Don Yenko Trans Am History

MotownMadman · #1 07-11-2003, 04:29 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...;category=2875

I found this race program on Ebay for the 1970 Sebring Trans Am race, Don was listed as a driver. I have documentation from the 1968 Trans Am season I have obtained as part of the history for my Team Shelby Trans Am Mustang, in 68 it lists Don Yenko entered at Sebring with Peter Revson as a co-driver in a Corvette, Revson was teamed with someone else in 1970 according to this Ebay item, anyone know why Yenko and Revson did not stay together?
Thanks,
Motown [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

JoeC · #2 07-11-2003, 01:20 PM

Back then you got a ride however and with who even was available. Don also drove with Dick Guldstrand, Bob Grossman, and many others.
Don drove in 6 trans am races in 1969. Some of the trans am races were combined with bigger races at Daytona and Sebring

**YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY** · #3 07-11-2003, 03:11 PM

Revson died in a car crash.

MotownMadman · #4 07-11-2003, 03:34 PM

Marlin, I know Revson died, but he was still with us in 1970 which is clear as he is listed in the Sebring race program on Ebay, so he had split with Don Yenko prior to his passing. Joe, that is very true about taking whatever ride you could get, a good example would be my #2 Team Shelby car, during the 68 season it was raced by Horst Kweck, Allan Moffet, Parnelli Jones, Dan Gurney, and David Pearson. Some of the longer races were two driver teams, but that is still a lot of drivers for one car that only raced the first ten races of the season. I was just wondering if there was another reason why Yenko and Revson split other then the normal team/driver changes. Next time I speak to Jennifer Revson (Peters sister), I will ask her as well as if she has any other history on Don.
Thanks,
Motown [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

copo9566aa · #5 07-11-2003, 03:37 PM

I have this small picture [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]
Corvette Pilot Don Yenko of Cannonburg,PA...... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif[/img]

HP Cars Sept 73.

**1967Z28** · #6 07-11-2003, 04:19 PM

Motown,

Yenko drove a Corvette along with Pedro Rodriguez (not Peter Revson) at the '68 Sebring race. Revson was under contract to AMC and was co-driving a Javelin along with Skip Scott at that '68 Sebring event. This was the first year that the Trans-Am was part of the 12-hour race (it was previously run as a separate 4-hour event) and this was also the first race for Javelin. Revson never drove in a Trans-Am race with Don Yenko. In '68 he was driving for AMC (until the last race when he switched to Ford), in '69 he drove a Boss 302 for Shelby and in '70 he was back with AMC as a second driver on the Penske Javelin team.

-Jon

1967 Z28 street car
1967 Z28 Trans Am race car
1967 Z28 Registry

MotownMadman · #7 07-12-2003, 03:11 AM

Jon,
After going through my historical Trans Am paperwork I have found we are both right. Revson was running a Javelin during the 68 season, Yenko was teamed with Rodriguez for the 68 season. However, the document I was reading that led me to believe Yenko had teamed with Revson that year was the results of the 24 hours of Daytona on Feb 3 and 4 1968. Here is how it went. Yenko and Rodriguez did run together in the Sebring 12 hour race in March, but prior to that for whatever reason The team of Yenko and Revson finished in 25th place after completing 496 laps in GT class driving Corvette number 29. The 24 hours of Daytona in that year was an international race which combined car classes, TA/O, TA/U, GT, Spts, and SP. The Yenko/Revson Corvette qualified and started in 19th position with an average speed of 108.580 with the pole position qualifing at 119.370. Rodriguez was not entered in that race, Guldstrand was teamed with Leslie qualifing 15th in #44 Corvette in GT class and finishing 29th. Both Corvettes started ahead of the Team Shelby Mustangs which were in TA/O,(the O and U behind TA stands for over or under 2.0 litre) my car went out with mechanical failure and the Titus/Bucknum #1 Mustang finished 4th only to be beat by the three Porsche 907 cars which finished 1,2,and 3.(yet by class the Mustang finished first in TA/O as the Porsches ran in SP) For the rest of the season Revson drove a Javelin and was not teamed with Yenko again. I might add that this was actually five races in one, as five classes competed together in which there was actually six different race results as far as finish position. Overall standings, then the standings for each class. Yenko and Revson were teamed in GT class, so while they were racing with Trans Am cars, technically they never were teamed in a Trans Am race. This is one of those things that make you go Hmmmmmmmmm.............
Thanks,
Motown [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/scholar.gif[/img]

**1967Z28** · #8 07-12-2003, 05:35 AM

Motown,

Yep, I guess we are both right.... or maybe both wrong. However one wants to look at it. Yenko and Revson teamed up for a race together but not in a Trans-Am car (Corvette was classed as a Grand Touring car per FIA rules at that time). Revson was available to team with Yenko because the Javelin team did not get their act together in time to make the Daytona race. Both your Mustang (Kweck/Moffat) and my Camaro (Moore/Murphy) DNF'd out of the Daytona race. Oh well, that's racing!
[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

-Jon

1967 Z28 street car
1967 Z28 Trans Am race car
1967 Z28 Registry

MotownMadman · #9 07-12-2003, 05:47 AM

Jon,
Heck, I got another TA racer here with a history car! How bout while all these other guys are doing the factory stock drags in a straight line we race around em in circles in the parking lot! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Motown [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

**1967Z28** · #10 07-12-2003, 06:02 AM

Motown,

Sounds like a plan! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

-Jon

1967 Z28 street car
1967 Z28 Trans Am race car
1967 Z28 Registry