Friday, August 30, 2019

Bruce McLaren Born In Auckland, New Zealand - August 30, 1937

August 30, 1937 - June 2, 1970
Bruce McLaren
(Photo;bruce-mclaren.com)
Born in Auckland, New Zealand.
His name lives on in the McLaren team which has been one of the most successful in Formula One championship history, with McLaren cars and drivers winning a total of 20 world championships. McLaren cars totally dominated CanAm sports car racing with 56 wins, a considerable number of them with him behind the wheel, between 1967 and 1972, and five constructors’ championships, and have won three Indianapolis 500 races, as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 12 Hours of Sebring.

Bruce McLaren died at the age of 32, when his Can-Am car crashed on the Lavant straight just before Woodcote corner at Goodwood Circuit in England on June 2, 1970. He had been testing his new M8D when the rear bodywork came adrift at speed. The loss of aerodynamic downforce destabilized the car, which spun, left the track, and hit a bunker used as a flag station.

He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1995.

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