54 replies to this topic

[RA Historian]

As stated in the title, this year's big Historic weekend at Road America, July 12-15, will have the Lola T-70 as the featured marque. Further, the featured event will be another Can Am retrospective. I would expect a goodly number of T-70s to show up, and we hope that most of them will be real!

Tom

[David M. Kane]

Rock on!

[E1pix]

Rock on!

Absolutely, and thanks RA for the update. Can't come, but good to know.

If not before, I'm planning on coming for the Can-Am Reunion in 2016 (should really be something, though the math hurts a little ;) ).


Might you know how many T70s are expected in July?

Anyone know how many continuation T70 Mk3Bs have been sold?

[RA Historian]

Schedule for the weekend is now known and posted on the Road America site. Events of particular interest are:

3:30 SATURDAY (note, not Sunday!) Lola T-70 race

1:00 Sunday, Historic Can Am event

2:45 Sunday, F-5000 event

Expect a fair number of Lola T-70s to be present. What is the over/under on real to fake?

Tom

[sblick]

I should be there. Hopefully Friday and through the weekend. At worst Saturday and Sunday. Friend is towing out a Lotus 51 and the Lotus 19 (?) Monte Carlo that was there a couple years ago. The Monte Carlo was a heavily crashed car and re-done, and stated clearly by the owner. Can't wait but we are in back to back groups I hear. Run run run then wait wait wait. Hopefully can get lots of pictures and watch a little racing this time. Woo hoo I am psyched up.

[E1pix]

I sense your anticipation all the way from Denver.

Have a blast, I hope you can post some photos here.

[Gerald Swan]

If anybody wants to send me pictures for the Heritage site they will be forever blessed.....or something .

[E1pix]

Gerald, your site is lovely.

[racinggeek]

RA, any drivers whose names are linked with the T70 on the schedule? I know Surtees might be too much to ask for, but ...

[Wirra]

Just to whet the appetite, a few images from Laguna Seca last August.

Edited by Wirra, 29 June 2012 - 02:23.

[Tmeranda]

Can't wait to see those CanAms roar thru Thunder Valley.

[RickT]

Hi Guys

Dad and I will be there - over for a holiday but helping out with Ray Boisonneaus McLren M1B in Can-Am and McRae GM1 in F5000. We rebuilt both cars over here in the UK so it will be nice to see them running in anger on a proper Can-Am and F5000 track again !

Call in and say hi if you are passing !

Cheers
Richard

[RA Historian]

Entry list for the event is posted here:

https://www.roadamer...2...0PDF(1).pdf

About 20 Lola T-70s entered, of which I would guess somewhere under half are legitimate. Sorry, just saying...

Tom

[red stick]

About 20 Lola T-70s entered, of which I would guess somewhere under half are legitimate. Sorry, just saying...

Tom

Which makes me wonder, does Road America have any control over permitting entries you know to be not quite legitimate? Or is this a beggars can't be choosers situation?

[RA Historian]

The track really does not consider that to be its duty. It is presenting a weekend of fun for the paying spectator. I am sure it has neither the staff nor the stomach to examine the pedigree of its entries. For that matter, if one wanted to have only 'real' cars, I suspect that most of the field would disappear, and I mean all classes, not just Can Am cars.

This event has never claimed to have Goodwood level authenticity. Further, I suspect that the vast majority of the paying spectators really do not care if what they are seeing is genuine, a replica, or something in between. I guess that when you really come down to it, it is just uber enthusiasts such as us on this forum who get very worked up over chassis numbers, authenticity, and the like.

BTW, of the 20 +/- Lola T-70s entered as of now, seven are legit, two are Lola-built continuations, and the rest are, shall we say, of questionable parentage.

Tom

[red stick]

Thanks Tom. I suspected Road America wasn't willing to make it their business, but since you raised the point I was curious. I seem to recall word of mouth at the event takes care of the more egregious pretenders.

Edited by red stick, 02 July 2012 - 14:24.

[sblick]

Thanks Tom. I suspected Road America wasn't willing to make it their business, but since you raised the point I was curious. I seem to recall word of mouth at the event takes care of the more egregious pretenders.

To me, when I go there I would like to see authenticity first but know it is a pipe dream mostly. There are a lot of cars that race that weekend that are so new I question them as vintage, but what is a vintage race car anymore? All the tube frame cars just carry a build plate and everything else around it is brand new it seems to me. I guess on some level I don't really care either when I see a car race i just flat out love it. Slow or fast authentic or reproduction.
I think it is up to the sanctioning body to check authenticity not the track. As RA says they are there for the show and to make sure overall it is a safe event.

Edited by sblick, 02 July 2012 - 16:47.

[SCHKEE T332]

The fact that a car races in the T70 race should mean nothing other than an additional entry to the race these days. In other words, the car should not be legitimized through vintage race history. The organizers scramble to fill fields in order to put on a good race, and the selections to fill the fields would take priority over provenance at most events today, and that is just how it is. The focus of the Road America event is a race, not a show or parade. There are not enough top drawer cars actively racing to produce a full field in 2012 in the USA in full competition such as is found at Road America. However, the race is really going to be a great one and should not be missed if possible. I wish it was on TV instead of some of the stupid shows on Speed.

[E1pix]

If it were possible to put on a new Can-Am series with only continuation cars, I'd be there and wouldn't care less about authenticity. Partly because maybe, just maybe, they'd be driven as intended with much less fear of ruination.

That said, in the interest of history and the dying art of truth, I do care if anyone tries to pass off a fake as authentic... I see that as criminal behavior.

But in terms of watching them blast on by, the more the merrier, and I can't see the plate from the sidelines anyways. And dang, I wish I was coming to RA...


[Edit: Schkee, I couldn't agree more. I think Pimp My Ride should be re-formatted as If I Only Had a Brain]

Edited by E1pix, 02 July 2012 - 21:51.

[grandprix61]

Entry list for the event is posted here:

https://www.roadamer...2...0PDF(1).pdf

About 20 Lola T-70s entered, of which I would guess somewhere under half are legitimate. Sorry, just saying...

Tom

Tom: here is Dan in the original car. Do you know if will be up there? Ron N.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[grandprix61]

trying to get another shot on the forum. more to view on www.classicvintagemotorsports.com hope to see you all at RA. Ron N.

[RA Historian]

Tom: here is Dan in the original car. Do you know if will be up there? Ron N.

Not the original AAR T-70. The car pictured is SL-75/122, the car Dan drove in the '67 Can Am. It is one of four T-70 Mk III-B spyders (a/k/a T-75) built, although of course this designation is erroneously applied to most T-70s. But I digress. I do not know where this car is at this time and as far as I know it is not entered next week.

It is possible that one of Dan's earlier T-70s will be there. These are SL-71/31 and SL-71/46. #31 is owned by Johan Woerheide, who is bringing two T-70s to the track, but I do not believe that the Gurney car is one of the two.

Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 06 July 2012 - 23:49.

[raceannouncer2003]

Not the original AAR T-70. The car pictured is SL-75/122, the car Dan drove in the '67 Can Am. It is one of four T-70 Mk III-B spyders (a/k/a T-75) built, although of course this designation is erroneously applied to most T-70s. But I digress. I do not know where this car is at this time and as far as I know it is not entered next week.

It is possible that one of Dan's earlier T-70s will be there. These are SL-71/31 and SL-71/46. #31 is owned by Johan Woerheide, who is bringing two T-70s to the track, but I do not believe that the Gurney car is one of the two.

Tom

Apparently Bob Rowley, appropriately of Eagle, Colorado, has SL-75/122. He converted it back to spider from coupe and ran it at Monterey last year, in the USRRC group. See this link:

http://www.gt40s.com...a-t70-body.html

Vince H.

[RA Historian]

Thanks Vince. Johan Woerheide also confirms this and adds: "Rob Rowley is bringing his car to Road America and is racing it with number 36."

Also, I had finger trouble and listed one of Dan's earlier T-70s as SL-71/31. That is not correct. I meant to write SL-71/34, which is a Gurney car and which is owned by Johan Woerheide. That car will not be present at Road America since it is still in the UK after Johan ran it at Goodwood last week.

So, in answer to Ron's earlier query, Dan Gurney's 1967 Can Am Lola T-75 will be at Road America next week.

Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 07 July 2012 - 13:04.

[David M. Kane]

Go Jerry Entin! He's running his McLaren M1-C.

[E1pix]

Wow, that's news and really nice to hear. I had no idea Jerry still owned that car, nor that he'd driven in decades.

David, do you know when his most-recent race was? Unless mistaken, I'd have thought "1970s" or so.

Agreed, Go Jerry!

[Tim Murray]

I know Jerry will chip in with the definitive answer when he spots this, but here's what Racing Sports cars has on him:

http://www.racingspo...-Entin-USA.html

[Jerry Entin]

This is really Tom's Lola thread.

McLaren getting body fitted by Dave Scoggins

I will add a little at this time. My last race was in 1968. I did try and run the 1969 Riverside Grand Prix in the ex Ron Dykes Lola T-163, that was Chrysler Hemi powered. The engine had zero oil pressure in practice and couldn't be fixed.

So my last race at Elkhart Lake was in 1968 at the Road America 500. I was co driving with Fred Pipin in his Jack Douglass sponsored Lola. This was the ex Dana Chevrolet car that Lothar Motschenbacher had run in 1967.

So it has been a mere 44 years since I have raced. Ike Smith has been working on my old McLaren Mk2. It is suppose to be at Elkhart next weekend.

Edited by Jerry Entin, 08 July 2012 - 23:38.

[Jerry Entin]

Ike Smith and Doug MacCorkindale working on McLaren

Ike and Doug have been working around the clock to try and have this car at Elkhart Lake, next weekend. They are currently in Oregon working out of Bill Moir's shop. The body was painted in California at Brian Blain's shop. The gearbox was finished by Dave Pozzi and the engine was made by Harvey Lasiter. The wiring of the chassis was done by Jeff McFarlane and all extra welding was done by Bill Comstock. Ray Franklin has also been a big help on this project.

They are leaving for Elkhart Lake on Monday and this chassis was stripped and painted yesterday. I am 70 and Ike and Doug are in their late 60's. We are the Over The Hill Gang.

Edited by Jerry Entin, 08 July 2012 - 23:45.

[David M. Kane]

Shairon bought her Lotus 22 from Brian Blain. We both hope you guys are having a fun, fun weekend!

[E1pix]

Oh My, 44 years... but just like riding a bike (or so "they" tell me ).

That's really wonderful, Jerry, I'm so pleased to hear you're doing this. I was at your last race in '68, along was RAhistorian I'm sure, and certainly recall the car you drove.

What a wonderful thing to do for yourself, and with your longtime McLaren no less. Perfect.

Have a Blast!

[RA Historian]

This is really Tom's Lola thread.

So my last race at Elkhart Lake was in 1968 at the Road America 500. I was co driving with Fred Pipin in his Jack Douglass sponsored Lola. This was the ex Dana Chevrolet car that Lothar Motschenbacher had run in 1967.

Thanks for the tip of the hat Jerry, but Lolas are just part of this thread. The real intent is to talk about the upcoming Road America historic weekend.

I think that the Douglas car that you mentioned, SL-73/115, was the Revson car when Dana ran it. The Motschenbacher car went to Shelby, Jerry Hansen, Jerry Rosbach, etc., etc. It now is with Marc Devis of Belgium, who will be at Road America this week.

Tom

[Jerry Entin]

Crew chief Harvey Lasiter unloading the Jack Douglass sponsored Lola T-70

Tom: The car Revson drove was white. The car Lothar drove was red. Fred Pipin bought the red one off Peyton Cramer of Dana Chevrolet. He was sponsored by Jack Douglass who lived in the Hinsdale, Illinois area at the time.

I brought Harvey Lasiter back to Elkhart Lake with me for the Road America 500. Harvey worked on the car and continued with the team after that race. He had it in perfect condition for the race. Fred Pipin ran off course and got stalled and I never got to drive in that race.

photo: Bill Bonow collection

Edited by Jerry Entin, 08 July 2012 - 14:08.

[RA Historian]

Tom: The car Revson drove was white. The car Lothar drove was red. Fred Pipin bought the red one off Peyton Cramer of Dana Chevrolet. He was sponsored by Jack Douglass who lived in the Hinsdale, Illinois area at the time.

Shelby bought both Dana Lolas from Peyton Cramer. Before his team ever raced the white Revson car it was painted red. The Revson car was the one sold to Pipin, while the Motschenbacher car went to Jerry Hansen.

Edited by RA Historian, 08 July 2012 - 22:23.

[biercemountain]

I wish someone would make up body work to replicate the T70 featured in "THX 1138". With its lights, it could even be used as a pace car

[NZALPA]

This is really Tom's Lola thread.

McLaren getting body fitted by Dave Scoggins

I will add a little at this time. My last race was in 1968. I did try and run the 1969 Riverside Grand Prix in the ex Ron Dykes Lola T-163, that was Chrysler Hemi powered. The engine had zero oil pressure in practice and couldn't be fixed.

So my last race at Elkhart Lake was in 1968 at the Road America 500. I was co driving with Fred Pipin in his Jack Douglass sponsored Lola. This was the ex Dana Chevrolet car that Lothar Motschenbacher had run in 1967.

So it has been a mere 44 years since I have raced. Ike Smith has been working on my old McLaren Mk2. It is suppose to be at Elkhart next weekend.

You will now be able to bring the car and the 'over the hill gang' down here to NZL this coming January 2013. We will stick you in the garage next to Ken Smith and his 'team geriatric'.

We hope to be at Road America next year with the 'down under team' of a dozen or so F5000's (if we get an invite)

Best of luck this weekend Jerry.

Edited by NZALPA, 11 July 2012 - 11:41.

[Jerry Entin]

NZALPA: Thanks for the invite. I am sorry to report that there just weren't enough hours left to finish the car. I even offered to come back to Oregon and drive the rig to Elkhart Lake. They need about 4 more hard working days to have the car finished. In the end it was one thing after another that made Elkhart a mission impossible to make.

Hopefully the car will run at St. Jovite in 2 weeks with my friend Bob Hardison driving it.

[E1pix]

...We hope to be at Road America next year with the 'down under team' of a dozen or so F5000's (if we get an invite)...

Hi NZ, I hope you get your invite so we can come watch.

NZALPA: Thanks for the invite. I am sorry to report that there just weren't enough hours left to finish the car. I even offered to come back to Oregon and drive the rig to Elkhart Lake. They need about 4 more hard working days to have the car finished. In the end it was one thing after another that made Elkhart a mission impossible to make.

Hopefully the car will run at St. Jovite in 2 weeks with my friend Bob Hardison driving it.

Sorry to hear that, Jerry.

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

Hi, Jerry. Bad luck in running out of time to get the car ready.

Your post above with a mention of having to do 'one thing after another' reminded of a line...I think from Car and Driver of back in the day...of the year that Dan Gurney ran a McLaren M1A in the Group Seven series. Autumn of 1965 I think that would be. The team arrived late for practice for the Riverside event and were in such a haste that dashing into the paddock at speed, the tow car with open trailer behind and MIA aboard, stood on the brakes hard enough to have the McLaren jump its moorings. No harm done as I recall but it could have been a disastrous entrance.

I mention the above since the crew was asked why they were so late. One responded, 'We had a lot a jesters to do.' Jesters? As in 'Let's jest check that before we go.'

[chuckbrandt]

NZALPA: Thanks for the invite. I am sorry to report that there just weren't enough hours left to finish the car. I even offered to come back to Oregon and drive the rig to Elkhart Lake. They need about 4 more hard working days to have the car finished. In the end it was one thing after another that made Elkhart a mission impossible to make.

Hopefully the car will run at St. Jovite in 2 weeks with my friend Bob Hardison driving it.

So sorry to hear that Jerry. I would have gladly committed to an all night thrash at the track if it would help! Will you be coming anyway? Would be great to see you all.

We're leaving tomorrow after lunch, should make it in plenty of time for the parade through town Friday night.

Chuck

[chuckbrandt]

NZALPA: Thanks for the invite. I am sorry to report that there just weren't enough hours left to finish the car. I even offered to come back to Oregon and drive the rig to Elkhart Lake. They need about 4 more hard working days to have the car finished. In the end it was one thing after another that made Elkhart a mission impossible to make.

Hopefully the car will run at St. Jovite in 2 weeks with my friend Bob Hardison driving it.

So sorry to hear that Jerry. I would have gladly committed to an all night thrash at the track if it would help! Will you be coming anyway? Would be great to see you all.

We're leaving tomorrow after lunch, should make it in plenty of time for the parade through town Friday night.

Chuck

[NZALPA]

Has anyone got a link to results for this event please?

Edited by NZALPA, 14 July 2012 - 20:55.

[RA Historian]

Nothing up yet, but in the next few days they should be here:

https://www.roadamer...tion.asp?id=244

Tom

[NZALPA]

Many thanks. Will keep looking.........

[Wayne Fetter]

A few shots from the weekend:


1970 Lola T-165 3 by Tracer-X, on Flickr


1970 Lola T-165 2 by Tracer-X, on Flickr


1972 McLaren M8FP by Tracer-X, on Flickr


1967 Lola T70 Spyder by Tracer-X, on Flickr


1970 Martini Porsche 917k by Tracer-X, on Flickr


1974 Shadow DN4 by Tracer-X, on Flickr

Edited by Wayne Fetter, 18 July 2012 - 03:06.

[E1pix]

Love the bottom four images!

Speaking of ripoffs, is that third photo the hotly-disputed "Revson" car finally back to authentic colors — or have I mixed Hopkins and Brown with parts and tubs?

Edited by E1pix, 18 July 2012 - 06:36.

[RA Historian]

Speaking of ripoffs, is that third photo the hotly-disputed "Revson" car finally back to authentic colors — or have I mixed Hopkins and Brown with parts and tubs?

No that is not the infamous Hughes car. That car is, last I heard, still out in California and for sale by on consignment with Fantasy Junction. It is still in the works colors, but Fantasy Junction clearly labels it as a Commander car. The car pictured is supposedly M8FP-9-72. It was driven at Road America by Ed Swart.
Tom

[sblick]

Great weekend of fun. The cars stayed together that we were working on and watching the races was first class. Such a great atmosphere walking around

[SCHKEE T332]

Lots of fun with fast cars, great people, and such an historic facility.
The Lola T70 race was my favorite of the weekend.

[E1pix]

Thanks for the clarification, Tom... and for the great video, Schkee.