Collector Car Corner / Cars We Remember; SCCA Trans-Am champions and the last winged NASCAR Dodge Daytona

By Greg Zyla —

Q: Greg, I remember you wrote about the whereabouts of NASCAR’s Mario Rossi and the fact he used SCCA Trans-Am 305-inch engines in his winged Dodge Daytona in 1971 following NASCAR outlawing the use and advantage of a 426 Hemi in an aerodynamic car. Did Rossi have a big connection to the success of the Trans-Am series? Thanks, and can you update on that great era of SCCA Trans-Am? Ernie M., Lancaster, Pa.

A: I’m happy to oblige, Ernie, especially on the SCCA Trans-Am series, a many times overlooked series that brought Pony Cars to “top of mind” consumer prominence.

Before the deal with AMC to race Javelins, Roger Penske raced his now famous Chevrolet Camaro for the 1967 Trans-Am season, marking the beginning of a dominant era for Chevrolet in the series and introducing the street legal Z-28 with the 302 under the hood. With the late Mark Donohue behind the wheel, Penske quickly established his team as a dynamo, securing back-to-back championships in 1968 and 1969.

Penske’s acid-dipped Camaros were legendary for their weight-saving modifications, pushing the boundaries of the rulebook. The Sunoco-sponsored Camaros became icons of Trans-Am racing, highlighting Penske’s precise engineering abilities and Donohue’s exceptional driving skills.

AMC’s dominance in the IMSA Can-Am series with its Penske-owned Javelin team is a fascinating chapter in motorsports history. While AMC was traditionally known for producing economy cars, its foray into racing, particularly through the Trans-Am series, highlighted its ability to compete with the giants of American performance car manufacturing. Included were wins in the NASCAR Cup with the Penske Matadors and NHRA Pro Stock with Wally Booth and teammates Dick Maskin and Dave Kanners.

Roger Penske, a legendary figure in motorsports, played the most crucial role in AMC’s success. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Penske Racing took on the challenge of transforming the AMC Javelin into a competitive race car. With the late Mark Donohue behind the wheel, the team quickly became a force to contend with in the Trans-Am series. Donohue’s engineering expertise and Penske’s meticulous approach to racing helped AMC secure multiple victories, proving that the Javelin could hold its own against the likes of Ford and Chevrolet.

AMC’s involvement in racing was part of a broader strategy to enhance its brand image and demonstrate the performance capabilities of its vehicles. The Javelin, with its distinctive red, white, and blue livery, became an icon of American road racing. Penske’s team refined the car’s aerodynamics, handling, and power output, making it a formidable competitor on the track.

The dominance of AMC in the Trans-Am series was highlighted by Donohue’s ability to consistently outperform rivals. His technical knowledge allowed Penske Racing to optimize the Javelin’s setup, ensuring it remained competitive throughout the season. The team’s success was not just a testament to Donohue’s driving skills but also to Penske’s ability to manage and develop a winning racing program.

While AMC’s racing efforts were primarily focused on SCCA Trans-Am rather than IMSA Can-Am, its partnership with Penske demonstrated the company’s commitment to high-performance motorsports. The lessons learned from racing helped AMC refine its production vehicles, influencing the development of performance-oriented models that appealed to enthusiasts. Overall, the AMC/Penske efforts became a significant part of American motorsports history. The Javelin’s success on the track helped elevate AMC’s reputation, proving that even a smaller automaker could compete at the highest levels of racing.

Penske’s winning AMC 305 engines were developed through a combination of AMC’s engineering efforts and external expertise. AMC initially lacked a dedicated performance division, but when it decided to enter Trans-Am racing, it worked with racing specialists to refine its engines.

Ronnie Kaplan Engineering played a crucial role in developing AMC’s racing engines, ensuring they met the demands of high-performance competition. The engines were modified to maximize power output while maintaining reliability, allowing Penske’s Javelin team to compete effectively against established manufacturers.

AMC’s partnership with Penske and racing engineers helped transform the 390 engine into a formidable, destroked 305 power plant, contributing to the team’s success on the track. The combination of Penske’s meticulous approach to racing and AMC’s willingness to innovate led to a competitive edge in the series.

Penske’s AMC 305 engines were developed with the help of racing specialists, including Ronnie Kaplan Engineering, which played a key role in refining AMC’s performance engines. However, the connection to Mario Rossi, the engine builder who reportedly utilized the last winged Mopar to compete in NASCAR, is less documented. There isn’t much publicly available information on Rossi’s involvement with Penske’s AMC engines or his disappearance. Matter of fact, in my opinion, Rossi had nothing to do with the SCCA Trans-Am success.

There is compelling evidence that Keith Black, a legendary drag racing engine builder, supplied Mario Rossi with 305-cubic-inch Mopar engines for his winged Dodge Daytona Charger. Black was well-known for his expertise in high-performance Chrysler engines, and his shop in California was a hub for small-block and big-block 426 Hemi Mopar race engine development.

Black had previously worked with Chrysler on Trans-Am and Indy engine programs, refining Mopar’s small-block engines for competitive racing. When Chrysler scaled back its factory racing efforts, Black continued developing these engines independently, selling them to racers like Rossi. Black’s 305-cubic-inch version featured a 4.040-inch bore and a 2.96-inch stroke, built with four-bolt main bearing caps and large-port cylinder heads.

In 1970, Dodge entered the SCCA Trans-Am series with the Challenger T/A, marking its official participation in the highly competitive pony car racing scene. To comply with SCCA Trans-Am regulations, Dodge had to submit an application detailing the car’s specifications. Dodge never won a Trans-Am race during its one-year participation in that 1970 season. The Challenger T/A, driven by Sam Posey, showed promise but struggled against the dominant Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros, and AMC Javelins. Dodge managed three third-place podium finishes in 11 races but never secured a victory.

Dodge developed a special 340-cubic-inch V8, which was de-stroked to meet the 305ci requirement. This engine featured a six-barrel carburetor (three two-barrel carburetors) and was designed to deliver high-revving performance while staying within the displacement cap.

Rossi’s decision to use a Keith Black 305 in his Daytona Charger for the 1971 Daytona 500 speaks to the engine builder’s reputation and the performance potential of his Mopar small blocks. Black’s engines were also used in USAC competition and even considered for Formula racing, proving their versatility and reliability.

As for the Mario Rossi connection, it was more a case of buyer and seller than anything else. Mario Rossi was a highly respected NASCAR engine builder and team owner, known for his innovative approach to stock car racing. He collaborated with legendary drivers like Fireball Roberts and Bobby Allison, earning 13 wins in NASCAR’s Cup Series. However, Rossi was instrumental in developing safety features such as headrests in stock cars and a third seat belt to prevent injuries during crashes.

Unfortunately, Rossi’s story took an unexplained turn in 1982 when he vanished without a trace. After spending Christmas with his family in Trenton, New Jersey, he was last seen at Philadelphia International Airport, reportedly heading to the Bahamas, where he had rented a home. Days later, his mother received a phone call from a woman named Betty, claiming Rossi had died in a plane crash—but no such crash was ever recorded by the FAA. His private plane was later found to have been sold multiple times after his disappearance.

There are multiple theories about what happened to Rossi. Some believe he was placed in the Witness Protection Program, while others suspect he was killed due to his alleged involvement in a drug smuggling ring.  

Rossi’s legacy in NASCAR remains significant, both for his contributions to racing technology and the enduring mystery surrounding his fate. His disappearance continues to intrigue motorsports historians and fans alike. As for that final Daytona 500, driver Richard Brooks finished an impressive 7th, and led five laps before a fender bender with Pete Hamilton slowed him down and he lost two laps.

In summary, the SCCA Trans-Am is most likely the reason for all those production Pony Cars that came along, including the Z-28, Boss 302, Challenger T/A, and Mark Donohue Javelin AMX. The Donohue Javelin came with a choice of two engines including a 360-cubic-inch V8 or a 390-cubic-inch V8 (optional) The Donohue Javelin AMX was part of AMC’s 1970 Go Package, which included performance upgrades. AMC produced 2,501 units of the Mark Donohue Javelin to meet SCCA homologation requirements, making it a rare and collectible muscle car.

Thanks again for your question.  

(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist who welcomes reader interaction on collector cars, auto nostalgia, and motorsports at extramile_2000@yahoo.com or Greg Zyla, Roosevelt Street, Sayre, Pa. 18840.)