Jay Leno's Garage Video: The Golden Era of Trans Am Racing (1966–1972)

The years 1966 to 1972 are widely regarded as the golden age of Trans American (Trans Am) racing, a thrilling period that saw factory-backed muscle cars, legendary drivers, and fierce rivalries come together to create one of the most exciting chapters in American motorsport history. The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) launched the series in 1966 to promote showroom stock sedans, but what followed was a war between automakers on the racetrack that would shape the identity of American performance cars for decades.

Video: Jay Leno's Garage - History of Trans Am with Fox NASCAR's Mike Joy

A Legacy of Muscle, Manufacturers, and Motorsport Mayhem

1966: The Birth of Trans Am

The Trans Am Series was born out of the SCCA's effort to provide a professional road racing series for American-style sedans. It was originally part of the SCCA's new "Sedan Championship" and split into two classes based on engine displacement:

• Under 2.0 liters: Mostly European imports like the Alfa Romeo GTA and BMW 1600.
• Over 2.0 liters: Featuring American V8-powered sedans such as the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro at up to 305 cubic inches or 5.0 liters.

Ford immediately saw the marketing potential of racing Mustangs in a professional series. The company committed to a factory effort, with Carroll Shelby preparing Mustangs and seasoned drivers like Jerry Titus behind the wheel. Ford clinched the inaugural manufacturer’s title in the Over 2.0-liter class, setting the tone for the years to come.

1967: The Rise of Competition

In 1967, the competition intensified. Chevrolet entered the fray with the new Camaro Z/28, engineered with racing in mind. Mark Donohue and Roger Penske formed a formidable team under the Sunoco banner, and their well-prepared Camaros would become legends.

The season saw fierce battles between Ford and Chevrolet, with Mercury also joining through the Cougar brand (prepared by Bud Moore Engineering). Jerry Titus won four races for Ford, helping them to secure a second manufacturer’s championship. Meanwhile, the under-2.0-liter class was dominated by European brands, with Porsche and Alfa Romeo trading blows.

1968: The Donohue-Penske Dominance Begins

By 1968, Chevrolet's investment in Trans Am began paying off. Mark Donohue, driving for Penske Racing in a Z/28 Camaro, dominated the series by winning 10 out of 13 races. Penske’s team revolutionized pit stops and car preparation, introducing quick refueling and highly disciplined race tactics, giving them a competitive edge.

Ford struggled to match the precision of the Penske operation. Though Mustang remained competitive, the balance had shifted. In the under-2.0-liter category, Porsche emerged as the dominant force, establishing itself as the team to beat.

1969: The Peak of Manufacturer Rivalries

The 1969 season marked a high point in manufacturer involvement:

• Chevrolet continued with Donohue and the Z/28.
• Ford ramped up support for Bud Moore's Mustang team with drivers like Parnelli Jones and George Follmer.
• AMC entered the series with the Javelin.
• Chrysler began developing the Dodge Challenger for future competition.

Although Donohue again led in wins (six total), Ford’s consistent performance across its teams brought them the manufacturer’s championship. The Mustang-Camaro rivalry had reached fever pitch, capturing the attention of fans and cementing Trans Am's place in motorsport history.

1970: The Zenith — Muscle and Mayhem

Above: That lime green, #77 clad 1970 Dodge Challenger Trans Am racecar was piloted by racer Sam Posey back in the day (photo courtesy of the author at WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway for the 2024 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion).

The 1970 season is widely seen as the pinnacle of Trans Am racing. Every major American manufacturer had skin in the game:

• Ford Mustang (Bud Moore/Parnelli Jones, George Follmer)
• Chevrolet Camaro (Penske/Donohue)
• AMC Javelin (Kaplan Racing)
• Plymouth Barracuda (All American Racers, Dan Gurney)
• Dodge Challenger (Sam Posey, Autodynamics)

This was racing at its most visceral. Parnelli Jones’s aggressive driving style won him five races and the championship, with Ford taking the manufacturer’s title. The season featured epic wheel-to-wheel battles, full factory support, and massive crowds.

Despite Chevrolet pulling back factory support mid-season, Donohue managed to win three races. The muscle car war was at its peak — both on the streets and on the circuits.

1971: The Beginning of the End

Rising costs, corporate shakeups, and waning public interest in large sedans started to erode the foundations of Trans Am racing in 1971. Ford officially pulled out, leaving Bud Moore and Jones without factory backing.

AMC took the opportunity to up its investment. Roger Penske, now allied with AMC, brought Donohue over to drive the Javelin. Their meticulous preparation paid off, with Donohue securing the drivers’ championship and AMC taking its first manufacturers’ title.

The field began to thin, and with less competition, the spectacle diminished. The under-2.0-liter class, once a proving ground for European performance cars, became an afterthought.

1972: Decline and Transition

By 1972, the golden era of Trans Am was effectively over. Only a handful of factory-backed teams remained. AMC continued to support Penske and Donohue, and they again won the championship — but with diminished fanfare.

The once-glorious fields of fire-breathing muscle cars were shrinking, a casualty of rising insurance costs, the Clean Air Act, and the oil crisis looming on the horizon. The SCCA began changing regulations, opening the series to more exotic machinery and moving away from the pony car focus.

Trans Am would continue as a series, but never again with the same level of cultural relevance or manufacturer involvement that defined 1966–1972.

Legacy of the Golden Years

Despite its relatively brief golden age, Trans Am left an indelible mark on American motorsport and car culture:

• It cemented the muscle car era in the public imagination.
• Legendary names like Parnelli Jones, Mark Donohue, and Roger Penske gained national fame.
• Iconic vehicles like the Boss 302 Mustang, Z/28 Camaro, and AMC Javelin were developed directly as a result of Trans Am competition.
• The concept of "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" became a marketing mantra.

Today, vintage Trans Am racing events and restored vehicles from the era are prized by collectors and fans, serving as roaring reminders of a time when muscle cars ruled the road courses of America.

Timeline: Key Events in Trans Am (1966–1972)

1966 ───────╮

           ├─ Inaugural Trans Am season begins.

           ├─ Ford Mustang wins Over 2.0-liter class.

           └─ European sedans dominate Under 2.0-liter.

1967 ───────╮

           ├─ Chevrolet enters with Camaro Z/28.

           ├─ Jerry Titus (Ford) wins 4 races.

           └─ Ford secures second consecutive title.

Above and below: The number 16, 1967 Roger Penske Racing Trans Am Camaro racecar was at the 2021 Gooding & Company auction at the 70th Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance (photo courtesy of the author). A pair of Penske Racing Trans Am Camaros, #15 and #16, subsequently crossed the auction block in 2025 at Mecum Auctions Kissimmee, FL sale (photo courtesy of Mecum Auctions).

1968 ───────╮

           ├─ Mark Donohue and Penske dominate with Camaro.

           ├─ Wins 10 of 13 races.

           └─ Porsche dominates under 2-liter class.

1969 ───────╮

           ├─ Mustang vs. Camaro intensifies.

           ├─ AMC joins the fray; full factory backing peaks.

           └─ Ford wins manufacturers’ title despite Donohue's 6 wins.

1970 ───────╮

           ├─ Pinnacle year: All Big Three fully committed.

           ├─ Parnelli Jones wins drivers’ title; Ford wins again.

           └─ Donohue still competitive with 3 wins.

Above: The 1970 #77 clad Dodge Challenger Trans Am that racer Sam Posey campaigned was depicted in an August 3, 2016 Road & Track article (photo courtesy of R&T). 

Above: A 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Trans Am is flanked by a B-Production 1965 Shelby GT350 Mustang at the 2024 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (all Laguna Seca race action and at rest photos courtesy of the author).

Above: A patriotic hued, one of 100 produced 1970 AMC Javelin Trans Am street car basks in the sun (photo courtesy of Mecum Auctions). Here are more details of this rare Javelin:

• One of only 100 produced
• One-year-only Twin Venturi grille design
• Go Package
• 390/325 HP V-8 engine
• Close ratio 4-speed manual transmission
• Limited slip differential with 3.91 gears
• Power steering
• Power brakes with front discs
• Handling Package
• Red, White and Blue exterior to pay homage to Peter Revson's Trans Am racer

Above: 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Trans Am - car originally raced by Dan Gurney and Swede Savage (photo courtesy of Historic Trans Am)

1971 ───────╮

           ├─ Ford pulls factory support.

           ├─ Penske and Donohue switch to AMC Javelin.

           └─ AMC wins its first title.

Above: 1971 Javelin SST Trans Am racecar, campaigned by Roy Woods Racing in 1971-72

1972 ───────╮

           ├─ Factory support dwindles.

           ├─ Donohue wins again with AMC.

           └─ End of the golden era.

Key Driver Profiles (1966–1972)

1. Mark Donohue

• Manufacturer: Chevrolet (Camaro), AMC (Javelin)
• Team: Penske Racing
• Notable Achievements:
  • Trans Am Champion: 1968, 1971, 1972
  • Known for engineering insight and analytical racing approach
  • Revolutionized pit stops and preparation with Penske
• Legacy: One of America’s most complete drivers; also, a winner at Indy and Le Mans.

2. Parnelli Jones

• Manufacturer: Ford (Mustang)
• Team: Bud Moore Engineering
• Notable Achievements:
  • 1970 Trans Am Champion (5 wins)
  • Known for an aggressive, hard-charging style
  • Former Indy 500 winner (1963)
• Legacy: Embodied raw American racing talent; one of the most popular drivers of the era.

3. George Follmer

• Manufacturers: Ford, AMC
• Notable Achievements:
  • Multiple podiums across several seasons
  • Donohue’s teammate at Penske/AMC in 1972
  • Versatile: won championships in Trans Am, Can-Am, and Formula 5000
• Legacy: Highly adaptable driver known for consistency and toughness.

4. Jerry Titus on the left with Carroll Shelby on the right

• Manufacturer: Ford (Mustang)
• Team: Shelby American
• Notable Achievements:
  • Key driver in Ford’s 1967 championship
  • Won four races in 1967
• Legacy: Former journalist turned race winner; played a pivotal role in Mustang’s rise.

5. Sam Posey on the right with his Datsun Racing teammate, actor Paul Newman

• Manufacturer: Dodge (Challenger)
• Team: Autodynamics
• Notable Achievements:
  • Drove the Challenger in 1970–71
  • Known for intelligence and finesse behind the wheel
  • Later became a respected motorsports commentator
• Legacy: A fan favorite who bridged driving skill with eloquent storytelling.

6. Dan Gurney

• Manufacturer: Mercury (Cougar), Plymouth (Barracuda)
• Team: All American Racers
• Notable Achievements:
  • Helped develop and race both the Mercury Cougar (in 1967) and the Plymouth Barracuda (1970)
  • Already a legend from F1 and Le Mans
• Legacy: A pioneer in American motorsports with technical and driving genius.

Notable Cars of the Era

Final Thoughts

The 1966–1972 era of Trans Am racing is remembered not just for incredible cars and drivers, but for the spirit of competition and innovation that defined it. It was a time when manufacturers were willing to battle for bragging rights, when teams pushed the limits of performance, and when fans witnessed the soul of American racing roar across the country’s road courses.

Even today, echoes of this era live on in modern pony cars and in vintage racing series that continue to celebrate these legends.

Classic Industries - Parts for American Pony, Muscle, & Trans Am Racecars

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