Thursday 2010 July 8: Vintage Road Racers Tire Availability Alert; Certain Tire Sizes and Compounds Are In Very Limited Supply.  It is Advisable To Contact Your Tire Supplier For Vintage Racing Tires Needed for The Rolex Monterey, Other August and Fall Races Now. Vintage tires are often only made once or twice per year by major suppliers like Dunlop, Goodyear, Avon, etc.  They build based on distributor and dealer projections.  It is always helpful to give your dealer a heads-up on requirements early in the year and after the year starts purchase tires as early possible, before the tires are needed. Currently several dealers are even arranging airfreight on some sizes and compounds. If you are going to need tires in 2010 don’t wait until the last minute, you may be disappointed.
Major Vintage Tire Dealers include:
Roger Kraus Racing Tires, Phone 800-510-7223 (CA)
SascoSports, Phone 877-377-7811 (VA)
Vintage Tyres Ltd (Dunlop Distributor) Phone 902-228-2335 Nova Scotia
Bob Woodman Tires Inc. 43-524-8473 (SC)
Lucas Classic Tires 800-952-4333 (CA)
Coker Tire 800-959-7100 (TN)

2010 Friday June 4: The Historic Can-Am Feature July 15-18 At Road America During The SVRA Kohler International Challenge With Brian Redman Entries Are Building Toward An Expected Thirty Or More Historic Can-Am Racing Cars From The 1966-1974 Series. This event is one of the top vintage racing weekends in North America with over 500 vintage and historic racing cars racing in over 12 groups on Sunday. The big Sunday afternoon Historic Can-Am Feature Race is organized for the Historic Can-Am Car Association by Victory Lane Motorsports Marketing. All past Can-Am crews, sponsors, drivers, officials are invited to join the current Historic Can-Am car owner/drivers for a weekend of in paddock hospitality in the big HCAA Marquee right in the midst of the Historic Can-Am Car paddock area. There will be several special Historic Can-Am activities and parties. Historic Can-Am entries are going direct to Road America. Entrants along with past participants should direct special questions about the Historic Can-Am Association or the event to HCAA Events Manager Pam Shatraw 650-321-1411 (CA). 

2010 Tuesday May 18: Mario Andretti, Vintage And Historic Racers Converge On Barber Motorsports Park May 21-23 For The Big Inaugural HMP Bobby Rahal’s Legends Of Motorsports Vintage Racing And Lifestyle Weekend Saluting Lotus. Mario Andretti, FIA Formula One World Driving Champion driving a Lotus, will be at the Saturday evening gala. Bob Varsha of Speed TV will be the evening emcee. All this will take place in the on-site Barber Motorsports Museum
            The on-track activity will feature invited great vintage and historic racing cars of all types in numerous practice and racing sessions. There will be Sunday Features on this challenging track. Info on HMP and Racers visit www.legendsofmotorsport.com for event and gala tickets go to www.barbermotorsports.com    

2010 Friday May 14: Gill Campbell CEO and general manager Of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Will Be The Featured Speaker For The June 16th Racers Lunch At AutoVino In Menlo Park, California
            Gill Campbell and her staff are adding new racing events and expanding traditional racing events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Gill’s vision for the track and Motorsports events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca grows from a real passion and excitement for auto racing.  This program will be an exciting glimpse into the future.  The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion in August will be one of the topics.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is host each year to great racing events and has been since 1957. The road circuit was first built in 1957 by military personnel on Fort Ord in cooperation with SCRAMP, Sports Car Racing Association of Monterey Peninsula, as a replacement site for the road races held at Pebble Beach, which began in 1950. The circuit has been the site of great professional and amateur road races since 1957. Over succeeding decades it has been the site of races from many great series: United States Road Racing, Can-Am, Trans-Am, IMSA GTP and GT, Federation International Motorcycle, American LeMans, Grand-Am and CART. The San Francisco Sports Car Club of America has held regional and national races there since it’s opening. Vintage racing arrived in the late 1960s, first with CSRG then with General Racing and HMSA. An international level of vintage racing was achieved by the 1980s as the Monterey Historics grew to attract worldwide recognition and participation. It has grown into a week long Monterey Auto Festival with five auctions, four concours, numerous marque gatherings and over 150,000 visiting over two weekends and a week every August. Today the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and Pre-Reunion will continue and build on that tradition next August from the 7th through the 15th.
            For information on the Racers Lunch or RSVP a reservation contact Tim at 650-722-2171.          

Friday, April 9: The Chaparral Gallery Of The Petroleum Museum In Midland Texas Will Host A Big “Racing In The Roaring Sixties” Festival Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1, 2010. Highlights include Friday, the grand opening of a Ford GT40 Mark IV exhibit; celebrating Ford’s 3rd LeMans win. Also celebrated will be Chaparrals FIA campaign in Europe in the 1960s. Chaparral live drives, Autograph sessions with Chaparral creator and racer Jim Hall and an evening cocktail reception and gala dinner including a dinner program of “A conversation with Jim Hall, road and oval racing legend and Dan Davis, publisher of Victory Lane and Vintage Oval Racing Magazines” On Saturday there will be Super Car drives, live drives with Jim Hall, Autograph sessions with Jim Hall, a West Texas Cruisers show and shine session. Net proceeds of the big fund racing weekend will benefit the Chaparral Gallery, a 501(c) 3 non profit educational institution which seeks to motivate youth into engineering. All the Chaparral types are housed in the Chaparral Gallery including winners from the Can-Am USRRC, FIA World Manufactures Championship Race, The Indy 500 and the US Championship Trail. The Chaparral Gallery is located just outside Midland, Texas next to Interstate 20 west near where all the Chaparrals were designed, tested and built.
            For tickets, donation sponsor and general information call 432-683-4403 and also visit www.petroleummuseum.org.

2010 March 29 - We have added a small edited clip from our video archives. We will be making more content available. I hope you enjoy a look back . . .

"When Excess Was Barely Adequate"

2010 Monday March 22: The Historic Can-Am Feature At The Road America Kohler International Challenge With Brian Redman Vintage Races July 15-18, 2010 Will Salute The Unlimited, Awesome Horsepower Sports Racing Group 7 Cars Of 1966-1974 “An Era When Horsepower Was Barely Adequate.” The weekend will also salute Mark Donohue, Can-Am Champion in 1973 and USRRC Champion in 1967-1968 in Group 7 Cars, and the many cars he raced. He was also an Indy 500 winner and Trans-Am Champion.
The big, loud historic Can-Am cars have hit speeds as high as 230 mph on Road America’s long front straight. They thrilled and excited huge spectator crowds back in the day and have again proved to do so at many vintage and historic HCAA features since 1990. More historic Can-Am cars are expected to be at Road America in 2010 than were in the starting grids back in the day when racers, including Dan Gurney, Denny Hulme, Brian Redman, Mark Donohue, Bruce McLaren, Parnelli Jones, Jim Hall, George Follmer, Chuck Parsons, Tony Dean, Chris Amon, Scooter Patrick, Charlie Kemp, Hurley Haywood, Sam Posey, David Hobbs, Jackie Oliver, John Surtees, Vic Elford and other greats competed.
There will be Historic Can-Am practice Thursday, practice and qualifying Friday and Saturday and the big Sunday afternoon HCAA Can-Am feature. There will be a special historic Can-Am paddock with a big Historic Can-Am marquee with all sorts of Can-Am history and memorabilia. This will also be the site of autograph sessions by past Can-Am racers.
The Historic Can-Am car Association now has over 130 vintage owner/drivers of 1966-1974 historic Can-Am cars on their registry. The registry also has hundreds of past Can-Am participants registered.
For spectator tickets visit www.roadamerica.com or call 800-365-7223. For Historic Can-Am entry info call HCICA Pam Shatraw Events Manager or Dan Davis Chairman 650-321-1411 (CA)

2010 Monday February 22: The historic Can-Am Association has received the first 2010 intent to enter forms from HCAA owner drivers with an overwhelming support for the 2010 historic Can-Am feature at Road America July 15-18, 2010. Watch this website for photos and information on 2010 car is expected to race as well as some video footage of past HCAA features.

2010 Wednesday January 6: The December Historic Can-Am Association Survey Of Owners/Drivers With The December Newsletter Has Been Mailed To All Historic Can-Am Registered Owners. Many of the “Intent to Enter” cards are now being returned to assist in the HCAA final Historic Can-Am Features schedule. If you are a car owner and have not received a newsletter call Pam at 650-321-1411 to register your car and receive a newsletter.

A R C H I V E S

Tuesday September 1: Bruce McLaren Festival Races January 2010 in New Zealand at Pukekohe Park and the New Hampton Downs Circuit. These two big race weekends in scenic New Zealand are to celebrate Bruce McLaren and his organization’s contribution to auto racing. Bruce grew up and first raced in New Zealand. Many of the team members were from New Zealand. The racing cars of McLaren won the original Can-Am series of 1966-1974 multiple times, they were winners in the Indy 500 and the US National Championship, the SCCA F5000 Championship and in Formula One.
            All types of McLaren racing cars are expected at the Bruce McLaren Festival Vintage Race Meetings. The first is January 22-24 at the New Hampton Downs Circuit near Aukland. The second is January 29-31 at the Pukekohe Park Raceway. Entry inquiries are invited www.brucemclarenfestival.com 

Friday July 17: The big, fast, powerful Historic Can-am Cars of 1966-1974 have three more west coast appearances with: Steve Earle’s Monterey Historics, the SOVREN Columbia river Classic at Portland and the CSRG Charity Classic HCAA Feature for Historic 1966-1974 original era Can-Am Cars saluting Shadow Can-Am cars at Infineon Raceway. Some 30 Historic Can-Am Cars will practice Friday and race Sunday afternoon during the General Racing Monterey Historics August 14-16. The SOVREN Columbia River Classic will again host Historic Can-Am Cars for Friday Practice, Saturday Practice and qualifying and a Sunday Race September 4-6. If insufficient Can-Am cars enter they will run with other fast Sports Racing or Formula Cars.
CSRG with Infineon Raceway for the CSRG Charity Challenge vintage racing weekend September 25-27 is building a big spectator promotion around the weekend and the HCAA Can-Am Feature on Sunday with practice Friday and practice and qualifying on Saturday. The Shadow Can-Am cars will be saluted on the poster and in a Saturday evening banquet and with special HCAA awards presentation after the Sunday Feature. Historic Can-Am cars will be paddocked in the garages as a group, enter now!
General Racing Rolex Monterey Historics spectator info is at www.mazdaraceway.com.
Historic Can-Am Association entrants for SOVREN Columbia River Classic and CSRG Charity Challenge call Pam Shatraw HCAA 650-321-1411.

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: The 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: The 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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