The handsome American Racing 5-spoke wheel was the wheel of choice in the Trans-Am through to the end of 1968. Then, almost as one, all the factory teams switched to Minilites for 1969.
However, the two factory Mustang squads ran American Racing 200 wheels in the early races, before then switching to Minilites, although the 200s do appear to have made come-backs at various points in the year for both teams. Also, the T/G Firebird team appears to have at least fitted AM 200 wheels to their cars very early, and before the season started. They also then switched to Minilites.
Does anyone know why, first of all, the teams that initially ran the American Racing 200 wheels chose these over the previous years AM design that had been so popular? And what advantages did the Minilite have over both the American Racing wheels used through to 1968, and the 200 wheels? This was really a big sea-change in wheel choice for teams.