The Ford Mustang Goes Trans-Am Racing

The Trans-American Championship was conceived in 1966 by the Sports Car Club of America as a professional series for sports cars. See more pictures of Ford Mustangs.

The huge sales success of the 1965 Ford Mustang was a key factor in launching Trans-Am racing, which was staged on demanding road courses from coast to coast. But people love a good fight, so attendance and media interest didn't really take off until rival pony cars appeared to chase Mustang on the racetrack as well as in the showroom.

In its early years, the Trans-American Championship -- Trans-Am for short -- was home to some of America's most exciting, hard-fought automobile racing. Inaugurated in 1966, it was conceived by the Sports Car Club of America as a professional series for sports cars and Detroit's popular sporty compacts, though initial publicity referred only to "sedans."

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At first, there were two classes based on engine size. Most foreign models ran in the under-2.5-liter category, while larger cars like Mustang were allowed engines between 2.5 and 5.0 liters. Rules mandated safety roll cages, minimum racing weight, fuel tank size, and other requirements but allowed liberal tinkering with the stock suspension and powertrain.

SCCA specified minimum production of 2500 units for a given model, at least 500 for basic engines, and only regular-production body modifications like speed-enhancing spoilers. In other words, to run a car in Trans-Am, you had to make a street version to sell the public. Like NASCAR in those days, SCCA knew it could move more tickets if the cars on the course looked a lot like cars people could actually buy.

With hardly any competition on or off the track, Mustang was the easy first-season champion in its class, with Jerry Titus the winningest driver. Ford bagged a second class crown in '67, spending bigger bucks for a squadron of teams with big-name pilots running race-prepped Mustangs and Mercury Cougars, though Titus again took home the driver's trophy.

The 1970 Boss 302 was every inch the streetable Trans-Am racer, but Ford bailed out from all forms of racing after 1970.

The next two years belonged to archrival Chevrolet and its purpose-engineered Chevrolet Camaro Z-28. But Ford's prospects got a huge boost when Bunkie Knudsen came over as president, determined to regain the title from old employer and new corporate foe, General Motors.

Sparing no expense and marshaling all available resources, Knudsen fast-tracked the Boss 302 as Dearborn's new warrior, and gave veteran team manager Bud Moore virtually unlimited funds for testing, prep, mechanics, and drivers. Ace pilots George Follmer and Parnelli Jones re-upped for a season that saw most every pony car on the starting grid.

The battles were fierce, as the Boss had to take on factory-backed Dodge Challengers and Plymouth Barracudas as well as the formidable Z-28s, Pontiac Firebirds, and even some AMC Javelins from little American Motors. It was the ultimate in "horse racing." When it was all over, Mustang was back on top again, scoring six victories, five at the skilled hands of Parnelli Jones.

Amazingly, Ford then quit all forms of racing, and interest in the Trans-Am began to wane along with the pony car market. Eventually, the series was put to rest. Though SCCA has lately revived the name, today's Trans-Am cars are much less stock than the original racers, and the series draws less manufacturer support and public notice.

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Want to find out more about the Mustang legacy? Follow these links to learn all about the original pony car:

  • Saddle up for the complete story of America's best-loved sporty car. How the Ford Mustang Works chronicles the legend from its inception in the early 1960s to today's all-new Mustang.
  • Sales were lagging, but performance and style were piled on high. Learn how rocky times for the 1969-1970 Ford Mustang resulted in two of the greatest cars in performance history.
  • The 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 was a Chevrolet Camaro Z28 fighter. Learn about this unique muscle car, and see photos and exclusive specifications.

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