be others in the West. General Racing’s two events, the Monterey Historics and Wine Country Classic, are planning to accept historic Can-Am cars for their 2009 events. Historic Can-Am car owners who are registered with the HCAA will receive a newsletter with further info shortly. Call HCAA Events Manager Pam Shatraw at 650-321-1411.

ARCHIVE INFO FROM 2008 AND EARLIER

Tuesday August 19 Historic Can-Am Lola 310 wins Monterey Historics Can-Am August 16 at Laguna Seca.
Lola's 50th anniversary 1958-2008 received a proper salute at the Monterey Historics when the last Lola Can-Am car built, the T310, won the Historic Can-Am feature race at the 2008 Monterey Historics. The prime time Saturday afternoon grid had great examples of the original Can-Am era from several 1966 Lola T70s to a 1974 Shadow DN4. There was early pace lap drama as one car spun coming out of the famous Laguna cork-screw turn which caused numerous extra pace laps. As the race took the green flag for about 6 laps remaining in the 10 lap race, it was Jay Esterer in his McLaren M8C in the lead but with the cars behind scrambled from qualifying order for three laps before encountering mechanical problems. Meanwhile, Bobby Rahal in a quest drive in the Lola T310 had started out of the top 10 was smoothly moving up thru the field by lap 6 he was in 9th and by lap 9 he was third. Stop watched caught some laps below a minute and twenty seconds although that was unofficial. Also moving up to 2nd on lap 9 was Michael Campagne visiting from Europe in his McLaren 8F. Significant drama had begun to unfold on the last two laps. As the wild last lap unfolded Rahal passed the leader in turn 4 to lead to the chequer. Jay Esterer held off the rest of the field to take 2nd. Christ MacAllister had come from sixth to 4th by lap 9 and took third on the last lap edging out Micheil Campagne in a similar McLaren 8F. Steve Cook was 5th, Andy Boone in his high wing M6B.
McLeagle drove a steady race to end in 6th. Tom Stephani driving the tube frame Genie drove very well to finish in the top 10. Twenty four cars were entered, 21 started the race and 19 finished. THe spectator crowd had witnessed perhaps the best race of the day, certainly the most exciting and loudest. The big Historic, Group 7, original era, 1966-1974, unlimited Can-Am cars once again proved to be a crowd pleaser.
1 B. Rahal/1970 Lola T310
2 J. Esterer/1970 McLaren M8C
3 C. MacAllister/1971 McLaren M8
4 M. Campagne/1972 McLaren
5 S. Cook/1968 McLaren M6B
6 A. Boone/1968 McLeagle M6B
7 R. Ryan/1968 McLaren M6B
8 R. Griot/1968 Lola T-160
9 T. Stephani/1965 Genie Mk10
10 J. DiLoreto/1968 McLaren M6B
11 N. Cowdrey/1967 McKee Mk10
12 T. Glyer/1968 Lola T-160
13 S. Hilton/1968 Lola T-70 Mk3
14 D. Pozzi/1965 Lola T-70 Mk1
15 T. Yeager/1967 Lola T-70 Mk3
16 N. Colonna/1967 Lola T70 M3B
17 D. Lipetz/1969 Lola T-163
18 T. Gardner/1971 McLaren M8E
19 T. Armstrong/1969 Lola T-162
DNF I .Burkoff/1968 McLaren M6B
DNF T. Malloy/1971 McLaren M8E

Wednesday July 23 Historic Can-Am Feature July 20 at Road America Kohler International Challenge with Brian Redman was a superb vintage race.
The big Victory Lane Historic Can-Am feature was scheduled for 2:15 preceded by the national anthems of both the United States and Canada as was the tradition for the original 1966-1974 Canadian American Challenge Cup. The three days of practice and qualifying, parties, hospitality, lunches, autograph sessions, bench racing all led up to the rumble of tens of thousands of horsepower as the big unlimited historic Can-Am cars moved from the false grid to the start formation in the hot pits. THe cars moved off for a pace lap and as they came up the long hill to the starters stand, the rumble grew to thunder. There was great action at the front as Jay Esterer in a McLaren 8C, Andrew Hauck in a Lola 260 and Juan Gonzalez unleashed 1000hp each of Big Block Chevy power. Surprise there was Toby Bean in his Lola T70 with a new "big" small block installed mixing it up with the leaders while leading the Small Block Class. Tom Malloy in a M8E Big Block was also right in challenging position. In the tube frame class Farrel Preston in a 1966 McLaren M1B held off the rest of that class. Hauk and Esterer put on a great vintage show and began pulling away while Malloy, Gonzalez, and Bean had fun deciding who would be third overall. Karl Bullock in a McLaren M8E was right in that mix using Big Block power. As the laps passed and approached the end Malloy tried an outside pass in turn one on a fading Gonzalez who had a miss due to fuel pump problems. It didn't work and Malloy ran out of track. Jay Esterer took overall and Big Block Class. Toby Bean took third overall and first in Small Block and Ferrell Preston took the Tube Frame Class. The Hulme Trophy was awarded to Pat Hogan and the Victory Lane Historic Can-Am Cup went to Toby Bean.
Results from Road America Can-Am group:


Thursday July 12:
Can-Am photos from the original 1966-1974 series by Mike Odell are available at www.sportsracingltd.com. Many of the original Can-Am cars and some of the drivers and crews will be in the Historic Can-Am Association feature at Road America July 17-20 during the Kohler International Challenge with Brian Redman vintage races.

Wednesday July 9:
Historic Can-Am Cars featured at Road America July 17-20 in the Kohler International Challenge with Brian Redman vintage racing weekend. Over 500 vintage racing cars will be racing on North America's longest road racing circuit which winds thru the Wisconsin Kettle Morane country an hour's drive north of Milwaukee. Noon on-track touring is available at a fee for spectator cars. The Lola Car Ltd. 50th Anniversary, 1958-2008, is the marque theme. A Formula 5000 reunion and race is also on the schedule. The Historic Can-Am Association Feature is Sunday afternoon. The original era Can-Am cars were the last of the high horsepower, unlimited specifications sports racing cars. Some had over 1000 horsepower. This was the series that pioneered downforce in racing cars with first the use of wings and later ground effects. Great drivers like Jim Hall, Denny Hulme, Mark Donohue, Parnelli Jones, George Follmer, Brian Redman, Scooter Patrick, Jackie Stewart, and so many more participated. Many past Can-Am drivers and crews plus those participating in the F.5000 Reunion will be present in the autograph sessions held in the HCICA display tent in the Historic Can-Am Legends paddock area. Historic Can-Am entrants call Pam (650) 321-1411 spectators and other entrants call Road America (800) 365-7223.

Friday June 27:
Lola Cars 50th anniversary will be saluted at several vintage events in the remainder of the season. These include the Road America Kohler International Challenge with Brian Redman July 17-20. A Historic Can-Am race Sunday afternoon is the featured race. A Lola T70 carried John Surtees to the first Can-Am series championship in 1966. Brian Redman drove a Lola T600 to the first IMSA GTP series championship in 1981. Many examples of almost every Lola type are expected to be among the over 500 racers. Call Road America (800) 365-7223.
The SVRA Zippo US Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen September 4-7 will salute Lola's 50th anniversary. Lola was a multiple F.5000 series championship car and there will be a special Historic F.5000 feature race. This event annually attracts over 500 historic racing cars and a large turnout of historic Lolas will be racing. Call (404) 298-3323.

Tuesday, June 10th, 2008
Victory Lane Lola Article

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Thursday, June 5th, 2008

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