5 minutes of brutal late Can-Am racing at Laguna Seca

[@GoodwoodRR]

McLaren or Lola, which would you drive?

[@iwasamooseonce13]

917 😁

[@SAVikingSA]

Shadow

[@thomyg425]

M8F🥰

[@marklangren3142]

Porsche

[@jeromejooste3493]

Either one will do fine just for the experience of driving a Can-Am classic.

[@billenright2788]

Can-Am rule book: 1.Must have engine 2.Must have tires. 3.Insert driver with giant balls. the end. ;) These cars are just stupidly cool.

[@mobucks555]

If you haven't been, you can't imagine how brain crushing loud these cars are.

[@fraserhenderson7839]

I lived in north Edmonton in early 70s. Edmonton International Speedway was almost 5 km west and south of my home. From that distance, Can-Am races sounded like a bunch of huge, angry flying insects.

[@thetruthspeaker1978]

Stop rubbing it in...😂😊

[@Zeemutt01]

Shame some bloke is talking over the glorious noise!

[@psyclo4113]

Yeah I was there it was so loud

[@jamesaron1967]

I've never seen or heard one in person but I have heard big block engines without mufflers at speed shops in my youth. Loud doesn't come close to what these cars must sound like. The ground trembles and the sound is felt as much as heard. It's unreal, an experience all by itself.

[@fishtigua]

My favourite era of racing from all manufacturers.

[@cnon.]

These are the best cars ever!!

[@gregbennett4254]

Nothing better than a Can Am car with a all aluminum 494 big block chevy

[@thatguy6557]

I was drooling at turn 3! Dreams do come true🙏

[@misterbonesontour4640]

Beautiful Cars & nice racetrack 😁 Thank you 👍

[@garneauweld1100]

Love that first 917. Apparently, it had serious arrow problems over a particular speed, but I think it looks awesome.

[@x808drifter]

*aero

[@scottt5088]

It was actually the first coupe version of the 917 that had the bad handling due to aero issues. It was when they built this Can Am version that they suddenly realized how to address them!

[@m1t2a1]

There's my childhood of the late 60s and early 70s at Mosport. The drivers too.

[@jackfids4082]

There is a documentary film in production which details & sums-up the 1974 & final season of the Can-Am series, still many months from finishing....

[@solsol1624]

I've been a big McLaren fan since the Lauda / Prost days in F1 but lost interst when Ron Dennis was ousted, however I've been slowly warming to Zac over the years. He is a genuine petrol head and seems very respectful of the team's history.

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

I saw these as a teen at Riverside, IRL 1972-73 Porsche 91710-30s also, most powerful, light cars ever made. I was WILD. Roger Penske was team leader, Drivers Mark Donohue and George Follmer. 440 liter fuel tank right by driver. Qualifying boost turned up, making 1580 HP/Weight 1800 pounds.

[@JohnCunningham-sy5ug]

Naturally aspirated cubic inches with bad a** drivers. What a series. I got to see it first-hand it was totally cool.

[@ceecee1769]

I used to camp on the inside of turn 3. Great memories.

[@vladtepis4316]

I'd love to see them do the late 70s early 80s era of Can Am. Seems to be a bit of a forgotten series.

[@jamesaron1967]

Although interesting to watch, that series wasn't as popular due to the regulations. The cars looked great though.

[@driu666]

Lepszy taki niż w ogóle, słychać że robił co mógł😉

[@JohnSmith-mk5jt]

It was basically Formula 5000 with fenders

[@PlasmaCoolantLeak]

I can hear Laguna Seca where I live. I'm sorry I missed this. Next year, damnit.

[@37nezy]

@PlasmaCoolantLeak can you respectfully ask your neighbors to stop trying to kill the place. It was after all there before they were

[@gogopedia]

awesome.. miss Toyota 7

[@blakedawson2129]

why is there a britt yelling over the top of the car sounds?

[@daviddillon6794]

Rolling thunder. I was there in 1977. They had two or three M8's racing. Could hear the big block sound echo across the valley.

[@simeonorive145]

A 917/30 would have lapped the field. 917 the greatest post 60s sports car of all time.

[@jamesaron1967]

The last Shadow turbo would have given it a run for its money but wasn't as reliable, and no time to iron out the kinks before the series was canceled.

[@mikestevens5512]

What you don't remember or know is that they reduced the displacement for Chevy Down to 5 liters Porsche then attached a turbo. The Porsche engine had less power than the Chevy's before This change. They never ran on full boost during a race.

[@mikestevens5512]

5:22

[@hotdog9262]

@@mikestevens5512 talking about formula 5000? afaik can-am never had rules to displacement. if this is what you ment

[@reecemoore3951]

There was a paint exchange in this race at the green right under the bridge. Not sure why they didn’t show it.

[@asciimation]

New Zealand has produced some amazing drivers given the small size of the country. Of course they all need to leave the country to find success. Sadly the current great and upcoming drivers barely get a mention here. It's just not news. Overshadowed by rugby players and cricketers. Maybe because it's a individual sport, not a team one?

[@marklangren3142]

Definitely shows you the difference between driver quality, the non competitive Porsche is leading with Gunnar driving it

[@TheGreatRepeller]

Luguna was such a better track back when these cars ran for real as well. Getting rid of the esses and going to an infield circuit made it a worse track. Like they have done to Sears Point.

[@a2b235]

i want to know the grid

[@greigsanderson]

Not flat out

[@wheelinnreelin8632]

They are certainly flat out

[@jamesaron1967]

@@wheelinnreelin8632 It's hard to tell, how do you know for sure?

[@robertcalderon4098]

Its NOT a 917 its a 908/02!

[@jackfids4082]

then explain the 12 injector stacks atop the engine........ ya I thought so, permission to remove shoe from mouth GRANTED !

[@JohnSmith-mk5jt]

It's a 917 PA. A lot of people forget Porsche had a Can-Am project before the turbocharged 917/10 came about '72. This car ran the '69 Can-Am season with Jo Siffert. It was built on a modified 917 chassis with the original NA 4.5l 180° 12-cylinder.

[@allenl9031]

Not going to waste 5 minutes hearing the announcers more than the cars. 👎

[@jamesaron1967]

Agreed. The cars are too muted and that's saying a lot for some of the loudest race cars in history!

[@thethirdman225]

I down vote anything with ‘brutal’ in the title. Find a new word.

[@glenndiorio8967]

Poor start, not many cars, boring...Saw this series when I was young at LS and it was a "wow factor" to a teen. Different layout and T3 was the place to watch!

[@MoparMissileDivision]

Was this qualifying or a race on a weekday? Did you see those grandstands? Many of them were completely empty! I mean huge grandstands with nobody, not one person in them! I would much rather see this race than a NASCAR circle jerk with cars that aren't even real "stock cars" anymore! Unless you know the drivers by their car number people can't even figure out what kind of car they are supposed to be driving until the cameras zoom in and you can see a decal with a brand name or you know what kind of fake headlight decals to look for!

[@tomballenger1809]

Not enough talking about the cars actually in the race. I almost dozed off! It's a race. Call it like a real race!