Lot 213: 1981 March Can-Am Race Car 'Ex-Paul Newman'

It was a golden era. Horsepower was unlimited; designers, builders and drivers just needed to harness the horses of massive engines and deliver their thrust to the track. Thundering V8's, featherweight chassis and huge wings to hold it all on the groundwhat's not to like? Although this might sound like a description of a modern sprint car race, similar performance packages once reigned supreme on road racing tracks. Muscular monsters consisting of 8-litre aluminium Chevys, turbocharged Oldsmobiles, flat-12 Porsches and the best and brightest designers from McLaren, BRM, Lola, March, Shadow, AAR, Caldwell, Kar Kraft and others ruled the tracks of Canada and America, fittingly named the Can-Am Championship. Imagine a grid full of 1500lb projectiles packed with 600 plus horsepower engines, ready to rumble for money and fame. The rules were intentionally loose, with minimum chassis dimensions, two seats and any engine you were crazy enough to stuff between the frame rails. The Can-Am Series had the eyes of the racing world as these land-bound rockets outgunned even the Formula 1 cars of the era. It was a series of excesstoo much power, too little weight and too much fun! With nowhere near enough tyres and brakes, it made for exciting racing but the wide-open rules that made it so compelling were ultimately the cause of its demise. Last raced in 1982, this Budweiser sponsored March, chassis number 817-1 was fielded by the Paul Newman racing team and was one of the most successful racing squads of the '82 season. The team was founded in 1980 when Paul Newman asked March to build three Can-Am cars for the 1980-81 season with Teo Fabi and Bobby Rahal as drivers. Fabi had the series in his hand with race wins at Mosport and Mosport II, Mid-Ohio, Laguna Seca and a 2nd at Caesars Palace but had a near fatal crash and wound up second in the series with the Newman squad winning the constructors championship. Fabi still holds the Mid-Ohio lap record, even faster than the Porsche 917 twin turbo machines!For the 1982 season, the fifth year of entering Can Am for Paul Newman and his last before joining forces with Can-Am rival Haas and entering CART, the cars were up dated by the March factory and campaigned by Danny Sullivan. His season culminated in a 1st at Caesars Palace, three 2nds at Road America, Mosport and Mosport II, 3rd at Road Atlanta, Riverside and Trois-Rivieres and 3rd overall in the final standings. This particular chassis is the only car to remain from the successful Budweiser/Newman alliance. After the breakup of the team, 817-1 went back to England where it was put into storage. The car offered today has not raced since Danny Sullivan was at the wheel in 1982 and is described to be in excellent condition with the original 5 litre Chevrolet V8 engine and DG300 gearbox fitted. A rare and unique opportunity to purchase a race winning Can-Am monster from one of motorsports most colourful race series and from one of the most famous names in the sport and Hollywood, it is resplendent in its Budweiser livery, 817-1 is race ready and on the button and eligible to compete in HSR (Historic Sportscar Racing), SCCA (Sportscar Club of America) and VARA (Vintage Automobile Racing Association) events.