- 14,656
- The UK
- JASON_ROCKS1998
- JR98 GAMING
In 1967 Mark Donohue began his Trans Am campaign, winning 3 out of 12 races in a Penske Camaro. Donohue finished 4th at the 24 hours of Daytona and won the Trans-Am class at the 12 hours of Sebring. In 1968 Donohue won the 12 Hours of Sebring once again and won 10 out of 13 races that year, a record that would remain unbeaten until Tommy Kendall won 11 out of 13 in 1997. Donohue was considered a leading Trans-Am driver of the late 1960s and early 1970s. His Camaros and Javelins won three Trans-Am championships (his last in 1971) while driving Camaros and Javelins, all for Roger Penske Racing.
During their enormous success in Trans-Am, Roger and Mark would begin to experiment with their Camaros. They discovered that dipping a car in an acid bath would eat away small amounts of metal, which in turn made the car incrementally lighter, and allowed it to be driven faster around the track. The 1967 Z-28 won its last race by lapping the entire field of cars, raising eyebrows throughout the paddock.
During a post-race inspection, race stewards discovered that the car was 250 pounds lighter than the 2800-pound minimum weight requirement. Donohue was about to have his race victory taken away for cheating, but Roger Penske stepped in. Penske warned that any disqualification would have the potential of motivating Chevrolet to pull all support for the Trans-Am series. After considering the potential consequences, the race stewards allowed Donohue's victory to stand, but the rules for the 1968 season incorporated a change whereby all cars would be weighed during the technical inspection before the race.
Penske and Donohue did not stop acid-dipping after this, however. Continuing the practice of reducing weight allowed them to place weights of certain sizes strategically in specific locations within the car, thus helping to balance the car while being driven on the limit. Acid-dipping car bodies was prevalent with competing Trans-Am teams as well.
They continued to use the "lightweight" car in 1968, at the Sebring 12-hour race. They changed the grille and taillight to the 1968 model, and then painted both cars identically. They sent the legal weight car through the technical inspection with the number 15 and again with the number 16 on it. Then they put both cars in the race, number 15 and 16, one car being 250 pounds lighter. They won the race, finished 3rd overall, and went on to win 10 out of 13 races that year.
Technical specifications
Body: 2 Door Coupe
Length: N/A
Width: N/A
Height: N/A
Wheelbase: N/A
Engine: Chevrolet "302 Z28" 5.0 V8
Aspiration: Naturally Aspirated
Power: 420HP
Torque: N/A
Weight: 1,325 KG (1,160 KG After Acid Bath)
Drivetrain: Front Engine Rear Wheel Drive
Transmission/Gearbox: 4 Speed Manual
During their enormous success in Trans-Am, Roger and Mark would begin to experiment with their Camaros. They discovered that dipping a car in an acid bath would eat away small amounts of metal, which in turn made the car incrementally lighter, and allowed it to be driven faster around the track. The 1967 Z-28 won its last race by lapping the entire field of cars, raising eyebrows throughout the paddock.
During a post-race inspection, race stewards discovered that the car was 250 pounds lighter than the 2800-pound minimum weight requirement. Donohue was about to have his race victory taken away for cheating, but Roger Penske stepped in. Penske warned that any disqualification would have the potential of motivating Chevrolet to pull all support for the Trans-Am series. After considering the potential consequences, the race stewards allowed Donohue's victory to stand, but the rules for the 1968 season incorporated a change whereby all cars would be weighed during the technical inspection before the race.
Penske and Donohue did not stop acid-dipping after this, however. Continuing the practice of reducing weight allowed them to place weights of certain sizes strategically in specific locations within the car, thus helping to balance the car while being driven on the limit. Acid-dipping car bodies was prevalent with competing Trans-Am teams as well.
They continued to use the "lightweight" car in 1968, at the Sebring 12-hour race. They changed the grille and taillight to the 1968 model, and then painted both cars identically. They sent the legal weight car through the technical inspection with the number 15 and again with the number 16 on it. Then they put both cars in the race, number 15 and 16, one car being 250 pounds lighter. They won the race, finished 3rd overall, and went on to win 10 out of 13 races that year.
Technical specifications
Body: 2 Door Coupe
Length: N/A
Width: N/A
Height: N/A
Wheelbase: N/A
Engine: Chevrolet "302 Z28" 5.0 V8
Aspiration: Naturally Aspirated
Power: 420HP
Torque: N/A
Weight: 1,325 KG (1,160 KG After Acid Bath)
Drivetrain: Front Engine Rear Wheel Drive
Transmission/Gearbox: 4 Speed Manual
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