Stephen Cox blogs about Shelby American’s legendary Group 2 Mustang racers, Part 3 of 3.
John McComb ordered a new car for 1967. The choice was easy. Given his success in the 1966 Group 2 Mustang, he ordered a new notchback for 1967 to pick up where he left off with the Shelby program. The ‘67 Mustang was the model’s first major redesign and the car gained both size and weight. McComb didn’t care for either.
“Even though the ’67 car had a wider track, it was a heavier car, so I don’t really...
Read More
Mustang Trans-Am
RACING’S GREATEST UPSETS: 1966 TRANS-AM ENDURO!
Stephen Cox blogs about Shelby-American’s legendary Group 2 Mustang racers,
Part 2 of 3.
The next weekend John McComb was racing again. The Trans-Am Series Six-Hour Pan-American Endurance Race was to be held at Green Valley Raceway in Texas. The sanctioning body mandated a second driver for each team due to the length of the event. McComb chose veteran Brad Brooker, a successful club racer who had logged plenty of miles in the Group 2 notchback’s nearly identical twin, the Shelby GT...
Read More
RACING’S GREATEST UPSETS: 1966 TRANS-AM ENDURO!
Stephen Cox blogs about Shelby American’s legendary Group 2 Mustang racers, Part 1 of 3.
On a hot summer afternoon in late August 1966, the telephone on John McComb’s desk rang. On the other end was automotive design engineer Chuck Cantwell of Carroll Shelby’s legendary racing shop, calling with the surprising news that Shelby had a Mustang Group 2 racecar for sale.
McComb was delighted since his prior inquiries at Shelby had been met only by rejection. He had raced MGB sports cars for years...
Read More
2016 WISKO GRAND PRIX: HSR AT VIR!
Our man on the track, Mike Matune, brings you four days of glorious historic racing at Virginia International Raceway.
Memorial Day weekend marked the return of the Historic Sportscar Racing group to VIRginia International Raceway with the Wisko Grand Prix. Comradery and competition ran high, as an eclectic group of historic road racers did their best to tame VIR’s full course over four days. Here using all of the road, curbing, rumble strip and “gator teeth” available, we have Jeff McKain’s...
Read More
2016 JEFFERSON 500: WEATHER OR NOT!
Our man on the track, Mike Matune, captures the essence of what racing is all about at Summit Point Raceway.
This year’s Jefferson 500 showcased the full range of Spring weather - from torrential rain to bright sunlight to driving wind against the backdrop of a vast range in temperature. None of that seemed to slow the VRG competitors who soldiered on through the various weather systems. Here Richard Schnabel winds his Fiat 124 Spider through a very wet Carousel while corner workers and ...
Read More
BARN FIND: SHELBY GROUP 2 SCCA MUSTANG!
Stephen Cox blogs about the sixteenth ’66 Mustang A/Sedan racer built by Shelby,
but never raced.
Originally painted in Ford's familiar Wimbledon White, the car was loaded with go-fast equipment during a lengthy process when it was converted from assembly line stock into a professional racing machine. Like the fifteen cars that preceded it, a K-Code 289/271 small-block powered this Shelby Mustang. In reality, it probably had far more power than that since Shelby's small block Fords ...
Read More
ROLEX MONTEREY MOTORSPORTS REUNION: LAGUNA SECA!
‘When it comes to experiencing vintage racing greatness, the Reunion has few equals,’ blogs Mike Matune.
Mid-August brings us what is lovingly referred to as Monterey Hell Week and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca. The Reunion is what vintage racing aspires to be, a collection of truly important cars and drivers competing head to head. Eddie Lawson, top, climbs the Rahal Straight towards the “Corkscrew” in Racing Commonwealth’s Osella PA 3/5.
I have been attendi...
Read More