A Javelin screaming through the rain, back in the day. Image: Dave Friedman

Without question, muscle car purists look back the the 1960’s and early ’70’s as the golden age of muscle cars, especially in regards to muscle car racing. NASCAR was running models around the oval that looked just like what could be purchased in the showroom, and the SCCA formed the Trans-Am (Trans American) series to run muscle cars through the twisties. Models like Camaro, Firebird, Mustang, Javelin, and yes, the Trans Am graced the race track and the real pony car wars were fought there. Men like Roger Penske, Parnelli Jones, and Mark Donahue all made big names for themselves racing Trans Am.

These were also the days when the little guy really could compete against the big guy because with just a car from the showroom, a little money, and a lot of ambition it was within reach of a lot of people to compete.

Cars then didn’t utilize scratch built chassis, didn’t run traction control, didn’t run anti-lock brakes, and it took men with a pair the size of watermelons to wheel them to their fullest potential. Go big or go home, right? It may not have been possible to beat the big guys on a budget, but you could run with them and have a ball doing it.

Today a few lucky people participate in Vintage Trans Am racing, and they’ve purchased real vintage race cars and have committed to keeping them race ready and on the track where they belong. We salute them! It’s worth a minute (or an hour) to sift through all of the wonder photos over at trans-amseries.com. Enjoy!