Messages

2281

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Hickory GT race - 6/9/69

« on: September 18, 2014, 01:12:22 PM »

I thought there was a dedicated thread for the NASCAR GT series here but I couldn't find it.  Anyway, here is a picture of Tiny Lund and his Cougar taken at Daytona International Speedway in 1969.  I found it on Ebay.  I know the 1967 Trans Am Bud Moore Cougars were used in this series in 1968 but is this 1969 car the re-bodied 1967 car or is it just another car?

2282

General Discussion / Re: FOUND: The Actual 1969 Camaro RS/SS Conv. NASCAR Pace Car for Bristol in 1969!

« on: September 18, 2014, 12:06:11 PM »

Dan Kirchner is the guy who found all those pacer pics and he still has the originals and can provide a high quality print. That # is still correct and his email is dansautolit@aol.com.

There were at least 10 cars and I know of 5 (and another possible car). The 5th car is very original and a manual, unlike the others.
Ruben never said if his was an auto or manual.

Thanks Kurt.  I will pass this info on to Ruben.   Do you know if Dan has any more pictures that were not featured in the old article from Muscle Cars of the 60's/70's?

Besides the Charlotte, Daytona, North Wilkesboro and now Bristol pace cars, what track were the other Camaros you know of used at?  Do you have any pictures of them in their current state?  Maybe you could let the current owners of these cars know about the threads I have created (see above post).  They might want to see vintage pictures of their pace cars.

Thanks

Scott Koscik

2283

General Discussion / Re: FOUND: The Actual 1969 Camaro RS/SS Conv. NASCAR Pace Car for Bristol in 1969!

« on: September 18, 2014, 11:54:38 AM »

I have created topic threads on several of the NASCAR 1969 Camaro RS/SS convertible pace cars over at the Camaro Pace Car site (more to come in the future).  Click on the following links to see them.

Newspaper articles from 1968 confirming use of Camaro by NASCAR during 1969 season: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/6951049946

Magazine Articles Featuring the 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 NASCAR Pace Cars: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/8931061356

Riverside International Raceway: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/4651010746

Daytona International Speedway: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/4031066646   and   http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/3811006646

Bristol International Speedway: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/4901054056

Atlanta International Raceway: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/9951035156

Asheville-Weaverville Speedway: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/9041093436

Darlington Raceway: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/9921039436

Alabama International Speedway (Talladega): http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/2901010256

Charlotte Motor Speedway: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/1861063336     and     http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/7611004436

Enjoy!

For those interested in learning about Camaro Pace Cars (non-Indy 500) from all five generations click on the following link that brings you to a huge five page section of the Camaro Pace Car site featuring the hundreds of Camaro pace car topic threads I have created: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/3100015833/p/1      Scroll through all five pages to see threads on additional 1969 Camaro pace cars as well as 1967 and 1968.

2284

General Discussion / FOUND: The Actual 1969 Camaro RS/SS Conv. NASCAR Pace Car for Bristol in 1969!

« on: September 17, 2014, 07:11:13 PM »

I am writing this on behalf of Ruben (RDF) who is the owner of the actual 1969 Camaro RS/SS convertible that was used to pace the NASCAR events at Bristol International Speedway in 1969.  Up until a month ago, I thought that there were only three surviving NASCAR 1969 Camaro pace cars.  The Daytona 500, North Wilkesboro, and Charlotte Motor Speedway cars have been restored and are known in the hobby but now a fourth has surfaced and is currently residing in Illinois.  Click on the following link to see a multi-page topic thread that I created at the Camaro Pace Car web site that includes the correspondence Ruben and I had concerning his Camaro as well as pictures of the way it looked in 1969 and the way it looks today: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/1651091356

I will let Ruben know that I posted this on CRG, so please respond with any comments or suggestions for him concerning his significant Camaro.

Thanks

Scott Koscik
(SMKZ28)

2285

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Hickory GT race - 6/9/69

« on: September 10, 2014, 12:28:57 PM »

There were two NASCAR Grand Touring races held at Hickory Motor Speedway in 1969.  The article is talking about the first one held on June 7th.  The second one was called the Catawba 300 and it took place on July 26th.  The race was also won by Pete Hamilton.  I found this picture here: http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/forum/topics/catawba-valley-300-7-26-1969

The website also states, "Race #19 of 1969 was held at Hickory Speedway, a 4/10 mile paved oval. Pete Hamilton qualified on the pole with a GT track record of 16.38 seconds and led the first 82 laps before spinning in turn four. Wayne Andrews took over the lead until lap 100. From there Pete led the rest of the way building up a 2 lap advantage to capture win number 8.  There were 3 cautions for 23 laps with 18 of the 26 starters running at the finish."

2286

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Monterey 2014

« on: August 21, 2014, 03:55:27 PM »

Cool pics Jon.  You look good in the new, early production Z28!

2287

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Trans Am racing pace car pics...are there any?

« on: August 08, 2014, 07:14:11 PM »

Speaking of Ford pace cars, I ran across this picture of a white 1972 Ford Mustang convertible being used to pace the Trans Am race held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio on June 4, 1972.  It appears on page 161 of the publication entitled, "The Cars of Trans-Am Racing: 1966-1972," by David Tom.

2288

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Trans Am racing pace car pics...are there any?

« on: August 08, 2014, 03:20:42 AM »

Even though it is not a Camaro it is still a cool picture.  It does have some connection to the 1970 Trans Am season since Penske/Donohue used the race to test their new Javelins so it fits into this thread just fine!  That is definitely the 1970 24 hours of Daytona and it is a 1970 Ford Torino GT convertible.  Just like in 1969 with the Camaro, NASCAR had Ford build them 9 to 12 1970 Torino GT's (both convertible and fastback) to be used at the major NASCAR races for the late part of the 1969 season as well as 1970.  Here are a few more vintage pictures of the cars.

The first one shows the same car pacing the 24 hours of Daytona. 

The second one shows two of the cars used by the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The third one shows one of the North Wilkesboro Speedway cars as it looks today.

2289

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Trans Am racing pace car pics...are there any?

« on: July 24, 2014, 06:35:47 PM »

Three more images of the 1968 Camaro RS/SS convertible that paced the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona.

The caption from the first picture states, "Daytona Beach, FL - February 4, 1968: A Huge crowd gathers around the winning factory Porsche 907's in victory lane following their 1-2-3 finish in the 24 Hours of Daytona at Daytona International Speedway."    It can be found here:  http://www.gettyimages.com/det...news-photo/112303797

The second and third pictures came from The Dave Friedman Collection at The Henry Ford.  They show the drivers of the winning Porsche 907. They were Vic Elford (middle), Rolf Stommelen (right) and Jochn Neerpasch (left).

A larger and clearer version of the second picture can be found here: http://thehenryford.artehouse.com/perl/magnify_popup.pl?imageID=91635&staticImage=C&ckon=image&alt=0

A larger and clearer version of the third picture can be found here: http://thehenryford.artehouse.com/perl/magnify_popup.pl?imageID=91634&staticImage=C&ckon=image&alt=0

2290

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Trans Am racing pace car pics...are there any?

« on: July 24, 2014, 06:22:35 PM »

Here is another picture of the 1968 Camaro RS/SS convertible that paced the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona and was driven by James Garner.  I found it at the Revs Digital Library. More info and magnification tools can be found here: https://revslib.stanford.edu/catalog/bj357nm1460  Check out the body roll as it leaves the infield road course and heads onto NASCAR turn one.

2291

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Trans Am racing pace car pics...are there any?

« on: July 23, 2014, 02:39:56 PM »

A member of the Camaro Pace Car site alerted me to this photo from a Road & Track article of James Garner sitting in the 1968 Camaro RS/SS convertible used to pace the 24 Hours of Daytona on February 3/4, 1968.  He not only paced this race in 1968 but he was also a three time pace car driver for the Indy 500 (1975, 1977 & 1985).  He was not only a great actor, starring in one of the best racing films of all time, Grand Prix in 1966, but he was also an amateur race car driver, race team owner, and all around racing enthusiast and cool guy.  RIP James Garner.  

Other pictures of the 1968 Camaro can be found on page one of this thread in replies #12 & #13 as well as page six, reply #77.

The first picture came from the following link via Getty Images: http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/car-culture/james-garner-dies-at-age-86

The second picture shows him in the 1975 Buick Indy 500 Pace Car and the third picture shows him standing with the 1977 Oldsmobile Indy 500 pace car.
 

2292

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Gorries Black Panther Camaro

« on: July 02, 2014, 01:17:13 PM »

Great stuff on a little known Camaro.  That is why I love this site.  Thanks Jon and Mike!

2293

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Car & Driver Blue Maxi Camaro

« on: July 02, 2014, 01:13:31 PM »

A current article on the Blue Maxi Camaro can be found here...

http://www.superchevy.com/features/1407-1969-chevrolet-camaro-ss-rs-the-blue-maxi-lives/?eml=849589&sp_rid=4984874

Thanks Jon and Mike (group/7) for posting the scans of the original articles.  I had seen and read a copy of the 2nd article before but I had never seen the first.  Love the psychedelic photos of the car!  Interesting to note that the car was used as a "course car" at Bridgehampton during a driving school.  I also noticed that the Super Chevy article states, "when it went to Penske and they built it, they put rally-car brakes on the front so they could use it as a pace car for rallying and stuff."

 

2294

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Trans Am racing pace car pics...are there any?

« on: July 02, 2014, 11:36:43 AM »

Fantastic photos Jon!  Two for one, a Trans Am driver driving a Camaro Pace Car.  How cool is that.  Thanks for posting these from the Robert Lodewyk Collection. 

Additional pictures of this Camaro pace car appear on page two, replies #28 and #29; page seven, replies #99 and #100; page nine, reply #121 and page twelve, reply #176.

2295

Trans-Am Camaros / 1971 Road America Trans Am Color Photographs

« on: May 01, 2014, 04:14:23 AM »

I just ran across this collection of color photographs taken by Richard A. Reeves at the Trans Am races at Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on July 17, 1971.  The pictures were posted on Flickr.  Click on the following link to see the 30 photographs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/vintageracepics70/sets/72157632790539418  Sorry if this is a re-post.  I don't recall seeing them before.

The first picture in the second row is backwards.  That is the run up to the Corvette bridge after turn five.  The first three are correct.