Editor-in-Chief's Note: Still in the throes of the COVID-19 crisis, racing finds itself on hold, and this terrible situation we all find ourselves in is doing real harm to the sport itself. It's clear that some teams that we've become familiar with in recent years won't survive this forced inactivity. As I've said many times before, iRacing is a fine training ground for drivers - especially as a learning tool for new circuits - but as a substitute for real racing? I'm sorry, there's just no frickin' way. You only have to review the absurdity that went on at the virtual Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday to see that. So as we all endure this Giant Pause, I thought we'd revisit one of my most-requested "Fumes" series - about favorite racing cars. It never gets old. -PMD

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. Anyone who has grown up in and around the sport has developed a list of favorite racing cars from the time they were kids. It usually started along the way with favorite model building kits or slot car sets, but we all developed our favorites, which we've all added to over the years. I am no exception. As a matter of fact, my list is extensive and at times convoluted, and by no means is it meant to be some sort of be-all and end-all, but I'm going to throw it out here anyway. (Yes, everyone has their lists, so if you have favorites to add, feel free to do so in Reader Mail - WG) 

This is going to be a rambling discourse, so bear with me (and it's Part I because I'm sure I'll forget a bunch of cars, so I'll continue this discussion another day). For starters, I loved the Mercedes-Benz 196R "streamliner" introduced in the 1954 season. To this day it is absolutely stunning in person. And from an earlier era, the Auto Union racing cars were fabulous, especially the mid-engine Type C.

I loved the classic early Porsche racing cars, of course, especially the coupe that ran at Le Mans in 1951 and of course, the little coupes that ran in the Panamericana race in Mexico (which heavily influenced the look of the original Audi TT street car). While I'm on Porsche, I loved the 917 (but surprisingly in the one-off psychedelic Le Mans livery, not the Gulf colors). The early 911 RSRs (particularly in IROC configuration) and the look - and especially the sound - of the current IMSA 911 RSR. I am skipping over countless cool Porsche racing cars, but I have to mention the all-conquering Porsche 917/30 raced in the 1973 Can-Am season by Mark Donohue, and my all-time favorite racing Porsche (designed by Ferdinand Piech, no less), the fabulous little 908/3 designed specifically for sprint events like the Targa Florio and the Nurburgring.

How can you not have a list without Ferrari? I loved the sports racing cars from the 50s, the Testa Rossa just being one of a long list of favorites. I loved the 156 "shark nose" F1 car, so elegant but provocative in its simplicity. And the GTO. But my all-time favorite racing Ferrari? The magnificent 330 P4 (the Penske Sunoco Ferrari 512M was spectacular, too, but the P4 does it for me).

And then the Ford-powered racing machines. As readers know, the Shelby American Cobra is one of my all-time favorites, and I especially loved the early competition cars in all the myriad configurations, especially Ken Miles' favorite No. 98. And the perpetual favorite, the beautiful Peter Brock-designed Cobra Daytona Coupe. Then there are the short-lived but still great Ford-powered Cooper Monaco "King Cobra" sports racers from the early 60s, or the Shelby GT350 Mustangs (the car I learned to drive a stick with). And of course all of the Ford GTs and their variants, especially the 1967 Le Mans-winning Mark IV driven by Dan Gurney and A. J. Foyt (but I do love the original, unadorned Ford GT40 Mk 1 for its purity). Then there were the fabulous NASCAR Fords prepared by the Wood Brothers for Dan Gurney. And even the drag racing Ford Fairlane Thunderbolts, which were bad-assery to the first degree. And of course the Bud Moore Engineering Boss 302 Mustang Trans-Am cars.

If anyone has followed me on twitter (@PeterMDeLorenzo) of late, I have been doing a historical tour of great racing cars and tracks in photographs, and it's no secret I reserve a special place in my heart for Jim Hall's fabulous Chaparral racing machines. I love all of them in all of the variations, but the 2E that Hall and Phil Hill dominated the Laguna Seca Can-Am weekend with in 1966 is right up there. I also loved the 2D and 2F coupes designed for endurance racing.

And I can't forget to mention the fabulous front-engine Scarab sports racers, built by Troutman and Barnes and powered by Chevrolet. Or the Bill Thomas Cheetah, which came to be just as the mid-engine revolution hit. Or the 1968 Penske Racing Trans-Am Camaro. (Yes, I know, the list goes on and on.)

The Corvette is always front and center when it comes to my favorite race cars. I loved the factory-developed 1957 Corvette SS, which appeared at Sebring, and the 1960 Briggs Cunningham Le Mans cars. And of course the fabulous Grand Sports - especially in John Mecom Racing Team Nassau livery - which have a visceral appeal that never gets old.

And, full disclosure, I loved the Owens/Corning Fiberglas Corvette Racing Team machines raced by my brother, Tony. The remarkable liveries of those machines, created by legendary GM design ace, Randy Wittine, were heavily copied and still resonate to this day. (I also preferred Randy's design for the Bud Moore Mustangs we purchased and campaigned in the 1971 Trans-Am season over the factory Butterscotch Yellow cars, and our OCF Trans-Am Camaros were beautiful too.) My favorite Corvette that my brother raced was the black 1968 "A" Production roadster that he won the June Sprints at Road America with (see below). This was right before the Owens/Corning sponsorship deal came together. And the current C7.R racers are fantastic, although not my favorite liveries by any stretch.

But my all-time favorite racing car is the original 1959 Corvette Sting Ray racer. GM Design icon Bill Mitchell purchased the leftover "mule" chassis from the Corvette SS program and enlisted some of the most talented designers at GM at the time - including a 19-year-old Peter Brock, who did the original sketch - to come up with the design language for the car. The result? Simply one of the most magnificent looking machines of all time. You really need to see the car in person to truly appreciate it.

I look forward to continuing this discussion. I haven't even covered the F1 cars, the Indy cars, the sports prototypes (Lola T70 Coupe, anyone?) and my other all-time favorite racing machines: the Team McLaren Can-Am cars.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

The Mercedes-Benz 196R "streamliner."

 The Auto Union Type D.

Dan Gurney in a Ferrari Testa Rossa, at Goodwood, 1959.

The Troutman and Barnes Chevrolet-powered Scarab sports racer.

The Ferrari 250 GTO.

Phil Hill in the Ferrari 156.

(Dave Friedman photo)
Dave MacDonald in the Cooper Monaco King Cobra Ford.

(Dave Friedman photo)
Dan Gurney in the factory Shelby American Cobra roadster, Riverside, 1963.

(Dave Friedman photo)
The Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupes at Le Mans, 1964.
Phil Hill in the Chaparral 2E, Bridgehampton, New York, 1966.

The 1959 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray racer.

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, June 15, 1968. Speaking of favorite racing cars, of all the cars my brother Tony raced the No. 50 Hanley Dawson Chevrolet '68 Corvette 427 L88, which was painted Black with a Blue Stripe, has to be one of my favorites. Here he is on the way to the win in "A" Production in the June Sprints at Road America.

Editor's Note: We're continuing our series on "Favorite Racing Cars," covering even more of Peter's favorites, so here is Part II. Enjoy. -WG

Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. As I expected, last week's column - Favorite Racing Cars, Part I - generated a lot of comments and brought forth lists of favorite racing cars from a wide range of enthusiasts, both here in Reader Mail and on my twitter account (@PeterMDeLorenzo). It's a fun subject, because there are no wrong answers and everyone has personal favorites. I covered a lot of ground last week, but as I said, there was much more to come. This week, I am going to bring forward an entirely new list of racing cars, and, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a "Part III" down the road. So, without further ado, let's go...
(Dave Friedman photo)
First of all, I neglected to post a picture of a Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport last week, so here is a shot of Jim Hall (No. 67 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport) running ahead of Augie Pabst (No. 2 John Mecom Racing Zerex Ferrari 250 LM) out of Canada Corner during the Road America 500 in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 13, 1964. 
(All American Racers)
Dan Gurney on his way to the win in the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix in the No. 36 All American Racers Eagle T1G Gurney-Weslake V12. Gurney's victory at Spa is the first and only time that an American citizen built and raced a car of his own construction and put it into the winner’s circle of a World Championship F1 race. Yes, there have been many beautiful open-wheel machines - the aforementioned Ferrari 156; Colin Chapman's Lotus 49-Cosworth; the McLaren-Ford MP4/8A; the McLaren M16C Indy car; Jim Hall's Chaparral 2K Cosworth Indy car; the All American Racers Indy cars, especially the Boundary Layer Adhesion Technology (BLAT) Eagle-Chevy, and on, and on, and on* - but for my money Gurney's beautiful midnight blue 1967 Eagle F1 machine, designed by Len Terry and constructed in Santa Ana, California, remains my favorite open-wheel car of all time and is still absolutely stunning in person. (*As you may have noticed, I have no contemporary open-wheel machines on my list. That's because - particularly in F1 - the cars are cold, devoid of beauty, emotionally un-involving and eminently forgettable.)
(Dave Friedman photo) 
Speaking of Lola, I think the T70 coupe is one of the most beautiful racing machines of all time. But if asked to pick one Lola over all of the many great ones, it would be the gorgeous No. 30 All American Racers Lola T70 Mk.2 - powered by a Gurney-Weslake 305 Ford - that Dan Gurney drove to victory in the second Can-Am race of the inaugural season for that legendary racing series, at Bridgehampton, New York, September 18, 1966. 

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention another group of my all-time favorite racing machines, those beautiful - and brutal - Can-Am machines from Bruce McLaren and McLaren Cars. I have five 1/18 scale racing car models on my desk currently (yes, I have a few more than that). Three Chaparrals (2C, 2E and 2F), a Porsche 910, and Dan Gurney's No. 1 McLaren M8B Chevrolet that he ran in the Can-Am at Michigan International Speedway in a guest drive. I was fortunate to see the Can-Am series in-period, and the kaleidoscope of great racing machines from that era deserves the term "legendary." Machines from Chaparral, Ferrari, Lola, Porsche and Shadow, along with a long list of "one-offs" are seared in my memory. To see - and hear - a Can-Am car flat-out at Road America was simply the best of the best racing experiences one could have. And I relish those experiences to this day. So following are a few classic images of the McLaren Can-Am machines.

Michigan International Speedway, 1969. Dan Gurney in the No. 1 McLaren M8B Chevrolet finished third behind teammates Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M8B Chevrolet) and Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M8B Chevrolet) in a guest drive.
(Photo by Pete Lyons)
Laguna Seca, California, 1968. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M8A Chevrolet) during practice for the Can-Am. 
(Photo by Pete Lyons)
Peter Revson on his way to the win in the Can-Am at Laguna Seca in his McLaren M8F Chevrolet, 1971.

(Pete Lyons)
Riverside International Raceway, 1968. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8A Chevrolet), L. A. Times Grand Prix Can-Am.

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, 1969. Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8B Chevrolet) during practice for the Can-Am at Road America.
(Pete Lyons photo)
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, 1967. Bruce McLaren in his No. 4 McLaren M6A Chevrolet - with Tyler Alexander - during practice for the Can-Am at Road America.
(Pete Lyons photo)
Watkins Glen, New York, 1972. Peter Revson (No. 4 McLaren M20 Chevrolet) qualified on pole for the Can-Am but finished second to teammate Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M20 Chevrolet) in the race. 

Yes, I know, too many photos of the McLarens, but these were seminal machines emblematic of that run-what-you-brung era. Are there other favorite race cars? Absolutely. The Vanwall Grand Prix machine. The Jaguar D-Type. The Lotus 25 Grand Prix car. The Lotus-Ford Indianapolis cars, both the first machines in 1963 and Jim Clark's Lotus 38-Ford winner in 1965. Mario Andretti's John Player Special Lotus 78/79 F1 World Championship machines. Jackie Stewart's 1971 Lola T260 Chevrolet Can-Am car. The 2003 Le Mans-winning Bentley Speed 8. Andy Granatelli's 1967 STP Turbine Indy car driven by Parnelli Jones, and the updated "wedge" design turbine cars. As I said, the list goes on and on and on. I will cover more ground when I get to Part III, down the road.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

Spa Francorchamps, May 1, 1967. The No. 1 Chaparral Cars Chaparral 2F Chevrolet driven by Phil Hill and Mike Spence qualified on the pole for the Spa 1000 Kilometers but did not finish due to gearbox issues.

Editor's Note: No, the subject never gets old, thankfully. Enjoy this week's installment of Peter's "Favorite Racing Cars." -WG

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. I trust you're enjoying this continuing series on my favorite racing cars. The best part about it is that it never gets old and there are always more. I hope you enjoy this week's installment.

Designed by Vittorio Jano for Lancia in 1954, the Lancia D50 Grand Prix entry pioneered many significant innovations. For example, the engine acted as a stressed chassis member and it was also mounted off-center, which allowed for a lower overall height; and the pannier fuel cells were used for better aerodynamic performance and more balanced weight distribution. The D50 made its debut at the end of the 1954 Grand Prix season with two-time World Champion and Italian driving great Alberto Ascari behind the wheel. It was blistering fast right out of the box, but because the Lancia family was facing severe financial trouble, the Lancia family sold their controlling share in the Lancia company, and the assets of its racing team - Scuderia Lancia - were granted to Scuderia Ferrari. Although Ferrari continued to develop the car, many of Jano's most innovative design characteristics were removed. The car was first renamed as the "Lancia-Ferrari D50" but that was quickly dropped in favor of "Ferrari D50". Juan Manuel Fangio (above) won the 1956 World Championship driving the D50 for Ferrari. The D50s were entered in fourteen World Championship F1 Grands Prix, winning five.
(RM Sotheby's)
The Jaguar D-Type is one of the most iconic racing cars ever built. Originally produced between 1954 and 1957, the Jaguar bristled with technical innovation heavily influenced by the aviation business. It featured monocoque construction and a sophisticated approach to aerodynamic efficiency. The Jaguar D-Type won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955, 1956 and 1957. Jaguar is now producing 25 "continuation" D-Types, which will be priced at $1.4 million. I expect the prices for these continuation models to soar, especially since original D-Types now go for over $20 million.

(Grand Prix History)
The Lotus 25 revolutionized the design of open-wheel racing cars and fundamentally changed the sport. The mid-engined Lotus 25 was not the first racing car with a monocoque chassis, but its visionary design by Colin Chapman combined with the brilliance of Jimmy Clark resulted in phenomenal success. Clark won seven out of ten races and his first World Championship with the Lotus 25 in 1963. 
(Ford Racing Archives)
Jimmy Clark (with Colin Chapman) in the Lotus 38-Ford during practice for the 1965 Indianapolis 500. He would win the race handily.

(Autosport)
Speaking of iconic racing machines, Mario Andretti won his World Championship in 1978 with the beautiful and highly innovative Lotus 79-Ford. 

Parnelli Jones in the all-wheel-drive No. 40 STP-Paxton Turbocar machine dominated the 1967 Indianapolis 500 at will. Jones coasted to a stop with three laps to go because of a $6.00 transmission bearing failure. Innovation courtesy of Andy Granatelli, a man who never got enough credit for his vision.

Graham Hill in the No. 70 STP Lotus 56 Turbine machine at Indianapolis in 1968. Colin Chapman took the turbine power idea to heart and came up with a visionary car design of his own for the 1968 Indianapolis 500. 

Mario Andretti's No. 11 Ford Fairlane "stock car" with which he stunned the NASCAR establishment by winning the 1967 Daytona 500. The 60s NASCAR machines were brutal, purposeful but beautiful in their own right.
I may have already mentioned this car, but Jackie Stewart's 1971 Carl Haas Racing L&M Lola T260 Chevrolet remains one of my favorite Can-Am machines of all time. I watched Stewart manhandle this evil handling machine, wringing every last drop of speed out of it while giving Team McLaren fits. It may have not been the prettiest of machines, but in Stewart's hands it was magnificent.

Yes, another chapter of "Favorite Racing Cars" has come to a close. I could go on and I probably will in another chapter, because there are so many pivotal - and memorable - racing machines that writing about them never gets old.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. Every time we run our "Favorite Racing Cars" columns in Fumes, our AE readers can't seem to get enough of it. And I enjoy it even more. This week, I would like to talk about the Porsche Can-Am cars. I think you could safely break the Can-Am series into two halves. The first was the McLaren era, when Bruce McLaren and Co. built a succession of damn-near unbeatable racing machines that were wonderfully executed and beautifully prepared and presented. Not to mention the driving talent, which included McLaren himself, Denny Hulme, Dan Gurney, Peter Revson and Peter Gethin. All of the McLaren Can-Am cars were memorable, from the M6A to the M8F, all the way to the ultimate McLaren Can-Am execution, the M20. And the second was the emergence of the Porsche Turbo era.

I had the pleasure of seeing many Can-Am races, and I also witnessed the transition from McLaren domination to Porsche's onslaught on the series. Porsche domination came on quickly after the debut of the 917; then it was the 917/10 Turbo and The Ultimate Can-Am Porsche: the 917/30 KL. Many blame the Roger Penske/Mark Donohue/Porsche combination for "killing" the series, but that's not really accurate. Racing itself was undergoing a transition and coming under intense pressure from the emerging threat to the economy brought on by the oil crisis. Sponsors stepped back or stepped away from the sport altogether, and the Can-Am series suffered gravely from it. Yes, the Porsche Turbos were dominant, but when you really think about it they were no more dominant than the McLarens were in their heyday. 

I prefer to think that the Porsche era in the Can-Am was a triumph of engineering might - much of it due to the brilliant engineering mind of Mark Donohue - and technical superiority. The Porsche Can-Am cars were simply better, quicker and a giant leap ahead. And in Mark Donohue's and George Follmer's hands, they were simply incredible machines to watch and damn-near unbeatable. Yes, I wish the Can-Am had gone on forever, but as advanced technology swallowed the sport of motor racing whole, and the game became one of "managing" and "restricting" speeds, the idea of an "unlimited" series simply could not survive. But I will always remember being at Road America in September of 1973 for the Can-Am weekend and seeing Mark Donohue unleash the full measure of his Porsche 917/30 KL in qualifying - with over 1200HP at his disposal - and setting a track record that stood untouched for fourteen years. It was simply magnificent in the truest sense of the word, and it remains vividly etched in my memory to this day.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

(Pete Lyons)
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 1969. Jo Siffert in the beautiful No. 0 Porsche Audi Porsche 917 PA during practice for the Can-Am. He qualified eighth but suffered a blown engine in the race.
Watkins Glen, New York, July 1971. The No. 20 STP/PORSCHE AUDI/Marlboro Porsche 917/10 driven by Jo Siffert in the Can-Am that weekend. He qualified ninth and finished third behind Peter Revson (No. 7 McLaren Cars/GULF/REYNOLDS ALUMINUM McLaren M8F Chevrolet) and Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren Cars/GULF/REYNOLDS ALUMINUM McLaren M8F Chevrolet).
Watkins Glen, New York, July, 1972. George Follmer sits in the No. 6 Roger Penske Enterprises, Inc. L&M/ PORSCHE+AUDI Porsche 917 Turbo during practice for the Can-Am. After Mark Donohue was injured early in the 1972 season, Roger tapped Follmer to wheel the 917 Turbo Can-Am machine. He promptly went out and won the Can-Am Championship.
(Porsche)
George Follmer (No. 6 Roger Penske Enterprises, Inc. L&M/PORSCHE+AUDI Porsche 917/10 Turbo) turned in a series of masterful performances for Roger Penske and Porsche in the 1972 the Can-Am series.
Watkins Glen, New York, July 23, 1972. George Follmer (No. 6 Roger Penske Enterprises Inc. L&M PORSCHE+AUDI Porsche 917/10 Turbo) leads Francois Cevert (No. 22 Young American Racing McLaren M8F Chevrolet, without his signature helmet graphics) in the Can-Am.
(Pete Lyons)
Laguna Seca Can-Am, October, 1972. George Follmer (No. 7 Roger Penske Enterprises, Inc. L&M PORSCHE+AUDI Porsche 917 Turbo) and Mark Donohue (No. 6 Roger Penske Enterprises, Inc. L&M PORSCHE+AUDI Porsche 917 Turbo) finished 1-2 in that order.
Lexington, Ohio, August 1973. Mark Donohue (No. 6 Penske Racing SUNOCO PORSCHE+AUDI Porsche 917/30 Turbo) dominated the Mid-Ohio Can-Am, sweeping both heats.
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 1973. Mark Donohue (No. 6 Penske Racing Inc. SUNOCO/PORSCHE+AUDI Porsche 917/30 Turbo) leads the Porsche 917/10 Turbos of George Follmer and Charlie Kemp in the Can-Am at Road America. Donohue's record lap in qualifying (1:57.518) was three seconds quicker than the next competitor - Jody Scheckter (No. 0 Vasek Polak Racing Porsche 917/10 Turbo) - and a record that stood for fourteen years. Donohue dominated the race, finishing ahead of Scheckter and Follmer.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. This issue marks the 21st Anniversary of Autoextremist.com. In the two-plus decades of writing about racing in this column, I've seen countless changes as the ebb and flow of the business of motorsports has swirled around and around, some of them good and some bad. But in reality, have things changed all that much? I would say no. As I've pointed out many times over the years, technology swallowed the sport whole by the mid-70s, and this forced racing into a perpetual dance of restrictions and rules designed to contain the speeds, equalize the competition and reduce costs. That philosophy has worked for the most part in containing speeds, but even with so-called "equalized" competition, the cost of racing has gone up exponentially as teams across the globe pursued advantages calculated out to the hundredths of a second, particularly in F1. 

Moreover, as for the pursuit of "equalized" competition, the harsh reality of the racing game is that there have always been "the haves" and the "have-nots" in racing. This has been true since the very beginnings of the sport. The deeply financed and talent-rich teams always rise to the drop, whether it be in INDYCAR, IMSA, F1 and, of course, those slaves to "managed" competition, NASCAR. This will never change, unless there's a fundamental shift in the technology used, in which case a "reset" button can be pressed in order to start the inexorable march of technology all over again (although even then the "haves" will reassert their place at the top in short order). This fundamental shift in technology is what I suggested with my proposal for HERF, a concept that was truly far ahead of its time and one that remains valid to this day, even though the interested manufacturers backed away from the concept at the last moment. 

One positive thing about this ongoing pandemic - if we can glean any positives at all - is that it has forced racing to evaluate every inch of the sport, and it's long overdue. F1 in particular is on the precipice of collapsing after running a traveling Greed Circus that for years operated like its unchecked spending would never catch up with it, but that modus operandi has come to a screeching halt. Now F1 is gasping for air as it tries to figure out what to do. I am hearing positive rumors as the powers that be in the sport are considering altering literally everything about F1, from the cars to the race weekend formats. And this all sounds good, but I actually think F1 will have to be brought to its knees before any sense can be pounded into the players involved. 

A few months ago, I suggested that F1 go back to the future. In particular, I proposed that F1 go back to the V8 formula used 50 years ago in F5000 - with contemporary safety systems, of course - as a way of restoring the opportunity of participation, which means that several teams - not just two or three - would have a real shot at winning, instead of showing up for their weekly dose of finishing twelfth. I believe that as long as F1 isn't willing to go the completely new technology route, this would be the way to reestablish credibility - and interest - in the sport. But that would mean the "have" teams in F1 would have to cede their position for the greater health and well being of the sport, which I still don't see happening. (The rumors that Ferrari is switching some of its F1 engineers to working on an INDYCAR program are real. But the reality of the decision is that Ferrari is no longer interested in F1 if it can't be one of the top teams, meaning, if it can't spend unlimited amounts of money, it will take its ball and go play elsewhere.) This would be great for INDYCAR, obviously, but it might be good for F1, too, if it finally gets its shit together and brings meaningful changes to its sport.

Speaking of INDYCAR, I see it becoming the major league open-wheel series of the moment as F1 flounders. I can actually see two manufacturers joining the fray to compete with Chevrolet and Honda, and an expanded schedule and heightened interest in America's premier open-wheel series will follow. As for NASCAR, the less said about it at this juncture the better. Yes, the new car that's coming shows promise, but if NASCAR doesn't institute massive changes, including a drastically reduced and improved schedule that includes more road course races and more 500k events on its ovals, its inexorable slide to oblivion will continue. As for sports car racing, the meaningful steps to bring IMSA and the FIA/ACO together can only help cement the future for major league sports car racing around the world. I do think there are far too many second- and third-tier road racing series for sports cars at the moment, and a rational reduction in the number of series would be tremendously beneficial.

Back to this concept of "managed" competition. Do I like it? No, I don't. I often write about the glory days of the Can-Am, and when I do, people tell me that they would like to see the "unlimited" series return, but the harsh reality of today's racing is that a truly "unlimited" series is simply impossible to achieve with today's technology. One side note on the Can-Am is that people often say that the Penske Turbo Porsches "killed" the Can-Am series, but in reality people forget the fact that the McLaren team utterly dominated the Can-Am series from 1967-1971. But the visceral appeal of the majestic Can-Am cars with their booming V8s and dazzling speeds remain compelling to this day, which is why they are so popular when they appear at vintage racing weekends. And why I still believe a road racing series that updated the concept - within reason - would be successful.

There are many outstanding things about racing when it goes right: the speed, the visceral excitement and the intense competition. In that respect it never gets old. But holding on to the appeal of racing as we go forward will become more and more difficult as the burgeoning environmental imperative picks up speed around the globe. On the one hand, a series like HERF would extend the future of racing almost indefinitely. On the other hand, disconnecting racing from the mundane realities of production car technology would allow for an updated F5000 package to see the light of day in F1, with all the visceral appeal intact.

Some readers think that I dwell too much on the history of racing and that contemporary motorsport holds no interest for me. That simply isn't true. I am a big believer, however, that you must know where you've been before you can know where you want to go. And this applies to racing as much, if not more, than any other endeavor.

I believe racing will continue, but it will take genuine vision in order for it to survive - let alone thrive - in the future.

And that's the High-Octane Truth on this 21st Anniversary of Autoextremist.com.



(Dave Friedman)
Laguna Seca (with the old pit configuration), October 16, 1966. The start of Heat 2 of the Can-Am with road racing's all-stars at the front: Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral 2E Chevrolet); Phil Hill (No. 65 Chaparral 2E Chevrolet); Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren Elva Mark II Chevrolet); John Surtees (No. 7 Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); Denny Hulme (No. 8 Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); Masten Gregory (No. 88 McLaren Elva Mark II Chevrolet); Mark Donohue (No. 61 Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); John Cannon (No. 62 McLaren Elva Mark II Chevrolet). Phil Hill won Heat 1 and finished second in Heat 2 for the overall win. Jim Hall finished second in Heat 1 and third in Heat 2. Parnelli Jones (No. 98 Lola T70 Mk.2 DOHC Ford) won Heat 2.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. I've written about this subject many times in previous columns, but it has taken on new meaning in this season dominated by the pandemic. When I referred to "racing in a vacuum" in the past, it was always in reference to a particular mindset that seems to take over a racing series, from the participants, to the series' leaders and even the media covering it. This happens when the collective series participants listen to the dulcet tones of their own thought balloons for too long. And then their perspectives grow and fester with little input from outside of "the bubble" that they've created.

F1 is a classic example of "racing in a vacuum." Fueled by one man's vision - Bernie Ecclestone - for decades, the series grew more and more out of touch with the real world. Escalating costs accelerated to the point of being out of control, and any rhyme or reason given to the sporting calendar gave way to whichever potentate - or nation state du jour - would pay F1's exorbitant fee. It didn't stop there, however, as F1 began to expand its list of demands to include cookie-cutter "modern" tracks with equally antiseptic pit installations. And the regional diversity that used to be a part of the F1 calendar began to slowly disappear. That F1 finds itself in crisis right now is long overdue. Yes, the pandemic accelerated this burgeoning crisis in F1, but in reality it has been brewing for years. F1 became a "Greed Circus" without the ability to control its worst urges. It was always more, more, more, and the powers that be in F1 didn't listen to outside input because they didn't have to. Now? F1 is reeling and flailing about trying to figure out what to do. The idea of a spending cap for the teams is just the beginning of a good start, but beyond that unless and until F1 figures things out it will suffer a diminished impact in the motorsport world that might easily last for a decade.

The other notable example of "racing in a vacuum" is, of course, NASCAR. I didn't lead with the "stock car" racing series because it's almost too obvious. It could be argued that NASCAR defined the term over the last four decades. No racing series has been more insular and more resistant to outside input than the one governed by the powers that be in Daytona Beach. The mantra of "we've always done things this way" pretty much sums up the NASCAR mindset over the last 40 plus years. That it worked for a long while is very true, but the bust (beginning in 2007 to the present) that followed the boom (2001-2006) for NASCAR has slowly but surely diminished the series to the point that all measurable reference numbers - from in-person attendance to TV ratings - have been on an inexorable downward slide. NASCAR operatives have been struggling to combat this downward spiral for over a decade now, but the consistent negative of too many races and the most tedious schedule in all of sports has never really been dealt with. That is, until the coronavirus upended NASCAR's entire reason for being. Now, we're seeing NASCAR operatives throwing everything they can get their hands on up against the wall to see what sticks, and a reduced schedule, shorter races and a new more modern car (albeit already in the works) are the direct results of this crisis. I would hope that NASCAR's chief enablers - the automobile manufacturers - take this opportunity to demand and extract meaningful long-term changes from NASCAR, because if this pandemic doesn't fundamentally change NASCAR, I can easily see it return to being a regional sport that operates predominately in the southeastern part of the country. (I should point out that all racing series have been racing in a vacuum to varying degrees, INDYCAR included.)

The Part II of "racing in a vacuum" is the new phenomenon of racing without spectators in attendance. Granted, there were some races - INDYCAR in Texas, for instance - that almost raced without spectators as a matter of routine, but now it is a part of the reality of racing, at least for the foreseeable future. The fact that races are now being conducted without spectators - although that is slowly being opened up, at least somewhat - doesn't seem right to me at all. There is something decidedly lacking with the absence of spectators. I understand why it is happening, due to the safety demands in place to stem this dreaded virus, and the fact that TV contracts must be fulfilled, but I must admit it is beyond weird. And it's funny, but I didn't seem to mind the PGA event in Dallas that took place last weekend without spectators. But racing seems to be an entirely different thing altogether.

Racing in a vacuum, no matter how it's defined, isn't a good thing for the sport of motor racing. I hope it is put in the sport's rearview mirror - virus or no virus - as soon as possible.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

(Photo by Pete Lyons) 
Riverside International Raceway, November 1, 1970. Chris Amon (No. 77 March Engineering Ltd. STP Oil Treatment March 707 Chevrolet) qualified fifth for the Can-Am and finished fourth behind Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M8D Chevrolet), Jackie OIiver (No. 22 Titanium Ti 22 Mk II Chevrolet) and Pedro Rodriguez (No. 1 British Racing Motors BRM P154 Chevrolet).

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. This column is a new addition to the series, but with a twist. Instead of covering several different racing machines like I did in the previous three "Favorite Racing Cars" columns, today I am going to focus on one machine in particular: The Carl Haas Racing No. 1 L&M Lola T260 Chevrolet that was driven by Jackie Stewart during the 1971 Can-Am season. Longtime readers of this site know that when it comes to the Can-Am era, my favorite machines were Jim Hall's fabulous Chaparrals, followed very closely by the flawlessly prepared McLarens and, of course, the Porsche 917 Turbos. But I reserve special feelings for the Lola T260 Chevrolet. Maybe because Carl Haas secured Stewart - who was at the very top of his game at the time - to drive the short wheelbase beast, or maybe it was because the Lola was far afield of the McLaren juggernaut. You wouldn't dare call it an underdog entry to the series - certainly not with Stewart behind the wheel - but it was definitely a march-to-a-different drummer "maverick" entry, and I loved it.

The Lola T260's design was primarily the work of Chief Designer Bob Marston, who worked closely with Eric Broadley, Lola's founder and guiding force. True to the car's "march-to-a-different drummer" design brief, the shape was designed to cut through the air but still remain stable at high speeds. The Lola T260's striking blunt nose purposely departed from the wedge-shaped design philosophy of that era, because Broadley believed those designs had the propensity to flip a Can-Am car over backward when air built up under the front end. The nose of the T260 was designed to reduce the lift generated under the body, and to that end it was filled with rows of small round holes to assist in that effort. And the high-pressure air that would normally build under the nose was extracted by the large cutouts immediately behind the front wheels. The look of the Lola T260 was completed by the full width wing that was mounted relatively far forward, adding to its unique on-track presence. It was a Magnificent Beast.

Despite the large cutouts behind the front wheels, the aluminum monocoque of the Lola T260 was fairly conventional for that era. It featured a front and rear double wishbone suspension with Bilstein dampers and coil springs. Originally, the four-wheel disc brakes were designed to be placed inboard at all four corners in order to reduce the unsprung wight, but Stewart vetoed the design after Jochen Rindt's fatal crash in a similarly equipped Lotus F1 car at Monza at the end of the 1970 season. The Lola T260 was powered by a 8.1-liter (496 cu. in.) Chevrolet V8 with Lucas fuel-injection prepared by George Foltz. The engine produced 750HP+ and almost 700 ft.lbs. of torque and it was coupled to a Hewland LG500 4-speed manual transaxle in a package that weighed just under 1600 lbs. (Think about that for a moment.) 

With Stewart behind the wheel, the Lola T260 came charging out of the gate at the season opener at Mosport with the Flying Scot securing the pole ahead of the factory McLaren team. But the race was a different story, as Stewart was forced to retire early with gearbox issues and Denny Hulme went on to win in the No. 5 McLaren M8F Chevrolet with teammate Peter Revson in the No. 7 machine making it a McLaren 1-2. Two weeks later, at the Can-Am Mont Tremblant, Stewart came through to win Lola's first Can-Am victory since 1967. But the season would be a frustrating roller-coaster ride for Stewart and Carl Haas from then on. Stewart finished well down the field at Road Atlanta and took a DNF at Watkins Glen. But then Stewart came through to win again at the Mid-Ohio round. At Road America Stewart encountered overheating issues and did not finish; at Donnybrooke (in Brainerd, Minnesota) he finished sixth; at Edmonton he finished second to Hulme; Stewart finished second to Revson at Laguna Seca (with the "cow catcher" front wing); and at the season finale at Riverside Stewart recorded a DNF due to engine problems. 

Anyone who witnessed Stewart manhandle the twitchy-handling, short-wheelbase No. 1 L&M Lola T260 Chevrolet that season would testify that they indeed were in the presence of greatness. Even though Stewart would encounter multiple disappointments that season, for a brief shining moment he pushed the vaunted McLaren team for all they were worth every single time he got behind the wheel, and he ended up third in the Can-Am Series Championship. It was a magnificent display of sheer talent and the burning desire to win. And I will never forget it.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.


(Photo by Aaron Summerfield ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions/Silodrome)
The No. 1 Carl Haas Racing Lola T260 Chevrolet: The Magnificent Beast.
(Photo by Aaron Summerfield ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions/Silodrome)
The "march-to-a-different-drummer" Lola T260 Chevrolet.
(Photo by Aaron Summerfield ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions/Silodrome)
Brutal, purposeful and badass.
(Photo by Aaron Summerfield ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions/Silodrome)
The L&M livery was... perfect.
(Photo by Aaron Summerfield ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions/Silodrome)
No frills. Just stand on the gas.

Jackie Stewart at the wheel.
Jackie Stewart and Denny Hulme, Mid-Ohio, August 1971.
Jackie Stewart in the No. 1 Carl Haas Racing L&M Lola T260 Chevrolet hammers up the front straight at Road America, August 1971.
In Search of... Downforce. The Lola T260 with the "cow catcher" front wing at Laguna Seca, October 1971.
Jackie Stewart at Road Atlanta, July 1971.
Another view of the "cow catcher" front wing in the pits at Laguna Seca.
Jackie Stewart in the pit lane at Mid-Ohio during Can-Am practice, August 1971.
From the "Racing Was Different Back Then" File. The Carl Haas Racing team at Mid-Ohio, August 1971.
Pace lap, Mid-Ohio Can-Am, August 22, 1971: Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M8F Chevrolet), Peter Revson (No. 7 McLaren M8F Chevrolet), Jackie Stewart (No. 1 Carl Haas Racing L&M Lola T260 Chevrolet) and Jo Siffert (No. 20 Porsche 917/10).

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. Front-row qualifiers at any major racing event are usually significant. They represent the quickest drivers at that particular moment in time, at a particular track. From the annals of F1, INDYCAR and Can-Am, to IMSA and beyond, front-row qualifiers are often memorable and help define - and capture - a specific era in motorsport. This week, I am going to begin our coverage with just a few of the races - and the legendary drivers - that spring to mind. There will be many more in the coming weeks.
Bridgehampton, New York, September 17, 1967. Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M6A Chevrolet, pole), Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M6A Chevrolet) and Dan Gurney (No. 36 All American racers, Inc. Lola T70 Mk.3B AAR-Weslake Ford) on the Front Row for the Can-Am. Hulme and McLaren finished 1-2, Gurney retired with fuel-injection issues. George Follmer (No. 16 Roger Penske Racing Ent. Sunoco Special Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet) finished third.
Reims-Gueux, France, July 4, 1954. Juan Manuel Fangio (No. 18 Mercedes-Benz 196R, pole), Karl Kling (No. 20 Mercedes-Benz 196R) and Alberto Ascari (No. 10 Maserati 250F) on the Front Row for the French Grand Prix. Fangio and Kling were so dominant in their "streamliner" versions of the Silver Arrows that day that they finished 1-2, a tenth of a second apart, after lapping the field. The Mercedes-Benz 196R "streamliners" were certainly some of the most beautiful racing cars ever built.
Lexington, Ohio, August 22, 1971. Denny Hulme (No. 5 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8F Chevrolet, pole) and Peter Revson (No. 7 Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8F Chevrolet) on the Front Row for the Mid-Ohio Can-Am. Both McLaren drivers encountered trouble; Hulme DNF and Revson came in seventh. Jackie Stewart (No. 1 Carl Haas Racing L&M Lola T260 Chevrolet) won that day. Jo Siffert (No. 20 STP/Porsche Audi/Marlboro Porsche 917/10 finished second and Tony Adamowicz (No. 54 Auto World McLaren M8B Chevrolet) came in third.
German Grand Prix, The Nurburgring, Nurburg, West Germany, August 6, 1967. Talk about a legendary Front Row: Jim Clark (No. 3 Team Lotus 49 Ford Cosworth DFV, pole), Denny Hulme (No. 2 Brabham Racing Organization Brabham BT24 Repco V8), Jackie Stewart (No. 11 Owen Racing Organization BRM P115 H16) and Dan Gurney (No. 9 Anglo American Racers Eagle T1G Weslake V12). Hulme won, followed by Jack Brabham (No. 1 Brabham Racing Organization Brabham BT24 Repco V8) and Chris Amon (No. 8 Scuderia Ferrari Spa SEFAC Ferrari 312 V12).
(IMS)
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 1967. The Front Row for the Indianapolis 500: Mario Andretti (No. 1 Dean Van Lines Hawk/Ford, pole), Dan Gurney (No. 74 All American Racers Wagner Lockheed Brake Fluid Eagle/Ford) and Gordon Johncock (No. 3 Gilmore Broadcasting Gerhardt/Ford). A, J. Foyt (No. 14 Sheraton/Thompson Coyote/Ford) won that year; Al Unser (No. 5 John Mecom Retzloff Chemical Lola/Ford) was second and Joe Leonard (No. 4 Sheraton/Thompson Coyote/Ford) finished third.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. These photographs of front-row qualifiers capture a moment in time, or rather, a moment in speed. We get a glimpse for a fleeting moment of the best of the best at the particular track, on that particular day. Is it too much wallowing in nostalgia? I have been roundly criticized for that, but don't think so. In order to appreciate what we have now or where we want the sport to go, we have to appreciate where we've been. I hope you enjoy it, and I'll have more next week.

Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant-St. Jovite, Quebec, September 1966. Okay, so this isn't the Front Row of the grid, but it is a compelling photo of the front-row lineup before qualifying for the Can-Am St. Jovite. Dan Gurney is in his No. 30 All American Racers Lola T70 Mk.2 Ford and John Surtees is in the No. 3 Team Surtees Ltd. Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet. Surtees got the pole, but Gurney qualified an uncharacteristic ninth. The first Can-Am race ever run came down to a torrid duel between Surtees and Bruce McLaren (No. 4 Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. McLaren Elva Mark IIB Oldsmobile), and they finished 1-2 in that order. Chris Amon (No. 4 Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. McLaren Elva Mark II Oldsmobile) finished third.
Road Atlanta, September 13, 1970. Vic Elford (No. 66 Chaparral Cars Inc. Chaparral 2J Chevrolet) and Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren Cars. Ltd. Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8D Chevrolet) lead the field to the start of the Can-Am. Elford put the Chaparral 2J on the pole by 1.2 seconds, which was a shocking margin over the usually dominant factory McLarens. But the race was a different story altogether. Hulme and teammate Peter Gethin (No. 7 McLaren Cars. Ltd. Gulf/Reynolds Aluminum McLaren M8D Chevrolet) failed to finish, and Elford had an assortment of issues and finished sixth. The surprise winner was Tony Dean in his No. 8 A. G. Dean Ltd. Porsche 908/02 K.
Watkins Glen, New York, October 1, 1967. The start of the United States Grand Prix with an All-Start Front Row of Graham Hill (No. 6 Team Lotus Ford Cosworth DFV, pole) and Jim Clark (No. 5 Team Lotus Ford Cosworth DFV) leading the charge from the green flag. Dan Gurney started third in the No. 11 Anglo American Racers Eagle T1G Weslake V12 and Chris Amon fourth in the No. 9 Scuderia Ferrari 312 V12. Hill took the lead, and Gurney would muscle his way past Clark for second, but the Californian relinquished his position to Clark on Lap 8 and would eventually retire with suspension issues. Clark and Hill swapped the lead back and forth until Hill faded with gearbox issues. Clark would win, and Hill had to hold off Denny Hulme (No. 2 Brabham Racing Organization Brabham BT24 Repco V8) for second.
Laguna Seca, California, October 12, 1975. Mario Andretti (No. 5 Lola T332 Viceroy/Hilton Chevrolet) and Al Unser (No. 51 Lola T332 Viceroy/Hilton Chevrolet) on the Front Row for the start of the Monterey Grand Prix Formula 5000 race. Mario and Al ran 1-2, with Brian Redman (No. 1 Boraxo Lola T332 Chevrolet) finishing third. For anyone who had the privilege to see F5000 at its peak in this country, it was some of the best racing this country has ever produced. 
(Dave Friedman photo)
Laguna Seca, California, October 16, 1966. The start of Can-Am Race 2 with Phil Hill (No. 65 Chaparral Cars Chaparral 2E Chevrolet) and Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral Cars Chaparral 2E Chevrolet) on the Front Row. That's Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren Racing Ltd. McLaren Elva Mark IIB Chevrolet) and John Surtees (No. 7 Team Surtees Lola T70 Mk. 2 Chevrolet) behind Hill and Hall. Phil Hill would win Race 1, followed by Hall and McLaren. Parnelli Jones (No. 98 John Mecom Jr. STP Lola T70 Mk. 2 DOHC Ford) would win race 2, followed by Hill and Hall. Parnelli's win in Race 2 was a rare success for the DOHC Ford Indy V8 in road racing competition.
(Dave Friedman photo)
Daytona International Speedway, February 5, 1967. Dan Gurney put the No. 3 Shelby American Ford Mk II on the pole for the Daytona 24 Hours, but he and co-driver A. J. Foyt did not finish due to a blown engine.  Phil Hill put the No. 15 Chaparral Cars Inc. Chaparral 2F Chevrolet right next to Gurney in qualifying, but Phil and co-driver Mike Spence did not finish either due to an accident and subsequent suspension damage. The finish of this race was the famous 1-2-3 for Scuderia Ferrari, with the No. 23 Ferrari 330 P3/4 driven by Lorenzo Bandini/Chris Amon winning, followed by the No. 24 Ferrari 330 P4 driven by Ludovico Scarfiotti/Mike Parkes and the No. 26 North American Racing Team Ferrari 412 driven by Pedro Rodriguez/Jean Guichet.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. These photographs of front-row qualifiers capture a moment in time, or rather, a moment in speed. We get a glimpse for a fleeting moment of the best of the best at the particular track, on that particular day. Is it too much wallowing in nostalgia? I have been roundly criticized for that, but I disagree. In order to appreciate what we have now, or where we want the sport to go, we have to appreciate where we've been. I hope you enjoy it, because even though these are historic photos - they never get old.

Circuit Park Zandvoort, North Holland, Netherlands, July 18, 1965. F1 Legends: Graham Hill (No. 10 Owen Racing Organization BRM P261 V8); Jim Clark (No. 6 Lotus 33 Climax V8); Richie Ginther (No. 22 Honda R&D Company Honda RA272 V12) on the Front Row. Others in the shot: John Surtees (No. 2 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC Ferrari 158 V8); Dan Gurney (No. 16 Brabham Racing Organization Brabham BT11 Climax V8) and Mike Spence (No. 8 Team Lotus/Lotus 25 Climax V8). Clark won that day, followed by Jackie Stewart (No. 12 Owen Racing Organization BRM P261 V8) and Gurney.
Nassau Speed Weeks, Bahamas, November 29, 1964. The Front Row for the start of the Nassau TT for GT+2.0 cars: Ken Miles (No. 98 Shelby American 427 Cobra prototype); Jack Saunders (No. 00 Mecom Racing Team Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport) and a partially obscured Roger Penske (No. 82 Mecom Racing Team Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport). Penske won, followed by Walt Hansgen (No. 3 Mecom Racing Team Ferrari 250 LM) and Bob Grossman (No. 90 Scuderia Bear Ferrari 250 LM).
Watkins Glen, New York, July 23, 1972. Denny Hulme (No. 5 Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. GULF/Boyd Jefferies McLaren M20 Chevrolet) and Peter Revson (No. 4 Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. GULF/Boyd Jefferies McLaren M20 Chevrolet) on the Front Row during the pace lap for the Can-Am. Hulme and Revson finished 1-2. It was the last Can-Am win for McLaren as Roger Penske 's L&M Porsche 917/10 Turbo driven by George Follmer would dominate the series from that point on. Francois Cevert (No. 22 Young American Racing McLaren M8F Chevrolet) finished third. 
(Pete Lyons Photo)
Laguna Seca, October 15, 1972. George Follmer (No. 7 Roger Penske Enterprises, Inc. L&M Porsche+Audi Porsche 917/10 Turbo) and Mark Donohue (No. 6 Roger Penske Enterprises, Inc. L&M Porsche+Audi Porsche 917/10 Turbo) on the Front Row for the Can-Am. Mark had returned after his early-season injury two weeks before at Edmonton and promptly won. This race was about Follmer sealing the Can-Am championship, so George and Mark ran 1-2. Francois Cevert (No. 22 Young American Racing Mclaren M8F Chevrolet) finished third. The factory McLaren M20 Chevrolets driven by Hulme and Revson didn't finish.
(Pete Lyons Photo)
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 3, 1967. The Front Row for the start of the Can-Am: Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren Cars Ltd. McLaren M6A Chevrolet) and Danny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren Cars Ltd. McLaren M6A Chevrolet) lead the field. Other notables? Dan Gurney (No. 36 All American Racers Lola T70 Mk.3B Ford); George Follmer (No. 16 Roger Penske Racing Ent. Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); Mark Donohue (No. 6 Roger Penske Racing Ent. Lola T70 Mk.3B Chevrolet); Chuck Parsons (No. 26 Carl Haas Automobile Imports Inc. McLaren Elva Mark III Chevrolet); John Surtees (No. 7 Team Surtees Ltd. Lola T70 Mk.3B Chevrolet); Peter Revson (No. 52 Peyton Cramer/Dana Chevrolet Lola T70 Mk.3 Chevrolet) and Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral Cars Chaparral 2G Chevrolet). How dominant were the McLarens? McLaren qualified at 2:12.600; Hulme at 2:12.700. Gurney was two seconds back at 2:14.400. The rest of the field fell away sharply after that. Oh, by the way, that's Stirling Moss driving the Camaro pace car.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. These photographs of front-row qualifiers capture a moment in time, or rather, a moment in speed. For a fleeting moment we get a glimpse of the best of the best at a particular track, on a particular day. Is it too much wallowing in nostalgia? I have been roundly criticized for that, but I disagree. In order to appreciate what we have now, or where we want the sport to go, we have to appreciate where we've been. I hope you enjoy it, because even though these are historic photos - they never get old.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Start of the USRRC GT race, May 9, 1965. Ken Miles (No. 98 Shelby American Cobra) and Ed Leslie (No. 96 Shelby American Cobra) lead the charge from the Front Row with Bob Johnson (No. 97 Shelby American Cobra) close behind. Other notables? Ernie Kessling (No. 1 Shelby Cobra), Dave Jordan (No. 31 Otto Zipper Porsche 904 GTS), Kurt Nuemann (No. 34 Porsche 904 GTS) and Scooter Patrick (No. 32 Otto Zipper Porsche 904 GTS). Ken Miles and Ed Leslie delivered a 1-2 for Shelby American, lapping the field, while Bob Johnson did not finish. Scooter Patrick finished third.
24 Hours of Le Mans, June 25, 1960. The Briggs Cunningham Chevrolet Corvette team lined up for the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. No "Front Row," instead the cars were placed at the front of the field because of the displacement of their Corvette V8s, according to ACO rules. The production Corvettes were ordered from a dealer - Don Allen Chevrolet in Manhattan - and were outfitted with every performance option available at the time, including a fuel-injected, 283 cu. in. 290HP V8; a close-ratio 4-speed gearbox; heavy-duty suspension; heavy-duty sintered-metallic brake linings; quick-ratio steering; a Positraction limited-slip differential; a temperature-controlled radiator fan and radio delete (!). From there, Cunningham's ace mechanic - Alfred Momo - completed a long list of modifications that would serve the Corvette team well, including: Stewart Warner gauges; a huge Jones-Motorola tachometer with tell-tale; a massive aircraft-sized fuel-filler relocated to a cove cut into the middle of the rear window; Halibrand knock off wheels with Firestone racing tires; Koni competition shocks; two Bendix fuel pumps; an additional front sway bar; a 37 gallon fuel tank; extensive brake ducting from the grille area; a cooling duct from drivers side front bumper area (directing cooling air to the driver through the foot well); two seats from a WW II Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft; and custom-fabricated exhausts that exited in front of the rear tires. Zora Arkus-Duntov was slated to drive one of the Cunningham Corvettes in the race, but GM prevented him from doing so because of the company's self-imposed ban on factory-supported participation in racing of any kind. So the driver line-up consisted of Briggs Cunningham/William Kimberly (No. 1 Chevrolet Corvette); Fred Windridge/Dr. Dick Thompson (No. 2 Chevrolet Corvette) and John Fitch/Bob Grossman (No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette). Even though the No. 1 and No. 2 cars did not finish, the No. 3 machine finished eighth overall, delivering a class victory (GT - 4,000 to 5,000cc) for Chevrolet Corvette in its first year of competition at Le Mans. But it wasn't without considerable drama, as the No. 3 Corvette started to overheat in the 23rd hour of the race. Since race rules prohibited cars from receiving any fluids other than fuel, Momo jam-packed ice from drink coolers in and around the engine, which was enough to allow the No. 3 Corvette to continue on to the class win. 
Daytona International Speedway, February 27, 1966. The start of the Daytona 500 with Richard Petty (No. 43 Petty Enterprises Plymouth GTX) on pole and Dick Hutcherson (No. 29 Holman-Moody Racing East Tennessee Motor Co. Ford) on the Front Row. Petty won, followed by Cale Yarborough (No. 27 Banjo Matthews/Abingdon Motor Ford) and David Pearson (No. 6 Cotton Owens/Southeastern Dodge Dealers Dodge).
(Dave Friedman photo)
Nassau Speed Weeks, December 1, 1963. The Front Row for the Preliminary Nassau TT (GT +2.0) consisted of Augie Pabst (No. 00 Mecom Racing Team Lola Mk.6 GT Chevrolet, not visible to the right), Jim Hall (No. 65 Mecom Racing Team Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport 003) and Dr. Dick Thompson (No. 80 Mecom Racing Team Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport 005). That's Roger Penske in the dark jacket talking to Thompson, with John Mecom Jr. in the white sweater looking on. Pabst won, followed by Thompson and Hall.
Silverstone, July 10, 1965. The Front Row for the British Grand Prix: Jim Clark (No. 5 Team Lotus/Lotus 33 Climax V8, pole); Graham Hill (No. 3 Owen Racing Organization BRM P261/BRM P60 V8), Richie Ginther (No. 11 Honda R&D/Honda RA272 V12) and Jackie Stewart (No. 4 Owen Racing Organization BRM P261/BRM P60 V8). Clark won that day, followed by Hill and John Surtees (No. 1 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC Ferrari 1512 F12).
Trenton Speedway, Trenton, New Jersey, April 23, 1967. Mario Andretti (No. 1 Al Dean/Dean Van Lines Brawner/Ford, pole) and Lloyd Ruby (No. 25 Gene White/American Red Ball Mongoose/Offy) on the Front Row for the 150-mile USAC Champ Car Series race. Mario won, followed by Roger McCluskey (No. 12 Lindsey Hopkins/G.C. Murphy Eagle/Ford) and Bobby Unser (No. 6 Bob Wilke/Rislone Eagle/Ford). 

By Peter M DeLorenzo

Editor's Note: This marks the last of Peter's "Famous Front Rows" columns, at least for now. We hope you've enjoyed them as much as he has enjoyed putting them together. -WG

Detroit. These photographs of front-row qualifiers capture a moment in time, or rather, a moment in speed. For a fleeting moment we get a glimpse of the best of the best at a particular track, on a particular day. Is it too much wallowing in nostalgia? I have been roundly criticized for that, but I disagree. In order to appreciate what we have now, or where we want the sport to go, we have to appreciate where we've been. I hope you enjoy it, because even though these are historic photos - they never get old.

New Smyrna Beach Airport, Florida, February, 1957. Marvin Panch (No. 98 Ford Thunderbird "Battlebird") and Carroll Shelby (No. 198 Ferrari 4.9) take the start for the 40-lap feature race. An eight-turn, 2.4-mile course was arranged at the airport that still sits alongside U.S. Highway 1. Along with Panch and Shelby, 100 drivers showed up for the SCCA races. Other notables? Troy Ruttman, Fireball Roberts, Curtis Turner and Paul Goldsmith. Shelby averaged 87.56 mph for the win, with Panch finishing second. The Ford "Battlebirds" were prepared by Peter DePaolo Engineering, in Long Beach, Calif. DePaolo had raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and had established his company as a go-to racing car engineering firm. DePaolo was selected by Ford to prepare Thunderbirds for the Daytona Beach Speed Week Trials in February 1957, so four production Thunderbirds where shipped out to California for race preparation. Dwight “Whitey” Clayton and Dick Troutman (of Troutman & Barnes fame) heavily-modified - and lightened - the cars using hand-formed aluminum hoods, doors, trunks, firewalls and belly pans. Faired-in headrests were also used for streamlining. The Battlebird that Panch raced had a heavily-modified 312 cu. in. V8 with Hilborn fuel-injection.
Silverstone, England, July 19, 1969. The start of the British Grand Prix: Jochen Rindt (No. 2 Gold Leaf Team Lotus 49B Cosworth DFV V8, on pole and already out of the picture), John Surtees (No. 14 BRM P139 V12), Jackie Stewart (No. 3 Matra MS80 Ford Cosworth DFV V8), Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M7A Ford Cosworth DFV V8), Chris Amon (No. 11 Ferrari 312 V12), Pedro Rodriguez (No. 12 Ferrari 312 V12), Bruce McLaren (No. 6 McLaren M7C Ford Cosworth DFV V8), Graham Hill (No. 1 Gold Leaf Team Lotus 49B Cosworth DFV V8) and Jacky Ickx (No. 7 Brabham BT26 Ford Cosworth DFV V8). Stewart won by 1 lap, followed by Ickx and McLaren.
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, 1960. Setting the grid for the Road America 500 with the Maserati Tipo 61 of Dave Causey/Luke Steer on pole and the No. 60 Briggs Cunningham Jaguar E 2A driven by Walt Hansgen next to it on the Front Row. Picture taken from the No. 62 Briggs Cunningham Lister-Jaguar driven by Cunningham/Hugus/Forno. Causey/Steer won. Hansgen finished third.
Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1970. The Front Row: Al Unser (No. 2 Vel Miletich Johnny Lighting Special Colt/Ford), Johnny Rutherford (No. 18 Patrick Petroleum Eagle/Offy) and A. J. Foyt (No. 7 Sheraton/Thompson Coyote/Ford). Unser won, followed by Mark Donohue (No. 66 Penske Sunoco Lola/Ford) and Dan Gurney (No. 48 Olsonite Eagle/Offy).
Watkins Glen, July 23, 1972. The Front Row for the Can-Am: Peter Revson (No. 4 McLaren Cars/Gulf McLaren M20 Chevrolet, pole) and Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren Cars/Gulf McLaren M20 Chevrolet) lead the field to the start. George Follmer (No. 6 Roger Penske Enterprises Inc. L&M/Porsche+Audi Porsche 917 Turbo) qualified third and Francois Cevert (No. 22 Young American Racing McLaren M8F Chevrolet) lined up in fourth. Hulme and Revson delivered a 1-2 for McLaren; Cevert was third, David Hobbs (No. 1 Carl A. Haas Racing Teams Ltd. STEED Lola T310 Chevrolet) fourth and Follmer came home in fifth.
(Pete Lyons photo)
Stardust Grand Prix Can-Am, Las Vegas, Nevada, November 12, 1967. The Front Row consisted of Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M6A Chevrolet, pole) and Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet). Other notables? Parnelli Jones (No. 21 Lola T70 Mk.3 DOHC Ford), Dan Gurney (No. 36 Lola T70 Mk.3B AAR-Weslake Ford), Peter Revson (No. 52 Denny Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet), Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M6A Chevrolet), Mark Donohue (No. 6 Penske Lola T70 Mk.3B Chevrolet), Mike Spence (No. 22 McLaren Elva Mark II B Chevrolet) and John Surtees (No. 7 Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet). Surtees won, followed by Donohue and Spence. McLaren, Hulme, Hall and Gurney DNF.
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, July 19, 1970. The Front Row for the Trans-Am: George Follmer (No. 16 Bud Moore Engineering Ford Mustang Boss 302) and Parnelli Jones (No. 15 Bud Moore Engineering Ford Mustang Boss 302). The rest of the first ten qualifiers included Vic Elford (No. 2 Chaparral Cars Chevrolet Camaro), Swede Savage (No. 42 All American Racers Inc. Plymouth Barracuda), Sam Posey (No. 77 Autodynamics Corp. Dodge Challenger), Mark Donohue (No. 6 Roger Penske Racing Sunoco AMC Javelin), Peter Revson (No. 9 Roger Penske Racing Sunoco AMC Javelin), Jim Hall (No. 1 Chaparral Cars Chevrolet Camaro), Milt Minter (No. 68 American Racing Associates Inc. Chevrolet Camaro) and Roy Woods (No. 69 American Racing Associates Inc. Chevrolet Camaro. Donohue won that day, followed by Savage, Posey, Hall, Jones, Minter, Woods and Tony DeLorenzo (No. 3 Owens/Corning Fiberglas Racing Team Chevrolet Camaro).
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 1969. The Front Row for the Indianapolis 500: A. J. Foyt (No. 6 Sheraton/Thompson Coyote Ford), Mario Andretti (No. 2 STP Oil Treatment Hawk/Ford) and Bobby Unser (No. 1 Bardahl Lola/Offy). But that's not Mario in the picture, it's his brother Aldo filling in for him. Mario had burns to his face from a practice crash and he didn't want to be in the picture with bandages, so he had his brother stand in for the picture. Mario won that year - his only win in the Indianapolis 500 - followed by Dan Gurney (No. 48 All American Racers Olsonite Eagle/Ford) and Bobby Unser.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. In the midst of a tumultuous year, with the pandemic wreaking havoc on lives across the country, the 104th Indianapolis 500 is not only a welcome diversion, it is absolutely necessary. When it was announced that Roger Penske had bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR, I know racing enthusiasts of all stripes were pleased. We all looked forward to see how "The Captain" would transform The Speedway with his trademark vision and detail-oriented execution. And then the pandemic hit, and Roger and his group have had to scramble nonstop to bring about this race that will go off next Sunday, almost three months later than scheduled. 

First, there were going to be fans, then there would be a limited number of fans, and finally, the decision was made to go with no fans in attendance. That was a huge blow and something that Penske & Co. wanted to avoid at all costs. And then in an unprecedented move, Roger made the regrettable decision to cut the huge Indianapolis 500 purse in half. Through it all, the team owners, drivers, sponsors and INDYCAR's NBC television partners have stayed the course in support of the long-term health of the sport. And we should all be thankful this is the case.

But thankfully, the on-track story at The Speedway quickly became the story, as Marco Andretti fought challenging, windy conditions and stood on the gas in his No. 98 Andretti Herta Autosport U.S. Concrete/Curb Honda V6 Turbo/Dallara and captured the pole for the the 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge with a blistering four-lap average speed of 231.068 mph. It will be the first time in 33 years that an Andretti will lead the field to the start of the "500" since his grandfather Mario did it in 1987. 

Andretti was the last driver to go out in the Fast Nine Shootout on Sunday and just edged Scott Dixon (No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing PNC Bank Honda V6 Turbo/Dallara) for the pole. Dixon's four-lap average was 231.051 mph. Takuma Sato (No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Panasonic/PeopleReady Honda Turbo V6/Dallara) completed the all-Honda Front Row with a speed of 230.725 mph, as Honda totally dominated qualifying by powering eight of the first nine starters. The one bright spot for Chevrolet was 19-year-old rookie Rinus VeeKay (No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Sonax Chevrolet Turbo V6/Dallara) who stunned observers with his terrific qualifying performance that was good for the fourth starting position with an average speed of 230.704 mph.

Before you start thinking that it's going to be a Honda runaway in the race, the open practice session after qualifying - with teams flaunting their race day set-ups - indicated that the "500" was going to be a different story, with Chevrolet and Honda teams running very close together in speed (although Marco was quickest again). I expect that next Sunday's Indianapolis 500 will be a competitive shootout that will see incredible passes and a battle between at least ten drivers for the win. But don't be surprised if it comes down to two drivers in particular: Marco Andretti and Scott Dixon.

It has been over 100 years for "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" and each new Indianapolis 500 brings new stories and adds new chapters to a glorious history that has endured over time. I look forward to it continuing for years to come.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)
Marco Andretti will start from the pole for the Indianapolis 500, the first time in 33 years that an Andretti will lead the field to the green in "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
(Photo by Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR)
The Front Row for the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 (R to L): Marco Andretti, pole position (231.068 mph); Scott Dixon (231.051 mph); and Takuma Sato (230.725 mph).

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
Needless to say, a win by Marco would be fantastic for the sport - and the Andretti family.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. Scott Dixon dominated the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500, but Takuma Sato was there at the end when it counted. While Dixon was leading at will, Sato was staying close, running in the top five most of the race. Did Sato have enough fuel to get to the end? Based on his post-race comments, probably not. There were several very bad crashes during the race, none worse than Spencer Pigot's massive impact into the end of the pit wall right at the end of the race. And the resulting caution sealed the win for Sato.

Should the race officials have thrown the red flag? Given the circumstances, no. There would have been a delay of at least an hour, probably more, and this Indy 500 was already reeling with no fans and a three-month delay. Did I want to see the race end on a caution? No, but I think the right call was made. At any rate, it doesn't matter. It was Takuma's day, and he is the 2020 Indianapolis 500 champion, becoming the 20th driver to have two Indy 500 wins on his resume.

Congratulations to Takuma and the entire Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing organization.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
Takuma Sato, winner of the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500.
(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
We bet Takuma's second win was sweeter.
(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)
The Victory Wreath, the Borg-Warner Trophy, the bottles of milk and Takuma's still-grimy Honda-powered Dallara.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. My thoughts on racing this week begin with Lewis Hamilton. That we are witnessing greatness at a new level cannot be overstated. It's not just the number of wins - 89 - or the number of pole positions - 93 (an all-time record) - or the number of World Championships (6), it's the way he goes about it that is simply incredible. At 35, he retains the relentless dedication, the focused consistency and the pure passion for the sport that are required to be champion. He seems to be able to summon that last bit of "extra" when he needs it, and his talent was on full display during his pole position lap at Spa on Saturday. It was simply a work of art, on the level of Ayrton Senna's famous lap at Monaco. You can watch it here. And you'll probably watch it more than once. It's easy to take Hamilton's performances for granted, or to say he has had the best equipment, but make no mistake, I think we're seeing the best Grand Prix driver of all time, and I plan on appreciating Lewis in the moment as long he continues to do it and/or until he decides to call it a career.

Switching gears, I am thrilled to see the changing of the guard in INDYCAR. The new wave of talent is most impressive, with Patricio O'Ward, Rinus VeeKay, Santino Ferrucci, Conor Daly, Alex Palou, Jack Harvey and Oliver Askew running hard and fast, and blending with existing stars like Josef Newgarden, Colton Herta, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Will Power, Takuma Sato, Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal, Felix Rosenqvist, Simon Pagenaud, et al., to present probably the most deeply talented field of INDYCAR drivers we've ever seen. And let's not forget the best of the best - Scott Dixon - who delivered his 50th INDYCAR victory on Saturday (see The Line -WG). Scott has now moved closer to Mario Andretti's victory total of 52 (A.J. Foyt has the most wins with 67) and has solidified his place as one of the all-time greats. Scott also displays the level of focused consistency and relentless dedication and pure passion that have helped make him a five-time champion. I will continue to savor Scott's performances in the moment as well, until he takes his place on the Mount Rushmore of Indy car racing.

And I would like to pause for a moment and mention Tony Kanaan, who seems to be at the end of the road in his INDYCAR career. Yes, he may put something together for next year, but if he should be unable to do so I will always remember Tony as someone who absolutely loved to drive an INDYCAR to the best of his abilities. INDYCAR enthusiasts always appreciated Tony's pure joy for the sport and he will be missed, although something tells me he will be around the sport in some capacity for years to come.

And let's not forget Jimmie Johnson, who missed NASCAR's playoffs in his final season. Johnson has won 83 races (to date) and seven NASCAR championships, including an incredible five in a row. I feel that Jimmie's prodigious accomplishments were never given the due that he deserved, because in an era of ferociously intense NASCAR competition, he flat dominated the sport. I appreciated Jimmie's accomplishments then and I appreciate them even more now. Should he put together a sponsorship package to run the street and road courses in INDYCAR next year, I will look forward to watching him compete, as I consider him to be one of the sport's all-time greats.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 1963. Dan Gurney at the first test of the brand-new Lotus-Ford Indy car. Dan was instrumental in putting Colin Chapman and Ford operatives together to build a car to compete in the Indianapolis 500.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. These photographs of front-row qualifiers capture a moment in time, or rather, a moment in speed. For a fleeting moment we get a glimpse of the best of the best at a particular track, on a particular day. Is it too much wallowing in nostalgia? I have been roundly criticized for that, but then again, I disagree. In order to appreciate what we have now, or where we want the sport of racing to go, we have to appreciate where we've been. I hope you enjoy it, because even though these are historic photos - they never get old.
Riverside International Raceway, January 26, 1974. David Pearson in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Purolator Mercury qualified for the Winston Western 500 - the opener for the NASCAR season - on the pole. Joining David on the Front Row was Cale Yarborough (No. 11 Kare-Kare Chevrolet). Other notable qualifiers? Bobby Allison (No. 12 Coca-Cola Chevrolet) started third; George Follmer (No. 15 Bud Moore Engineering R. C. Cola Ford), fourth; Gary Bettenhausen (No. 16 Penske AMC Matodor), fifth; and Richard Petty (No. 43 Petty Enterprises STP Oil Treatment + Oil Filters Dodge) in sixth. Cale Yarborough won that day, followed by Petty and Pearson. How grueling was that race? The running time was 4:56:52. The average speed was 101.14 mph.
Nassau Speed Weeks, December 5, 1965. Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral 2C Chevrolet) leads Hap Sharp (No. 65 Chaparral 2A - with 2C mods - Chevrolet) and Bruce McLaren (No. 47 McLaren-Elva Mark II Oldsmobile) at the start of the Nassau Trophy race. Hap Sharp won that day, followed by John Cannon (No. 62 Genie Mk.10B Oldsmobile) and Peter Revson (No. 52 Brabham BT8 Climax). Hall and McLaren didn't finish, although Hall set the fastest lap of the race.
Italian Grand Prix, Monza, Italy, September 5, 1971. Ronnie Peterson (No. 25 March Racing Team STP March 711 Ford Cosworth DFV) leads Clay Regazzoni (No. 4 Scuderia Ferrari 312B) after the start with Jackie Stewart (No. 30 ELF Team Tyrrell Ford 003 Cosworth DFV) and Francois Cevert (No. 2 ELF Team Tyrrell Ford 002 Cosworth DFV) right behind. Other notables? Jacky Ickx (No. 3 Scuderia Ferrari 312B); Jo Siffert (No. 20 Yardley Team BRM P160); Howden Ganley (No. 19 Yardley Team BRM P160); Chris Amon (No. 12 Equipe Matra Sports Matra MS120B V12); and Mike Hailwood (No. 9 Team Surtees TS9 Ford Cosworth DFV). Amon, Ickx and Siffert had qualified 1-2-3, but they were passed by the fourth lap. Peter Gethin (No. 18 Yardley Team BRM P160 won the now famous race in a photo finish, followed by Peterson, Cevert, Hailwood and Ganley. The race set a number of a records. It was the fastest race in F1 history at 242.615 km/h (150.754 mph) at the time. And it is still the fifth-fastest race. The eight different leaders was, and still is, a stand-alone F1 record. The close finish of 0.01 seconds was - along with the 2002 U.S. Grand Prix - the closest-ever finish in an F1 race. It also still holds records for closest finish between first and third (0.09 seconds), first and fourth (0.18 seconds), and first and fifth (0.61 seconds).
(Dave Friedman photo)
Stardust International Raceway, November 13, 1966. The start of the Las Vegas Can-Am was a perfect glimpse of the pinnacle of sports car racing in the U. S. in the 60s with a glittering All-Star grid that resonates to this day. John Surtees (No. 7 Team Surtees Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet) started from the pole, and he is followed by Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral 2E Chevrolet); Parnelli Jones (No. 98 Mecom Racing Team Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); Phil Hill (No. 65 Chaparral 2E Chevrolet); Jackie Stewart (No. 43 Mecom Racing Team Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); George Follmer (No. 16 Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren Elva Mark IIB Chevrolet); Chris Amon (No. 5 McLaren Elva Mark IIB Chevrolet); Mark Donohue (No. 6 Penske Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet); Masten Gregory (No. 88 McLaren Elva Mark II Chevrolet); Dan Gurney (No. 30 AAR Lola T70 Mk.2 Ford); Ralph Salyer (No. 26 McKee Mk.6 Oldsmobile) and Denny Hulme (No. 8 Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet). Surtees won that day, followed by McLaren, Donohue and Peter Revson (No. 20 McLaren Elva Mark II Ford).
Italian Grand Prix, September 7, 1958. Phil Hill (No. 18 Scuderia Ferrari Dino 246) leads Stirling Moss (No. 26 Vandervell Products Ltd. Vanwall) and Mike Hawthorn (No. 14 Scuderia Ferrari Dino 246). Moss started from the pole, followed by Tony Brooks (No. 28 Vandervell Products Ltd. Vanwall). At the finish it was Brooks, followed by Hawthorn and Phil Hill. Moss didn't finish (gearbox issues).

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. The history of racing is filled with memorable moments, incandescent triumphs and yes, unspeakable tragedies. A kaleidoscope of images has captured these moments since racing's inception, and I plan to present a few of them in this column and in future columns in the coming weeks. I hope you enjoy it.
Atlanta International Raceway, April 11, 1965. Marvin Panch and A.J. Foyt in Victory Lane after winning the Atlanta 500 NASCAR Grand National race in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford. Foyt took over the No. 21 Ford after Panch became ill and drove it to the win. Panch was credited with the victory per NASCAR rules. That's Leonard Wood in the lower left-hand corner of the photo.
Riverside International Raceway, January 21, 1968. Dan Gurney (No. 121 Wood Brothers Ron's Ford) after winning the Motor Trend 500. David Pearson (No. 17 Holman-Moody Racing East Tennessee Motor Co. Ford) was second, and Parnelli Jones (No. 115 Bill Stroppe/Vel's Ford) finished third. Dan was the absolute dominant force in his NASCAR guest drives at Riverside; winning in '63, '64, '65, '66 and '68.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Venice, California, February 1963. Carroll Shelby stands proudly next to three of his four Shelby American Cobras slated to be loaded up for the drive to Sebring, Florida, for the 12 Hours. The cars were further prepped and re-numbered upon revival. 
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Sebring, Florida, March 1967. Bruce McLaren and Mario Andretti stand next to the No. 1 Ford Mk IV in a promotional photo. The Mk IV was the ultimate development of the infamous "J-car," the machine that Ken Miles was killed in while testing at Riverside in August 1966. After the tragic loss of Miles, the "J-car" was thoroughly revamped and developed, with its racing debut scheduled for the 12 Hours of Sebring. Incredibly enough, the Mk IV was only raced twice: McLaren and Andretti won the 12 Hours of Sebring with it, and Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt memorably won the 24 Hours of Le Mans two months later.  
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Sebring, Florida, March 21, 1964. The Winners of the 12 Hours of Sebring: Dave MacDonald and Bob Holbert (No. 10 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe), who were 1st in GT5.0 and 4th overall; and Umberto Maglioli and Mike Parkes (No. 22 Ferrari 275 P), who won the race overall.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. John Oreovicz has delivered a must read for racing enthusiasts of all stripes entitled: TIME FLIES THE HISTORY OF PACWEST RACING (www.documentarymedia.com). The author, who was embedded with PacWest Racing, provides an inside account of the team's eight-year run in the heyday of the CART series. The book serves as a primer for racing enthusiasts who might not recall that golden era of racing, and for those who do, it provides a level of depth and detail that is revealing and welcomed. Bruce McCaw and his partners had grandiose plans for their CART effort, and remarkably enough PacWest Racing developed into a race-winning team within four years. But after being established as a front-running contender the expectations became too high, and the book reveals how quickly fortunes can change in one of the toughest businesses in the world.

While PacWest celebrated many achievements during its tenure in CART, one of the most significant accomplishments was launching the Indy car career of Scott Dixon, who won his first Indy car race in a PacWest Racing machine. Racing is a kaleidoscope of highs and lows, punctuated by tragedies, and Oreovicz covers all of it with aplomb. John has written about the sport in print and online since 1993 for outlets including National Speed Sport News and ESPN. He worked in PR for PacWest Racing, where he developed a lifelong friendship with Bruce McCaw. "Oreo" is acknowledged as one of the most versatile and experienced American auto racing journalists, and he now resides a "short walk" from Turn 1 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

I highly recommend this book because John reveals in vivid detail just how difficult it is to field a major league racing team in one of its most competitive eras. 

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.