The Racing Scene

Garner starts his 1969 racing adventure by competing in the Baja 1000 offroad race across the Mexican outback, driving a heavily modified 650-horsepower Ford Bronco with co-driver Scooter Patrick. They come in 4th in their class, showcasing Garner's early involvement in high-stakes racing events. The scene highlights his passion for offroad racing and his sponsorship of similar teams.

Following his Baja race, Garner's racing team makes a public debut filled with media coverage and celebrity appearances, raising awareness and excitement around his racing pursuits. This event marks Garner’s efforts to combine racing with media exposure, boosting his team's profile in the racing community.

Garner flies to England to oversee the shakedown of a new open-wheel, 5-litre V8-powered Formula A car, constructed by Formula One champion John Surtees and designer Len Terry, for the upcoming North American racing series. This marks Garner’s expansion into open-wheel racing with a high-performance car.

Garner is present at Daytona, Florida, as part of a racing team with two Chevrolet-powered Lola T70 Mk 3b coupes, competing in the 24 Hours of Daytona. The cars finish 2nd and 7th, demonstrating their reliability and competitive edge over high-performance rivals like Ford GT40s and Porsche 908s.

The same Lola T70 cars are raced at Sebring, with some team members making modifications for the event. The race starts well but is marred by driver dropout and mechanical issues, resulting in a 7th place finish for the team, highlighting the unpredictable challenges of endurance racing.

While Garner departs to make a film in Europe, other team members continue competing in Formula A, Can Am, and Trans Am races. Driver Scooter Patrick wins some races during this period, and John Surtees’ cars perform well on their respective circuits, indicating sustained racing efforts in Garner’s absence.

Garner takes possession of his new Surtees TS5 Formula A car, powered by a 450-hp Chevrolet V8, preparing for its debut at the Lime Rock circuit. The team works on suspension adjustments to optimize the car for high-speed racing in the upcoming SCCA Continental Championship.

Garner, Patterson, and the crew transport the car cross-country in a Winnebago, arriving in Connecticut just a week before the race. Technical issues prevent the car from qualifying, but driver Scooter Patrick manages to move up from last to 11th before engine failure ends his race effort.

Following the Lime Rock race, Garner returns to California, where he vents frustration over the costly racing efforts with a sand rail ride through the Algodones Dunes. This symbolizes his ongoing struggle with the technical and financial challenges of racing.

Garner’s team competes at the St Jovite F5000 race at Mont-Tremblant in Canada, with high hopes. Unfortunately, a multi-car pileup caused by an out-of-control racer end the race early for Garner’s car, dashing their chances of victory.

Despite the setbacks at St Jovite, Garner expresses his acceptance of the racing challenges and affirms his commitment with the statement, 'This is my road. The one I choose. The one I follow.' His resilient attitude underscores his dedication to motorsport despite numerous obstacles.