Can-Am Memories II is Marilyn (Motschenbacher) Halder's latest video combining her original footage of the glory days of the series with the 1996 30 Year Reunion at Road America. Lothar Motschenbacher was the most successful independent Can-Am driver and, with wife Marilyn, traveled the entire circuit. The first 15 minutes of the video consist of Marilyn's home movies of the 1966 and 1967 seasons. Filmed at Stardust (Las Vegas), Laguna Seca, Kent, Elkhart Lake, Bridgehampton, Riverside, and Mexico City, the on-track footage nicely captures the flavor of the time, showing the cars and courses as they were before the now universal concrete barrier obstructed the view. Especially interesting are the pit and paddock shots of the drivers who look so young. Marilyn's voice-over identifies Jim Hall, Bruce McLaren, Mario Andretti, Donohue, husband Lothar, Gurney, Peter Revson, Stirling Moss, Skip Scott, and Chuck Parsons in and around the cars. The old footage conveys the insider's feelings of the time when racing was just beginning to make the transition from fun to serious business.

Marilyn has been an organizer of the Can-Am reunions and the balance of this video is devoted to the 30 Year Reunion held at Elkhart Lake in 1996. This was a hugely successful event with over 50 original cars in attendance. The sight and sound of all that horsepower on the best of the original ciruits was a once in a lifetime experience for those of us who were there and I'm glad that someone captured it on video. There are interviews with original competitors Vic Elford, Tony Dean, and Oscar Koveleski among the more recognizable names and footage of that wonderful party in the lower paddock tent. I was lucky enough to attend the 30 Year Reunion and very much enjoyed the memories that this video brought back. Members of the Can-Am "family" should not miss this one.

Click here for David Woodhouse's article on the "Can-Am Memories I, Tribute to Denny Hulme" video.03.