Master of the rain

John Cannon, McLaren Elva Mk. IIB, at speed in the rain at the Laguna Seca Raceway, on his way to victory in the 1968 Monterey Grand Prix (picture-above). Cannon would attribute his victory to his confidence in a set of rain tires that he exhaustively tested the year prior.

“Not only was it amazing to see him in control, but he lapped the entire field”, remembers Wade Knarley. “And he cut a slit in his visor, so he could see through the rain. Beat his eyes, but he won. He said something around the lines of, tiptoe around the corners and stand on it on the straights.” adds Bill Morgan.

John S. Burke concludes: “I was there. It was fabulous. Bruce McLaren, impressed by such a display, gave John Cannon a new McLaren badge for his car after the race.” Here-under, the impressive field at the start in the pouring rain at Laguna Seca.