Rolex Motorsport Reunion, Laguna Seca. August 2023

This year has been a bit of a struggle for me for differing reasons so it was a pleasant surprise when I was asked to join up with a team that had prepared a Trojan built, Team VDS, twin-turbocharged McLaren M8FP/6-72. It was a mighty machine when I stood beside the same car in 1973 and it still is today, looking as good as new and well driven by it's new owner Chris Springer.
I headed north to Laguna Seca with my friend Bill to the Pre Reunion meet one week before the main event this weekend.
It is less crowded, cheaper and everyone is so friendly. We took some photos to share.

Attachment 75134
June 1973. Outside Trojan Racing with VDS mechanic, Graham Donaldson, preparing to ship # 25 back to Belgium.(Photo signed by Denis Hulme at Laguna Seca, August 1992)

Attachment 75135
# 25 VDS M8FP. as it looks today.

Attachment 75136
Chris Springer at speed in # 25 August 12th 2023.



(Ken Hyndman)

This year, partly due to dwindling fields etc. it did allow for more groups to participate in one day which was fine with me.
As usual the day went exactly to schedule with no delays.
This is an example of the groups and schedule for Saturday August 12th.
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(KH )

Some of the Can Am cars.
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1971 M8F # 5


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1969 Porsche 917 PA # 0



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1974 Shadow DN4A # 101


(Ken H photo)

Welcome back Ken H.., and from a place I remember well from 41 years ago..
This meeting

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Keep them coming my friend.

Cheers from a very cold NZ.

Roger,
We have predictions of stormy weather appoaching from the south but hopefully it won't affect the racing at Laguna Seca.
Hey, perhaps you can kick back and watch some of the events on this live stream'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzPkRJM4MeQ

Ken H

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by khyndart in CA

Roger,
We have predictions of stormy weather appoaching from the south but hopefully it won't affect the racing at Laguna Seca.
Hey, perhaps you can kick back and watch some of the events on this live stream'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzPkRJM4MeQ

Ken H

---

Ken H .. will have a good look, Mike Ryan is there and has taken a large number of photos of Chevrolet Corvette's - a huge display with a lot of prototypes and racers - brilliant ..

Thanks for sharing ..

Attachment 75145

One of Mike's photos the 1960 Cunningham Corvette - there were all 3 there - now not sure which are original as understand they did have accidents back in the day but #1, #2 and #3 were there !!
#1 and #2 at the sides ..

Some of the Formula One cars.
The quickest one was Steve Romak in his 1985 Tyrrell 12 # 43
Attachment 75146

The view most of the competitors saw of the # 43 Tyrrell
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The car to come in 2nd was a 1981 Williams FW07C # 27 T
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(Ken H photos )

Zak Brown McLaren's CEO was a busy man at Laguna, keeping track of the Indy car race, losing his planned Indy car driver for nexr season but he still found time to participate in the F1, F 5000 and Can Am events at the Rolex event
Here he is in the garage talking to Dickie Stanford (In white shirt)his chief engineer who used to work at Williams with Patrick Head.
Brown's 1980 Williiams FW 07/B # 27 is being prepared.
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# 27 1980 Williams FW07/B entering the track.
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(Ken H photos.)

1976 Ferrari 312 T2 ex Niki Lauda car # 1. Driver Chris MacAllister.
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1979 Tyrrell 009 # 14
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1974 March 741 # 10
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(Ken H photos )

1979 Tyrrell 9 # 13
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1982 Williams FW 08 # 6
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1976 Lotus 77 # 5
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(Bill Brennan photos.) Bill did the track shots while I just hung around the pits and paddock, ) Ken H

A change of pace to the 1947-1960 Front-Engined Sports Racing & GT group.
1960 Allard K-2 # 63
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1958 Warrior Bristol # 7
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1958 Devin SS # 19
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(Bill Brennan photos)

Love those Roll Bars, or lack of, full width single hoop with headrest - the Allard, nothing on the Warrior Bristol and the 3 mount, for the driver only on the Devin SS - very " Ferr-erati " looking - similar type to the full width I had in my TR4A, side post to the floor and in the middle a bar - it straddled the transmission tunnel on TR with a curved plate and bolted each side into the floor.

1992 Lotus 91 # 11 originally driven by Elio de Angelis.
Attachment 75171

Either coming or going this was and is a good looking race car.
Attachment 75172
Note the advertising, for watching the time while having a smoke and looking at a magazine.!
Ah.. those were the days.
(Ken H)

Some very cool cars. I'm sorry but F1 no longer does it for me. Personal feeling .Even the period you have posted Ken

August 12, 2023
Some of the old F5000 cars at this event brought back memories.
I last saw this 1968 Le Grand Mk 7 -002 # 7 at Bay Park in December 1968 with Rex Ramsey driving it.
It is amazing it has survived over 55 years when you read the opinions of Le Grand race cars back at that time.
e.g. " The highlight of the 1968 Pro season was when Sam Posey put Botsford's car on pole at Mosport Park, but he found the thing so scary that he retired to the pits after a single lap.
Other customers have, like Posey, been highly critical of the car. Dave Wolin noted that it flexed badly, so badly in Posey's case that it pulled itself out of gear. Mike Allison, a member of Botsford's crew in 1968, said that Peter Revson 'hated the car in practice due to chassis flex' and Mike also noted that the brakes were 'awful and inadequate'. Jerry Webber, who built his from a kit, was another to comment on the inadequate brakes. Don Richardson summed up his prototype car when he advertised it as "1250 lbs of rotting hell". All in all, it is hard to think of a Formula 5000 car that has been the subject of such consistent criticism."
www.oldracingcars.com/legrand/mk7/

Today, here is the car, driven by David Zavetsky.
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December 1968.
The only photo I took of the car at Bay Park. It is the furthest one away with a mechanic sitting on the R/F tyre.
Perhaps that is Jack Inwood checking the cockpit / engine area.?
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( Ken H photos )

This is Ken White's 1968 Le Grand F5000 at Whenuapai in 1994. Is it the same car?

Attachment 75189

1969 Eagle Mk 5 F 5000 # 35
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(Ken H photos )

Milan,
The car at Laguna was chassis 002
Ken White's car is apparently # 003
but when you read this registry it is rather complicated !
https://www.oldracingcars.com/legrand/mk7/

Thanks for the question.
Ken H

Early F 5000 cars seen at Laguna Seca 2023.
1969 McLaren M10 A # 7 driven by Tony Roberts through the Corkscrew Turn.
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1968 Lola T140 # 25A
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1969 McLaren M10B # 21
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1970 Lola T192 # 12
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( Photos Ken H and Bill Brennan.)

As seen on UK TV last night, how come the stands were so empty? Magnificent cars and a good coverage.

Some Kiwis in California in the Formula 5000 field.
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Tony Galbraith entering the circuit in his 1974 Lola T332 # 88

Glenn Richards in his 1975 Lola T400 # 99
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Another with NZ connections
1973 McRae GM-1 # 75
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( Ken H photos.)

I had a bit of a chat to Australian driver, Peter Brennan who was driving this 1973 Lola T 330 (HU-18) that I had seen racing at Brands Hatch in 1973 driven then by Gijs van Lennep. It has been beautifully restored and maintained. # 208

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( Ken H photos.)

Another Australian who drove well here (Also at Taupo in 2018 ) was Paul Zazryn who drove 1974 Lola T332 # 24
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(Ken H photos.)

American driver Kirt Bennett won both F5000 races driving a 1976 Lola T332 # 51
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American, Zak Brown did not have things go his way in his 1974 Lola T332 # 5. (It spent a lot of time on pit road.)
The car did not compete the following weekend.
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(Ken H pics)

Just as well my wife didn't let me have the cheque book !
Rare Ferrari 412P Achieves $30.25 Million USD at Bonhams|Cars Quail Auction.
https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/36936/

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2006 McLaren MP4/21 – chassis ‘02’
https://motorsportsnewswire.com/2023...bu-dhabi-sale/
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One would be hard pressed to see the driver's name on modern day race cars. (Can you see it ?)
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Whereas back in 1968 the driver's name was clearly displayed as seen on Jim Clark's Lotus # 6
Just before advertising began on race cars.
I was part of the crowd on the hill in the background at Pukekohe. Jan. 1968 NZGP.
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(Sergent.com.au photo.)

(Ken H photos.)

Another Bonhams Auction vehicle at Laguna Seca.
(Note the price range on the display card and then how much it sold for !)
Attachment 75301

1909 Lorraine-Dietrich 16.4-Liter Grand Prix Two-Seater Chassis no. 60189
Sold for
US$1,270,000

https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/280...ssis-no-60189/

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(Ken H & Bill Brennan photos.)

....and to think, you could buy a 250 GTO Ferrari for about 5000GBP around 1964.

Due to family health issues I have been a bit weary at the end of the day and have not entered here as I should have.
I hope to attend the Velocity Invitational Event next weekend so I might be filling in with photos from August and November.
Hoping this finds you all safe and well.
https://revivalraces.com/event/velocity-invitational-2/

Some of the best racing at Laguna Seca was in the Group 8 Historic Trans-Am 1966-1972 Class.
Almost 40 cars were entered. I managed to capture some as they accelerated onto the track.

Attachment 75536
1964 Pontiac Tempest/ GTO # 49

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1969 Chevrolet Camaro # 19

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1970 Dodge Challenger # 77


( Ken H photos)


(Ken H)

"These are the actual Trans Am race cars -- not reproductions -- half a century later. And they're still racing hard."
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1970 Pontiac Trans Am Firebird #8
Originally Driven by Jerry Titus
This car was the first 1970 Pontiac Firebird off the assembly line.


Attachment 75553
1970 Boss 302 Mustang #15
Originally driven by George Follmer


Attachment 75554
1969 Boss 302 Ford Mustang #45



(Ken H photos.)

More to follow eventually.