More 1976 Photos of the Truxmore Torino

Our reader Dennis Garrett, who is a NASCAR modeler and vintage expert from Virginia, has sent us these great pictures of the Truxmore Torino at Le Mans in 1976. On this first one, you can see it  next to the Oly Express Dodge. Would'nt it be something to have both these cars back at the track for Le Mans Classic 2008 ?

Comments

[steve]

wow great pictures!!!. Nascar is supposed to be getting back in touch with me..about doing something with my chassis.

[Christophe]

Hello Steve,

it's great to read that you got in touch with NASCAR! What is the plan ?

[Dennis Garrett]

Do you notice something strange in the above photo of the # 90 front windshield? http://camtecs.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/17/ford_torino_1976_le_mans_1.jpg
# 1. The front windshield appears to have an sliding panel,under the word "FORD" in "FORD TEAM". This glass panel looks clearer like it is open? The rest of the windshield glass don't look as clear as this section?
# 2. Did Le Mans racing officials furnished the big front bumper roads lights and side mirrors?
# 3. Did they have to be turned in to Le Mans racing officials at the end of the race?
# 4. Did the Le Mans racing officials have a list of names of the # 90 pit crew members for pit passes, for security purposes?
# 5. How can I get a copy of it?
# 6. Did anyone take photos of # 90 race car after it came back to Richmond, Va.(Junie Donlavey's home town and location of his race shop) after 1976 the 24 hrs.Le Mans race???
Sincerely yours,
Dennis Garrett
Richmond, Va. 23225 USA

[Christophe]

Dennis,

the windshield probably appears to be clearer due to some light effect.
The extra light were fitted by Junies crew. The ACO did not hand out any. Trust me, having run at night on the big Le Mans track, you need as many lights as you can fit on the car. Specially when you zoom at 180 mph toward the playstation chicane!

And yes, I'd also like to see some pictures of the Torino when it came back to the US.

Did it come back at all or is it rotting in some french barn ?

[Dennis Garrett]

Christophe,
Did it come back at all or is it rotting in some french barn ?
I lived about 2 miles from Junie Donlavey's race shop and I visit his shop a lot.
Everytime I asked Junie Donlavey, "What happen to the # 90 Truxmore Ford Torino after it raced in 1976 24hrs. of Le Mans race.
Junie Donlavey would gave me a different answer everytime?
So far I have about 15 different answers to the above question.
Here's my theory of what happen to the # 90 Truxmore Ford Torino after it raced at the 24hrs. of Le Mans race.
# 1. The french race fans got excited and torn it apart for racing souvenirs? Remember,The Spirit of St. Louis was a custom airplane used by Charles Lindbergh to make the first solo, non-stop trans-Atlantic flight on 20 May and 21 May 1927. Landed at Paris, France airport and fans started tearing the plane apart for souvenirs until the French police step in.
# 2. It went Fort. Bragg for target practice?
# 3. It was raced in couple more NASCAR races and it was destroyed after Driver Richard Brooks wrecked it?
# 4. It was given or sold to Edsel Ford of Ford Motor Company?
# 5. It was given or sold to NASCAR'S Bill France Jr.
# 6. It was sold to a well known Race Car Collector? French? US? Arab? Japenese?
# 7. It was given or sold to an Le Mans, France Auto Racing Museum. There's about a million race car museums in France. The like their race car history.
# 8. It was lost during shipping back to Richmond, Va. The boat sink?
# 9. Maybe the little green men from Mars is converted it to an "Car of Tomorrow,Tomorrow", to raced all over the "Milkly Way"?
# 10. I'm thinking liked you about it being kept in an french barn, just waiting for some lucky person to bring it out and polished it up and let the world see what a gem it is!!!
# 11. Over here in USA, on Speed Channel TV, there's an car program called, "Car Crazy", did an film on The Loheac Museum in France,created by France's premier car enthusiast magazine publisher Michel Hommel.
# 12. Have you check this race car museum for the # 90 Truxmore Ford race car.
I believe this car museum has racing ties to the 24hrs. Le Mans race?
The only photos of # 90, came from French Race Fans? Why?
Where the are # 90 photos taken by USA race fans? The song goes like this: "All the Gold in California, is in a bank in Beverly Hills in Somebody's Name"!!! Maybe that's location of the photos and motion racing film???
Sincerely yours,
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va.23225 USA

[Christophe]

Dennis,

I think that the car came back to the USA alright. Junie had three Winston Cup cars in those days. In 1976, he had at least two on the Winston Cup Tour; one for Buck Baker and one for Dick Brooks. The one that went to France must have been the third one. It was not one of the first two that is fore sure, since the busy WC schedule prevented a car to be away for 6 weeks, which is the time it took to ship it back and forth via SEALAND. Now that rings a bell! Could you check the 1976 files of SEALAND in Virgina and find out when the two WC cars where shipped to and from France ?

[steve]

this site has a number of truxmore ford pictures from 76. Junie has told me the car was returned to cup competion, which would makes since with only having a few cars to rotate. he said it was one of the cars he sent to the air force, a decesion he regreted then and now. There is gold paint on this beast out my kitchen window.

http://public.fotki.com/tona/rays-nascar-photos--5/90-2.html

[steve]

http://public.fotki.com/tona/rays_nascar_photos-5/truxmore_ford_90.html

[steve]

intresting hood decals

http://public.fotki.com/tona/rays_nascar_photos-3/dc_12.html

[steve]

buck baker #93 1976

http://public.fotki.com/tona/rays-nascar-photos--3/buck90.html

[steve]

some where in the tons of pix is a picture of Dick brooks crawling out the windshield on his torino after a bad wreck at talladega in 76. i looked 2x and could find it agin, let me know if anyone does. thanks

[Dennis Garrett]

http://www.raresportsfilms.com/1976rock.html
1976
CAROLINA 500
At Rockingham

Dear Steve,
Above is website where you can purchase an 29 minutes VHS video tape title: "Not Just Good Enough" for $30.00 dollars.
1976 Carolina 500 at Rockingham - The Junie Donlavey story with Dick Brooks and the Truxmore Ford!
# 1. It shows Junie Donlavey talking about the 1976 #90 pitcrew and their race day duties, shows # 90 racecar and engine being worked on at Richmond,Va. race shop.
http://racing-reference.info/race?id=1976-04&series=W
# 2. Shows the # 90 racecar coming in the pits during a test session by # 90 racecar driver Dick "Richard" Brooks at Richmond Fairgounds Raceway (now called Richmond International Raceway)Winston Cup race number 4 of 30
March 7, 1976 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, Richmond, VA
400 laps on a .542 mile paved track (216.8 miles about 2 weeks before the 1976 Carolina 500 race.
# 3. It shows and discussed only the the 1976 Carolina 500 race, Winston Cup race number 3 of 30
February 29, 1976 at North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham, NC
492 laps on a 1.017 mile paved track (500.4 miles)
http://racing-reference.info/race?id=1976-03&series=W
It shows and discussed the pre-race,race film footage Rockingham 1976 Carolina 500 race. Bobby Allison's bad wreck, pit stop film footage. It shows some film footage of the other race teams pit stops while an banjo is playing. After #90 lost engine valves during the race, it was push back to the garage. ( End of Story!) In the movie, didn't find out who won the race? Richard Petty # 43 won it.
# 4. It discussed and shows about (7) # 90 after crash photos (including detail rollbar) of the 1975 Talladega 500 race. It mention that the pitcrew worked day and night, and repaired this racecar like brand new shape by the Dover race ( 1 month later). Since they was talking about this # 90 racecar? I'm thinking maybe the 1975 Talladega 500 wrecked # 90 Truxmore Ford Torino racecar and the 1976 24hr. Le Mans Truxmore Ford Torino is the same racecar!!! Winston Cup race number 19 of 30
August 17, 1975 at Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega, AL
188 laps on a 2.660 mile paved track (500.1 miles)
http://racing-reference.info/race?id=1975-19&series=W
I think the movie is well worth the $30.00 Dollars I paid for.
It didn't mention NASCAR or Big Bill France wanted them to raced 1976 24hr. Le Mans Race. I only hoped that this film crew was at 1976 24hrs. Le Mans race and filmed the # 90 Truxmore Ford racecar and pitcrew. (This film was copywrited in 2002).
Sincerely yours,
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va.
USA

[Dennis Garrett]

Dear Steve,
I forgot to mention that the # 90 Truxmore Ford Torino racecar in the above film.
# 1. Tested in Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway 2 weeks before the 1976 Carolina 500 race
# 2. Race and did not finish (engine valves problems)in the the 1976 Carolina 500, the Winston Cup race number 3 of 30
February 29, 1976 at North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham, NC.
#3. Race and crashed in the 1976 Richmond 400 Winston Cup race number 4 of 30
March 7, 1976 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, Richmond, VA
400 laps on a .542 mile paved track (216.8 miles)
# 4. Same #90 Truxmore Ford Torino racecar that raced #3 Rockingham and #4 Richmond races. Had the same paint job,sponsor, and race decals applied at same body location. It was racecar built to raced on Short Tracks.
# 5. This is the (Pre-1976 24hr. Le Mans) # 90 Truxmore Ford Torino racecar, in which later was sent to France and race in the 24hrs. of Le Mans race.
# 6. I need photos Dick Brooks # 90 Truxmore Ford Torino racing that raced the 1976 Rebel 500 race. Winston Cup race number 8 of 30.
April 11, 1976 at Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC
367 laps on a 1.366 mile paved track (501.3 miles)
It appears that this same # 90 racecar had it's number changed to # 93 and Buck Baker started the 1976 Rebel 500 race in 13th position and finished in 6th position.
http://racing-reference.info/race?id=1976-08&series=W
Sincerely yours,
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va.
USA

[Christophe]

By the way, why did the Torino have number 90 in the race at Le Mans and not a #93 or even a dedicated Le Mans number ?

[Dennis Garrett]

Dear Christophe,
NASCAR'S Bill France Sr. and Bill France Jr. wanted Junie Donlavey's # 90 Truxmore Ford Torino and wanted Hershal McGriff's # 4 Olympic Beer Dodge Charger to represented NASCAR in the special 1976 24 hrs. Le Mans race and 1977 24hrs. Le Mans race (NASCAR's race cars didn't run this race.)???
Junie Donlavey's # 90 Truxmore Ford Torino with driver Dick "Richard" Brooks was register as the main NASCAR race team,race car and race driver in the Winston Cup Point Race Fund (Big Trophy and Big Money) at end of the 1976 year's NASCAR Awards Banquet.
Junie Donlavey started using the # 90 number in NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL RACES since 1957 with drivers, Runt Harris and Emanuel Zervakis.
http://racing-reference.info/owner?id=donlaju01
Sincerely yours,
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va.23225
USA

[steve]

dennis email me your email addresse, i have a few pics of the 93 car by baker. also i am trying to get the car upto richmond for junie to look at. richmond newspaper also wants to come by...neat to get some TV news footage as well. you will have to come over, Coles (truxmore owner) granddaughter is also intrested.

[Christophe]

#5 was the Le Mans car ??? That is very interesting. Do you have an idea which Winston Cup race it was entered after Le Mans ? It must have been a race in August, since the shipping back to the USA must have taken at least 3 weeks.

[Christophe]

Richmond paper! Cool, but there should be more interest than that. I'd recommend that you get in touch with the NASCAR press officer at Daytona and let him know what you have. NASCAR plans to have a display of 49 vintage race cars at Daytona to celebrate the 50th running of the 500 in February 2008. If you start right now, you could have it restored for that show in time!

[Dennis Garrett]

Dear Steve,
Let me know about your Richmond,Va. meeting with Junie Donlavey and Ms Cole. I would like to be there.

My email address is:
capitalcity300@aol.com

Please email me any Truxmore race car photos on the following 1976 races listed below:

In 1976, #90 car owner Junie Donlavey raced a two-car team at the following race tracks and race car drivers:
1976 Rebel 500 - Winston Cup race number 8 of 30
April 11, 1976 at Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC
367 laps on a 1.366 mile paved track (501.3 miles)
Dick "Richard" Brooks drove #90 Truxmore Ford and Buck Baker drove #93 Truxmore Ford.
I'm looking for #90 and #93 race car photos of this race.
http://racing-reference.info/race?id=1976-08&series=W
==================================
1976 World 600 - Winston Cup race number 13 of 30
May 30, 1976 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC
400 laps on a 1.500 mile paved track (600.0 miles)
Dick "Richard" Brooks drove #90 Truxmore Ford
and Dick Trickle drove #99 Truxmore Ford.
I'm looking for #90 and #99 race car photos of this race.
http://racing-reference.info/race?id=1976-13&series=W
==================================
1976 Dixie 500 - Winston Cup race number 29 of 30
November 7, 1976 at Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton, GA
328 laps on a 1.522 mile paved track (499.2 miles)
Dick "Richard" Brooks drove #90 Truxmore Ford and Gene Felton drove #93 Truxmore Ford.
I'm looking for #90 and #93 race car photos of this race.
http://racing-reference.info/race?id=1976-29&series=W
==================================
Sincerely yours,
Dennis Garrett
Richmond, Va. 23225 USA

[Christophe]

Dennis,

this is very interesting. It could indicate that it cas the #93 car from Darlington that was shipped over to Europe and back and therefore the #99 car was at Charlotte, which was just 10 days before the Le Mans qualifying.

[MUSTANG66]

Just for fun !
I suppose that in 1976, that the Truxmore team went to a Le Mans supermarket to buy :
-Californian brand mirror
-Ford Team windshield band sticker
-Glittering Ford sticker (see the rear of the car.
And maybe the two Oscars !
And somebody gave them the blue sticker on the bumper.