Photos: The Dean Lester Collection - Part 1

[Steve Holmes]

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This is Part 1 of an unknown number of Parts of Dean Lester's incredible photo collection. The reason I'm so vague on the size of the collection, is because Dean is slowly rediscovering many of his old photos after several decades, and keeps making new discoveries. How big will it get? Who knows.

Dean was living in Lynwood, California, when he began taking motor racing photos in 1962. Initially his photos were limited to what he could achieve from behind the catch fencing and the from the grandstands at his local track, Riverside. He started out with a Minolta SRT101, but soon realized he needed a longer lens to properly capture the action, so upgraded with a Vivitar zoom. Over time, he got to know Les Richter, the Riverside track owner, which got him into far better places for capturing images, and he spent the next twenty years taking photos for Riverside.

But Dean also ventured far beyond Riverside, including Ontario Speedway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, Watkins Glen, Elkhart Lake, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Ascot, and numerous other venues, taking in drag racing, Can-Am, USRRC, Trans-Am, NASCAR, Formula 1, Formula 5000 events, and just about every other division being contested during the 1960s and early '70s. His photos have been published in Sports Car Graphic, Road And Track, Car And Driver, and Stockcar Racing, among others. Dean was also able to get some fantastic track and pit photos, which really capture the era perfectly.

This first part covers mostly USRRC and Can-Am events, largely because these are all Dean has so far rediscovered. For those who don't know, USRRC is the United States Road Racing Championship, created by the SCCA in 1963 for Group 7 sports cars. This was really the precursor to the Can-Am, and continued until 1968. Until the arrival of the Can-Am, the USRRC was probably the most important Group 7 sports car racing series in the world. Its demise really came about because of the Can-Am, as a smaller prize fund meant it didn't attract the superstars of the Can-Am. But it did allow some of the smaller teams to shine.

Anyway, I'll kick this off with various Can-Am and USRRC races, posted in no particular order, largely because this is how I've received them.

[Steve Holmes]

One thing that jumps out, is that there are a LOT of photos of Lothar Motschenbacher, who Dean knew well. Lothar was a mainstay in the Can-Am, almost exclusively driving a red car, usually a McLaren, and virtually always with the #11. Lothar was a strong privateer in the series. Not only was he on the grid for the very first Can-Am race at St. Jovite, in 1966, he was also on the grid for the very last Can-Am race at Elkhart Lake, in 1974. He raced a McLaren M1B in 1966, before switching to a Lola T70 in 1967. He then switched back to a McLaren M6B in 1968, and remained loyal to the McLaren brand right to the end. Pictured here is the M6B he raced in 1968, in both USRRC and Can-Am.

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[Steve Holmes]

1968 USRRC race at Laguna Seca, with Jim Hall in the Chaparral 2G alongside Motchenbacher. In the blue McLaren M6A on the second row is Mark Donohue.

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[Steve Holmes]

This is likely Hap Sharp, in the second of the Chaparral 2As, in 1965. The track is more than likely Riverside.

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[Steve Holmes]

Looks to be the Riverside pits. At left, with back to the camera, appears to be Parnelli Jones, talking to a very young Sam Posey, and Motschenbacher on the right.

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[Steve Holmes]

Dan Gurney, sheltering from the rain in his McLeagle, his heavily modified McLaren M6B. This is likely the 1968 Laguna Seca Can-Am race. Thats Swede Savage, Gurney's young protege, kneeling in right of picture. Savage was tragically killed at Indy in 1973.

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[Steve Holmes]

Lothar and the Lola T70 he campaigned in 1967.

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[Steve Holmes]

Dan Gurney's Lola T70 from 1966. Gurney won the Bridgehampton round of the 1966 Can-Am. This photo also shows how Goodyear Bluestreak tyres got their name.

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[Steve Holmes]

Bruce.

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[Steve Holmes]

Mike Goth's McLaren M1B. The Can-Am series was massively important to the early growth of the McLaren company. Not only did McLaren generate massive income through prize money and sponsorship, the company also contracted Peter Agg at the Elva/Trojan company to produce McLaren cars for selling to customers. McLarens success as a factory team meant customer sales were always strong, although Lola put up a good fight in the early years.

Note the tall rear spoiler on Goth's McLaren. Neat looking paint scheme too.

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[Steve Holmes]

Superb pit photo, likely at Riverside. It was really a big sand pit.

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[Steve Holmes]

How about that for a straight! Riversides long main straight also doubled as a drag strip. Sadly, its no more.

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[Steve Holmes]

Denny. The tall injector stacks in the background tell me this is 1968.

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[Steve Holmes]

In early USRRC events, it was common to see front engined cars competing, including Cobras, Corvettes, and Cheetahs. Although Bill Thomas originally planned that the Cheetah be a production car and compete against the Cobra, not enough cars were built, which forced them to run in Group 7 instead. This is the Clarence Dixon Cadillac Cheetah.

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[Steve Holmes]

Nice young lady cruises her Cobra through the pits.

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[Steve Holmes]

OK, so in 1968, the McLaren team dominated the Can-Am series in their new M8As, with Denny Hulme eventually winning the championship in chassis M8A-2. In 1969, this car was retained by McLaren and updated to the high-wing 1969 guise and used as a spare by McLaren. It was driven by Dan Gurney to finish third at Michigan, behind McLaren and Hulme after his McLeagle broke, and was also driven by Chris Amon at Laguna Seca when his Ferrari broke. McLaren took over this car late in the season when he crashed his car, and won the 1969 Can-Am.

In 1970, it was sold to Lothar Motschenbacher, who painted it his traditional red with #11, and under the 1970 rules, had to remove the hub mounted rear aerofoil. Motschenbacher raced the car successful in the early 1970 rounds before wrecking it at Elkhart Lake. Then he switched back to the 1969 McLaren M12 customer car he raced in 1969, before ordering a new customer 1970 M8C.

My understanding is that although an M8B and M8C look quite similar, the 8C has much more rounded lower sides to the chassis tub, which makes me think this is the M8A-2 chassis he ran earlier in the season. That being the case, this is the car that ended up in New Zealand in the late 1970s, and eventually restored back to 1968 M8A guise by Duncan Fox and the Bruce McLaren Trust.

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[Oldfart]

Superb shots, with a great mix of the personalities and the cars. Epic shots of Denny and Bruce.

[khyndart in CA]

Absolutely agree with Rhys, keep them coming Steve.
I remember at Long Beach in 1975 that Lothar Motschenbacher, had loaned his truck and trailer to Teddy Yip for us to use with the Theodore Race Team.
Great comeradrie back then.

Ken H

[Paul B]

Fantastic pics and terrific read Steve, really enjoying it. It was such a great era of drivers, racing and development.
Cheers

[Rod Grimwood]

This is superb, photos awesome and great write up and history. Look forward to it.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks guys, glad you're enjoying them.

This is the Ford X1, a prototype GT40 built up by the McLaren team from one of two aluminium GT40 tubs. McLarens spent a lot of time getting as much weight out of the car as possible, eventually reducing weight by around 450 kg from a standard GT40. The X1 was fitted with a big block 427 and Hewland LG500, special long nose, different rear bodywork, and open top.

It was raced in various Group 7 events throughout 1965, but failed to score a race win, and was taken back by Ford and given to Shelby American, who had Kar-Kraft rebuild it to a heavier endurance racing guise, fitted with MkII nose and tail, although it retained the open top. With this car Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby won the 1966 Sebring 12 Hours. I believe it was eventually crushed.

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[Steve Holmes]

Super Mario.

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[Steve Holmes]

Neat shot here from Riverside. I would guess probably 1965, judging by the Chaparral darting through the esses. This would likely be a USRRC event.

The damaged car in the foreground is a bit of a head-scratcher. There were a large number of Specials built during the 1950s and early '60s for sports car racing. Some of them were successful, others weren't.

It was the arrival of very good turn-key customer cars such as the McLarens and Lolas that changed all that. There were 34 cars on the grid for the very first Can-Am race in 1966; 15 were McLarens, 9 were Lolas. The highest non Lola or McLaren in qualifying was Bill Eve's Genie Mk10, down in 20th. It was clear from the outset if you wanted to have any chance in the Can-Am you needed a Lola or McLaren. These companies had the experience and resources to build very good cars, and it was hard to top that with something built in your own shed, unless you were someone like Jim Hall. Therefore, one-off and very low volume cars like the one in the foreground here were already dieing out.

I think this car is a Hamill SR3. How many were built? Whose is this one? Ed Hamill raced one. Did he build others? Its really a very pretty car though, despite the damage. I hope it survived.

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[Steve Holmes]

Riverside again. Look at that crowd!

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[Steve Holmes]

I think.....this might be Laguna Seca.

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[Steve Holmes]

Jim Hall, an utterly brilliant race car designer, and pretty damn good driver.

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[Steve Holmes]

Stirling Moss, entertaining the ladies. When the Can-Am series was first announced, Moss was hired as Challenge Cup Commissioner, to give the new series some added clout.

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[Steve Holmes]

Rolling out onto the grid at Riverside. The #15 is Brian O'Neal's Lola T160.

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[khyndart in CA]

I think.....this might be Laguna Seca.

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Yes Steve,
That is Laguna Seca taken from up on "Corkscrew Hill" looking at the cars rounding the right hand turn # 8 heading toward Turn Number Nine which is a left hander leading onto the front straight past the pit area which was just a wide open space then compared to what is there today.(Interesting photo showing the crowds and parking etc.) SO enjoying these pics.


Ken H

[Steve Holmes]

Yes Steve,
That is Laguna Seca taken from up on "Corkscrew Hill" looking at the cars rounding the right hand turn # 10 heading toward Turn Number Nine which is a left hander leading onto the front straight past the pit area which was just a wide open space then compared to what is there today.(Interesting photo showing the crowds and parking etc.) SO enjoying these pics.


Ken H

Thanks for confirming that Ken. When did you first go to Laguna Seca?

Here are more photos from the same or similar vantage points.

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[Steve Holmes]

This pretty machine is the Mirage-Oldsmobile. It was owned by Jack Nethercutt, while Pete Brock, who is famous for designing the Cobra Daytona Coupes, was responsible for the body design. It was driven by various people including Ken Miles, Richie Ginther, and Scooter Patrick, as well as Jack Nethercutt, in various USRRC events. It only contested one Can-Am race in 1966, driven by Patrick at Las Vegas. Patrick drove it again at Bridgehampton in 1967, as well as Riverside, but it didn't finish any of these events, and qualified well down the grid.

It was obviously funded by J.B Nethercutt, Jack's father, because he was so disappointed with it, he ordered it be scrapped.

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

Lotus 40 arrives in style.

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Ray Bell]

Steve, I wouldn't be so sure that the third of those crowd/parking shots is Laguna Seca...

The hills look somewhat of a different style. Do you mind if I post it on TNF to see if anyone can confirm where it is?

[khyndart in CA]

Thanks for confirming that Ken. When did you first go to Laguna Seca?

Here are more photos from the same or similar vantage points.

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Steve,
I first went to the track in 1987 before it was changed to the present configuration in 1988.
Note in your photos that there were no pedestrian bridges and you came across the track between races. ( Top photo looking North toward San Francisco. The tracks over the hills were from tanks practicing maneuvers over the Fort Ord US Army Base and now used for parking instead of the area on the right by Turn 9 which would have been great and is now for overnight campers. )

The middle photo shows the start/ finish straight that goes over the hill into what was a long sweeping # 2 corner. (Looking West toward Monterey Bay area) Before the lakes filled in.
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Laguna Seca. 1987. Looking toward Corner 2 from a lower level.( Ken Hyndman photo.)

The lower photo shows the short straight before climbing the hill to the "Corkscrew " area.
(Looking South West toward the Big Sur area. All taken on the same hill area. )

Laguna Seca circuit as in 1987
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Laguna Seca circuit as it is today
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(Ken H)

[khyndart in CA]

Neat shot here from Riverside. I would guess probably 1965, judging by the Chaparral darting through the esses. This would likely be a USRRC event.

The damaged car in the foreground is a bit of a head-scratcher. There were a large number of Specials built during the 1950s and early '60s for sports car racing. Some of them were successful, others weren't.

Therefore, one-off and very low volume cars like the one in the foreground here were already dieing out.

I think this car is a Hamill SR3. How many were built? Whose is this one? Ed Hamill raced one. Did he build others? Its really a very pretty car though, despite the damage. I hope it survived.

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Steve,
Yes that was a Hamill SR3 driven by Bob Johnson # 99.
Not sure how many were built, probably about 3 or 4.
They still can be found competing or for sale.

http://www.fantasyjunction.com/cars/260-Hamill%20McKee-SR3%20Can-Am%20..


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1965 Hamill-Chevrolet SR3. 2015 Goodwood Revival Meeting.
(Tim Scott..Sportscar Digest photo )


(Ken H )

[Steve Holmes]

Steve, I wouldn't be so sure that the third of those crowd/parking shots is Laguna Seca...

The hills look somewhat of a different style. Do you mind if I post it on TNF to see if anyone can confirm where it is?

Yes by all means Ray.

[Steve Holmes]

Steve,
Yes that was a Hamill SR3 driven by Bob Johnson # 99.
Not sure how many were built, probably about 3 or 4.
They still can be found competing or for sale.

http://www.fantasyjunction.com/cars/260-Hamill%20McKee-SR3%20Can-Am%20..


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1965 Hamill-Chevrolet SR3. 2015 Goodwood Revival Meeting.
(Tim Scott..Sportscar Digest photo )


(Ken H )

Thanks for all your great additional info Ken.

[Steve Holmes]

Coming down the hill at Laguna Seca. You probably wouldn't want to slide off here!

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[Steve Holmes]

Without doubt one of the most significant race cars of all time, the magnificent Chaparral 2E. This car was the brainchild of its owner Jim Hall, who had two of them made in 1966, for he and Phil Hill to drive. One was built from scratch, while the other was built from a wrecked 1965 Chaparral 2C.

The 2E used an alloy tub, originally designed by Chevrolet R&D for their 1964 Grand Sport IIb, but greatly redesigned and improved by Chaparral. Hall had close GM ties. Chevy R&D also supplied the very special small block Chevy engine with aluminium block and heads, as well as the custom made hydraulic torque converter and magnesium cased 3-speed transaxle. So the Chaparrals essentially used semi-automatic gearboxes.

Race teams had been experimenting with aerodynamics in Group 7 sports car racing for a few years, and cars were slowly sprouting front and rear wings. But Hall was really the first to actually attempt to manipulate the air movement around and inside the car to help with both increasing downforce and reducing drag.

The most notable feature of the 2E is its tall rear aerofoil. Up to this point, rear wings had been mounted directly onto the vehicles body. While this helped improved downforce, the constant increase and reduction in downforce based on the vehicles speed made it hard to find a spring rate that worked in all situations. This is because the downforce was being applied to the body, and not the tyres.

Hall had already attempted moving aerodynamics with his 2C of 1965. It featured a large rear ‘flipper’ spoiler, attached to the bodywork, which could be activated by the driver. Thanks to the Chevy R&D automatic gearbox, the Chaparral drivers didn’t have to press the clutch every time they changed gear. They still had to change gear manually by hand, but all they needed to do was ease off the throttle slightly, and select the next gear.

The 2Cs were set up for left foot braking. But in addition, there was another pedal where the clutch would normally be. This pedal activated the rear flipper wing. The wing was flattened out on the straights to lessen downforce and drag, then flipped back up again for corners to provide downforce.

The same theory was brought across to the 2E for 1966, but instead of activating the flipper, it was the tall rear aerofoil that was being moved. The difference was, whereas the 2C had a body mounted rear spoiler, the aerofoil on the 2E sat atop a pair of tall struts which connected directly to the rear wheels hubs. That meant the downforce was being applied directly to the tyres, and not the body, which did away with the requirement for increased spring rates.

In addition, the 2Es had hip-mounted radiators, which freed up space inside the nose to further manipulate air flow. Inside the nose was a pair of flaps, which spun much like a carburettor butterfly.

So when the driver was travelling along a straight, he’d press the left pedal, the rear aerofoil would flatten out, reducing downforce and drag, and at the same time, the flaps in the nose would close off the holes, which balanced the changing downforce from the rear wing. When he took his foot off the pedal to compress the brake, the rear aerofoil would flip forward, and the nose flaps would open, to greatly increase downforce through corners.

There were numerous other ground breaking features in the 2Es. Remember, in 1966, Formula 1 cars had no aerodynamics at all. It was the 2E that influenced the hub mounted aerofoils in both F1, and the Can-Am. By 1969, most front running Can-Am cars featured these before the FIA banned them due to failures in F1. However, none of these could be activated by the driver. They sat in a fixed position.

Given the impact Hall’s designs had in the area of aerodynamics, it seems crazy that Chaparral recorded only a single race victory from five years in the Can-Am series.

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[Ray Bell]

Originally poted by Steve Holmes
Yes by all means Ray.

Seems that it's unnecessary now, Steve, as Ken has explained it all. Some differences in the local terrain, especially with the hills facing different directions.

These are such good pics, however, that I might put a pointer on TNF to encourage others to come and have a look.

[Steve Holmes]

Seems that it's unnecessary now, Steve, as Ken has explained it all. Some differences in the local terrain, especially with the hills facing different directions.

These are such good pics, however, that I might put a pointer on TNF to encourage others to come and have a look.

Sorry Ray, I hadn't read Ken's reply before replying to your post.

[Steve Holmes]

Jim Hall raced the 2E again in 1967, although the car underwent enough changes it was also given a new designation, the 2G (the 2E was an endurance race car). The most notable change was the addition of a new Chevy R&D supplied 427 cu.in big block, cast in aluminium. Hall actually felt the bigger motor was not a good addition to the car, making it more ponderous. Numerous other changes were made as well as a great effort to reduce weight, but the 2G was around 50kg heavier than the 2E.

Other notable features were the re-shaping of the chassis tub, which was now more squared off on the bottom edge. In addition, wider wheels and tyres required mild flaring of the rear wheel arches, plus there was a large snorkel above the engine to feed cool air to the injectors.

In late 1966, Hap Sharp drove the second 2E, but a rear wing failure saw the car wrecked. The only surviving 2E, which was originally the 2C from 1965, was the car upgraded to the 2G, which Hall himself drove.

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[Steve Holmes]

Hall was building a new car, the Chaparral 2H, which was supposed to contest the 1968 Can-Am. But this car was massively radical, and its design and build were delayed, thus requiring the 2G be upgraded and raced once more for 1968. The biggest change was the massive flares grafted into the bodywork to house the latest wide wheels and tyres. From the attractive 2E of 1966, it had now become quite ugly. But regardless, even by 1968, it was still a front running car, and should have won at least one race that season, if not for mechanical problems.

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[Steve Holmes]

Brilliant shot here from Dean showing the side profile of the 1968 2G.

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[bry3500]

Fantastic photos and history. Thanks Steve

[khyndart in CA]

In 2005 the Monterey Historic Meeting featured Jim Hall and a Tribute to Chaparral.
It was a marvelous sight to see some of these cars out on the course and although I have no decent photos of that day, here is a bit of what Pete Lyons had written in the program.
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(Ken H )

[bill hollingsworth]

Although a little out of the way the Chaparral display at the oil museum in Midland TX is well worth a visit. All the cars that still exist are on display and because I was the only visitor from Australia that day I got to sit in the 2F coupe which was out in the museum's workshop. Wow what a compact car the BBC water pump nestles in your left ear. It is RHD for some reason. The 2F has no roll cage, fits like a glove and must have been one of the rawest driving experiences in any closed car ever. Hap Sharp ran an oil drilling company which is how he knew Jim Hall.When Jim's parents and sister were killed in a plane crash he returned to Texas from California and started building his cars in one of the most remote places in Texas. Jim's brother owned the Chevrolet dealership in Midland and Chevy tail lights were used on Chaparrals.

[Ray Bell]

Sounds like I'll have to include that in my itinerary when I go to the USA again next year...

Thanks for that tip, Bill.

I never knew that about closing off the front air ducts, either. Very clever stuff.

[khyndart in CA]

Ray,
Here is a copy of the Chaparral Gallery at Midland, Texas brochure. (2005 edition )

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Perhaps one day I will make it to Midland, Texas.
Ken H

[Steve Holmes]

Great stuff guys, thanks for your posts. Its interesting, the thing that killed the Can-Am series was the same thing that is happening in modern Formula 1. The SCCA started enforcing more restrictive aerodynamic rules, particularly when Hall began racing the Chaparral 2J in 1970. The Can-Am allowed huge freedom in aerodynamics, some of which was successful, and some not.

But once they started restricting the aero, it placed greater emphasis on engines. It then became a prerequisite to either be a car manufacturer, or team up with a car manufacturer, and build more advanced engines with bigger horsepower. With restrictions on aero, engines were the only area where a team could gain an advantage. When Penske teamed up with Porsche and built the 917/10 for 1972, it killed the Can-Am. McLaren knew they couldn't compete, because they weren't teamed with a car manufacturer. So they quit.

The same thing is happening in modern F1, with its power units. Aero is no longer king, its horsepower. Mercedes-Benz has the best engine, and therefore the best car. They only supply their engines to teams they know can't beat them. But it no longer matters how good a cars aero is. If it doesn't have the right engine, it can't win.

Funny how history repeats itself, and people don't seem to learn.

[Steve Holmes]

Driver parade:

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[Steve Holmes]

This is a mid-pack grid shot from the 1968 Laguna Seca Can-Am race, which produced probably the most unlikely result in the entire history of the series. The blue McLaren in the foreground is that of Jerry Hansen, who qualified 11th. Two rows behind Hansen is the elderly #62 McLaren M1B of John Cannon, who qualified 15th, six seconds off pole. But qualifying was dry, and the race was run in the wet.

On the morning of the race, Cannon met with Firestone technician Bruce Harre to ask him which tyres he recommended for the race. Harre showed him a set of intermediates, which had been ordered for an F5000 competitor, but which weren't required. Cannon fitted the intermediates for the practice session prior to the race, did a couple of laps, and parked his car.

Come the race start, and Cannon quickly moved forward, and had displaced Mark Donohue for fourth by lap 5. The next lap he passed Hulme and Peter Revson, and on lap 7, passed McLaren for the lead. He was lapping 2 seconds faster than the next fastest car, in a three year old tube-frame McLaren customer car. Then he went and lapped the entire field. The rain never let up, and Cannon won by more than a lap. His winners purse was just under $20,000, which would have bought his old McLaren four times over. Cool story, and one of the few real upsets of the Can-Am.

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[Steve Holmes]

Bruce McLaren, chatting with (I believe) Carroll Smith. The guy to the right of photo looks a lot like Allan Moffat, but probably isn't. I know Moffat and Smith were good friends, and Smith actually ran Moffat's race team in Australia for a year or so in 1977.

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[Steve Holmes]

Jim Clark in the Lotus 40. This car never raced in the Can-Am series, Colin Chapman only delved briefly in American big-bore sports car racing in the pre-Can-Am days of the USRRC.

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[Steve Holmes]

Jerry Grant's Lola T70.

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[Steve Holmes]

Stirling and actress Judy Carne.

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[Ray Bell]

It's not conclusive, but the Moffat lookalike is in the Penske garage with a number that looks a lot like the one Sam Posey (who drove Trans-Am for Penske) on his belt.

I don't see Moffat being in such a position...

[khyndart in CA]

Jim Clark in the Lotus 40. This car never raced in the Can-Am series, Colin Chapman only delved briefly in American big-bore sports car racing in the pre-Can-Am days of the USRRC.

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It is 50 years ago this weekend that we lost the great Jim Clark.
R.I.P. Jimmy. You are still missed.

(Ken Hyndman )

[Oldfart]

The Historic meeting at Donington is holding a minute's silence at the exact moment 50 years after Jimmy's death after a lament by a piper. Nice touch, and a good number of cars with which he was associated will be present.

[khyndart in CA]

Motorsport Magazine has some nice write ups about Jimmy's career. Here is one about Jim Clark in America.

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/history/f1/jim-america

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(Ken H )

[Steve Holmes]

Dan Gurney, collecting some bits from his rental car. Note the brand new Camaro parked next door.

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[Steve Holmes]

The one and only, A.J. Foyt.

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[Steve Holmes]

Foyt only ever started one Can-Am race; Riverside 1966, in this Lola T70.

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[Steve Holmes]

John Surtees; inaugural Can-Am champion.

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[Steve Holmes]

I love these pit photos.

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[Steve Holmes]

Forget the race cars. How cool is that Country Squire!

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[Steve Holmes]

This is Peter Revson chatting with actor James Garner. Garner starred in the film Grand Prix from 1966, and this instilled in him a passion for motor racing. He was involved in a newly established race team called American International Racers (AIR) which ran a variety of vehicles, including Corvettes in GT competition, plus a pair of Lola T70 MkIII coupes in 1968 and '69. He did some driving himself, and was a keen off-road racer. He raced a wild Oldsmobile Cutlass bodied off-roader called the Banshee which was featured on Jay Leno's Garage

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[Steve Holmes]

Leno and James Garner's Banshee:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmfdNrolRDg

[Ray Bell]

Maybe he should have stuck to living on jacks and queens?

Garner was, in fact, very good value. That he supported the sport made him even better.

[Steve Holmes]

Maybe he should have stuck to living on jacks and queens?

Garner was, in fact, very good value. That he supported the sport made him even better.

I agree.

[Steve Holmes]

Another shot of the ex-Hulme 1968 Can-Am winning McLaren M8A-2, which later ended up in New Zealand.

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[Steve Holmes]

Riverside pits. That kid looks a little distracted.

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[Steve Holmes]

Graham Hill. Yep, he did contest a Can-Am race; Riverside 1966. Aboard a Lola T70, he started 5th and finished 3rd.

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[Ray Bell]

A harness in '66?

That's a bit of a surprise. I don't recall Hill being part of the movement towards harnesses.

[Steve Holmes]

A harness in '66?

That's a bit of a surprise. I don't recall Hill being part of the movement towards harnesses.

Well spotted Ray. But yes, Hill did indeed wear a harness. He drove a second car in the Surtees team. Below photo from Tam's Old Race Cars site.

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[khyndart in CA]

Sadly Graham Hill had this incident during the 1969 US grand Prix at Watkins Glen. As described in "grandprix.com".
" Hill was running in sixth place in the mid-race in his Lotus Cosworth 49 B.
He had a spin and had to push-start his car.
As a result he was unable to do up with seat belts and on lap 91 he spun again.
This time the car overturned and Hill was thrown out, breaking both his legs."

Although some say if he had stayed strapped in the car his injuries could have been much worse, perhaps fatal.

I came across this sadly prophetic letter that Jochen Rindt wrote to Colin Chapman regarding how he felt about driving the Lotus 49 B during the 1969 Formula 1 season after his monstrous crash in Barcelona during the Spanish Grand Prix. Note that he mentions Levin.
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(Ken H.)

[Ray Bell]

Yes, Ken, soon after Niel Allen's crash at Lakeside (July 1968) the fitment and use of harnesses was mandated all around the world...

Hence Hill had them in the 49 at Watkins Glen in '69. Mind you, I don't accept anyone's rash statements that 'such-and-such would have been killed if he'd had belts on' because I have seen so many 'unsurviveable accidents from which the driver has stepped out and shaken his head before examining the bits of wreckage around him.

Mind you, I did see the Niel Allen crash and we did expect that he was at least badly injured, but though he was unconscious he only suffered injury to one finger.

So while I have seen many crashes in which the belt has saved the driver, and I know it can't always do so, I've seen very few in which the driver died with his belts on.

Thanks for that letter from Jochen Rindt, by the way, very telling. And it's also widely believed (and confirmed?) that he didn't have his crotch straps done up. Whether he would have survived or not is a question for other times and places, but it's also possible he could have bled to death anyway after the brake shaft ripped through his leg.

[Steve Holmes]

Jackie Stewart.

53212

[Steve Holmes]

Laguna Seca, 1968. Note the stricken Chaparral in the background.

53213

[Steve Holmes]

53214

[Steve Holmes]

Bruce McLaren's 1968 M8A.

53215

[Steve Holmes]

Dan Gurney looks on as his crew prep his Lola T70.

53216

[Steve Holmes]

Riverside. The big Ford rumbles past. Love the tow truck.

53217

[khyndart in CA]

Steve,
That is a unique shot of Turn 8 at Riverside before the cars went on to the long Back Straight.

This is how that area looks today.
(Note that the air is cleaner, compared to that shot of Dan Gurney by the Lola T70 where you can just see across to other side of the track! )
53218


(Ken H)

[Steve Holmes]

Wow, great comparison Ken! Thank you. So interesting to see what becomes of these old tracks. I understand that Riverside became quite tired and run down by the 1980s, but it would have been nice if it had survived and been revived. As a race track it had such a nice layout and flow.

The smog you mentioned is well captured in this photo.

53228

[Steve Holmes]

This 1967 Can-Am feature captures some of the best parts of the Riverside course:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV59PJFc_5o

[Steve Holmes]

53349

53350

[Steve Holmes]

Laguna Seca 1968 Can-Am.

53351

[Steve Holmes]

53352

[Steve Holmes]

Denny Hulme visits Lothar Motschenbacher's pit garage. I'm pretty sure thats Carroll Smith in the middle.

53353

[Steve Holmes]

Denny Hulme visits Lothar Motschenbacher's pit garage. I'm pretty sure thats Carroll Smith in the middle.

53353

OK I just found out thats Hershey Entin in the centre. I assume a relation of Jerry Entin.

[Steve Holmes]

Dick Guldstrand at left. Brilliant GM engineer and also a very successful driver. He passed away just a couple of years ago at age 87.

53393

[Steve Holmes]

This is Bob Bondurant's modified Lola T70. Bondurant was a very successful racer, and drove for Shelby for a few years. But he is perhaps best known for the racing school he established to teach people how to drive a race car. This was the first such school of its type, and came about after Bondurant served as a technical consultant on the movie Grand Prix, where he taught James Garner how to drive. He established Bob Bondurant School Of High Performance Driving in 1968. The idea came to him while recuperating from a nasty shunt in 1967.

53395

[Number4]

Ray.....see old map below......"NEW EXIT" is the tee junction at the top of the current entry road just after the toll booths.
That intersection is center left in the picture......the current camp ground is under the trees left of that again.
Photo taken from the access road after the turn 4 bridge (not there at the time of course).

BTW.....pic3 is a continuation to the left of pic2 .......those 2 pictures are the "Laguna Seca" (Spanish for Dry Lake)
Scrutineering and paddock parking/pit allocation is done on that dry lake bed to this day.

Jim Grant

[Ray Bell]

Thanks for the explanation, I've done up a bit of a composite...

There's a gap in the middle and heights and maybe focal length and location of the camera are different, but it gives the idea.

https://s26.postimg.cc/qru32065l/0518lagunascene.jpg

[bry3500]

It's not conclusive, but the Moffat lookalike is in the Penske garage with a number that looks a lot like the one Sam Posey (who drove Trans-Am for Penske) on his belt.

I don't see Moffat being in such a position...

Interesting.. Moffat was friends with Sam Posey. They shared a Sebring victory together.

[Steve Holmes]

This is Lothar with his McLaren M6A when he upgraded to big block Chevy power.

55971

[Steve Holmes]

Lothar's Lola T70.

55972

[Steve Holmes]

55973

[Steve Holmes]

55974

[Steve Holmes]

55975

[Paul B]

Imagine the cool noise coming out of the above^^ headers! No secondary pipes on the headers either, just a four into 1.

[Steve Holmes]

In the final round of the 1968 Can-Am Championship held at Las Vegas, Jim Hall in the Chaparral and Lothar Motchenbacher had the mother of all collisions. It was the result of a series of incidents that began at the first corner on Lap 1, when Mario Andretti and Bruce McLaren touched and both went off the track, with half the field also spearing off into the dust in avoidance. One of those caught up in the carnage was Jim Hall, who visited the pits at the end of the lap to have damaged front bodywork repaired.

He returned to the track, and worked his way up to fourth place before pitting again for more repairs. Upon rejoining, he found himself just behind McLaren, who was also making up places after his first corner skirmish and a couple of pit stops. The pair of them set off nose to tail, charging their way back up the order.

Meanwhile, Motchenbacher was having a clean race, and holding down second place behind Denny Hulme. As McLaren and Hall came up to un-lap themselves from Motchenbacher, the red McLaren suddenly slowed when the front suspension began to fail. McLaren swung past, but Hall, who was close behind, didn't notice Motchenbacher had slowed, and slammed into him at high speed. The white Chaparral flew into the air, and set about destroying itself upon landing. Both of Hall's legs were shattered, and his jaw broken. He was pulled from the wreckage just as his Chaparral caught fire. His injuries were such that he never raced the Can-Am again.

Motchenbacher's McLaren also caught fire, and he suffered leg burns. Dean Lester snapped these images of the destroyed McLaren.

56393

56394

56395

56396

[Steve Holmes]

56397

56398

56399

56400

[Steve Holmes]

56401

56402

56403

56404

[Steve Holmes]

John Surtees was the inaugural Can-Am Champion. He worked closely with Eric Broadley in 1966 to help develop the beautiful Lola T70, and of the seven heats included in the 6 Round 1966 Can-Am series, he won three times.

The Lola T70 was the best car in 1966. In addition to Surtees' three victories, Dan Gurney, Mark Donohue, and Parnelli Jones took a further three race wins aboard T70s. The lone race victory not scored by a Lola driver was that of Phil Hill, who guided his Chaparral 2E to the Heat 1 win at Laguna Seca.

Lola didn't have a factory race team, unlike rivals McLaren. Instead, they worked closely with their customers, who provided feedback that helped develop their designs and constantly improve the breed. But as history would show, the McLaren model was more effective.

Surtees was as close to being a Lola factory driver as it was possible to be. But he didn't have control over designs. And in 1967, when he returned to defend his crown, he was promptly swept aside as McLaren, now with their new M6A model, began what would be a five year domination of the series.

Unlike McLaren, Lola didn't replace the T70 with a new car for 1967. Rather, they just made improvements to the T70. But it was no match for McLaren, and Surtees took a single victory in the final Round at Las Vegas, but only after the McLarens had faltered.

In 1968, McLaren raised the bar further still with its impressive new M8A, a design based somewhat on that of the Lotus 49, in which the engine became a stressed member. The M8A was so good, McLaren essentially evolved it for years to come as the M8B, M8D, and M8F.

Lola, however, returned in 1968 with the T160, which was effectively an updated version of the old T70. Surtees was not happy, and by now the relationship had soured. He tried to purchase a new McLaren, but was unable to do so, so instead took a T160 and extensively rebuilt it. Such was the extent of the changes, Surtees didn't even call it a Lola, rather, the TS Chevrolet. One of its most prominent features was a tall, rear hub mounted aerofoil, as seen previously on the Chaparrals, although the Lola version wasn't driver adjustable. It was powered by one of the new aluminium big block Chevrolet engines, built by Harry Weslake.

Sadly, the TS Chevrolet was a failure. It made its first appearance in Round 2 of the series at Bridgehampton, where the team arrived early to get in some testing. In qualifying, Surtees was tenth fastest, some 4 seconds off Denny Hulme's pole time. It completed just 16 laps before it was sidelined with engine trouble. But much further development was required, and Surtees wasn't seen again until Round 5, at Riverside. Here he qualified eighth, and was 4 seconds off pole, but again failed to finish. And that was the end of his season. He turned up to the final Round at Las Vegas, but didn't have his car, having run out of enthusiasm, and blown too many engines apart. He couldn't see how his outdated Lola would beat the dominant McLarens.

This shot here captures the Lola at Riverside. Surtees was classified 24th.

57167

[Steve Holmes]

Wheelchair with a difference!

57601

[Steve Holmes]

Dan Gurney's beautiful Lola T70 from the 1966 season.

57602

[Paul B]

Wheelchair with a difference!

57601

If I ever become wheelchair bound it would be like this!
Nice one Steve

[Roger Dowding]

Dan Gurney's beautiful Lola T70 from the 1966 season.

57602

Have a 1;43 scale model of the " Bardahl Special - T70 " in fact have 8 Lola T70 models - including two Coupe versions .. 1 Penske Donahue Blue one and one Denny Hulme Sid Taylor White with Green stripes !! ,

[Steve Holmes]

Jim Hall's Chaparral 2G, during 1968.

59010

[Steve Holmes]

I just love classic ramp trucks.

59011

[Steve Holmes]

Motchenbacher bares down on the former Hollywood Sports Cars McLaren. This is the car originally built and modified by the famous hot rodder-come road racer, Doane Spencer. I think the McLaren might have been owned by Harvey Lasiter here, who was sponsored by the band The Mama's And The Papa's.

I wrote a detailed article on this car here: http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?1093-Article-Hollywood-Sport-Cars-McLaren-MkI

59012

[Steve Holmes]

59429

[Steve Holmes]

Can-Am drivers briefing.

59430

[Steve Holmes]

Looks like the cockpit of one of the Penske Lola T70s.

59431

[bry3500]

Fantastic thread - Thanks Steve

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Looks like the cockpit of one of the Penske Lola T70s.

59431

Judging by the pic of the Dan Gurney car further up the page I think it might be that one...

[Steve Holmes]

Judging by the pic of the Dan Gurney car further up the page I think it might be that one...

Well spotted Ray, I'm sure you're correct.

[Ray Bell]

If memory serves, that was the testbed for the Weslake-Gurney heads...

And also the first of the 'raised block' engines as they went to 351?

[Steve Holmes]

If memory serves, that was the testbed for the Weslake-Gurney heads...

And also the first of the 'raised block' engines as they went to 351?

Thanks Ray, nice work.

[Steve Holmes]

This is the Caldwell D7, one of the more ambitious, but largely forgotten Group 7 sports cars. It was financed by Sam Posey, and designed and built by Ray Caldwell, who'd made a success designing and building Formula Vee race cars.

The D7 first appeared in 1967, and ran both USRRC and Can-Am races throughout '67 and '68. The car showed some potential, and was initially fitted with a flipper wing, like the Chaparral, but this one mounted on top of the rollcage, providing downforce to the body and chassis, rather than the more successful option of the rear hubs.

The D7 showed fast cornering speed, but was hampered by erratic handling. The first car was destroyed in a testing shunt in 1967. Its replacement featured a magnesium tub. It led a couple of races in USRRC, albeit with no race wins. In the Can-Am, where the competition level was far greater, the results were tougher to come by. Posey's best qualifying effort was fifth at Las Vegas in 1968, the final race of the season. He also finished fifth in the race, his best result with the car. The D7 had shown progress throughout the year, but it wasn't seen again after that. Apparently, Posey still owns the car.

The Posey/Caldwell partnership was probably better remembered for their successfully convincing Chrysler to fund them in the 1970 Trans-Am series, where they fielded a pair of factory Dodge Challengers. That campaign would ultimately end the partnership.

59621

[khyndart in CA]

Here is a bit more regarding the Autodynamics operation.
59625

http://www.loumash.com/GS/aboutautod.html

(Ken H)

[Steve Holmes]

Here is a bit more regarding the Autodynamics operation.
59625

http://www.loumash.com/GS/aboutautod.html

(Ken H)

Thanks Ken, thats a really col article.

[Steve Holmes]

Denny Hulme's 1968 Can-Am Championship winning McLaren M8A. This is the car that ended up in New Zealand where it spent most of its life, and was eventually restored by the McLaren Trust. Now back in the US.

59866

[Steve Holmes]

I love this shot.

60257

[Steve Holmes]

Phil Hill.

60258

[Steve Holmes]

Parnelli Jones.

60259

[Steve Holmes]

Great shot of the Riverside Esses. Note the smog.

60260

[Steve Holmes]

Early GT40 at Riverside.

60431

60432

[Steve Holmes]

This is Oscar Koveleski in his McLaren M8B in 1971. This is quite a special car, because its one of the 1969 factory McLaren M8Bs that won every one of the 1969 Can-Am races. In 1969, they were fitted with the high rear hub mounted aerofoils, but these were banned for 1970.

Koveleski raced this car for at least two seasons; 1970 and 1971. In 1970 it was painted orange and had a low fixed flap at the rear of the bodywork, much like the 1968 McLaren M8A factory cars. For 1971, it used a wing, albeit, afixed to the chassis.

For 1969, the factory McLaren team had three M8Bs, two of which were brand new cars, while the third was Denny Hulme's 1968 M8A championship winning car, updated to '69 M8B spec. It was used as a spare for 1969, although Dan Gurney drove it in one race, and Chris Amon another, when their own cars were broken. That car went to Lothar Motchenbacher in 1970, and eventually made its way down to New Zealand.

62020