Interview with Robert Barg, Trans-Am racer

[Jon Mello]

Here's a racing memory by Robert Barg's car owner Al Richards after seeing the photo of his car at Riverside in '69,
seen at this link http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/mission-bell-250-race-riverside-trans-am-news-photo/155880270

"Great picture that photo brings back a lot of memories ......
We borrowed a ramp truck from my stock car buddy Phil Zampino and Dennis
and a helper drove it to Riverside after stopping at Ford Motorcraft in Detroit
where they installed all the cameras and sound equipment. My buddy Reg
and I flew out and they picked us up at the airport.
  Ford paid all our travel expenses and put us up at the Riverside Inn, a
real fancy hotel by our standards. We were payed $1000, contingent on us
qualifying and starting the race. When we got to the track on Saturday I was
shocked at the number of cars. There must have been at least 50 or 60 cars
trying to make the field so I was quite concerned at the time but Dick did
an amazing job and we qualified very well. In fact, I think we out qualified
some of the factory cars.
  The Ford people were very pleased with our performance as they had
originally been using a Mustang as a camera car but it had failed to qualify
for any of the races and with Riverside being the final race of the year and
Ford being in contention for the championship they were under a lot of
pressure from the top brass to get some actual real race footage.
  We were running very well during the race and the Ford people asked me
if they could change the film in the cameras during the first pit stop telling
me that it wouldn't take long. Unfortunately I agreed and the stop took
forever putting us out of contention for a good finish.
 Anyway all in all it was an amazing experience and I wouldn't have missed
it for the world but unfortunately the race didn't go well for Ford. Follmer
had wheel problems and Parnelli crashed so they lost the race to Donhue and
the championship as well. I guess that's the reason they didn't show too
much footage from the race."

[group/7]

hi robert, what can you tell us about the ex carter 69 camaro that you raced. do you know it's history between the time you raced it and  before joe freitas got it ? deperez raced it as a  independent in 71. how did he become involved with carter in 72, when the car was sponsored by "mo". maybe jon can give us some input as well.

   mike in canada

[group/7]

 sorry guys, didn't mean to muddy the waters ! after going back to roberts post on jan. 1 this year, the car went to leon alain, correct ? I was under the impression that the carter car and deperez car were one and the same. my mistake.

  mike

[oldtransamdriver]

Rick Stevens and I always assumed the 69 camaro that we purchased from Alfie Ruys de Perez in the summer of 72 was the same car that Mo raced in 70.  It was sold to Leon Alain sometime in 74 and Leon told us it was destroyed in a garage fire along with some other race cars.

At some point the Mo Carter 69 camaro appeared in the vintage race world - restored?  (there is a strange story associated with this restoration).  Ok, so now we think maybe what we bought was the "2nd"
69 camaro built in the Carter shops? but I'm not sure.  Can't find anyone to verify anything. Maybe Ken Ball, who worked for Mo, or possibly Dave Covey, couild shed some light on this story.

Robert Barg

[group/7]

old transam driver, thanks for you reply. there are differences between the two cars. I am no expert, but from looking in period pics.  one car has the fuel filler in the tailight panel, with a vent to the left of it.  the other has the fuel filler cut into the rear spoiler and trunk, is this the car you drove ? can't post a link ! but i'm sure you know the pictures on the autocourse.ca sight. trois rivieres sept./74 with  alain. with deperez at tremblant..71. the restored ? freitas car has the filler on the taillight panel. always  a lot of questions with these cars, considering the value they now have.

  mike

[oldtransamdriver]

Mike, go back and look at "original T/A photos etc" last 2 pages - the cage looks the same, the fuel filler in the middle of the trunk and into the spoiler looks the same to me, also the 2 rear window clips.  Only thing is the fuel vent to the left of the filler in 72 - I think something SCCA may have madated to keep spillage down using a colletor bolltle.

I didn't see a photo of de Perez on autocourse at the 71 T/A and Alain with a new paint job in 74.

Robert

[Jon Mello]

Here's a photo of the car from late 1968. It was being loaded up near where Robert Barg lived and was stored close by.  The old trailer was borrowed from one of Al's stock car friends.

[/URL]
Al Richards Collection

[Jon Mello]

More pictures of the car, this time from the '69 Riverside Trans-Am race. There does appear to be a cross ram on it in the shot with the raised hood.


Al Richards Collection


Al Richards Collection


Al Richards Collection


Al Richards Collection

[Jon Mello]

A few more pictures from the '69 Sebring race. On the scales in downtown Sebring and in the pits during practice.


Al Richards Collection


Al Richards Collection


Al Richards Collection

[Jon Mello]

Our hero may be older now but he still has a way with the ladies. 

[Trans Åm]

Robert, is this you at 2:06 seconds?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMiUL3c_PJE

Is there an entire length video of that race that you know of?

[oldtransamdriver]

Yes, Mid-Ohio 1969. I started and drove to the first fuel stop at about the 1 hr. mark, and then co-driver Dick Hoffman took
over, but the rear axle broke in his first lap.

Don't know about a full-length video, but Jon might.

Robert

[Jon Mello]

I'm not aware of a full length video for that race. I wish I did know of one.

[Trans Åm]

Yes, Mid-Ohio 1969. I started and drove to the first fuel stop at about the 1 hr. mark, and then co-driver Dick Hoffman took
over, but the rear axle broke in his first lap.

Don't know about a full-length video, but Jon might.

Robert

Damn, thats a pain. Were you guys able to fix it for reuse in another race, or did you have to get a whole new rear end?

The definition of that video is fantastic, and maybe professional. Now if we could only track that footage down!

Thanks for chiming in guys.

[oldtransamdriver]

I believe stronger axles were fitted - not sure where they came from.

Robert