Originally Posted by
Evoracer
Wasn't there 2 (or more) classes within TA at that time and up until it's end?? I don't think the Porsche or Pantera ran in the same class as the mustangs and such. I think this discussion has come up before though. The idea of running 2 different "classes" of TA together. Maybe Cup Racers and existing VTA cars. Not a good idea in my mind and I'd choose the current program long before muddying the waters with another distraction. Lets head toward the new rules and keep things running smooth. Keep in mind that Andy has already stated another VTA body is in the works.
In the EARLY days of Trans Am they ran O2 and U2 classes (over 2-litre and under 2-litre) out on the track at the same time. In fact a U2 car won the very first TransAm race ever (an Alfa GTV driven by Jochen Rindt, 1970 F-1 World Champion). The early 911's were great cars for the U2 class with their (then) 2-litre flat six engines.
Somewhat later ('71-'72 for sure, maybe '70 as well) they ran "Trans Am" and the "Trans Am 2.5 Challenge) for cars under 2.5 litres. I believe they mandated 4-cylinder engines (to keep the 911's with their vestigal "rear seat" out) and the 2.5 litre max allowed Pintos and Vegas (not that they were run much). In this era the small cars ran in a separate race from the "big" cars.
By the end of '72 it was pretty clear that the original concept for Trans Am had pretty much collapsed under it's own mass (along with the pony car market and the economy in general) so the series was re-tooled to include cars that also raced in FIA Gp. 4 (where the Pantera came from) and in the then new IMSA series. In came the 2-seat cars like Corvette, etc. By this time the Mustang was pretty much out of it although I know Charlie Kemper had a pretty hotted up Mustang II in IMSA and may have gone TA with it too. IMSA created the US GT class to get some competition for the Porsches which saw the genesis of the mega-Monzas, etc.