SCCA regional events in Texas etc. 1960s-70s through the lens of Jerry Melton

[Paul B]

Robin Tanner had a set of those on his 39 Corvette Ford Coupe.

[Bruce302]

and a friend had the same setup, briefly, on his 350 HT Monaro.

[khyndart in CA]

A rare car competing in the 1966 Enduro race at GVR was a 1966 Vetta Ventura 5000 GT.


(Jerry Melton photo..)

This was an American car that looked like a Ferrari 275 GTB.



More about the Vetta - Ventura at this site.

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/art...entura-5000-gt



( Ken H..)

[Roger Dowding]

Ken H,

Car looks familiar ! - The same car -
There was a similar looking " Buick " powered Sports Coupe built in the early 1960's - remember seeing a story / road test in a Road and Track or other US magazine. Apollo GT.
Magazine bought with my pocket money whilst still in short pants at High School- 1961 - just started at KBHS in form 3

Photo of a couple of the cars recently from the link below.



Looking at the Ken H link the open car could be one as well !

" https://mycarquest.com/2011/08/the-a...-by-buick.html "

A related story to the Hemmings one post #303 Vetta Ventura ,,

Ken H- this is the Road and Track article I remember,
- in your link , Cheers.
Think I still have the magazine, somewhere - in the archives.. boxes in the garage - as ERC does, but not so many at the moment.


** Interestingly Buick used the name Apollo as a model in the 70's /80's -maybe even earlier.

KBHS - Kelston Boys High School, Kelston West Auckland

[khyndart in CA]

Thanks for that info. Roger.

Not all of them are in pristine condition.

But you may have missed out on this one.
https://bringatrailer.com/2016/04/14...vetta-ventura/

You would be pretty cool running down to the Omokoroa store in a Vetta Ventura / Apollo.
I remember the guy that played in the A/C-D/C band lived near Omokoroa in 1990 and he would cruise down to the store in his genuine Ford GT 40.



(Ken H..)

[khyndart in CA]

Back to SU and Zenith-Stromberg carbs and a bit of British at GVR.

A MG TC at speed.




A Morgan.




Some AH Sprite action.










(Ken H)

[khyndart in CA]

TR 3 action on the track and in the pits.



In for a pit stop.



(Jerry Melton photos..

[Roger Dowding]

Ken H,

Saw a nice TR3 yesterday, and a TR4A, *** as well as a BJ8 model Austin Healey with the Rego " ROGBJ8 ", at the Tauranga Vintage Car Club " Car Show and Swap Meeting " at their Clubrooms on Cliff Road, - an old Bowling Club. You may know the place ?
There were in excess of 100 cars there, photos to come .. probably on the Vintage thread ..

This by David Tomlinson - a Rolls Royce guy. " ROGBJ8 " and friends..



I Post a lot about Healey's but am a TR man as well -
Cheers
Roger

[khyndart in CA]

Closing out Jerry Melton's Green Valley Raceway photos with some TR 4 action.





Gary Bishop enjoyed driving his TR 4 there in February and June1966.







Thanks Jerry Melton.


(Ken H.)

[khyndart in CA]

About 20 years later in 1984-86 the Green Valley Raceway was shut down and the area has been developed.
One of the last big races held there was this 1984 SCCA Trans-Am series race. October 28 1984.
One can appreciate the Melton photos taken before all the concrete barriers were installed. (As one reader put it as a "Crap" course !)
Enjoy the video clip.




(Ken H..)

[khyndart in CA]

The concrete barriers that were installed were from what was used at the Dallas F1 Grand Prix in July 1984.
This was the time the US was building temporary race tracks for Formula One in cities such as Long Beach, Detroit, Dallas and even in a
parking lot in Las Vegas !


One of the glory days at Green Valley Raceway was the 1967 Trans- Am race which produced this fantastic finish as the closest in Trans Am history.

Attachment 68161

On This Day in Trans Am History: Gurney edges Jones by "three feet"

https://racer.com/2020/04/16/on-this...by-three-feet/


This race was also covered well by Jon Mello with Jerry Melton photos at this site.
http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=8946.0



(Ken H)