1967 Trans-Am season review

[group/7]

jon, thanks for all your research, and information you have posted on my favorite year of the trans-am. I am looking forward to what you have on the next race, stardust. I have only ever found a dozen photos from this race. I am given to understand, that because the race ran into the night, that there were not a lot of pictures.

thanks mike group/7

[Jon Mello]

You're welcome Mike. I know many people feel the 1970 season was the best one because of all the various factory teams involved but
I feel '67 was the best due to the fact that Cougar, Mustang and Camaro all finished the season within seven points of one another. I
also feel that if Donohue had not missed the Mid-Ohio and Riverside Trans-Ams due to other racing commitments, it could have added
to Camaro's points total and changed the outcome of the season. The addition of a second Penske Camaro earlier in the season would
have been an added benefit as well.

[Jon Mello]

Riverside Trans-Am report from Car & Driver magazine. (Jon Mello Collection)

[SMKZ28]

Here are a few pictures from Getty Images of the 1967 Mission Bell Trophy 250 Trans Am race at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California on September 17, 1967.  See them at www.gettyimages.com   

1) #56 Dick Guldstrand Camaro (Photo by Bob D'Olivo/Source Interlink)
2) #31 Ron Bucknum Mustang/Tony Settember Camaro ?? (Photo by John Christy/Source Interlink Media/Getty Images)
3) #98 Ed Leslie Cougar  (Photo by Bob D'Olivo/Source Interlink Media/Getty Images)

[SMKZ28]

Here are some more Riverside pictures from Getty Images.

1) #15 David Pearson Cougar (Photo by Bob D'Olivo/Source Interlink Media/Getty Images)
2) #31 Ron Bucknum Mustang (Photo by Bob D'Olivo/Source Interlink Media/Getty Images)
3) #17 Jerry Titus Mustang/#21 Dale Mahar Barracuda (Photo by Bob D'Olivo/Source Interlink Media/Getty Images)

[SMKZ28]

Here are some more Riverside pictures from Getty Images.

1) #17 Jerry Titus Mustang/Shelby Hauler (Photo by John Christy/Source Interlink Media/Getty Images)
2) #17 Jerry Titus - Notice the unaltered "Shelby Race Prepared" sticker on the back of the Mustang (Photo by John Christy/Source Interlink Media/Getty Images)
3) #17 Jerry Titus Mustang (Photo by Bob D'Olivo/Source Interlink Media/Getty Images)

[SMKZ28]

One last picture of Riverside from Getty Images

#38 Ed Dempsey Fiat (Photo by John Christy/Source Interlink Media/Getty Images)

[MO]

Riverside Trans-Am report from Car & Driver magazine. (Jon Mello Collection)

The right front tire in the first four pictures is a great example of who had handling figured out. Certainly an advantage for a light car.   

[MO]

Hmmmmm..... that should have also included the pics of Bob Johnson, Dick Gulstrand and Tony Settember from Jon's post.

[Jon Mello]

Pre-race newspaper article from the San Bernardino County Sun for the Riverside Trans-Am race.

[Jon Mello]

Las Vegas 350 Trans-Am report from Competion Press & Autoweek, courtesy of Ron Lathrop.

There are not a lot of photos from this race because it began at 6PM (to beat the heat) and there was not a whole lot of daylight
left by then. The program is impossible to find. If anybody out there has one, please contact me or post anything from it in this
thread. There were five Camaros in this race - two Penske cars and three independents. Tony Settember was supposed to drive the
Washburn Chevrolet sponsored Camaro in this event but for some reason, the car did not make it there and Tony drove a Cortina
instead. Dick Guldstrand and his Dana Camaro were entered and did not make it either. Mark Donohue won this race in his Penske
Camaro for his second win of the season.

[Jon Mello]

Las Vegas 350 Trans-Am documents from the Bob Sanders Collection, courtesy of Robert Lodewyk.

Stardust International Raceway was built by the Stardust Hotel as a way to help draw customers in but it was never a huge success.
It was out of the way and you had to take dirt roads to get to it but now it would be in the middle of town. When Leo Margolian and
company sold the hotel at the end of '68, the new ownership elected to shut the track down after a couple of early '69 races there.









Preliminary entry list




















Later, more accurate version of the entry list

[Jon Mello]

Las Vegas 350 Trans-Am report from Sports Car Graphic's annual special edition called "Competition Year 1967".



Jon Mello Collection

[Jon Mello]

Jon Mello Collection

[Jon Mello]

Las Vegas 350 Trans-Am coverage from Post*Grid. (Jon Mello Collection)