The inaugural Can-Am Challenge was part of the 43rd Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, which took place April 7-9, 2017. The fans who attended practice and qualifying on Friday, and the race on Saturday, were treated to the ground-shaking fury of these historic machines as they pounded the streets of this world-famous seaside circuit.
The Can-Am Challenge race, sanctioned by the Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA), took place noon on Saturday, before the IMSA BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix event. This year marked the first time these powerful race cars have competed on any street circuit, unleashing the thunderous symphony of their 1000-horsepower engines.
Can-Am, short for the Canadian-American Challenge Cup, was a very popular road racing series that ran at circuits in Canada and in the United States, from 1966 to 1974. It featured race cars from Porsche, McLaren, Porsche, Shadow, Lola and several other manufacturers and teams. The list of famous and notable drivers included Mario Andretti, John Surtees, Jim Hall, Mark Donohue, Jackie Oliver, Parnelli Jones, George Follmer, Dan Gurney, Bruce McLaren and Phil Hill.
“HMSA is thrilled to be part of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, a truly iconic event with a rich motorsports tradition,” said Cris Vandagriff, president of the HMSA. “We are proud to bring the cars from what has been called the greatest series ever created, the original Can-Am. These cars were the fastest racing cars of their day and still make the earth move when they take to the track.”
Brothers Craig and Kirt Bennett drove their 1974 Shadow DN4s to a 1-2 finish at the end of Saturday’s 20-minute race. Craig finished 0.063 seconds ahead of brother, Kirt, with an average speed of 82.780 mph. Kirt clocked the fastest lap of the day with a 1:22.307 on his second lap. Claude Malette, driving a 1970 Lola T222, rounded out the top three.
Can-Am at 2017 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach – Photo Gallery (photos: Victor Varela)
Rick Knoop – 1973 McLaren M8F
Claude Malette – 1971 Lola T222
Norm Cowdrey – 1967 McKee Mk 7
Scott Drnek – 1974 Sting
A.C. D’Augustine – 1965 Genie Mk10B
Norm Cowdrey – 1967 McKee Mk 7
A.C. D’Augustine – 1965 Genie Mk10B
Tom Cantrell – 1969 Alan Mann Special
Joseph DiLoreto – 1968 McLaren M6B
Bruce Marquand – 1967 McLaren M6A
Shadows lead the start of the Can Am event at Long Beach
Robert Ryan – 1968 McLaren M6B
Kirt Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Brian Blain – 1969 Lola T163
Bruce Marquand – 1967 McLaren M6A
Joseph DiLoreto – 1968 McLaren M6B
Nick Colonna – 1970 McLaren M8C
Robert Hunt – 1966 McLaren M1B
Bruce Marquand – 1967 McLaren M6A
Bruce Marquand – 1967 McLaren M6A
NASCAR legend Bobby Allison and road racing champion George Follmer
The Can Am racers attrated a huge crowd in the TGPLB paddock
Dan Cowdrey – 1966 Lola T70 Mk II
Greg Mitchell – 1969 Lola T163
Rick Knoop – 1973 McLaren M8F
Kirt Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Rick Knoop – 1973 McLaren M8F
Joseph DiLoreto – 1968 McLaren M6B
Craig Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
John Boxhorn – 1969 Lola T163
Scott Drnek – 1974 Sting
Brian Blain – 1969 Lola T163
Robert Hardison – 1968 Lola T70 Mk3
Bruce Marquand – 1967 McLaren M6A
Ilja Burkoff – 1970 Ti 22 Mk II
Robert Ryan – 1968 McLaren M6B
Robert Hardison – 1968 Lola T70 Mk3
Rick Knoop – 1973 McLaren M8F
Scott Drnek – 1974 Sting
Craig Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Greg Mitchell – 1969 Lola T163
Brian Blain – 1969 Lola T163
Norm Cowdrey – 1967 McKee Mk 7
Robert Hardison – 1968 Lola T70 Mk3
Eric Haga – 1965 McLaren M1A, Claude Malette – 1971 Lola T222
A.C. D’Augustine – 1965 Genie Mk10B
1969 Lola T163, 1972 McLaren M8F
Joseph DiLoreto – 1968 McLaren M6B
Kirt Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Scott Drnek – 1974 Sting
Nick Colonna – 1970 McLaren M8C
Claude Malette – 1971 Lola T222
Robert Hardison – 1968 Lola T70 Mk3
Tom Cantrell – 1969 Alan Mann Special
Emmett Murphy – 1972 McLaren M8F
Craig Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Claude Malette – 1971 Lola T222
1968 Lola T70 Mk3, 1970 McLaren M8C
Can Am cars heading down pit straight
Kirt Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Kirt Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Eric Haga – 1965 McLaren M1A
Racing Trumpets
Robert Hunt – 1966 McLaren M1B
Robert Hardison – 1968 Lola T70 Mk3
Craig Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Kirt Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Bruce Marquand – 1967 McLaren M6A
Craig Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Robert Ryan – 1968 McLaren M6B
Eric Haga – 1965 McLaren M1A
Nick Colonna – 1970 McLaren M8C
Dan Cowdrey – 1966 Lola T70 Mk II
Norm Cowdrey – 1967 McKee Mk 7
Claude Malette – 1971 Lola T222
Craig Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Robert Ryan – 1968 McLaren M6B
Rick Knoop – 1973 McLaren M8F
Brian Blain – 1969 Lola T163
Kirt Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Scott Drnek – 1974 Sting
A.C. D’Augustine – 1965 Genie Mk10B
Nick Colonna – 1970 McLaren M8C
Robert Hardison – 1968 Lola T70 Mk3
Tom Cantrell – 1969 Alan Mann Special
John Boxhorn – 1969 Lola T163
Dan Cowdrey – 1966 Lola T70 Mk II
Bruce Marquand – 1967 McLaren M6A
Emmett Murphy – 1972 McLaren M8F
Nick Colonna – 1970 McLaren M8C
Robert Hardison – 1968 Lola T70 Mk3
Kirt Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Bruce Marquand – 1967 McLaren M6A
Robert Ryan – 1968 McLaren M6B
Ilja Burkoff – 1970 Ti 22 Mk II
Robert Hardison – 1968 Lola T70 Mk3
Rick Knoop – 1973 McLaren M8F
Bruce Marquand – 1967 McLaren M6A
Norm Cowdrey – 1967 McKee Mk 7
Scott Drnek – 1974 Sting
Eric Haga – 1965 McLaren M1A
Greg Mitchell – 1969 Lola T163
Nick Colonna – 1970 McLaren M8C
Craig Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
Dan Cowdrey – 1966 Lola T70 Mk II
Claude Malette – 1971 Lola T222
John Boxhorn – 1969 Lola T163
Robert Ryan – 1968 McLaren M6B
Joseph DiLoreto – 1968 McLaren M6B
Craig Bennett – 1974 Shadow DN4
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