Don Yenko race history

[DarrylD]

I've heard the highlights of his racing career, but does anyone know exactly how many races he won? What tracks? Which cars? And where did he get his start in racing. Dirt, SCCA, drag racing, etc.? Just curious.
Darryl

[JoeC]

I believe Don Yenko started road racing in the late 50's. Here is a partial list and a cool picture. I have a bunch of other pics found on the web.
1957 Is listed as DNF at VIR in a B/P 1957 Corvette
1961 Nation Champ in a Corvette
1962 Nation Champ in a Corvette also raced at Sebring where press called him "sideways Don Yenko"
1963 1st in class at VIR in B/P Corvette won the "Tar Heel Trophy" for class domination
1965 drove the Eggers Mini Cooper and a Corvette
1968 1st in GT at 24hr Daytona in the DX oil 1967 L88 Corvette Yenko/Revson
1968 Sebring drove DX oil 1968 L88 Corvette Yenko/Rodriguez
1969 won the Citrus 250 at Daytona in a 1968 Camaro
1969 Sebring 10th overall Yenko/Grossman in the Best Photo Camaro
1972 Sebring Corvette Yenko/Greenwood
1974 24hr Daytona ran 21 hrs then DNF in a Corvette

[DarrylD]

Great stuff Joe! The reason I asked is because I've always found it interesting that he built Yenko Camaros that are popular in drag racing, but most of his own experience is Corvettes and road racing. Makes me wish he would have built some production Yenko Corvettes too! The DNF at VIR in 1957, is that Virginia? Otherwise it doesn't ring a bell.

[Rowdy Rat]

I was looking through some old issues of "Corvette News" last nignt and I can confirm the 1957 date as the "official" start date for Don Yenko's racing career. There was a paragraph or so in a 1969 issue that mentioned that Don was on his way back from a trip, passed by where the race was being held, and decided to enter. He didn't have a racing license, so he made up a license number and the rest is history...

Regards,

Stan Falenski

[JoeC]

VIR = Virgina International Raceway
I am looking for more info on DonÃs racing cars and career. He built the Yenko Stinger Corvairs and got it approved for SCCA but I have not found any info on him driving it in any races although he may have. As with the 427 cars, I think he was mainly interested in selling them. Don Yenko and Bill Hartly built and raced some rare Corvettes. He had one of the SR2 Corvettes that he raced around 1965. He had a 1966 L72 M22 that I have read was one of two made with a special engine code that was a predecessor to the L88. It was set up for racing for Mike Summers with best Photo sponsorship. Don also raced a few L88 Corvettes but I do not know if he actually owned the cars. There are more pics in my photopoint album that I use for posting at
albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1169942&a=8610132




[Edited by JoeC (01-25-2001 at 08:54 AM).]

[DarrylD]

I thought my Corvette books just started covering his career once he 'hit it big', but the way he kind of just exploded on the scene in '57, I really wasn't missing much of his racing history. Those early issues of "Corvette News" seem to be a great sorce for historical information.Thanks Stan & Joe!
Thanks for sharing your photopoint album with us Joe. I didn't have time to look at them, but I'll go back later. By the way, is it a Yenko Chevelle that you have? Or what? Is there a picture of it in the album or somewhere on the web?

[copomusclecars]

Do you recall what edition of Corvette news that was in?

[markus37]

Just noticed this old thread. ..I can clarify a few things. .the 68 Camaro Don won the Citrus 250 in was the Smokey Yunick car which Vic Edelbrock claims to own .Vic's car has been rebodied twice. Smokey said there were only 8 parts on that car that he,made.. the ZL1 CAMARO was a Trans Am car owned by Bob Grossman..was built out of the remains of 67 and 68 purchased from the New Jersey Insurance salvage pool and welded together. later updated with 69 sheetmetal..very fast .much lighter than Corvettes it competed against in the GT class at Daytona, Sebring and Watkins Glen..was originally red.

[JoeC]

There were at least two ex Smokey Yunick 68 Camaros or built from 67-68
both were raced in 1969 racing season both in the same race at least once
Don had one and the other was run by another name driver


Don raced a red ZL1 powered 69 Camaro with Bob Grossman with Best Photo sponsor at Sebring with the ZL1 but also ran in other races with a 302

Don Y and Grossman ran a white/blue hood 69 Camaro with Marlbank sponsor in 1970 Sebring with a ZL1
not sure if it was the same car

it was a very clean looking race car in 1970 Sebring
the red one was pretty beat up looking in some photos so not sure if they rebodied it or built a new car
Don built cars from wrecks, insurance recovery cars, used street cars , used racecars, and some were new such as some of the Corvettes

http://www.sportscardigest.com/1970-...ace-profile/3/

[markus37]

The red car and the Marlbank car are the same car. Grossman provided the,car and Chevrolet, thru Yenko, the ZL1. The second Yunick Camaro was the Gene White car, driven mostly by Tiny Lund. That is, what Smokey told Warren. Fortunately, I was there for much of the history.