Can-Am 1966-1987

Can-Am started out as a race series for group 7 sports racers with two races in Canada (Can) and four races in the United States of America (Am). The series was governed by rules under the FIA group 7 category for two-seater racing cars with unrestricted engine capacity and few other technical restrictions. Spiralling costs, a recession in North America following the oil crisis, and dwindling support and interest led to the series being cancelled and the last scheduled race of the 1974 season not being run.

The Can-Am name still held enough drawing power to lead SCCA to introduce a revised Can-Am series in 1977 based on a closed-wheel version of the rules of the recently cancelled Formula A/5000 series. This grew steadily in status, particularly during the USAC/CART wars of the late 70s and early 80s, and attracted some top road-racing teams and drivers and a range of vehicles including specials based on rebodied single seaters (particularly Lola F5000s) and also bespoke cars from constructors like March as well as smaller manufacturers.

To broaden the appeal of the series a 2-litre class was introduced for the last several years with cars often being derived from F2/Formula Atlantic. Can-Am remains a well-remembered form of racing due to its popularity at one time, the spectacular cars and the line-up of talented drivers. Can-Am cars remain popular in historic racing.

As a sports car series it is therefore outside the usual focus of the Formula One Register, however 1974 was the last year for the original Can-Am championship. Rather than just focus on the single-seater based era, this record covers the whole Can-Am series from 1966 to 1987.

It is in the usual Record Book format of entry, grid and results with chassis numbers if known. The is no descriptive text or photographs. With 237 pages, in black hard-cover bindings the cost is £60 plus postage.