Yesterday, June 2nd, marked the 40th anniversary of Bruce McLaren's death. In commemoration, the company that bears his name offered a fitting tribute to honor the man:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZHMjdzw0w0&feature=player_embedded
Turn-up the volume and raise a glass to Bruce!
WOW!!! That brought back a lot of memory's. I saw them all when I was a kid. Denny even let me sit in his. I think my dad has the pic somewhere.
They quit using #5 right after his death.
Nice. I can't wait to get home and plug the laptop into the surround-sound.
Kia_racer - post up that pic!
Fantastic. "A Minute's Noise". This should start a new tradition.
Matt B wrote:Nice. I can't wait to get home and plug the laptop into the surround-sound.
Kia_racer - post up that pic!
Can't, Dad died 5 years ago and my 1/2 sister pitched everything that couldn't make her money. (I love my family)
That sucks. 
I got curious about the details of Bruce's life and came across this (on wiki of course):
Motorsport author Eoin Young has noted that Bruce McLaren had "virtually penned his own epitaph" in his 1964 book From the Cockpit. Referring to the death of team mate Timmy Mayer, McLaren had written:"The news that he had died instantly was a terrible shock to all of us, but who is to say that he had not seen more, done more and learned more in his few years than many people do in a lifetime? To do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy. It would be a waste of life to do nothing with one’s ability, for I feel that life is measured in achievement, not in years alone."
I didn't realize he was so young when he passed. I'll be the same age this month. Measured in achievements indeed.
Cheers Bruce, wherever you are.
That was cool!!!
Kia_racer wrote:WOW!!! That brought back a lot of memory's. I saw them all when I was a kid. Denny even let me sit in his. I think my dad has the pic somewhere.
They quit using #5 right after his death.
Likewise; I always thought the sports cars were works of art, much like Lola's. The M6B's even surpassed the T70's as one of my favorite sexy cars :
I vote that they re-title it "A Minute's Music". That is not noise. Nothing will ever top the old Can Am cars.
I really hope to get to see some of his creations at some historic races. He really was an icon.
The flame from the tailpipe when he shut that beast down cinched it for me.
Day-um! Pure automotive music.
Pick up a copy of CM, and look for the Road America ad. It's a great shot of Bruce calmly drinking a beer after a victory there (while the pitlane crowd is going crazy trying to get to him).
I love when it gets revved at 1:33. Big block + superlight flywheel FTW
A really poignant tribute. 
gamby wrote:... superlight flywheel FTW
Y'think? 
I've never heard an engine rev that fast.
One of my favourite pics is Bruce McLaren and Mario Andretti posing with their GT40 in the paddock at Sebring in 1967 (they won).
I hope a bit of vintage port isn't out of line......
cheers Bruce
While I greatly admire Bruce for his accomplishments and inspiration on other drivers of the era, I am a larger fan of Mark Donohue. However Bruce and his cars dominated at least 3 distinctly different forms of racing: F1, Indycar and Can Am.
I'd have been more impressed if they'd had that M8D at a track and let both Hamilton and Button take a turn in it to see what their perspective was on driving 800 hp in a 1200 lb "no aero" car...
fastmiata wrote:While I greatly admire Bruce for his accomplishments and inspiration on other drivers of the era, I am a larger fan of Mark Donohue. However Bruce and his cars dominated at least 3 distinctly different forms of racing: F1, Indycar and Can Am.
Always keep in mind that Donohue and Penske chose McLaren cars to compete in both the Can Am and Indycar series and even ran a McLaren M19 in the 1971 Canadian GP.
One could make a point in saying that Donohue (as both a driver and engineer) knew who built and drove the best equipment.
Eh, too drunk to find a proper vid of Bruce in one of his own Can Am cars. I did find this thing where he `splains to the TV viewers what the hell Mosport's like, tho..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNavoYNMltY&feature=related
I think he's still in the red/white Lola..that would have been about 1966 or so, right?
Apologies to everybody, I just wanted to find a vid that actually had Bruce in it.
"With wheelspin in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gear..."
Holy berkeley. And I thought my beloved GTP cars were tough to drive.
