Can Am at Road America on the weekend, July 14/15, 2012

[Kiwiboss]

I just this afternoon heard that Roger Williams won the main Can Am feature race at Road America today in his McLaren M8E(i think), was coming second in a hard fort race and the guy in front ran outta gas!! Well done Roger.

Dale M

[bry3500]

[video=youtube;kEv7nwIzyUs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEv7nwIzyUs[/video]

[bry3500]

[video=youtube;955mv_GOLbo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=955mv_GOLbo&feature=related[/video]

[kiwi285]

I just this afternoon heard that Roger Williams won the main Can Am feature race at Road America today in his McLaren M8E(i think), was coming second in a hard fort race and the guy in front ran outta gas!! Well done Roger.

Dale M

That is fantastic news and a feather in his cap. Hopefully he can persuade a few of the other contestants to make the trip to Hampton Downs in January.

[Steve Holmes]

From what I can tell his car is an M8E with M8F bodywork. Would love to know the cars history. The vintage Can-Am guys run pretty hard, so thats impressive. I hope some photos become available. Would like to see what else was racing. When doing a search today, I stumbled upon a couple of photos of the stunning 1974 Sting GM1, which was basically the last of the original 1966 - 74 Can-Am cars built. I always assumed this car no longer exists. How cool is that!

[Steve Holmes]

For the Sting GM1, see here:

http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/inf1044.html

and here:

http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/inf1045.html

and here is the Sting leading Roger Williams last year at Sonoma Historics:

http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/inf1043.html

[Rod Grimwood]

Steve, talking with Brett Willis at weekend and he said that Ralph Mossman was over there on a trip and was going up there and would be giving Roger a hand. I may have a photo, will look.

[kiwi285]

Steve - I have sent you a PM regarding this subject

[Steve Holmes]

Mike and Rod, hey many thanks for this. Mike I got your pm, that'll be great if we can run that info.

[bry3500]

[video=youtube;TF_ntc33sYw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF_ntc33sYw[/video]

[Steve Holmes]

Special thanks to Victory Lane magazine for allowing us permission to run this report here, and to Mike Feisst for gaining permission from Victory Lane. Below is the race report from Road America:

The Historic Can-Am Feature July 15, Presented By Victory Lane Magazine During Road America’s “The Hawk” Vintage Racing Weekend Was A Thriller With The Overall And Big Block Class Lead Changing On The Last Lap And The Tube Frame Class Winner Coming From Last On The Grid To Sixth Overall All In The Last Few Laps.

This mega vintage racing weekend annually attracts over 50,000 spectators and 500 vintage and historic racing entrants. The big Sunday 1 pm, 30-minute Feature Race entry was over 35 cars including many of the marque of the meet, Lola T70 Sports Racing Cars.

The Historic Can-Am Association (HCAA) Feature Race, presented by Victory Lane Magazine and organized by Victory Lane Motorsports Marketing, is held every other year at the big annual Road America vintage and historic race weekend. The event now has a new name, The Hawk with Brian Redman. Chevrolet is now the official vehicle.

This year the Group 7, Unlimited Can-Am Cars on the grid included: McLaren’s, Lola’s, McKee’s, Genie’s, Shadow’s, a Matich and a Ferrari. Craig Bennett had qualified his Shadow DN4 for the Sunday Feature on the overall pole and first in the Big Block at an astonishing two minutes and six seconds lap time. Ahead of Roger Williams in a McLaren M8 E/F coming to Road America for the first time, all the way from New Zealand. Fast qualifier in the Small Block Class was Peter Kitchak in a Lola T70 Coupe, just edging out Toby Bean in a similar Lola T70 Coupe. The Tube Frame class pole sitter was Farrell Preston in a McLaren 1B ahead of Tom Simpson’s McKee Mk6 some way back.

The line-up in the hot pits began at 20-till 1 pm complete with all the usual historic pre-race festivities. After the pace lap began the green flag flew about 1 pm and the roar of probably 20,000 horsepower shook the ground as the cars roared under the starters stand and into turn one. There was many changes of position as the drivers settled into a race pace and tires warmed up. Craig Bennett in the Shadow easily held off the group of Peter Kitchak, Toby Bean, Tom Malloy and Roger Williams exchanging positions, staying close to the Shadow, but unable to challenge.

There were interesting dices further back as first Farrell Preston’s McLaren had problems and Tom Simpson and AC D’Agustine in a Genie fought for the Tube Frame Class. However, the Ferrari 512 of Paul Brown passed them by mid-race and continued to a great sixth overall and the Tube Frame Class win.

Meanwhile at the front, Ed Swart in his white McLaren M8 F/P had come to grip with older tires and was now in the challenge group behind the Shadow. Over the next four laps as the longer race surprises took hold there were questions on the outcome. Then last lap the Shadow coasted to a halt halfway around after showing some traces of smoke. Roger Williams in the McLaren edged ahead of Toby Bean’s T70. Peter Kitchak had mechanical problems and fell back to then retire.

The surprise finish then had Roger Williams, M8 E/F first overall, first Big Block, Ed Swart, McLaren M8 F/P, second Big Block and fourth overall, Toby Bean, Lola T70 Coupe second overall, first in Small Block. Tom Malloy, third overall, second in Small Block and Paul Brown, Ferrari 512 first in Tube Frame, ninth overall.