The Cars Of Trans Am Racing 1966 1972

The legendary history of the pony car wars comes to life in this softcover edition of The Cars of Trans-Am Racing. The SCCA Trans-Am Racing Series launched in 1966 and was designed to showcase a new class of sporty domestic cars racing on road courses. Each major automotive manufacturer participated heavily in the Trans-Am Series, and in a few short years, it became the ultimate American automobile showdown. When the modified muscle cars of the series were seen performing well on the country’s finest tracks, fans wanted a model of their own in the driveway. These "pony cars" boasted a new look and style not seen before, and their all-around performance eclipsed anything accomplished by production-based American GT cars up to that point. This softcover edition of The Cars of Trans-Am Racing is unique in that it focuses on the cars used in this legendary series. These vintage Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers, Barracudas, Firebirds, Cougars, and Javelins all are extremely popular with collectors and enthusiasts today. Seeing them in their “full-competition” versions when they were new will bring back many fond memories for those who were fans of this series. In addition, enthusiasts who enjoy these cars today look to the Trans-Am Series cars for styling inspiration and performance hints as part of the growing Pro Touring trend. Many of these historic cars have been restored to race-ready condition. Additional insight and interviews from the original builders and the teams that maintained the cars provide an insider’s viewpoint never before seen in print.

The Trans-Am series featured classic American cars like the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro in some of the most competitive motor racing ever seen. This book brings back all the excitement of the series through hundreds of photographs.

Filled cover-to-cover with race previews and reports from Mosport; St. Jovite; Edmonton; Watkins Glen; Mid Ohio; Elkhart Lake; Donnybrooke; Road Atlanta; Laguna Seca; and Riverside. Contains detailed results on the McLaren M6A; The Can-Am Cars; Group 7 McKee-Oldsmobile track test; the Ferrari 612; the Chaparral 2H; Stewart's Lola Challenger- T260; and much more.

Ken Miles is one of the most famous sports car racers in history, and his time at Shelby American was the pinnacle of his career. Ride shotgun with Ken Miles through the twists and turns of Sebring, Laguna Seca, Riverside, and Le Mans as seen through the lens of Shelby American photographer Dave Friedman! The hiring of Ken Miles by Carroll Shelby in February 1963 initiated arguably the greatest pairing of driver/owner partnerships in the history of motorsports. Not only did Shelby hire Competition Manager Ken Miles as an accomplished road racer but also Miles brought professionalism, innovation, and a keen attribute of being able to surround himself with budding, talented individuals. The list of race cars that Ken piloted at Shelby American is nearly unrivaled: the Shelby 289 Cobra, 390 Cobra, 427 Cobra, King Cobra, Shelby Daytona, Mustang GT350R, and Ford GT. Ken dominated the 1964 United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) racing season by winning 8 of 10 races to secure the Manufacturers’ Championship. However, it was at Le Mans where Ken Miles became a worldwide household name. The robbery that was the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans is laid out in excruciatingly accurate detail as Ford royalty Carroll Shelby, Carroll Smith, Homer Perry, Leo Beebe, Charlie Agapiou, Bob Negstad, Carroll Smith, and Peter Miles recall the race and the tragedy that followed two months later. Recapture Ken Miles’s career as told by esteemed Shelby American photographer Dave Friedman in this firsthand account titled Ken Miles: The Shelby American Years!

When the Trans Am series let pony cars loose on the road circuits of America, some of the most exciting road racing in history took place. Until rule changes forced American manufacturer teams to withdraw in 1972, these ground-pounders enjoyed a golden era of dominance. Fans of vintage racing and muscle cars will enjoy this book's great photography and commentary from series participants, as well as comprehensive race results.

The unmistakable influence of the Mustang on the racing world is seen here in endurance and drag, Trans Am, and GT racing. This major volume draws on the history of factory and privately sponsored efforts to lavishly chronicle the history of factory-produced models that have been put to the test as racing machines. Vivid historical and contemporary images reveal Mustang's 35+ years of competitive racing history.

The original Canadian-American Challenge Cup series lasted only 8 1/2 seasons, from 1966 into 1974, but what ground-shaking, car-shaping years those were. With minimal rules and lavish prize money, the Can-Am attracted top-flight teams and superstar drivers. It also encouraged innovation, and racing's most inventive minds brought out novel and astounding ideas. Chaparral, Lola, McLaren, Porsche and Shadow are among 22 of these epic machines revisited through stunning studio photography by Peter Harholdt and vivid descriptions by Pete Lyons, long considered the dean of Can-Am journalists.--Publisher's description.