YouTube (or other) videos of early Trans-Am racing

[JoeC]

Thanks Jon  Maybe there should be a seperate thread for youtube videos?
There is some great original video on there

here is a nice example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XkBPOUWM5k

[Jon Mello]

Here's a video from the Donnybrooke Trans-Am race in 1969.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn0OOSQPXT8&feature=related

[Bruce302]

Here is the 1968 T/A taster from the DVD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx0MNKqalic

Bruce.

[Bruce302]

Here is another taster, this for a DVD of 69 Trans Am. Mind numbingly slow intro, but it looks like it will lead into something worthwhile.

http://vimeo.com/5430289

and another of the '68 Daytona race. Not our finest moment, but it's always good to watch racing.

http://vimeo.com/5207048

Bruce.

[cuda48]

I remember seeing a short film about the Penske/Donohue  effort, back when I was much younger, and it was called "4 hands on the wheel"?  It spent a good deal of time on the Camaro.  I haven't seen this since.  Anyone else?

Mike Camicia

[Jon Mello]

Mike,

No, I have never heard of it but I looked around and found a copy at Autobooks-Aerobooks in Burbank, CA, (818) 845-0707. I ordered a copy of that, plus "Powered by Sunoco 1968", "Road Racing, Detroit Style" and another one with no audio which covers the 1969 Laguna Seca and Riverside Trans-Ams. That should tide me over for a little while.

[Jon Mello]

Well, I got the DVDs and have had a chance to watch them. I honestly enjoyed them all but I would put "Four Hands on the Wheel" at the top of the list. Interesting interviews with Roger Penske and Mark Donohue and coverage of Penske's 1969 racing effort. Also covers previous history of Penske and Donohue's racing career and shows footage at Roger's dealership and race shop. Time is 47.5 minutes. "Powered by Sunoco 1968" covers the Penske USRRC, Can-Am and Trans-Am efforts and is almost 28 minutes long. "Road Racing Detroit Style" covers the 1970 Watkins Glen Trans-Am which was won by Vic Elford in Jim Hall's Camaro. Interviews include Jim Hall, Penske and Parnelli Jones. Good action on the track and in the pits during this race which took place under rainy conditions. Lastly, the '69 Laguna Seca & Riverside Trans-Am DVD. Some pretty good footage of the racing (including the pace lap) but no narration at all and some odd editing. Still fun to see the T/A cars on these two historic tracks. I thought the quality of the images was pretty good for all of these and would recommend them to anybody who had an interest in classic Trans-Am racing and racing in general from this era. Really good stuff.

[oldtransamdriver]

Jon, I have that "Road Racing Detroit Style" as part of a racing tape that includes bits and pieces of amateur footage from Mosport, St. Jovite, Lime Rock, and I think Bridgehampton, and maybe some other tracks.  If I can find it, I will ship it off to you and you can "convert it". Can't remember where this came from but may have been from Robert Hayes who at one time did some research on early Firebird race cars.

I drove in that 1970 Watkins Glen T/A rain race, but oddly, can't remember racing in the rain, and I'm sure we didn't have any rain tires! That was the race where we just got on the grid at the last minute because 4 guys toasted their engines in the warmup - hard to understand why they would flog their cars that hard in the warmup. My racing ream-mate that year, Dave (Paul) Lawler, also drove in that race - his 68 camaro was put into storage and has never surfaced.  Dave passed away from cancer in the early nineties - he did 4 races in 1970 - best finish was 8th at Mid-Ohio - one of those guys who had some "raw talent".

Robert Barg

[Jon Mello]

Robert, I would love to get that from you so I could copy it. Thanks for the offer. I forgot to mention that that particular video has an in-car camera in Peter Revson's Javelin as he is taking some practice laps and he is talking as he is making his way around the course. I thought that was pretty neat.

[Jon Mello]

Bruce302 pointed this one out to me...

http://www.streetfire.net/video/1973-transam-sanair_196121.htm

[OCTARD]

Though I don't own this yet to better comment, I thought those on this forum might enjoy knowing there is a new DVD from Petersen/Carfilms entitled "Untold Secrets of Trans-Am Racing."

It is in DVD format, 2HRS long, and available at www.carfilms.com for $24.95

Here is a link to a teaser video noting some of the original Trans-Am folks included in this video.  I believe much of the content comes from a 2009, "Tribute to Trans-Am Racing" event held at the Petersen museum.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba7dlOs_iJs

[Jon Mello]

That was a fun event. Robert Lodewyk and I were there along with our T/A hero Robert Barg.

[OCTARD]

Hello folks,

I just got "Four Hands on the Wheel" as a gift.  Watched it tonight, and it is as good as it gets for a Donohue or Penske fan. 

The blips of Ron Fournier building the bulges on the 1969 Camaro front fenders is so darn cool for those into fabrication.  So much great footage of Mark and Roger talking as well.

I'd qualify this film as a must have for so many members of this forum.

-Chad

[Jon Mello]

Chad, I'm glad you got the opportunity to add that to your collection. It really is as outstanding as you say. I think you would also get a lot of enjoyment out of the other three I mentioned above.

[OCTARD]

Hello Jon,

I also received "Powered by Sunoco 1968," as a gift.  Though I enjoyed the content, and I'm glad to own a copy of the film, I wouldn't recommend it as a "must have." 

-Chad