Ford Trans-Am anniversary celebration set for Monterey Motorsports Reunion
A Ford showcase of Trans-Am machinery is set to mark 55 years since the formation of the muscle car racing series
George Follmer leads the Plymouth Barracuda of Dan Gurney is his Ford Mustang in the 1970 race at Laguna Seca
A celebration of Ford in Trans-Am will take place at the Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion later this year.
The event entitled: Ford in Trans-Am – a 55th Anniversary is in commemoration of five and a half decades since the formation of the American muscle car racing series by the Sports Car Club of America in 1966.
Ford will showcase its path to Trans-Am racing and its battles with Plymouth Barracudas, Dodge Challengers, Pontiac Firebirds and AMC Javelins as part of the event.
Trans-Am initially captured the attention of those using European machinery, but was quickly filled up by American V8s that helped grow the popularity of the category in its early years in its Over-2.0-litre category.
Ford made it a clean sweep in the first two seasons of the series. The Shelby American Team’s Mustang team led by Jerry Titus captured the manufacturers’s titles in both the 1966 and 1967 seasons.
The celebratory event will take place later this year between August 12-15 at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca .
“The Mustang is one of the biggest success stories in automotive history and its success began on this very race track in Trans-Am’s early days,” Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley said of the celebration.
“We’re so proud to return to Monterey this August to relive this memorable chapter in our history – some of the best racing ever witnessed – and a significant contributor to the Mustang story.”
The Mustang took four race victories in the first season and matched that record in the second, fighting off the rival Mercury Cougar at the hands of Dan Gurney and the Chevrolet Camaro of Mark Donohue.
“The histories of Ford, Trans-Am and Laguna Seca date back to 1969 when the series made its way to Monterey,” said president and general manager of Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca , John Narigi.
“It was a who’s who of drivers that August weekend. In Fords were Peter Revson, George Follmer, Parnelli Jones and Dan Gurney, who finished third in his Ford Mustang Boss 302. Mustang came back to win in 1970, with Parnelli Jones taking the checker.”