1972 Trans-American Sedan Championship

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The 1972 Trans-American Championship was the seventh running of the Sports Car Club of America's Trans-Am Series. The first seven rounds used split classes, while the last four rounds had the Under 2500cc class only. Milt Minter brought Pontiac its first win, at Mid-Ohio. George Follmer and American Motors won the over 2.5L division, while John Morton led Datsun to the championship title of the "Two-Five Challenge".

1972 is considered to be the end of the series' "golden era". From 1973 onward, Trans Am would evolve into a lesser clone of the rival IMSA GT Championship, with similarly modified cars, but with a more conventional focus with vehicles such as the Chevrolet Beretta being used. IMSA GT's focus on exotic cars such as Ferraris and Porsches provided a more adaptable format, in comparison to Trans Am's reliance on domestic performance sedans.

Schedule

RndDateCircuitDistanceOver 2.5 Winning CarUnder 2.5 Winning Car
Over 2.5 Winning Driver(s)Under 2.5 Winning Driver(s)
1May 6 Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Connecticut 130.05 mi (209.30 km) (U2L)
200.43 mi (322.56 km) (O2L)		 AMC Javelin Datsun 510
Flag of the United States.svg George Follmer Flag of the United States.svg Bob Sharp
2May 29 Bryar Motorsports Park, Loudon, New Hampshire 112 mi (180 km) (U2L)
152 mi (245 km) (O2L)		 AMC Javelin Datsun 510
Flag of the United States.svg George Follmer Flag of the United States.svg John Morton
3June 4 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio 120 mi (190 km) (U2L)
180 mi (290 km) (O2L)		 Pontiac Firebird Datsun 510
Flag of the United States.svg Milt Minter Flag of the United States.svg Peter Gregg
4June 17 Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York 114.818 mi (184.782 km) (U2L)
192.489 mi (309.781 km) (O2L)		 AMC Javelin Datsun 510
Flag of the United States.svg George Follmer Flag of the United States.svg Peter Gregg
5July 2
July 4		 Donnybrooke International Speedway, Brainerd, Minnesota 150 mi (240 km) (U2L)
210 mi (340 km) (O2L)		 AMC Javelin Alfa Romeo GTV
Flag of the United States.svg George Follmer Flag of Australia (converted).svg Horst Kwech
6July 16 Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin 108 mi (174 km) (U2L)
200 mi (320 km) (O2L)		 Ford Mustang Datsun 510
Flag of the United States.svg Warren Tope Flag of the United States.svg John Morton
7July 30 Sanair Super Speedway, Saint-Pie, Quebec 104 mi (167 km) (U2L)
169 mi (272 km) (O2L)		 Ford Mustang Alfa Romeo GTA
Flag of the United States.svg Warren Tope Flag of the United States.svg Bert Everett
8August 19 Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia 126 mi (203 km)not contested Datsun 510
Flag of the United States.svg John Morton
9September 17 Portland International Raceway, Portland, Oregon 105.325 mi (169.504 km)not contested Datsun 510
Flag of the United States.svg John Morton
10October 15 Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey, California 102.5 mi (165.0 km)not contested Datsun 510
Flag of the United States.svg John Morton
11October 28 Riverside International Raceway, Riverside, California 127.5 mi (205.2 km)not contested Datsun 510
Flag of the United States.svg John Morton
[1]

Championships

Drivers' championships

The points system was as follows:

1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th
20151210864321

Over 2.5L

PosDriverCar LRP BRY MOH WGL DON ELK SAN Pts
1 Flag of the United States.svg George Follmer AMC Javelin 112112595
2 Flag of the United States.svg Milt Minter Pontiac Firebird 2128422560
3 Flag of the United States.svg Warren Tope Ford Mustang 57726281156
4 Flag of the United States.svg Warren Agor Chevrolet Camaro 23312627651
5 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Collins AMC Javelin 742973245
6 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Nichter Chevrolet Camaro 644206344
7 Flag of the United States.svg Roy Woods AMC Javelin 45331142
8 Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Thompson Ford Mustang 28224130
9 Flag of the United States.svg Carl Shafer Chevrolet Camaro 1187417
10 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dick Brown Chevrolet Camaro 651614
11 Flag of the United States.svg Gene Harrington Chevrolet Camaro 83542113
12 Flag of the United States.svg Tony DeLorenzo Pontiac Firebird 32112
13 Flag of the United States.svg John Gimbel Ford Mustang 21112552731811
14 Flag of the United States.svg Kent Fellows Chevrolet Camaro 26146712381510
15= Flag of the United States.svg J. Marshall Robbins Ford Mustang 58
15= Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Alfred Ruys de Perez Chevrolet Camaro 178299268148
15= Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Steve Bradley Chevrolet Camaro 5218
15= Flag of the United States.svg Dick Hoffman Chevrolet Camaro 214058
19= Flag of the United States.svg Walter Parkins Chevrolet Camaro 99143012274
19= Flag of the United States.svg Bob Bienerth Chevrolet Camaro 141313181774
21= Flag of the United States.svg Dan Moore Ford Mustang 8133
21= Flag of the United States.svg Martin Shook Chevrolet Camaro 2327238233
21= Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Petersen Chevrolet Camaro 31109303
24= Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jean-Guy Roy Chevrolet Camaro 92223132
24= Flag of the United States.svg Warren Fairbanks Chevrolet Camaro 92
24= Flag of the United States.svg David Hoselton Ford Mustang 1592
24= Flag of the United States.svg Steve Ross Chevrolet Camaro 201012102
28= Flag of the United States.svg Fred Kashkork Ford Mustang 101
28= Flag of the United States.svg Ed Hinchcliff Ford Mustang 11171016191
28= Flag of the United States.svg Joe Chamberlain Chevrolet Camaro 10331
28= Flag of the United States.svg J. A. Lagod Chevrolet Camaro 101
[1] [2]
ColorResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
Green4th & 5th place
Light Blue6th–10th place
Dark BlueFinished
(Outside Top 10)
PurpleDid not finish
BlackDisqualified
(DSQ)
WhiteDid not start
(DNS)
BlankDid not
participate
(DNP)
Not competing

Under 2.5L

PosDriverCar LRP BRY MOH WGL DON ELK SAN ATL POR LAG RIV Pts
1 Flag of the United States.svg John Morton Datsun 510 DSQ11621211111135
2 Flag of the United States.svg Bert Everett Alfa Romeo GTA 44352151117391
3 Flag of Austria.svg Horst Kwech Alfa Romeo GTV 191743151521765
4 Flag of the United States.svg Mike Downs Datsun 510 2624261
5 Flag of the United States.svg Peter Gregg Datsun 510 1111255
6 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Sharp Datsun 510 1235
7 Flag of the United States.svg Ken Schley Alfa Romeo GTA DSQ62410281132
8 Flag of the United States.svg Ed Wachs Alfa Romeo GTA 594719DNS272024
9 Flag of the United States.svg John McCollister Volkswagen Super Beetle 21861417598162522
10 Flag of the United States.svg Harry Theodorocopulous Alfa Romeo GTV 2616176141339102821
11= Flag of the United States.svg Lothar Stahlberg Datsun 510 31351320
11= Flag of the United States.svg Richard Hull Toyota 1600 531620
11= Flag of the United States.svg Walt Maas Datsun 510 351420
11= Flag of the United States.svg Lee Midgley Alfa Romeo GTA
Alfa Romeo GTV 		417121741220
15= Flag of the United States.svg John Buffum Ford Escort 15321716
15= Flag of the United States.svg Vic Provenzano Alfa Romeo GTA 461916
17= Flag of the United States.svg Sam Posey Datsun 510 18215
17= Flag of the United States.svg Hershel McGriff Datsun 510 215
17= Flag of the United States.svg Corky Bell Datsun 510 1095715
20= Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Thompson Datsun 510 312
20= Flag of the United States.svg Dave Madison Datsun 510 32212
20= Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Allison Datsun 510 32412
23 Flag of the United States.svg Tony Rolfe BMW 1600 8912611
24= Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ron Shantz Datsun 510 410
24= Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Bob Stevens Datsun 510 15410
26 Flag of the United States.svg Ole Anderson Volvo 142 689
27= Flag of the United States.svg Wayne Sherer Alfa Romeo GTA 515208
27= Flag of the United States.svg Richard Gordon Volvo 142 58
27= Flag of the United States.svg Bob Burns Alfa Romeo GTA 58
30= Flag of the United States.svg Jim Lombard Volkswagen Super Beetle 12106167
30= Flag of the United States.svg Gary Witzenburg Datsun 510 1271587
32= Flag of the United States.svg John Diamanti Alfa Romeo GTV 66
32= Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Don Sobering Austin Cooper 66
32= Flag of the United States.svg Carl Fredricks BMW 66
32= Flag of the United States.svg Ed Long Datsun 510 976
36 Flag of the United States.svg Ted Straight Toyota 1600 7105
37= Flag of the United States.svg George Alderman Datsun 510 71818154
37= Flag of the United States.svg Mickey Cohen Ford Pinto 74
37= Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jacques Bienvenue Ford Pinto 74
37= Flag of the United States.svg Douglas Sande Datsun 510 74
41= Flag of the United States.svg Ed Rogers Alfa Romeo GTA 8153
41= Flag of the United States.svg Bob Shafer Datsun 510 83
41= Flag of the United States.svg Tom Cronin Austin Cooper 8113
41= Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Monique Proulx BMW 2002 83
41= Flag of the United States.svg Vic Matthews Toyota 1600 83
41= Flag of the United States.svg Dave Redding Datsun 510 83
47= Flag of the United States.svg John Meskauskas Datsun 510 91414162
47= Flag of the United States.svg Stephen Sharkey Volvo 122 92
47= Flag of the United States.svg Robert LaZebnik BMW 1600 2211DNS92
47= Flag of the United States.svg George Cheyne Ford Pinto DNS9262
47= Flag of the United States.svg Jim Ethridge Alfa Romeo GTA 92
52= Flag of the United States.svg Paul Choiniere Austin Cooper 10121
52= Flag of the United States.svg Art Mollin Volvo 142 1310191
52= Flag of the United States.svg A.L. Entwistle BMW 2002 101
52= Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Werner Gudzus BMW 101
52= Flag of the United States.svg Jim Fitzgerald Datsun 510 10141
52= Flag of the United States.svg Tex Guthrie Lotus Cortina 101
[1] [2]
ColorResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
Green4th & 5th place
Light Blue6th–10th place
Dark BlueFinished
(Outside Top 10)
PurpleDid not finish
BlackDisqualified
(DSQ)
WhiteDid not start
(DNS)
BlankDid not
participate
(DNP)
Not competing

Manufacturers' championships

Only the highest-finishing car scored points for the manufacturer. The points system was as follows:

1st2nd3rd4th5th6th
964321

Over 2.5L

Best 6 results count toward the championship.

PosManufacturer LRP BRY MOH WGL DON ELK SAN Pts
1 American Motors 112113248 (52)
2 Ford 557221134
3 Pontiac 3214228
4 Chevrolet 233454324 (26)
[1] [2]

Under 2.5L

Best 9 results count towards the championship.

PosManufacturer LRP BRY MOH WGL DON ELK SAN ATL POR LAG RIV Pts
1 Datsun 1111314111181 (88)
2 Alfa Romeo 4433141442340 (51)
3 Toyota 536
4 Ford 34
5 Volkswagen 6654
6 Volvo 52
7 BMW 662
8 Austin 61
[1] [2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "1972 Trans-Am Box Scores" (PDF). Sports Car Club of America. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 de Jong, Frank. "1972 Trans-Am Championship Table". Touring Car Racing History. Archived from the original on May 2, 2009. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
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