Trans Am racing pace car pics...are there any?

[Jon Mello]

Are those American Daisy "Coke Bottle" wheels on the 69 396 pacer @Bridgehampton?

Yes they are. I have seen advertisements for them as early as very late 1968.

[Trans Åm]

Here are some pics of the '69 Laguna Seca pace car with Ronnie Bucknum at the helm. It seems he was sufficiently
recovered from his car accident to drive the pace car, but not enough to race the #9 as Ed Leslie drove it for this
race (and finished 2nd to Donohue). These photos come to us from the Robert Lodewyk Collection.

I'm adding to Jon's Reply #202

I believe this is the same race, but there are different people driving. 1969 Laguna Seca

https://revslib.stanford.edu/catalog/yk893tj8234

https://revslib.stanford.edu/catalog/gb168yg6391





Completely off-topic: The gentleman who took these or is credited with them is Albert R. Bochroch, and I will post a link that shows all of Revs library of his work.
 I'd like to say that he has some of the "best" photography of any of the revs library, his photos are almost always crisp and clear, and interesting. This guy was a pro!
https://revslib.stanford.edu/catalog?f[photographer_ssi][]=Albert+R.+Bochroch

McLaren mechanic working on a.........small block Chevy!!! https://revslib.stanford.edu/catalog/vv813km8342
(Trying to figure out the head casting numbers)

Mods, you can remove the off-topic stuff if you see it necessary.

[Jon Mello]

That is Stirling Moss driving the pace car in those two pics and he was the goodwill ambassador for the Can-Am series in that era. He was a big name draw (retired Formula 1 driver by then) and would drive the pace car and put in an appearance at the races to help drum up spectator interest. So basically, Stirling Moss was driving the car in those pics for the Laguna Seca Can-Am and Ronnie Bucknum was driving the pace car for the Laguna Seca Trans-Am event (different weekend).

I think that is McLaren engine man Gary Knutson and they were still running small blocks that year. 365 cubic inches if I remember correctly. Those are 3890462 heads with '67 dates.

[Trans Åm]

Jon, you always exceed my expectations and are simply amazing at identifying the important details, like the engine mechanic. Thank you very much for the help.

In addition to these photos, There was a couple '69 Firebirds--some good coverage identified as the Trans-Am Series Bridgehampton on June 22, 1969.
Many pages earlier there were mountains of pictures of very young Roger Penske doing his Zerex special in the early 60's, and young Sterling Moss as well.
Bochroch took LOTS of Gran Prix photos. Again, most of them very good.(but I know nothing of that era)


I can PM you some stuff I've come across in recent days if you'd like. (This goes out to anyone)

Thank you, Jon.

[SMKZ28]

I found a cool color picture showing the red 1970 Ford Mustang convertible pace car in front of the under 2.0 liter Trans Am race cars on their pace lap at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio on June 7, 1970.  It was posted by John Webber on the Historic SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series Fan Group Facebook page.  Additional pictures of the car can be seen in reply #8 on page one of this thread, in reply #82 on page six, and in reply #140 on page ten.

[SMKZ28]

John Webber also posted this color shot of the red 1970 Ford Mustang convertible pace car leading the big boys at the Trans Am race held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio on June 7, 1970.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HistoricTransAmRacing/?multi_permalinks=1040461789323472&notif_t=group_highlights&notif_id=1463366259369596

[Jon Mello]

Scott, thanks for continuing to add pace car pics to this thread as you come across them. Very nice to see them in color too.

[Trans Åm]

At that point in time, you really would have thought Ford would have been supplying Cobra's and Boss 302's for pace cars solely, try to sell as many of those baby's as possible.

[SMKZ28]

I found a cool picture on Flickr of the 1967 Ford Galaxie Convertible at the head of the field prior to the start of the 1967 Daytona 24 hour Continental at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida on February 4, 1967.  Several Trans Am cars participated in this race.  Unfortunately, the picture can not be downloaded so click here to see it: https://www.flickr.com/photos/smuckatelli/32364189416/in/photolist-RiUVXN-RgGN7s-RoyktH-RvM5b5-RoykFX-QeDYao-Rwbvfr-qdkMmo-QKhcnN-R114xm-pE8Fki-Quhk7o-GZKXPF-Qw3nc5-RoyH9N-RsAtgy-G81HU3-RsAucG-Rkr988-RAk5k1-QeYdoN-GZvwBs-Qhtx7t-RsAvzm-RsAwLE-RAxsTh-PVwvDu-FeMMNU-Hzwy5D-Rsyran-GZvwfA-DzMubD-G81GM3-EJE9KM-RrL3R7-HSDuEE-HVAbe8-FuRQge-RfNEUN-C8aA1g-EJsCR1-RrQB4a-QWkxmU-G875yZ-RdQBya-PABED7-R4A6sG-RebtES-QeDYyE-RiVywK

See more info, pictures, and footage showing the Galaxie on page twelve of this thread, replies #170 and 171, page thirteen, reply #185 and page 14, reply #199.

[SMKZ28]

Here is a cool shot of the 1968 or 1969 AMC AMX Pace Car on the pace lap for the Mission Bell 250 Trans Am race at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California on September 8, 1968.  I found it on page 69 of the recently published book entitled, "The History of AMC Motorsports" by Bob McClurg.

[69mach1auqua]

Hello I am trying to get pics and info on a 1969 mach1 Indian fire red. A friend has this mach1 one with a decal on the back window saying it is an official pace car at the riverside race track.
I am not sure if it might have been only used as a promotional car to introduce the mach1.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

[VINCE Z28]

Two more.

[SMKZ28]

Here is a color picture of the pace lap for the Schaefer Trans Am race held at Lime Rock Park, Lime Rock, Connecticut on May 9, 1970.  You can see the 1970 Iso Rivolta at the head of the field.  It was posted to the Historic SCCA Pro Racing Trans Am Series Fan Group page on Facebook by Marvin Gray.  Additional info and pictures of the car can be seen in reply #83 on page six of this thread.

[SMKZ28]

Here is a picture of the 1972 Ford Mustang convertible that was used to pace the Trans Am race held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio on June 4, 1972.  I found it on page 213 of the recently published book entitled, "Trans-Am Era The Golden Years in Photographs: 1966-1972" by Daniel Lipetz.  An additional picture of the car can be seen in Reply #215 on page fifteen of this thread.

[Jon Mello]

Thank you Scott and Vince!