Trans Am Racers

[JoeC]

Vic E has the old Smokey Yunick Camaro which I believe was raced by Don Yenko in 6 TransAm races in 1969. This car is pictured in the Feb. 2002 MCR magazine in the story about Don Y. It is difficult to find info on the cars that didn't run at the front of the pack. I believe Don's best finish was 7th in a TA race but he did win the Citrus 250 at Daytona in that car and there were a lot of big guns in that race.

[Jim Mattison]

There are several race series that have a Historic Trans Am class......SVRA, VSCDA and HSR. If you have never been to one of these events, you should! They could be habit forming!!!

I have one of the 1969 "Canadian" Firebirds (a Z-28 Camaro, with Trans Am sheet metal) that we have raced in the VSCDA series for the last couple of years. The engine is a dry-sump 302 Chevy (actually 304.2) that will rev to 8800 rpm with ease. It is essentially a 302 version of a Winston Cup engine.

I am the Roger Penske of the operation.............the car owner $$$$ ! My oldest son "JB" drives for us and does a great job for the team. The current issue (Feb, 2003) of High Performance Pontiac Magazine has a nice article on the car and our team.

For 2003, we will compete in the HSR race series. The first race of the year will be at Road Atlanta. Hopefully, I'll see some of you there!

Jim Mattison

[Zedder]

Hey Jim,Your car wasn't owned or driven by Craig Fisher at one time was it? He told me that they did a number of Camaro/Firebird cars in '68 and '69.

[redvetracr]

I am sorry to disagree BUT you absolutely have to have pre`73 race history to race with the SVRA at Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen and VIR in group 6. The SVRA Road America event is "open" as are the other two R/A vintage events although the fastest vintage group 6 cars in the country usually ALL show up at R/A in July for the BRIC. I also believe (for some strange reason) all cars with "Shelby`s" name on them are considered "race cars" and don`t need race history to compete in SVRA. You also are not going to compete in any historic Trans-Am reunion events on the west coast as they require SCCA Trans-Am history NOT just SCCA regional/national pre`73 history. The "price of admission keeps out the riff-raff". ...redvetracr

[MotownMadman]

I am certainly not going to argue with someone who knows what they are talking about, and it sounds like you do. I am new enough to this sport that I am learning as I go along. Maybe the "Loophole" you are referring to as far as "Shelby" is what has been confusing me, I was basing my conclusion on the 67 Shelby Group II #68, which was the prototype with no race history, and if what you say is true about Shelby cars being raced with no history while others cant doesnt seem quite fair. I have a mountain of vintage trans am paperwork I aquired, from what I have seen so far I should be able to help out some guys if it is questionable as to if their car had race history or not. I have nothing to worry about with my car as it was raced the first 10 races of 68 by Horst Kwech, Parnelli Jones, David Pearson, and Dan Gurney. My car will be on the auction block next August by Russo and Steele in Monterey, same weekend as the Vintage race and Fords 100th anniversary in racing.

[Jeff H]

I was under the impression that a car had to have the SCCA (certification or plate) on the rollbar showing that the vehicle was actually raced back in the day. I guess that helps keep out the riff-raff, but there could be a lot of cars that were built back then that never officially entered an event that could still be in hiding. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[MotownMadman]

Jeff, There are a LOT of cars that are missing from the TA history, when these cars were registered for an event they were registered with there VIN number so it is possible to go back in the records and track down a specific car. Many didnt have titles, but all had a manufactuer VIN and some like Shelbys also had a # from Kar Kraft stamped in the roll bar as well as other locations. I will get with your friend and see if I can track down his VIN having been entered in any races, which will also provide vital information as to owner, team, etc. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[FIAracer]

Hello- I'm new to this site. Thanks go out to Motownmadman for telling me about it and I plan to join in on the T/A Racers topic soon.
Steve-

[redvetracr]

The "plate" you refer to was a brass tag riveted on (Trans-Am cars) and easily switched (yes there are scam artists in vintage racing) Race results, dated pictures, SCCA log books are all items of verification. Things get tricky with log books as they were just starting to be used 71-72 and the SVRA wants pre`73 history but anything raced in any type of SCCA (wheel to wheel) competition should have a log book AND the corresponding number stamped in the roll bar (main hoop) ..redvetracr

[TimG]

Redvetracr, apparently Dave Rex and Dave MacClymont had submitted race history of my car to SCCA years ago. Do you know of any way to access the records of SCCA? Road America has researched their records from the years my car competed and won at that track and they are forwarding this information to me.
To all, if you want to have the most fun you can have without doing something illegal, head to Road America for the vintage races in July.