The 1974 Canadian-American Challenge Cup was the ninth and final season of the original Can-Am auto racing series. It consisted of FIA Group 7 racing cars running half hour Sprint races followed by hour-long Cup races. It began June 16, 1974, and was cancelled after the fifth round on August 25, 1974.
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The 1973 season had been dominated by the turbocharged Porsche 917/30 of Team Penske driven by Mark Donohue, and then came the 1973 oil crisis. As response, CanAm limited fuel consumption. The new, nimble Shadow DN4 dominated a short season in which even several underpowered old 1969 Porsche 908/02 scored points.
Following the cancellation of the series, many teams turned to the new Camel GT Challenge, although the cars were not of the same type as had been used in Can-Am. The Can-Am name would return in 1977, although the formula used would vary greatly from the original series, concentrating instead on open-wheel-based chassis.
