This era of Can-Am proved to be instrumental in the boom of CART during the next decade. So many of the drivers, car owners, engineers and mechanics moved up out of SCCA Can-Am into Championship Auto Race Teams from 1982 to 1986.
This "era" of Can -Am was nothing like the original. SCCA, in their infinite wisdom, decided putting bodywork on F5000 cars would rekindle the Can -Am. They were wrong, should have left F5000 alone and supported it.
I’m Australian and there were two of my fellow countrymen - Geoff Brabham and Vern Schuppan - in this race. But apart from that, I have always had a lot of respect for Bobby Rahal. I’m a little surprised that, good as he was, he didn’t go even further.
A more exciting and competative era than the "Bruce and Denny Show" or the Turbo=Panzer Porsche Era. Shame that my hero Brian Redman was badly injured and removed from the series at the start. All the future Cart stars started here as did F1! world champions! Bless you for posting this.
THANK YOU so much for sharing all these great vintage SCCA and IMSA races the past few months... these are just awesome. So fun to see again!!! Thank you for your time!!
I didn't know about this series but it's exciting stuff. And it contains the great Jackie Ickx and well known names like Elliott Forbes Robinson, Geoff Lees and Keke Rosberg. Thank you for posting this.
There's gotta be a way to bring back this series or something close to it - without the crazy complexity of F1or WEC regs. Lightweight cars with 700 hp, with multiple manufacturers and freewheeling engine configurations. Oh well, I can dream. Great video, thx for the memories. And of Dan Gurney - I was lucky enough to see him win at St. Jovite in 1970 in the McLaren.
The old configuration of Laguna Seca, there was nothing like it, flat out from turn 1 all the way to the entrance to turn 5. When something went wrong in turns 2 or 3, it went VERY WRONG! I was there for that (and many other) weekend(s).
The cars are nuts. They just look so cool plus the balls on these guys is unreal to even drive them!! They look like fun cars to drive but super dangerous 😂❤ Brilliant to watch thanks for sharing 🍻👏
@@epistte Yes. He only joined Williams in 1982, although he had brief stints with Theodore, ATS, Wolf and Fittipaldi before this. He had already been in F1 at the time of this race.
At 6 ft tall was standing next to Jeff Brabham 1990 IMSA greater San Diego del Mar Grand Prix race,, Jeff Brabham is much taller than 6 feet, a tall guy to fit in those little race car seats...
Formula 5000 cars with bodywork, which was not a bad thing. These cars were very fast and quite nimble as well. Very physical to drive, and incredibly dangerous. Only brave men drove these cars.
Yeah, that's the way I remember them. After the insanity of the original CanAm, which was never really very competitive, good things can be said for the controlled formula to generate close competition.
Keke and Rahal were teammates in 1978 in New Zealand racing Formula Pacific for Fred Opert. Rosberg just destroyed him …he was fast and crazy when racing and when on the piss
Its better than nothing, but i dont live in USA. Its broadcast on youtube? Although the fact its not flat out and not the best drives take off a lot of fun.
Would anybody happen to know the name of the instrumental track at the start of the broadcast? I remember hearing it a lot as a kid in the 70s but I don't know the song's name or the artist. Thanks!
This is a sad shadow of the real Can Am cars. F5000 failure should not have been rebranded to disgrace the legacy of the Can Am brand. Any of the real Can Am cars would blow them off the track.
I loved the original Can Am, especially the Chaparrals but lost interest before this new series started (I think I found girls!) but these cars are AWESOME! Can’t believe I’m just now discovering them!
