THE RACERS, PART VIII.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. Racing a car, motorcycle or anything with some sort of power is a pursuit like no other. It is a passionate endeavor requiring an obsessive single-mindedness that consumes the people involved to a degree that outsiders find hard to understand. Ask any driver who has competed at the top level, and they will tell you that there is nothing half-assed about what they do, because the focus required is almost incomprehensible. Drivers talk about being in "the zone" - a strange state of mind that takes over their entire being while they're racing - when the faster they go the more things seem to slow down for them. They're aware of everything around them, but at the same time their focus on the task at hand is impenetrable, because anything less can result in a mistake that will likely have severe consequences. Racers are indeed a rare breed, willing to sacrifice everything for the pursuit of what they love to do, to the detriment of everything else. These racers have left an indelible mark on the sport. Drivers who were fierce competitors, flawed heroes and incredible, gifted talents. Their legacies are what make the sport of motor racing so fascinating. In the next few issues of "Fumes" I will recall some of my favorites. This week, I present another all-time great: Bruce McLaren.

Bruce Leslie McLaren is one of the most legendary figures in motor racing. A superb designer, engineer, development driver and racing driver, the New Zealander raced for Cooper, Eagle and his own team in F1, winning four races. McLaren's first F1 win was in the 1959 U.S. Grand Prix at Sebring; his fourth and last win came in the Belgian Grand Prix in 1968, which was also the first win for McLaren as a manufacturer in F1. Bruce also raced for Ford at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965 and 1966. McLaren and co-driver Chris Amon won at Le Mans in 1966 in a controversial finish, after the leading Ford Mk II driven by Ken Miles and Denny Hulme was ruled finishing second in a botched photo finish arranged by Ford operatives. But McLaren's reputation as a driver and talented engineer was burnished in the Can-Am series here in the U.S. when his team dominated the series from 1967-1971. McLaren won the driver's title twice in those years (1967, 1969), but it was his series of McLaren Can-Am machines that were most impressive and remain so to this day. Jim Hall's Chaparrals may have been more innovative, but McLaren's cars were superbly prepared and showed up at the first race every season with thousands of development miles on them, and it showed. They were blistering fast with impeccable reliability, and McLaren and Hulme simply crushed the opposition.

(Motorsport images)

French Grand Prix, Rouen-Les-Essarts, July, 1968. Bruce McLaren in his No. 10 McLaren M7A Ford-Cosworth DFV during practice, with Chris Amon (No. 24 Scuderia Ferrari 312) in the background. Bruce qualified sixth, with Jochen Rindt (No. 2 Brabham BT26 Repco) on pole. Jacky Ickx (No. 26 Scuderia Ferrari 312) won the race, followed by John Surtees (No. 16 Honda RA301) and Jackie Stewart (No. 28 Matra Ford-Cosworth). McLaren faded to eighth at the finish.

(Getty Images)
For all of Bruce McLaren's accomplishments, he is most remembered for his all-conquering McLaren Can-Am cars, with their huge, fuel-injected big block Chevrolet V8s. Being an engineer and a superb development driver, his McLarens showed up at the beginning of the Can-Am season with thousands of development miles and were prepared to a level that was far beyond the other teams.
(Getty Images)
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 1, 1968. Bruce McLaren makes his way to the false grid for the Road America Can-Am in his No. 4 McLaren M8A Chevrolet. He finished second to his teammate, Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M8A Chevrolet), in another dominant 1-2 finish for the team.
(Getty Images)
Riverside International Raceway, October 31, 1965. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren Elva Mark II Oldsmobile) finished third in the L.A. Times Grand Prix for Sports Cars behind Hap Sharp (No. 65 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet) and Jim Clark (No. 1 Team Lotus 40 Ford).
(Getty Images)
Riverside International Raceway, October 29, 1967. Jim Hall and Bruce McLaren after the Riverside Can-Am. Bruce won driving the No. 4 McLaren M6A Chevrolet, Jim finished second in his No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet and Mark Donohue (No. 6 Penske Racing Sunoco Lola T70 Mk.3B Chevrolet) was third.
(Getty Images)
Ken Miles and Bruce McLaren at Le Mans, 1966.

(Getty images)
Texas International Speedway, November 9, 1969. Bruce McLaren on the banking at the long-defunct speedway in his No. 4 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet. It was the first - and last - appearance of the Can-Am machines at this venue. Bruce won that day, followed by George Eaton (No. 98 McLaren M12 Chevrolet) and Jack Brabham (No. 2 Alan Mann Racing Open Sports Ford).
(Getty Images)
Riverside International Raceway, October 26, 1969. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet) qualified second to his teammate Denny Hulme (No. 5 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet) in the Can-Am, but did not finish due to a crash. Hulme won, followed by Chuck Parsons (No. 10 Carl A. Haas Racing Lola T163 B Chevrolet) and Mario Andretti (No. 1 Holman & Moody McLaren M6B 429 Ford). 

(Getty Images)
Bruce McLaren hard at work in one of his F1 cars, 1968.

(Getty Images)
Grand Prix of Mexico, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Magdalena Mixhuca, Mexico City, Mexico, October 23, 1966. Bruce McLaren qualified a dismal 17th in his No. 17 McLaren M2-Ford DOHC V8 and finished 15th. He and his team struggled mightily to adapt Ford's Indy V8 to Grand Prix racing, but it just didn't work. He abandoned the engine after just one season. John Surtees (No. 7 Cooper T81-Maserati V12) won that day, followed by Jim Clark (No. 1 Lotus 43-BRM H16) and Richie Ginther (No. 1 Honda Racing Honda RA273 V12).
(Getty Images)
Grand Prix of Monaco, May 7, 1967. Bruce McLaren (No. 16 McLaren M4B-BRM V8) qualified 10th and finished 4th, a much better result after the 1966 season. Denny Hulme (No. 9 Brabham BT20-Repco V8) won that day, followed by Graham Hill (No. 14 Lotus 33-BRM V8) and Chris Amon (No. 20 Scuderia Ferrari 312 V12).
(Dave Friedman)
Daytona International Speedway, February 1966. Bruce McLaren sits in the No. 96 Shelby American Ford Mk II he shared with Chris Amon during practice for the Daytona 24 Hours. The race was a 1-2-3 sweep for Ford, with Ken Miles/Lloyd Ruby (No. 98 Shelby American Ford Mk II) the winners - by eight laps - followed by Dan Gurney/Jerry Grant (No. 98 Shelby American Ford Mk II) and Walt Hansgen/Mark Donohue (No. 95 Holman & Moody Ford Mk II). The McLaren/Amon Ford Mk II finished 5th.
(Getty Images)
Bruce McLaren in his No. 47 McLaren M1-Oldsmobile V8 sports racer. This first McLaren sports racer was a development of Roger Penske's dominant Dupont Zerex Special, which Bruce had purchased from Roger without the engine. This machine would launch McLaren into the world of serious sports car racing, culminating in the company's domination of Can-Am.
(Getty Images)
Riverside International Raceway, October 1969. Bruce McLaren prepares to leave the pits in his No. 4 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet during practice for the Can-Am. That's Tyler Alexander leaning in.
(Getty Images)
Riverside International Raceway, October 26, 1969. Denny Hulme (No. 5 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet, pole) and Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet) take their customary positions at the front of the Can-Am field. Other starters visible: Chris Amon (No. 16 Ferrari 612 P); Jackie Oliver (No. 22 Autocoast Ti 22 Mk I Chevrolet); Dan Gurney (No. 48 All American Racers McLaren M6B Chevrolet) and Mario Andretti (No. 1 Holman & Moody McLaren M6B Ford 429).
(Getty Images)
Monaco Grand Prix, May 1969. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M7C Ford-Cosworth DFV V8) qualified 11th for the race and finished a strong 5th. Graham Hill (No. 1 Gold Leaf Team Lotus 49B-Ford Cosworth DFV V8) won that day, followed by Piers Courage (No. 16 Frank Williams Racing Cars Brabham BT26A Ford-Cosworth DFV V8), Jo Siffert (No. 9 Rob Walker Racing Team Lotus 49B-Ford Cosworth DFV V8) and Richard Attwood (No. 2 Gold Leaf Team Lotus 49B-Ford Cosworth V8).
(Copyright Jacques Jangoux) 
Riverside International Raceway, October 1967. A famous photo: Bruce McLaren testing Denny Hulme's No. 5 McLaren M6A Chevrolet during practice for the Can-Am.
(Getty Images)
Bruce McLaren and Mario Andretti pose with the Ford Mk IV before the 12 Hours of Sebring, March 1967. The dynamic duo won the race by twelve laps.
(Getty Images)
The statue of Bruce McLaren at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. Bruce McLaren was killed while testing a McLaren M8D Chevrolet for the upcoming Can-Am season at the Goodwood Circuit in England on June 2, 1970. He was 32 (watch a tribute video here). The cause of the crash was due to the rear bodywork coming loose on the Lavant Straight, which was just before Woodcote corner. The McLaren M8D became unstable, spun and went off the track impacting a bunker used as a flagging station. McLaren died instantly. Eoin Young said that Bruce McLaren had "virtually penned his own epitaph" in his 1964 book From the Cockpit. Referring to the death of teammate Timmy Mayer, McLaren had written: "The news that he had died instantly was a terrible shock to all of us, but who is to say that he had not seen more, done more and learned more in his few years than many people do in a lifetime? To do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy. It would be a waste of life to do nothing with one's ability, for I feel that life is measured in achievement, not in years alone." McLaren's legacy lives on in the F1 team - Team McLaren - which has had eight Constructor's championships and twelve Driver's championships.

Editor's Note: Click on "Next 1 Entries" at the bottom of this page to see previous issues. - WG