McLaren M20 at MHAR 1983

Copyright © 1983 - 2003  Dave Propst.

Revised 12/11/2003

Subject

1972 McLaren M20 Chevrolet  (M20-2)

Knoop

Location/Event

MHAR  August, 1983.

Laguna Seca, into Turn 9 (now Turn 11) and onto Front Straight.

Successive laps done in practice session.

Related Notes

The M20 was the works car for the 1972 SCCA Canadian-American Challenge Cup (FIA Group 7). Some would suggest it is THE quintessential CanAm car.

From a photography standpoint, the technical quality of the pictures of M20-2 in this album is not good. However, because of their content it is hoped some may find these pictures at least worth a glance.

It is possible for an amateur photographer using inexpensive consumer-level equipment and having no press pass to get at least a halfway decent close-in picture of a car traveling at a high rate of speed. Plan one's track position by the event schedule. Find a good position relative to the sun's angle and time of day. Shoot from an elevated location. Use moderately fast film and the biggest lens in the camera bag. Find a location with an unobstructed 'panning' zone. Avoid crowds. Etc., etc.

For example, here are two pictures of M20-3 in the Corkscrew. Incidentally, check out the amount of roll and understeer often seen at this part of the track.

The methods just mentioned are all fine and good but the whole plan, or any other plan for that matter, can disappear in an instant. Invariably when some exciting driving is taking place circumstances beyond his control will conspire to frustrate the photographer. He will be forced to shoot into the sun. The sun will be bad. Very bad. It will be necessary to shoot not only over chain link fence but through it (!) as well. The camera will have very slow film in it because the photographer was shooting still shots in the pits when unexpected, amazing things began to occur on the track. There will be no time to swap out the film. The tripod will be back in the car 20 minutes away. The photographer will be out of breath from having had to jog/run a quarter mile to get into position in time. There will be only two choices. Take the shots he has such as they are --or-- take no pictures. In all likelihood the driver will not stop to inquire if the photographer is ready.

Consequently... the car in the images below of a three-lap sequence is not nearly as sharply focused as would be preferred because of the camera shutter speed used. Some amateur photographers shoot race cars with extremely fast shutter speeds. This 'kills' any sense of motion. It leaves the visual impression that the car is parked stationary out on the track even if a very exciting maneuver is occurring. However, even though a slow shutter speed is preferred when the goal is to capture a sense of speed-- a shutter speed too slow is not good either.

Additionally these images contain virtually no midtones. This is because almost every surface of every object in most of the images is either a) at such an angle as to be reflecting sunlight back at the camera in the form of very bright glare thereby severely over-exposing that area of the film and 'blowing out' color, or, b) receiving absolutely no direct sunlight (i.e. the sunlight is hitting the opposite side of these objects-- the camera is seeing the 'back' side of them) thereby underexposing that portion of the film and resulting in a subdued bluish-gray afternoon shadow-looking cast to color. Histograms of these images show exactly that-- a steep, tall peak for the highlights, another peak for the shadows and a big valley where the midtones should have been.

The Car and the Turn

Approach to Turn Eleven. (Known as Turn Nine at the time). The car is at the last of its braking for the corner and is about to turn in. For sound effects conjure up that shrill squeal of metallic pads on rotors that is common at corner entry speeds --and-- the deafening 'this-sure-ain't-no-small-block' downshifting bark of a very large big-block wherein the sound waves themselves can literally be felt thumping on one's chest when this close. The car is moving through this tight corner at a good clip.

(The rectangular white blur near the mid-point of the car is actually a marker sign at the side of the track, blurred by the camera pan.)

Three Laps

All of the pictures in this section were taken at the same location. The distances are greater than is perhaps perceived because of the approximately 250mm focal length used. The distance from the camera position to the previous corner is well over 800 feet. The footbridge over the front straight is a similar distance away from the camera. Camera zoom was not used and none of the pictures have been enlarged. This retains a real-life reference of the car's track position relative to the camera.

Those unfamiliar with road racing please note that the car is not out-of-control. The driver is very much in control. The car is being throttle oversteered off the corner but there is no oversteer back the other way nor any over-correction. Also realize how much power is being applied to the track. This is not a case of drag race-style 'Rev the motor. Dump the clutch.' The clutch is not disengaged here. The tires are not up in smoke. Exiting the corner at probably 40 to 45 MPH, the power (throttle) is brought in progressively and is breaking loose the tires at more than that speed. To get an idea of the speeds look at how active the chassis is. In addition to the oversteer, look at the dive, roll, lift and 'hook' occurring. Certainly by current-day F1 or CART standards this is not outstanding performance... but... this car is from an era of now aproaching forty years ago and the motor is a mass-production pushrod V-8 based item instead of a full-on race design. 

First lap. Exit and head up the straight. Something of a warm-up. Actually several previous laps took place as well as can be seen in the rubber trails on the pavement just past the tire barrier.

Next lap. Up to speed now. Off Turn Eight and into the braking zone seen previously.

Turning in.

Through the apex.

All the way across the track to the outside of the turn and power just beginning to come in.

More power.

Starting to turn some real RPM.

Grabbing more revs.

Shift point. Notice the blowby at the exhaust. This is substantial RPM for a pushrod big-block motor of this displacement. While no 'inside' knowledge is implied, no audible evidence of the rev limiter being on was heard in this series of laps.

Third lap. Deliberately pitching the car sideways in order to cut to the inside of another car (Alan Mann CanAm).

Buzzing Up a Big Block, Part 2

Later that afternoon...

End of File