Wine Country Classic 2004:   Group 9 -- Can-Am Cars!

The sports/racers of the 50s and 60s rapidly evolved into the wildest road racing cars of all time.  Tires, chassis design, aerodynamics, and engine power improved with vertiginous speed.  Minimal rules and increasing professionalism encouraged ever more potent creations.  Porsche finally out-spent and out-engineered the competition with its 1200 hp 917-30's and the series fizzled to a stop.
  

Fred Cziska of Pacifica, CA, won the event in his quick, powerful, and very impressive 8194cc. 1972 Shadow.  Shadow was an American team that challenged the European constructors in CanAm and also ran a competitive F1 effort.  Cziska also campaigns a Shadow F1 in historic Grand Prix events.
  
Longtime historic racer Mac Archer of Carmel, CA, is restoring his familiar 427 Cobra and has moved on to the "Sting".  This beautiful car was built by John Collins for Gary Wilson in 1974 and is known as "The last Can-Am car".  Mechanical problems in practice sidelined the entry.

(12-20-04)  The "Sting" in 1974 raced by Gary Wilson.

(2-21-05)  Robert Kellerman's model of the "Sting".

  
Scott Bader of Los Angeles, CA, finished 6th in his 8849cc. 1969 Lola T-163.  This looks like an ex-Chuck Parsons car as Simoniz was a Parsons sponsor and #10 was Parsons' favored number.  This car was pitted next to the "Sting" and its lucky crew enjoyed the company of one of the cutest pit girls I've seen lately.
 
Next:  Group 11 -- Historic Stock Cars

Back to:   Group 8 -- Trans-Am Cars

Back to:   Wine Country 2004 Homepage.