The SCCA Trans Am sequence achieved iconic standing within the late Nineteen Sixties and early ’70s. On this episode of “Jay Leno’s Storage,” Jay Leno, NASCAR commentator Mike Pleasure, and historic racer Ken Epsman take a look at among the vehicles that made that period of Trans Am racing so particular. We study fairly a bit concerning the historical past of Trans Am racing and Trans Am historic racing alongside the best way.
Making an attempt to develop past newbie racing with a professional sequence, the SCCA launched Trans Am in 1966. The sequence initially featured modified manufacturing vehicles in two lessons: these with engines displacing lower than 2.0 liters, and people with engines bigger than 2.0 liters however capped at 5.0 liters or 305 cubic inches.
The latter created a gap for Ford, Normal Motors, Chrysler, and AMC to subject their pony vehicles, which had been simply hitting the market on the time. The Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, Plymouth ‘Cuda, and AMC Javelin all raced within the Trans Am sequence with manufacturing unit help throughout this golden age, which continued till 1972. After that, guidelines adjustments moved Trans Am from its production-based method.
1971 AMC Javelin Trans Am race automotive on Jay Leno’s Storage
Lacking from that checklist is the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, which was named after the sequence, however was unable to compete as a result of its engine exceeded the 5.0-liter most displacement set by the foundations. Firebirds did race within the Trans Am, albeit with much less constant manufacturing unit help than the Camaros, and GM paid the SCCA a $5 charge for every Firebird Trans Am highway automotive bought. For a time, that was the SCCA’s greatest supply of revenue, Pleasure notes within the video.
What made Trans Am race vehicles stand out was their similarity to highway vehicles. The unique guidelines required inventory physique shells and powertrains, which made the racing fascinating and spawned traditional homologation specials just like the Ford Mustang Boss 302 and Chevrolet Camaro Z/28. These vehicles had been raced by well-known drivers reminiscent of Dan Gurney and Mark Donohue, making the Trans Am sequence a much bigger deal in its day than NASCAR, which was nonetheless largely well-liked solely within the South, Pleasure says.
The foundations pressured some fascinating workarounds, reminiscent of the large oil sump on the Ford Mustang proven right here (as a result of dry sumps had been unlawful), or the usage of the bottom entrance fascia on the 1970 Camaro racer reasonably than the fancier Rally Sport model to save lots of weight. Not the whole lot was inventory—the Camaro employs a Chevy Impala rear axle to increase its monitor width—however the vehicles did a minimum of look that manner.
At a time when “win on Sunday, promote on Monday” was nonetheless a dependable technique, this made Trans Am an vital advertising device for automakers. That was significantly true for AMC, which partnered first with Kaplan Engineering, then Penske Racing, and at last the Roy Woods crew as an all-in effort to advertise its Javelin as a substitute for the Detroit Three pony vehicles. The trouble netted titles in 1971 and 1972, giving AMC and the Javelin a short second of glory.
The video ends like most of Leno’s video, with a drive in one of many vehicles. On this case, it is the no. 89 1966 Ford Mustang raced initially by Jim Whelan. It is a deal with to listen to the 289 with GT40 heads in motion on the road.
The Trans Am sequence nonetheless exists at this time, however the race vehicles haven’t got a lot in frequent with highway vehicles, and the sequence has been overshadowed within the U.S. by the likes of NASCAR, Components 1, IndyCar, and IMSA racing, however the vehicles from that 1966-1972 period are nonetheless iconic.