For the up coming inaugural 1966 Canadian American Challenge All American Racers took delivery of a new Lola T70 Mk II chassis #SL71/34 for which was powered by a 5 litre / 305 cui Ford Westlake V8 motor. The car was driven by Dan Gurney alongside the team’s 1965 Lola T70 Mk I chassis #SL70/10 which was run for Jerry Grant.

After qualifying 9th for the inaugural Can Am race at St.Jovite Dan’s challenge got off to a poor start, because he did not start due to engine problems which manifested themselves during practice.

At the next round held at Bridgehampton things improved with a start from pole position which Dan translated into, what turned out to be, the only win for a Ford powered car in the entire history of Can Am. Extraordinary given Ford’s persistence in tackling and winning Indy, Le Mans and an eventual decade and a half of dominance in Formula One.

Dan started the following race at Mosport from pole but retired with ignition problems, at Laguna Seca Dan started 4th but retired with a cracked engine block. Dan’s bad luck continued at Riverside where he qualified 6th but retired with a clutch issue. At the Challenge finale held at Stardust international Raceway in Las Vegas Dan qualified 9th and retired with a broken fuel tank.

It is probably just as well Dan did not follow Jerry Grant’s lead by emptying the contents of a revolver into the car at the seasons end.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ford’s Only CanAm Race Winner” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a US built vehicle that took part in the 1966 Can Am Challenge. Don’t forget to come back now !