VintageRPM » Watkins Glen 1970-1972

Watkins Glen 1970

Mike Stucker — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:58:45 +0000

World Championship of Makes/Can-Am weekend in July, 1970. Pedro Rodriguez and Leo Kinnunen won the 6-Hour endurance race on Saturday in a Gulf Porsche 917. The Group 5 and 6 prototypes from the Saturday 6-Hour race would always run in the next day’s Can-Am race. Jo Siffert brought his Group 5 Porsche 917 home second to Team McLaren’s Denny Hulme in the Can-Am. Quite a feat considering that the Porsche’s engine was about two liters smaller than those in the regular Can-Am cars. These photos were taken by my father (Minolta 35mm SLR) and myself (Kodak Instamatic).

Watkins Glen 1971

Mike Stucker — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:49:48 +0000

6-Hour endurance for the World Championship of Makes and Can-Am races in July, 1971. In the enduro, Mark Donohue and David Hobbs started their Penske Sunoco Ferrari 512M on pole, but Ronnie Peterson and Andre De Adamich brought their Alfa Romeo T33/3 home first in the rain. The Can-Am was won under sunny skies by Peter Revson in a Team McLaren M8F. This was the first year that the new pits were used, but they still started and finished at the old location.

Watkins Glen 1972

Mike Stucker — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:15:32 +0000

6-Hours race for the World Championship of Makes and Can-Am race in July, 1972. In the endurance race, the Groupe 5 Porsche 917s and Ferrari 512s are gone. The races are now won by the open-top, 3-liter, Group 6 racers. The main combatants are Ferrari and the Ford-Cosworth powered Gulf Mirage teams.

Porsche may have been gone from the 6-Hour race, but they certainly came to play in the Can-Am. Team McLaren (Denny Hulme) and Penske Porsche (George Follmer) each had one win coming to the Glen, but the guard was changing. Follmer would go on to win the Can-Am title for Porsche in 1972, ending five years of McLaren domination.

Three days of photos this year. Friday was a practice day for both series. Saturday had Can-Am qualifying followed by the endurance race, which was won by Mario Andretti and Jackie Ickx driving a Ferrari 312PB. On Sunday, the Can-Am race was won by Denny Hulme in a McLaren M20. The galleries contain photos shot by myself (Kodak Instamatic) and my father (Minolta SLR).

Watkins Glen 1972 Friday

Practice and qualifying for both the Can-Am and endurance cars.

41 Photos

Watkins Glen 1972 Saturday

Can-Am qualifying and 6-Hour endurance race.

24 Photos

Watkins Glen 1972 Sunday

Can-Am race.

26 Photos