1969 Mid-Ohio Trans-Am photos

[Jon Mello]

Interesting view from turn 12 on "The Chute" shows Jerry Titus' Firebird running without a rear spoiler. All
the other Firebirds in the race were running with rear spoilers so this must have been voluntary on Titus' part.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Nice shot of Jim Harrell's independent Mustang.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Dick Lang's Camaro goes by Gary Wright's Porsche.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Horst Kwech looking to get by on the inside of Wilbur Pickett's Porsche. Horst was in the pits for 6 laps getting a new
rear axle so he has a lot of ground to make up.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Parnelli's pit stop has moved him back a few spots in the standings but others will have to pit also.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Don Yenko's Camaro shows signs of damage from a collision with John Martin. His suspension and steering are affected.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Ron Bucknum is using a fuel conservation strategy to quietly move himself up in the standings as the race progresses.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Jerry Peterson's yellow Camaro.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Milt Minter moves his Firebird past the Robert Barg/Dick Hoffman Camaro.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

[Jon Mello]

As Maxwell Smart might say... "That's the second biggest balloon I've ever seen!"

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Busy infield during the race...

Photo by Ron Lathrop

A look over at two cars coming out of The Carousel and approaching turn 15.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Fred Baker's Porsche and Don Yenko's Camaro in The Carousel (turn 14).

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Ted Roberts' Javelin and one of the Hol-Arc Firebirds.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Not sure what those two people are doing there.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Interesting that there is no barrier between the track and the water but that's just how things were "safety-wise" back then.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

[Jon Mello]

Ron Hunter's Javelin and Levester Lewis' Camaro running down the main straight show their battle scars.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Levester Lewis brings his Camaro into the pits on lap 41 with a blown transmission. His day is done.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Trouble for Mark Donohue on lap 46. His left front wheel bearing is toast and needs to be replaced.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

I guess these guys are somehow involved in that. The guy with the gray sideburns looks like he may be racer Bob Johnson,
from Columbus, Ohio. Bob did occasionally drive for Roger Penske.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Front brake pad.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Topping off the tank. The 8-minute stop for repair moves Donohue back to 21st place.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

[Jon Mello]

Judy Stropus (seated at table) and others involved with Penske's timing & scoring. Bucknum has moved up to 2nd place!

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Probably a good vantage point for viewing the race.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

If you don't have a bus, improvise!

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Doggone tripod...

Photo by Ron Lathrop

[1109RWHP]

I like her Goodyear tatoo

[Jon Mello]

"Accoutrements", Part Trois

Self explanatory

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Makes me think of Bob Tullius and Group 44, but he wasn't here.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Bruce Jennings occasionally drove with Jim Hall on the Chaparral team so this stuff is most likely his.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Two groups of 4 each. Alfa lug nuts?

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Neat old Wards Riverside Marine battery. That Pepsi cup takes me back...

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Some used and abused Goodyears.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Goodyear rain tires mounted and ready in case the weather changes.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Taped together lug nuts. I hope somebody doesn't need those in a hurry.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Oh boy! Another wagon!

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Apparently somebody couldn't afford to spring for the racing motor oil.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Ford, of course, paid zero attention to the AMA's racing ban and had an overt presence at the track. I sure wish GM acted the same way back then.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

[MO]

Some terrific photos and nice frame by frame race calling Jon!
Interesting that the Penske cars are the only ones with their wiper blades up in every photo. They must have felt that was an aerodynamic advantage?

[Jon Mello]

After 60 laps, Parnelli Jones is running in first place.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Bucknum has a firm hold on 2nd place at this point.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Titus' Firebird is well off the pace due to so much time in the pits to replace the transmission.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Horst Kwech is also far back in the pack due to rearend replacement, costing him 6 laps that he never made up.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Milt Minter had to have an axle replaced, which also moved him well back.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

[Jon Mello]

John Martin passes under the bridge heading into turn 1.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Larry Harley, driving Rick McDaniel's car, has taken off the front grille in a collision with another car.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Peter Revson is running up in 4th place on lap 60.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Peter Gregg is running in 2nd place in the U-2 class at this point.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Donohue is trying to work his way back through the pack but he's too many laps down.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Rusty Jowett tucks inside Ron Hunter's Javelin.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Parnelli Jones and Jerry Titus.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Wilbur Pickett's Porsche disappears around turn 1.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Rusty Jowett is running in 8th and Minter is behind him by many laps.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

[1109RWHP]

The cans of racing oil bring up a question, what weight oil did they run back then? Could not see any numbers on the cans.

[oldtransamdriver]

From memory we used either 40 or probably 50 wt. racing oil.  I had a deal with the local Valvoline rep to get maybe 5 cases of free oil for the season. We had to display their decal on our car and sign some papers to authorize the use of our name in case we won something.  There was probably also some contingency money from Valvoline at each T/A race.  They were a big presence in the racing world at that time.

Also Sunoco 260 was FREE for the race cars, and we usually managed to fill our 2 dump cans for the trip home.

Robert Barg

[Jon Mello]

COLOR GALLERY

Revson oversteers through turn 6 chasing Ron Grable.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Jerry Titus blasts through turn 7.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

John Martin ran well early but ended up a DNF with suspension problems.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Vic Provenzano's Alfa ran with the front running Porsches in U-2 until he broke a valve spring.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

George Follmer

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Peter Revson

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Levester Lewis' Camaro gets a wheel off into the dirt rounding turn 8.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Dick Lang's Camaro between the two Bud Moore Mustangs.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

The front of the U-2 pack comes roaring around turn 7...

Photo by Ron Lathrop

...then is seen going to the left around turn 9 where they will soon get a bit airborne.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

[Jon Mello]

Peter Revson slides it through turn 8.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Wayne Allen/Nick Engles, Ronnie Bucknum, and Jerry Peterson come down the hill from 7 to turn 8.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Ron Grable leads a mixed group into turn 8.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Larry Harley's Firebird looks much better with the front grille and sheetmetal intact...

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Jerry Titus exits turn 8.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Looking back at turn 8 from under the Valvoline bridge.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Vic Provenzano and Mark Donohue.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

A look through the trees up to turn 7.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Also looking up at turn 7.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Gary Wright's Porsche leads others through 8.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

John Martin ahead of Ron Grable.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

[Jon Mello]

Revson, Pickett and Donohue come through turn 8, headed for 9.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Follmer's battered Mustang and the Porsche of Bob Bailey/Jim Locke.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Rusty Jowett's Camaro leads Don Yenko and Horst Kwech.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Martin, Revson and Donohue.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Parnelli Jones and Robert Barg approaching turn 12 and The Chute.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Mark Donohue, also at the same general place.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Vic Provenzano's Alfa Romeo.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Fred Baker's Porsche would finish second in U-2, 12th overall. Peter Gregg won U-2 class in 11th overall. Both ran
94 out of 100 laps. The #72 Hol-Arc Firebird was driven by Brad Dunn.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Jim Harrell's Mustang was classified DNF after running 90 laps.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

[Jon Mello]

Another shot of Fred Baker's Porsche, 2nd place in U-2.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Here is your race winner. Ron Bucknum won it by using a fuel conservation strategy pitting only twice instead of everyone else's
three times. He beat Parnelli to 100 completed laps by 13.1 seconds. This was the first win of the 1969 season for the Camaro.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Parnelli's 2nd place car.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

George Follmer drove to 3rd overall, also on lap 100.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Peter Revson finished a solid 4th overall, one lap down.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Ron Grable quietly had a good run, finishing 5th, also one lap down.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Donohue ended up finishing 7th overall due to the lost time in the pits changing the front wheel bearing. He completed 97 laps.

Photo by Ron Lathrop


Photo by Dave Arnold