STORY OF THE DAY: Ferrari Tests Can-Am Power at Road America

On 1 September 1968, Pedro Rodriguez finished 13th at Road America in the number 22 Ferrari 350 Can-Am. The race placed Ferrari against specialized North American machinery created for the Canadian-American Challenge Cup’s exceptionally liberal technical regulations.

Road America exposed the scale of Ferrari’s task. Its long straights rewarded enormous engine capacity, while the established Can-Am teams had developed cars specifically for short, intense races. Rodriguez brought the experimental Ferrari to the finish, gaining useful experience even though it could not match the leading machinery.

The 350 Can-Am evolved from Ferrari’s P4 endurance prototype. It used an enlarged V12 of roughly 4.2 litres, revised open bodywork and adaptations for sprint competition. Although powerful and aerodynamically refined, it retained endurance-racing origins and conceded substantial displacement to its American-engined rivals.

Rodriguez was a Mexican driver renowned for commitment, wet-weather skill and exceptional endurance pace. His extensive Ferrari and NART experience made him a natural choice for the Can-Am project. At Road America, his performance provided a dependable assessment of the car against unfamiliar and rapidly developing opposition.