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Trans Am Series 60th Anniversary Season History

January 18, 2026

For the entirety of the 2026 season, we will be releasing weekly historic facts about the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, providing context to this diverse and historic series. Return to this page every week to learn more about the longest-running professional road course series in North America.

WEEK 3
1966 was the only year an Under 2.0 Liter car won a Trans Am race overall, with Jochen Rindt winning at Sebring International Raceway in an Alfa Romeo GTA, and Allan Moffat winning at Bryar Motorsports Park in a Ford Lotus Cortina. It was also the only time Under 2.0 Liter drivers were overall driver champions (awarded retroactively by SCCA after the 1980 season) and the only time there were overall co-champions, as Horst Kwech and Gaston Andrey co-drove in all seven rounds. The 1966 Manufacturer’s champion in Over 2.0 liter was Ford, and Under 2.0 liter was Alfa Romeo.

WEEK 2
The inaugural race of what was known then as the Trans-American Sedan Championship was held at Sebring International Raceway on March 25, 1966 as a support race of the 12 Hours of Sebring. AJ Foyt earned the pole position in a Ford Mustang. It was won by co-drivers Bob Tullius & Tony Adamowicz in a Dodge Dart in the Over 2.0 Liter class, and won by Jochen Rindt in an Alfa Romeo GTA in the Under 2.0 Liter class.

WEEK 1
The Trans-American Sedan Championship was founded in 1966 by then SCCA Executive Director John Bishop. The championship was open to FIA Group 1 and 2 cars, divided into Over 2.0 Liter & Under 2.0 Liter classes. John Bishop also in 1966 had the foresight to copyright the Trans Am name. This would be strategically important when Pontiac entered the series in 1968 with its Trans Am Firebird, as they would have to pay a royalty to the SCCA for every Trans Am Firebird produced. John was inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame in 2011.