[sYc]

I don't think there is any doubt DY was the first to get GM to build a purpose built race car, the Stinger. But, as you try and piece the story together from there, I think you need to remember one thing, DY was into road racing, thus a BB Camaro would not be his top priority. His plan was do with GM what Carroll Shelby did with Ford. SYC=Yenko Sports Cars (Inc.)

In 1967 he still had big plans for the Stinger, but Nader killed any chance of that program succeeding. So on to the Camaro,. but even then I think he was still focused on road racing. IMO, Yenko was doing the BB conversions simply because others were doing it. And he offered the Stormer, a special equipped Z. If DY had been a drag racer, we may have seen a factory BB in '68, but the COPO for '68 was a handling package.

I think DY finally realized that he would never be able to sell a road race Camaro in the same quantities as he did the Corvair, while at the same time saw the potential sales of hi-po drag cars.

So in part, we need to thank Ralph Nader for killing the Stinger, or other wise DY might have stuck with Corvairs. It is well documented the success Yenko Stingers had on the track, and that Don had big plans for the Stinger program. Until Nader's book, the Stinger program was very successful.


BTW, to hear about the COPO program at Chevrolet from the "horse's mouth", do not miss SCR9. One of our guests will be Jim Mattison, who not only worked in the COPO department at GM, but was a good friend of Don Yenkos.