By Peter M. DeLorenzo
Detroit. The sport of motor racing is filled with memorable races marked by both triumph and tragedy. It's the nature of the sport that these two extremes have left such an indelible impression that they live on for decades, leaving a legacy that is part and parcel of our collective memories. The many heroic individuals - and individual efforts - that have carved out their place in motorsport history are too often luridly offset by gut-wrenching tragedies that have torn us apart along the way. It is an unfortunate consequence of a sport that consumes everything and everyone in its path, a fevered, relentless pursuit marked by unbridled elation and devastating, soul-crushing disappointment. In this series I will try to avoid dwelling on the tragic stories, because as enthusiasts of this sport we are all too familiar with them. If, in the course of talking about a particular race mentioning a tragic event is unavoidable that will have to be, but this series will mainly focus on those glorious moments from those glory days that rivet us to this day. This week, we're revisiting the 1968 Road America Can-Am.
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Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 31, 1968. The McLaren Cars Ltd team in pit lane during practice for the Road America Can-Am, which would run the next day. Bruce McLaren wheeled the No. 4 Gulf McLaren M8A Chevrolet, while his teammate Denny Hulme was in the No. 5 Gulf McLaren M8A Chevrolet. The secret to McLaren's success in the Can-Am Championship? Yes, the driving talent of McLaren and Hulme was notably superb, and the power development of the Chevrolet V8 engines was always on the cutting edge, but the real reason was that the team's preparation was leaps and bounds better than the competition. Bruce McLaren insisted on a rigorous testing and development schedule, and the team arrived in America for the Can-Am series with thousands of miles of development on their team cars. The McLarens were the class of the Can-Am field from the time they were unloaded from their trailers. Road America was the spiritual home of the Can-Am Series; the track is now dubbed "America's National Park of Speed." The 4.048-mile natural-terrain circuit in the Kettle Moraine region of Wisconsin - an area carved out by receding glaciers - is widely considered to be the greatest road racing circuit in North America. Bruce McLaren would grab pole position with a lap of 2:09.800 that Saturday; Denny Hulme qualified second with a time of 2:09.900. Jim Hall would line up in third position with a 2:10.800, and Mark Donohue started fourth in the No. 6 Roger Penske Racing Ent. Sunoco McLaren M6B Chevrolet with a time of 2:11.000.
Detroit. The sport of motor racing is filled with memorable races marked by both triumph and tragedy. It's the nature of the sport that these two extremes have left such an indelible impression that they live on for decades, leaving a legacy that is part and parcel of our collective memories. The many heroic individuals - and individual efforts - that have carved out their place in motorsport history are too often luridly offset by gut-wrenching tragedies that have torn us apart along the way. It is an unfortunate consequence of a sport that consumes everything and everyone in its path, a fevered, relentless pursuit marked by unbridled elation and devastating, soul-crushing disappointment. In this series I will try to avoid dwelling on the tragic stories, because as enthusiasts of this sport we are all too familiar with them. If, in the course of talking about a particular race mentioning a tragic event is unavoidable that will have to be, but this series will mainly focus on those glorious moments from those glory days that rivet us to this day. This week, we're revisiting the 1968 Road America Can-Am.
(Getty Images)Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 31, 1968. The McLaren Cars Ltd team in pit lane during practice for the Road America Can-Am, which would run the next day. Bruce McLaren wheeled the No. 4 Gulf McLaren M8A Chevrolet, while his teammate Denny Hulme was in the No. 5 Gulf McLaren M8A Chevrolet. The secret to McLaren's success in the Can-Am Championship? Yes, the driving talent of McLaren and Hulme was notably superb, and the power development of the Chevrolet V8 engines was always on the cutting edge, but the real reason was that the team's preparation was leaps and bounds better than the competition. Bruce McLaren insisted on a rigorous testing and development schedule, and the team arrived in America for the Can-Am series with thousands of miles of development on their team cars. The McLarens were the class of the Can-Am field from the time they were unloaded from their trailers. Road America was the spiritual home of the Can-Am Series; the track is now dubbed "America's National Park of Speed." The 4.048-mile natural-terrain circuit in the Kettle Moraine region of Wisconsin - an area carved out by receding glaciers - is widely considered to be the greatest road racing circuit in North America. Bruce McLaren would grab pole position with a lap of 2:09.800 that Saturday; Denny Hulme qualified second with a time of 2:09.900. Jim Hall would line up in third position with a 2:10.800, and Mark Donohue started fourth in the No. 6 Roger Penske Racing Ent. Sunoco McLaren M6B Chevrolet with a time of 2:11.000.
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Jim Hall's No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet in the pit lane at Road America during practice for the Can-Am in 1968. A development of the Chaparral 2E, the 2G was designed to take advantage of rapid developments in tire technology. Note the huge flared rear fenders designed to accommodate the new super-wide racing tires from Firestone.
Jim Hall's No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet in the pit lane at Road America during practice for the Can-Am in 1968. A development of the Chaparral 2E, the 2G was designed to take advantage of rapid developments in tire technology. Note the huge flared rear fenders designed to accommodate the new super-wide racing tires from Firestone.
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Denny Hulme looks over the Chaparral 2G Chevrolet with Jim Hall before the start of the Can-Am at Road America in 1968.
Denny Hulme looks over the Chaparral 2G Chevrolet with Jim Hall before the start of the Can-Am at Road America in 1968.
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Jim Hall in his No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet during practice for the 1968 Can-Am at Road America. Besides the noticeably widened fenders front and rear and the trim tabs on the nose, the 2G had a high-mounted ram air box over the fuel injectors.
Jim Hall in his No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet during practice for the 1968 Can-Am at Road America. Besides the noticeably widened fenders front and rear and the trim tabs on the nose, the 2G had a high-mounted ram air box over the fuel injectors.
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Carroll Shelby was more than an interested observer during practice for the 1968 Road America Can-Am. (That's Bruce McLaren's No. 4 McLaren M8A Chevrolet in the background.) Because of Shelby's involvement with Ford's Le Mans program in 1966 and 1967, Shelby was late to the Can-Am Series with his own team. Carroll's Shelby Racing Co. Inc. entry was a McLaren M6B with 427 Ford power, and Peter Revson would be doing the driving. Revson would acquit himself well in the race after qualifying seventh. Ford power only recorded two Can-Am victories in the history of the series: Dan Gurney at Bridgehampton and Parnelli Jones in Heat 2 at Laguna Seca, both in 1966.
Carroll Shelby was more than an interested observer during practice for the 1968 Road America Can-Am. (That's Bruce McLaren's No. 4 McLaren M8A Chevrolet in the background.) Because of Shelby's involvement with Ford's Le Mans program in 1966 and 1967, Shelby was late to the Can-Am Series with his own team. Carroll's Shelby Racing Co. Inc. entry was a McLaren M6B with 427 Ford power, and Peter Revson would be doing the driving. Revson would acquit himself well in the race after qualifying seventh. Ford power only recorded two Can-Am victories in the history of the series: Dan Gurney at Bridgehampton and Parnelli Jones in Heat 2 at Laguna Seca, both in 1966.
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Mark Donohue takes a closer, impromptu look at the left rear suspension of Denny Hulme's McLaren M8A Chevrolet during Can-Am practice at Road America in 1968. The competition studied the McLaren team cars every chance they got.
Mark Donohue takes a closer, impromptu look at the left rear suspension of Denny Hulme's McLaren M8A Chevrolet during Can-Am practice at Road America in 1968. The competition studied the McLaren team cars every chance they got.
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Ferrari sent a 330 P4 to be entered by the North American Racing Team for the 1968 Can-Am at Road America. Pedro Rodriguez would do the driving, but the car was woefully noncompetitive and Pedro qualified in tenth, five full seconds off of Bruce McLaren's pole time. It got worse in the race as Pedro finished thirteenth, five laps behind the winner.
Ferrari sent a 330 P4 to be entered by the North American Racing Team for the 1968 Can-Am at Road America. Pedro Rodriguez would do the driving, but the car was woefully noncompetitive and Pedro qualified in tenth, five full seconds off of Bruce McLaren's pole time. It got worse in the race as Pedro finished thirteenth, five laps behind the winner.
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Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 1, 1968. Race day dawned rainy and dreary at Road America for the Can-Am. Roger Penske and Mark Donohue contemplate the fact that all of the practice sessions were run in the dry, but their McLaren M6B Chevrolet - the "pinstripe car" - looked fabulous.
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 1, 1968. Race day dawned rainy and dreary at Road America for the Can-Am. Roger Penske and Mark Donohue contemplate the fact that all of the practice sessions were run in the dry, but their McLaren M6B Chevrolet - the "pinstripe car" - looked fabulous.
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Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 1, 1968. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M8A Chevrolet) makes his way to the false grid for the rainy start of the Road America Can-Am.
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 1, 1968. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M8A Chevrolet) makes his way to the false grid for the rainy start of the Road America Can-Am.
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Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 1, 1968. The Can-Am field makes its way out of Turn 1 on the pace lap at Road America. McLaren (No. 4), Hulme (No. 5), Hall (No. 66), Donohue (No. 6), Motchenbacher (No. 11 McLaren M6B Ford), Parsons (No. 10 Carl A. Haas Racing Simoniz Lola T160 Chevrolet) ), Revson (No. 52 Shelby Racing Co. McLaren M6B Ford).
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 1, 1968. The Can-Am field makes its way out of Turn 1 on the pace lap at Road America. McLaren (No. 4), Hulme (No. 5), Hall (No. 66), Donohue (No. 6), Motchenbacher (No. 11 McLaren M6B Ford), Parsons (No. 10 Carl A. Haas Racing Simoniz Lola T160 Chevrolet) ), Revson (No. 52 Shelby Racing Co. McLaren M6B Ford).
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Jim Hall in his No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet during the 1968 Road America Can-Am. Note the skinny rain tires tucked inside the massive rear fenders.
Jim Hall in his No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet during the 1968 Road America Can-Am. Note the skinny rain tires tucked inside the massive rear fenders.
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As the track began to dry out, Mark Donohue (No. 6 Roger Penske Racing Ent. McLaren M6B Chevrolet) started to push closer to the front.
As the track began to dry out, Mark Donohue (No. 6 Roger Penske Racing Ent. McLaren M6B Chevrolet) started to push closer to the front.
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Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M8A Chevrolet) accelerates through Canada Corner (Turn 12) during the Road America Can-Am.
Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M8A Chevrolet) accelerates through Canada Corner (Turn 12) during the Road America Can-Am.
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Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 1, 1968. Denny Hulme (No. 5 Gulf McLaren M8A Chevrolet) accepts congratulations after winning the 1968 Road America Can-Am. The race started in heavy rain but the track dried out quickly about half-way through. Hulme passed his teammate, Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Gulf McLaren M8A Chevrolet) for the win. Bruce was second, 34 seconds behind Denny, Mark Donohue (No. 6 Penske Racing Ent. Sunoco McLaren M6A Chevrolet) charged to third, Peter Revson (No. 54 Shelby Racing Co. McLaren M6B Ford) delivered a fine fourth, and Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet) finished fifth. It was another memorable 1-2 finish and a great day for Team McLaren, in what was then the richest road racing series in the world.
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 1, 1968. Denny Hulme (No. 5 Gulf McLaren M8A Chevrolet) accepts congratulations after winning the 1968 Road America Can-Am. The race started in heavy rain but the track dried out quickly about half-way through. Hulme passed his teammate, Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Gulf McLaren M8A Chevrolet) for the win. Bruce was second, 34 seconds behind Denny, Mark Donohue (No. 6 Penske Racing Ent. Sunoco McLaren M6A Chevrolet) charged to third, Peter Revson (No. 54 Shelby Racing Co. McLaren M6B Ford) delivered a fine fourth, and Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet) finished fifth. It was another memorable 1-2 finish and a great day for Team McLaren, in what was then the richest road racing series in the world.
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Denis Clive "Denny" Hulme was a gifted driver who made his F1 debut at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1965. He started 114 F1 races, winning eight and recording 33 podium finishes. He won the 1967 World Driver's Championship driving for Brabham, and he finished third in the overall F1 standings in 1968 and 1972. But he was most known to American racing enthusiasts by his dominant performance in the Can-Am Challenge Cup Series. The McLaren team won an incredible five straight Can-Am Series Championships between 1967 and 1971, and Denny scored 22 wins, 11 second-place and 2 third-place finishes in 52 Can-Am races. Denny finished on the podium for 67% of the races during those six seasons. In those same six seasons, he was the Can-Am season champion twice and championship runner-up four times. His 22 career wins are the most by any driver in the Can-Am series.
Denis Clive "Denny" Hulme was a gifted driver who made his F1 debut at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1965. He started 114 F1 races, winning eight and recording 33 podium finishes. He won the 1967 World Driver's Championship driving for Brabham, and he finished third in the overall F1 standings in 1968 and 1972. But he was most known to American racing enthusiasts by his dominant performance in the Can-Am Challenge Cup Series. The McLaren team won an incredible five straight Can-Am Series Championships between 1967 and 1971, and Denny scored 22 wins, 11 second-place and 2 third-place finishes in 52 Can-Am races. Denny finished on the podium for 67% of the races during those six seasons. In those same six seasons, he was the Can-Am season champion twice and championship runner-up four times. His 22 career wins are the most by any driver in the Can-Am series.
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