Can-Am: Technical Innovations Of America's All-Out Racing Series 1966-1974

Can-Am: Technical Innovations Of America's All-Out Racing Series 1966-1974 by Book

The 1960s were an interesting time for all forms of racing, as technology advanced so quickly that the sanctioning bodies scrambled to keep pace. The Canadian-American (Can-Am) Challenge Cup- a Sports Car Club of America (SCCA)/Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs (CASC) sports car racing series- was most popular from 1966 to 1974. Evolving from the SCCA Group 7 Sports Car classes, Can-Am was popular because it had minimal rules and allowed any aerodynamic design and powertrain. There were no displacement rules, and superchargers and turbochargers were permitted. The minimal-rules policy and rapidly advancing technology made Can-Am one of the most popular racing series in the world. Can-Am featured 5 to 11 races per season, all in the United States or Canada. Originally taking place in the fall (to avoid competing with IndyCar and Formula 1), Can-Am eventually became so popular that its schedule expanded to include summer races. Cars fielded by teams such as McLaren, Lola, Porsche, Chaparral, Lotus, Ferrari, and British Racing Motors (BRM) were piloted by stars such as John Surtees, Bruce McLaren, Mark Donohue, Mario Andretti, Jackie Stewart, Peter Revson, Jackie Oliver, Denny Hulme, Dan Gurney, and Phil Hill. The result was entertaining, no-holds-barred racing. Fans absolutely loved it. In Can-Am 1966-1974: Technical Innovations of America’s All-Out Racing Series, a chronological approach covers season after season and team after team. One technological advancement after another is featured all the way until the demise of the original series in 1974, which was partially due to the technology itself. When Can-Am returned in the late 1970s, it was more of a rules-driven feeder series for other forms of racing.