1968 Trans-Am season review

[Jon Mello]

A few reports from the Jan. 6, 1968 issue of Competition Press & Autoweek. (Jon Mello Collection)










The Jan. 27, 1968 issue of Competition Press & Autoweek reports that actor James Garner has formed
a new race team and is going to run at Daytona with a pair of Corvette 427 coupes.



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National Speed Sport News article on the new AMC Javelin team entering the Trans-Am series. (Jon Mello Collection)

[Jon Mello]

More news as found in the Feb. 3, 1968 issue of Competition Press & Autoweek. (Jon Mello Collection)















This photo from the January 17, 1968 issue of National Speed Sport News shows the Penske team
testing their '67 that Donohue used for the West Coast T/A races at Daytona in mid-January '68.
They would not run a two-car team at Daytona, opting to just use their new '68 car instead. That
decision would not play out in their favor. (Jon Mello Collection)

[Jon Mello]

National Speed Sport News articles from Jan. 31, 1968. (Jon Mello Collection)
Besideds Roger Penske entering a Camaro for Mark Donohue to drive at Daytona, Smokey Yunick
has entered his Camaro (last seen at Riverside in 1967) and has signed up Jim Hall and Bruce McLaren
as drivers. A pretty impressive team, at least on paper. The Trans-Am is not a separate race this year
like it was in 1967. Instead, the T/A cars have been included in the 24-hour race to help fill up the
grid. This is due to the FIA not allowing the big-cubic-inch prototype cars to run anymore.

[Jon Mello]

Washington Daily News article on the Hugh Heishman team, and others, heading to Daytona. (Jon Mello Collection)

[MO]

Jon,

Great shot of your car loaded up and ready to go!

What's with the Yunick entry; Quito, Ecuador?

[Jon Mello]

Samadco, Ltd was a business venture by Smokey and some others down in Quito, Equador which involved land ownership, mineral rights and other stuff. You can read all about it if you purchase his autobiography. There are three volumes and about 1100 pages.

[Jon Mello]

Some shots where you can see the interior. Interesting steering wheel like you might see in a 32 roadster or a sprint car.

[Jon Mello]

Penske Camaro at the February '68 Daytona 24-hour race. This must have been during a pre-race practice session due to the relaxed
demeanor of the people on the pit wall and also there's no garage door handle on the hood, which was there during the race.


Jon Mello Collection

[Jon Mello]

In the pits during Daytona practice. Johnny Moore in the car and co-driver Jim Murphy standing.

[Jon Mello]

Jim Murphy at speed on the banking during practice.

[Jon Mello]

Joie Chitwood's Camaro.

[MO]

"There are three volumes and about 1100 pages".

Thanks for the Readers Digest version Jon!

[MO]

Some great pictures there, but the one of Smokey under the car with no stand is scary!!

[oldtransamdriver]

I can remember my first trip to Daytona from Sarnia Ont. in 1962 in a borrowed Austin Healey 3000.  We drove down Beach Ave. and noticed
that famous sign "Best Damn Garage in Town" but did not stop in to have a look. We came down for the 3 hr. Continental Race and saw Gurney coast across the finish line in his Lotus 19 and if that wasn't enought, came back a few weeks later to see the Daytona 500 with Fireball
winning in the Yunick Pontiac.

Smokey was an original, no doubt.  Has anyone read the complete 3 volume story7

Robert Barg

[Jon Mello]

Robert, I bought the three volume set and read it all right after it came out. Have not gone back to read it again. Smokey lived by his own set of rules. Some stories in there will curl your hair.