1971 Auto World Can Am

1971 Auto World Can Am

I drove for Oscar Koveleski, one of my van co-drivers in the Cannonball Run. The McLaren M8B was a much better car than Lothar’s older red Mk12, even with a low chassis-mounted rear wing. (The Mk12 was an out-of-sequence designation.) The Polish Racing Drivers were still having fun with car #54.

1971 was indeed a glamour year for the team, as our highest finish was 3rd overall at Mid-Ohio behind winner Sir Jackie Stewart and 2nd place finisher Jo Siffert, both in current state of the art “Works Prepared” Cars. Our Jerobee McLaren M8B was Bruce McLaren’s 1969 Championship winning car; we had a reputation of excellence to uphold…. not bad from a 2-year-old race car. Master Polish Mechanic Jack Daren and his wife Terri were solely responsible to preparing this special M8B and transporting it to the races. No big rigs were necessary back then, Jack and Teri did it their own way and had added to the Auto World PRDA fun team.

With the PRDA Cannonball Run behind us and in the history books, Oscar Koveleski’s Auto World decided to field the Jerobee McLaren M8B. This brought into play perhaps the best independent team to compete in the coveted Can Am series.

I joined the newly formed Jerobee McLaren PRDA team for 1971. This was a great opportunity to be in a great car. It was Bruce McLaren’s car, which carried history that meant so much to all of us. Denny Hulme, his teammate, offered me instruction as to how to drive this piece of history. Denny, or “The Bear” as affectionately called by friends, was a real stable, firsthand source for me to have. Denny said the best way to drive this car is to consider yourself in your home lounge chair watching TV. The remote is your gear shift. Don’t manhandle the car, just drive it nice and easy, and it will perform for you flawlessly.

He was right. I recalled dicing with the best of the season. The #54 Jerobee McLaren Team with Oscar at the helm and Jack Darren, our Chief Mechanic, had a good rapport with the factory team. We often got some used parts, for gearbox LG600, shifter dog rings, etc. to keep us competitive out there. The McLaren Cars always seem to have an interchange of parts. The secret to the cars were their simplicity of design and ease to work on. Bruce was a master of this development, and he was missed throughout the season by friends and fans alike.

Adamowicz collection

Oscar constantly reminded me this car was to be retired to a museum after the season. I of course had to drive with some conservatism to maintain this historical car. The weekend at Watkins Glen, was a blast as we were also racing against the World Manufactures Endurance racers. I got to dice with Derek Bell, Jo Siffert in the GULF – Wyer Porsche 917Ks, as well as my fellow Ferrari drivers, Mario, Ickx, etc. I was pleased that my dad, sister and brother-in-law were there to witness the race and be on hand in the pits. It’s not often in a racer’s life that he got to share some of the glory days with his family.

The Jerobee McLaren team was a true independent, racing with a two-year-old designed car, however with the promotional expertise of Oscar, Brad and myself, we were always able to be the most promoted independent team out there. Oscar made the team a part of history, as he raced his miniature model of the car at every track, establishing a ”New Track Record” for the Jerobee McLaren Model. His claim was always have the “Pole Position”.

The real car had its best finish at Mid-Ohio, where I graced the podium by finishing 3^rd OA behind two of my favorite drivers. Jackie Stewart won in the Lola and Jo Siffert was 2nd in the factory Porsche. The fun was when we received Jo Siffert’s trophy and he received ours. He was always wondering why his trophy was smaller, I told him it was always the PRDA plan to take the larger trophy. Later we exchanged the real ones to his liking and proper Can Am celebrations continued into the night.

So what ever happened to the famed Bruce McLaren /Jerobee car? Sad to say it was engulfed in a garage fire. The history of the car and the memory of Bruce McLaren will go on for ever. I’m sure there have been some replicas out there, however nothing takes the place of the real thing. It was a true honor for me to be a part of the Famed Can Am series; the sounds will always thunder in my head.

Adamowicz collection

Adamowicz collection – Bob Purgason photo

Adamowicz collection

The PRDA Jerobee McLaren enjoyed some of the best press in the series.

Adamowicz collection

July 11, 1971

Road Atlanta Can-Am

Gainsville, Georgia

Grid: 7th

Result: 4th

The team placed 4th at Road Atlanta.

Adamowicz collection – Pete Lyons photo (petelyons.com)

Tony follows Peter Revson through at the Atlanta. Tony’s big block Chevy blew a head gasket halfway through the race and Revson went on to finish second behind his teammate, World Champion Denny Hulme.

Our 1971 #54 Jerobee McLaren was actually Bruce McLaren’s 1970 Championship car.

Converted to low wing per the new 1971 rules, my best finish was third at Mid-Ohio, behind Jackie Stewart in the Carl Hass Lola first, and Jo Siffert second in the Porsche non turbo.

Adamowicz collection – Bill Oursler photo

A trace of oil smoke was typical of the big block Chevys late in the race.

Competition Press & Autoweek

Adamowicz collection

A short video showing the Auto World Can Am team can be seen here.

July 25, 1971

Watkins Glen Can Am

Watkins Glen, New York

Grid: 12th

Result: 5th

The weekend at Watkins Glen was a blast as we were also racing against the World Manufactures Endurance racers. I got to dice with Derek Bell, Jo Siffert in the Gulf-Wyer Porsche 917K’s, as well as my fellow Ferrari Drivers, Mario, Ickx, etc. I was pleased that my dad, sister and brother-in-law was there to witness the race and be on hand in the pits.

Tony in the big block Chevy powered McLaren at Watkins Glen.

Adamowicz collection – Bill Oursler photo

Tony battles Derek Bell’s John Weyer Gulf Porsche 917

Tony with Mark Donohue’s Ferrari

Adamowicz collection – Barry Tenin photo

Adamowicz collection – Jim Schwabel photo

Don Magee caricature of Tony and the McLaren

Adamowicz collection

Oscar in cowboy hat, my brother-in-law Robert Porcelli standing above me, and my dad with camera, proudly observing at far left of picture.

Adamowicz collection

Competition Press & Autoweek

August 22, 1971

Mid-Ohio

Lexington, Ohio

Grid: 7th

Result: 3rd

Adamowicz collection

Tony ahead of Lothar Motschenbacher and Danny Hopkins

Joe Siffert’s #20 Can Am 5.4 liter 908 Porsche at the 1971 Mid-Ohio Can Am race.

Adamowicz collection – Rob Nuezel photo

My relationship with Jo Siffert was somewhat distant during the World Manufactures races, however it was the 1971 Can Race at Mid-Ohio that brought us closer together. I finished 3rd behind “Seppi” in the Jerobee McLaren Can Am car. Jackie Stewart won the race in the L&M factory Lola.

I raced diligently against Seppi during the race, however our two year old McLaren was no match in the handling department at Mid-Ohio , compared with the super lightweight 908 Can Am Porsche 5.4 liter.

When the trophies were handed out on the podium, I received Seppi’s 2nd place trophy, and he received my 3rd place trophy. In the confusion, the quiet mannered Swiss driver walked away with the wrong trophy. I approached him later and we exchanged trophies and discussed the mix up. I explained that “since I was an American driver, they obviously want me to have the bigger trophy.” We Laughed together and from then on, we had a real friendship. He was an awesome competitor and well-liked by all who came to know him.

This was the highest placed Independent non-factory Can Am finish for me. The PRDA Jerobee McLaren was highly recognizable and received the most press for an independent team.

Adamowicz collection – Kenneth Cole photo

Tony’s girlfriend Vivki Dokos and Tony at Mid-Ohio

On the way to the grid

Adamowicz collection

Mechanics work on Tony’s McLaren

Competition Press & Autoweek

August 29, 1971

Road America

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

Grid: 7th

Result: DNF

Adamowicz collection – Bill Oursler photo

Our Jerobee McLaren had one of the most striking paint schemes in the Can-Am Series. We were also the highest placing independent car in the series.

Tony (54), Dave Causey (51) and Jo Siffert (20)

Adamowicz collection – Barry Tenin photo

Adamowicz collection

Competition Press & Autoweek

Adamowicz collection – Jim Buell photo

Adamowicz collection

Competition Press & Autoweek

October 17, 1971

Laguna Seca Monterey Castrol Grand Prix

Salinas, California

Grid: 30th

Result: 7th

The final turn at Laguna Seca – Tony ahead of John Cordts Lola T160.

Adamowicz collection – photo courtesy of Bob Tronolone

Competition Press & Autoweek

Adamowicz collection – Luke Lundquist photo

Competition Press & Autoweek

Oscar piloted the model version to new model track records at every circuit.

Oscar showing Denis Hulme the Jerobee model.

October 31, 1971

Riverside International Raceway Los Angeles Times Grand Prix

Riverside, California

Grid: 8th

Result: DNF

This was the final Can-Am race of the season.

Adamowicz collection

Adamowicz collection – Dean Lester photo

Tony drives Oscar Koveleski’s McLaren M8B through Riverside’s Turn #7

Adamowicz collection – photo courtesy of Bob Tronolone

Adamowicz collection – Luke Lundquist photo

Adamowicz collection

Competition Press & Autoweek

Adamowicz collection – Kenneth H. Coles photos

2016 note from Oscar Kovaleski to Tony’s family after Tony’s passing:

Tony had a gift. It was 1971, we both had the same height, weight, 170 – 32″ waist, good eyes, good reflexes. Could stand heat, cold, and in great physical shape -pushups, pullups, neck strain exercises from heavy helmets and G forces. Tony had great focus, concentration, and a great feel for anything he was driving, from each tire up to the steering wheel feel foot ,throttle, brake pedal, gearshift. The car talked to him…and vice versa…(better than the car talked to me, it’s was really a bastard to drive!). He was “racer smart,” knowing you can’t win if you don’t finish. He ran the Can- Am races for our Team Auto World. I ran SCCA Nationals. We paid Tony what he asked for and (it was fair) and we both did well. Mainly because we had only ONE Mechanic (Jack Deren). Jack made all car decisions, sometimes ‘adjusting’ to what we could afford and never complained.

Team Auto World did very well among all other private entrants. Two Polish racing drivers and one Polish mechanic? Tony Adamowicz got paid, but could have made more money driving a cab in a major city.

Both Tony and I had B-Negative blood type, served in the Military in the 50’s, both our sister’s names were Ann Marie, and Tony and I both worked in our father’ s grocery store when we were kids.

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