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Michael Roe in the VDS at Sears Point in 1984.  Copyright Dan Wildhirt (photos.wildhirt.com) 2010.  Used with permission.

Can-Am 1984

Can-Am's death was widely predicted after the 1983 season, but it was rescued by "Dallas millionaire" Don Walker, who leased the series from SCCA President Nick Craw and ran it through his CanAm Association. Walker agreed a TV contract with ESPN and brought in CRC Chemicals as title sponsor.

Walker's Dallas Motorsport ran the VDS cars for Michael Roe again and, with little serious competition, the Irishman took pole position at every race and won seven races. When Roe hit trouble, one-time GP driver Jim Crawford was able to win the three remaining races in his RK Racing March 847 and when Roe didn't hit trouble, Crawford always finished second. Both driver's moved on to CART where Crawford briefly led the Indy 500 in 1988. Roe's career sputtered and died.

Behind these two, the rest of the Can-Am field was little more than SCCA club racing with the minor positions being filled by an assortment of converted F2 cars plus the antique Lola-Frissbee of Horst Kroll.

The races

10 Jun 1984 > Mosport Park

07 Jul 1984 > Dallas (Fair Park)

22 Jul 1984 > Brainerd

04 Aug 1984 > Lime Rock

19 Aug 1984 > Road Atlanta

02 Sep 1984 > Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières

09 Sep 1984 > Mosport Park

30 Sep 1984 > Sears Point

07 Oct 1984 > Riverside

28 Oct 1984 > Green Valley Raceway

1984 CRC Chemicals Can-Am Championship table

1Michael RoeVDS 002 - Chevrolet V8
VDS 004 - Chevrolet V8
162 pts7 wins
2Jim CrawfordMarch 847 - Chevrolet V8156 pts3 wins
3Horst KrollFrissbee-Lola KR3 - Chevrolet V8119 pts 
4Kim Campbell2-litre March 832 - BMW M12/788 pts 
5Rod Cusumano2-litre Ralt RT2 - Hart 420R
March 822 - BMW M12/7
55 pts 
6Charles MonkFrissbee-Lola T333 - Chevrolet V854 pts 
7Armando Trentini2-litre Osella PA9B/84 - BMW M12/752 pts 
8Walter Lechner3-litre Williams FW07C - Cosworth DFV V8
Lola T300 - Chevrolet V8
3-litre March 821 - Cosworth DFV V8
37 pts 
9Ron Canizares2-litre March 812 - Hart 420R35 pts 
10John GunnPhoenix 84 - Chevrolet V8
Phoenix 85 - Chevrolet V8
30 pts 

Previous: the 1983 season

Next: the 1985 season

Points table from Auto Racing/USA 1984 p252.