1969 Laguna Seca Trans-Am photos

[Jon Mello]

Many thanks to Delmar Evans for sharing his photos from the 1969 Laguna Seca Trans-Am with us. This first
batch of photos is from the practice session on the Saturday before the race.

A look at the short straight between the old turn 8 and turn 9. Turn 9 makes an acute LH turn onto the main straight and is just out of the photo on the mid-RH side.

Photo by Delmar Evans

A closer look at the paddock and pit area.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Scooter Patrick's Porsche 911

Photo by Delmar Evans

Jerry Grant in front of Ron Grable's #4.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Mark Donohue's Camaro heading down toward turn 8.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Peter Revson's Shelby team car.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Ron Grable ran the #3 Javelin earlier in the '69 season but switched to the #4 by the Laguna Seca race.

Photo by Delmar Evans

George Follmer's Bud Moore Boss Mustang.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Ed Leslie in the second Penske Camaro.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Mark Donohue coming down out of turn 7.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Ron Grable and Jerry Grant.

Photo by Delmar Evans

An old map of the original layout of the track, circa the 1969 race.

Jon Mello Collection

[Sixteen Grand Sedan #56]

Thank you again Mr. Evans for supplying these pictures for all of us to enjoy

Looks like the Tom Lynch Camaro in the first picture on the far left with the black hood raised.

Robert

[Jon Mello]

You've got a better eye than eye do, Robert. Took me awhile to find it.


Photo by Delmar Evans

[Jon Mello]

More pics from Saturday's practice session...

Parnelli Jones' Bud Moore Boss Mustang

Photo by Delmar Evans

Gary Wright's Porsche 911

Photo by Delmar Evans

Mark Kelman and Tony Settember peel off on the pit road exit while Mark Donohue's Camaro continues on track around turn 8

Photo by Delmar Evans

Parnelli Jones vs Ed Leslie

Photo by Delmar Evans

Gerry Gregory's #56 is now owned by our own "Sixteen Grand Sedan #56" Robert Lodewyk

Photo by Delmar Evans

Dan Gurney piloted the #2 Shelby team Mustang this weekend instead of Horst Kwech.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Roy Woods and his ARA Camaro

Photo by Delmar Evans

Another shot of Parnelli Jones

Photo by Delmar Evans

Front 3/4 shot of Ed Leslie in his Penske Camaro

Photo by Delmar Evans

Now a direct side shot of Ed's car. Note the spectator's Z/28 behind the fence.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Frank Search's Camaro. Frank was a fast racer out of the San Francisco region of the SCCA and ran a Corvette as well as the Camaro.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Here Frank spins off course in turn 7 after coming down from the corkscrew part of the track

Photo by Delmar Evans

[Sixteen Grand Sedan #56]

You've got a better eye than eye do, Robert. Took me awhile to find it.

Actually, I can't see anything either.
Dana, the better half of the current owners found it and made me aware of it.


Photo by Delmar Evans

[wolfmin]

Frank Search's driving style was fun to watch!  All you ever saw was the side of the car...

[Jon Mello]

Here's the last of the photos from Saturday's practice...

The Porsche 911 of Tony Campbell, from BC, Canada

Photo by Delmar Evans

Harald Kirberg's Porsche. I don't think either of these Porsche's were in Sunday's Trans-Am race.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Roy Woods' ARA camaro. Note the yellow & black Z/28 parked in the spectator lot.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Dick Richards' Mustang. I believe this is the same car driven by Ron Dykes for the Hilton Racing Team during the '67 Trans-Am season.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Don Zacharie's Porsche 911.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Another shot of Peter Revson's Mustang.

Photo by Delmar Evans

[Jon Mello]

Now to Sunday's race. Here's the Camaro pace car leading the cars on the pace lap down through turn 7.


Photo by Delmar Evans

Interestingly, George Follmer (the far car) was on the pole for this race besting Parnelli's fastest time by .14 seconds.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Mark Donohue and Jerry Titus took up the second row.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Ed Leslie's Camaro and Ron Grable's Javelin on the third row with Dan Gurney's Mustang gridded 8th.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Scooter Patrick's Porsche 911 was the fastest of the under 2-liter qualifiers.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Here are two Northern Californians, Don Zacharie and Walt Maas in their 911s. The current owner of Walt's #96 has run it a couple of times with the HTA group.

Photo by Delmar Evans

On the first lap, Parnelli has already jumped into the lead.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Ed Leslie has gotten by Jerry Titus to lay claim to 4th.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Mark Donohue is trying to keep the two Bud Moore cars in his sights.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Here come a pack of 2-liter cars down through turn 7 headed by Don Zacharie.

Photo by Delmar Evans

[SMKZ28]

Fantastic color shots!  Cool to see the Camaro pace car in two of the pictures.  I also love seeing the cars the spectators brought to the race.  Several Camaro Z28's, rows of Porsche's, Corvettes, etc.  Thanks Delmar and Jon.

[Jon Mello]

You're welcome, Scott. I'm glad you're enjoying these.

Parnelli Jones was the early leader per his usual hard charging style.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Mark Donohue was running in third place behind George Follmer's Mustang.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Ed Leslie ran in 4th place...

Photo by Delmar Evans

...followed by Jerry Titus in his T/G Firebird.

Photo by Delmar Evans

There goes Parnelli again.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Dan Gurney had trouble adjusting to the handling of his Shelby Boss Mustang, which was never the same after being wrecked at St Jovite.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Ron Grable's #4 Javelin leads Gurney's Mustang as they head toward turn 8.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Parnelli has the #84 Porsche in his crosshairs.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Here's Parnelli again, working his way through traffic and putting these competitors a lap down.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Mark Donohue and Ed Leslie are staying in the hunt.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Gurney and Grable are still in a battle for position. Both drivers were very familiar with the track.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Ed Leslie goes to the inside of turn 7 to get by Frank Search.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Jerry Grant's #3 Javelin can be seen cresting the hill on the main straight in the distance.

Photo by Delmar Evans

Ed Leslie looks like he has gotten by Tony Settember and Rusty Jowett and now is working on Gerry Gregory.

Photo by Delmar Evans