All pictures by Glyn Jones unless otherwise stated |
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The paddock shone at Road America on the weekend of 17th – 20th July with a host of wonderful cars recalling the heyday of Formula 5000, Can Am, Lola and Scarab. While Lola and Scarab celebrated a 50th Anniversary those youngsters in the F5000 area were partying on their 40th. |
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But the 2008 event almost did not happen when a tornado passed almost directly over the track on Wednesday evening. Pretty well all of the marquees erected in preparation were torn down by the high winds together with the awnings of several of the major teams that had arrived early to enjoy track testing on Thursday. The whole area was decimated just 48 hours prior to the start of festivities.
That the event passed off so smoothly is a testament to the tenacity and resourcefulness of the RA admin team. With the marquee rental firms returning to work through the night and track maintenance staff doing likewise, by Thursday lunchtime it was hard to know anything had happened. Only the cut up remnants of fallen trees gave any clue to the gallant rescue mission that been undertaken. Everyone involved felt very proud of their achievement. |
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The ex-Jackie Stewart Can-Am T260. |
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The T332 of Marc Rauchfuss.
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Lowell Blossom in his Mk1. |
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No fewer than 34 Lola cars were present, the majority being in the Can Am, Formula 5000 and Sports 2000 categories (groups 1, 7 & 11). T70’s were easily the most numerous but star of the show was, without doubt the 1971 T260 Can Am. Currently owned and driven by Andrew Hauck and prepared by Prather Racing this magnificent beast is once again to grace the tracks of North America having spent the past few years in hiding. Lola fanatic and ‘Lola Heritage’ North American representative Johan Woerheide took three cars from his collection and other multi-car entrants included Kenne Bristol Theo Bean, Phil Daigrepont and Los Angeles Judge, Joseph di Loreto. |
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Judge Joseph Diloretto in his T290. |
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Featured in the event program Johan Woerheide is hailed as “Mr Can Am Lola” by author Bob Harrington, largely because Johan owns eight such cars. “He feels they are the last of the dual purpose cars, those thatcan be raced and also driven on the street” continues Harrington in his program feature.
“In that era the FIA required that the early T70’s have luggage space and carry a spare wheel, sport road lighting and even a horn. In fact Johan’s most original car, the 1966 Gurney Bridgehampton winner is licensed and insured to drive on the public highway” |
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Johan Woerheide’s ex. Gurney T70 Mkll. |
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Many of the cars were displayed at the ‘Lola Welcome Party’ on Thursday evening. With the buffet and bar organised by circuit boss George Bruggenthies and the car display mustered by SVRA’s Jack Woerhle the stage was set for a most enjoyable evening. Amongst the many veteran drivers attending, Brian Redman, Lola’s ambassador, displayed his perpetual patience and enthusiasm for talking to guests and delivering a host of racing anecdotes. Also present were Peter Bryant, John Morton, Oscar Koveleski & Ed Swart – all with a few tales to tell. |
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T260 was centrepiece of the Welcome Party display. |
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Two stroke T492 and a heartfelt welcome. |
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Peter Bryant, John Morton and Ed Swart share some memories. |
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The Road America Admin team. |
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Mike Silverman joins the Nostalgia Club. |
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Road America Circuit Director George Bruggenthies. |
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A fine line up of F5000 cars.
(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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Phil Daigrepont dreams of the Targa Florio.
(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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Recreation of South American Mklll Coupe looked magnificent.
(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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Formula 500 was equally well represented during the weekend with the recently formed ‘Formula 5000 Drivers Association’ holding a number of functions. One of motorsports most spectacular classes of racing F5000 remains a major force in New Zealand and Australia where large and varied grids are the norm, not the exception. Welcome visitors to the USA were Roger Williams and his contingent of Kiwis and Aussies who are undertaking a Formula 5000 World Tour as part of their celebrations. |
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The F5000 marquee had lots to offer through the weekend from cherished cars to Rock n’ Roll and great team shirts. |
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| The brainchild of Seb Coppola the drivers association had their own marquee and paddock area – easily the most noisy in the place whether the engines were running or not! On Friday evening members and guests were enjoying good old Rock’n’Roll with their supper as an excellent evening’s entertainment was laid on together with the induction of 15 former drivers who participated in the original Formula A/5000 series, as ‘Honorary Members’ of the Association. Amongst their number were Tony Adamowicz and Barry Blackmore, who raced at the first ever event and Bobby Brown, Jerry Entin, Howie Fairbanks, George Follmer, Lyle Forsgren, Davey Jordan, Eric Haga, Gus Hutchison, Jim Gustafson,Sam Posey, Kurt Reinold, Brian Redman and Lou Sell - who was the first ever F5000 Champion. |
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Seb Coppola learns how things used to be from Carl Haas. |
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“These pioneers shaped the heritage of Formula 5000 and we are very proud and appreciative of theircontribution to Motorsports racing” said Coppola. By Sunday evening Seb was doing backward somersaults in his joy at the success of the weekend
“We had a great field of 23 Formula 5000 race cars participating in the second round of our 2008 Anniversary races. It was wonderful to see and hear a full field of Formula 5000 race cars again at a major race circuit like Road America, after more than three decades since the last professional race in 1976. The drivers, the race fans and everyone involved with the event enjoyed the scene and atmosphere immensely”
A key event in the Road America program is the parade and concourse on Friday evening when over a hundred full on race cars drive three miles on public roads to the town of Elkhart Lake where a display and judging takes place. Following last year’s incident and damage to a McLaren Can Am car all drivers were under strict instructions to ‘behave’ themselves going to the town. Sure didn’t say anything about the return though! The police escort must have been late for supper as the return leg seemed mighty quick to this driver.
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Pictures courtesy of Bob Pengraph |
Thankfully, no further storms visited the region over the weekend and despite a misty start on Sunday the racing was mostly run in hot sunny conditions. Formula 500 had a qualifying race on Saturday and a ten lap final the following day. New Zealander Roger Williams pulled to a comfortable lead and win in his very fast Lola T332 on Saturday. |
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Mark Rauchfuss in the Max motorsports T332. |
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Hamish Somerville was unable to compete on Saturday in his Lola T400 but battled for the lead with Williams for the first few laps on Sunday. However the much faster T400 in the very skilled and experienced hands of Somerville eventually pulled away and captured 1st place, clocking a best lap of 2 minutes and 9 seconds on the 4 mile track. A lap time usually reserved for more modern F1 cars. Roger
Williams preserved his 2nd place finish only 7 seconds behind and third place went to Chris Pedersen who climbed from a 6th place start in his well-driven Lola T300. We all cheered loudly for the Lola 1,2,3. |
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All the way from New Zealand, the T332 of
Roger Williams. |
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The start of the F5000 race.
(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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Rolling thunder.....
(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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Another shot of the Roger Williams T332. |
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| Around the paddock was a motor racing Hall of Fame during the weekend with such notable guests as Carl Haas, Lola entrepreneur in the North Americas for so many years. Carl visited on Saturday with his long time assistant Greg Wrysinski and found time to visit the Formula 5000 marquee as well as inspecting Jeff Jagusch’s refurbished ‘100 th Lola’ – a T342 Formula Ford. Ted Wentz was spotted in conversation with Seb Coppola, Burt ‘BS’ Levy and Mike Silverman argued over who gets the bubble wrap while Ike Smith and Jerry Entin fed themselves and former constructor Bob McKee received some pearls of wisdom from Oscar Koveleski. Tom Atlas did not realize his pants were on fire and the two old sages caught colluding behind the grandstand are Brian Redman and Gordon Kirby. |
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Jeff Jagusch and Carl Haas with Jeff’s recently restored ‘1000th Lola’. |
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Seb Coppola and Ted Wentz discuss engines – of course. |
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Ike Smith and Jerry Entin enjoy the barbeque. |
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Bob McKee and Oscar Koveleski discuss the correct way to ‘place hands on hips’. |
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Burt Levy and Mike Silverman argue over who gets the bubble wrap! |
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Tom Atlas didn’t know his pants were on fire. |
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Brian Redman and Gordon Kirby plotting where to go for supper. |
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The Can Am cars put on just as good a show. It was 1971 all over again with the Lola T260 having to play second fiddle to a McLaren. But how those cars roared and the excitement of standing on the pit wall as they passed at full tilt was a memorable experience.
Dan Davis leads the Historic Can Am Association and has strong views on his favorite race cars;
“ To this day crowds revel in the noise and the ground shaking presence of the cars just as in the past. They were the fastest cars in the world in their time, faster than Indy Cars, faster than Formula One. Yet they were unlimited in concept and design and they all looked different, strange and awesome. A shock wave hit the spectators as they thundered by. The drivers knew they had the hammers of the gods under their accelerators. They had big engines of eight and twelve cylinders, some turbo charged, some even had multiple engines. Up to 1500 qualifying horsepower by 1973 some said”.
Dan is no dreamer and his hard work and enthusiasm is the glue that holds the HCAA together. Dan is also the best man to ask about the history of this once great formula, no-one knows more. Dan Continues;
“The Canadian American Challenge Cup Series was, in many racing fan's minds North America's greatest road racing series ever. Can-Am grew from the USRRC for Sports Racing and GT cars formed in 1963 by the SCCA. In 1965, the Canadian Automobile Sports Club (CASC) and the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) along with the race tracks and promoters recognized the fan appeal of unlimited sports racing cars and created the Can-Am series for 1966. The unlimited sports cars six race series began in Canada at St. Jovite - Mt. Tremblant circuit and was followed by races at Mosport, Watkins Glen, Riverside, Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, Road Atlanta - all the great road racing circuits in North America. The series was an instant success.
Can-Am continued through 1969 with virtually no rules; four tires, two seats and go racing. Attendance grew, tracks were added in the US and Canada. A similar series was created in Europe called the Interserie. Can-Am was a crowd, constructor and driver favorite. Denny Hulme, World Driving Champion in F1, openly said he preferred Can-Am racing to Formula One: it was faster, harder and more satisfying!
But in 1970 innovation was restricted, first banning high suspension mounted wings and then the radically innovative "Sucker" Chaparral banned for 1971. Team McLaren continued to dominate in 1970 and 1971 its last Championship year. Jim Hall, the ultimate innovator, quit. Porsche and Team Penske with Follmer and Donahue out- horsepowered the opposition in '72 and '73. The 1973 fuel crisis brought in mileage rules and out went the turbo Porsches. A last flicker of design elegance, the Shadow DN4 won the final '74 series and it was over”.
Thank goodness for people like Dan and the ever enthusiastic car owners who provide a taste of how exciting racing used to be. |
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But Can Am and Formula 5000 were not the only events over the weekend. A diverse range of classes and types of car were to be seen and many Lola’s competed in those other races. |
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At the post event supper George Bruggenthies was unreserved in his praise for everyone taking part in the event. Lola received an accolade for the Welcome Party and Brian Redman – just for being such a nice guy. The weekend was a great success for Lola both on and off the track and a fitting event to celebrate the 50 th Anniversary. |
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(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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(Picture courtesy of Bob Pengraph) |
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On the left the front page of The Sheboygan Press featuring Lola at Elkhart Lake and the entry list for the Can-Am race from the KIC official programme.
Above, the entry list for the F500 race, also taken from the KIC official programme. |
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