The 1960s was arguably one of the most innovative decades in motor racing. So, when the Canadian-American racing series commenced in 1966, it promised to be one of the most entertaining and lucrative championships on the calendar. The series initially consisted of just six races, two in Canada (CAN) and four in America (AM), giving rise to the familiar series name, Can-Am.
The series followed the FIA Group 7 rules, albeit rather loosely, permitting massive engines with unlimited horsepower, turbocharging and supercharging, as well as radical aerodynamics. What could possibly go wrong with such a liberal plan? However, in truth, the Can-Am series produced some of the most outrageous and powerful machines ever seen in circuit racing. It was almost a case of, as long as the car had two seats, bodywork enclosing the wheels, and the package met basic safety standards, it was allowed. Although this essentially amounted to a Formula Libre for sports cars, it was as close as any major international racing series ever got to have an ‘anything goes’ policy.
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