Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

[Larry E.]

Hay Duke> Nascar is at Road America this W/E our old stomping grounds. Can Am Pole in 1969 was in a McLaren M8B Chevrolet

Denny Hulme

2:06.300

>>Care to venture a guess where the Hendricks Motor Camaro's will qualify at?? Larry

[Duke W.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

I was at that particular Bruce and Denny Show as it was the period that I was at the U. of Wisconsin Engine Research Center.

The McLarens' all-aluminum big block made about 600 HP, and dry weight was well under 2000 pounds, but with 65 gallons of fuel and "The Bear" on board they were probably around 2400 on the starting grid. Also, that was the era of the first "square" wheels - 15" diameter and 15" or more wide.

I haven't followed NASCAR very close for some years, but I know they use a different chassis on road courses that might have a shorter wheelbase, but, still, with full fuel and driver they are probably over 4000 pounds with 750 HP . Are wheel widths still limited to 8"?

I've always been amazed at how quickly those NASCAR beasts can get around a road racing track. They're built like battleships so drivers can survive 200 MPH wrecks with just plain old low carbon ductile steel... no exotic lightweight materials, but that makes them anything but light.

I suspect this is a loaded question, and the NASCAR boys are under the M8B's time, maybe even under two minutes.

How about top speed before braking for Turn 1? I think the Can-Am cars of that era were touching 200.

It's pretty amazing that those Can-Am cars are now half a century old. Fifty years before them the hottest race car was a modified Model T.

If I had an unlimited budget for a track day car, I'd pick any McLaren M8 model over any other race car before or since. One of their beauties is that they are actually very simple - pushrod V8 with a self-contained magneto ignition and a mechanical fuel injection system, dog clutch crash box, and a simple electrical system with little more than an alternator to run the fuel pumps and keep the battery charged.

You can't say that about any modern race car.

Duke

[Don H.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

Nothing sounded quite like that

McLaren-M8B-Pace-Lap.jpg

[Larry E.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

Thanks Duke&Don for your insights; will be thinking of your thoughts during NASCAR qualifying. Picture below of the
beast itself>>Larry

[Jim L.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

I've got in car video of an instrumented M8F at Road America. It tickles 189 before braking for turn 1.

[Chris H.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

I’ll never forget the first time I heard an M8 light off. It was at the Chicago Historic Races in the late 80s. I was standing behind it and the explosion of sound nearly knocked me over.

[Jim L.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

I’ll never forget the first time I heard an M8 light off. It was at the Chicago Historic Races in the late 80s. I was standing behind it and the explosion of sound nearly knocked me over.

If ever a class of racing car could be called a "ground pounder" it would have to be a CanAm car, any CanAm car.

[William G.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

Ahhhhh..........................! You guys bring back a lot of memories of my times at Road America from the early '60s until fairly recently. I'd like to get back this year for the mid-July Historic races but it is impossible (very difficult even if you start looking a year ahead) to get a room for that weekend and I'm too old for a tent. It's impossible but it seems as though the ground you're standing on is actually shaking when alongside a Can-Am or similar car at idle. Perhaps I will have to drag that old tent out one more time.........

[William G.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

I remember reading that in 1963 a Cheetah was timed at Elkhart Lake on the back straightaway, just before braking markers for turn 5, at 185 mph.
Some questioned the veracity of the timing equipment used. However, Cheetahs hit the same speed at Road America the next year, pushing the naysayers from the previous year aside. To top that a Cheetah was clocked at 215 mph on the high banking at Daytona. So, it wasn't just big block Can-Am vehicles that were fast back in the day. [Course Cheetahs were even less "streetable" than AC Cobras but the difference might not have been much.] So, small blocks were not very far behind the BBs in ultimate speed! I have to admit that I've always had a little difficulty accepting the 215 mph as gospel

[Larry E.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

Update for the above>Qualifying:
Multi-car. Two rounds. Top 12 advance to final round.
11:05am/et, Sunday, July 4. TV-CNBC

Since NASCAR revamped the horsepower for their cars it appears that the pole will not be as fast as Denny Hulme Can-Am
1969 effort.(2:06 Minutes) It will be in the 2:13-2:14 Minute range. BTW a few short weeks ago the Penske Indy Car powered
by a Chevrolet Twin Turbo V-6 driven by Josef Newgarden won the pole with a blistering 1 minute, 46.0186 seconds . Larry
P.S. Engine Specs>
2021 ENGINE SPECS
The 2.2L direct injected twin turbo Chevy Indy V6 churns out around 700 horsepower . Assembled Engine Mass: 248 lbs.

[Duke W.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

Thanks for posting the times. Glad to see that NASCAR is not faster than my beloved Can-Am cars, but what are they doing at Road America? Isn't the traditional July 4 race the Firecracker 400 at Daytona?

The Indy cars are commendably fast. They're at Mid Ohio, today, noon ET on NBC. The last race from Detroit was pretty good.

I believe the Chevy Indycar engine is actually built by Ilmor, but Chevy pays the bills.

Duke

[Larry E.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

[QUOTE=Duke Williams (22045);897017]Thanks for posting the times. Glad to see that NASCAR is not faster than my beloved Can-Am cars, but what are they doing at Road America? Isn't the traditional July 4 race the Firecracker 400 at Daytona?

Duke: Everything has changed with the Covid Virus. Nascar revamped their schedule to have more road races since
typically the fans are spaced farther apart. More Road Races now then ever; even in the playoffs. This is the first time
back at Road America since 1956 held on July 4 also. Larry

[Eric P.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

Since this Thread is titled "...with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines"; and the opportunity to ask those of you who have commented on race history, or if you are reading and watching...please add any constructive thoughts on your viewpoint about the 1988-1990 Corvette Challenge Cars.

Eric Patty
NCRS # 8355

[Chris H.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

The M8s were truly outrageous. The series had no restrictions on anything... engine size, tire size or wing size. How fast can you go boys? On some circuits they were actually faster than than the F1 cars.

As fast as those McLarens were, they were crushed when Mark Donahue and flat 12 twin turbo Porsche 917 showed up in 1971. Estimates had those cars making up to 1500 HP.

[Jim L.]

Re: Racing Quiz For "Duke"; Of course with Chevrolet Corvette Based Engines

The M8s were truly outrageous. The series had no restrictions on anything... engine size, tire size or wing size. How fast can you go boys? On some circuits they were actually faster than than the F1 cars.

As fast as those McLarens were, they were crushed when Mark Donahue and flat 12 twin turbo Porsche 917 showed up in 1971. Estimates had those cars making up to 1500 HP.

Um, I believe that would be called an "Unfair Advantage".