I loved the old track layout. That was a jeckle and hind track. Scary fast in the first half and scary technical in the second. I believe the Can-Am cars were lapping under a minute.
I raced on that track many times when it had the original fast turn two. That turn was scary because of the uneven pavement. Today's track is more fun because of turn 2 and 3. It was such a pleasure in those days to watch Dave MacDonald drive so well. He was very good!
MacDonald is the one who went through turn 6 at Riverside more sideways than most. I drove Laguna Seca in a formula something school, but I never got to race there. - Darn!
Don't miss the interview of MacDonald at the end. As was reported in Road & Track, he drove a near wreck to victory. But it wasn't =that= surprising. He had a =very= unusual style (more evident in the companion film of the Times GP at Riverside here) that scared the bejesus out of other drivers, plus the reaction time of a young Stirling Moss. Nobody could touch the guy in '62 and '63. Crying shame he got mixed up with that Mickey Thompson / FoMoCo cluster ****.
I saw many Can-Am races and this was one of the best. I feel that Can-Am racing was/is much more exciting than Formula 1 racing. Yes the Formula 1 cars would lap the track faster but there is so much more than just lap times to make a car race enjoyable and exciting. This video does a pretty good job of capturing the sound and fury of these great American V8s. SCCA, bring back the Can-Am cars!
SCCA is like all the other organizations....they're captive to the insurance companies and the government. Autoracing will be dead in 5 years now that has happened
When looking at the race results from this event, the racing field consisted of drivers worthy of the Le Mans 24 Hours starting grid. Here is the link to the results of that race: www.racingsportscars.com/results/Laguna_Seca-1963-10-20.html Impressive, indeed!
This SCCA sanctioned race was not a part of any series, but it was closely scheduled to the Riverside Times Grand Prix that was also in October. The Laguna Seca and Riverside races, being in California, nearly assured clear mild weather in the Fall; where other parts of the US, save for the South in NASCAR country, could be problematic with having favorable weather that time of year for sports car races. The other aspect that made it favorable to have the races that late in the year: Most of the other renown race series were concluded for the year, so an international field of drivers would trek to California for the Laguna Seca and Riverside races; which drew big crowds to the events. The SCCA sports car series of the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) had its schedule for Spring through late Summer. The popularity of the Fall Laguna Seca and Riverside races may have been compelling reasons for the SCCA to have the Can-Am series that commenced in 1966; as in its early years, it was confined to mid-September to mid-November with just six races.
Superb video, the syncing of audio and video is perfect thanks
excellent...thanks for posting.
I loved the old track layout. That was a jeckle and hind track. Scary fast in the first half and scary technical in the second. I believe the Can-Am cars were lapping under a minute.
Wow AJ Foyt, jimmy Clark, Pedro Rodriguez.
What a time...
I raced on that track many times when it had the original fast turn two. That turn was scary because of the uneven pavement. Today's track is more fun because of turn 2 and 3. It was such a pleasure in those days to watch Dave MacDonald drive so well. He was very good!
Absolutely marvelous old footage!!!
America’s greatest young road racer, Dave McDonald. Gone before the rest of the Country caught up.
MacDonald is the one who went through turn 6 at Riverside more sideways than most. I drove Laguna Seca in a formula something school, but I never got to race there. - Darn!
MacDonald was headed for racing superstardom had his life not been tragically ended.
Great racing!! Thanks for posting.
Don't miss the interview of MacDonald at the end. As was reported in Road & Track, he drove a near wreck to victory. But it wasn't =that= surprising. He had a =very= unusual style (more evident in the companion film of the Times GP at Riverside here) that scared the bejesus out of other drivers, plus the reaction time of a young Stirling Moss. Nobody could touch the guy in '62 and '63. Crying shame he got mixed up with that Mickey Thompson / FoMoCo cluster ****.
I saw many Can-Am races and this was one of the best. I feel that Can-Am racing was/is much more exciting than
Formula 1 racing. Yes the Formula 1 cars would lap the track faster but there is so much more than just lap times
to make a car race enjoyable and exciting. This video does a pretty good job of capturing the sound and fury of these
great American V8s. SCCA, bring back the Can-Am cars!
This is actually several years =before= CanAm, but the cars are certainly the developmental ancestors of those 1000-horsepower beasts.
SCCA is like all the other organizations....they're captive to the insurance companies and the government. Autoracing will be dead in 5 years now that has happened
Lapped the field at Laguna Seca AND Riverside that year.....
When looking at the race results from this event, the racing field consisted of drivers worthy of the Le Mans 24 Hours starting grid. Here is the link to the results of that race: www.racingsportscars.com/results/Laguna_Seca-1963-10-20.html
Impressive, indeed!
It's good to remember someone's life, not just focus on how they died.
"I don't know, maybe it's the front side." LOL
63 was Dave's year.
What do you think ANY promoter would do to get a crowd that size at a road race today?
Which series was this race part of?
This SCCA sanctioned race was not a part of any series, but it was closely scheduled to the Riverside Times Grand Prix that was also in October. The Laguna Seca and Riverside races, being in California, nearly assured clear mild weather in the Fall; where other parts of the US, save for the South in NASCAR country, could be problematic with having favorable weather that time of year for sports car races.
The other aspect that made it favorable to have the races that late in the year: Most of the other renown race series were concluded for the year, so an international field of drivers would trek to California for the Laguna Seca and Riverside races; which drew big crowds to the events.
The SCCA sports car series of the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) had its schedule for Spring through late Summer.
The popularity of the Fall Laguna Seca and Riverside races may have been compelling reasons for the SCCA to have the Can-Am series that commenced in 1966; as in its early years, it was confined to mid-September to mid-November with just six races.
the winner dave mac died 7 months later