1965 Times Grand Prix

Color - 31 Minutes

In the pre-Can Am era, the LA Times Grand Prix for Sports Cars at Riverside International Raceway attracted an incredible field of international Grand Prix stars to challenge the top American road racers of the day in unlimited sports racing cars.

The entry for the '65 Times GP was the most impressive in US sports car racing history: Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon, Jackie Stewart, Ken Miles and David Hobbs led the international contingent with Dan Gurney, A.J. Foyt, Augie Pabst, Peter and Doug Revson, Jim Hall, Hap Sharp, Parnelli Jones, Jerry Grant, Skip Hudson, Chuck Parsons, Bob Bondurant, Ronnie Bucknum, George Follmer, Walt Hansgen, Lothar Motchenbacher, Richie Ginther, Ed Leslie, Jerry Hansen, Jim Hurtubise, Jerry Titus, Charlie Hayes and Skip Scott leading the Americans.

This was to be Mario Andretti's first professional road race, but the works Lola T-70's assigned to him and Jackie Stewart did not qualify for the feature race. A.J. Foyt missed the cut as well in his Lotus 40.

1965 was the year of the Chaparral 2. Jim Hall and Hap Sharp dominated the US road racing scene, winning 16 of the 22 races they entered, including the 12 Hours of Sebring. In Saturday practice, Hall's new Chaparral 2C broke a rear suspension bit and was unable to start, leaving teammate Hap Sharp and his older Chaparral 2 to represent the Lone Star State on race day.

Our film begins with action from the 'last chance' qualifying race, then joins the 200 mile Feature race in progress with Walt Hansgen and Jerry Grant dueling for the lead. Attrition was high, both Hansgen and Grant dropped out early. Bob Bondurant took the lead in his Lola T-70 Chevrolet until crashing out on lap 38, handing the victory to Hap Sharp and the Chaparral. Despite having little or no brakes, World Champion Jim Clark finished second in a works Lotus 40 just ahead of Bruce McLaren in the Elva built McLaren Mk 1 Olds.

Pole sitter Bruce McLaren was the man to watch that day, mounting two impressive charges to the front. At the start, McLaren chose the wrong gear and was catching the leaders when he suffered a punctured tire. Crewman Tyler Alexander is shown changing the wheel the old fashioned way (no air guns in 1965!), dropping McLaren a lap down on the leaders. But the Kiwi mounted another charge, setting fast lap (1:26.8, 108 mph) in the process and nearly catching Clark's Lotus at the finish.

Between race sequences, this 31 minute color film is filled with great interviews. Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Walt Hansgen, Bob Bondurant and the winner, Hap Sharp discuss their race with Chris Economaki, Sharp being very coy about the advantage the adjustable spoiler on his Chaparral gave him in race conditions.

1961 World Champion Phil Hill shares the commentary booth with Charlie Brockman.

Other cars to watch for in this great film are the #71 Ford GTX-1 roadster, driven to 5th overall by a young Chris Amon and the #7 rear engined Scarab, driven by Augie Pabst in it's next to last race.

This film preserves a tremendous piece of road racing history!