Grand American
Grand American was discharged from the NASCAR touring car racing series with so-called pony cars, which took place from 1968 to 1971. In the first two years, 1968 and 1969, the series was originally called Grand Touring. Often it has been also referred to as baby grand series.
- 3.1 Champions
History
The race Trans-Am series was founded in 1968 as " Grand Touring " series and as a rival to touring car series of the United States Automobile Club and the Series of the Sports Car Club of America. In the inaugural season, a total of 19 races were held. After 35 races of the 1969 season, the renaming succeeded in " Grand American ". After the 1970 1971 season, many smaller events were deleted from the calendar and are merged with those of several races Grand National Series.
In 1972, NASCAR changed its structures. Winston was the title sponsor of the Grand National Series, which was called from this point on " Winston Cup". All routes of the Grand National Series with a length of less than half a mile and all races with a race distance of less than 250 miles in a new series, the Grand National East Division were associated with it summarized. In this car the Grand American, the Grand National and models of vintage 1969 were allowed to compete. This series ran for only two years, in the last season in 1972, only four races were held.
Car
Among the cars, the APPLICATIONS in the Grand American, were among Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros, AMC Javelins, Mercury Cougars and Pontiac Trans Ams. Some of the cars that competed in the Grand American, were former race car from the Trans-Am series, which have been extensively modified to meet the safety regulations of NASCAR and the weight specifications.
The engines were originally limited to a displacement of 305 cubic inches ( 5.0 liters converted ). Later, the engine capacity limit has been increased to 366 cubic inches in order to improve the performance and reliability of the Grand American race car.
Victory controversy
In 1971 there was a rethinking of the U.S. automakers, which then invested less money in the race series and thus also in the NASCAR. This meant that the number of participants of individual races in the Grand National Series, in which there was to win less prize money, greatly shrunk. NASCAR allowed the car then also Grand American Series in selected races of the Grand National Series participate. The Grand American riders Tiny Lund and Bobby Allison managed to win races in the Grand National Series. These victories are not counted in the total number of their NASCAR victories, which is correspondingly controversial. Thus was established by the NASCAR that victory with a car from the Grand American Series is the appropriate drivers and cars not attributed, and no points will be awarded for this. In contrast, the victories for the manufacturer counted, as well as the number of racing participation for the drivers.
Driver
The series was dominated by Tiny Lund. Lund won 41 of the 109 races held in the series. He also won three of the four championships. The other championship won by Ken Rush, the twelve of the 26 races of the 1969 season, won.
Other notable drivers who regularly competed in the Grand American Jim Paschal, Buck Baker, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Mark Donohue and Jim Hall.