McLaren had its most dominant season in the Canadian-American Challenge cup, winning all of the 11 races in the 1969 calendar. About half a century after, a full grid of Can-Am racers, including eight original McLarens, revisited Laguna Seca for historic race. The automaker created a short video to showcase some of these Can-Am racers in action.

In the video, we are graced with the appearance of four McLaren Can-Am machines, namely 1971 M8F, 1967 M6A-3, 1968 M6B and 1967 M6A, as well as a brief interview with these iconic cars’ current owners. All of these machines were designed with a large displacement engine, for example the 1967 M6A-3 has a 7.0-litre Chevrolet V8 engine that produces 700hp at 6,700rpm, and they all have way more power than to be tamed down by grip and brakes. ‘A car made in 1967, with marginal brakes, no aerodynamics and 700hp. F1 cars make their horsepower at 11,000rpm, this thing makes it as soon as you touch the gas. It really makes you appreciate the drivers back in the day. It was all balls and skill really,’ said the M6A-3’s owner Bruce Marquand.

The last car, 1967 M6A, was once driven by no other than Bruce McLaren himself and current owner Richard Griot says he can “definitely feel the legacy of this car”. All owners decide to race with these vintage Can-Am cars deserve a round of applause for once again showing us the magic of the big block V8s.