See the Can-Am legend born in this awesome little film on the very first event at St. Jovite, Quebec in September of 1966. 

To little fanfare—in light of what was to come, anyway—the inaugural season of the Can-Am series was announced on February 15, 1966. The Canadian-American Challenge Cup, as it was officially known, was to include five races the first year (a sixth was later added), a full slate of internationally known sports cars and drivers, a generous purse, and a surprisingly thin rule book. It was a formula for making magic, as the original Can-Am (1966-1974) soon became one of the most remarkable racing series in history, featuring ferocious, fire-breathing sports cars wheeled by the sport’s most memorable personalities.

This sporty little documentary spotlights the very first Can-Am race on September 11 at St. Jovite, Quebec, the 2.65-mile road course just north of Montreal known today as Circuit Mont-Treblant. As part of the opening backgrounder, the film offers a rare treat: a tutorial of the difficult circuit with veteran American driver Masten Gregory serving as our instructor. That’s worth the trip in itself.

Then we get to the race with some excellent helicopter shots capturing part of the action. We’re probably not spoiling it for you to note that double World Champion John Surtees was the winner on this day, scoring the first Can-Am victory in a Lola T70-Chevrolet. New Zealand’s Bruce McLaren finished second, with more than a dozen of his own McLaren-Elva race cars trailing behind him. Enjoy the race.